Digital Social Hour - How I Turned Basketball Into a 6-Figure Business | Hezi Almighty DSH #1040

Episode Date: December 31, 2024

From playing college basketball to turning his passion into a 6-figure business, The Hezi Guy shares his incredible journey from amateur courts to the Big3 league! 🏀 Watch as he reveals how he transformed his basketball skills into a thriving social media empire, including behind-the-scenes stories of training with NBA stars like Kyrie Irving.   Get an inside look at how he built his following, created viral content, and turned basketball into a successful career. Learn about his unique playing style, training philosophy, and how he handles both praise and criticism in the social media age. Whether you're a basketball player looking to grow your platform or a fan of the game, this interview is packed with real talk about making it in today's digital basketball world.   The Hezi Guy opens up about his college days playing both basketball and football, his journey to the Big3, and how he maintains his edge in the competitive world of basketball content creation. He even shares exclusive stories about working with NBA superstars and building his brand from the ground up.   Don't miss this raw and honest conversation about turning basketball skills into business success! 💪   #basketballtrainermarketing #howtomakemoneycoachingsports #sportsbusinesstips #basketballbusinessideas #basketballtrainingbusiness   CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:30 - Playing in the Big 3 Basketball 02:40 - 1v1 Basketball Debate 05:40 - How JClark Gained Fame 08:00 - Indoor vs Outdoor Courts 12:45 - Aspiring to Go Pro 15:28 - Favorite Players Growing Up 18:18 - Working Out with Kyrie Irving 20:30 - Lessons Learned from Kyrie 22:13 - NBA Rules Manipulation 26:01 - Favorite Players Discussion 27:58 - Building Confidence in Basketball 30:48 - Thoughts on Load Management 33:34 - Best Basketball Cities to Play 35:07 - Trash Talking in Basketball 36:30 - 1 on 1 Basketball World 38:40 - Mikey Williams & Bronny James 40:18 - Playing Basketball in China 41:42 - What's Next for Hezi   APPLY TO BE ON THE PODCAST: https://www.digitalsocialhour.com/application BUSINESS INQUIRIES/SPONSORS: [e-mail]   GUEST: Hezi Almighty https://www.instagram.com/thehezigod/   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/

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Must be 19 years of age or older to wager. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have any questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connex Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. Bet MGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. As much as we spend time like working out,

we spend more time like talking about life and books. Dang, that's why he's so intelligent. That's why he moves the way he move on the basketball court. I do want to apologize to him because I think he's upset that I posted me having some good moves on him. We played one on one because you know, you posted on social media and the world goes crazy.

Like. All right guys, Hezzy got in the building. Thanks for coming on man. Man, appreciate you for having me. Absolutely. I balled with you a few times. I don't know if you remember me. Yeah, not for sure. From the ball dog celebrity game.. Absolutely. I've balled with you a few times. I don't know if you remember me. Yeah, not for sure.

From the ball dog celebrity game. I remember. I had to guard you a couple of times. You got me good once. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it was the Miami one I think I got you. Yeah, you got me good, man. Don't post that one, please.

Yeah, nah. But you put a lot of people on How I Real. Yeah, not for sure. I just play a lot of basketball, so it comes with the opportunity. Yeah. What was the highest level you played? What did you get to?

Big three is probably my highest level as far as professional goes. And that's probably as close as somebody like I'll get to the NBA. Yeah. Well, those guys can still play them out. Yeah, not for sure. Like guys like Gerald Green and Jason Richardson

still got 40 inch verticals. Oh yeah. Easy. Jay Rich was playing in the Lifetime League in Vegas right before he moved. like Gerald Green and Jason Richardson still got 40 inch verticals, like easy. Jay Rich was playing in the Lifetime League in Vegas right before he moved. Oh yeah, nah. He could still get you 30. For sure, for sure.

Yeah, cause just cause they're in their 30s and 40s now don't mean they could still hoop. Nah, and then when you've been doing something for so long, it's like second nature. They don't really know how to do anything else when you've been training for something your whole life. Like you don't know know how to do anything else when you've been training for something your whole life. Like, you don't know what else to do, but to continue to practice that craft.

So you're gonna, even though you're getting older and certain things slow down, you're gonna get better in certain areas because you work on it. Yeah, you gotta develop a shot as you get older, right? Yeah, nah, for sure. Did you have to add that to your game as you got older? I've always kind of been blessed

with the ability to score. I guess my hindrance was my height and the way I look, I kind of look like a running back. And so, you don't really look for that. But then when you see me score, it's like, hmm, I wonder if he can do it against this guy, this guy and this guy. I mean, I guess you don't know until it actually happens.

So I guess the big three gave me that opportunity to, I guess, show that you don't know until it actually happens. So I guess the Big Three gave me that opportunity to like, I guess show that I could do it on a higher level with top tier guys. I mean, there's not many content creators that could do that honestly, I don't think. Yeah, I mean, I feel like right situation, yeah, right opportunity, some guys could succeed, but it's not as easy as guys try to make it out to be.

