Digital Social Hour - How I Gained 1M Subs in a Day: My YouTube Journey | The Professor DSH #864

Episode Date: November 6, 2024

🎥 How I Gained 1M Subs in a Day: My YouTube Journey with streetball legend, The Professor! 📈 Tune in now to Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly for an exhilarating ride through The Professor's i...ncredible journey from high school standout to global YouTube sensation. Packed with valuable insights, this episode delves into his experiences with And1 mixtapes, acting with Adam Sandler, and his transition to YouTube stardom. Join the conversation as The Professor shares his groundbreaking Spider-Man viral video success and how he navigated the shifting tides of digital content creation. Don't miss out on his unique insights into the evolving basketball landscape and his plans to hoop until 50. 🏀 Watch now and subscribe for more insider secrets. 📺 Hit that subscribe button and stay tuned for more eye-opening stories on the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly! 🚀 #howtostartayoutubechannel #howtogetmoreviewsonyoutube #youtubegrowth #howtogrowyoutubechannel #youtubealgorithm CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:27 - How the Professor Got into Acting 03:29 - The Professor's Basketball Journey 06:42 - Can AND1 Make a Comeback? 11:26 - Transitioning to YouTube Content 15:00 - Upcoming Content Changes 18:19 - NBA Viewing Habits 19:15 - Is the NBA Too Soft Now? 22:40 - Why I Don’t Trash Talk 26:47 - Playing Basketball in 40 Countries 28:45 - Basketball in Prisons 29:00 - Global Basketball Fanbase Insights 30:15 - Top European NBA Players 31:08 - Closing Thoughts 31:10 - Where to Find The Professor Online 31:34 - Outro APPLY TO BE ON THE PODCAST: https://www.digitalsocialhour.com/application BUSINESS INQUIRIES/SPONSORS: Spencer@digitalsocialhour.com GUEST: The Professor https://www.instagram.com/theprofessor/ https://www.theprofessorbiz.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/Professorlive LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-social-hour/id1676846015 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Jn7LXarRlI8Hc0GtTn759 Sean Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmikekelly/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 There's a lot of good players, don't get me wrong. They're all pretty good that are on, but it's a myth that, like some people, it depends who you ask, right? Some people think and one players were like better than NBA players. Others will say like they weren't even good at all. But the truth is like, it was actually pro and like we would mix it up with NBA players
Starting point is 00:00:16 and run all the time. And like you might not even be able to tell who's in the league and who's not. That was a super high level. Ladies and gentlemen, street ball legend here today, the professor. Thanks for coming on my man. Hey, helpful man. Appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
Starting point is 00:00:33 I haven't seen you in six years, dude. Yeah, that is crazy. Wow. Was this, I didn't even think it was six years, but like, yeah, I was 21 when I met you. That's right. I remember you're young. Yeah, I was just starting out to see your growth too. It's been awesome, man.
Starting point is 00:00:44 Thanks so much. Now you're appearing in movies. Remember you're young. Yeah, I was just starting out and to see your growth too. It's been awesome, man Thanks so much. Well now you're appearing in movies appreciate that man. Are you getting into acting pretty heavily this year? Um, you know, actually I moved to LA. I had a lead role in a movie 2006 and uh, I was always doing acting stuff throughout my career, but it was more just like opportunities that came directly to me Yeah so Now i'm trying to like put one foot into acting and kind of like pursue it a little bit more I mean, I was a football player but it was more just like opportunities that came directly to me. Yeah. So, now, I'm trying to like put one foot into acting and kind of like
Starting point is 00:01:09 pursue it a little bit more because I mean, if I look back now, I've probably been in like three or four movies. Uh maybe 50 to 100 commercials. You know, tons of YouTube stuff been in front of the camera. So, it was something I always enjoyed
Starting point is 00:01:21 doing but I never really like pursued it full time just because basketball made most sense. You know, all his life. Yeah. So what I'm doing but I never really like pursued it full time just because basketball made most sense. You know, all his life. Yeah. So, I'm actually trying to release that movie I did in 2006 though right now. Oh yeah. It's
