Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa basketball player Josh Ogundele joins the show to discuss his freshman year, welcome to the Big Ten moment, and what he has worked on this summer

Episode Date: August 13, 2021

We are joined by Iowa basketball center Josh Ogundele all the way from the UK to talk about his freshman year and what he has done to prepare for his sophomore season of Big Ten basketball. We talk about what it was like going up against Kofi, what he learned from Luka Garza, and what was the biggest shock about the state of Iowa.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.StatHeroStatHero, the FIRST Ever Daily Fantasy Sportsbook that gives the PLAYER the ADVANTAGE. Go to StatHero.com/LockedOn for 300% back on your first play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome back, Hawkeye Nation, to a Friday morning episode of the Locked On Hawkeyes Podcast, your daily podcast covering your Iowa Hawkeyes on the Locked On Sports Network. As always, I am your host, Andrew Wade, and we have a very exciting guest for you today. We are joined by Josh Ogundale of the Iowa basketball team. He talks to us about his freshman season, what he learned the most from that freshman season, what he was trying to do going into his sophomore year.

That is coming up on segment three of the show. Before we get to that, though, we are going to be breaking down some of the senior bowl talk and possibly, if we have time, getting into some summer league talk. That is all coming up on the show today. And if you want more Locked On content, and specifically if you want to hear more about the Big Ten, there is simply no better place to get all the news on the Big Ten Conference than with Nate Dickinson and the Locked On Big Ten Podcast.

Follow the Locked On Big Ten Podcast on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast app. And again, on today's show, we are covering the Senior Bowl. Before we get into that Joshua Gundelay interview, the Senior Bowl, if you have heard of it, you know how amazing it is. I attended two years ago. I got to interview Michael Ojemudia.

I actually had press passes last year to attend the Senior Bowl. I didn't make it down due to some concerns about the environment and whatnot and how much access we were going to actually have to the players. I mean, Aleric Jackson was down there. I wanted to be able to talk to him. I mean, there were several guys I wanted to talk to, but I just didn't feel like it was a good idea, and I wasn't going to be able to get the access that I really felt like

would have been valuable for you all. But this year, there might be a better opportunity. So the Senior Bowl did release the watch list, and I will be down there next year, or yeah, next year, but for the season. And I expect there to be some Iowa Hawkeyes there. But this week, or today, or yesterday, actually, they released the watch list. So the watch list is just kind of an idea of who they are looking at. Now, granted, if someone blows up on the scene, they will definitely be invited to the Senior Bowl, but it is not a guarantee. And being on the watch list is not a

guarantee either. It just means that you are on the Senior Bowl's radar. You are also on the NFL's radar. So when they came out with the watch list, I was paying very close attention because the Senior Bowl is the premier post-collegiate all-star event for players and athletes. It is how Baker Mayfield become a number one overall pick. Josh Allen was down there. I mean, there has been so many players that have gone to the senior bowl as of recent since Jim Nagy took over. And it has really become an amazing and premier event for NFL scouts to evaluate talent at. It's also become a premier event for people like me to go down and interview some of these players and get a sense for what

they are hoping to accomplish at the next level. And also and get a sense for what they are hoping to accomplish at the next level. And also just get a sense for what their character is and what kind of person they are. So I do pay very close attention to this. It will be next year and I will be down there. So be on the lookout for that. But this watch list, three guys made it from the Iowa Hawkeyes, Zach Van Valkenburg, Matt Hankins, and Riley Moss. I do not disagree with that at all. I think it's awesome that Zach and Volkenberg made it.

I think it's awesome that Riley Moss made it. And I think it's awesome that Matt Hankins made it. All three of those guys are deserving. All three of those guys, they play well this season, will be on NFL rosters next year. Riley Moss is getting talked about as a first team All-Big Ten corner. Matt Hankins could have played in the NFL after last season. And Zach and Volkenberg has the highest honors of all of them having been an all big 10

type player last year so i have no doubt i agree with those guys being on what i want to talk about though is the guys who did not get on and there were several guys that i actually have some issues with and i'm going to talk about those guys in order that way you can get a sense for who I feel like should have been on first and foremost and again this senior bowl so you have to be a senior I know becomes a little bit difficult given the COVID year but they're looking for guys who are able to graduate before that game in order the biggest issue I have this list in order, the biggest issue I have this list is Kyler shot. How do you not include Kyler shot on this? He is a phenomenal guard, a guy who I would consider a top 15 guard in the country.