It's not a thing where it's like, oh, I'm gonna go try out for the big three next year and you just think you're gonna make it because you won a couple games on YouTube. Did you have to try out? I actually did, I went to the combine and I didn't even make it, the draft or get picked up my first year.

But the second year, they didn't actually have a combine, but my name was still in the pool. And so a guy left to go play in China, Isaiah Briscoe left to go play in China, Deion Glover who's like an ex Georgia Tech legend. His son watches me on YouTube, he's like over player personnel and stuff like that. And so he just kind of like shot the idea of Steven Jackson

and because me and him had an interaction prior to that, he kind of knew who I was. Nice. Steven Jackson, that's Matt Barnes' co-host. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's my, he's like my uncle now. Oh yeah? I love that, dude.

You're in good hands. Yeah, not for sure. Even Matt Barnes shows me love just because of how Steven Jackson loves me. So, it's- Pastel, do you like the three on three format more than the five on five? I'm a five on five guy,

just because that's always what I've played. So I've understood angles and it's a lot easier to get four other players involved because you don't always have to touch the ball. You can come set the screen. So it's a lot more ways to get four other players involved because you don't always have to touch the ball, you can come set the screen. So it's a lot more ways to get, you know, for other guys involved versus three on three. It's kind of like whoever has the mismatch,

take advantage of it because you're trying to win. Yeah, three on three, you're gassed. It's a lot more space too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're gassed in three on three. Yeah, no, for sure. It's tiring. When you see LeBron say one on one isn't real basketball,

what do you think of that? I agree because one-on-one, even if you plan it with three dribbles, you can go from the top of the key to the corner. In three dribbles, when in actuality in a real game, you wouldn't be able to dribble from the top of the key to the corner without someone else helping or stepping up. So it's like, it's not realistic,

but it does showcase the ability to score the ball. Like if you're an extremely great scorer, one-on-one showcases your ability to score in a variety of ways. I feel, there's guys that are nasty at one-on-one, but in a five-on-five setting, they just. 110%, a lot of your favorite YouTube players are like the really good one-on-one players,

but then you see them in a five-on-five setting and it's like... Looking for the ultimate online casino experience? Step into the BetMGM Casino app, where every deal, spin, and goal brings Las Vegas excitement into the palm of your hand. Take your seat at Premium Blackjack Pro, where strategy meets top-tier gameplay.

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at 1-866-531-2600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Where that guy go, you know what I'm saying? So I take pride in being good at decent or above average at one-on-one, three-on-three, five-on-five, because it just shows, I guess, your overall ability to play the game.

Yeah. Right. And I saw you training with Dev in the lab. You still working with him? We don't train as often, but Dev's like a brother to me. We spend so much time together, like traveling and training. He's just like one of those guys I could call and it's like I talked to him yesterday. So Dev's my guy.

I learned a lot of stuff from him, just with how to maneuver in the, I guess, social media world as a basketball player. Right, because you started blowing up overnight, right? Yeah, I wouldn't say overnight because, you know, I've been playing basketball my whole life, so it was like a, not an overnight success,

but in a sense to the social media world, yeah, like once I got on the scene, it was kind of like rolling. What was that first video that won viral? I actually went viral a few times before I was actually the Hezzy guy. So I used to make music or I still make music in my free time but my music name or rap name is Kamaro Carter. And so prior to becoming a Hezzy guy, I moved out here and I played in the Superstar League,

rest in peace to the owner who owned that league. But I bounced the ball and the defender kind of like ran under and I caught it and dunked it. And so I posted it and that was when I had like 2,000 followers over time, posted it. It like went crazy on Twitter and Snap and then it made its way to Instagram. And then maybe the next year is when I was at Venice

and kinda they coined the Hesygarde name for me. Wow, so you were dunking back in those days. Yeah, I can still dunk but. I don't see it often. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's no need for it now. I'd rather save my knees for a time when I really have to like dunk it. I mean, you're already using so much energy

just getting by them. Yeah, and even just playing so much, just playing every day and stuff. But I'm one of those people who like feels disorderedness when I don't work out versus just staying active every day. You don't really feel those little nicks and bruises. I feel that. So you're hooping every day though?

I pretty much do something every day. Damn. Like work out, whether it's like shoot for an hour, I do something every day. Like workout, whether it's like shoot for an hour, I do something every day. Wow, I suspect man, you're working on your craft still. Seven days a week. Holy crap, so no recovery time? You don't take-

I take time to recover, but I mean, recovering doesn't mean not doing anything. You know what I'm saying? Recovery means like, you know, I guess being light on those muscles and stretching those muscles, hitting the sauna, doing things like that. I hit the sauna every day.

I stretch every day in the sauna. So. Yeah, I hit the sauna daily. It's a necessity. You ever have any bad injuries? Not since I started playing in the social media world. Okay, you're taking good care of yourself. Yeah.

