Deuce and Mo on Building A Sacramento Kings Media Empire I The Kang Gang Pod Interview

Deuce and Mo on Building A Sacramento Kings Media Empire I The Kang Gang Pod Interview

Welcome back to the Kang Gang Pod, guys. We did it. We got them. We got them. We did it. We are absolutely honored to have Sacramento royalty in the building today. Where? Where? We are joined by the most iconic duo in the 916. These two have not only elevated the conversation around Sacramento sports, but have genuinely shaped the culture of what it means to be a Kings fan. What makes these two so special is not only the basketball knowledge or the broadcast talent. It is the authenticity, the grind, and the way they’ve built a community that feels like family. We are truly grateful to have the one, the only Deuce and [Applause] Come on. Wow. Amazing. I’m so jealous. Yeah, the cleanup’s going to be great. I also Dude, it’s it is honestly insane to think like chat GPT like the intro. Oh, yes. He put that into chat GPT. He didn’t write that, dude. And he was like, “Hey, what what do we know about Doo?” Also, I love the fact that like Yeah, show it. These are all the questions written out, handwritten. Now, we got them on a I’m amazed. I’m amazed by this. No, it’s so nice. Nice handwriting. It’s also It just felt like we were at uh like at our funeral but alive. Like hearing all those nice things. That is so Thank you. And then and then yes, I would want confetti at my funeral. You always need to celebrate. But before before we get into it, we do this with all of our guests. I have some gifts for you guys. Oh wow. The gifts. Ow. Now we can this and Okay. I mean, the least we can do after covering you. We didn’t have a trial run clearly with that, as you could tell. Honestly, these ones are way more powerful than I mean. It’s stuck to the ceiling. Yeah. No, there’s some There’s like some on the fan, too. Yeah. It was like It was really loud. Do you hear that? Yeah. Super loud. I have it all over my face, too. I like it. No, leave it. Leave it. I love it. I’m just glad no one’s eardrums. I think it was worth it. Well, at least we’re we’re wearing headphones though to protect it at least. That is true. I’m jealous. So, yeah. No, thank you. I know you guys do the fog, but you know, we like to make a bigger mess, you know. Without further ado, I mean, the gifts might be might be covered, but you guys get to choose who gets what. Oh, okay. Because, you know, so I get to choose power the power of choice. But I love this. I have for you both. In my opinion, are you kidding? Stop. In my opinion. Are you kidding? These I believe these are the greatest king jackets in history. I this and it needs to go. You too. I feel like my heart is like feels like way too much. We got the blue and we got the baby blue. Wow. So, you guys get to decide who gets what, but those are going to you two. Wait, should I can I just put mine on? So, so you’ve already claimed that one. Oh my god. You’ve already The reflexes. Wait, do you want Do you want I don’t care. No, no, I don’t care. I love them both. I love them both. They’re a little different. They’re a little different. But wow. Okay. It feels like way too much. This is like in the original. I put it on. Yeah. Too much. I love this. Of course they’re the originals. I would never. It’s just amazing. Are you Cuz I know you guys don’t have these, right? No. Okay. Just making sure. Just making sure. Oh, there’s something in there. Not anymore. Someone’s someone’s I think Maya wore that last time. Hell yeah. Thank you so much. Are you kidding me? This I feel you guys. I’m overwhelmed. The confetti, the intro, the jacket. Like I’m all this guy right here. All this guy right here. Visionary right here. Thank you so much. And I am going to have to take it off cuz it is a little toasty. Yes, we actually have a fan if Yeah, we need to plug that into those turn to not think that through. Oh yeah, maybe. Oh my god, you guys. Unbelievable. Just a thank you for being here. Just a thank you for being here cuz this means a lot to us. Big role models for I mean I feel like we should have brought something. I know. Now I’m feeling like this is Oh god, we suck. You guys brought yourself. That’s all we needed. Oh, we suck. Okay. Okay. Let’s do it. Let’s dive right in, baby. All right, Morgan, I got a question for you to start things off. Yeah. On February 15th, 2006. I’m taking you way back. You scored 25 points on 50% from the field in a 64 to 59 point victory over Grant High School. In the two in the two years of varsity, according to Max Preps, you averaged 14.6 points. So, I just have to say, can you talk to us about your basketball? I’m going to call it a career. And who is your player comp? Oh my god, this is my favorite podcast in the whole world. I always love talking about myself in basketball because I get to like talk about it like I was the best thing ever, even though I obviously wasn’t. Um, but like I hooped. I I loved I loved ball. I still love it. And on that game, I had seven threes in that game. Max Preps did not put that. Yeah, I had I had seven threes and I played all four years on varsity and it was some of the most challenging years of my life. I won’t go into detail for this podcast. Um, but there was just like coaches getting going to jail and like things like that, like very serious things. And I was 14 years old coming into into high school and I’ll never forget these challenges being thrown at me and being like, “No, this isn’t going to stop me from playing.” So anyway, I guess me as a basketball player, a comp. I mean, Deuce is going to have an answer and he’s going to have a few answers and I think it’s going to be anything from like Andre Miller to Demarcus Cousins cuz the combination of my handles and my slow game with my attitude. Um, she’s a hotthead playing. It’s it’s like it’s like relax, dude. Okay. And it’s so easy to bait her, you know? You just get a little physical tone setter. It’s compact. Well, I don’t know. I don’t know. I just I always say Oh, I also had the most uh technical fouls my freshman year on varsity in the SFL. So, in the Sierra Foothood league as a freshman. As a fresh I was I just hated refs. That’s truly Demarcus Cousins. I know. It’s so bad. It’s I I’ll never forget when I even said the f- word one time and like they’re like g they gave me a tea and I was like I didn’t say it and I tried like gaslighting like the officials and it was just like what are you doing as like you know 15year-old or whatever I was at that point. So there was bad times and then AU basketball there was great times because that’s where I was trying to get like um seen by colleges and everything and um I was seen by a few and then once I uh was 17 I decided I didn’t want to play anymore after and I turned down some offers and I know my parents are like why why’ we spend all this money? Um, and then I ended up playing at Sierra College cuz I missed it. And they also were, I guess, recruiting me during my high school years like like, hey, if you want to come, you know, be around home. And it was the best decision ever. We ended up second in the state of California my first year there there. And it was awesome. And then I played some pro and basketball in San Francisco because I thought I wanted to go overseas. And that was pretty much my career. I mean, like, yeah. I mean, it’s not crazy or anything, you know. Well, I think a lot of people have my similar like, oh yeah, an injury or like I’m a 56 point guard, but the only thing was basketball was never going to leave me. That was like my ultimate thing. And so, and it hasn’t like it’s still with me every single day. So, great shooter. Oh, thank you. Great passer. Can’t defend anybody. Well, I in high school in high school. I haven’t seen I didn’t see her in high school. I’m just talking about now when we I’ve been around you. You’re just not in basketball shape. Thank you. And so like I mean you just run just like she can’t keep up. But like if you run the floor though, if you run the floor and like her team, but it’s also fun going up against her because you’re like, “Oh, she’s going to I I’m just going to make her move.” You know me, you know what I mean? Three is like popped in his face like just out at Roosevelt Park. So like why are we even saying this? So yeah. So it’s a battle of like which mental pretzel is going to be like breaking, you know? I mean for sure for sure. I I would like to say I’m like better now like mentally with my game. I’m not. I still just get just as pissed off. And so I understand some of these passionate players that are out there and I’m always like you got to keep your cool. But I’m like I never did. But I also I also couldn’t become a professional, you know, and like that was going to be part of it as well. Like if you can’t keep your cool and your mental game cool, then you probably not going to be playing at the highest of levels. So, you’ve obviously been a fan of talking since your since your first basketball days. Did your teammates early on ever, you know, say you were going to be a broadcaster one day or ever talk about that? Oh, yeah. It was uh again 15 years old at Granite Bay High School. We had a media program and I know it was so we were so privileged, so fortunate to have like this green screen room, a teleprompter. I fell in love and I was like, “Oh, that’s what I’m doing. That is what I’m doing.” But then there wasn’t much representation of women in certain positions in sports broadcasting. So I was like, “Okay, I love basketball, but like it’s all guys, so what am I going to do?” And I was always like, “Maybe I can do like uh pop culture like e-news or something like that, like red carpet.” And and then I mean that switched quickly, you know, where I realized like, “No, I’m going to f this. I’m going to figure it out. I don’t care who’s there.” And then more and more pioneers and women were there and they have been there for a while, but they were promoted more and more and they’re getting the love that they deserve more and more. And it’s like without them, I would never be where I’m at. So, wow. Deuce, I want to transition into you really quick. I read that you used to do playby-play commentary when you were a kid and you would sit in front of the TV and you would film yourself. Is this true information? I would record myself on like a tape recorder. I wish I had these, dude. I would love to hear I would do like I would just watch a game and call do playbyplay or I do like mock talk shows. I was Yeah, I do when I was a teenager. See, here’s break it down. Let’s break it down. My life a little different, you know. Um my dad was in and out of prison my entire life. So that was tough. Single mom, you know, and she was a young mom. So there was just a lot of chaos. Sports was always an escape. So, I was obsessed with it. Like obsessed with going outside playing it. Uh obsessed with watching it. I wanted to be in media. I was just obsessed with the idea of like radio and TV and broadcasting. And um the Kings when I was like in my early teens were amazing. I mean, we’re talking about early 2000s. And you just I was captivated. I’m like, I want to do this here. I want to keep doing this. And so, yeah, I was on message boards all the time. You said it was always your escape too from that reality of like oh my dad sucks and like my whatever my life is just kind of difficult and so yeah it’s I mean that was a and what a good time to have that escape to to be yeah there’s actually good basketball. Yeah. Yeah. Not not just like pain of watching losing. Um no uh yeah and so I was on like message boards all the time. I was trying to find ways to get like internships even though I knew teenagers couldn’t really get an internship. Um, I also my freshman year I tried out for basketball at doampo got cut. I never tried out again. My dad went back to prison and I it’s one of my big regrets cuz I I still I play I was good enough to play no one to like hey do this. Yeah. So um but with that I found like my love for like I knew I wanted to be in the business. Like I’d be in the English class, we’d have free rides. I’d write about game recaps every day. And someone, one of my teachers encouraged me was like, “Hey, like you should be on the school newspaper.” So, I started writing for the newspaper. Um, I I somehow was able to shadow one day at KHDK when I was like 16. Oh, that’s sick. That’s early. Shadow KHDK. And they let me um they let me stick around on like an unofficial internship. No p This would not fly today. No. No. Yeah. No paper. There’s no paperwork. There’s no I would go in after school and be there like from 4:00 to 9:00 screening phone calls. On Fridays it go 4:00 to midnight and I would just be and I just soak it up. I just sit there and just be quiet and just watch how everything worked. And then uh yeah, out of high school I got hired on part-time running the soundboard. So I know I just hit a lot there. My point is I knew at a young age what I wanted to do and uh there you go. That’s what I’m trying to do. That’s incredible. I mean, yeah, knowing that you guys both wanted to go into this field so early on is I think it’s it’s a blessing to know and to be there now especially. But let’s let’s talk about after high school. I also read that you guys went to SAK State and then after there you guys left to 916. Can you talk about your guys’ journey once you left the city? Yeah. Well, well, she left before I did. So I left I went Sierra College and then when I got shoulder surgery I was going to go for a second year back to Sierra College and my coach Brandy you know you’re you were horrible at times and by the way love her now. Um but she she would like yell at me coming back from surgery like cuz I couldn’t do an overhead pass and it was like if you can’t do it then get off the court. It’s like what? Like I need to So anyway, so instead of doing a second year at Sierra College