Starting point is 00:01:32 called Don't Lie. Yeah, trying to put it out on Amazon. Wow. So, you filmed it 20 years ago and 20 years ago, I had like an A-list cast and everything. Yeah, but it never released. How come? Um they held out for like they were trying to hold out for like a
Starting point is 00:01:46 big box office release which at that time was like over 3500 theaters. So, I got tons of DVD offers, tons of small theater releases. Uh it was actually supposed to be the first ever movie on Amazon Prime. Wow. In 2009 but
Starting point is 00:02:00 remember we were talking about how like we didn't think anybody would watch a movie on a phone. You know what I'm saying? Back then, little did we know. So, they held out and I think like, producers got busy. The guy,
Starting point is 00:02:13 the guy who produces pretty successful. He's got a bunch of films. So like, it just got deprioritized over the years and then, here we are trying to bring it out. I love it, man. And you were in that movie with Sandler recently, right? Yeah,
Starting point is 00:02:24 hustle. That was Adam. Yeah. What was that like, man? It was dope. Uh Adam's just a cool guy. Adam's reputation in Hollywood and just amongst all his peers that he's super down to earth. Uh loves basketball like when I first met him like
Starting point is 00:02:40 he wouldn't even let me give him props like he's just telling me how much he loves my YouTube channel. Wow. Yeah. Which I was just like not expecting at all. You know what I mean? That's unreal man to get that from him. Yeah, we had a mutual friend who wanted to put us on the phone who I hadn't talked to in years but I guess he worked for Adam and then you know we ended up talking for like an hour or two and he's just talking about basketball and then he told me he's writing a film you know in a couple years he wanted to write me a role and I was like oh let's get it you what I mean? Sure enough, hustle. That's legendary. Could he hoop?
Starting point is 00:03:05 Yeah, Adam could hoop. I mean, there's levels to hoop it, right? So I think like it depends who you ask, right? It's kind of subjective. Like is somebody plays pro or like really balls like their brow of like what's good is like way higher. But I would say like Adam's solid. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:03:20 Like presumably go to Ellie fitness and pick him up. Yeah, solid. Okay. Yeah. I've seen a couple of jump shots from him. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like presumably like go to Ellie fitness and pick him up. Yeah. Solid. Okay. Yeah. I've seen a couple of jump shots from him. Yeah. He's got that jumper.
Starting point is 00:03:30 Well, he's like a passer. He's a good passer too. Okay. I mean, yeah and you played at a high level growing up, right? College, high school. Yeah. Well, actually I always had a high skill level but didn't necessarily play at a high
Starting point is 00:03:42 level until I got on the and one mixtape tour. So, I always look like I was 10 years younger than I am. Mm hmm. Growing up. So, by the time, like I always had skills like in fourth grade, I mastered the Iverson crossover. Fourth
Starting point is 00:03:55 grade. Fourth grade. Damn. I'm like this tall, you know what I'm saying? But I could cross over like grown adults with that move and I had a trainer. He taught me like in and out across Tim Hardaway crossover, Iverson crossover, all his handles. So,
Starting point is 00:04:07 I always had a high skill level but then by the time I got to like my junior year in high school, I got cut from the varsity team. How come I was on the J? Uh just cuz I was like so small. I think like the way my coaches played, it was
Starting point is 00:04:19 about being physical and being like very defensive and like they favored like big man offense and I was all like like guard uh you know with like handles and stuff didn't favor they were like, they favored I got a second team all state of the small Christian school I transferred to then. In Juco, I got cut from three community colleges, finally landed a spot as a red shirt. A couple people got injured. Then I ended up suiting up and I only played three minutes a game. But I was actually good and then but I just didn't get that opportunity. And then after that, Bet MGM, authorized gaming partner of the NBA, has your back all season long. From tip-off to the final buzzer, you're always taken care of with the sportsbook Born
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Starting point is 00:05:52 BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Freshman year, I improved like 300%. Like I hit the weights. Mm-hmm. I was doing three a days. I improved like 300%. Like I hit the weights. Um I was doing three a days like I already spent my life practicing but I practice even more now. Damn.
