New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce - Donovan Mitchell on The Cavs #1 Seed, Career “MJ Moment,” Attending LeBron’s "Decision" & More | EP 135

Starting point is 00:00:00 Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to new heights early and ad free plus unlock access to exclusive episodes of the show Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app Apple podcast or Spotify today Shopping local might seem like a tough cookie, but truthfully finding Ontario made products is a piece of cake That's why support Ontario made dot CA exists with over 17,000 products listed, everything from cars to cosmetics, it's never been easier to shop local and support Ontario manufacturers of all sizes. When you choose Ontario Made, you're supporting your neighbors, strengthening our economy and celebrating the incredible products Ontario sells with pride. Discover what's made right here.

Starting point is 00:00:40 Visit supportOntarioMade.ca. You wear contacts out there? No. So you just out there with blurry ass vision. You dropping 71 with blurry vision. I got to give my guy some LASIK man. This dude shooting threes while he's buffering. Welcome back to New Heights,

Starting point is 00:01:04 ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, a wonderful show produced by Waves Sports and Entertainment and brought to you by DraftKings. That's right. Shout out to DraftKings. We're your hosts. I'm Travis Kelsey. My brother, Jason Kelsey out of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, representing the land baby, the 216 or 440, depending on where you are in the city. Subscribe on YouTube, One Tree Plus, wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show and all social media at New Heights Show with 1S for fun clips throughout the week. Jason, let the people know what we got coming up.

Starting point is 00:01:34 What do you got there? A little canteen and a nice little- We got a special episode, Trav. Of course we do. We're obviously from Cleveland and we got a pretty Cleveland episode coming up. That's what I'm talking about. Coming to you on a Friday. Hey. We got this from an artist on Etsy. Oh nice, your big Etsy guy. Well, I'm a big artist guy. I like supporting small businesses. Tell the people what that is that don't know.

Starting point is 00:01:54 So this is Rick Vaught from the movie Major League. That is not Charlie Sheen. Well, listen, they did their best and it's close enough to me. I think it's pretty cool. That's wild thing right there though. But yeah, we're coming to you on a Friday with another guest episode. This time we're getting ready for the NBA playoffs with Cleveland's own Donovan Mitchell. Let's go, let's go. That's right, baby.

Starting point is 00:02:17 That's right, we're gonna get into NBA playoffs. It's time at Louisville with Lamar Jackson, ranked some throwback jerseys and so much more. You're going to love this episode. Hope everybody's getting geared up for the NBA playoffs outside of Philadelphia because Philadelphia Sixers are not very good this year, unfortunately. But Cavs are. Oh, baby. Cavs are good. We had been recently.

Starting point is 00:02:38 The Knicks, the East is exciting, baby. I'm hoping Kaz, Knicks find a way to meet each other in the playoffs because I've been wanting to go to a Madison Square Garden game during the playoffs since I was a kid. And you're going to remember to wear Cleveland stuff this time, Travis? What? Oh, you're talking about the Yankees game. Yeah, no, I'll be I'll be Cleveland.

Starting point is 00:03:00 Yeah, I'll be rocking Kaz gear. And right now I'm rocking guards gear as well as the uh MLB season gets uh get started as well. It's been a Cleveland day baby. You guys are gonna enjoy this one though man. Donovan's the fucking superstar on the court. A superstar human being off the court. Um and let's get to it. Our guest today is a first round pick from the University of Louisville. Slam dunk contest champion, six time NBA All-Star and the starting shooting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers,

Starting point is 00:03:34 the number one seed, Mr. Donovan Mitchell, baby! Yes sir, I appreciate y'all, man, I appreciate y'all. Thank you for coming on, big guy. How you liking Cleveland, man? You just re-signed out there, man. Is the city treating you well? Man, I'all, man. Appreciate y'all. Thank you for coming on, big guy. How you liking Cleveland, man? You just re-signed out there, man. Is the city treating you well? Man, I love it, man. I tell people all the time,

Starting point is 00:03:50 this big part of why I came back. Obviously, basketball is what it is, but we live here too. Y'all know, when you live there. So I love it, man. The people are great. City's great. I love the cold too,

Starting point is 00:04:03 so I'm not really tripping on that. There we go. There we go, that lake effect comes in. Exactly. Not everybody's ready for that lake effect. That's different, it's different, but I'm from New York, so it's not that bad. There we go.

Starting point is 00:04:15 Well, as a fellow Clevelander and a Kaz fan since I was a little kid, man, I appreciate you embracing the city, man. It's hard to keep the big superstars of the league in markets like Cleveland and the Midwest and stuff like that. So I just appreciate you embracing everything and honestly taking us to new heights

Starting point is 00:04:32 and taking us to the next level, man, because this year you guys have been absolutely on fire, man. And you coming back was a huge, huge part of that, brother. That's right, I appreciate you guys. I'm excited. I'm excited for the playoffs too. Yes, sir. Hell yeah, hell yeah. Alrighty, let's start it off for the playoffs too. Yes, sir. Hell yeah.

Starting point is 00:04:45 Alrighty. Let's start it off with some new news. Don, I don't know if you know, but we start all of our shows off with new news. We do like to get a new news from our guests. So typically I'll say like, new news. Then I'll come in like, new news. So can you give us your best new news with us? New news. That sounded like a steamboat. So can you give us your best new news with us? No, no. That sounded like like a steamboat. Exactly.

Starting point is 00:05:13 Exactly. That's a that's a he knows how to fit within there. We go. You guys know your role. The NBA playoffs are starting today. Yes, sir. Are the one seed in the East. This is the first time the Caves have earned the top seed

Starting point is 00:05:29 since their championship run in 2015, 2016. Shout out to that season. Trav and I were at one of those games, which was awesome. How do you feel about after 82 games? Man, I feel like we accomplished so much. You know what I mean? We had the first two years and things, we continue to take a step each year and now,

Starting point is 00:05:48 you look at the evolution of really everybody on the team. You know, we got DG back to form, Evan Mobley's been all NBA phenomenal. Unbelievable. Defensive player of the year, Ty Jerome, sixth man of the year, we added Dre, who's also sixth man of the year candidate, Sam Merrill's been great, Isaac's taken a step,

Starting point is 00:06:04 Dean, Jared Allen played all 82 games. Unbelievable, man. You get a big dude like that to play all 82, that shit is insane, man. Especially today's, I mean. You gotta love it. Exactly, exactly. But like for him, for us, man, it's just like,

Starting point is 00:06:19 Max Trusk, actually, he started the season off injured, coming back and being great for us to start the lineup. So, it's great, man, like you start the lineup. So it's great, man. Like you said, this is, it's really two seasons. You got the regular season, we got the post season. So for what we did in the regular season, man, A plus, we did a lot of positive things, learned a lot about ourselves,

Starting point is 00:06:37 and now we get to translate all that to when it really gets going. Yeah, baby. When it all matters, man. We're all fucking pumped for it, dog. And I tell everybody all the time, man, NBA basketball is cool, but watching you guys play basketball together, you guys are on a completely different wavelength. You guys move the ball so fucking well.

Starting point is 00:06:57 You guys get up and down the floor. You have so many different styles of basketball, depending on if you guys got your start in five or those two six man of the year candidates that you guys got. So it's like it's just so fun to watch you guys go to work. And then on top of that, when you guys have home games, I wish I'm on the floor every because you guys get the stadium fucking rockin man. You guys make sure that the that the Kaz fans are in it, man. And I just love it, man.

Starting point is 00:07:21 I can't wait to get back for a game in this playoffs, man. You mean, sir, yes, sir. And we appreciate that, man, if the crowd, man, is fucking unreal, bro. Like, you know, like the game, I didn't play that game when y'all came. Yeah. I know. We gotta get back this year just so we can see, my man.

Starting point is 00:07:36 Get out there. It's just different. The city is different. The fans are different. I was here during one of the finals games in 2017, maybe. My first year I got drafted in. They really don't, nothing beats it. You got the white out jersey or the black out.

Starting point is 00:07:49 It's just different. What's the announcer, Cleveland Heights? My, my. Yeah, yeah. He been there. I'm in the offense. Before I got to the league, I was like, man, like when I got traded here, I was like, man, like,

Starting point is 00:08:02 I'm excited for that. Yeah. He gets it rocking. He gets it rocking. I was like, man, like when I got traded here, I was like, man, like I'm excited for that. He gets it rocking. He gets it rocking. He's every year, every, every game. He's, he's always good. He's good with it for sure. Crump's been doing it for a while, man. I actually played basketball with his little brother up at Heights, man, at the, in high school, man. Yeah. Funny. It's funny. I was all tied in, but we're recording this a little early. So we don't know exactly who the Cavs are playing yet. Do you like the play-in format?