Respect. You like outdoor or indoor better? I don't particularly care, bro. I'm just a hooper, bro. I really just like to hoop. If it's a nice event at an outdoor court, I'm gonna pull up and put on the show. Same as well as in the gym.

Dude, those outdoor courts, I just feel so sore after. I mean, you can feel the difference, but I don't particularly care, bro. I really just love to play basketball, bro. I really just love it. Damn, I love that. It's cool to see your mindset with the game. Yeah, and then it makes it easier to love it

when you find a way to make some money off of it. It's kinda hard to love something when you gotta still provide for yourself outside of that love, but when that love is providing the money for you, it makes it easy to love it so much. Yeah, that's probably why a lot of people give up sports because only a certain amount of people can go pro.

Yeah, 910%, but I think that was my advantage as far as the social media realm goes with basketball and making it to the big three, just stand the course, bro. A lot of people just, I wouldn't say give up, but don't continue to hone their skills, don't continue to work on it. Go to work, be like, oh yeah, I'm tired, I'm not going to the gym today.

And that could be the difference from when that phone call come and you get the opportunity. Now, I was confident when I got the call for the big three because I know I had been working on my game. So the confidence was there. All I had to do was have the opportunity. And when it presented itself, my confidence showed.

Yeah, because you were working for years about getting paid. Yeah, not for sure. Even from college, like, you know what I'm saying? That was before NIL, right? Yeah, before NIL. And I kind of broke my foot as a senior because I played football and basketball. And so I was literally on a fractured foot

playing throughout a whole football season but didn't know it. And then basketball came and I kind of like, literally just like tapped my foot against somebody else's foot on the screen. And like it broke finally. Yeah, and I missed like almost 20 games. Looking for the ultimate online casino experience?

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to speak to an advisor free of charge. Bet MGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. It was 20 plus games in my senior year, but because then you couldn't get a medical redshirt if you played more than 33%. I played 33.7% and they wouldn't give me a year back. So that kind of took a toll on me.

But even after that, I continued to like work out, playing the summer programs back in Charlotte, just still be a face of like, oh yeah, that guy can get a bucket. I've won summer league championships in Charlotte. I've won MVPs at money tournaments in Charlotte. So even before I moved to California, like I was a pretty prevalent face in my city

with the basketball. That's cool that you're saying that because I read your comments, you get some haters and they say like you're selfish and stuff, but at the end of the day, you got some championships under your belt. Yeah, nah. And what people don't know is I played college basketball

for one of those coaches who called to play every time down. And so as a freshman, I was that high school kid who averaged 20 plus points, you know, like third or fourth in the state in scoring. So I came to college considering I had some Division I AA offers and small, mid-major offers. I went to a Division II school to play both sports. So I'm thinking like, oh yeah, I'm gonna go in there

and do what I gotta do. But when you're playing for an older coach, he holds his seniors to a high level. They've been with him for four years. They understand what he wants to do. And at the end of the day, it holds his seniors to a high level. They've been with him for four years, they understand what he wants to do, and at the end of the day, it's about winning. And so I play behind a guy, two guys who scored over 15,000 points in their career in college.

One of them is Dennis Scott, the three-point shooter from Orlando Magic, NBA analyst now, his son. So like I played with some really good guys. So my way of staying on the court was running his plays and making sure those guys got the ball. And it's better to do what you have to do to get minutes versus doing what you wanna do and get no minutes. You know, like it sucks to be in college

and you know, you walk around campus and everybody like, dang bro, you don't get no playing time versus playing 30 minutes and only scoring four points, but you seen me on the court. Not to mention I averaged eight assists in my career. And so that's why now I kind of like to showcase my scoring ability because that was something that I wasn't able to showcase in college because I just had to do what I had to do.

Yeah, you had a chip on your shoulder, wow. Then I played quarterback as far as football is concerned. So my coach kind of looked at me as like a leader facilitator. So he kind of wanted me to bring that onto the basketball court and I just did what I had to do to play. Love it.

Were you better at football or basketball compared to everyone else? Some people who know me from growing up and knowing my story of how I became a quarterback would say I'm a better football player, but those who truly have known me since I was like, elementary school know basketball was my first love. I feel that. Did you always want to go pro? Was that the goal growing up? Yeah, the goal was my first love. I feel that. Did you always want to go pro?

Was that the goal growing up? Yeah, the goal was always to play two sports in college. I used to always say I wanted to play two sports for the University of North Carolina, but I played two sports, just not there. Yeah, you know, so. Well, that's unheard of these days to do two sports. And those are two of the most

physically demanding sports, I'd say. Yeah, and to play point guard and quarterback. It's tough cause you gotta know both offenses. You're in the game the whole time. Damn, yeah. Touch the ball almost every single play. I don't know anyone that's pulled that off football and basketball.