Starting point is 00:06:12 And I literally improved like like I was three times as good by the end of that like spring summer after my freshman year in 2003 and then I went to try out for and one and it was just like this. My idols just became my teammates in one. It was like a movie. You know, wow. Three a days. I've never like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like,
Starting point is 00:06:25 I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I
Starting point is 00:06:29 was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like,
Starting point is 00:06:33 I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like,
Starting point is 00:06:37 I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I'm like, that's crazy. What were the and one trials like? And one trial is more just like whoever came like hopping this run and do your thing and then like figure out who stands out and then pick some guys and you think you're
Starting point is 00:06:55 dribbling kind of really stood out from everyone else. Yeah. Yeah. I went out there and you know, like I was going as a fan. I was actually just going to watch the game. You know what I'm saying? I was like culturing and one in high school. Like if you look at
Starting point is 00:07:07 my my mixtape from like my high school years, I have on like and one sneakers. Wow. So, I'm just going to watch my idols play figured I had nothing to lose. So, I hopped in the run and I shook a few dudes up and people started going crazy but
Starting point is 00:07:19 it was my look. You know, I forever just don't look like a hooper. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. Look like an underdog and so the crowd took to that. And then next thing I know, I'm playing against my teammates. That's so cool. Future teammates at that time.
Starting point is 00:07:29 Yeah. I think people want to root for the underdog. You were smaller than everyone. You were white, obviously. And you were like, who is this kid? Yeah. Well, I think that's timeless. People always root for the underdog.
Starting point is 00:07:39 So it favored me for sure. Do you think something like Anwan can ever come back in today's social media world? I heard rumors they were actually going to favor me for sure. Do you think something like Anwon can ever come back in today's kind of social media world? I I heard rumors they were actually trying to bring the tour back but I don't know. I guess
Starting point is 00:07:55 nothing's impossible, right? So I think if it had a great TV show like if you brought it back and you just had its own YouTube channel like I don't know how much that could really go off just because like there's a million great basketball videos on
Starting point is 00:08:09 YouTube and like at that time, it was the first time Street Ball was like, you know, being put out to the world, you know, mainstream. Yeah. Yeah. Street Ball in the East Coast. They knew it at like Rucker and like different parks like that
Starting point is 00:08:20 like big cities on the East Coast. So, yeah, it was more mainstream and people were anticipating those moves and the fan excitement was crazy. Aired on ESPN literally like sometimes like 30 to 50 times a week. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, cuz the ESPN at
Starting point is 00:08:34 that time only had like five shows, you know, it's like poker, Sports Center, like a game and one and maybe like something else but like it might air all night as like that filler show. Yeah, yeah. You know, and then there's only like 50 channels at that time, right? 50 to 100 channels. I remember those days, man. So,
Starting point is 00:08:50 think about the view count. Like, think about YouTube. We know how many views like YouTube videos get. Like, this is say my channel, right? Yeah. But think about there's only like 50 to 100 channels in the United States. Mm hmm. So, like, think about what the view count was on those TV shows. Probably tens of millions, right? Yeah. So, like the fan anticipation like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm
Starting point is 00:09:06 like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm
Starting point is 00:09:11 like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm
Starting point is 00:09:16 like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, like a pro level. It's like a super high level. A lot of guys had NBA talent. They may you know, you're running all the time and like you you might not even be able to tell who's in the league and who's not. Wow. I didn't know it was that high level. Yeah. And I was a
Starting point is 00:09:47 super high level. A lot of guys had NBA talent. They may they may have had things that held them back from making the league but a lot of guys had NBA talent. So, I don't know to recreate it. I think it would be tough but nothing's
Starting point is 00:09:57 undoable. If you have an entertaining TV show, maybe it could be remixed and done differently somehow. Yeah. Did you see the downfall coming at all? differently somehow. You know, did you see the downfall coming at all? Were there signs of it or did it just abruptly happen one
Starting point is 00:10:10 day? It kind of abruptly happened. There there were signs now but that's like a hindsight, you know, hindsight's 2020 viewpoint. Uh we got bought out, right? So, that's already a sign, right? But but when I was, you know,
Starting point is 00:10:24 when Anwan in, I was only twenty-five or twenty-four years old. So, I wasn't able to assess what that even meant, right? We had a buyout a lot of the same employees stayed though even though there was a lot of new faces too. Yeah. We
Starting point is 00:10:36 still like did the tour but I think they tried to fulfill their either their production contract or their contract with ESPN. So, we still did it for two or three more years. Mm. Under the new ownership. Mm. So, we're thinking like, So, we still did it for two or three more years under the new ownership. So, we're thinking like, oh, we still got our jobs. You know
Starting point is 00:10:48 what I'm saying? We're still touring. The TV show's still spinning quite a bit but every year, it was like a little bit less and less and then they put less money into the tour and and you could I can see it now looking back but at the time,
Starting point is 00:11:01 we were still massively popular and like we were getting paid more. Yeah. I think like as time went on, they like we were getting paid more. Yeah, I think like as time went on, they felt like they owed us more. So, uh at the time, we didn't know. It was very abrupt but there were there
Starting point is 00:11:12 were signs now back. Yeah. So, oh wait at the end of the oh wait uh season, it just ended. Yeah, that was it because back then you had to be in the NBA to make money hooping. That was like a rare thing, right? To do content. Yeah. And you know, we we had our uh we were optimistic
Starting point is 00:11:26 though. We were thinking like Anwan was so big like you would think another company would do it or another tv show would star or like somebody else pick it up but it just didn't like. Wow. No one even tried to do that? A couple people tried you know from 2011 to 2015 there was a whole new regime. It was called Ball Up and I was on that. We toured but for that, the marketing, the marketing wasn't on point.