Starting point is 00:08:27 You know what I mean? Because I feel like it's almost like half of the league gets a chance to make the playoffs now, instead of just the top eight teams in both conferences. I think it's good from a viewing standpoint, from an intensity standpoint, from every game. You look at the last game, the Warriors Clippers, like all eyes were on that game.

Starting point is 00:08:48 Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, so I think from that standpoint, it's phenomenal. As a one and two seed, not so much, cause then we gotta wait till Friday to kind of figure out what we're doing. Cause last year we were four, so we knew all week who we were playing. We knew we were playing Orlando.

Starting point is 00:09:01 A year before that, we knew we were playing New York. But from a one and two seed, I wish we knew all week, we know who we're playing, we knew we were playing Orlando, a year before that we knew we were playing New York. But from a one to two seed, I wish we knew all week, we know who we were playing, but I think from a fan's standpoint, it's definitely, like that was a high intensity game, man, that Warriors Clippers game. Steph doing what he does. Kawhi, James, that guy's competing at a high level, so from a viewer's standpoint, it's awesome.

Starting point is 00:09:21 So I think that's the cool part, but selfishly speaking, I wish we knew all week for sure. How much does it change up based on the opponent that you're going to end up seeing? Like for us, it's similar. You know, let's say somebody has the one seed locked up and you're waiting to see who's going to win that first playoff game. You end up preparing a lot of times for both teams and seeing kind of the different structures of both of them because you're trying to you're trying to get ahead of that. But it changes up a lot in football.

Starting point is 00:09:51 How much does it change up as somebody who I don't know nothing about strategy for basketball, to be honest with you, how much does it change up based on the opponent you're playing, what you guys are gonna do? Yeah, I think, I don't think you plan right now. I think you kind of let the first game happen. I think you kind of narrow it you plan right now. I think you kind of let the first game happen. I think you kind of narrow it down to two teams.

Starting point is 00:10:08 I think you don't let it go to four. This is my second time doing this. The first time was in Utah when we were the one seat and we prepared for just two. I think we're doing something similar right now. I think you kind of let tonight's game happen and then you are cool. It's gonna be either Orlando or Atlanta. You narrow that down and wait till Wednesday that game happen. And then you are cool, it's gonna be either Orlando

Starting point is 00:10:25 or Atlanta, you narrow that down and wait till Wednesday that game happens. Then it's like, I bet, you know, you prepare for those two, those two teams and kind of just leave it at that. But it's kind of similar to what you're doing. But I don't think you prepare for all four because that's shaky. Yeah, that's a lot.

Starting point is 00:10:40 That can be crazy. The majority of our fan base is really football and all that. I know you were a multi-sport guy playing, I believe, baseball, right? You were a baseball, basketball guy. Good time. Heck yeah, man.

Starting point is 00:10:52 And you went to Louisville, the mecca for baseball, really. The Louisville Sluggard and everything. Did you ever think about playing baseball at Louisville? Yeah, I mean, not at Louisville. Coach Pitino was enough. I mean. Man, I had Pitino making a run in my bracket this year. I do too, I'm not gonna lie.

Starting point is 00:11:15 I had them winning the whole thing to be honest. That kinda hurt me. I had them going all the way. I did, but like I said, those Pitino practices, dog, like you didn't wanna do shit else after that. You know what I mean? So after that, I don't think I had much time to do that. Our team, you know, that year I was there,

Starting point is 00:11:31 we had two guys I think made the league, or three, Corey Ray played for the Rays. Will Smith, who just won the World Series for the Dodgers. He's a catcher. Brandon McKay, he was there as well, starting pitcher Pitcher, I forgot where he's at now. Maybe Detroit. Josh Rogers was on the Yankees. We got a lot of guys who were really talented

Starting point is 00:11:51 when I was there. I'm definitely missing a bunch. So I wasn't that level. I wasn't that good at that point. I took two years off, but I definitely didn't want to play basketball. That was not my joke, my route. Didn't want to. When did it really set my joke, my route. Didn't want to.

Starting point is 00:12:05 When did it really set in that that was what you wanted to do? My 10th grade year, I broke my wrist. And junior year, I was like, you know what? I just miss playing basketball. Like just as a kid, you just want to hoop. Like, you know what I mean? And that's when I really started taking it seriously

Starting point is 00:12:20 with my junior year of high school. And from that point on, you know, here we are. Just having it back, yeah. Well, there's only one thing to do, you know. You gotta win three NBA championships in a row and then you just go start playing baseball, right? Yeah. That's how you do it right there.

Starting point is 00:12:34 What position did you play again? Pitcher and shortstop. Pitcher and shortstop. I was nice, like I'm a humble person, but I was. No, we know the deal. I don't wanna weigh in. Yeah, I don't wanna take away anything from the guys who, you know, play baseball because anything from the guys who play baseball,

Starting point is 00:12:45 because it's the hardest shit to make the league anyway. But I felt like my chances were pretty good. You were looking left and right, and you were seeing the guys that you were playing with, and you see them in the league, and you're just like, yeah, I probably could've. Yeah, if I would've dedicated myself. You got one of them,

Starting point is 00:13:00 I think I would've had a shot for sure. Anybody with the nickname Spider is gonna be a damn good shortstop, I know that. All right. Come on. There you go, that's a hell of a way to put it. The one thing I couldn't do is I couldn't play football.

Starting point is 00:13:11 No? No? Come on, man, I've seen you. You're one of the most athletic guys I've ever seen on the floor. Yeah, every time I got the body forward, I got all that, but like, I can't take a hit for shit. I don't know. We'll keep it moving here.

Starting point is 00:13:25 I was telling you a lot of people listen to this that are football, you know, lovers, but in terms of the basketball storylines going into the NBA right now, we got the Lakers trade for Luka. They got, you know, all these crazy job Morantz celebrations. The Nuggets actually fired their coach right before the postseason started and even the Houston Rockets absolutely do a 180 from

Starting point is 00:13:50 last year to this year and are the two seed in the West and you know, Quine Leonard, he's healthy for a playoff run. What are the craziest, like, what does it feel like being in this crazy melting pot of like the NBA storylines and you guys being the number one seed in the East? Yeah, I mean, it means our league is in a good place. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, at the end of the day, this is a sport. We, you know, like we play the sport for the sport,

Starting point is 00:14:14 but it's also business too. Like, this is good for business. Like, you know what I mean? There's a lot going on. There's a lot of positive things going on in this league, a lot of talent in this league. You know what I mean? So I think that's something that, you know,

Starting point is 00:14:26 we truly appreciate, we enjoy, you know, waking up to seeing Lucas traded is crazy. That was wild. I mean, that's gotta be on the team group chat right there. Did you see Mark Cuban's facial expression when Luca drops? His like, high of the season. I know Mark's in a chore, man. I know he is, but it's just like, nobody's safe. He was. I know Mark, sure man, I know he is.

Starting point is 00:14:46 But it's just like, nobody's safe. Like, you know what I mean? Nobody's safe. Y'all know it and y'all support like nobody's safe. And you know, it's, I'm speechless still to this day. You know, even watching him go back. Like, you know what I mean? I think we all are.

Starting point is 00:15:00 Their GM can't even do interviews with microphones or cameras right now. He just feels like he's on such a hot seat that he has to do it a specific way. But who knows how that's going to end up shaking out in the West. I know we got the best team in the East. I will say this though. You mentioned, we mentioned the Luka trading going back and him dropping 45 on in Dallas. How was it for you playing back in Utah? Because you started there, you had such an awesome start

Starting point is 00:15:28 to your career there. When you came to Cleveland and went back there for the first time, how did that feel? Because me and Jason, we've only played on one team in the NFL, so I'm just curious, how did that feel going back into a place that you had called home? I was excited for that game to be honest. I think just because, you know, the only other return,

Starting point is 00:15:50 like you know, the goat of return games, I guess you wanna call it, is Bron coming back here, right? Like, you know what I'm saying? So like, for me, it was like, man, like, this is gonna be fun. At that time, I didn't know if I was gonna get booed. I didn't know if I was gonna get cheered. Like, it wasn't dead.

Starting point is 00:16:04 So like, Luke and I were like, we knew they were gonna come cheer. Like, I didn't know if I was gonna get booed. I didn't know if I was gonna get cheered. Like it wasn't dead. So like Lucas was like, we knew they were gonna come cheer. Like I didn't really know what was gonna happen. So I told my teammates, I look, I'm an unselfish guy. I know I like to pass the ball and whatnot, but there's one game I promise you, I'm gonna shoot every time I touch the. I'm gonna crack a new talk. It was fun.

Starting point is 00:16:22 The reception was great, you know, and you just feel like you're playing at home for real because you're used to the rims, you're used to all that, you know, the background, you see familiar faces and the people are great around the organization and whatnot, so it was definitely one of those moments where it was great to go back and see everybody. Didn't know what to expect, but you know,

Starting point is 00:16:42 had a lot of fun for sure. Yeah, that's awesome. What's up with the John Marant celebration? Is that the finger guns thing again? I didn't know what to expect, but you know, had a lot of fun for sure. Yeah. That's awesome. What's up with the John Marantz celebration? Is that the finger guns thing again? Oh, he took it up a notch. I gotta see it. What was up a notch?