Well, one of my influences growing up was Ronald Curry. He was actually a Tar Heels quarterback and point guard. Oh wow. Yeah. But he also became like a wide receiver in NFL for the Raiders. Damn. These days I feel like the competition is so big that it's almost impossible to choose one.

Yeah, now you kind of got to choose. Even kids like Jalen Suggs was like the top player in his state at quarterback, but it's like, all right, which route are you gonna choose? Because there's no way you could play NBA and NFL. Just for example, we're in week six of the NFL and the NBA just started yesterday or two days ago. So it's like, there's no way you could physically do it.

So with those two sports, you gotta kinda choose one. Whereas, if you're a football player and a baseball player or a basketball and a baseball player, it could kinda like work itself out. Yeah, I'm a Notre Dame fan. I remember when Pat Conantin was thinking about going to the NBA and MLB. I thought he was gonna pull off both,

but he chose NBA. Yeah, nah. I would've loved to see like Russell Westbrook play baseball. He was a heck of a player. He played? Yeah, he played at NC State. Oh wow, I didn't know that.

Dude's an athlete, man. 50 inch vertical, have you ever measured yours? Well, not Russell Westbrook, I'm sorry, Russell Wilson. Oh, Wilson, okay. He played quarterback and I think he pitched at NC State. Damn, shot to him. Have you measured your bird though before? It's been so long. Yeah, what was your bird though before? It's been so long.

Yeah, what was your peak though? Probably like 35 or something like that. So you can get up there. Yeah, I've never measured mine. It's harder when you're taller though I feel like. Yeah, not for sure when you're shorter, the vertical is, you know what I'm saying? It's a lot taller because you,

yes, essentially jumping. May Robinson. Right. 50 Robinson. Right. 50 inches. Who were your favorite players growing up watching? Growing up watching, or I'll take you through the process. So like, I was a huge Penny Hardaway fan, like as a kid, like with the small Penny doll.

I loved Penny Hardaway. And of course, when you grow up, you know, in early 90s, you kind of, there's no choice but to be a Michael Jordan fan, like he was essentially the GOAT. But like, I always liked that guy who challenged the best player. And so Penny Hardaway was that for me. Like him and Shaq were like that for me.

And then, like, I kind of got to this middle school stage where everybody were Laker fans because Shaq and Kobe was together. And so I loved Chris Webber, but it was Jason Williams, White Chocolate that made me like grow a liking for the Kings. But then when I realized, like, Chris Webber was the actual best player, like he throws the nice doms too as a 6'10 big man, then I kind of did my like research. You know, when you love basketball, you kind of like watch those things. So I was a huge Fab Five fan before they even dropped the documentary

from just doing my research on Chris Weber and realizing basketball players didn't wear black socks or black shoes until they decided to do it. Like it was just like, I guess my love is for the innovators. You know what I'm saying? And so I grew a strong liking for Chris Weber. True fact, I wore the patent leather Dada's as a middle school basketball player

because it was Chris Weber's shoe and I was just such a huge Chris Weber fan. And nobody like Dada's, like come on, people don't even really remember that that was, yeah, like it was like a no name brand and I got him, like that was like Kyrie now doing what he did with Anta, like Chris Webber did that and I wore him. Yeah.

Yeah. And then. Even better than Nike. And I like, I really didn't like Kobe at that time because the Kings and the Lakers were always battling in the Western Conference Finals. I always felt like the Kings got cheated. But then once like the Kings kind of broke up,

Jason Williams left, Mike Bibi came. I loved that they became a better team when Mike Bibi came, but Jason Williams was that like swag that I liked about him. And so I got older and started like really watching Kobe and seeing how he just approached the game and like how he just really spent more time in the lab than everybody else. That's what made him better, like how he took Michael Jordan's game and I guess made it a 2.0 to like, dang Michael Jordan looks at Kobe like,

hey, I couldn't even do that. And that's my move, like, you know what I'm saying? So like, I grew a strong liking for Kobe once I got to high school. And then, you know, once, you know, Kobe passed RIP, I became a huge Kyrie fan. It helped that I got in the gym with him, with Devin in the lab, and just seeing the type of person

he was, like genuine human being. As much as we spend time working out, we spend more time talking about life and books. I'm not a reader, but just to hear like, dang, that's why he's so intelligent. That's why he moves the way he move on the basketball court. Just, I guess, an intellectual person

and he plays that type of way. And since I'm here on your platform, I do wanna apologize to him because I think he's upset that I posted like me having some good moves on them when we played one on one. Nah, seriously, like I had some good moves on them and I think he took offense to it because, you know, you posted on social media and the world goes crazy.

Like, oh, you let regular everyday Hezzy guy like cook you. You know what I'm saying? But the only reason I posted it, and I didn't even actually have the video. Like somebody basically, Dev put it on like, You know what I'm saying? But the only reason I posted it, and I didn't even actually have the video, somebody basically, Dev put it on like, in the Lab Plus, and so you had to pay for it to actually watch it.