He is probably going to be an NFL player by the end of it. Kyler shot should be on that list in my personal opinion. Next up, Jack Kerner. A second team all Big Ten player and you do not include Jack Kerner does not make sense to me. Moving over to the final person I should say out of this list, to me is Charlie Jones. Now, I did not expect should say out of this list, to me is Charlie Jones. Now, I did not expect him to be on this list, but I think Charlie Jones, as a senior, could be a big-time player

and could be a guy from a special teams perspective that maybe want to get there. But I think that was probably a stretch there. But definitely Kyler Schott and Jack Kerner should have been on that list. Now, what's interesting about this, again, is that COVID year, you have more players that are going to be in this draft pool, but there are several other guys at this point who would be eligible if they so chose to be eligible, I guess.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. would be eligible. Again, all these guys have to graduate. Nico Regani would be eligible. Jack Plum would be eligible. Cody Ink would be eligible. Tyler Linderbaum would be eligible. Jack Plum would be eligible. Cody Ink would be eligible. Tyler Linderbaum would be eligible. Spencer Petras would be eligible. We're just going right on this list, aren't we?

John Wagner would be eligible. Noah Shannon. Seth Benson. And Kayvon Merriweather. All those guys would be eligible and Caleb Shudock, of course, would also be eligible. All of those guys would be eligible to play in the Senior Bowl if they decide to declare for the NFL Draft,

but obviously they have additional eligibility available for them. But it is fun to see Zach Van Valkenburg, Matt Hankins, and Riley Moss get on that list. I expected Jack Kerner and Kyler Schott to be there as well. But it also speaks volumes to this Iowa football team and the youth of this football team and the fact that Iowa is talked about as a top 20 team and they

only have four guys who without declaring early are eligible for the Senior Bowl. Four guys. Only four guys. Or five guys. Sorry. Five guys. And if you count Charlie six that's pretty darn impressive and that gets me even more excited for this season and ultimately for next season that does do it for

segment one though we're going to get into segment two it'll be a little bit shorter of a segment but we do have a a 12-minute interview with Joshua Gundelay so I want to make sure that we give time for that so that's going to be coming up here in a few short moments. Before we get to that though, have you ever had an issue with sweating? I personally know that I have, I have literally basically removed gray shirts from my closet. I like to wear workout type of shirts that allow me to sweat better. I wear black shorts. Like I'm doing all these things to make sure I do not show sweat to people. I've tried clinical antiperspirant. It was okay.

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Get it today for 20% off at sweatblock.com with the promo code LOCKEDON. That's sweatblock.com with the promo code LOCKEDON. Or you can find it at Amazon and CVS. Alright y'all, we are back for segment two of the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast, your daily podcast

covering your Iowa Hawkeyes on the Lockdown Sports Network. Wow, cannot speak. Network. And we are talking about the Summer League today on this segment quickly and briefly because Joe Weiskamp, Tyler Cook, and Luka Garza are all playing in the Summer League, and they've had a game each since the last time we spoke about them. And all these players are playing pretty well. Tyler Cook did not have the best game the last game. Went or four from the field 13 minutes scored 10 points that's actually not a

bad game overall but just you know nothing to that's not i'm saying i'm just that's an idiot move he i thought he played pretty well and i didn't realize his stats were as good as they were after i even after i watched the game but finished with 10 points six rebounds one assist that's pretty darn good. Shot 75% from the field. Luka Garza, though. What I find interesting about Luka Garza is the fact that so many people were so low on him coming into this draft process thinking he could not figure it out. He was not going to be able to handle NBA athletes.

He was not going to be able to play defense against some of these top athletes in the NBA. And so far, I have been relatively impressed with his defensive ability. And what he's been bringing from an offensive perspective goes to show you that he can get it done. There are a lot of big-name players talking about Luka Garza. Let me read off two of these. Kendrick Perkins. Luka Garza will give the Pistons some valuable minutes this season.

Everyone wants to talk about what he's not instead of acknowledging that what he is, and that is a very skilled big man, carry the hell on. Rod Beard, a Pistons beat writer, said, I don't know how the final Pistons roster is going to shake out, but it's going to be hard to keep Luka Garza off of it.

Luka Garza has been playing like a man possessed in his two games in the summer league. He is showing or trying to prove the haters exactly why they were wrong for passing on him and believe me i think he is he is ready to go in the nba this past game shot five of six from the field one of two from three hit all four of his free throws scored 15 points finished with three rebounds, and one assist. That's a nice little stat line. He can get it done. He had a nice little low post move as well.