Starting point is 00:16:53 It wasn't just like a pew pew? Wasn't like a little? No, I think he's. He done got the grenades now. I say this, the celebration is hard though. I'm not gonna lie, the celebration is hard. Like the whole, you know what I mean? The whole, all that.

Starting point is 00:17:07 I was smart. I saw Dirk doing it in the suite and he was over here, he was spilling it. Like to me, I'm like, that's dope. You got kids doing it now, but you know, I mean, I don't know. It's a lot. Like, you know, it's been a whole thing, man.

Starting point is 00:17:21 You know, my message is leave guns alone, kids. Everybody leave guns alone. For the celebration, do what you do. You know what I mean? Do what you want to do. Sorry, not to go out, but in the idea of a basketball game, shooting is more like I'm killing. Like I'm shooting the basketball.

Starting point is 00:17:39 Pistol Pete is one of the most iconic NBA players of all. Name is a gun, right? Right, it? Right. It's context. Like, it is just a basketball. Like, you know what I mean? Like nobody's saying let's go play with guns outside. That's not what we're advocating for.

Starting point is 00:17:52 I feel you. All right. Now that does it for new news. We did our homework, though. Outside of the playoffs, we do want to ask you about an insane career milestone. You dropped 71 fucking points against the Bulls, man. So crazy.

Starting point is 00:18:06 What is that the most like in terms of high school, college that that's gotta be the most you've ever scored, right? For sure. Yeah. The most by far. You did it at the highest level. That is insane, man. What does it feel like? I tell people like,

Starting point is 00:18:20 it didn't feel crazy until overtime. Like because we were down 20 people don't understand we were down 20 at halftime. I had Yeah, 16 points of time. I had 16 points at halftime It's crazy I was in a shooting slope about like a week and a half two weeks before that I mean like couldn't make a shot and it was one of those times were like, you know Like were you supposed to catch a ball and it half, two weeks before that. I mean, like couldn't make a shot. And it was one of those times where like, you know, like were you supposed to catch a ball? And it's like, damn, you drop it.

Starting point is 00:18:48 It's like, you're just going through one of the moments where it's just like, damn, it's not rolling. Like it's just not going well right now. So like that was the week and a half stretch it was for me. I'm getting good looks, not falling. And I never forget. And I don't know if I even told Brad Doherty this, who's right over here somewhere.

Starting point is 00:19:04 All right? You know, I told him like, he told me, who's right over here somewhere. You all right? Here we go. You know, I told him, like, he told me, he came and sat down, he was like, keep going, you know, and then he brought up MJ. I'm not saying that's what got me going, but like, it was very, he brought up MJ in a sense of like, just the way he competed, or just comparing it to me in some way, shape, or form.

Starting point is 00:19:22 And then after the game, I was like, holy shit, like, you know what I mean? Like, I had my little, like, I was like, holy shit. Like, you know what I mean? Like I had my little, like, oh yeah, my MJ moment. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:19:31 Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:19:38 Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:19:44 Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I'm doing right now? Yeah, and with the free throw line, and I'm like smiling and I'm looking up like, and then my teammates like, oh, Mr. Free Throw, like that was really when it really, really hit me what I was doing for real. You're breaking the internet, man. You had social media going nuts. Yeah, that was- The closest thing I've ever felt to that was beer pong. You just locked in, and I'm just draining them.

Starting point is 00:19:59 It's like, yeah, next on the table. You like slap the water off of it, the beer off of it, and you're freaking rolling. Somebody's walking to the door, you're bouncing it on them. Yeah, oh yeah, it's just everything's going in. Like, God, I'm the fucking man. That's gotta be insane on an NBA court. Next.

Starting point is 00:20:14 Beer pong, beer pong. Next. What's a good feeling on beer pong, T? You're lying, you're just feeling. I've been there. Oh man, what would be the equivalent in the NFL to 71 points? I'm asking both of you guys that.

Starting point is 00:20:26 What do you think it would be? I mean, the Randy Moss stat. It's got to be the touchdown record, no? I would say either touchdown Russian yards in a game or touchdown. I think if you, if you get over like 230 on the ground in a game, I feel like that's a, that's a milestone. I think Randy had like three catches for over like a hundred and fifty or like two hundred yards or something like that.

Starting point is 00:20:48 Didn't he have that? Like it was like three touchdowns, three catches for like a hundred and eighty yards. It was something stupid like that. What about the touchdown record for quarterback? Like what if the like seven touchdowns? I know Nicky Foles. Nick Foles. I knew that.

Starting point is 00:21:02 He was sapping them to ball the whole game. He had six in a game. We installed a brand new set of passing plays with Chip Kelly's offense, and the Raiders had no fucking idea what we were doing. Deshaun Jackson's running all over the place. It was unbelievable. It was so fun.

Starting point is 00:21:17 Yeah, I feel like that's definitely, rushing yards for sure. What's the single game rushing record? I don't even know. I think I saw Jamal Lewis break it as a Cleveland Brown. Really? I think you're right. Jamal Lewis, I think it went for like three something. It might have got broken since then, but Travis is right.

Starting point is 00:21:30 When Jamal was in Cleveland, I think he did set it. This is why we pay these guys. Adrian Peterson. $296. No way. That is not it. In one game. That's amazing. We mentioned you went to Louisville. At the same time as Lamar Jackson.

Starting point is 00:21:46 You guys were like the football and basketball icons at that point in college sports. How was it? Did you always go to the football games when you could? I mean, seeing that man live in college was probably fucking unreal. Right, it was crazy, because you watched the progression. You know, he came crazy, because like, you watch the progression.

Starting point is 00:22:05 You know, like he came in, he backed somebody up freshman year. No, excuse me, he was third string. I think, shout out to Reggie, he's at Louisville now, Reggie Bonifant, he was there, he got hurt. Then the backup to him got hurt, and then he played. Threw an interception, didn't look,

Starting point is 00:22:22 like running around, didn't really look, you know, like he had it all together, trying to figure it out. You know, didn't really look, you know, like he had it all together, trying to figure it out. You know, freshman year, like, you know, trying to figure it out. And then that next season, man, it was just like, I don't know what clicked, but you see it now in the field.

Starting point is 00:22:35 Like he's a pro, he goes about it, like, you know, he's proving his throwing, he's making his reads, you know, different things. He's when to run, when to pass. And I don't know if it was that year you won the Heisman or the year after. You just watching, like, what do you call it? Showtime legacy, you know, different things. He's winning the run, winning the pass. And I don't know if it was that year you were in the Highland or the year after. You just watching like, what do you call it? Showtime legacy, you just watching Showtime.

Starting point is 00:22:50 You watching. You know when Florida stayed out by 40. Like, you know what I'm saying? Jumping over people against Syracuse. But yeah, it was his school. Like it wasn't, like Louisville was a basketball town. Oh yeah. But those years it was like, it was him.

Starting point is 00:23:04 Like even though Christina was there, we was doing it, it was him. It was one of the craziest things I ever seen. Everybody was hype, every game was lit. It was, to see what he's doing now, I'm not shocked. Like you know what I mean? You just saw it. And then we used to hoop too.

Starting point is 00:23:18 That's why people don't know, we used to hoop. He can hoop a little? He's nice, he got balance and he could really hoop. So we would have some contest. It was. So we would have dunk contests. It was crazy. We would have dunk contests and different things. And he was definitely one of the most athletic guys I've ever seen.

Starting point is 00:23:34 What's he doing dunk contests? He going in between the legs, 360? A few windmills. We had some guys on that team too who made the league. I don't know if you know John Grenard, he was on the Texans. Yeah, absolutely. He was on that team too who made the league. I don't know if you know John Grenard, he was on the Texans. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, he was on that team.

Starting point is 00:23:48 I'm missing names, but there was a bunch of guys. We had a talented team, we had a talented group, but yeah, he was obviously the lead for sure. He's another level, man. Still, even, I tell this story a lot, we're in a tag-off period in the practice, and he gives a juke move to a linebacker, makes this dude fall down, not even trying to tackle him, just trying to touch him. Like, they're in a tag off period in the practice and he gives a juke move to a linebacker makes this do fall down

Starting point is 00:24:05 Not even trying to tackle him just trying to touch him But they're playing tag basically and my man falling all over the place Both sidelines like that's how you know when you're good. You're at a joint practice in both sidelines are like that He's different I've going like, oh shit. Yeah, he's different. I've always wanted, I saw him play when he played out here. Cleveland fans did not like that I wore his jersey. Didn't realize that that was a, you know. Personal connection.

