Club Shay Shay - Club 520 - Jeff Teague & Donovan Mitchell on GOING OFF in the NBA bubble, facing Anthony Edwards & James Harden

Episode Date: February 28, 2024

Donovan Mitchell drops in to chat with Jeff Teague and the Club 520 squad at Adidas in Indianapolis! Mitchell tells his crazy story of getting drafted and then getting his own signature shoe with Adidas just ONE YEAR into his NBA career. Spida Mitchell shares stories about some of his insane scoring performances this season, and ridiculous battles with Jamal Murray in the bubble. And Donovan Mitchell talks about going up against Anthony Edwards and James Harden, and why his Cleveland Cavaliers have gone under the radar. Plus don't miss Jeff Teague and Mitchell relive going up against Avery Bradley's defense. 0:00 - Intro0:50 - Donovan Mitchell's first signature shoe2:45 - Favorite Basketball shoes4:30 - Playing against guys wearing his kicks8:00 - Toughest matchups in the NBA10:00 - Jrue Holiday + Avery Bradley = Nightmares12:10 - Going CRAZY in the bubble13:10 - Three people he wants to wear his shoe #Club #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we back. Another episode of Club 520 Podcast. You know what I'm saying? We had a neutral site, but we still at the crib with it. We got a special guest in a special location. Introduce my man's last, my far left.

I got my dog, Bishop B. Heading out to Prellies. How you doing, Nasty? Cool and nasty. Let's party, baby. Out the gate. Got my dog, young Nacho, young T. What's happening with it?

Good, man. I'm back home, man. Y'all know I was Adidas guy when I was in the league. Got my dog, young Nacho, young T. What's happening with it? Good, man. I'm back home, man. Y'all know I was Adidas guy when I was in the league. So, man, back home. Back home with it. We got a special guest on my left.

For me, I don't really get too excited about episodes. You know what I'm saying? Everybody's normal. But this is a guy, one of my favorite players. In my opinion, one of the best players

to come out of the University of Louisville. We got Spider to Don. Donovan Mitchell, appreciate you for arguing with us, sir. Appreciate y'all. Out the gate.

Appreciate Adidas for the hospitality and the opportunity. You got a crazy, crazy, crazy order story about how you even got to Adidas, man. Please, let's start there. Because I know you was rocking them at Louisville, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. And then tell us about how you went crazy in the summer league and they all went together. So, yeah.

So, I was supposed to go to Charlotte. I was supposed to get drafted by Charlotte. And you know when Micah was the owner, if you go to Charlotte, you go to Jordan brand. You know what I'm saying? So I ended up not going there, get drafted by Utah. We're going through the contract negotiations. I signed with Adidas, cool.

I played my whole first year. We won the dunk contest. And then Adidas ripped my contract up right after that and said, we're going to give you a new one. We're going to give you a shoe. So that went from just being on the roster to next one. We're going to give you a shoe. So, that went from just being on the roster to next thing you know

being a signature shoe within a year. So, That's crazy. And you being modest about it because what people don't understand is you killed Summer League

to get that. You had to go crazy in Summer League. Not so many people have gotten a shoe deal from killing in the Summer League. T, you know how that Vegas.

I didn't get that. I didn't kill no Summer League. Nah, I stayed on the bench and whole rookie year didn't play. So don't worry about that. Obviously, man, with you being a universal Louisville legend, I mean, we're going to take it. How is it now that they wear your shoe?

What was you rocking at Louisville, though? I was wearing the Dames. I was wearing Dames nonstop. I think it was like the threes or the fours. It was those. There was some low tops. But first of all, the D-Disc has come a long way since that time. Absolutely.

First and foremost. But to see them wearing my shoes, honestly, it's crazy to me. I know I've been in the league seven years. I feel like I've been in the league for a while, but I don't feel like that far removed from Louisville, you know what I'm saying, from where I first started. And so to come here now, to be watching the game, seeing them wear my shoes, some of the guys on the team calling me,

asking me, like, yo, like, can I get this? Can I get that? You know, to me, that's just honestly surreal. You know, you grow up as a kid, you want that. You know what I mean? So now that I'm here, it's a blessing, and I'll forever cherish that. For sure. I know you'll be getting them phone calls from people,

like, hey, let me get some shoes, cuz. Cuz you ain't never had one. Yeah, I'm know you be getting them phone calls from people, hey, let me get some shoes, cuz. Cuz you ain't never had one. I'm gonna be calling you too. For sure, yeah. What's your favorite Adidas shoe ever off the court?

Shoes? Might be these. You can wear them on and off the floor. New drawings. If I couldn't choose my own shoes. Yeah.