Luka Garza is playing his way onto the NBA roster. Again, as some of these guys said, he is going to make it incredibly difficult for the Pistons to leave him off, especially a Pistons team that is so young. And as we talked about, Luka Garza might not bring it defensively as well as others, but he's a stretch five who expands what the offense can do because of his ability to post up and his ability to shoot the three. And imagine where he's not in the summer league and the whole goal is just to win games as opposed to selfishly get points for yourself. That would be a huge value add to have a guy like lukigar so he can come off the bench

shoot the three run pick and rolls and go to the basket if he needs to and for the san antonio spurs joe weeskamp seems to be coming on played 27 minutes almost 28 minutes in their last game went 6 of 13 from the field three and nine from three and hit both his free throws finished with seven rebounds and 17 points two assists one steal and two blocks. What an all around game for Joe Weiskamp. Now, Joe Weiskamp spot on the roster, I feel like is pretty secure. But this just goes to show you that Joe Weiskamp is an NBA level player, and he's ready to go against this competition. Now it is important note that the Summer League is not the NBA, right? How they are performing in the Summer League is not indicative of how they can do in the NBA. Because the Summer League is not the NBA, right? How they are performing in the Summer League is not indicative of how they can do in the NBA because the Summer League is not made up of

all NBA guys. However, it is made up of a bunch of guys who are better than the competition that these guys were getting in college and they are continuing to rise to the top. Luka Garza continuing to rise to the top, Joe Wieskamp showing what he can do at the next level, and Tyler Cook showing why he deserves to have a roster spot in the NBA, just like he did last year for the Detroit Pistons. So very exciting stuff across the Summer League. I am very excited to continue watching both or all three of these guys. I should say not. I don't want to say both.

That's rude to Tyler Cook. And where you can catch these guys at, I'm going to pull it up real quick. The Pistons play tonight at 7 p.m. Central Time against the New York Knicks. Wow, words are tough today, right guys? On Saturday, the Pistons play at 7 p.m. Central Time

against the Lakers. And let me see where the Spurs are on here. The Spurs play on Sunday at 5 p.m. Central Time against the Nets. And that is it for the summer league schedule. So you have one more opportunity to see Joe Wieskamp. You have two more opportunities to see Luka Garza and Tyler Cook

unless they make it into that, or until they get to kind of the playoffs, the mini playoffs that the summer league does. So be on the lookout for that. But a lot of fun watching all three of these guys play in NBA uniforms. A lot of fun here. A lot of fun to watch these guys. And we're going to continue to break that down once we get back from vacation in Alaska.

Coming up on segment three, we're going to get into the Josh O'Gundalay interview. So stay tuned for that. But we have a few messages from our sponsors right now. All right, y'all. That does do it for segment two of the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. And we are going to get to that Josh O'Gunday interview here in just a few moments, but I do want to tell you about BetOnline.ag, the fastest and the easiest way to bet on all of your

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I'm honored to be joined here by Iowa Hawkeye basketball player, Josh Ogundeli. Josh, you are in a late time zone. You decided to join us for today, so I appreciate you, man. How are you doing, though? I'm good, thanks, yeah. How are you? I'm good, man.

Wait, did I just mess up your last name again when I said that? I didn't even realize. Yeah, I realized've literally just asked you and then said it wrong again i'm i'm so sorry man that's uh incredibly rude of me but anyways i appreciate you going through with regardless um we're going to quickly ask you some questions about your experience as a freshman man um you joined the iowa basketball squad kind of an interesting situation with covid um what was it like getting into big 10 basketball play and then joining the i Iowa basketball squad, kind of an interesting situation with COVID. What was it like getting into Big Ten basketball play and then joining the Iowa basketball squad after having to go through a quarantine and all that fun stuff?

I want to say it was a hard experience at first. You know, obviously I was playing behind Luka and Jack Nungi. But, you know, it was fun at the same time, you know, learning from Luka, learning just the ways of the big time watching from the sidelines seeing how different teams operate so I can prepare for the future yeah and what was the biggest thing you learned from Luca um I really one thing like his positioning like he's very good at position he might not be the fastest player but like he's very good when it comes to positioning and posting maybe deep or high posts.

Like, he just – positioning is really the only thing. My main thing, actually. I love it. Have you been watching him at all in the summer league? I watched – sorry, my cousin's here. I watched a bit. Like, I watched some games. I saw the fadeaway he hit yesterday.