Starting point is 00:24:35 They got a respect. Didn't realize that that was a big thing, but they got it. But he's watching them play live and obviously y'all play against him, but you know. I was pissed when y'all beat him traveling I see It takes it takes all 11 on the field to tackle that man or try and stop that guy

Starting point is 00:24:54 He's there and every time we play him. It's always an instant classic. It's always literally he's doing he's doing something crazy Every single game we played him and we've gone back and forth, man. That was the ACC at that point, right? You guys were in the ACC? Yeah, we're still in there. Me and Jason were in college, Louisville was still in the Big East. So I wasn't sure if you...

Starting point is 00:25:17 Yeah, back in the day, back when the Big East, that is the square garden, man. Especially for basketball, man. It was never a football conference, but that basketball conference was so awesome. That basketball, like the Syracuse, Yall, Louisville, Georgetown. Did you ever go to the Big East Tourney up in New York?

Starting point is 00:25:36 I went to I want to say one time, maybe one time. But that was that was really it. Who was your team growing up? I was going to say, yeah, once, once you knew basketball was your Carolina? When I was getting, even before that, like Michael Jordan, Carolina. Oh, Carolina, okay. Until I committed to Louisville,

Starting point is 00:25:56 I was waiting until I got an offer. I was putting schools to the side. I was like, no, if I get an offer from Carolina, I'm going. I don't care if I sit, I don't care if I play, I don't care if I walk on, I'm going to Carolina, this is what I'm doing. And then I visited Louisville and I was like, well, fuck all that.

Starting point is 00:26:13 I'm sorry. But no, that was, Carolina was the school. That's funny, we had the same dream, man, except for I only got an offer from the Mac in basketball. Shout out to the Mac. That's not that's too sport. That's the way you go. He could have played at Cincinnati if you wouldn't have got hurt. That was kind of in the world. I think there was a lot of stuff that was that was, I don't know, needed to get ironed out for me to play on the basketball team. One was me going to class.

Starting point is 00:26:45 I had to actually go to class if I wanted to play on the basketball team. Didn't West Virginia come in late too with Bob Huggins? Listen, Huggs came in. There was a chance for me to be on the team and then earn a scholarship, I think. But that whole situation was weird because Huggs had just got there and all that is whatever. But that's cool though, man. So you never got the call from Carolina? Never got the call.

Starting point is 00:27:06 The only thing. Oh, I know they're kicking themselves. The coolest thing that I, in college, we played at Carolina, we lost. I had one of my career highs at the moment at that time, and Roy Williams said, man, I made a mistake in the handshake line. That's respect.

Starting point is 00:27:21 How about it, man? When people told me that, I was like, you know what? That was fun. At that time that was the coolest thing to me. I didn't really care. I was like, all right, I may not be there. But like that was- I got the respect.

Starting point is 00:27:31 That's awesome man. It was me who got the respect and he told me that and I was like, all right. Like, you know, especially for like, you know, you want to go somewhere, you hear that. That's the ultimate, that's the ultimate respect. We were talking a little bit about Cleveland being upset with you for wearing the Lamar jersey. We got to talk a little bit about you attending the decision in person.

Starting point is 00:27:49 Yeah, how about that? That is crazy. The most controversial thing in Cleveland history, to be honest with you. No, not anymore. I remember when this happened. It's all been forgiven. It's all been forgiven. But at the time, it was insane. Yeah. So I went to, I lived in New York. I went to school in Greenwich, Connecticut. And everyone was just like, yo, like, Bron was doing the decision at the Boys and Girls Club. I'm like, here?

Starting point is 00:28:14 Like, why is he, like, you know what I mean? Didn't believe it. And then this time, I'm a Nick fan. But like, I love Bron, but I'm a Nick fan. Like, if I had to choose a team, I'm a Nick fan. I love Braum, but I'm a Nick fan. If I had to choose a team, I'm a Nick fan. New York was in the running for it. So at that time, yeah, they were in the running. I'm like, mom.

Starting point is 00:28:31 It was one of those things, you know you get dropped up at the mall to hang out with friends. You get dropped like, ma, you gotta drop me off here. I'm torn. So we go. There is, I don't, maybe dramatic when I say, there's probably like 2,000 people outside

Starting point is 00:28:45 at this place. And we have no idea where he's coming in from. And I never forget, we see a car come down the hill. It's like a regular car, like a white Nissan. Like he tried to blend in. So just go, smart, smart. I wasn't inside. People think I was inside.

Starting point is 00:29:03 People try to point out that I was one of the kids. I wasn't me. I wasn't inside. People think I was inside. People try to point out that I was one of the kids. I wasn't me. I wasn't inside. I was outside. And when he said, I was probably the only person that wanted him to go to Miami. To join in the crowd, in the crowd. I was like probably the only person.

Starting point is 00:29:17 Everybody else is Nick fans. Okay, gotcha, okay. So I'm like, all right. Like I would do any way Chris Bosh, I'm hyped. So once he decides it, it was like a riot. Like I tell you the level was not safe for any children to be outside. Eric, they're going bottles.

Starting point is 00:29:34 People are like- You're gonna do this in the New York Boys and Girls Club and say you're going down south? Right, like that was, I was in danger. Like I was like, all right, I need to figure out how to get out of here because people were really pissed off. Like people were like trying to get to the,

Starting point is 00:29:49 get to where he entered from and all that. But I'm hyped, I'm screaming like Miami, like, yeah, you know, all those different things. But it was cool, man. It was a cool experience. Full circle moment, I'm here now. Like, you know what I mean? Like this is one of those life moments

Starting point is 00:30:03 that it's just like, you can't script these things. You know what I'm saying? And I hope Cleveland fans are okay with me saying I want him to go to Miami. I did. But you know, it was it's, it's one of those things, man. It's just really cool to really be here now. And you know, kind of your own legacy in that regard as well. I think it's pretty dope. legacy in that regard as well. I think it's pretty dope. And you're doing it, man. Cleveland, at the time, it was crazy. I mean, it was another level of like, people mad and like hatred. But like Trav said, it's all been, you know, water under the bridge at this point. He ended up coming back and ended up being awesome for LeBron's career. Like what ended up transpiring ended up being great for everybody involved. Cleveland still got their championship. Except for the Knicks. The Knicks didn't get there. What ended up transpiring ended up being great for everybody involved. Cleveland still got their championship.

Starting point is 00:30:45 Except for the Knicks. The Knicks didn't get the. That's okay. The Knicks definitely lost out big time. Now a moment brought to you by American Express. Trav, what's your restaurant vibe? What's my restaurant vibe? I like a, you know, I like a good steakhouse.

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Starting point is 00:32:06 You're in good hands with Allstate. Savings vary though. Subject in terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Companies and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Let's talk a little bit of Cleveland, baby. What was your first impression of the land, man? Did you know anything about Cleveland before coming to it? Not a damn thing, man, to be honest. I never left the hotel, but that's me in general. I don't leave the hotel. So all I saw from that Ritz was, what's the area

Starting point is 00:32:37 where they're building a new practice facility now? Oh, the water, yeah, right there on the. Yes, all I saw, not the water, it's where all the, what is it? Tower City. Tower City? water, yeah, right there on the- Yes, all that, not the water, it's on, where all the, what is it? Tower City. Tower City? Right, yeah, yeah. Oh, you're just talking about the-

Starting point is 00:32:49 Really? Yeah, Tower City and everything. I'll tell you what, Tower City, it could be a fucking scene. Exactly, so I was like, that's all I saw, so I'm thinking, okay, that's what they got, and then they got the Guardians and the Browns, and you know, that's it. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:33:01 And man, when I got here, I moved to the West Side, and just being around like the energy that is in this place for real, like the people, they're cool, they rock with you, but they leave you alone, like they let you be. There's so much more here than I thought, to be honest, like from the food standpoint, playhouse square is dope. I don't wanna give away all the locations I'll be going to,

Starting point is 00:33:25 but the Beachwood Mall is probably fire. I'll be there a bunch. You gotta be sure. Shout out to Beachwood. It's on the east side right there. You coming over to the east side. Oh yeah, man. All right, yeah.

Starting point is 00:33:33 I took the long drive over there. Please don't come following over there on a random Tuesday. I'll be here with my hoodie up. Then I go to a lot of high school games, like try to show love in the community in that regard, I think is cool. But, you know, I don't really, you know, I don't be outside, I don't really do too much. I'm really just a homebody. And you know, for me, this place is this perfect for me.

Starting point is 00:33:53 You said Playhouse Square, you're going up there seeing some ballets or some plays? Yes. Oh, no, it was on. I went to see Alicia Keys' show in New York. So then I ended up, you know, we ended up doing something to get together again here in Cleveland. And then we have team events there and whatnot. And just seeing it all lit up at night is pretty fun.

Starting point is 00:34:16 It's magical, man. The food scene is really good. I really enjoy eating downtown. We've got a few spots I gotta shout out to. My favorite spot, I can't eat there much because I gotta stay in shape. It's Zanzibar. Oh yeah. Zanzibar, I gotta check this out.