Starting point is 00:11:53 It was like at a show on Fox Sports but like no one really watched Fox Sports for no like basketball reality, nothing and then digital was becoming the new thing, right? As far as how to market your thing and like we had a YouTube channel on the Instagram but like like it was just, you know, like kind of like whatever. Yeah. So like,
Starting point is 00:12:07 I think it missed the wave of digital marketing early, at least maximizing on digital marketing and kind of was slated like old school, like looking for that hit TV show on cable. Yeah. And right then the times were changing. So yeah, it didn't work out. I feel that so it's some great events, but it just wasn't, it's not Ant one, you know? Yeah. When did you make that shift to YouTube?. I feel that. So, there's some great events but it just wasn't. It's not Ant One, you know? Yeah. When did
Starting point is 00:12:27 you make that shift to YouTube because I feel like you've done the best at maintaining relevancy from the Ant One days. Like, you are still known to this day. You know what I mean? Yeah. Uh so, I actually was aware of YouTube like
Starting point is 00:12:39 early like when it started, you know what I'm saying? Uh people were ripping our highlights from the ESPN show and making fan compilation. So, there was like a hot sauce mix of main event mix and professor mix and they all had
Starting point is 00:12:51 like tens of millions of views and like YouTube is like empty at that point. Like, I remember one point if you search basketball, my mix will pop up. Damn. On YouTube. Yeah. So, like, I realized there was something to that because fans
Starting point is 00:13:04 would approach us and you know, show love and as habit, I would always be like, you know, thanks for watching the show. I realized there was something to that because fans would approach us and you know, show love and as habit, I would always be like, you know, thanks for watching the show. You know what I'm saying but some people would be like, oh no, we saw yourself on YouTube.
Starting point is 00:13:13 It's all like YouTube. You know what I mean? So, I looked into it. So, when 2006 and 7 rolled around, I was actually having a homie make edits to put on YouTube to kind of like flood the market for like marketing but AdSense hadn't rolled out. So, then when and when ended YouTube to kind of like flood something to it and it was I didn't know that was going to be the top streaming platform in the world. I knew there was something to it and it was
Starting point is 00:13:46 growing but I didn't know to what level so you could get a DM on YouTube back then. So I was getting like bookings primarily internationally because and one kind of died out in the states so I would you know get these bookings
Starting point is 00:13:58 from my videos and then I think at that point it was in like 15 countries or 10 countries. So that was like free TV. I'm knowing it's free TV. You know what I mean? Yeah I think at that point, it was in like 15 countries or 10 countries. So, that was like free TV. I'm knowing it's free TV. You know what I mean? Yeah. Um but then 2013, I had a video
Starting point is 00:14:12 go viral and I got a million subs in one day. Was that the Spider-Man one? Yeah. Yeah. So, then it became a business like overnight but I was still under these endorsement deals. I had like an old school endorsement deal up until 2016. Oh, they had 360 on you? Pretty
Starting point is 00:14:27 much. Damn. Full exclusive. Uh they would let me do my YouTube and they didn't really know much about it. They, like I said, they were a little bit behind on that whole like wave of like seeing digital go to the forefront of marketing but
Starting point is 00:14:40 yeah but life was good. I was still doing my tour thing. I would do YouTube when I was home but I can never be a full time YouTuber like I wanted and I was making three times as much on YouTube when I was home but I could never be a full-time YouTuber like I wanted and I was making three times As much on YouTube as I was my endorsement deal. Holy per month. Crap. I know and I was a decent on the endorsement deal, but Yeah, so when it ended it was cool got to go into it, but I think to answer your question more specifically. It's just like just like trying to stay ahead of the the trends of like Different ways to edit what platforms are going off? I'm trying to what it was on YouTube. I feel like I was. Yeah, it's actually the first
Starting point is 00:15:25 basketball influencer. That's not ever. Yeah. OG. Now, there's so many of them. Yeah, it's crazy. I know. Um it's funny. Yeah, I was just doing it as a means to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I knew that was