Yeah. Nice little look, man. So you talked about going up against Big Ten competition. You had a couple interesting minutes against Kofi Coburn. They put you in, and I thought you played pretty well in a couple minutes. What was it like going up against a guy like Kofi, who is strong as heck is what it looks like? Well, he's strong.

I'm strong. So I feel like I kind of tried to match his physicality, even though it was maybe a few possessions. But, yeah, it just kind of showed me what I'd be expecting next year because there's a lot of obviously big guys in the Big Ten. So if I could just match the physicality, I think I'd be very good. Yeah, and what are your expectations coming into your sophomore year for the Iowa basketball

team? What are the expectations for you as far as playing time goes? Well, I haven't really discussed anything with any coaches. Hopefully, I'm planning to play a big role as long as I'm in shape and staying dedicated in the gym, but I think I should have a great impact on the team this year.

Yeah, man, you're back in England right now. I'm assuming you've been back for a little bit. What have you been doing this summer to stay in shape and get prepared for this upcoming season? Well, for the most part, I was at school for most of the summer from June to August, and then I went to visit my old friends in Massachusetts last week. So I just came back yesterday, or today, your time, I should say. So for the most part, I've just been, you know, going to my old school,

working out in the gym, lifting some, and that's really it. I most part, I've just been, you know, going to my old school, working out in the gym, lifting some, and that's really it. I love it, man. And what are you specifically working on? You mentioned you learned from Lucas some of the positioning, but coming after your freshman year, what are some things that you knew you wanted to work on going into your sophomore season?

I think the biggest thing for me is conditioning and just focusing on my body, changing my body completely. I believe that once my body just changes completely, I will be able to play at a high level. My skills will come to me. Absolutely, man. And last season, what was your welcome to the Big Ten moment? What was the, holy crap, I'm playing college basketball moment

or something like that? I think probably the Illinois game because I didn't expect. After Jack Nungy got injured, I expected to come in, but I didn't know when. So it was either the Michigan game when Jack got injured or the Illinois game when the coach told me to sub in for Luka. I think that was the biggest game. And what was running through your mind? You're like, oh, shoot, I'm going to go guard this guy right now. I was just trying to say, like, you know, I've been guarding Luka all day, every day, sorry, during practice.

So, I mean, he's probably stronger than Luka, but not more skilled. So I've seen a lot of stuff happen before. I've seen a lot of stuff that Kofi does happen to me before against Luka. So I think it was just, you know, play how you are, practice, try and defend as best as possible. It's a learning opportunity. Absolutely, man. And last year you guys made it to the NCAA tournament

as a two seed. What was your feelings like getting to the NCAA tournament and what were your feelings like after that Oregon game? So getting to the tournament was great, you know. You know, I was just my first year in college. Number two seems very great. A lot of people watching back home everywhere around the world. But after the Oregon game, we lost.

It was obviously very sad. You know, we wanted to go further in the tournament. However, you know, we just thought, we just told, like, our new team coming in, we've made a vow that we should come here this year. We have to come back. Definitely. And speaking of coming back, we've made a vow that we should come here this year. We have to come back. Definitely. And speaking of coming back, right now a lot of national media doesn't have a high opinion of the Iowa basketball team.

Now, I don't necessarily agree with that, but I'm curious, what are your thoughts on the talent of this squad and how far you think this team can make it in the NCAA tournament? I think we're a very talented team, very young team. Obviously, there's going to be doubters everywhere. There were doubters about us last year, in fact, when we showed them we're better than what they thought. And, yeah, it's really just proven just watching us

to see how it happens. Even though we have doubters, you just watch it happen for themselves. Definitely. And after the season, what is the team you hate the most? What is the team in the Big Ten that you are most excited to play, I should say? Yeah, I don't hate any team.

I'm excited to play Nebraska because my friend from England, he's a big man in Nebraska. That should be a good game. And that's really it. Love it, man. Three final questions for you. What was the biggest culture shock in Iowa? I know you were in Massachusetts before, before but massachusetts and iowa are pretty different so what was that

big what was the biggest culture shock experience you had in iowa wow um first of all no the weather is actually disgusting first of all when it's hot, it's too, too hot. And when it's cold, it's freezing. Like, no, like, it's just disgusting. But as far as culture shock, like, I don't even know what to say to myself. Because when I first came, I had an expectation I was going to be in the cornfields. But, yeah, that's really it.