Starting point is 00:34:30 Right by the arena. Right by? So it's over what, six? See now you get, I don't know the street type. Jason doesn't know either. Don't let him fucking fool you. Don't let me fuck with you. I was in Cleveland Heights all growing up.

Starting point is 00:34:41 I barely ever went downtown. Yeah, exactly. Why do you think Cleveland gets a bad rap? I think because people only go downtown and they see what I saw, which was not Tower City. I'm thinking of all the construction. I don't know the mining. I don't know what it's called.

Starting point is 00:34:55 I know what you're talking about, like the outside of it. Right there. So they see that and they think that that just represents the entire city of Cleveland, which is not the case. And then it also is cold. And some people just don't like the cold.

Starting point is 00:35:05 I like the cold. There we go. I prefer it to be cold than it, you know what I mean? I'm right there with you, man. I think you hit the nail on the head. It's like Cleveland isn't like a big downtown city. It's just not. Like a lot of what happens happens on like the outskirts.

Starting point is 00:35:18 And unless you know where you're going, it's hard to kind of like, it doesn't have like that thriving area like a lot of other places like that thriving area like a lot of other places do that like tourists like. But once you know people and like you know spots like it's great people, it's very community driven. There's like a personal connection that the city has that I think is charming. It's just hard for tourists to feel that you pretty much are saying that exact same thing.

Starting point is 00:35:43 They make you feel you feel the love to that exact same thing. They make you feel the love too. That's my thing. Like you feel the genuine love, like especially from a, and then you feel it in the arena, but that's natural. Anywhere you play, you feel the energy in the arena. But when you leave, you feel like you're one of them.

Starting point is 00:35:56 Like, you know, you feel like, you know, you feel that. And I think that's something that is really underrated, especially in our profession, because you know, we're professionals. Like this is business. You're not college, this isn't high school, you know what I'm saying? But the love and feel from the community is top tier.

Starting point is 00:36:12 I think it's something that really drove me to stay. I keep telling people that. And people didn't believe me until I resigned, man. I kept trying to tell everybody. Because you just don't see that out of all the superstars, man, and as a Cleveland kid myself, man, thank of all the superstars, man. And and as a Cleveland kid myself, man, thank you for coming back again,

Starting point is 00:36:30 bro. Um the tourist destinations are. Have you been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You know what's crazy? I've never been. I drive by. I've never been. You have more fun. Yeah. I'll tell you. It's fun to go to, man. It is. It is shocking. It's

Starting point is 00:36:42 all the all the all the memorabilia they have in there. All the experiences is pretty dope. That one's good. The science museum is good. Oh, that was that was I'm a nerd. So I love that. It's right next door. It's right next door. Yes, right next door. It's in between the football stadium and the rock and roll. Oh, so that's that gray building. That's like the got the little okay, I know you're talking about. I didn't know

Starting point is 00:37:04 that. Yeah, that's right there. I used to go there. I used to sign up every year for that field trip, baby. Have you been Cedar Point or I guess now it's Six Flags, right? No, I gotta go. That's the one thing I really, I really want to do that.

Starting point is 00:37:18 I really want to do that. Cedar Point's the best in the world, man. I'm telling you, you gotta do it. I gotta, that's the one I really gotta do, but also like- You like roller coasters? No. What?

Starting point is 00:37:28 But I gotta do, I'm afraid, I'm afraid, I'm afraid. But I'll do it, because I really wanna go, and I keep talking about it, but like, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of fall, let alone roller coaster. We gotta get you on Millennium Force, I'll go with you. Do not go on Millennium Force. We have it. He said, I'm afraid, I can't wait to sit next to you on Millennium Force. I'll go with you. Do not go on Millennium Force. He said, I'm afraid.

Starting point is 00:37:46 I can't wait to sit next to you on Millennium Force. We're going. I can't do it. I'm telling you. I'll go, I'll observe and I'll just go, you know, be supportive to my friends while we're here. I'll be chilling on the bench with the Dippin' Dots. Exactly, it's exactly what I've been doing.

Starting point is 00:38:00 So when we were growing up, there were the Cleveland Rockets. There was a WNBA team in Cleveland. You said you would love to see the WNBA team return to Cleveland. Have you heard any updates about this? Any murmurs throughout the facilities or anything like that? Can you give us a little insight if we could actually get a WNBA team back in Cleveland?

Starting point is 00:38:21 I won't give too much. I've heard, you know, different things, but I won't say too much. I've heard different things, but I won't say what I've heard. You know what I mean? I'm asleep no more than probably what you guys have heard to be honest. But I think it'd be dope. I love to watch the W in general.

Starting point is 00:38:37 First of all, they're in a phenomenal place and they're only gonna continue to get bigger and bigger and better. I think Cleveland is the perfect place for it, just like I said. Everything I just said to you about the community, the vibe, the support, the love. Oh yeah.

Starting point is 00:38:50 I think this is a perfect place for it. And on top of that, the season's in the summer. I mean, this is, this in the summer, man, is. Thrives. Like we need more teams in the league for sure. I mean, Cleveland's the perfect place. I'm with you on that. All right, you wanna give us some blind rakins? Blind rakins, let's do it. Let's do it know, Cleveland's the perfect place. I'm with you on that. Um, all right.

Starting point is 00:39:05 You want to give us some blind rankings? Blind rankings. Let's do it. Let's do it. Let's do it, man. Something we like to do on this show is something called blind rankings. We show you 10 things and we rank them one to 10 without knowing what's coming next. I'm sure you've played before. Do we want to do dunk contests or do we want to do NBA throwback jerseys? I'll let you pick. We do throwback jerseys. Throwback jerseys.

Starting point is 00:39:25 All right, let's do some throwback jerseys. We're doing blind ranking, one to 10. Hit us with the first one, Brandon. Oh! Ooh! Orlando Magic from the Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal era. These jerseys are awesome. Classics.

Starting point is 00:39:37 I'm gonna go 10. I'm gonna go 10, though, I'm not gonna lie. You're gonna go 10? The pinstripe? I do think there's gonna be a lot above this. I do agree, that's why I'm gonna go 10, cause I don't wanna. You're gonna go 10? The pinstripe? I do think there's gonna be a lot above this. I do agree, that's why I'm gonna go 10, cause I don't wanna put, yeah, I feel like this is 10. I'll ask you this, what do you think's better,

Starting point is 00:39:50 the all black ones or like the Tracy McGrady blue? The ones with the little blue, little blue is hard. The shorts on these go crazier than the top. I will say that. The stars on the side. Yeah, the shorts go crazier than the top. All right, starting off with 10. Starshack.

Starting point is 00:40:04 Ooh, the Miami Heat Retro. That's clean. It's just a clean jersey. See, here's the thing, the problem with some of these- It's still not one of my favorites. It's not, but the bottoms are better than the top. That's that, you know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:40:15 No, we're doing the whole, it's a whole outfit. We're definitely rank the whole outfit. I'm gonna go nine, I'm gonna go nine. Man, we are- We're hoping right now that we get some- We're hoping there's some good jerseys. Yeah. Please. We're going more throwback than I thought maybe here.. I'm gonna go nine. We're hoping right now that we get some. We're hoping there's some good jerseys. Please.

Starting point is 00:40:26 We're going more throwback than I thought maybe here. Okay, let's go. What do we got next, Brandon? Ooh. Yeah! Now we're talking. To me, as top three, easy. Man, I'm trying to think what, ah man.

Starting point is 00:40:39 With the mountains in the background. Again, the shorts are. Of course, the shorts are elite. The shorts are elite. Utah Jazz from the 90s. And the thing is, if it's a 90s Jersey, I'm probably gonna be biased towards that Jersey for whatever reason, man.

Starting point is 00:40:53 I just- Well, 90s had some good color schemes. And the only thing I don't like about this is that jazz has nothing to do with mountains. When I think of jazz, I don't think of mountains. I think of New Orleans or something like that. I don't think about- I agree. I don't know, Jason. I think of New Orleans or something like that. I don't think about it. I don't know.

Starting point is 00:41:06 Have you ever listened to some jazz up in the Rockies? I have not. I have not. There you go. But these are dope. I love this color scheme. Do you want to throw it at three? I'll two.

Starting point is 00:41:16 I'm with it. I'm with it. That's a solid two right there. Oh, these ones. These Raptors. Oh my gosh. They're good. Fuck man. that's a good one, dog. Does it get better than that?

Starting point is 00:41:28 This one might be one of my all-time favorite hats. I'm hoping the Grizzly Jersey I'm thinking of is the one. I'm hoping that's the one. All right, so we wanna go three with this one because these Raptor Jerseys were fucking unbelievable, man. Three should be two. I hear you. Three should be two.