And so somebody paid for it, basically screen recorded it or whatever they did, and did a reaction video to it. And that guy sent me my highlights. Like, you know what I'm saying? But I had been getting cooked online by saying, oh, Kyrie was cooking you, da da da da da, this, that, and the third, you know what I'm saying? And so like, you know, of course,

that's how I make my money. I'm a basketball player on social media, so I'm like, hold on, that's not how it went. We were like cooking each other. And so nobody actually ever seen an NBA guy just co-rip Kyrie Irv's's crossover and I did it in the video and I like posted it. And I understand like he's one of the greatest

ball handlers of all time. So it doesn't look good on his image that, you know, I plucked his pocket one out of 30 times that we were there. You know what I'm saying? So, but I just wanted to, in case this runs across him, I just wanted him. It might, it might. What'd you learn from playing against him?

Anything you took away from him? I learned a lot from him, bro. His patience is bar none, like how he can just like, you know, make his move and you'll be right there and he'll just wait you out and just rise over the top and shoot it without you like even being there. How he uses his off hands to like keep defenders from bending this place to like knock the ball down like and the finishing ability is just bar none like how he plays the backboard and I just

got to see all of that firsthand. So it was cool but it was dope that he liked the way that me and the other guys who worked out with him were playing and he kind of stole some stuff from us. So it was dope to like hear him like asking questions about moves we were making. So that just lets you know what kind of person he is. That's cool, man. Yeah, you're too high and mighty to ask somebody he just met like, hey, bro, how you do that? And of course, he's going to take what you gave him and put his own sauce on it.

So nobody will ever know that, you know, it's something you did. That's probably why he's successful. He's open-minded. Open-minded, yeah, you have to be, you have to be. It's cool to see that side of him because the media painted him in such a way. Yeah, now without really understanding who he is,

you know what I'm saying? I guess that's partly his fault. I have their problem. I'll show you what I wanna show you. I'm a basketball player, so that's what I show you. But sometimes the way I play basketball could come off as a jerk or an asshole. And so that's not who I am as a person.

I just know that character brings entertainment on the basketball court and it's about winning, entertaining, yeah. Yeah, I read your comments, man. You get some hate. Yeah, but it doesn't bother me. At times I like, bro, what? I can't believe they mad about this,

but it doesn't bother me because I'm one of those people who know as long as people are like hating, you're relevant, like you're being talked about. Even if you've been talked about where they're like, oh, all he does is travel, this, that, and the third. There's a conversation about you, there's another conversation about you, you know what I'm saying?

And now you got to debate amongst the whole world. Bro, do you think he traveled when he did the, and now you got somebody with an opinion of, nah, I don't think it was a travel. I actually liked the move. You know what I'm saying? So- There's whole pages on that.

Yeah. MDW basketball? Yeah, not for sure. He opened, I'm not even gonna lie. He helped open my eyes up. Like all of the Euro between the legs and all of the stop on one legs and pause. Like a lot of those videos that went viral for me,

like it was him saying that it wasn't a travel and me just going to these leagues and runs and just testing it out to see if people would call travel or, you know, and a lot of times people be so confused that they just play on and don't say anything. The one I always see you is the slow two-step. And I just pause and the referee calls a travel. But do you know the referee went back to the league owner

and was like, yeah, I missed that call. I missed that, yeah. Oh, so at least he owned up to it. Yeah, at least he owned up to it. He said, at least I was wrong about that one. I think it's a new type of playing that they're not used to. So they just see it, they're like, what the hell? Yeah, no, I was actually thinking that one. I think it's a new type of playing that they're not used to, so they just see it. They're like, what the hell?

Yeah, and I was actually thinking about posting that clip alongside of the one LeBron did the other day where he actually traveled. Oh, I saw that. That was a travel. Yeah, but I was gonna post it alongside of it and say what LeBron tried to do. I mean, these NBA players, they be traveling,

let's be honest. Yeah, but with the way the rules set up, it's kind of based on the referee, like when the referee considers the ball dead, because knowing, like, once we all learn something, we kind of manipulate it. All right, like, even so much as, all right, let's go to cryptocurrency.

All right, that was something new, fresh, everybody was hip to it, Everybody was trying to do it. But not really realizing there were millions of ways to manipulate it and take your money, his money, their money, but you know what I'm saying? And it's the same way with the rules of basketball. Like once I learned something or once I learned that you can manipulate it this way,

now I can come up with a million ways to manipulate it and it's not a travel or it's not illegal. And you like, it looks fishy though. Like, you know what I'm saying? So facts, that's why these NBA players are so good. Yeah, and that's why I say like a lot of times, yeah, some NBA players get away with travels, but a lot of times it's based on when the referee

considers the ball like dead or stopped. Yeah. It's the referees more than it's the players. the referee considers the ball like dead or stopped. It's the referees more than it's the players. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, they gotta change the rules constantly. I remember if you jumped into someone while they were shooting, that was like foul at first. Yeah, and it was like a shooting foul

and now they call it on the floor. But a lot of times those rules are made in regards to certain players. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like if you watched the Clippers game last night, a lot of those fouls that weren't called in the fourth quarter for James Harden, three years ago they called him without a hesitation.