Starting point is 00:15:37 marketing. So, I was like, can't be bad. You know what I'm saying? And then a fan actually taught me how to edit. One of the dudes who was making the the fan compilations, I hit him up. He lives in San Diego and she he actually showed me how to edit
Starting point is 00:15:49 so I was making my own edits on YouTube. So you edit your own videos till this day. I'll only edit it if I feel like it's like a banger that I can't really convey the vision to somebody else. I try not to though. Yeah. Are you shifting
Starting point is 00:16:02 your content because I know you have that major injury and you're getting older. Do you're you're shifting your content because I know you have that major injury and you're getting older. Do you have a shift in content for the next few years? I've done videos where I don't hoop but people still want me to hoop. So, I
Starting point is 00:16:15 can't say I've really came with a solution to like like how do I, you know, turn my content a different way that's still massively appealing because you can do a bit like as time goes, you know, it's massively appealing. Mm hmm. Cuz you can do a bit like as time goes, you know, you're you're you're you're bill spend might change and
Starting point is 00:16:31 also like your standard for what you consider as a good video might change. So, a lot of people might be content with like 100K, 150K. I'm like bummed though, you know. Really with 100K? We're trying to do a million. You know what I'm
Starting point is 00:16:42 saying? Damn. You got Mr. Beast standards out here. No, but maybe we've been at 20 years. You know what I'm saying? So, so I look at it like, I'm like, you got Mr. Beast standards out here. No, but I mean, we've been at 20 years. You know what I'm saying? So, so I look at it like, well, mister Beast, he trying to get 100 million. That's true. You know what I'm
Starting point is 00:16:51 saying? So, it's it's different though. You know what I mean? So, think about him. He's at the top of the YouTube food chain. Yeah. He'd be bummed if video didn't get 100 million today, right? There's over 100 million every video, correct?
Starting point is 00:17:01 Yeah. At least 50. I've I've looked at in a while. I think over 100 though. It's over 100. Yeah. Yeah. So, so, you know, yeah, I'm like a video success if it gets a million. If it doesn't, it's all good because you can't, you know, you can't win on every
Starting point is 00:17:13 video but you want it to go off. So, I can turn the content and get 100 200 K view. I think I'd have to like probably like lower my standard and try to like rebrand if that's the case but my goal is to hoop till I'm 50. Wow.
Starting point is 00:17:26 I'm trying to hoop till 2034. 50 years old. That's impressive. So, well, I don't know if I'll make it but that's you know, that's that's my it's a good goal. They say shoot for the moon, land amongst the stars. Yeah, you might have to get
Starting point is 00:17:38 some stem cells but you could probably make it with all the technology these days, right? Hopefully, hopefully. I mean, like I had that Achilles injury you mentioned. Yeah. I was able to recover 100%. 100%. 100%. You don't feel like that lost a step or anything? No.
Starting point is 00:17:51 Wow. Cuz KD had that one and people said he was done and he he looks like he's back to normal too. Sports rehab is going a million miles an hour. You know what I'm saying? Sports rehab is getting better and better and better like like
Starting point is 00:18:03 every day and it's kind of like unspoken about because people don't like to think about injuries. So like if you say you tore your Achilles, a lot of people don't even know what that is. You know what I'm saying? They'll think it's like your knee or
Starting point is 00:18:14 something like ACL Achilles, MCL. It's all like the same. Yeah. So, uh like I think people don't really talk about it. You don't really know what the injuries are until you get them. Like I remember I I got hernia like two hernia surgeries but I tell people that I don't even know what the injuries are until you get them like I remember I I got hernia like two hernia surgeries but I tell
Starting point is 00:18:26 people that I don't even know what it is. Yeah. So, I think it's just an unknown thing. The sports sports rehab, sports therapy, treatment, and all that is like going to the moon. You can almost recover from anything. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:18:37 I mean, granted, you know, bad replacement, hip replacement, bad back. Those things are going to end you at, you know, from playing at a pro level. Yeah. But a lot of things you can recover from that we couldn't before in the 80s. Yeah. Shaq, Isaiah Thomas, was it Chauncey Billups? A lot of these people retired off the Achilles tear. Damn, I didn't know Shaq Torres.