I was going to say it's freezing cold, very hot. Yeah. but yeah that's really i was gonna say it's freezing cold very hot um yeah and what was your favorite thing about iowa that you maybe weren't expecting to be your favorite thing something that kind of surprised you as wow this is awesome something that's awesome um i don't know the people are very nice um there's a lot of fans like the masters didn't get a lot of love i'll be walking down the street and people just come out to be like hey can i take a picture stuff like that there's a lot of fans that, like, the Masters can get a lot of love. I'll be walking down the street and people just come up to me like, hey, can I take a picture

or stuff like that? There's a lot of love in that instance, but yeah, that's really it, to be honest with you. Are you excited to play in front of fans

in this year? Well, yeah, you know, especially when the pumps, if you get a big play like an M1 or something, I'm excited for that, so.

Yeah, I know I said three questions. I have two more questions, though. I just had to ask I have two more questions, though. I just had to ask you, the COVID experience, what was it like being in the bubble? I've heard many players talk about how difficult it was to be in that bubble and to not be able to go outside or not be able to see people.

What was it like for you? Was it mentally tough for you? I'm honestly mentally tough. I'm not going to lie. I think I went outside. Apart from going to a game, I went outside a total of two times. Actually, I think I went outside once, actually, apart from going to

a game. I was in my room the whole time. The first day was kind of rough because we had to quarantine for 24 hours. Apart from that, it wasn't too, too bad. You just had to have a strict mindset. You know why we're here. It's kind of like a business approach. Definitely, man last question this is the easy one do you like casey's

pizza or come and go pizza the better more than i've had none of them what i've never had casey's pizza or kind of those pizza all right i think i've seen it before but I've never had it. Okay, so then what is your favorite restaurant in Iowa City? That's hard. That's actually very hard. What are your top favorites, I guess? Okay, so I like – Rihanna is pretty good, so right. I like, okay, so I like Reunion. Reunion is pretty good, so right. I like, to be honest with you, a lot of the time I just shop,

like I go to Hy-Vee and get a lot of ingredients. But when I do eat out, I like this new place called Tiki Tacos downtown. I like that place. I like, I like Mosley's. I don't really eat to that much, but I like Mosley's a lot. There's a burger place called – oh, I like Stella's. Stella's is really good too. Stella's is good.

You need to get working on those name members likeness deals, man. You need to be representing the taco place. The thing is I really would, but right now I can't really do too much because they're not really allowing international students to make money with their name because of their visas and stuff, so it's kind of hard. That is – so everyone's out there celebrating name-image likeness, and you're like, I can't take advantage of any of this.

Exactly. I can't. That's rough, man. It's a hard way for them to ease up. Absolutely. Well, that is rough. Well, Josh, I appreciate you coming on. I know it's late your time.

I appreciate you coming. This is your second time on the show. I think I'll be on a third time again. Well, Josh, I appreciate you coming. I know it's late your time. Appreciate you coming. This is your second time on the show. I'll have you on a third time again. Maybe not so, not so late for you, buddy, but any last words for Hawkeye nation out there? No, I'm just looking forward for the season. Hopefully we can do very well for you guys. That's awesome, man. Well, Joshua Gundalay, I appreciate it. Got your name right that time. I'm excited about it.

Have a good night, buddy. And safe travels back to the States, pal. Thank you very much. Thanks for having me. All right, y'all, and that does do it for our show today. I hope you enjoyed the content. I hope you enjoyed the interview with Joshua Gundelay. I always enjoy talking to Josh. A great kid.

Really excited for him this upcoming season. Just a reminder that next week we'll be doing a breakdown of each and every opponent, Power 5 opponent for the Iowa Hawkeyes, because I'm going to be on vacation. So I'm not going to be breaking anything from media day. I'm not going to be talking about recruiting. It'll all be a preview series. Each and every Power 5 game Iowa plays,

I'll be breaking down the top three offensive players, the top three defensive players, the storylines to watch, and the key matchups to watch, and ultimately giving you my predictions. So be on the lookout for that Monday through Friday next week. And if you want more Locked On content, betting on your team does not have to be a guessing game if you listen to the new Locked On Bets podcast

hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling. Get daily picks, blowout specials, wrong team favorite picks, and Lee Sterling's lock of the day. Follow the Locked On Bets podcast brought to you by betonline.ag wherever you get your podcast at. And as always, Hawkeye Nation, I appreciate you tuning in. I appreciate your listenership. Have a phenomenal Friday and even better weekend.

And as always, let's go Hawks.