I FINALLY Met Sam Cassell + LA Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks feat Players Postgame

I FINALLY Met Sam Cassell + LA Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks feat Players Postgame

Time dropper fam. Day four. Every single day has had its incredible stories. Uh today we’ve got a good one for you. Clippers later, but I met Sam Cassell. I finally met Sam Cassell. A dream come true. And it was funny cuz I was just like working up the courage to go up there. He’s sitting next to Missoula and I was like he was so intimidated. So I go up there. It’s Misoula and his and his wife. Um who’s very social by the way. Like that’s a definitely two big personalities. uh for that couple. Um but it was cool seeing like just overhearing the conversations like about like what they’re going to do tonight and all this stuff in Missoula like smiled more times in that hour than I’d ever seen him smile in all these years that I’ve known about him. So like it was cool to see like the real side of him. But I was talking to Sam and first I said like you know you’re part of the reason that I love basketball to this day. You know you you were you know part of the reason why I’m a Clipper fan and he seemed very appreciative. Then I started picking his brain about coaching and asking him about like how do I get in the mix like instead of if I didn’t go D1 and he said you know hang out with player development guys and you know be around the game he said yeah hang around player development guys you know every single game is different like the NBA is different Euro League is different the college game is different so you know try to expose yourself to as much as you can hang around player development guys, you know, that that’s how it could start. You know, trainers, guys that are training league guys or division one guys, be around those guys. Ask them if they need a rebounder. Ask them they need guys to be in drills with. He said, “When you get back home, go to UCLA and go to Rico Hines.” And he has a lot of like connections. So, really good advice from Sam. Then I asked him, “Do you want to be a head coach? Cuz I’ve I’ve been advocating for you to be a head coach, but I don’t know if you want to.” And he said, “Yeah.” And like he didn’t even hesitate. So, clearly Sam wants to be a head coach. I told him, “You’re definitely going to be a head coach.” Um, and then I asked him about like what percentage of plays or sets in the NBA you think you guys call a set versus the players. He said maybe like 40 if that. And I said 40% you guys called. He said yeah. I mean it’s a players league. I said college is way different right? He said yep college is way different. Coaches are calling way more. So you know everything I already knew that part but I just wanted confirmation for all you guys that blame coaches for everything and saying just coaches run plays. No man. And then that was basically it. But just some great stuff. Got to meet Sam Cassell. Dream come true. And yeah, let’s see what else this day has in store. I passed by Jose Calderon, Anderson Verhou. I saw Patrick Euing. Patrick Yuing was sitting courtside out at the Cox Pavilion. Uh so we’ll be there for the Clipper game next, but I saw Alonzo Morning dabbing up Patrick Yuing. Like what a moment. So yeah, Sam Cassell, guys. I finally got to meet him. So sick. Mr. Money Mona, how are we feeling before this game? I like our chances. The Bucks summer league team is that I think we’ll be fine. There we go. There’s Chris Dunn [Music] Jones. Alonzo morning is so exposed. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hey, how are you? [Applause] [Applause] Del Frank Ty, Lori Drew, Dante Jones, Chris Dunn, Derek Jones, Steve Okay. [Music] Right next to Got [Music] all action here. [Music] [Applause] I would have been gone. Everybody, thanks for coming. So, y’all began the fourth quarter with a 150 run. Uh, what did you like uh in that run, especially defensively? Just the defense like like I keep telling them, if we don’t have to play in the half court, that’s what we don’t want to do. We want to turn people over, get out in transition, and get easy baskets. And they did a great job of locking in on that. Uh, first quarter, we started out slow. We just picked it up every quarter. So that’s something we’re going to talk about and just they did a better job of not getting rejected and not let those straight line drives happen in that in that fourth quarter. You feel like he’s key in that defensive effort to be honest. Trenton Flowers Trenton Flowers has been coming in these last two games and bringing us great energy off the bench. He’s been playing hell of a defense, not getting blown by, not having straight line drives, communicating early. He’s been doing a great job. He’s been a big spark for us off the bench. What have you been challenging from Patrick in game? from Patrick to rebound the basketball, make shots, constantly space the floor, and just play good defense. And he shows that tonight that he can do all those things, especially on the rebounding, and we’re always on the move out rebounding. He did a good job of that tonight. What about Cam for Cam? Cam’s doing I talked to Cam after the game. He kind of had a slow start in the first quarter, not a lot of touches, didn’t get agitated, stayed with it, and let the game come to him. And he’s he did that in the game one. He did it again in game two. And just his poise has been huge for us. How do you feel like Yanni has responded to kind of what you’ve asked him through his first two games? He’s responded well. You know, two games at this level, he’s learning a lot and every day, like I just told him, he’s getting better. He’s got he got better from game one to game two offensively and defensively. He’ll take another step from game two to game three, he’ll get better again. So, I like everything he’s doing. It’s a lot to learn in a short amount of time, and he’s showing us he’s able to grasp concepts