Starting point is 00:18:59 Yeah. Wow. That's what ended it. Yeah. Yeah. They say that's the worst one, right? It's the it's the worst basketball injury, like single injury you could get, you know, I guess outside like a bad back, right? Like Larry Bird retired from a bad back. Probably still would have had to retire current day. Yeah, I'm saying the back is a confusing one. But yeah, it's getting better all the time. Absolutely. Do you watch the NBA pretty heavily right now. So funny enough, I'm actually a kind of a casual comes to the league. I think
Starting point is 00:19:30 like I still keep up with it like on sports. I launched a little bit of sports talk, a little bit of IG narrative, watch a game every now and again. I'm in LA so I support the Lakers. Uh I try to go to like three or four games a
Starting point is 00:19:43 year. Try to sit course side. It's one of my favorite things to do. So I guess, yeah, I keep up with it but not as much as I did in years past just because you know, when you're on your grind, like, it's hard to really binge watch or keep up
Starting point is 00:19:53 with anything. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A fact. So, when I was a kid with all the time in the world, I would watch almost every game. Yeah, same. Like, I could name everybody on the roster. When I was a young, then I collect like basketball cards. I can
Starting point is 00:20:04 name everybody on the roster of every team. Damn, that's impressive. Yeah, but then, you know, as you get older, I think as I get older, I fall like less and less. Even now, I fall less than I did five years ago. Just, I don't know. You get busy.
Starting point is 00:20:15 Priorities change. Yeah. What do you think of the game? Because when you played, it was more physical, right? Like you said and now it's like you touch someone. It's a foul. Do you think it's a good thing or bad thing? it's a good thing or bad
Starting point is 00:20:26 thing? That's a good question. I think it has its pros and cons both ways. Yeah, I think it has its pros and cons both ways. I think when it was more physical, like it's, I mean, it's better for the defense. Yes. And then I think it
Starting point is 00:20:43 creates a tougher mentality like just for the side of the game. Part of me wishes I could play. I feel like I never get that right because I play streetball. So like there's not a referee. You know what I'm saying? So everybody's filing and then
Starting point is 00:21:00 like when we played on and when we actually could foul, that's the crazy part. They tried to they tried to make it like a street ball game in the game. Yeah. And when we actually could foul, that's the crazy part. They tried to, they tried to make it like a streetball game in the park. Yeah. Even when we played in the arena and they kept it
Starting point is 00:21:12 really loose. So, I feel like, I feel like that was a conflict of interest a lot of times too because like we would go in there and try to entertain and try to put on this amazing show for thousands of people. Yeah. But like a lot of times, I play
Starting point is 00:21:22 a dude that outweighs me by 100 pounds. 50 to 100 pounds and he's like foul. So'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a
Starting point is 00:21:30 player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a
Starting point is 00:21:38 player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a player. I'm a I mean, I mean, I think they're going to have more threes but I think you know, the game always changes. If Allen Iverson was coming up today. Yeah, he'd
Starting point is 00:22:07 have been more of a three-point shooter, right? Cuz that's more of the trend like how they play. He barely took any when he played. So, could he average 40th? Probably. Yeah, he's one he's one of my favorite players girl. Oh yeah, that was your
Starting point is 00:22:16 well, what the handles, right? And that was a dope interview. I watched that whole thing. Sam, that was a great interview man. It's cool to see these players starting their podcast actually cuz you never got their perspective growing up. You never like realized what they're like outside of the court
Starting point is 00:22:26 and how they think. Right, right. Like Draymond Green, that's a great one. Paul Pierce has one now. It's really interesting, man. Yeah, KG, Paul George, yeah. I love that shit. You said you were a big AI fan.