with that team, I ended up moving to Los Angeles. Uh San Diego in Los Angeles, wanted to do TV, blah blah blah. Worked like four different jobs. That was your e- newswe like that’s what you were trying to do then? Eight, right? Yes. That was more that because I thought it was LA that I could like kind of get in there and I I mean I was around a lot more of that and it was just insane. So when I was in Los Angeles, I’ll never forget just thinking like, “Oh, can I do anything here?” And my dad would always say like, you know, Sacramento has TV stations, too. Sacramento has this. And I just my appreciation for understanding what I could actually do and succeed in in Sacramento just wasn’t there because I was like 19. Yeah. 19. And um and then once uh LA just like chewed me up and like killed me. It was just awful. Um and expensive, I moved back to Sacramento and that’s when I got an internship with uh ABC10 and KHDK. And so yeah, that was my time out. And then but guess how I got the internship? This is where the SAK State thing comes in. I had I had to get I had to be in a journalism course or a college course to get the internship with uh ABC 10. It was news 10 at the time. So that was the only reason why I went to SAK State. I didn’t graduate from SAK State. Deuce actually did all the graduating and Yep. Stingers up. I fake it. I fake it. Half stinger. No, I I have I got the double stinger, too. I got the double stinger cuz I’m sorted from Sax State to SDSU. So I have like a half stinger as well. Yeah, there you go. I got my masters and then I’m currently getting my teaching credential right now at X. So yeah, stingers everywhere. Yeah, you get the double. I do get the double. Yeah, it’s like the Brian Winhorse double stinger when I go this way. Nice. But yeah, so that was my my journey outside of Sacramento and thank God I’m back. Uh I was so I was going to school while working at KGK. Like I went from part-time, I got full-time at KGK. I was working behind the scenes running the soundboard, which is like the mixer, firing off commercials, like producing all that stuff. And I was like 22 and a new station was launching in San Francisco, 957 the game. Um, and they hired the Rise guys, two of the guys from the Rise guys. I worked on that show behind the scenes and they had recommended me and I got a job to be their producer in San Francisco. So I had a semester left at SAK State and I was like, what am I gonna transfer? like what do I do, dude? I reached out to like a couple professors. I was like, “Here’s the situation. Um, I have this job opportunity. I can’t pass it up. I don’t want to transfer.” Shout out to Tim Howard who was like a PR person, uh, one of the PR teachers there, professors. He’s like, “This is more important than what you’re going to learn here. We’ll figure it out.” So, I did like a couple online courses. I did like a special project for him and I was able to do my last semester in San Francisco without going to SAK State. It was kind of crazy. Um, so that was awesome. And then uh the job was just overwhelming. It was like it was so fun. I love working with the Rise guys and like the boss in San Francisco was like this high pressure situation. It was like you have to book five guests a day. And I’m like I’m not chasing around guests. Like we’re doing shows. We’re trying to have fun. And I got to a point I was just like I can’t do this anymore. And I just quit. I had nothing lined up. Came back to Sacramento and uh just tried to figure it out. How long was that period in San Francisco? Just like a year. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I quit after a year and came back. Came running home. And wait, what what when did you come back though? Like it was 2012. 2012 I came back. Yeah. But like what month? Do you remember? May. Because because then we then we ended up meeting this time. October 2012. So it was like literally like he was just coming back and I was um within these internships. And so it’s like it’s just crazy. It’s like all right that journey started then. and with KHDK and everything and um around that time. So you guys first met in 2012 and it was at the KHDK studio and were you guys do you guys have a show then? So we met at media day in 2012 and then you know at the old practice facility. Yeah. And then we started you know that year going to games all the time. She was at games all the time. And I was like you should intern like Yeah. You should come over there for an internship too. Like learn this voice for like you should learn it. So she for radio is started to Yeah. I did not say that. Um, at the time I was doing a show with Jay Ross, Jason Ross, a midday show and then she was coming on as an intern and then like we there was the management at KHK was just like there was no management. We kind of did what we wanted papers. Yeah. So it’s like just come in and like hey open your mic we’ll just try to have fun and that’s kind of what we did and we kind of live that year was like living the saga of are the Kings going to stay? Like there was just so much craziness like doing shows every day where you know I thought I was doing a sports radio show but it morphed into like every day we were talking about is this team staying or going? We’d look at these breadcrumbs like I think they’re staying like there was we had like a great belief. I get chills thinking about it. Uh cuz we went to New York. Well, I really quick though, I didn’t make a dime while internship with that internship and the Kings, they were going to have the board of governors meeting or the NBA was in New York and KHK was willing to send deuce like just like barely barely, you know, like give him any money. I had to pitch it. Yeah. Yeah. He had to pitch it and I said, “No, I want to go.” And I had like no money, but I took all my savings and we ended up going to New York to cover this. And it was one of it was just like one of those cool career moments of why like you believe in yourself and you you sometimes take the risk and put the money in and whatever you need to do. And so when we did that like that was huge I think for for us the station just being able to cover it on that level. Yeah. So we did that show and then King stayed and we had a lot of fun on that show. So wait, so when you were in New York, were you guys covering like the situation that was happening here just on a So they had the board of governors meeting which was that’s when the like all the owners came to like talk about the situation? David Stern was there and it was just like a big update on where things stood with Sacramento. It was like a big decision thing. So and you had certain credentials and I didn’t have a credential because again I just flew myself out there and was like, “No, I’m covering this shit.” And uh and so so I I remember uh ABC 10, News 10 at the time, one of their reporters was there and they technically couldn’t allow me to come in, but he was like, “Just walk in with me. Just walk in.” I just walked in with confidence and like would get in and would be at the like, you know, be able to cover the pressers in those meetings and stuff. So yeah, it’s crazy thinking about that time, too, because I’m like, “Wow, that was a long time ago now.” And there’s just so many fans who like don’t they’re too young to even remember that time. But that I I’ll never forget that day when that WoJ tweet came out and it was like first and goal at the one. Like I was it fell over. Well, you might want to explain cuz these guys are super young. Well, the thing is though, you got to think you got to think though when it’s first and goal at the one. You think about that Super Bowl where they hand off the ball to Marshon Lynch, right? And then they decide, you know what, we’re going to call a play call and just see if we can get it to Doug Baldwin and then Malcolm Butler intercepts it. That’s pretty much what the Kings whole situation was was they were Malcolm Butler and like you know what we’re just going to step in and just not make this happen. I just remember seeing Grand Jerry on TV crying and it was just so emotional times. It was like Anaheim, Virginia Beach, Seattle. It was the second stint, too. And that was what makes it even more crazier. We were like out of 2011. We were like, “Oh crap.” You know, this is what’s going to happen. We were like, “Okay, we got a year. It was Marcus Thornton, which was super fun.” And then and then and then a year later we’re like a here we go again, you know? So it’s it was crazy just kind of like seeing that as like we were all in high school at that time. Um and that was a moment where it was just like man what’s going to happen? What is really going on? What is going to be like the thing that’s going to really just be that? And it was like dang. And then all of a sudden like last minute we pull off the interception. So it was like hey RCA it took Duce and Mo forcing their way over to New York to That is true. Listen, listen. Malcolm saw Malcolm Butler appeared in D. Actually, it’s funny cuz when Woge uh was reporting on the King stuff, this is again this is like this is early 20s dude, so it’s a little more brash, you know, a little more like probably an ass on air sometimes, you know, a little intense. I mean, yeah. Woge. I was always trying to get him on the show and I had his number from like booking him in the past and he would never like respond after the Seattle thing and so um I like mentioned on air I’m like hey Wo is refusing to come on like he’s not responding like everyone send him tweets. So people started tweeting woge about it and then he texted me. He was like, “Hey, you got to stop.” And to this day, I feel sick about it cuz I’m like, “God, this guy was like a legend as a as a news breaker.” Now, now like think about if he was getting all those tweets or whatever, he would not even care. I know. I know. It was just a different era. It was just a different era of Twitter. Oh yeah, Twitter. Everybody was just going like after like all these people Adam Sher was getting bombarded by Bill’s fans and it was like It sounds like you got the first wash bomb. directly, dude. Yeah. He’s like, you got to stop that. You’re like, okay. Well, yeah. You’re like, I’ll take it back. I’m just an immature whatever you’re That is crazy. So, like after New York, you guys get back and then what what did the radio station feel once you guys were covering everything that was going on? I don’t think anyone cared. I mean, here’s my thing is like I’ve always looked at it like, okay, we may not have the support like as a station, like the the management there is not great or whatever. Like, what can we control? Oh, they’re not The good thing about bosses who maybe are not like hands-on and they’re not paying attention. Yeah, you may not get the love, but guess what? If you can kind of do what you want. So, all we did was like, hey, let’s do what we think is right. We’ll try different things that people don’t normally do, and most of all, have fun. So, I didn’t really care. To me, it was like, let’s let’s go out like let’s build relationships. Let’s let’s evolve. Let’s try different things. I was very prideful about that station because I grew up listening to it as a as a kid. I was like working there. So, for me, it was like, all right, like how do we elevate the station to the next level because like, you know, it’s kind of old now. We need [ __ ] though. Yeah. So, that was my whole focus was like, how do we just have fun on the radio every day? Essentially like your first steps in building your guys community, right? Yeah. Yeah, I think so. People gravitating toward your personality. You’re able to express yourself. Yeah. It it is funny though because like I think it’s like Duce said like both him and I we we take and other people are like this too like they take so much pride in their work but it’s a lot of people what people have taught me over this time is like oh but work doesn’t give a damn about you and that and it’s like honestly the truth until you find those good places. Like I feel I feel differently now about like a place like NBC. I’ve never felt that way about a place in media um growing up. And so like when they actually care about you and like you put in the work and they care about you is the coolest thing. With some of these places growing up, we’d put in the work, they didn’t care. It was great still for us and our experiences are the way that we were trying to grow as professionals and it still benefited us in so many different ways. So when you were realizing that you weren’t getting the support you needed and you guys were developing the way you were is that kind of like the that in that time period was that when you guys thought maybe I should we should you know branch out or would you guys No no because what happened was so we did the midday show with Jason Ross and I we were building something um and at the time there was a morning show that was struggling. They’d put together um this guy named Keith Brooks and Carmichael Dave together and just wasn’t clicking or whatever like the audience wasn’t responding. So, we had a new boss and new boss’s idea was like, “Hey, like we’re going to take you and Morgan and put you in the mornings with Dave.” You know, mind you, we have a great show with Jason Ross. So, it’s like we’re breaking up something great and so kind of got forced into this like situation with Dave and it just I had known Dave for a long time then, but like as far as doing a show together, it just wasn’t it wasn’t a thing. there’s no the chemistry wasn’t there like work ethic wasn’t there with everyone it was just it just didn’t work and um you know I I remember like going to management at the time going hey like I don’t have to stay in the mornings cuz everyone wants to be on the morning show I don’t really care about that didn’t matter what time I was on we made more money and everything and we were like we don’t we don’t