The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Four-Star Guard Kayden Mingo Reveals His College Decision On The Breakfast Club

Episode Date: November 1, 2024

The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Four-Star Guard Kayden Mingo Who Reveals His College Decision On The Breakfast Club. Listen For More!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Lawn LaRosa filling in for Jess. And we are taping this on Halloween. That's why Charlamagne and myself have on these costumes. I don't have a costume. It's regular. All right, well, this is regular. This is regular. These ways be snatching a one piece on the regular. I know that's right. This is regular then. All right. Not in front of company, y' piece on the regular. I know, that's right. This is regular then.

Nine for the company, y'all. All right, well, we got a special guest in the building. We got the brother, Caden Mingo. Welcome. Thank you. How you feeling, man? It's a pleasure to be here. It's really a blessing.

Happy to have you, man. Tell them who Caden Mingo is for those who don't know. Caden Mingo, young kid from Long Island, Farmingdale, New York. Got two brothers, two loving, great parents. Just a young kid trying to be great at what he does. Amazing basketball player. Four-star combo guard. Yeah.

Yeah. I would say point guard, but, you know, it's a blessing to really be noticed as, you know, with the stars next to your name and everything and have my name continue to rise and rise. So, you know, today the stars next to your name and everything and have my name continue to rise and rise. So, you know, today's a very special day, but before we get into that, let's talk about how you got into basketball and the love for basketball because basketball has changed,

I'm sure, for your pops, you know, back in the day, you know, playing the park and that's how you got your skills up. Nowadays, it's a lot of training and training and more training. So let's talk about how you started your love for basketball and what made you want to put in of training and training and more training. So let's talk about how you started your love for basketball and what made you want to put in the effort and time to do it. Yeah, my pops never really played basketball. He was more of a football player. So I ain't never getting none of that from him really. He will always be in the gym with us and help

us. The athleticism though. The athleticism, yeah. A little bit. And then when I was younger. Damn, pops. I was looking back like, he wasn't really much of an athlete. He wasn't much of an athlete.

He was just big. He was tall. He was big. But I mean, did he play? His jersey was the cleanest jersey, boy. And then when I was younger, my parents always just had us with my older brother

because he played basketball. He was growing up. He was in high school when we was younger and I would always, me and my little brother because he played basketball. He was growing up. He was in high school when we was younger and I would always, me and my little brother would be running around in the middle of the games

and stuff playing when I wanted to verse each other. So I would really say just looking up to him as a role model, that's when I wanted to play basketball.

That's where I got it from. When you fall in love with it though? Fall in love with it. Did you take it serious? Probably around middle school. Around middle school. You know, seeing your name get out there more and more,

and more people notice you, it becomes something you, you know, begin to really have more of a love for, I would say. I always wonder how you keep it from feeling like a job. Like, when you are in the position that you're in, you know, you're going to college. I'm sure you got pro aspirations. How do you keep it from feeling like a job. Like when you are in the position that you're in, you know you're going to college, I'm sure you got pro aspirations. How do you keep it from feeling like work? Just reminding yourself that you do this for fun. That's why you started playing for fun, and it's just a sport.

It's not who you are or anything. It's just something you do. And what about your grades now? You know, a lot of times your grades get, you don't really focus on school because you play basketball so much. How are your grades and how are you making sure you are focused? Yeah, my mom pops the principal, so he don't. Oh, you pop the principal.

He don't play there. Nah, he don't play there. I've been on roll every quarter in high school, so I would say I'm pretty solid with all that. You said something just not as powerful. You said basketball is just something you do. It's not who you are. You know, I read a lot of Dr. Wayne W. dr wayne w diet the power of intention and that's something that

he always says you you are not what you do you know like a lot of us get caught up in that when did you learn that mentality uh it's still something i work on you know because it could become stressful you know when it with ups and downs. But I would say I'm still working on it. But that's something my parents taught me. One of my high school coaches always emphasized Coach J. He always tells us that and reminds us. So I would say ninth grade is when I got introduced to it. My parents always let me know about the concept of it.

Now, what players inspired you, like, coming up? Or even right now, like, who are your biggest inspirations? Right now, NBA players. biggest inspirations right now NBA players yes NBA players NBA players or retired players either or yeah

I was blessed enough to have Mello in my circle and play with Kyan since young so I would say he's taught me a lot

he's took me under his shoulder and then right now I like Tyrese Maxey a lot with Philly you know how he operates and how he was able to, you know,

at such a young age become one of the faces of the program. What do you like about Maxey's game? Everything. He can really score. He pass. He play on or off the ball. I think it's similar to my game. You won co-MVP. You mentioned Kyan. You won co-MVP.

You mentioned Kyan. You won co-MVP at the Aces Hustle and Hearts Classic along with Kyan. Winning that, like, what was that like for you? What did that mean to you? It meant a lot, you know, with the Aces, with the history of how many players have came through. And it was a good game. It was a good thing that we won the game because it was real close, hard fought.

And I really appreciate them for recognizing what I did and how I played and congratulating me with that award. Do you feel like it should have been a coin MVP? Or you feel like you just deserved it all? I felt like the coin MVP was good. Kyan played well also. Kyan busting ass. It's crazy to think I used to be taller than Kyan.

You was never taller than Kyan. What are you talking about? He came out the womb taller than you. Get out your mind. He came out the womb taller than you. Isn't this crazy? I think about busting ass. It's crazy to think I used to be taller than Kyan. You was never taller than Kyan. What are you talking about? He came out the womb taller than you. Get out your mind. Isn't it crazy? I think about stuff like that. What year was that?