and go out on the court and actually execute. Has he mentioned feel like there’s there’s more space on the floor out there on this on the screen on this level? What was that apolog mention feeling that there’s more space out there on this level? Uh he hasn’t mentioned it to us, but we talked to him about it just how he want how we want him to set the screens. We’re real particular about them. We got a lot of coaches working on them how we want these screen set. The importance of him getting in and out of screen pass, the importance of him putting pressure on the rim and like I said, he continues to respond and I think we saw it with that last dunk at the fourth quarter. He’s going to keep getting better quarter by quarter by quarter. He’s going to get better. He’s doing that. What does he have to do to get more opportunities to, you know, actually give run the floor? Run the floor all game. He’s got to run the floor all game. He runs the floor all game. He won’t protect me and continues to get behind the defense. He’ll be okay. But he’s got to get his conditioning in shape and he’s working on it. Like I said, every game he’s getting better. So, I like everything he’s doing. I have no issues with him as he comes in and works harder than he did the last game. How would you how would you assess like his set specifically? Good. But we just got to work on this level. At this level, we’re asking him to set him a little differently than he did at the last level. Like I said, his ability to take what we’re asking him to do and actually try and implement on the court has been really good. He’s doing that. He knows he got to get there, get in, get out. As soon as he sees the defense turn their turn their feet or turn their body, he’s getting out and now they’re on the guards to make the right play. How do you approach the next mentality some of the younger guys who um are still learning the game at this level? Just telling them if you don’t have anything, just get to the next half. Simple reads. That’s what I try to preach to them all. Do the simple read. Doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to spin move and try to get to the next thing. If you come off and you can get into the paint, get to the paint. If you come off and you can’t get into the paint, make to the next action. Thanks, coach. AC’s been praising your defense back. You got games now. What does that mean for you, man? What do you feel like? I mean, man, it means a lot. you know, just from the work that I’ve been putting in with my player development coaches, coming in two hours early, just before practice starts, uh, doing Kobe drills, playing defense, working on my clothes outs, working on getting my hands on the ball, being an athlete, being a better defender, helping my team out. You know, that’s, uh, really been a focal point for me in this offseason. And, you know, I’m just glad I’m coming out here and starting show. I saw you turn to Ty Lou on the sidelines. He was saying something to you. What was that? And also, what is the coaching staff and just the entire front office stressing to you? I mean, for me, you know, it’s just going out there, just keep playing with energy. Uh, you know, offensively, you know, they feel like I’m talented. The game’s going to come to me. Um, and then really just like I said, just keep working on my defense, just limiting my turnovers, just, you know, giving me some points when I’m inbound the ball, using side using side picks more. We me being 68, 69, I can sit with the defense, just getting the ball in bounds. What were you able to learn from from last season? Obviously, you weren’t able to play at the setting last year, but able to pull from that first season you had five years. I mean, for me, it was really just building my confidence in Jimmy. Um, you know, I had a really good coach, Coach Huitt. Uh, my player development coach, Coach Tim, did a really good job and just the rest of our staff. And, you know, I think for me, you know, I figured out how I can score the ball really easily offensively. Like I said, defense really has been my focal point. And, you know, just taking uh pride on the other end of the floor, just being a two-way player. You hit that big gun in the first half. Um, feels like you have a couple of those opportunities a game. How how do you approach that? Do you try to, you know, create a highlight or how do you kind of approach those? I mean, man, like you just look at my measurables. Uh even just me at the con my last year 42 was vertical. You know I’m fast so you know I really just expect those plays. Uh at this point it’s really just second nature for me. You know really didn’t used to always be that way but you know just kind of just growing in my body getting more athletic working on it. You know I just expect to just make those plays. What’s it like to not be youngest to be a vet with this group? What are you trying to impart? What type of a bet is Trent Flowers? Um you know I’m just talking to my guys. Uh you know I really love Yanni and Kobe Sanders. Just the way that they approach the game. Uh Kobe’s my boy. you know, I’m joking with him. You know, I call him my rook. He calls me 17 years old, so you know, it’s all good. But yeah, you know, it’s been super fun having them. Both are super talented. And, you know, I just can’t wait to play with both of them. So, thanks. Thank you. What else to get into a rhythm for this game? Uh, you know, this summer I’ve just worked on playing with an edge. Um, you know, I think that edge help held me through whatever barrier I had coming in this game, whether that’s an ankle restriction. Um, you know, playing with an edge is important as an athlete. It makes you aggressive. It makes you, you know, the aggressor. You were around a lot of really established vets early in your career in Golden State and obviously there’s some guys like that here as well. was what you just mentioned that edge. Is that something that you feel like you