care I don’t care I was like hey just just put us we we tried it it doesn’t work just put us back with J Ross and tinker you know move some things around and um never happened. And then April 1st, 2016, you know, I after a show ends, like I go on my email and my email is not working and then Mor’s like, “My email is not working.” I’m like, “Yeah, we’re getting fired.” So, uh, we got let go April 1st, 2016. And, uh, you know, it was such a weird I you know, just kind of crazy. You don’t like expect especially when you don’t do anything wrong. And on April 1st, yeah, on April Fool, it’s just like, oh man, that’s like the d that’s like the double whammy right there. You know why? cuz I’m like telling them what happened or family and they’re like okay that’s a good one. No one believes us even I tweeted it that day like some nice message and everyone’s like okay dude they got mad people got mad mad at us and then it was like we weren’t on uh so then that’s when like okay so to answer your question when did we realize like oh we had to go a different route? It was like we were kind of forced into it. I didn’t know what was going to happen and we went let’s launch a podcast and like no one’s going to take away our joy you know like our money. Yeah, we decided to do like we were doing like a sports podcast at the time. We go we go live on a MacBook, you know, like we didn’t know what we were doing, but we’re just trying stuff. And uh that was kind of our first step. After two weeks, two weeks, we were just all right, how do we we had some friends, we weren’t ready. We we ordered equipment. We had some like engineer friend like teach us how to use a mixer. My sister created a logo for free. like she’s a graphic designer. She had a lot of support. So much support from like my family, a few friends, and it was just like the the way that people rallied around us. It was the coolest thing in the world. No, we didn’t make money or get demonetized right away because we had to grow and we weren’t It’s not like we were like the most popular people in Sacramento. You know, you’re doing sports radio at the time. You’re going to have a small uh fan base, listeners, however you want to say call it. and then to bring them over from what they’re used to into something else. Like it was we knew it was going to take time and my god did it take time. And at the same time like we started doing stuff on Good Day Sacramento. Like Good Day she had been doing stuff in the past but Good Day reached out to me like hey do you want to try and TV? I’m like yeah sure I I I wanted to uh but uh they gave us a chance. I tried out and I was on that show for a while but the podcasting like we eventually like you know life happens job changes happen. and you’re trying to navigate things like we stopped kind of doing the podcast. We had like we didn’t went from like every day to like every once in a while. Every week. Yeah. And then we like took time off. What changed everything for us was during the pandemic. Yeah. We were walking one day and we were like we wanted we started doing the podcast again and we were like trying to come up with ideas for King season and I was like dude why don’t we just go live after every game? Like let’s just try it. Let’s just try it. I’m like because in my head growing up as a kid I would be in my bed listening to 11:40 late at night after Kings games cuz like they’re reacting to it people are calling it you know like it’s just reacting to the games and that’s kind of been lost now with where radio is at this point and so like let’s just try it and so we started doing it and it’s like all right started building and it was during you know it was during the pandemic season you know you’re just okay let’s keep doing it and you just saw it grow and grow and row and that’s why we’re I mean we’ve done it every single game since. Every single game since five seasons. Five five full season. Yeah. Like have not missed a game. And let’s even after like you guys doing a post game, you’re like hey let’s just like have our laptops ready to go. You’re in studio. You’re like boom. Yeah. And well that’s the other crazy thing like so I mean not only were we doing this like at the start you know during the pandemic scene there were like stretches where the Kings lost nine in a row twice. Think about going on. So it was fun. That’s right. And like what do I talk about? Oh man, that that season will always have like stuck in my brain. Oh my god. How many times I bet if I looked up old episodes it’d be me like Morgan at some point. Like do you go with Kyle Guy? Like you know what I mean? Like Yeah. Like I was so I I was probably too mean. But I was so sick of watching Cory Joseph. I was just like you were you were mean about Cojo and he’s And then once I got Tyrese I’m like why is Tyrese coming off the bench? That was that was that was that was the surprising thing to me was Tyrese not Tyrese not starting that entire year and him coming off the bench and being like, “Hey, I’ve proven myself especially towards like the later half of the season when they were not competing.” I’m like, “Dude, you have Tyrese Hallebertton starting.” And then he goes off in his second year and then builds and then boom, we trade him right away. So it’s like, come on, man. You know, and that was our content. Yeah. So it was it was fun though cuz it was, you know, I think that’s the other thing. We’re all Kings fans, so we’ve seen like the highs and lows. Mainly lows. You guys experienced more because you guys don’t have memories of early 2000s. Really? Or kind of? A little bit. A little bit. Born in 97. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I was I was born 96. So imagine I’m in fifth grade when Jason Williams is a rookie and like just as a just seeing that like I fell in love like I’m like I’ve never seen anything like this before, you know? Um best thing to ever happen to my life. Yeah. It was transformative. Yeah. So um Chris Weber for me. Anyway, the lows there so many lows in the last, you know, 20 years or whatever where like you just know how to deal with it. Like when people other fan bases talk [ __ ] about the Kings on social media, I’m like, do you think that’s going to impact us? Like we’ve all seen bad basketball. Like we’ve heard the noise. We know we’ve been through the dance before. It’s not our It’s not our first rodeo or or our 30th rodeo. Exactly. Literally. Um, so anyway, so we’re doing the podcast and, you know, NBC started like seeing what we were doing and they had Morgan had, you know, tried to bug them before about doing stuff for them and I think they saw the community were cultivating, they gave her a chance and then eventually gave me a chance and I always tell people without the podcast and the community behind it, we’re not doing TV stuff one billion%. Yeah. So before you guys got the NBC jobs, you guys got the Stockton Kings Stockton Kings and the color commentary. So where where did that fit in on the timeline? Was that So that was, you know, I was working on the Kings radio broadcast and um Morgan I think was doing like stuff for Junior Kings at the time. So what happened was uh after after we got fired from radio 2016, I was doing Good Day Sacramento. Um, I was uh I guess I don’t need to go into detail, but like I experienced like harassment and bullying and different things and I was like, ah, I don’t think I like this life in TV if this is what it’s going to be like, you know, cuz I I experienced that in LA and then the fact that I I got a little here, I was like, no, that’s only supposed to be for SoCal, not Norcal, you know, like what the hell and so I was feeling and and you you were only getting paid hourly. Like unless you’re ESPN or national, you weren’t going to make enough money to keep a roof over your head, especially because you had to pay for your own medical insurance, all these different things, right? Like it just added up. Car payments, all those. I was like, what am I supposed to do? So then, um I I was offered by the Kings a Junior King Kings manager job, which is like junior NBA, youth basketball. And it was a price I couldn’t refuse, which I mean now would probably be way more money now. Um, but at that time I was just like, “Holy crap, with benefits.” Like that was what sold me easily. Easily. And so I was like, “Yes, sign me up, whatever.” And so once I started doing that, I’ll never forget I it was so fun working with kids within the community. It was such a cool job. But something was missing in my life. And this was when I realized how obsessed I was with broadcasting and how much I loved it. And it was in my blood like basketball was in my blood. And that’s when the Stockton Kings then were moving from Reno and going to Stockton. The Big Horns there. Yes. And then they had they had these openings and I’ll never forget I was I told Deuce I was like hey I you know I want to be Doris Burke one day but I’ve never done color so I should go for the sideline job. That’s what the first thing like again women in this business believe that you can do anything from the start. That is true. We have a we have a phenomenal women audience here on the KGB. Oh yes. No it’s like just believe in yourself. And so I just went for the playbyplay. I was like telling them, “Yeah, I could do sideline blah blah blah.” They came to me and said, “We want you to do color.” And I said, “Holy crap.” Like, “Yes, I can.” And then Deuce and I I have videos somewhere of Deuce and I practicing playbyplay in color before the first season even started cuz I wanted to record it so then we could watch back. And that’s the thing, like I’ve never done a playbyplay before. Like that was the other like l some of this business is luck too, right? Like no doubt about it. But where you are timing I just there I had never done TV before doing TV and someone luckily gave me an opportunity to do that and then same with playbyplay. I had never done playbyplay besides what I talked about earlier recording myself. So um to get that opportunity and I’m sure like listening back to how we were year one versus now it’s probably like oh god can’t even listen to that. Um but I just feel lucky that people have trusted us along the way. Hey, same with NBC. Like, you know, there was a lot of push back, I think, uh, from voices that were like, we need to have like experienced broadcast team with like a former player. Um, and shout out to the boss at NBC who were like, you know, let’s do it differently. These two people know the game. They’re passionate about the game. They got good chemistry. Like, let’s put them on and see what it’s like. And, um, it worked out. And it’s because of their belief. And it’s so freeing as people who are trying to grind in the business. Like when you have people who believe in you and that like trust you and like hey we want you guys to be yourself on air. It’s just like oh my god. Okay. It is very freeing. Yeah. So so anyway that timeline when we started doing playbyplay and color. We were both still doing something within the Sacramento Kings organization doing playbyplay and color kind of doing our podcasts and then that’s Yeah. And then then the pandemic hit and then it’s like what are we going to do in life? I don’t know. pandemic. We we called the final professional I guess sport or game that was anywhere in in America. Yeah. Because No, because the night Okay, so you know the Pelicans Kings game national TV, ESPN. Yeah. I was so bummed about missing that game cuz we were in Stockton doing a game and so we’re getting all these updates about like, hey, they’re they’re shutting down Golden One Center. No games being played. I’m sitting here. I’m like, yeah, cuz we don’t know what’s going on with the pandemic, but I’m going Why are we doing this game right now? Like, it’s not safe to do in Sacramento. Are we safe? I’m like shaking hands with people. I’m like, should I be what do I do? You just book it and then you go home. That’s what we did. We called the game and then we went home and then the world shut down. That was the So, yeah, cuz like the Kings game was shut was shut down and you guys We had to call ours in the middle of just wild. But yeah, I mean, I think back all the your guys questions trigger these things, but it’s just like, you know, I had dreams to be in this business and to be doing it in my hometown is like amazing. You can’t predict what’s going to happen. I would not have predicted it to go this way. Like, oh wow. Like there are moments in my life where like I’m going in the right direction and then you think back you’re like I mean you were working but I don’t know that you were going in the right direction. There’s like little things that happen. It’s crazy how like the pandemic impacted so many people in a in a negative way. Uh and I feel fortunate enough it led to like me really thinking about things. Us talking allowed creativity to flow a little bit to take chances and um I in some ways I’m like I I don’t know we would be where we are right now if the pandemic didn’t happen which is crazy. Like yeah, just the timing of all of it to be able to like sit still with our thoughts of where we want to go create create. It’s so interesting hearing like in both your guys’ careers the little hiccups that would come and just the things that how it got so good after those hiccups, you know, like Yeah. And it’s um the business is a grind, but I like I I love it, you know, and you know, we’re still not where we want to be yet, but it’s like that’s I think that’s good. It’s like keeps you going and motivated. It’s like how do we grow our channel more? How do we get we want to be full-time broadcasters, you know, doing play a play and color. How do we do that? The it’s all like trying to chase that next thing and and and grow and evolve. And you say he says chase that next thing, but like let me tell you, we have perspective with any little freaking win. And it’s like