Starting point is 00:41:43 Do we wanna switch them? I guess we can't now. We already locked them. That's the point of the game, Jason. Damn you. Three should be two. Do we wanna switch them? Yeah, I guess we can't now. We already like to do. It's the point of the game, Jason. Damn it. All right, silly. Sixers? Go down to your Sixers, Iverson era.

Starting point is 00:41:51 Not even, I don't think it's even their best jersey, but. I don't think so either. I'm gonna go seven. Yeah, I'll go seven. It's just the era. I'll go seven. It's just cause it was AI. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:42:00 Honestly, it's really cause he's wearing the jersey, to be honest. No doubt. It's just that number three with his name on it. Anybody else in that jersey is like, oh, that's one of the weaker jerseys I've seen. It's wearing the jersey. It's just that number three with his name on it. Anybody else in that jersey is like, oh, that's one of the weaker jerseys I've seen. It's the same kid. Oh, a throwback Nets jersey right there.

Starting point is 00:42:13 So is this, which Nets is this? That's a great question. So now it's obviously Brooklyn, but is this? ABA. ABA. ABA? Okay, these are really cool. That's New Jersey still?

Starting point is 00:42:24 Is that still Jersey? That's a good question. I wouldn't even know these are really cool. That's New Jersey still? Is that still Jersey? That's a good question. I wouldn't even know. That is Jersey. That is Jersey. There you go. I'm gonna go, we got 10, nine, eight, seven, I'm gonna go five.

Starting point is 00:42:34 I really like these. I like the red, white, and blue. So I'm gonna go five. There's something nice about it being clean. The colors worked well. The design is unique. I like it too. I'm gonna stand on top of that.

Starting point is 00:42:44 It's Dr. J, baby. Like I said, it top of that is Dr. J baby. As I said, it's not the person who wear it. You know what I mean? That Afro gives it at least two bumps up. You know what I mean? The thing was aerodynamic and she was crazy. All right, here we go. My dog Ron Harper in the building.

Starting point is 00:43:02 I'm gonna go. The socks are crazy. The socks are, are those the Reebok pumps? Bro, those socks look like. No, no, no, those are nice. Those are nice. They look like the Janzer sizing socks. You got the.

Starting point is 00:43:14 Don't do my guy Harper like that, man. The socks are crazy. I'ma go, I'ma, I don't know any other jersey besides the, I'm gonna go four. I'm gonna go four here. Keep it up there, yeah. Four, four, four. Actually think I have the Brad Dirty version

Starting point is 00:43:30 of this jersey. You do for sure. I don't even think these are the best ones to be honest. No, my favorite ones are like the Sean Kemp and Bobby Surra era. The black and blue is the best Clavs jersey in my opinion. The paint splash. I like the white.

Starting point is 00:43:45 I used to look a little along with the little, the chain. The paint like, swipe, like the paintbrush like deal. Yeah, the splash jersey is what they call it I believe. No, the main color is yellow or whatever, yellow or maroon. Oh, I get what you're talking about. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:44:01 Like that on the side. So we're talking about a completely different jersey. Those are fire too. I think those are the Austin car joints. Yeah, AC. Yeah, AC. They got it on right here. Yeah. They got on they got on top. They got on top. Classics. If you haven't noticed, we got the Cleveland wall back. Oh, yeah, baby. Get some history right there, man. Alright, so we got calves at four. What are we going with

Starting point is 00:44:23 next? Detroit Pistons. These ones are actually freaking sneaky. I actually have this Jersey myself. I love this Jersey, man. This thing is fire. Old school Pistons. Actually been sorry. All right. That should have been for

Starting point is 00:44:39 I'm sorry. Everybody. You know, I'll tell you that regardless. We got to go six. If it's a bad Memphis, Memphis I think everybody in Cleveland will tell you that regardless. We're going six. Yeah, we gotta go six. If it's a bad Memphis jersey, still back in the shorts. Memphis isn't even gonna be in here, man. Fuck! Oh, dude.

Starting point is 00:44:53 You can't not put that jersey in here. I don't think it's up to us. I don't think it's up to us. Oh, I forgot about these. Ah, the Wolves. What numbers do we have left? Eight and one. It's not good, it's not good.

Starting point is 00:45:07 It's gonna be way lower than it should be. These Timberwolves jerseys were sick. So we go eight. We gotta go eight in hopes it's, come on man, don't disappoint us. Bro, it's gonna be like a Bulls jersey or something. Don't disappoint us. Yeah!

Starting point is 00:45:21 Yeah! You guys, cheating the system. Again with the shorts though, the 90s shorts. That's what I'm saying, a lot of these jerseys are hard, but the shorts be, like the shorts I still wear to this day. I'd go on Mitchell & Ess and get the old school shorts. What is it about these jerseys that just like go, like it makes it so awesome. Like everybody loves this jersey.

Starting point is 00:45:42 Is it the color? Is it the way the Gri Like everybody loves this jersey. Is it the color? Is it the way the Grizzlies is written out? Is it the bear? The outlying, the pattern on the outline. The outline of the jersey, the the way Grizzlies is typed, the fan cool or small. You got the

Starting point is 00:45:56 Grizzly, the big ass Grizzly on the side. It's coming out of the 3D. Shout out to Mike Bibby. Shout out to Mike Bibby. There we go. We did it. That was a solid one. I'm not that mad about it. Not bad. You know, move around a few of them. But overall, we we got it done. All right. Let's get to our last segment. Here is called We Gotta Ask.

Starting point is 00:46:12 That is we always end our segments with we gotta ask, but you don't have to answer so you can either answer or tell us to fuck off. Donovan, we'll just roll through a few of these. Does it? What does the best? Oh, Jason. So yeah, this is so silly. Hey, do we all we've been back and forth on this. Does a basketball hoop have one hole or two holes?

Starting point is 00:46:36 Yeah, that's correct answer, right? Yeah, what about the net at the bottom? It goes in the top hole and out the bottom hole. I see what people are doing. I see what people are doing. I see what people are doing. That was his title. What about a straw? What about a straw?

Starting point is 00:46:51 Does a straw have- You fucked me up with that one. Now I'm sitting here like- No, cause there's one. There's one continuous hole. So does a straw have one hole or two holes? See, this is a debate. I'm like, this one hit me.

Starting point is 00:47:07 Again, you can tell it's a fuck off too. I'm the two guy. There you go. I'm a two guy too. There we go. I think it's two. I don't think it's one. I don't think it's one.

Starting point is 00:47:15 You got the hole that my mouth goes on and the hole that goes in the liquid. Exactly. I'm the two guy for sure. Slam dunk contest. What are your thoughts on it now? I think it's tough because a lot of the dunks that,

Starting point is 00:47:29 we have social media, so you see it all. And then on top of that, the best dunkers in the world aren't NBA players. It's the reality of it. They're not. So they make their own videos, their own content that we see and we're like, oh shit, that's crazy. But then, it's hard for us to replicate that

Starting point is 00:47:46 because they're professional dunkers, like you know what I'm saying? Like they're- Yeah, it's what they do. Exactly, and I know a bunch of the guys who are professional dunkers and they try to teach guys, but people don't understand that guys don't have time to work on these things, like for real.

Starting point is 00:47:58 Like when I won, I only had two weeks, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? And then the last dunk that I did to win, I hadn't made that dunk since high school. So I was just screaming to God that it went in. Like, you know what I'm saying? So I think it's tough.

Starting point is 00:48:11 I think it gets a bad rap because people are like expecting something crazy, but it's like we live in an era now where you can see the craziest dunk by whoever. That I plug out like Jaden Brown for trying to continue to go out there and do their thing. I won't personally be out there again, to be honest. You won it, you did it.

Starting point is 00:48:29 Undefeated. There you go, there you go. I guess that's right. If you would have saw Jordan jump from the free throw line on social media before he did it, it wouldn't have been as exciting. Exactly, and you're also seeing people you don't know. So to people, they're like, oh,

Starting point is 00:48:46 these, if someone so random person can do it, John Moran should definitely be able to do it. Like Zion Williamson, she doesn't think, you know what I mean? It's just not, it's not, not a fair, that's why I don't think guys do it. Cause it's not necessarily a fair, a fair shake to be honest. There's guys that all they do is work on Dunkin'

Starting point is 00:49:03 and different ways to make that. And that's just not what everybody in the NBA has time for. So what's a way that they could, the NBA can, I guess, make the All-Star game and all this stuff because that's really the dunk contest was what everybody got ready for. Growing up, you already know. That's all anybody cared about. The All-Star game was fun, but people really wanted to watch the dunk contest. So what can the NBA do to make it exciting again, to get the fans engaged? It's a tough question. I think that's tough. I

Starting point is 00:49:32 feel like, I mean, I'm a fan of dunking. I've been a fan my whole high school career. So like, maybe you get professional dunkers to come in and do some things that people haven't seen. I don't know. Like we elevate those individuals. You elevate those. We had a guy come in during half time in one of our games and do it, right? He was between the legs, dunking it this way, like behind, stuff that is just crazy. But you know what I mean? But people haven't seen, I think, I don't know.