You a shell toe kind of guy? I wear shell toes a little bit. I got big feet, though, so like, you know. What size you wearing? 15. Oh, you out of pocket.

Yeah, the shell-toes, okay. You can't wear no stairs. That's a whole shit. It's on our life. It's on our life. I'd probably say those.

This new Jerry, Jerry Alenzo Fear of God collection is fire. Yeah, it's fire. We all wear it. We all tell it. He got some shit.

I think that's probably my favorite. All right, so what was that moment like for you in the creation process? Shout out to Cam Mason, my dog, creating that first one. How was that process? Because you was finding your way in the league and still doing it at the same time, but how was that process making the first one?

I feel like everybody's different. I've talked to different guys who have had different shoes from different brands and how they go about it. For me, my process is make the shoe, show me the shoe, and I say yes or no. Like, it's real simple. Like, I ain't got, I'm not the one to be like, I want the webbing on this to look like that. I ain't one to be like, as long as my ankles feel cool and I think it looks good, like, that's fine.

So, you know, know like i said for the first one the first one was kind of sped up because everything was so last minute absolutely it was kind of like quick but then once you got to two or three four now you're playing a year in advance um it became it became a whole process it became like we doing three different segments of it it's like you know we're doing one in august and we're doing one in january then we're doing one like you know i'm saying just kind of of going over it making little tweaks here and there about what I like and what I don't like

but it's a process and you get as much as you put into it though if you don't want it if you don't care if you don't want it you ain't gonna put out a good product

but I know it's that gratification when you look on Instagram you see the AU kids rocking your shoe now I gotta ask you how I feel when you in the league and somebody rocking your shoe

and they play against you I know you gotta I wouldn't be rocking your shoe bro I'm playing you, I know you got to turn up a lot. I wouldn't be rocking your shoe, bro. I'm playing against you. I know, but if you saw me,

I'd rock them. I'm playing the big three just, you know, I'd rock them. I feel like you have to, you kind of, you have,

first of all, you have to go at them. You got to bust their ass. You got to at least, you know what I'm saying, off rip. But in the second token, I'm like,

I'm a dude that's like, man, that's love. Like, I'm the same. I'm not one to be like, you know how I'm saying? Off the gate. But in the second token, I'm like, I'm a dude that's like, man, that's love. Like, I'm the same. I'm not one to be like, you know how niggas in the league are like, I can curse my life. Oh, yeah, absolutely. Go curse.

You know what it is? Like, you get to a point where you're so far removed from that childhood. Like, you know, you was a childhood kid dreaming about being on this stage, you know, so I'll never lose

that aspect of it too. So like, yeah, I want to come at you. I want to drop 40 on you. But the same token, it's like the fact that you're wearing my shoes. I grew up trying to be like this, trying to be Donovan Mitchell. You know what I'm saying? So I always forever cherish that. And I show I appreciate it.

But, you know, there are a few guys out there that always, my former teammates always wear my shoes. Like, they always ask me. So I appreciate them. But, you know, I definitely have to try to give them 40 at least oh yeah you gotta gotta kill it one time let them know what it is and then you can come on team diamond team down you know what i'm saying that's a new line popping out you know what i'm saying how'd that feel and now you move you know you what's you shoe six now right two six two six and you got the own brand under shoe six it's going crazy yeah so we honestly

man like i said i'm gonna keep repeating myself but this it's it's crazy to me you know what i mean that's it never feels real when i do these interviews i do these events i see my shoe i see honestly man like I said I'm gonna keep repeating myself but it's crazy to me you know what I mean it never feels real when I do these interviews I do these events I see my shoe I see people talking to me about it

like it's one thing I'll never forget but now you become a you become your own boss in a sense like you become like alright cool like you know

you dictating like alright bet I want this I want that I want it to look like this this is what people are saying but the biggest thing like I said to you

is you get what you put into it you know what I mean so I've called guys, I've asked younger kids, like to make you stay tapped in with the younger generation. Absolutely. Because honestly,

they would drive all the sales. Like we ain't buying hoop shoes no more. We old. Like, you know what I'm saying? Hey, you babies. The kids are the ones, the kids and their parents.

I'm still tapped in. I mean, hey, you ain't have to buy. I got you. You ain't got to buy. I got you. She ain't just plugged, man. I want the shoes, man.

You know what I'm saying? But yeah, man, it's dope. For sure. How was it to tap me in? I know you got to collab with the HBCU team. You know what I'm saying? They got an official team for your shoe. Yeah.