because you have to in this world and in this life and in this career. And so, um, yeah, like any hiccup, like it’s like if it was easy, everyone would do it kind of thing, you know? And like I, you know, many, you know, men say to me like, “I could totally do play byplay and blah blah blah and do your job and da da da da da.” And like those are the mean ones. There’s other ones where I’m like, “I bet you could.” Like, “That’s awesome.” Um, but but some of those I’m like, “Oh, but can you connect with people? Can you build relationships? Can you be around a team?” you know, there’s so many different elements to actually seeing success in one of these roles. And so, yeah, we still have a lot of growing to do and we’re excited to keep grinding. It’s all professionalism. Yeah. It’s it’s literally the whole thing. We talked about this a lot. Um, and one of the things is like no matter what you do in your job, whether you do this or you’re being a teacher and all this stuff like the ability to work with people and ability to work in a professional environment shows and that is workability, you know, all those type of things. And that like shows in a lot of like what Deuce and Mason do. Uh Duce and Mo do. So that’s like it’s really cool. Yeah. Duce and Duce and Mason and then Morgan and Reagan. So yeah that too. But it’s not just that you’re good at what you do, which you are. You guys are just awesome people, you know? And I feel like that’s where that’s kind of you to say. And no, I I think like look some people are like you’re really nice to me. And I’m like uh you haven’t seen me like verbally abuse someone that has come at me. You know what I mean? Like I can I can be that person. Like if you are a mean person or you’re an evil person or you don’t treat someone as an equal, like you’re dead to me. Like I will be a pitbull on your ass. But but ultimately just be kind to everyone. It’s just life’s way more fun that way anyway. So yeah. Yeah. In this business, it’s interesting because there there are a lot of egos, too. But that’s why I respect so many of like the people that we’ve gotten to work with over the years. and you’re just like, I’m so grateful that I haven’t had to be around like egoomaniacs all the time. There’s, you know, there’s insecurity. It’s tough because people, you know, as a broadcaster, you want to like get to the next level and people could be ruthless. And my approach has always been, you know what, like do it the right way. Do it the right way. Have fun, treat people well, you know, build relationships. Like we talked about our show with Jay Ross, like Jason Ross, one of the best human beings ever, you know, the Gman, Gary Gerald, who’s legend legend. He’s just such great people. Jerry Reynolds, you know, like um yeah, I’ve had so many over the years and I feel fortunate that we’ve had that. So, it seems like we we covered a lot just now, but I know. Sorry. So, you worked for the Stockton Kings. You were doing some stuff with the Kings at the time. You’re the podcast was going co happened. So, you guys were balancing like three, four different jobs, you know, traveling hour, you know, an hour distance to Stockton to go cover the games, do stuff with the Kings. So you guys have been doing this grind for a very very long time and it keeps elevating as you know as as we’re recording now. We’ll get into you know the recent news later but um that grind that you guys have been doing. It seems like you guys are willing to do it because there’s like this end goal in sight like you guys just said it. We still haven’t hit there which I’m shocked that you guys you like you guys aren’t at the at you know at the goal. Yeah. The fact that there’s still more is just inspiring as well. But um I want to ask you guys about when you were first working with the Kings, who were like your first initial people to kind of like take you under your wing as kind of like showing you the ropes just to be like that mentor for you guys. It’s it’s you know in the industry. Yeah. Because a lot of things blend together, you know. So it would definitely be I guess in the industry. Um I always I tell a lot of people this that and like I hate doing this in front of him but like Deuce for me was liter that I’ll start with him but then I have other people but Deuce for me was the first like ally for me and he was someone that was willing to take me under his wing and make me better from the start. Literally, when I was interning, remember how we said there was like no rules, no anything? Deuce would make me go home and write an essay on Moses Malone, some other old former basketball player, whoever else, because he wanted me to understand and respect the old part of the of the game because I told him like growing up like none of that retained with me, blah blah. And he’s like, “Well, you need to know and you need to know what they did. You need to go here. Uh, let me tell you a story by uh who?” John Feinstein. Feinstein. uh with Red Arbok and Bill Russell and like he made me read that like he gave me assignments to make me better from the day I met him and then on top of that he was willing to in be so inclusive with all the other men that he knew in this business because a lot of the time guys I was the only woman in the room a lot of the times one of two you know and I know for some they just like they’re like that wouldn’t be intimidating for you it’s just you know how it is if you’re walking into just a room full of like women, there’s also going to be this disconnect at first. It’s how you disarm them. It’s how you talk to them. Or maybe you have someone that’s there that is helping you. And Deuce was always there. So then once Deuce came around, got to ditch his ass. And then um Gman was by far one of the most special human beings that had ever like talked to me about career stuff, about kings, about anything in life. And like we are now like he to me is like family. Like I I love him with I text him. I love him. Like I love this man. Um Jason Ross was another one that was just like there from the start. A a man that had been there forever in this business. Has never changed his personality. Like has always just been the kindest most perfect human in the world. Um Jerry Reynolds I know Deuce mentioned that was another guy that would sit on the side. I would tell him how I want to be a color analyst. he’d give me tips, whatever else, you know, like that was just how I built relationships with different people. And I’m probably not giving enough credit to some others, but like those were the mains from the start. Wow. Yeah. I I have pretty much the same. And then like working on the Rise guys, I think I started working on their show like 19, 20, you know, and then going to San Francisco with a couple of them. So like Mark Kryler used to be a calmness at the bee, he was on that show. Whitey Gleason who was on that show. um and he why he now does the show on KHDK in the afternoons. But there’s just I learned a lot just from observing too, you know, like just seeing like what not to do from people and then like what others do like, oh, I love that, you know, and seeing someone like Whitey’s creativity and how he would empower like this young early 20s kid that’s still learning to help out on the show, you know, would give you give you the confidence and like some like Jerry Reynolds. Yeah, I Jerry Reynolds is one of my favorite people to talk to. Like I feel like he’s like my grandpa cuz I can just call him and we just talk basketball for 25 minutes, you know? Um but they’re just Yeah. I’m same people as you, man. G man, Jason. Um I’ve worked with so many people and that’s the other thing like I started in this industry I guess when I was 16 like as an intern. I’m like I’m 36 now. Yeah. You’ve known these people for a long time. I’ve been 20 years on this like journey which is crazy cuz I still feel like you incredible. Uh but it’s it’s crazy how much it’s changed too. Um, but I’m always grateful for the people who have helped. The empowerment that they’ve given us throughout the years has been tremendous and just we’re so fortunate to have that in our career. That’s incredible. So, now that you guys are all in on NBC Sports, we see you on TV pregame, postgame, halftime show. We love it. The podcast has been killing it. Rounding up on 21,000 subscribers, road to 100K, you know, road to 100 more accounts. I keep subscribing as much as I can. We got to get you there. But so now that you’ve, you know, been in these roles for such a long time and like you guys feel like you’re still like, you know, we think, you know, you’ve mastered the craft, but you know, I’m sure you guys think, you know, there’s still more to learn and everything, but you guys have done a lot for the community, a lot for, you know, just covering the team and the sport. What are your favorite parts about your current life in these two as facets of your life? Ooh, favorite part. It’s tough because um it’s something I want to work on, but you can’t you don’t get to work on this and I’m fine with it until I get to would be balance. Um it’s not even like the the cliche like work life balance. No, no, no. Because like this career, it’s like it is life and I love it and I’m so glad it is part of my identity. Um, but but I hope I can find that balance with everything and one day like not feel like I have to do a hundred different things. Um, but I would say like my favorite things about everything right now with the podcast, we get to have creative freedom whenever we want, however we want. um the people that listen and follow to our podcast. And by the way, when I talk about our podcast, there are much much bigger podcasts out there in the world and all these different things. I ne like you know, I never I I never go like, “Oh my gosh, like we have to get millions one day or anything.” No, because like the the people the community that we do have surrounding us, joining us, supporting us every single night or whenever I I’ve never experienced anything like it. and it’s one of the most special things that I will cherish forever and ever and that’s why yeah I just don’t ever want to like be done or lose the podcast in any way shape or form um because of that. So I would say like that’s my favorite thing right now. Yeah. I mean I think when we first started the podcast it was sports you know and um the shift since the pandemic of just going no Kings and basketball. I love it because back in the day it’s like when you did a sports show every day you felt like you had to like be at least I did I felt like I had to know try to know everything which is an impossible task and that’s why a lot of people who go on like the talking heads like they it’s a lot hot take stuff there’s not a lot of depth and so I love the fact that like we can dig deep into things um with the Kings you know or other teams and it’s fun just to focus on basketball. I’d say the other thing um I love learning and I was we were talking about this the other night like just the fact that like there’s so much about basketball I still don’t know. I’ve been watching it all my life but like with the last four or five years because I’ve been so focused on it. I’m seeing the game differently. I’m understanding. I give actually Mike Brown a lot of credit too because Mike was so good about explaining things and teaching even on the side if he’s like yeah this is what we’re trying to do here and then you’re like watching a game you notice you’re like oh [ __ ] I’m noticing this live you know and so I don’t know for someone that loves learning it’s just been so fun to just learn the game at a deeper level but also like humbling where you’re like god I don’t know this you know and or like an action that is called out you’re like wait how do I still not know that one or like yeah yeah and it’s and And I don’t expect everyone to know. It’s we want like that’s where we want to be with our basketball knowledge and our our lives. So yeah. And so like the podcast I love the like she loves the podcast. I love the podcast. You know it last year was I think tougher to do the podcast in so many ways. Um because oh yeah there’s like expectations uh with the team and like just feeling like the energy of them not living up to that expect those expectations. It was a bummer you know and it’s just like here we go again. Like what do we say? I mean, we’re talking about the same things, but what we’d always talk about is like if we do a podcast, and we don’t do this every night, but for the most part, we do. We need to even if it’s like a bad loss, we need to have fun. We need to laugh a little bit. We just need to get confetti. Well, and you mentioned it right away. You guys like have fun. And one of my personal favorite things that you do is you always come up with song creativities. And so my question is to Morgan Reagan. Um, what’s your thought? What’s your what’s your thought process through it? How do you how do you go and figure out like what ties into the Kings? How do you tie who they’re playing against? And how do you tie it all into a song like between all of those three facets? I love that the the musical uh person here. Like I don’t even know how to like what to call professional musician. Yeah. Music teacher, professional musician. Musical genius. That’s Ellen John right there. I’m so sorry. Uh, Sir Ellen John. Um, yeah. I love that you’re asking me because like there it’s I You’re probably going to like cringe when you hear these things. No, not not even close. Well, let’s just talk. Some of it is because I’ll be like, “Morgan, we need a song tonight.” Oh, yeah. Oh, I love it. Deuce wants to give himself credit, but it’s so true. I feel bad because sometimes I’ll put pressure on like Morgan 24 hours. You have 24 hours. And so, I have this idea. How about this? Go work with it. What I will try and do something is make something more evergreen rather than like for the moment of that