Starting point is 00:22:39 Do you think he had the best handles of all time? They were, it's funny, they asked him that, right? Yeah. And he said Kyrie. the best. Do you think he had a good a move as that AI crossover had the most effective move, right? Like that I don't know if I don't think Kyrie has a good a move as that AI crossover. You know what I'm saying? And he's not as quick on any move as AI was on that move. But but yeah, I think Kyrie's handle is
Starting point is 00:23:17 retarded, right? Yeah. Probably the best handles all the time but I think it's like Shaq, he said J. Will, right? Shaq said J. Will. Yeah, J. Will. This is a good argument, right? Yeah. It's a good argument. I think a lot of it's subjective too because there's a lot of guys who had amazing handle. You know, Steph Curry has a nice handle. Um Jamal Crawford had a great
Starting point is 00:23:33 handle. Um CP three, a lot of guys. Absolutely. Um now I noticed when you play, you actually don't talk that much **** and I thought that was interesting because in street ball, that's common and I watch your videos. People are trying
Starting point is 00:23:43 to get in your head. You don't even respond most of the time. Yeah, I mean, I think it's I noticed when you play, you actually don't talk that much **** and I thought that was interesting because in street ball, that's common and I watch your videos. People are trying to get in your head. You don't even respond most of the time. Yeah and I think you don't
Starting point is 00:23:54 really need like here's the thing to also is like a lot of people when they play ball, they take it like really personally. Yeah, I don't know. I've never been like that. You know what I'm saying? Like like taking the game that
Starting point is 00:24:04 personally but also I've played it a lot higher level been like that. You know what I'm saying? Like like taking the game that personally but also I've played it a lot higher level than like when I play like Venice or like I play dudes on the streets. So like I'll view it as that high brow of a game like I always feel like I'm going to win. You
Starting point is 00:24:16 know what I mean? Mm hmm. So like they're taking it super personal. I just feel like the game is going to do the talking. The truth is but I actually do talk trash but it's more in a sarcastic way. You know what I'm saying? Okay. Like I'll
Starting point is 00:24:28 like cross somebody up and go by and be like, oh thanks. Appreciate you. You know what I'm saying? That probably pisses them off more. Yeah or or like I'll shoot you and be like, oh thanks for making that so easy. You know what I'm
Starting point is 00:24:37 saying? It'd be more on that tip but for me, it's more fun. It's not like personal. You know what I mean? Yeah. So and I just think you don't really need to anyway. So I just it's just about I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:24:47 You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:24:54 You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:25:01 You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I mean, I don't know if it's really like generalized but a lot of the times it's the shorter guys. I don't know why. I don't know if it's like a height thing and they feel some type of way. A small man complex. Yeah. Who knows? I
Starting point is 00:25:10 mean, you go to the league though. You got, you know, legendary, you know, crap talkers. You know what I mean? Yeah. Perry Payton and even Jordan, you know what I mean? So, it just depends. Absolutely. You ever let the
Starting point is 00:25:20 talk and get into an actual fight? Maybe when I was younger. Yeah. A few times but you ever had a controversial. I have like a camera crew and security. So like you don't want to make people feel ultimately victimized. You know what I mean? So if I'm trying to embarrass you on the court, I try to big up everybody and
Starting point is 00:25:55 show them love and like it's more about fun within the sport and I think they get that vibe for me. So people don't come as like hostile. Yeah. But I mean we have I've had a lot of situations. You know what I mean? One time I was in China and like,
Starting point is 00:26:05 it was playing the CBA, right? It's like their NBA. It's like a pre-season game. So I came down on a dude and like, I faked up, did an in and out behind the back, and the dude slipped. I was saying like, did the splits and I hit the shot. So now the crowd was going crazy,
Starting point is 00:26:17 but it's like his home crowd. And we had a little momentum before that too. And so a couple of plays later, I come down, I tried to go off the heezy, like, you know, it's like pro game, you know what I was like, I'm going to get a little momentum before that too and so a couple plays later, I come down. I tried to go off the easy like, you know, it's like the pro game. You know what I'm saying? Try to go
Starting point is 00:26:30 off his head but he like moved so like hit hit the side of his head. You know what I'm saying? And then it like I messed it up and so I tried to like kind of like get it back but I got it back in an ugly way so like he didn't know it was a move. I
Starting point is 00:26:43 think he got confused or whatever and he didn't even speak English. Yeah. So, he couldn't communicate. So, he's like picked me up and he like threw me. He threw me like five feet and then like both benches clear. It's like big brawl. You know what I mean? Damn. It's
Starting point is 00:26:53 all sports center. Yeah, he he thought you were throwing the ball at his head, right? Yeah, I guess I don't know what he thought and he was he was mad from the plays before he didn't like it. Yeah, it was crazy. I'm surprised because
Starting point is 00:27:03 those Asians don't usually scrap, you know? Yeah, but you know, they're mad physical though. Some some American players think they like cheap over there like the play style. I mean, you can't generalize, right? You can't make a yeah, I don't want to generalize but I'll speak on this because I'm Asian. So like Asians tend to be not as athletic. So I think they have to make up for it by being sometimes being physical, right? Yeah, or cheap. Yeah, I think Americans have said make up for it by being sometimes being physical, right? Yeah. Or cheap. Yeah, I think Americans have said that
Starting point is 00:27:29 but a few times, American teams have went to play Chinese teams and and like it's broke out like a big old fight. Wow. Cleared benches. Yeah, you can like looking on YouTube. There's at least three or four. Damn. Mine was one of them.