Like, that's crazy. Like, were you designed, like, a part of that process? Like, how is it just to see, like, you know what I'm saying, Black excellence representing you and you help perpetuate that at the same time? Yeah, you know, you never forget where you came from. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's my biggest thing you know i i didn't go to a hbcu but you know there's always love there you know what i mean to see you see one

of us continuing to to do what we do especially not just on the floor but in the community you know what i'm saying and i think that's one of my my biggest things and understanding that we're still trying to find ways and the league's done a good job with the pa we've done a good job of putting them on at all-stars showcasing the, you know, continuing to fund and continue to put money into these HBCUs and, you know, with shoes, with, you know, equipment, with gear, like, you know, that's, that's really, that's really what it, that's where it starts. You know, that's the least, I feel like that's the least we can do as athletes. Like we got that for free. Like, all right, cool. I'm going to at least do that for y'all. Now we can do more and

build upon that. So now that I'm able to do that with HBCUs, man, I love being able to do it. I love just seeing the faces on kids that. So now that I'm able to do that with HBCUs, man, I love being able to do it. I love just seeing the faces on kids that just happy with one pair of shoes. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, that to me is dope. And I want to continue to build, you know, through HBCUs with my shoe and my stuff.

And I'm glad that we've been able to do that. And that's the thing you said, like, remember who you are. Like, we was a kid going to basketball camps, dog. We was geeks to go to whoever came, got that T-shirt. And if you got some shoes, it was super lit. So for you to dog. We was geeks to go to whoever came, got that t-shirt. And if you got some shoes, we was super lit. So for you to be able

to give that moment to a lot of different kids, like, it don't even matter what happens after that. They're going to remember that for the rest of their life. For sure, for sure.

What's your favorite Adidas matchup, like, in the league? What other opposing player you look at that's in sign with Adidas? I got to say, Ant bring it every night.

Yes, sir. Ant the dog, man. I think Ant's a guy, like, he bring the best out of you. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, he talks and all that, but, like, as a competitor, like, that's what you want. Like, you want to go against, you know, a guy like him. You know what I mean?

So, hey, I would say he's probably number one for sure just because of the energy he brings. Is James a close two? James is up there for sure. I played James twice in the playoffs two years in a row, so I feel like I played him a bunch. We done lost twice, too. I remember y'all was guarding behind him.

I called Quinn about that. I said, Quinn, bro, that ain't it, bro. I forgot you had Quinn. Yeah. I said, that ain't it, bro. Y'all were standing behind him. That wasn't it. That wasn't it.

That wasn't it. We needed to— You it. That wasn't it. That wasn't it. We needed, you seen we lost 4-1, I said. That wasn't it. I would say James up there, too, for sure. I think James and Ant

are definitely the two. Or Dame, too. Yeah, definitely. Dame, for sure. And what's crazy now, like, y'all killing right now. Y'all going crazy,

absolutely, right now. Under the radar, which is crazy, it's under the radar, but y'all been going crazy in large part because obviously you've been doing your thing, man.

How you feeling about this season, man? I'm excited. I think a lot of it under the radar has to do with how we, you know, we didn't really do shit in the playoffs

last year. You know what I mean? You know how that go. Like, we didn't handle business. You know what I'm saying? Like, we got embarrassed to be honest with you. You know what I mean?

So that kind of carries with you into that next year until you do something about it. So, shit, we can go 82-0. I don't think we'll get the credit we deserve just because that's just all that matters in this world is the playoffs.

You know what I'm saying? So for us, not getting too hyped, like understanding like this is what we do. This is what we expect of ourselves. It's like understanding we're trying to build. Like, yeah, it's all-star break. You know what I mean? It's great.

Like we're playing what we're playing and we should be happy for that success. But at the same token, we're not surprised at what we do. Like continue to build upon that. So then, April, May, June comes around,

you know, starting to handle business. For sure. Nelson, 520, should we be remiss if we didn't ask you a couple questions how we went?

Obviously, you know what I'm saying? You came in the league going crazy, but who was that first matchup you were just like, damn, like, this is how they do this every single night in the league?

Like, maybe not even a marquee night, but at one point, he was like, oh, I didn't even know he was like this. Oh, man. I'd probably say

Drew Holiday. Damn, he get mentioned a lot, bro. Drew Holiday, for sure. I was just like, and I'll never forget my assistant coach at the time, Johnny Bryant, he was like, yeah, lace him up.

Like, this motherfucker, like, he don't play. And I'm like alright man whatever I had 40 the first time we played him so I'm thinking that's how it's supposed to be

like I'm thinking it's sweet he going under on screens you know what I mean they don't know what that's like you know what I'm saying and after that

I think we played in New Orleans just oh you caught him in New Orleans yeah you know who else was up there too

A.B. Bradley when he was in Detroit. Come on, man. I'm still having nightmares. Who you taking though? Better defender? Real shit. Who you got? Depends on what I'm trying to guard.