game, right? But when Duke said, “Hey, Doug is going to win, you know, this is going to be his seventh straight game like like for for Big Purple Beam.” I’m acting like people know it. Um he’s like he’s like one on on Apple Music right now. I don’t know what you’re talking about. He uh he’s like, you know, hey, it’s going to be his seventh game. So like or seventh win, straight seventh straight win, whatever. And I was like, “Okay.” And I’m like trying to I always try to think of like a relevant song because I would rather go into like like give me a song from Cats the Musical. Like I would love to make up a song to that, you know? Oh, banger musical. See, but so many people wouldn’t would be like what? Like what? So I tried going for a relevant song, whatever, or something that’s easy for me to sing. That’s the other thing. He’ll throw songs at me, be like, “Can’t you just put this in this song?” And I’m like, “Bro, I don’t have that voice, you know, like all the way up here, whatever.” So anyway, with something like uh Chapel Ron with Burp Beam, I was driving home from San Francisco and he goes, “Um, no pressure, but think of a song. Bye.” Bump. And I’m driving and I’m just like, “Oh god.” So I put on Chapel Ran and I kind of know the lyrics and I have the lyrics up and that’s when I just some for some reason like big purple beam like a child can think of that you know what I mean like big purple beam like it was just easy and I was like the syllables I always with syllables that’s a huge thing genius thank you lines up with rhythm yes yes so I always go with syllables when I’m figuring out words and everything so anyway that’s like that’s usually my planning, but I had an hour and a half to write that song and whatever. Um, and so then I’ll put it on voice thing into my notes and I’ll be like big purple beam so it like says it correctly. I’m going to keep on looking. Um, I sound so so dumb in my car. Yes. So anyway, there’s my thought process, I guess. Well, you took by storm. Yeah, it’s it’s a great thought process cuz we we went to the Duc Mo live show. Um, and we were we were blown away with just how you guys were able we were we were like there and we were like we were still singing shut up light the beam like on the way home. I was like damn this is like they know how they know their stuff that night. That was his song by the way. Very fun night. By the way, thank you for supporting us always always and being there and everything. But also like you’re acting like we’re we’re Deuce did make up Shut Up and Light the Beam. I will say that. Um, and then I tweaked the lyrics. But you guys are entertainers and singers and you make up your own songs. Should I give Sir and John the credit or is it all the It’s kind It’s a team effort. I mean, we like to just do stuff that we think is funny and obviously we gained a lot of inspiration from the both of you guys. That’s sweet. And once you know when the Kings are doing good, I mean, it’s hard not to. It’s hard not to, you know, sometimes you get a little Maroon 5 in your head. Exactly. Al City, you’re like, “Wait a m throwing Doug Christie in this song. It just naturally happens the beam. It just naturally happens. And it’s like it’s like fireworks like come out of the beam and all this stuff. We were doing this before like we had a camera is the thing. We were just buddies in middle school and high school and we would just not necessarily sing but we would you know we would just kind of just you know chop it up. We always would just try to make, you know, make each other laugh and like, you know, once we decided to, you know, record our Kings conversations that we have on, you know, all the time. Love it. It just all kind of, you know, like what’s another thing we could do, you know? So that that’s just kind of like what we And I love it because what I try to remind myself even during like the tough times with a team is like it’s basketball. It’s fun. Like let’s I cannot and I know there’s people who do this type of content and it’s fine. I’m not hating on them, but for me personally, I can’t come on after every loss and like kick and scream and be upset because if that was the case, I’d be miserable, okay? And I’m already low enough during losses, like during the tough times anyway, you guys. So, but like, so if I’m just coming on, I can’t believe this, you know? It’s like what what fun is that fun to listen to? I think part of it is, hey, people can turn on your podcast and they know you three are going to have a great conversation because you’re friends. There’s going to be a song. Yeah, the Kings have lost four in a row or you know, wow, this is not looking good. But yeah, we know this. We’re Kings fans. We’ve been through that. At least we can come around. We can vent a little bit, laugh a little bit. Isn’t it way more fun going to a group of people or listening to a group of people that are like joyful even in a loss and not smug, not petty, but just like you’re literally talking about a child’s game or amen just be, you know, the biggest thing I always say with just be yourself. Like if you are feeling low and I’ve had those podcasts where I’m just like it’s kind of where we started like there have been times we’ve ended the podcast I’m likegan like we were so serious like was that even good like if I was watching this after a game like what what am I what is it why’ we do like we need to laugh and that’s why I like throw in random games every once in a while cuz I try to think of inside the NBA too with Charles Sha Kenny and EJ where like yeah they’re they don’t go deep all the time with basketball but here’s what I know no matter if the game was an instant classic or you know, you know, OKC beats Denver by 50. They’re going to do some goofy [ __ ] and that’s fun. Like, and so that that’s kind of an inspiration, too. It’s like Yeah. And another thing, too, is just like outside of basketball, watching like comedians uh do podcasts. Um, and just seeing the creativity behind it, it’s inspiring. Like, yeah, improv is fun, singing is fun. Why can’t we just blend all these things together, you know? Exactly. Right. And like another podcast that I would say is another huge one. is part of my take because they do such a really good job of making it relatable to them. You know, like Big Cat and PFT are very well known for just being like funny dudes and like also making it relatable to sports where like people are interested in vested into like moments where they are like that. So, it’s exactly the same thing. If you’re taking your stuff too seriously, then it’s like you lose out on like what really matters. And it’s hard sometimes too because I I struggle with that where it’s just like, you know, you’re you’re serving one audience, the Kings audience that I, you know, we’ve got a decent following with, but we’re also trying to expand to NBA. So like we want to be informative while like also also having fun. And so sometimes that’s why Deuce like after some of these he’ll go straight X’s and O’s and I’m like and I’m down with it too. Like and we’ll go X’s and O’s and then he’ll be like after the P, were we fun enough? Were we Hey, hey, hey. Were we fun enough? And then, and then if we were too fun on a podcast after the podcast goes off, he’d be like, I didn’t get to this, this, and oh my god, the offensive rebounds. And I’m like, bro, yeah, I’m an overinker sometimes. Yeah, I’m at my best just loose and talking. But, um, see what I have to go through. Yeah, that reenactment was unbelievably inaccurate. When do I ever talk like that? Uh we’re putting a hidden hidden camera going inside. No, we’ve had those moments too where you know we ride the highs like you know we won the lottery when we lose you know sometimes we’ve we’ve had our moments where we’ve been very a little a little too upset for example Marvin Back in our final loss of the game we blended on him somehow it all turn it all turned back to him and we were and like all the comments were like yeah you see right there there’s some there’s some punch marks yeah there’s a little punch marks so you know but that’s what makes it fun but then after we we we click end on the podcast we’re Like I’m so glad we we did that. I know. And then every episode we’re like, “Dude, that was like a lot of fun.” You know, we had fun. That was like our favorite episode, you know? Yeah. We said that almost after every single one we like, you know what? That’s actually my my new favorite community. And that’s the biggest thing you can do is just have fun with it because like, you know, even when we first started doing that during the pandemic, it was like, you know, we would go live, there’d be like four people watching and but you didn’t care because it was like we’re having fun and like that’s all there is to it. Like I never got in this business when when I wanted to be like in the broadcasting or podcasting. I wasn’t like I want to be famous someday. It’s like no, I just love the fact that like you can make a living talking about basketball and I can talk about my favorite team. Like that’s what I want to do. Do what I love the most while still finding a way to get paid. Yeah. Like that’s I’m not I’m not in this. I I think when people are trying to like they’re trying so hard to be famous, it’s like you’re not in it for the right reasons. Main thing have the passion, love basketball, have fun. And guess what? it the audience will come. Yeah. Yeah. And we learned it. I mean, this past season was our inaugural season, right, as as a podcast. And it was uh definitely had a lot of down times and a lot of down things to talk about in the season with the trade and the firings, but it just showed us how special this community was and how engaged our viewers were still through those down times. And it it built that kind of community of everyone just kind of healing together even and and it makes you think about like once we start doing good, how much more fun it would be. But we still had fun with those those trials and tribulations and that that being consistent with it is like key. You guys are like you guys were committed to it and with your content too. I wanted to say because you guys like your your podcast is fun but also with all the other content that you produce. It’s like Yes. It’s not just about one thing like keep and don’t do it for the wrong reasons. And you can tell that you don’t you enjoy it all like when you’re out there on the street or outside in everything. you guys are so good at that stuff. So, no, I’m I’m happy that you got to feel like the ups and downs and um you know, if if it’s all really worth it to you, then you’ll just like you’ll keep going. You’ll get and and by the way, there could come a time in life life changes and you go like, “Oh, this isn’t fun anymore, but this is, you know what I mean? It’s like always just make sure that you’re genuine with how you feel.” And I don’t know why I’m giving you advice right now, so I’m going to stop. Yeah. No, no, this is great life advice. you guys have been through, but it applies to we have to remind ourselves of this a lot, too. It’s not just like, oh, we’re preaching. It’s like for us, it’s it’s it’s true. Like talking and you you know, you do learn about like, okay, you have to be more creative during the tough times, too, cuz it’s like again like you, you don’t want to just be the place where it just we’re just all pissed. We’re th you know, it you want to have fun with it. And I think the audience appreciates that, especially if you’re doing it during the tough times. the people like if if you if you guys were launching the podcast this year and they won 55 games, it’d be a lot of fun. But like the fact that you guys dealt with like the highs and lows of a lot of lows this year, feel like, oh, they were doing it when it was tough. We we picked the best. We picked the best year. It was the best year audience because we had high standards and then it was like, oh wait a minute, the team had high standards. Then we go through this big ass ride and then it’s like, well, we’re still doing this, you know? We’re still having fun. Yeah, we’re having fun. like how boring would it be to be a Golden State Warriors fan and always talk about winning. Couldn’t be. Couldn’t be. Yeah. Couldn’t be me either. Could not be me either. I like how you said how like you got to find like fun in the bad times. Like that is I feel like when we did like our most creative stuff is when like when Mike Brown got fired, I went in the backyard and I recreated all of Mike Brown’s moments and I put sad music in the background and that was like I I instantly felt better. like I was like it’s therapy too and everyone like connected with it and then like when Darren Fox got traded me and RT we sat there and we had all his jerseys uh changing and we we made a song about Dar and then it resonated with people too and it’s like it was crazy because I think the the best times for us naturally come when the team is when it was crazy because when we were filming content over by do there was like a kid that was like that saw us and was like singing the song like it was crazy. Yeah. I was like, “Oh, dang.” Like, “These kids are into it.” I was like, “We’re not Chapel Mo, but thank you so much.” Yeah, you told the kid that, right? Set him straight. On the topic of podcasting, who I know you guys talked about like you guys listen to comedians and you know, you you gained some inspiration from uh uh inside the NBA, NBA on TNT, but what is your Mount Rushmore of podcast shows? Oh man, this is if four is too much. You could, you know. No. Yeah. I mean, I can come I can do this faster. Well, you know what’s funny? I forever for me. Excuse me. Go ahead. I one I really want to shove up there and for um huge reasons mostly because of inspiration would be now they used to be the starters on NBA TV, but they’re no dunks podcast. And I those guys the OG’s the OG’s to podcasting