2024. How long ago was that? Because you about what? Like 5, 2, 4, 11? Kyan what? 15? Probably 15, 14 years ago.

15? Kyan's 17. 17? Well that was probably 16 years ago. You've never been that tall. He never had to say I'm going to go to the cabinets.

That's crazy. What's y'all relationship like now? You and Kyan. Yeah, we cool. That's my guy. You know, real close to him. On and off the court. That's my dude.

What advice does Melo give y'all? He just tells us to be ourselves. Don't change for anybody and just stay confident through everything and just be level-headed. Is New York full of distractions, man? I feel like New York would be very full of distractions for young ball players like yourself. You could say so.

You know, a lot of different parties and different things going on and people trying to get to you when you start to get a name a little bit. But I would say you just gotta stay focused and keep doing what got you to where you are. The beauty of it is it seems like you got a strong circle, you know? I'm sure they keep you grounded.

For sure. Now, you made the decision to say that you wanted to announce what school you wanted to go here on the Breakfast Club. What made you want to make that decision to say, I want to do it not necessarily a conventional way, but to come up here and do it on the Breakfast Club? I mean, we appreciate it, but I'm just curious to what the reason was. It's a first. This has never happened. Nah, never happened.

That's one of the reasons it never happened before. You know, there's been celebrities up here with y'all, so I was really blessed to have the opportunity. And, you know, it was just an idea that me and my agency came up with, and then we just made it work from there. As soon as they asked me, I said, yeah, for sure. Your top finalists were Georgia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. What is it about those schools that got them to be your top four choices? Definitely the relationship with the staff, I would say,

with all the people in those rooms and, you know, the type of people that they are. You know, having conversations with them, you could get a little bit of type of people that they are you know having conversations with them you could get a little bit of a sense of who they are and the fit with the school opportunity ahead and just feeling somewhere like with those four schools I feel like I could thrive at anyone and when you're sitting around with your circle like when you're talking about things that the school has, what's a non-negotiable for you?

Like, yo, this school has to have this for me to go. The girls? Nah. It's kind of stupid. Doesn't all of these schools have girls? None of these are- All these schools have girls. You know what I mean when I say the girls.

They're girls. It's the difference between girls and the girls. Nah, I got it. What's wrong with you, man? Come on. He ain't never been nowhere. I got it, girl. Oh, okay.

What was the question again? What's a non-negotiable? What does school have to have? We never really talked about that, but I would just say, I feel like as far as the coaches go, I feel like me as a family, me and us as a family,

we feel like we have to have somebody in position and God in me. That's a God-fearing man. I would say dope. I do have a question. You know, a lot of these players like yourself go to these colleges and they're one and done. Is that what you're thinking right now? Is that what's on your mind?

I would love to go one and done, but it's just all God's time, however long it takes. Or even if I don't play in the NBA, whatever's in store for me. What about the academic side? You know what you would want to study? I was thinking finance and psychology. All right. Well, the time is now.

Ladies and gentlemen, Caden Mingo is about to decide and disclose what school he wants to go to. Before you do that, do high school students... Y'all ain't got the hats? Y'all don't got all four of the hats? Yeah, that's how I be on TV. Oh, they like you got our stuff. Watch your business.

They got all their stuff right now. Well, Kaden Mingo is about to decide what college he is going to take his talents to. It is between Georgia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. Let's give the mic to Kaden Mingo. What do you think? This is big. This is big. Next year, I'll be attending.

Okay. Where are we going? Penn State! Ladies and gentlemen, he is going to Penn State! Wow. So many lines. Thank you. As the family starts to come together.

Dad said I got my hat. Don't play with me. Penn State, Penn State, Penn State. Come on, family. Clean up. Make sure you get all the whole family. Congratulations. What was it?

Why of all the four schools, Penn State won you over. What was the deciding factor for Penn State? You know, just like we talked about, I felt like it was the best fit, best opportunity, best style of play, and also the best relationship with the coaches, especially Coach Rose, the head coach. I just feel like this is the best place I could thrive and the place I could thrive the most at.

You got any partners there? Like anybody that's already playing there? Already playing? Nah, not really. Mason Blackwood coming with me though, that's my guy. He played in New York versus New York with me. Okay, okay. So y'all gonna make some noise next year then?

Yeah, yeah, we gonna try. Well, you make sure you send us some jerseys and congratulations. For sure. Thanks a lot. I love it, man. Don't think too far into the future, though. I know that you got NBA aspirations, but you got to go bust ass at Penn State first. 100%.

I got a friend that went to Penn State, and then when he played there, he went right to the NFL. Oh, yeah? Yeah, Devon Steel. Yep. So, it's a great school. Gotcha. Wow.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, Caden Mingo. If you haven't heard his name, look him up. That's right. He's from Long Island. four-star guard combo. He is going to Penn State next year. Make sure you support this brother and all that. And it's dope. You guys seem like you got a real stable situation. You got your family. You got your girl.

You're going to be good. And he got God. He said God. Say that again. How do you know you got a white woman now? I don't. You're right. Do you have a girlfriend white? Don't let him. Don't. Listen, do you know you got a white woman now? Don't be assuming. I don't. You're right. But I'm just telling you. Do you learn from white? Stay away from the white woman.

Don't let him. Don't. Listen. Do you learn a lesson today? Stay away from people like that. I'm telling the truth. Okay? They're going to be

praying on you. I'm telling you. You know that? You're putting them on. I know his daddy putting them on. Listen to your father and your mom.

We're happy for you. Congratulations. Thank y'all. Thanks a lot. Jesus Christ ladies and gentlemen it's Caden Mingo it's the Breakfast Club

good morning congratulations wake that ass up early in the morning the Breakfast Club