Starting point is 00:49:57 Especially for the dunk contest, I don't know the solution. What do you think about slam ball? You get some trampolines in there. Oh, dude, somebody's gonna get hurt. You can't be on people's hearts. Oh, dude, somebody's gonna get hurt. I don't even think the owners of GMs, nobody, nobody. What do you think about though, what the NHL did where they had like the four nations tournament this year instead of the other. And I like there's like, uh, cause how do everybody gets hyped up for USA

Starting point is 00:50:21 basketball, right? So all of a sudden you got USA basketball, maybe even just versus the world. Maybe it's like all the foreign players combined on one team, USA on another team, and then there's like an actual competitive reason because you're playing for your countries. That might be exciting right there. I think so. I think that at NHL that I really, I watched it. That was really dope that what they did. I think that's something that could definitely, you know, elevate it for sure. We did that in the Rising Stars game my first two years. It was the U.S.A. world. You know, like I said, it's tough, man.

Starting point is 00:50:54 There's so much that goes on throughout the Sunday that like to get to the game, it's just like, oh, we made it, like we made it there. Like there's like, you know how it goes. Like there's like, you know, you know how it goes. Like there's always, there's always different things you standing around. So like, man, guys don't want to get hurt. And then guys, some guys do, some guys get to work at it

Starting point is 00:51:13 cause they're able to, some guys don't have appearance as long as others was, it's so much. But I think if you do the USA versus world, it definitely bring up the intensity for sure. You could even do it where like, you could still do the slam dunk contest, but now it's not like, you know, not having Mitchell competing for himself in the slam dunk contest. He's trying to

Starting point is 00:51:30 get points for team USA is overall total. Oh, you're saying the whole week. He's on his own wavelength right now. That'd be fun. Like I don't slam dunk, but I want to watch USA beat the rest of the world. I just went there, I think that'd be fun. Like I don't slam dunk it, but I wanna watch USA beat the rest of the world in slam dunk contest. I'd actually.

Starting point is 00:51:46 I'll ask you this though, who is the one guy in the NBA that you would love to see in the dunk contest? Zach Levine. Oh, all over again, you already know. Right away. Watching him, I mean he's the previous champion. I got like five, Zach Levine, Zion, Jaan. Zion would be crazy. Zion, man's the previous champion. I got like five. Zach LaFleur, Zion, Jaan. Zion would be crazy.

Starting point is 00:52:07 Zion, man. Derrick Jumper. See, that's the thing. I mean, I don't want to say back in the day it used to be different, but I mean, those, like the superstars of the league definitely were in the dunk contest. Not to say that you're not, because you still got

Starting point is 00:52:18 Jalen Brown and you still got guys, you know, with very familiar and contributing a lot. But it's like, I'm with you. I'm with you. Seeing the guys like that, Anthony Edwards, guys like that just go in there and do something crazy or just do a regular windmill, but jump out the gym doing it.

Starting point is 00:52:34 Have they ever done horse at the NFL game? That's what I wanna see. They did it during COVID. There we go. During COVID they did that. You know what I think? This will never happen, ever happen. But I think we should get guys to line up and try to dunk

Starting point is 00:52:48 and guys to try to block the shot. Slam ball, one on ones. Let's go. Oh sorry. We're not for triple E. I'm talking about straight. Just straight up. Straight up.

Starting point is 00:52:56 It'll never happen. It'll never happen. I am so into this. We gotta get it to go. How do we get this going? I'm taking J Allen all day. I told J I would dunk the fuck out of him. I was like, see my leg go.

Starting point is 00:53:06 Sorry. Sorry. Who bleeped that out for you? I told J. A. We had a discussion about this in the locker room actually. Yeah. It was me, F, DG, Karris, we were all talking. It was before I dunked on Poison Guts, the day before.

Starting point is 00:53:22 They were like, you don't know anymore. And I'm like, look y'all, I promise you, if I saw y'all down there, I would dunk. And they wereingas the day before. They were like, you don't know, and I'm like, look, y'all, I promise you, if I saw y'all down there, I would dunk. And they were like, we gonna see. And then we saw against, I dunked on poor Zingas, and that's why you saw me look at the bench and go, I told you. He's like, you're next.

Starting point is 00:53:37 Talking to both of them, like, I told you. I really told Av, I make the jokes with Av all the time. I get defensive play of the year, rah rah, all that. I would dunk, I would dunk. So how hard is it to dunk on somebody though when they know it's coming and they got like that much space? You're talking to a guy that's never dunked in his life. So you gotta-

Starting point is 00:53:55 I've dunked a female basketball before. On what? No way. Oh, I've got that, because I can Paul the female basketball. I can't Paul the- I didn't know you can get up that high. I've got that, because I can pull the female basketball. I can't pull the... I didn't know you can get up the high. I forget the palm and I didn't know you can get it.

Starting point is 00:54:09 Travis knows I get up high enough. I just don't have the form down. I cannot, I'm gonna dunk. I'm gonna do this. The way to do it when you know a guy, like for me, like I always go at the guy's body because I'm strong. Sure.

Starting point is 00:54:23 So if I can eliminate like you going like this and take the body away, I'm strong. So if I can eliminate you going like this, and take the body away, I'm fine once I get up here. So with J.A. and Ev, I would just try to go at them. I mean, it sounds really easy. Like I said, it sounds, I'm making this sound very simple. I'm sure it's easy for you. But like, you know. But a lot of guys, I've tried to dunk both of them.

Starting point is 00:54:42 A lot of guys, I failed. I feel like I'd be one of the few successful people. We'll never see it, you know what I mean? Because I'm not going to try to practice. But like, you know, I promise at some point, maybe during training camp, I'll try it. It's out there. It sounds electric. It sounds so electric.

Starting point is 00:54:57 I want to see this. Well, we kind of got into this earlier, but let's go ahead and hit it. Easier for an NFL player going to the NBA or NBA player going to the NFL. So obviously it's been a huge debate on, well not obviously, but on this show for sure. On the show for sure. And I guess around the sports world, guys crossing over. What do you think about the NFL to NBA, NBA to NFL debate?

Starting point is 00:55:23 I may get hated for this. I think it'd be easier to come over into your world at certain positions. Yeah, there's no question. At certain positions for sure. I'm with you, I'm with you. I don't think I could be a running back. What position are you coming over?

Starting point is 00:55:35 Anything on defense, I think, not the line. I think for sure I could, not a corner, take that back. Corners are hard, corners real hard. I got big feet and my feet don't move like that. So I'm not, I'm not reacting to shit. I tell you that. You got safety, safety, safety. I think I got. Okay. With time. I don't mean I could just walk on the floor. I mean, with time. Jay Tatum came through and he mentioned that as

Starting point is 00:55:59 well. He said if you if you would have gave him time because he was a high school football player, if you would have gave him time through high school and he dedicated that to that lifestyle, he thinks he could have done it. And it makes sense. So who's who's got the better chance? You who had the better chance you have playing in the NFL or Lamar Jackson to playing in the NBA? Having seen Lamar play basketball? Could he have played in the NBA if you would have dedicated all his talent to NBA? Are we playing each other positions like in my quarterback?

Starting point is 00:56:26 Like, just make it. We're back in high school and a young Donovan Mitchell says, I'm going to focus on football and a young Lamar Jackson says, I'm going to focus on basketball. Who has a better chance of making it into the NBA or NFL? I would say probably me making it to the NFL. Yeah! Yeah. Yeah. You hear that, Lamar?

Starting point is 00:56:47 Shots fired! I hope he sees that too. I saw him jump. We gotta get Lamar's take on this. We gotta get Lamar's take on this. We definitely got to. We definitely got to. I saw him dunk.

Starting point is 00:56:56 I didn't really get to see him hoop much. Okay, okay. I don't know, but I definitely feel like, you know, maybe a tight end, you know, maybe, you know what I mean? Come out, you know, grab it, fall. Who's the guy that falls on Seattle every time he catches it? What's his name?

Starting point is 00:57:09 Every time he catches the ball, he falls. You talking about Tyler Lockett? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tyler, he's avoiding some hits, yeah. Some unnecessary hits, I'll say, because he's a tough guy, but he's like, yeah, if I'm not gonna, I don't need to take this hit, I'm not going to.

Starting point is 00:57:24 Or you throw me an outroute, I feel like I could, you know, nothing gonna need to take this hit, I'm not going to. Exactly. Oh, you throw me an out route. I feel like I could, you know, nothing down the middle. Going down the middle trap. Nothing. Come on, man. It's way you turn into a guaranteed intersection, guaranteed intersection. No, nothing guaranteed.