But because so many people complained about him being at the line so much, referees falling for him grabbing the opponent's arm and then going up, like, now he don't even get the just do of when he really gets fouled because he manipulated the rules so much. I could see it from a business point of view because if you're at the free throw line,

that's gonna hurt viewers and make the game longer. Yeah, no, 110%. So you wanna see high level moves. Yeah, are you just a fan of the game? Do you have a team? Do you have a player? I don't have a team. I'm just a fan of the game.

I like players, certain players. Like I've grown. I like into certain players. Now that I've, I guess, become a face in basketball, I've grown like into players that I've met. So like I'm a huge fan of Deris Basley. He's not actually in the NBA anymore, but he's one of those guys, like, it's like, man, it's really people out here, six foot 10, who can dribble the ball like me, move like me,

do everything I can do when he's six foot 10. These days you have to, you gotta shoot, you gotta be able to dribble. Yeah, nah, so I've grown a lot of like into like, guys like that. But like I said, Kyrie's probably my favorite player as far as basketball player now. I love Devin Booker.

He's just like that second image of Kobe to me with like how he moves. I'm growing a liking for Jason Tatum too, just because he gives that Kobe movement feel. And Edwards? I love his attitude more than I like the way that he play. You know what I'm saying? I just love his confidence and how he carries.

He's the character I would be if I was in the NBA. You know what I'm saying? He's the YouTube. If you could compare YouTube players to NBA players, like, he's my personality, like, you know what I'm saying? You got that confidence. Yeah, it's confidence, but it's like a confidence where I don't sound super arrogant because I'm joking with you, but you know that I'm serious about what I'm saying.

So it's like, I appreciate Anthony Edwards. And not that he doesn't have a smooth game and not extremely athletic, but I like his confidence and his attitude more than his style of play. Where does your confidence come from? Cause I've seen you play against really good competition and you still have the same confidence. Honestly bro, just knowing that I put the work in,

when you know you go work out every day, you know you go shoot every day, when you know you've been playing since you were five. Damn, five. Your parents wanted you to play early. I just grew a liking to it early and they didn't keep it away from me. They let me, I played pretty much everything.

I played baseball. I played baseball up until a senior in high school. I quit playing baseball because my fastball was too fast for anybody on my team to catch. Because my high school wasn't that good. Oh wow. So you were throwing so fast they couldn't even catch it? I had 19 strikeouts in a game and lost.

Oh wait. Because the catcher was dropping the ball. Oh my God. And so they were getting on base from the catcher dropping. From me striking them out on strike three and the catcher dropping the ball. Oh my God. And so they were getting on base from the catcher dropping. From me striking them out on strike three and the catcher dropping the ball. So you gotta now throw him out at first if he runs and they were miss throwing out on first.

And so they were getting on base from that. Holy crap. What was your batting percentage in high school? I think I batted like somewhere close to like 360. But I was really good. And then I played in a conference with like a lot of schools who didn't have good baseball teams. So there were very few far between schools

where like they had guys who could just strike me out. Cause I played baseball from about just as long as I played basketball. Was this in Cali growing up? No, I'm from Charlotte, North Carolina, so yeah. Wow, so baseball's not big over there? It is big over there, honestly. I just went to a, how do we say, urban or black high school

and so the surrounding schools were kinda like similar. So we were all really good at football, basketball, you know what I'm saying? Track, but like our soccer team sucked, our baseball team sucked. The white people sports. Yeah, but when I was a freshman, like our baseball team was really good,

but then like, you know, gentrification happens, new schools get built, people go to the new schools, and like, you know. Who you got winning the World Series? I honestly don't care. You don't follow up? We've been watching it, but it's like, I guess go Dodgers since I live in LA.

Yeah. But I don't particularly care. Yeah, I don't care anymore. I used to love sports growing up, but I don't watch full games anymore, to be honest. Yeah, not me either. I honestly won't really pay attention to a game unless we like gambling on it or something.

It's not the same, like as a kid, it just. Yeah, as a kid it was like, man, I can't wait to go watch this game. But now it's just like, you could be waiting to watch an NBA game and then now all four of the superstars not even playing. Facts. Yeah. How do you feel about the load management stuff?

I understand it. So, you know, I'm not opposed to it because I'm a basketball player. So I do understand like going at it five nights in a row or four nights in a row, just what it does to your body. And then you were expected to play at an even higher level after playing 82 games. So it's a playing 82 games.

It's a lot of games, people don't realize that's taxing on your body. A lot of games and a lot of flying. And flying and playing basketball, as much as we try to make it mix, it really don't mix. Dude, when I fly, I get a cold every time. My nose is running. Yeah, nah.