with your friends having fun talking hoops um and actually watching it all. So like they’re up there for so many of those reasons. And then uh Rick Glassman take your shoes off podcast. Um hilarious. Just one of the best. One of the best. He’s so that’s on my list too. Taiso they call it’s yeah he is so creative and just fun and he loves bits and it is like when you watch so much basketball like literally during the season basketball all the time all the time it’s the nice break and you’re like oh yeah yeah have fun have fun um and he does a great job. Yeah. Um also Bad Friends podcast is going to be andrew Santino Santino is I just I like people who can be silly and improv is so fun. I mean I people’s ability just to be on the fly and think of good bits. It just Yeah. And they also work with some good people. Like we randomly had met some of them too that like work within the podcast and it’s like they’re good people. They work with good people. So like when you kind of find that out too about people you like um or you like their actual craft and what they do, it’s makes it that much better. So yeah, Bad Friends is up there. I love Zach Lo’s back now which is a huge win. huge. Love me some Zack Low. Um the low post and look, Bill Simmons, I feel like Bill Simmons is more of a casual than ever. And it’s fine. But I do I do really enjoy Simmons and Rousilo during the NBA playoffs. It’s fun. Just like throw them in the middle of the lawn and listen to what they’re thinking and grab a beer. What’s that? Has a ceiling voice for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Super. And he cracks me up too because like I take notes during games for sure. I do. But he he’s very much like takes every note possible. He’s like, “Yeah, at the 734 mark, Chris Finch goes with Nquille Alexander Walker.” And you’re just like, “Did you really need to like note down exactly when that substitution happened?” Like, did that really change the game? He’s just funny with his details, but um I I dig the passion, too. Those are them pretty much. I mean, I’m I could be missing some, but So, on the topic of basketball related podcasts, you know, the they call it the new media with, you know, every NBA player, you know, creating their own podcast. Which ones do have you guys gravitated towards? And then a follow-up question, which Kings players would you like to see have a podcast? Paul George’s podcast. Podcast. Yes. Rest in peace. Right. No, it’s He stopped doing it, but like he took he took a hiatus. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. A so much free time this year. I thought he could have he could have been now. You’re just being a dick. Mind the game. Mind the game. But now it had to change. You know, it would it would have been old man in the three like but then I really like JJ’s podcast. I’m a big JJ Reddit guy. But that’s why now it’s like mind the game, Steve Nash, LeBron. I’m trying to think of like, you know, players that are actually like currently doing it. Um I love like you big Draymond Baron Davis fan. That’s an interesting one. I you know I they just don’t put no effort in there. Like we have a background. You guys have a background. Why does Draymond Green Why does he have a blank wall? That just it just makes me mad every time. Um I do like hearing LeBron and JJ and then now LeBron and Nash. I nerd out on like these hoopers like talking specifics about plays and like talking about what worked, what didn’t work or evaluating their like fellow players in the league. It’s I know. It’s just cool. I nerd out on that stuff. I love that. Um, what was the question? Oh, what Kings players on a podcast? I mean, Malik Monk would just be an open Malik and Keegan would be very interesting. That would be, you know, I think Malik could get Keegan to open up a little bit. Okay, that’s your reasoning. Be the only guy on the team to maybe be able to get Keegan to talk a little bit. Keegan has a lot to talk about. You know, he doesn’t express himself too much. I feel like people would listen. Yeah. I mean, people would be excited if they heard like what Keegan is doing a podcast. We were joking that like how funny would it be if Keegan Murray was on the starting five on Netflix. Oh, they just follow him. They follow Keegan Murray. Like that would have been that would be most watched television right there. Now I’m going to bed. Good night. Like I don’t know. That was stupid. Ke gets like a FaceTime with Chris Murray and be like, “Hey Chris, how’s it going?” Yeah, I was good too. Good night. Yeah, that’s it. How’s Portland? Same trackuit. I’d still watch you guys. I’d still watch. people would watch. I mean, would be tapped in. Yeah. But no, that would pretty much be it. I don’t think anyone else right now. I Yeah. No. So, now on back to your guys’ podcast, who would be like a dream like kings or just a dream guest for you guys to have on? You know, we’ve had Darren and Ray in studio, Keon Ellis. You guys have any others potentially in the works or are you like or you know, we haven’t tried yet. Um, we haven’t. It’s all we haven’t. Um, maybe it’s cuz this is how the year went. I’m just like, how what do you want me to talk about with you? Hey, how how last year go? Uh, no. Um, that’s interesting. I mean, I really want Keegan Murray on our podcast. Like, that’s one I’ve been trying. I’ve been trying for like two, three years on this. Um, and I hope one day it happens because I do feel like we could get something out of him. That’s always my goal because when we had DaVon Mitchell on a couple of years ago, um I think we went into I think most people like, “Oh, he’s kind of a quiet guy.” And he was on our podcast and he was just blabber. Yeah. Breaking down players. I’m like, I love that. He’s got a great personality. He’s a hooper. Like he loves the obviously the grind, the game, like Keon was really fun, too. I thought Keon was really I loved how much he at first I was like, “Okay, we don’t know what we’re going to get out of him.” And he was just so talkative. He’s so humble, so nice. I’m like, “Okay, this is perfect.” I think Keegan is up there. Malik would be fun to talk to, too. Malik would be fun. I feel like Malik would never do it. But I feel like be able to have a more, you know, fun conversation with him. I feel like I feel like it’s possible. I mean, it’s I mean, with I don’t know. I feel like you guys you guys could finangle your way in to make make I wanted because like that’s the one thing some of these people you know these players may look at it like they don’t want to do an interview and I try to like sell like we have to we’re just hanging out talking hoops this is not we’re not going to be like all right so let’s take us back to when Mike Brown got let go how are you feeling like we’re not going to do like obviously there’s a lot of stuff that happened but I I want to talk to someone about their journey about like specifics about the game it doesn’t have to be like the traditional like hey take us back to what happened in that Dallas game and the play. I mean, you could hit on some of that stuff, but I like to dig a little deeper and and learn learn more about their backgrounds and, you know, why did they love the game? Why did they fall in love? When did they know they were going to get to that next level, you know? Yeah, I like storytelling. I like hearing, you know, the full story. Everyone everyone deserves their story to be told. Um, on the topic of interviews, you guys have done so many now. You guys have done so many, you know, sitdown interviews now. you know, they’re shorter obviously the podcast they would be, you know, hour and a half plus, but you guys, you know, recently Doug Christie with you Deuce and then Morgan with Scott Perry. The list goes on and on and on and on. Have you Have you ever been nervous going into any of these type of interviews? Because, you know, you got the bright lights on you. You know, a lot of people are going to see it. I So, the Doug one was interesting. I’ve known Doug for a long, long time. I’m not nervous about talking to him, but the setup was so interesting. Usually if we’re doing an interview, it’s like us like right, you know, like in our podcast studio or like on NBC, it’s right after the game, the camera’s on you, whatever. We’re at the practice facility. There must have been six to seven people just standing around watching. Yeah. The And I don’t know. And and I, you know, it’s weird to have a conversation with someone when it’s like it’s this isn’t an interview. I want to have a conversation. And Deuce had to do that with six people. Yeah. It was just it was so I felt a little nervous energy with all these people watching like are they judging my questions? What are they? Why are they standing here right now watching this? But I’m also like one of those people that I like being able to hear myself. Uh especially during interviews. He loves himself. I don’t know if it’s a musical genius. I don’t know if like if it’s if it’s a confidence thing to be able to hear yourself. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. 100%. I don’t know the science behind it. I don’t know the theories behind it, but in my head like I and I have I’m I’m just I have a I’m miked up. I can’t hear myself. I can’t hear D. It’s a quiet gym, not a room. It’s a gym. So, um, that was I don’t get nervous, but that was one of the I walked away from that interview telling Morgan, I’m like, I didn’t I did not feel good about that. And I heard some of it cuz I was back there, too. And I was like I was like, no, no, it was like it was it was good. I was like, you both were definitely in your quiet mode, but like also Doug wants to be taken seriously as a coach, you know, like and doesn’t isn’t going to get like all, hey, we know each other, huh? You know? Well, and I wasn’t expecting that, but it was just also I had like my paper with questions. The paper like fell down. I’m just like, what do I do with this paper? Like, am I supposed to remember all these questions? Uh, but no, that that was it. I think we were slightly nervous about the de’ar and one. No, no, no. Not we. You. Deuce was like would literally like go to the window, go, “Oh my god.” Okay, wait. They’re here. They’re here. Okay, wait. Like, should we go in there? Should we go over here? Where should we go? Should we go? And I’m like, human beings. Human beings. You could just tell. Like, and it was so funny. Like I felt like you were disarmed in that one within minutes of actually starting, you know, like when we started. Once you’re in See, that’s the thing. Once you’re in the That’s our home field right there. Like you feel comfortable manager, you’re there. Yeah. Like I’m in my my safe spot. Like if if Doug was in our studio doing a podcast, I so chill. But it’s just I don’t know why that was, but you had all these channel 3 people watching. You had PR people. We had this Morgan standing there. It’s like, why are all these people around right now? Go away. I don’t think I I don’t think I’ve gotten nervous in a while with an interview. Um, which by the way, I don’t think that makes I I think I just now try and put it in my head like, well, if I give any nervous energy, they might have a nervous energy. So, like, how do I figure that out? And I just go, you’re literally just talking to people. And I always pretend on the other side of the camera, it’s just my mom and dad. Like, it’s literally just my mom and dad. And so then it keeps me professional enough, you know, like, you know, where so my mom, it’s not like my mom would be like, “Why did you say that?” You know, it’s like, “Okay.” Oh, yeah. Shoulders back. Okay, cool. Yeah, cool. And so, so no, I just I I kind of go about that thinking, but I would say I guess maybe the the last one would be when uh Chris Weber joined our pregame show, and I was I was a little shaky meeting him, but not actually interviewing him. And I was just like, I’ve met him before, and I’m still like, “Ah. I mean, I think I’d be nervous if I was around those guys all the time. Well, in the beginning, I’d be like, “Dude, these dude, I watch these guys on TV every day.” Now, I’m here talking to Dude, it is, you know, to put into perspective how, you know, they’re just they’re just people. You know, I I’ve met a few of the players like when I met Sabonis, I I was I was stumbling over my words and I was like, “Oh god, I’m going to play that back. I’m not going to be proud of this moment. I’m just going to play some music over or something to fix it.” But yeah, I feel like you guys just do such a great job and it’s just it’s not only like not like your traditional like very professional, you know, like broadcaster analyst like the way you guys your approach like that you guys see on TV is just you’re like it seems like you’re just friendly. But that’s the thing you guys like who like do you love the only conversation I want to see totally professional serious like together is like a conversation with I don’t know like people that lead the country or something like that which you’re not getting but I like with with sports you’re and and just like it doesn’t matter if it’s a GM or if it’s a player or whoever it’s you want to make sure you’re yourself and different and that’s just something that like we pride pride ourselves on over the years. And I think we’ve mostly executed, but there have been times too where we we have our moments where we revert back to what we learn or whatever. Why are you laughing? No, I was just thinking about how many times I like I I there was one post game I gave Monk crap for missing a free throw. It makes it makes so uncomfortable, but it’s just uncomfortable. It’s also like again I consciously think about these things and I think it helps me as I think inside the NBA because Charles, Shaq, and Kenny would joke around a little bit. I think it’s important. And by the way, they’re coming off a win. You can joke a little