You get buckets. I ain't going to lie. It's a true story. I probably... Avery retired, right? Yeah. He done? All right, so I can say this

we playing in Detroit and it's probably a film on this too I'm the point guard at the time I don't know how to play my ball handling really ain't like that

I had to stop bringing the ball up the court cause he was on the floor I had to stop and I don't think I've never I've never felt like that

with anybody else in the league so I gotta give it to Avery probably just cause once you get to half court like you know the half court line he didn't get you you just you ain't the only one. Just because he's stuck. Once you get to half court, like, you know,

the half court line, he didn't get you. You just, you ain't going nowhere. Like, he quick, he strong. But I would say probably Avery Bradley for sure. What's crazy is,

him, Jordan Crawford, and other people that said he was a white, Avery's like, it don't matter how good you dribble. He don't turn you in every possession. And I ain't have the confidence in my handle.

Like, this is my first year in the league. So my handle, like, I'm like, I'm used to coming off screens, coming off different things, but I'm not really like, if you pick me up full court at this time, it's like, oh shit, like, I don't really know what I'm doing.

He ain't doing that shit. He just standing there just like this, looking at you like, yeah. Nah, he was in it. He wouldn't do that now, though. Oh, nah, he know what it is now. I always wanted to ask you about your bubble moment. Like, I know we don't got that much time,

but what you did in the bubble, you and Murray was going back and forth, bro. That was crazy, bro. Nah, that was, that for me was really the emergence of myself, like taking that step. You know what I mean? Like I had a great rookie year in the playoffs. I would beat OKC, whatever, like all that happened.

Then the second year, whatever. But that year for me, like scoring outbursts and all that, it was a big part of that. But like it was really where I felt in control of myself. Like, all right, cool. Now I'm seeing situations seeing situations i understand the situation i'm understanding the blitz but you know i had 57 game one but people don't know i only had like 20 in game two we won by 30. because they were like all right it he not scoring and for me like to be able to make that adjustment from game one to game two and be like i bet i don't need to score i can get off it and

then we went by 30. now ultimately we lose to lose the series. But, like, that, for me, really unlocked a lot of shit for me mentally. But it honestly came to a point where Maul would score, and I'd be like, I bet I got to score. Like, it became one-on-one. Trying to cancel each other out. And, like, everybody else had to figure it out. Like, you score, I'm scoring. I love how you just say, I had 57.

Something slight. Yeah. You ran over that shit a lot. So, I had 57. Something slight. Yeah. You ran over that shit a lot. I was like, so I had 57. Before we get up out of here, I got to ask you, if you could have three people wear your shoe, who would those three people be?

It could be anybody. Ever? Like in life or in who? Period. Michael Jordan. Barack Obama. Okay. Y'all can get his address.

In the O office, if you could wear him in the O office for sure. I'd probably say Jay-Z. That's a five out of three. Probably that was three. That's a five out of three. I swear I thought you were about to say me. I was like,

what's that? What's that? What's up, man? Welcome to the show. One more time. Oh, Jay-Z, yo. The wrong Jay. The wrong Jay. But on that note, we're going to get about it here, Don.

Appreciate you. Man, for sure. You know what I'm saying? Be here. Hey, that's our ad man right there. You know what I'm saying? Tell them about the people that I need to cop them. Man, cop them everywhere, man.

These is damn near horrible. I might get back on the court. I'm gonna have to holler at DM about this for real. Nah, for sure. We appreciate you coming on the show, man, for sure. I appreciate y'all, for sure. Shouts to good people at Adidas. Shouts to Donovan Mitchell, Club 520. Thank you, bro. Appreciate y'all.

Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone, so I'm bringing in all the big guns from NFL media like Colleen Wolfe.

Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Can't get enough football? Look no further than the Good Morning Football podcast. Join me, Jamie Erdahl, alongside Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt, and

Akbar Bajabiamila for a daily breakdown of the league's biggest stories. Hey, you want to know the secret ingredient that makes Patrick Mahomes unstoppable? Or maybe which reality show best describes the Jets season? Look no further. We've got recaps, retweets, and reactions to all the wild moments you might have missed both on and off the field. Make sure to listen to the Good Morning Football podcast Monday through Friday on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, this is Mike Wright from the Fantasy Footballers Dynasty podcast. You heard that right. The Fantasy Footballers have officially entered the Dynasty space. Every week, we bring you the same in-depth analysis and entertainment you've come to expect from the Fantasy Footballers, only now it's from the Dynasty perspective. Join me and the rest of the crew every Wednesday for a new episode. Listen to the Fantasy Footballers Dynasty Podcast on the iHeartRadio app,

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