I need a day at least. Nah, if I say there's a basketball event on a Saturday, I need to be there Friday. So like I could just like. Yeah, walk around, get the jet lag off me, maybe even go to a run and like stink it up so that I don't stink it up at the event. Now your game's pretty physical. I'd say it's more like 90s, 2000s era, right?

Yeah. I get to the basket so that I could really get what I want with the jump shot. Like I really want to shoot jump shots, but like it's not so easy shooting jump shots with people all over you. So if you, you know, I guess you bully them and get to the basket a few times,

a guy kind of bags up and prepares to like, accept the gun tag and then now you can just relax and take practice. Yeah, I feel like that's a rarer thing these days. I feel like everyone just wants to shoot it up. Man, I may in some games like, take a long jump shot the first one, just to see what kind of day is gonna

be but like if I don't make one out of those first three, yeah I'm downhill. I feel that. What's the most points you've had in a game? Uh, 113 in the ABA game. Holy crap. But to my defense I think it was like 106 real points, like real basketball points, because in the ABA, so like, say if your team's on offense and I get a steal before you cross half court, however many points I score, you add one.

So if I make a layup, it's three. If I make a three, it's four. If you foul me on a three, I shoot four free throws. Like, you know, they add a point. I guess they're rewarding you for getting a turnover in the backcourt. Oh wow. And I forgot, what did they call it?

I forgot what they call it. A 3D rule is what they call it or whatever. Will Chamberlain out here. 100 point game, man. Yeah, but that's, I've done it twice. I did it in the ABA twice? No, I did it in the ABA and then I did it in a adult league called the Elite

Five last year. Good shit, bro. What's the best city competition wise, you think, because you played everywhere? I'm not going to say no city is better than other as far as competition, but I will rank cities based on the vibe that basketball brings. Like the energy that they bring when you're in a basketball setting.

And New York's energy is bar none. Like I've been to New York in like a small gym setting where somebody made a call and was like, bro, Hezzy's about to pull up to the gym. We about to start a run tonight at 10 o'clock. And this was maybe, you know, four o'clock in the afternoon. And then they pack out a small gym and it's cats in there yelling, talking trash. You're not doing that to me.

Everybody got their phones out. And then I've also been like at Rucker Park. My flight got there late, showed up at halftime, stands full, and like, it was like crazy loving energy. Like, soon as I got on the court, people was standing and clapping. It was just, the energy in New York is just different. Or maybe I just receive a different energy

in the New York basketball world, but like, bar none. I would think, yeah. That's respect, man, cause you live in LA and you're saying New York. world, but like, bar none. That's respect man, because you live in LA and you're saying short. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I can't say particularly any city's competition is better because I've met cold basketball players in almost each city I've been in. Yeah, these days I'm sure.

Yeah, it's just, it's a cold dude everywhere. It's a dude that challenged me everywhere, but. Are you a big trash talker? Nah, what people don't know about me is, like when you hear me talking trash, it's because someone started talking trash to me first, and I just don't shut up once I started talking trash. So it's like, you know what I'm saying?

I'll hit a three pointer, and you'll say something as simple as, yeah, you won't get another one, that's your last one. You're not doing that again. Also now, every time I score I'm gonna be like, that's another one, that's another one. And then you gonna get annoyed because it's like, all right, I already know I can't stop you.

You already got 20 points. It's the end of the first quarter, we're going into the second quarter. All right, it's evident I can't stop you. But now I'm pissed off because you won't shut up. And you shouldn't have started talking to me first. I'm just one of those. You won't let it go.

Yeah, I won't let it go. Anyone try to fight you? Of course, hundreds of times. Damn, that many? Yeah, bro. Holy crap. It's actually annoying because that's not why I'm talking to you. I'm just, it makes for a good video one.

I wanna give you a little taste of your own medicine because if the shoe was vice versa and you were cooking me, you'd be talking crazy trash to me. Like, Hezzy Guy, oh I'm cooking. Like, you'd be talking crazy trash to me. So like, I'm just giving you the same energy you would have given me had the shoe been on the other foot. I feel that, I feel that.

Are you posting on YouTube and stuff? I do post on YouTube. I think I'm at like 226K. Nice. That's really good. What's the era right now? Cause I know with basketball content on YouTube, now it's like making your own team, right?

That was the thing, but like now it's the one-on-one. The one-on-one thing is back again. I guess not so much as with the Jessers versus the Cash Nasties, but your Nas' verse, Nesco's, and there's like a, the one-on-one world has changed dramatically since when I started YouTube. Yeah, so Tracy McGrady's league is gonna do well then. I think it is gonna do well,

cause it's a lot of guys who like, one, wanna be in that world, it's a lot of people like, I guess starting their one-on-one platforms and then Frigga and Scottie started something next chapter that everybody has been trying to mimic and they just have been doing an amazing job of like, I guess, coming up with new ideas, staying different,

staying relevant, like, including everybody from cities you wouldn't even thought had Hoopers like, I found myself watching guys from Oklahoma, like, you know what I'm saying? Like there's a guy named Burke who like, from Oklahoma literally like had a nice little rise from all his life, like been doing a little one-on-one tear. There's a guy named Nesco from- I've seen him, he's nasty.