you picked up from certain vets that kind of helped you establish that? Yeah, I mean I think that’s what one I think great individual players have. You know, they have something that, you know, gets them up in the morning and makes them lace it up extra tight, but I think winning teams have that. Um, so I think that’s important. It can be developed. Like it I’m not going to sit here and say five years ago I had an edge to my game. Like I think that’s something that I’ve worked on, but it’s something that I’ve seen winning teams have and um you know, you can add mental parts to your game just like you can’t add physical parts to your game. How was it Jeremy helped you guys a veteran but younger group establish play mentality? Were you able to get a 150 run in that fourth quarter? Yeah. Um, you know, I think we responded really well to bad plays, runs from them, um, you know, missed shots, bad stretches from us. Like, I think we responded really well. Um, you know, as a young team, that’s important. That’s something that, you know, you don’t want to play scared to make a mistake, but, um, it’s important to work thirds and this was something balanced when you’re your shot. Open up a lot for everybody. you have that one play in the corner and be pumped that you could actually be shot all the way to the point. How do you balance and feel that out? Uh, I mean, as as gifted as I may be shooting, like I think I’m always just taking what the defense gets. You know, if they’re closing out too hard, put on the floor, get to it. If you know they’re not there, it’s a shot. So, you know, just making the game really simple uh for me is just how to be effective. In what ways are you looking to grow to impact football? Uh just more activity on the defensive end. I think that’s the biggest key to myself. Um you know, just showing that I can defend, be active, rebound. Um you know, nothing outside my capabilities, but you know, just got to show it. Thank you. So, another day in the books. Amazing day. Met Sam Cassell. I actually also talked to Alvin Gentry and asked him the same question about like how do I break into the coaching realm and stuff like that and he said you don’t got to be an ex-player to be a coach and he said just keep learning about the game, keep studying the game and make yourself what he said. Yeah, he said keep being around the game, keep studying the game and keep meeting people. Keep meeting people. So that was awesome. He was really cool. He said he didn’t want to coach anymore. He’s in the front office for the Sacramento Kings and I asked him about the 2010 Suns. I was like, I was a big fan of watching that team. And I was like, that 2010 series, that was legendary, man. And he said, “Yeah, like that was my most fun I ever had as a coach.” And uh I asked him about how it was coaching Nash and Amari. And he didn’t even talk about Amari. He said, “Nash was amazing. Like Nash, you know, he changed everything, you know, he changed everything.” So that was cool. Uh I got to talk to referee Mark Davis. That was really funny, the referee. And I asked him like, “Is it true that like you guys are like easier on uh easier on giving text to guys that like talk a certain way?” Like I remember Kenny Smith saying that uh you know like Vernon Maxwell would get technicals or not get technicals. And when Kenny Smith said the same thing and yelled the same way, he would get a tech and he said, “I know how you talk.” And Mark Davis said, “I never say that to a player.” And I say I also said like it’s funny how on the outside looking in we always see the refs argue or you guys arguing with the players or the players arguing with you and but we don’t realize that you guys like all know each other by name and stuff. And he’s like he was like yeah it’s a lot less contentious than you would think. So that was really cool. Um who else did I meet today? Chris remembered me. That was super cool. And I talked to Dante Jones because his son plays uh against us on that uh team that eliminated my seventh graders last year on that stacked squad with Gilbert Arenas’s kid and stuff. So I asked him, you know, is he transferring to that new school that all these kids are going to? He said, “Yeah, he remembered me too, Coach Dante.” So he asked me how I like being media and I said, “I love I like it a lot, but during the season I like being in the wall.” And he said, “Man, that wall is dope.” I said, “Yeah.” And he said, “Best of luck on the season.” So yeah, he also said, you know, he’s having a good time. The whole staff is out there. So really cool day. Met some media members as well. So hopefully these will all translate into opportunities for for them to hopefully be on Dimeropper one day or hopefully just I take all this information and use it to my advantage when it comes to the coaching journey cuz yes like I’m here on behalf of media and try to advance like I want to obviously get all these people on the pod you know someday but I’m here to make connections to be a coach. You know what I’m saying? That’s not why I’m here, but when it comes to the connections, I want to be a coach. Like, this is my new dream. And this is a journey documenting that new dream, but also being able to inform people what my initial journey was, which was the history of the game and of course the local sports scene. So, if I one day something’s going to have to give, but until then, we’ll do it all. That’s day three, ladies and gentlemen. Was it day four? I’m losing track of the days. Was it day four? Yeah. Yeah, it was day four today. Damn. All right. Tomorrow’s the last full day. Hope you guys are enjoying the vlogs.

Day 4 of Summer League and more stories to tell. I had the pleasure of meeting my one of my heroes, Sam Cassell and sat right behind Joe Mazzulla. Then I covered LA Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks as a media member and got postgame comments from the fellas!

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