bit. And then I also say, “Duce, I go like, you’re not a player. You don’t know Malik personally, too.” And he’s like talking [ __ ] about his free throws. So then the next game, Deuce goes up to Malik on the court. He goes, “Hey, Morgan was giving me [ __ ] Like maybe I like I shouldn’t have said anything.” And Malik’s like, “No, I didn’t care.” Like are you serious? Like whatever. So when you guys do those postgame interviews, do they just they could only hear you, right? Or they don’t see like on a screen you got Yeah. I mean, I said body language, you know, cuz I remember when you said the free throw thing, I thought it was I think if I remember correct correctly, didn’t Malik like laugh about it? Yeah, he cussed like twice, too, which was amazing. Um, yeah. I I just I try to have fun with him. And guess what? It worked. And his approach is is not wrong. Um, it just wouldn’t be my approach. And sometimes I’m jealous that that is his approach. And I wish like I had the confidence to be like, “Hey, you really sucked on the free throw line tonight, huh? what I said. All I said was like, “Man, Malik, you’re killing me with those free throws today.” Yeah, that’s what you said. Cuz I feel like everyone at home was thinking that they had to hang on for a win. I’m like, “Might as well throw it out there.” And he like he took it in as like like as a from a basketball person to a basketball person, not like, “Oh, who’s this dude just talking smack right here, you know?” So, it was it was like a respectful thing. It was cool. Those are my favorite one. Like doing the postgame ones are fun. And when there’s sometimes that like uh Kyle and Katie or Mark and Katie will do them and I’m always god damn it, let us do it, man. Where are they doing it? Let us in the studio do it. No, you guys, you know, I I love when you guys are in control of of the broadcast. I think that’s when it’s at its best. It’s fun. Even when like Morgan Reagan’s there, you know, when we walk in, I’m like, “There’s Morgan Reagan.” So he always he’s like, “Should we go wave to Morgan?” I’ve done it. I’ve done it before. Like I brought my uncle. I’m like, “Hey, like take my uncle and just like do the tradition.” I’m like, “Hey, thank you.” I know. I love I love it because it always makes me feel like I I know people like it’s my neighbors, you know? Like there’s just something about it that makes it less like bright lights over there, too. It’s the thing. That’s what’s wild about doing in your hometown, too, is like the amount of people. You’re like, “Oh, yeah, I went to high school with that person. I used to work with It’s like I feel like you know everybody.” Sacramento is such a tight like small they’re a tight community. You go there every game. You’re like, “Oh, I know you. Hey, good to see you.” It’s crazy. It’s my catchup time. Yeah. Um, I did want to ask a question though, speaking of the pregame show, since both of you, um, do your pregame show at the arena, and I know there’s a lot of fans that come out with signs and like that are that come out and just be like, “Hey, we’re going to support you guys.” Was there ever like a a sign that you saw that was like, “Oh, snap. This is like super creative.” Was there like a a moment from like the fans that you interacted with that was like, “Holy crap, these are like legitimate fans.” Well, there definitely have been and like people make us stuff and friendship bracelets and things like that and it’s like the coolest thing in the world. Um, but I would say like an iconic one just this one stands out. Sign lady made us a sign. Do thank you for that reaction. Like I remember being like wait did I make it? Sign Lady Sign Lady is the greatest. The Hall of Fame, right? Yeah. And it was just it was one of those things. It’s like this is so like I could only dream of this that happened and like and it said do you know whatever but it was um it was so cool. We have it on the back of our wall too. Yeah. Yeah. So so that would be but like otherwise that like there’s amazing amazing fans and listeners that just like come up to us wearing merch. That’s the one when they they’re wearing your merch or like it’s like a couple like we watch it together you know at night or the next morning or whatever. I’m like, “Oh, cool.” Because, you know, it’s like such a maledominated like basketball sports guys only, you know, and like to see like, oh, no, like we have a diverse audience and it it’s representative what Sacramento is. And I love that diverse. I think that’s like a huge important thing too is like having that diverse culture, having that diverse community regardless of where you’re from, where you where your background is, like all people like there’s a unity that comes in and that’s like rooting for a professional team in sports that like brings so many people together, right? I know the we almost lost them. Yeah. Twice, you know, twice. Well, and that’s why that that the 22 23 season was so special because we didn’t no one expected them to be that good going into the year, right? winning 48 games, the number three seed, but the the come up, the high of like, oh, like that the game against the Clippers, a double OT game, like one of the literally not one of the best Kings games, like one of the best NBA games I’ve ever witnessed, 176 175 or going to the airport when they got back after they clinched. That was so much fun. We were there that night. So much fun. We had to. And then like going out. Yeah, I remember we went and saw the beam for the first time once they clinched cuz where we park we don’t get to see the beam. So the first year we didn’t see it until they clinched and we went out and like oh my god people are they’ve got champagne and like hat on and I went to the the airport after but it was just like it felt so special and it was like something that not many markets would do. You know, I I hesitate when I go, “Hey, like we’ve got the best fans.” Cuz that’s what every fan base says. I put our fan base against any other NBA fan base. Just because no one has been through what we’ve all been through. They’ve been in Sacramento 40 years and what 11 winning season or wait 10 is it 10 winning seasons? Yes. To eight straight with Right. H rate without money and then the two the LA uh you had the 48 win 46 so 10 winning seasons in 40 years. Okay. And 11 25% and 11 playoff appearances in 40 years. Yeah. But the loyalty fans that are there and not only that are there like you you jump on the floor for a loose ball. You get a standing O. This isn’t like you’re not going to New Orleans where and I shouldn’t I’m not meaning to talk bad about any other fan base. more just about the lack of people in the arena. That’s all I’m trying to say. Like when you’re selling tickets for $2, begging people to come. Again, no offense to them. I’m just using them as an example. It’s like that that happens everywhere. But in Sacramento, when when has that dip really happened, right? Yeah. And like I I think even during the tough times, you appreciate like the fact is we can speak kindly about Marcus Thornton because we just talk about him last night. Orbeno Udeno man we had him as our guard you know the list goes on. We always talk about how even when we were losing people were still passionate showing up to games and and you got to still talk to fans the moments of hope throughout the years uh followed by immense letdown has been incredible. Obviously the the Tyreek season when you had Caspie John Brockman like there’s a moment you’re like dude man the monster what a steal. Yeah. Um Eugene Puetta the next year. One of my one of my favorite one of my favorite role player point guards of all time. And then you know just there there have been those moments of hope but that that 22 23 season was just so magical cuz it felt like we had all seen you guys were you know had never really seen a fun team. All right. And like to see that and to see the community come together the first year the beam. Um and that’s why it’s such a shame that like it fell apart so fast. Yeah. But but again, it happened and so never forget it. Bottle it up. Do what you can. That’s why I always say enjoy, cherish the moments because you just don’t know how long it’s going to last. In this league, it can change fast for good or bad. For so many times. Yeah. So just enjoy. And that’s why that year I’m like, I’m soaking this up. And I remember after they got eliminated from the playoffs, she felt it too. We, you know, we’re doing so much content. We’re going to all the games. when it was over, it felt like we like like and I don’t I don’t I’m not making fun of um depression or putting that out lightly. There was lit a literal depression that I felt because I wasn’t going going going. And I remember just being on the couch being like like my body not feeling like it could get up physically and mentally. I couldn’t think about doing anything productive. I remember what’s happening and it was it was the emotions the wave of emotions that happened once it was over. That was it was a weird feeling. It was a gray cloud, but it was like a that was fun. What do I feel now? It was just like coming down. Coming down, man. No, that’s a great way to put it. Yeah, that season unbelievably magical. But back on that point, I just wanted to add, what other arena will be chanting Yogi Frell? Dude, no one no one else no other arena in the NBA would ever Yogi Frell, dude. The original Keegan Murray. Yeah. So, we have some fun questions lined up next, but before we do that, we have to address the breaking news that Morgan Reagan has got the job as the color commentator for the Valkyries, the San Francisco Valkyries. That’s interesting, you guys. What? I don’t know. You just got that Joe Lake of money now. Just dude. Pulled this line so many times. It’s so It’s so Whose side are you on? So, I’m kidding. So, if I wish it was the Monarchs, I’ll say that. I wish we all wish it was. Sacramento deserves a WNBA team, but the fact that, you know, Northern California has a team again. And, you know, back in the day, the Bay Area didn’t have a team. So many people from the Bay Area came to Sacramento to watch the Monarchs, a great fan base. And, you know, that same fan base is like, we got basketball back. Yes. And it’s great. Like, the other night as I speak for you, I want to talk about your moment. Please, man. I mean, I I had I had on a second screen so I could watch her and like send her like critiques and all that stuff. Yeah. Not not as much love as it was critiques. Like, you can’t screw up that name, Morgan. Uh, but 18,000 people at the Chase uh center for that pre-season game, Sparks and Valkyries, that’s huge. But shout out to Morgan because like the fact that you’ve wanted to be a color analyst and you’ve done it at the G-League level now to do it in the WNBA in this time where the league’s finally getting the recognition it deserves is really cool. Thanks Deuce. Um, yeah. And like I I mean I don’t you every time that we talk about what our ultimate goals are, our ultimate goals have always been to be playby-playing color in the NBA one day, you know, like that would just be like our dreams. And so like when this opportunity came up and I got to uh work my way into being the color analyst for the Golden State Valkyries, the coolest thing is that they’re purple. And so now when anyone asks, anyone asks, they go, “Oh no, are you a TR?” I go, “Sweetie, I bleed purple in the NBA season. I bleed purple in the WNBA season.” Yeah. Get it twisted. And honestly, forever bleeding purple. Very smart of the Valkyries to make their branding those colors for a couple of reasons. Yes. Have your own identity cuz then you’re like, if you’re just the Warriors. Yeah. It’d be like, “Oh, cool. You’re like the the lady warriors.” You know what I mean? And it’s like, no, have your own look, but also go, hey, we’ll take some of that Monarch’s vibe and put it here because it was the logo, the color, your fan base here. And it is so smart that they, you know, are a championship. I mean, the only chance we think of finals MVP. Some amazing players came through Sacramento. Well, that and that too. And I we we talked to Jerry Reynolds even the other day about some of those special players and we’re like, what was who was the best though? And he’s like, yo, Yolanda Griffith. And so I mean he said like Tisha is like right there and everything but he’s like um but yeah but Rebecca Brunson was a bull. I mean she was you go down a list. Carol Lawson was phenomenal you guys. The fact that like I know it’s not right here in Sacramento but the fact that like even for me that I get to be a part of this is the coolest thing in the world because I I said it the other night. I’m like, representation matters. And I saw so many little girls in there. And I mean, by the way, little boys, little girls. But when I see myself in these little girls watching, cheering on basketball right in front of them in their town, in their town, it it literally is what changed my life and who I am today. And I wouldn’t be who I am without basketball, without the Monarchs, without the Kings. And so now the fact that I get to do my dream freaking job right around the corner from Sacramento is um I’m just I’m just so so so honored to be a part of this and um I’m and so thank you. Thank you. Full circle. Yeah, full circle. I do have completed full I have one question to ask you. Is there like any WNBA player um that you’re most looking forward to cover to watch in person to cover to analyze? Well, you know what’s funny is that Chelsea Gray for both of us, no joke, you guys go before we before she beca came on the Kings broadcast, she was our favorite our favorite player. Like we both cuz she’s just a hooper. Like and we were talking about current favorite player. Um sometimes I don’t even think she gets the amount of love that she deserves. like her her vision is just absolutely elite. She’s clutch. She’s