Starting point is 00:57:38 As soon as I hit you with the right here and get back that way middle, I'm not going for it. I'm sorry. And I'm only out breaking routes. Only out breaking routes. I'm not going for it. I'm sorry. And I'm going to routes only out breaking routes. I respect the take. What's the hardest arena to play in? Because I can't see well. Dallas timeout you can't see like the depth perception is crazy. I'm not I'm, Dallas' depth perception is not the best for me. So there's not a lot behind the basketball hoop

Starting point is 00:58:10 or it's just a weird? Nah, it's just the way the light is set up in there. Like, it's the only arena where I'm in there and it's like, it may go in today, it may not go in today. Like, it's a crazy scenario. This is like one of those things where your eyes just play tricks on you.

Starting point is 00:58:24 You ever thought about wearing the Rex packs? Never. The old grant horses? The year I tried to wear contacts, cause you know I don't wear glasses. I was about to say, do you wear contacts out there? No. So you just out there with blurry ass vision,

Starting point is 00:58:35 shoot threes? You're dropping 71 with blurry vision. One with blurry? This guy's crazy, man. We gotta give my guy some lacing, man. Fuck! This dude shooting threes while he's buffering. I can't believe it.

Starting point is 00:58:47 I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it.

Starting point is 00:58:53 I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it.

Starting point is 00:59:00 I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's a certain light in terms of atmosphere though. It's tough because the tougher arenas, I love the plane. So it's like, I don't really know if you want to see it. I guess let's rephrase it. What's the most electric atmosphere arena outside of what

Starting point is 00:59:15 outside of here? Yeah, both garden both gardens. I was about to say the garden. Oh, yeah. Nice. No, both of them. I was thinking Boston just because you guys have had so many big games against Boston, it feels like. I love that crowd, that crowd is fun. I mean, I'm from the East Coast, so Boston and New York, the Knicks Arena, both of them feel like my people are there watching anyway. That's awesome, yeah, they care.

Starting point is 00:59:38 But those are probably my two favorites. And I said here too, I said before I got here, I love, even when, what was it, 30 wins, 20 win seasons, like just jumping, like you know what I mean? And you're on the road, you're on the East Coast trip, you're like, ain't nobody finna be here, it's sold out. Yes they are. Definitely, definitely wrong.

Starting point is 00:59:58 So I definitely, you know, got a lot of respect for fan bases that show out through the down years as much as they do during the, oh in Utah, sorry, try to put Utah in there. I'm excited for Utah's hockey team, man, because Utah there, they'd seem like a fan base that would go nuts for hockey. Not just know they figure that name out. Yeah, I'm trying to hear this hockey club, you know, they want

Starting point is 01:00:23 to do yetis. but apparently the yeti. Somebody bought all the trademarks. The yeti coolers got the trademark. They won't let them use it? They might, but I think that there's like, they probably want to own it outright, I bet. I don't know. Somebody, that was the rumor going out there why they weren't picking yeti. And I'm like, you got to go with yeti.

Starting point is 01:00:41 Partner with them. Yeti's fucked up. Have yeti coolers for sale through the whole arena. In fact, tell Ryan Smith. Ryan Smith, Partner with them. Yeti's fucked up. Have Yeti Coolers for saying they'll do the whole arena. Facts, tell Ryan Smith. Ryan Smith, he was with me when I was in Utah. Let him know, hey, the Yetis. You gotta get them going. Whole arena's electric for sure.

Starting point is 01:00:53 What city should have an NBA team that doesn't? Louisville, Kentucky. Man, what? College of Louisville? Louisville, Kentucky. No way. You think they're packing up? Everybody's going to say, everybody's going to say Vegas and they're going to say Seattle.

Starting point is 01:01:09 No, Louisville, Kentucky. Vegas and Seattle are going to get 13. I've never heard of Louisville. They got the arena for it too. There's no professional sports team there. So it's just the perfect, perfect place. I'm bringing a lot of sense right now. Spending a lot of facts.

Starting point is 01:01:21 You're going to get some support in Louisville. They work for OKC. That's for damn sure. Lebron James has said Giannis would score over 200 points in the 1970s. That's fucking hilarious. How many points are you scoring in the 70s? We get a little hot tub time machine action. You're back in time. It is hard to compare eras, but it is. We get a little hot tub time machine action.

Starting point is 01:01:45 You're back in time. It is hard to compare eras, but it is. It is extremely hard. It is hard. But I'm always going to give myself the benefit of that. I'm going to say 30. I'm going to say 30, 40, 50. You got to...

Starting point is 01:01:56 No, averaging is scoring. I think scoring. Yeah. Like you're... Scoring in a game. Like you put up 71 in this era. What's your 71 in the 70s? Did they have the three- your 71 in the 70s?

Starting point is 01:02:07 Did they have the three point line in the 70s? I'm genuinely asking this. I'm not trying to be funny. That's a great question that I do not know. I want to say they did. I don't think they did. They're saying they did it. 1979 they say. Is when it started. So this is no three point line. So no three point line all twosos. Oh, that's nasty. All twos? That's nasty. I don't like that.

Starting point is 01:02:30 I give myself, you know, 40, 50. You got to think in the seventies as well. There's not, I mean, the rim protectors around, you know, it's like six, eight, six, nine, maybe. Yeah. I mean, maybe the 80s, they started hitting you, but like you keep going in there time after time. They knocking you out the air, you know what I mean? So that's what a foregiver's- A little bit more physical, a little bit more physical.

Starting point is 01:02:47 The floaters come in, the jumpers come in, you're not just attacking the rim the entire game, you're not even trying to preserve your body. So I'd go about 50, 50 for sure I think. That's a very realistic answer. We got one more for you. Pick your all time starting five. Am I on the team or no?

Starting point is 01:03:04 Yeah, you can put yourself on there. I will say typically when we do these people do not pick themselves. Unless your name is Travis Kelsey. Travis always picks himself as one of the top tight ends of all time. I'm just trying to manifest it Jason. He has the stats to prove it. I mean it's definitely legitimate. I'm still working my way. I know what I mean? I'm still trying to get one ring, let alone three. You know what I'm saying? Oh yeah, we're gonna get it this year though, baby. Let's go.

Starting point is 01:03:30 Exactly. I won't put myself in here. Steph at the one, Kobe the two, MJ the three, Ron the four. I'm seeing no misses so far. At all. My five man, I'm playing in 2025 basketball, so I'm seeing no misses so far. At all. My five man, I'm playing in 2025 basketball, so I'm not really going to tradition.

Starting point is 01:03:50 I'm going small ball. Katie at the five. I mean, that's a hell of a starting five. I think that five takes anybody starting five. They're running, they're running the floor. No matter if you're playing. Hey, hey, running yard. Running the floor.

Starting point is 01:04:02 Pacing space, running floor, that's it. I respect it. Well, Spider-Man, we appreciate you jumping on, man. We won't take any more of your time. Thank you very much, everybody. Donovan Mitchell! Good luck in the playoffs, big dog. Thanks for always representing Cleveland, man.

Starting point is 01:04:17 And let's go get us one, man. Go, Cass. Yes, sir, I appreciate y'all, boys. Thank you, appreciate y'all. All right, that wraps up another episode of New Heights. Thank you, Sir, Donovan Mitchell. Yes, sir. Make sure you subscribe on YouTube to the New Heights channel. Follow New Heights on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast.

Starting point is 01:04:35 You can listen to new episodes of New Heights early and ad free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Once again, New Heights, a Wondrous show produced by Waves Sports and Entertainment and brought to you by DraftKings. Follow the show on all social media, at New Heights show with 1S for fun clips throughout the week guys. And thanks to our production and crew.

Starting point is 01:04:54 Thank you to the 92 percenters and thank you Donovan for coming through. Spider, bring us home another championship baby. Go Cavs. Hell yeah. Follow New Heights on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcast. You can listen to New Heights early and ad free. Plus enjoy exclusive episodes of the show by joining Wondry Plus in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify today. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at Wondry.com slash survey.

Starting point is 01:05:31 You know those creepy stories that give you goosebumps? The ones that make you really question what's real? Well, what if I told you that some of the strangest, darkest, and most mysterious stories are not found in haunted houses or abandoned forests, but instead in hospital rooms and doctor's offices. Hi, I'm Mr. Ballin, the host of Mr. Ballin's Medical Mysteries. And each week on my podcast, you can expect to hear stories

Starting point is 01:05:54 about bizarre illnesses no one can explain, miraculous recoveries that shouldn't have happened, and cases so baffling, they stumped even the best doctors. So if you crave totally true and thoroughly twisted horror stories and mysteries, Mr. Bolland's Medical Mysteries should be your new go-to weekly show. Listen to Mr. Bolland's Medical Mysteries on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free right now by joining Wondry Plus in the Wondry app or on Spotify or Apple podcasts.

New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce - Donovan Mitchell on The Cavs #1 Seed, Career “MJ Moment,” Attending LeBron’s "Decision" & More | EP 135

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