Starting point is 00:27:40 That's surprising. Yeah. Well, they don't like to lose. I know that. I think there's something with Georgetown over there like a few was it five, seven, maybe ten years ago. Wow. It was by fast. You played in uh forty countries when you were at and one. Do any of those countries
Starting point is 00:27:50 stand out to you like you still remember when I was in and I probably did twenty-five or thirty. Forty is like how many I've been since then. Um yeah, I had great cultural experiences a lot of places because like not it
Starting point is 00:28:07 wasn't always a vacation, right? Like you might go to an amazing place but you really just do your promo tour, have a little fun, play the game, after party, and then you like out. You know what I mean? So you don't always get to see the
Starting point is 00:28:18 place but I spent a lot of time in Australia. We had like long tours over there and that was really cool. Dubai, my last and I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the
Starting point is 00:28:36 I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the I went to the the best game. Um our highest crowd energy games that we ever went to was in Tokyo, Japan. Wow. Which we we I played there probably like seven or eight
Starting point is 00:28:51 times. We did Japanese tours and then uh we went to Sao Paulo Brazil. That might have been the most popping game ever played in. There was like 20 thousand. Yeah. Sold to join out. The energy was so crazy. I remember dribbling up the court and like I just did like
Starting point is 00:29:08 behind the back at half court and they freaking out like the yeah, it was different. I think when you go overseas, it's more like they know you're not going to be over there that often. It might be the only time you ever come over there. So, it's like a
Starting point is 00:29:19 bigger deal. Yeah. But I remember we sold a game out there like on a Wednesday and then they paid us extra and asked us to go on a state till sunday and so we like stayed again. It's awesome man. So that was dope but I mean it's really hard
Starting point is 00:29:30 for me to say like one spot that stood out amongst the rest. I think I had amazing cultural experiences in uh India, Mumbai, Africa went to Angola and I went to uh Uganda. So a lot of cool places. Yeah. It's cool to see you play everywhere. You also played in some prisons. I saw played against the prison I went to Angola and I went to a ball handling program 10 years ago and I remember when I'm not sure if I'm gonna say the number one basketball is now and it's actually 900 million. Holy crap. Yeah. So, it's grown like if you look at
Starting point is 00:30:27 the top sports in the world, basketball at one point, I don't even know if it was top ten or it was like closer to ten. Yeah, I think now it's more middle of the pack. It's like five or six but it's you know, doubled in fan base. I
Starting point is 00:30:38 could see that because the US seems like it's no longer like the number one like we used to be by far. Now, it's debatable if we're the number one. You know what I mean? We just lost in the last world. Uh what was that world championship or whatever? Oh,
Starting point is 00:30:50 you're saying, yeah, like, well, if we put our best team up there. Right. It's different but yeah, I mean, the world's not, yeah, getting nice at basketball. They're catching up. They were always really good though too. That's unfair. I
Starting point is 00:31:03 think like our dreams, our first two dream teams were like so good and like probably I think that's like from I played with a big old's good hoopers everywhere. Absolutely dude. It's been a blast. Anything you want to promote or close off with? Oh yeah, man. Well, I appreciate it. Check me out on YouTube, Professor Live, all other platforms is the professor.
Starting point is 00:32:18 Also dropping a ball handling program is gonna be called Crossed Up University. If you go to crossover spelled out in number5.com, you get a free video right now, five steps to the perfect crossover, and you'll be notified when my program drops. So we'll get in the video. Let's go.
Starting point is 00:32:35 Yeah, thanks for coming on, man. Hey, thanks for having me, man. Thanks for watching, see you guys tomorrow. Go.

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