energy. She’s a play like she can make defensive even if she’s not the fastest one out there, she’ll make defensive plays where she’s poking the ball away, hand in the passing lane. Like she’s just IQ to the limit. And so we were like, “Oh, we love Chelsea great blah blah.” And we fell in love with the Aces because we didn’t have the Monarchs. So we were like, “We’re going to follow the Aces.” And we promoted that to everyone. Gosh, I know. And it was Jackie Young. Yeah. It’s the style of basketball is wonderful. And then Chelsea came on the Kings broadcast and Duc like holy [ __ ] And she’s the best. Like she’s a great person. She’s like loves do she like makes fun of me and then like loves Duce. So I’m like what the hell do I do to deserve this? So and she showed you love at the Dimo live show. Yeah. Can you like can you believe that? Like she sometimes I’m just like how are you even my friend? This is the coolest thing. Um so I mean obviously watching Chelsea Gray would be awesome. But I would say like if I was going to pick someone on the Valkyries, there’s something about Tiffany Hayes I just I gravitate to and like I know she’s she’s like getting older. Uh she’s a veteran all the she brings a different type of like spunk and energy that is just exciting to the floor and I think to this team that is not supposed to be very good this year but at the I think I think Natalie Nass their head coach is going to bring out something different in them to give people to stand up for. You have to be also excited to to see Caitlyn Clark in person. I mean, there’s just the juice she has given to this game. Like the the preseason game the other day at Iowa, she was I mean, they’re taking on Brazil and like it was just it was just cool. It was just But there’s many players, right? There’s a lot there’s a lot of players that have just there’s a laundry list of players that a great but what’s I hear what you’re saying because I the talent has been there. Caitlyn has brought the eyeballs so people go oh it’s not just the Caitlyn Clark show. There’s talent all across the league and now people are finally giving it the love that it deserves. Even though it’s like it’s the same thing. Someone even asked me about that. They’re like, “Yeah, are you you excited that women’s basketball is finally like being like this and that?” It’s like or like the talent is just crazy now. And I’m like, “No, no, no. It’s always been like that. It’s always been like that way ever since, you know, the WNBA started, right? Lisa Leslie was like the pioneer of just making the game accessible to those to people like that. Then you go from Candace Parker, then you go from Yolanda Griffin to Maya Moore. Like the lineage is like all the way there. Well, no respect for the Houston Comets. Yeah. And Oh, Cheryl Swift, too. Yeah, Cheryl Swift. How could I forget? How could I forget? Recal. Yeah, Real Lobo. We could be talking about WB all day long. No. So, so anyway, it is exciting to be a part of it and I really hope that like even people within our community um start to like take note and watch a little bit too. So, I need to keep growing and getting better and better. I’m always excited to work on my craft. Um Deuce the other night was texting me a whole bunch of critiques which was so wonderful to get by the half um to read over and make sure I corrected them by the second half. But um I would expect nothing else from him and he wants greatness. Yes, sir. Hey, that’s what you got to do. That’s got it’s all it is. It all starts with that. Transform from there. Well, I the the just to be clear, so when we, you know, doing NBA games, like we watch so much NBA and we watch the WNBA, but when you’re a color analyst for a WNBA, like it’s different. The fans are hardcore, too. The fans are there and then you have all these new people, too. You want to like respect the game to another level. And there’s, you know, there’s things you have to You watch 82 Kings games plus NBA. we would watch like Aces game or some of the big games. You aren’t like locked in every single night following a team. So it’s you have to learn the league and so it’s different. And so my thing is like base level what I’ve learned in broadcasting do not mess up names. Yep. Do not mess up. We’ve all done it. Yeah. How on earth do the top, you know, like ESPN guys still pronounce like Takmpo wrong? Like like that behind You’re right. And there’s a lot of That’s actually crazy to me. I agree. And that to me is just people not putting in the work or the time to actually, you know, care to get it right or think that they’re too good for that anyway. And hey, nobody cares anyway. I try to pretend that every single mother of every single player is listening and like like that’s something we’ve done in the G- League. All these like because that’s that’s literally who’s watching the games to be honest. I’m not hating on the G-League, but let’s be honest. There’s NBA games, there’s college games, there’s not that many people watching us in the G- League. And that’s I’ve never cared about that. To me, it’s like it’s about getting the reps. We approach it like it’s game seven of a playoff game. We’re going to have fun. We’re going to we’re going to uplift. We’re going to tell these stories. And you’re right, families watch this [ __ ] The referees families watch, you know, like they they all come up and say something to us after like, “Hey, thank you so much for this and oh my god, thank you for Yeah. And that one time someone came up to Deuce and said and said, why do you care so much about getting the names right anyway? Nobody’s watching.” And Deuce and I just approached him like like I don’t give a [ __ ] if one human being is watching. I don’t care. We We act like 1 million and billion people are watching. That the whole earth is watching that specific game. Got to give it that love and respect and that’s what we try to do. You pour it. You pour it in. That’s how you get the attention that you get it. You know, Exactly. Right. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Well, congratulations again. I think this is a perfect transition into some fun just Not yet. Fun question. Sorry. No bathroom break right now. No bathroom break right now. I want to ask you Deuce. Um either we are doing back to a Mount Rushmore type question. We all know that you love the WWE. Does he Do you have to pee that bad? You have to pee cuz I have to pee too. But like we can we’ll do Yeah, we’re good. We’re good. We’re good. We’re good. Okay. Sorry. Here. So we’ll do the WWE question first. Just felt bad feeling. So the WWE question. It’s all right. I had I had to get this out because we all know your love for wrestling. Mhm. Who are your top four favorite wrestler or top three? Keep it simple. Top three favorite wrestlers. And which former or current Kings player would be legendary in the WWE today? Okay. A couple of things. I’m glad you brought this up. Just real side, real fast sidebar. Wrestling also inspires me. Uh it’s to see the command. You know, you’re putting on a show. when you’re doing a podcast or you’re doing a live show, you’re putting on a show and so there’s a lot of wrestling influence when I do a show cuz I’m like, “Yeah, dude, grab that mic.” Yeah, there is. Sometimes too much, anything like people don’t understand why you’re snarling and he’s like he’s like, “It’s WWE. It’s a show.” Um, okay. Anyway, so M. So, yeah, I love wrestling. Uh, Mount Rushmore of wrestlers and who would be what? Kings players. Kings former current. Oh my god. Dude, Mount Rushmore of wrestlers so hard. This is literally just a list of I guess my favorite. Not necessarily the best. Stone Cold. Okay. So, I mean, I don’t know. I again, I’m young. I’m fifth grade. Just growing up, by the way, in elementary school. Shout out Albert Schweitzer Carmichael. Um, I g I love I’ve loved wrestling. You know, Albert Schwitzer. Oh, okay. He’s a good guy. Oh, I don’t know. Actually, I shouldn’t even say it. What happens if he’s not a good guy? Oh, yeah. Great point. I’m just shouting out the school. Not We don’t know. Hey, listen. Shout out shout out to Federing Elementary. You know, I played I played hoops there and that little hoop out there. You got the little hoop out there. Yep. Yep. Yeah. I used to live right there. I went to Barrett Damp. Oh, nice. Yep. Yep. That’s the That’s where the two schools are and then Schwitzer. Yeah. Yeah. So, um I grew I’ve been a wrestling fan my entire life, but everyone at school they didn’t like it then until 19 not then it wasn’t. And it got popular in like ’98, ’97, ’98 with the nWo and WCW, DX, Austin, all that stuff. I got cooler in school in the fifth grade because I knew everything about wrestling. So all the kids are constant, tell me about this, tell me about this story line. Dude, I felt so awesome cuz for years it was like, oh, you like wrestling. Then I became like, oh, that guy knows wrestling. Deuce was one of the kids that would go around and be like, you know, suck it. Yeah. Yeah. And yes, the troubled kid. I I think growing up, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret Hart. Bret Hart. Before then, Bret Hart. Yeah. Bret Hitman Hart. Dude, I used to want I would have dreams. He used to wear those glasses. I don’t know if you guys know anything about Bret Hart. He’d wear these these glasses and he’d always give them to a kid ringside. Wow. As he like came out, I always wanted to be that kid. So, I thought that’s what you’re wish. I wish. Dude, the sharpshooter. Um, The Rock has to be up there. I mean, his ability just to command a room, grab that mic. I just love it, dude. Um, and to this day, this guy comes out and everybody loves him. He does not need to do this, but he does. The final boss, he’s in it. Yeah, he’s in it. The last one’s tough. I don’t know. You know, Ric Flair is up there from his old days. Uh, Triple H, man. Yeah. Why wouldn’t people a Rey Mysterio fan? No, not really. I mean, I appreciate his journey. Um, any any of the current guys right now? Any Roman Reigns? I know. If I put a current guy up there, acknowledge the tribal chief, Roman Reigns. Um, well, this guy’s he’s kind of taking a break. I went to AW after, but Daniel Bryan aka Brian Danielson, just like his passion for wrestling, his desire, he left WWE not because he was like chasing money. It’s like, no, I just want to wrestle more and I’m going to go to AW and just do my thing and when I’m done, I’m done. So, I guess Dana Bryan, Brian, that group that you like the two guys, the um FTR, yeah, they’re not on my Rushmore. No, that’s really hard. They haven’t made and then god I I I spent like 30 minutes talking wrestling. I know. And everyone has a pee. I’m sorry. Um I’ve thought about this with the Kings. What? There’s one answer. Who would be like the best wrestler? Like Demarcus. No, I’m talking about current. Oh. Oh, Valunis. Let’s go. That’s what I was thinking. Big because one, you think of wrestlers some of the size like think about like big show. So some of the giants that came through he could play like the the he could almost be like the bodyguard for a smaller guy. Okay. Or he could play like a Viking like with that when they do the music. What we’re not giving him a corny character like he’s coming out like a badass like jeans jeans with no shirt on. No, he he’s probably wearing like a suit when he comes out the first time when we first introduce him. Like that’s incredible. just like this badass like what’s he is he an assassin? Oh, we have two different perspectives. And then when he grabs the mic like he’s very like his words are impactful. Yeah. Yeah. But short and sweet. Oh, you know, he can grow out the hair too like he did like in the earlier seasons where he can like slick a back. Yeah. Like he had the slick back hair. He’s a big dude and he moves all right. Like he can he could lay in some chops. Would he be a heel? I think he would start as a heel. You got to start at it. You got to you got to be like that like that [ __ ] boss, you know, that’s like the suit and just like doesn’t take like crap from anybody. And then like then once like fans like understand the story then like he’s like, “Yeah, I have like a little sweet spot, you know.” Well, back in the day, quick wrestling lesson. So Shawn Michaels had a bodyguard. His name was Diesel. Uhhuh. Who turned out to be You know Diesel at all? No, they just they just name we call We call him Diesel. Do you guys know who Diesel is? No, I don’t. Kevin Ash. Wait, is Kev Oh, I know who Diesel ended up being down there. He started in the background. He eventually became a champion, left the company to go to WCW. Was part of one of the biggest really cultural moments that you guys should know, but it’s fine. Uh uh when Hulk Hogan turned heel and joined, they put together the nWo with Hul Nash. All right, we’re done talking about this. I’m sorry. We need I know how passionate he is about this. Why needed it needed? It’s so fun to just hear Deuce just like talk about WWE. I think it would be like a disservice. I’m like, damn, I want to watch WWE now. He literally he he’s the reason why like I even became intrigued with WWE because he is so good with the storytelling of the actual storytelling that happens and it made me appreciate these athletes, you know, doing whatever they need to do while doing it live. It’s a live performance. It’s theater except in a ring. Yeah. It’s not fake. Let them know. Let them know. Let them know. Okay, so the next order of business, we are going to be doing something very fun. We don’t need this anymore. Whoa. Okay. Oh, are we having a wrestling match? We have something planned for you. Okay.

We had the absolute honor of having Sacramento’s most iconic duo Deuce and Mo on the show! They share their career timeline, share personal stories, talk basketball and much more. One of our favorite interviews to date! #deuceandmo #nbapodcast #sacramentopodcast #sacramentokings