He's from Delaware though. What? Exactly, who would have thought there's Hoopers in Delaware? You know what I'm saying? Somebody that cold from Delaware. You know what I'm saying? So that's why I say you can't really say which city is the best.

Everyone's got Hoopers at this point. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Austin Reeves, Canada's looking nice. I mean, they got- Yeah, nah, even just watching Don Konek in pre-season games, just like, dang bro, we knew you could play a little bit at Tennessee, but we didn't know you could do that.

Yeah. You like in college hoops more than pro or? Honestly, I don't particularly care. I see good basketball, I watch it. Certain people I pay attention to, I'm really intrigued with Mikey, just because of what he's been through. It's like, all right, is he gonna let that bother him?

And then it helps that he's playing with Dior, who kinda, I wouldn't say been through something similar, but one of those top high school kids, people kinda put on the back burner because of situations. So just kinda wanna see how they gonna respond to it. Yeah, I'm rooting for him. I mean, he's been through a lot, man. Top high school kids, people kind of put on the back burner because of situations, so just kind of want to see how they're going to respond to it. Yeah, I'm rooting for him. I mean, he's been through a lot, man,

so if he could turn that around, that'd be sick. Yeah, nah, for sure. And with Bronny, too, I know he's getting a ton of hate, but I mean, he didn't ask for that. Yeah, and over time, though, he's going to be a player that we never thought he could be, yeah, for sure. With just the way the NBA is, even in college you could tell he was like, he was already a pro player.

That's why the college system didn't like work for him because he's already a pro player. He's been watching someone be the best pro player for the last 10 years. I've heard that from a lot of pros that college is like a step backwards. It is for real, especially if you already like, you know what I'm saying, ready for the next level.

Yeah, because you saw it with you. I mean, if you went from high school to maybe playing pro somewhere, it would have been better. Just off the strength of they would have allowed me to be me or just opportunity. I wouldn't say particularly college or the pro, just opportunity. Just make sure you get the right opportunity for yourself.

That allows you to be you. Because when you go to opportunity that allows you to be you, you'll be surprised what you see within yourself. You know what I'm saying? If the CBA hit you up, would you take it? Chinese Basketball Association? They would have to offer me a nice little chump of change

because I know they would want me to stay awhile and China sucks for me. Just because I'm a smoker, I smoke weed bro. Oh, it's illegal there? Yeah, it's like crazy illegal. Oh yeah, that girl got, was that China? Yeah, that was Russia but China's even more strict bro. So you'd have to give up weed.

Yeah bro. You think you could do that? But you know like that's one of my like recovery things like you know what I'm saying? Like just relaxing, meditating. Yeah. After killing yourself on the court, trying to get better so.

Well a lot of the old NBA guys used to smoke even before or during games so. Yeah nah you even heard Kevin Durant say he smoked. Really? You didn't see him. I forgot who the interview was with, but he was actually doing an interview. I was at Logan Paul and-

Who was the interviewer? It was an older guy. I want to say Letterman, but I'm not sure if it was him though. It could have been Letterman, but I'm not sure. And he was, you know was sitting down with Kevin Durant and he asked him and he was like, do you smoke before games?

And he was like, yeah. And Kevin Durant was like, I'm actually high right now. You know what I'm saying? It was like funny, it was super funny. I love that. Yeah, KD's one of a kind, man. Well, dude, what's next for you? Where can people find you and everything?

You definitely find me on YouTube, Instagram, at The Hezzy Guy, TikTok as well. If you're a Facebooker, Camero Carter. What's next? Working on a weed strand called Hezzy OG with my guy Quinn from South Serve. I'll get you in some dispensaries in Vegas.

All right, for sure. So we can stay connected on that. I actually have hundreds of tracks I've been debating on should I just narrow them down to the best 10, drop a mixtape and just get back into the music. You should drop a hoop mixtape. Yeah. How to have music in the background.

I was going to go ahead and just drop all my lost files to let people know that I can rap and then like step into like dropping like a hoop mixtape to try to like make the 2K soundtrack. Oh, that'd be lit. Yeah, I already did like mocap for 2K like years ago. Let's go. Do it bro. Yeah, I wouldn't be scared of that.

Yeah, but nah man. Just staying active, trying to stay relevant. the more relevant you stay more money you make facts You know what i'm saying? Uh continue to I guess in my case innovate moves or in case of the world innovate more travels I love it. All right, man. Thanks for coming on. Nah, for sure. Appreciate you, man. Absolutely. Thanks for watching, guys. Get ready for Las Vegas style action at BedMGM, the king of online casinos.

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