From Viral Dunks to 60M Views: YPK Raye's Content Empire| YPK Raye DSH #974

Summary

Podcast Summary: Digital Social Hour – "From Viral Dunks to 60M Views: YPK Raye's Content Empire | YPK Raye DSH #974"

Release Date: December 12, 2024
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: YPK Raye

In this engaging episode of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly delves deep into the dynamic world of YPK Raye, a renowned content creator and athlete who has successfully bridged the gap between viral basketball content and a massive online following. The conversation spans various topics, from YPK Raye's athletic endeavors in Vegas to his strategic approach to content creation and future aspirations.

---

1. Introduction and Catching Up

The episode kicks off with a light-hearted discussion about basketball dynamics, specifically debating whether lowering the rim height would influence players' dunking tendencies. Sean initiates the conversation with a playful query:

• Sean Kelly (00:01): "Do you think the rim should be lowered?"

• YPK Raye (00:05): "Just because the rim is lower doesn't mean they're gonna have tendencies to still wanna go up and dunk everybody."

This sets a friendly and relatable tone for the episode.

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2. YPK Raye's Move to Vegas and Basketball Activities

Sean and YPK Raye reminisce about his recent relocation to Las Vegas and his continued passion for basketball. YPK Raye shares insights into his daily hooping routine at UNLV and his participation in upcoming tournaments.

• YPK Raye (00:31): "I've been hooping at UNLV. I've been to school, so yeah. That's cool."

He discusses his anticipation for the NBA Creator Cup, expressing confidence in his team's performance:

• YPK Raye (01:05): "Another dub. It's going to be the third one, I believe."

---

3. Content Creation and Online Presence

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around YPK Raye's impressive online reach. With over 60 million views across platforms, YPK Raye leverages his online presence to maximize opportunities.

• YPK Raye (03:48): "Probably over 50 million on every platform."

Sean highlights the value of such a massive following, emphasizing its potential for brand collaborations and sponsorships:

• Sean Kelly (04:01): "That's a lot of value to, like, a company, though."

YPK Raye recounts a memorable experience at Complex Con, where his influencer status led to unexpected perks without the hefty price tag:

• YPK Raye (04:20): "I'm just showing them my Instagram and giving me stuff. And I'm like, what? Yo, I probably spent like a hundred dollars, bro."

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4. Experiences at Complex Con

YPK Raye shares his contrasting experiences at Complex Con, highlighting the value of genuine connections over monetary transactions:

• YPK Raye (04:18): "I walked out with like two big bags full of stuff. That's all I had to do."

Sean reflects on the event's intensity and the throngs of attendees, adding a personal anecdote:

• Sean Kelly (05:00): "I'm start doing that. That's actually so smart because if you shout them out, most likely someone's gonna like, check them out and maybe buy."

---

5. Athleticism and Track vs. Other Sports

The discussion shifts to YPK Raye's athletic background, particularly his experiences in track and basketball. He shares his perspective on the athleticism required for different sports and the challenges athletes face when transitioning between them.

• YPK Raye (06:14): "I feel like track athletes aren't the fastest athletes in the world because track does take less skill than all the other sports."

He elaborates on his own athletic journey, highlighting his impressive 46-47 inch vertical jump measured at UNLV:

• YPK Raye (10:20): "I tested a 46 or 47, if I'm not mistaken, at UNLV recently."

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6. NBA Creator Cup and Competitive Play

YPK Raye delves into his competitive experiences, discussing past tournaments like DreamCon and his strategies for upcoming events like the Creator Cup.

• YPK Raye (16:16): "They did a slam ball tournament in Atlanta. I won that. That was cool."

He emphasizes adaptability and team dynamics as key factors for success:

• YPK Raye (29:31): "I'll just adapt to whatever role they assign me to. I feel like that's the reason why I [had 30 points]... to win."

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7. Views on Social Media and Content Longevity

The conversation explores the volatile nature of social media fame and the importance of maintaining relevance. YPK Raye reflects on missed opportunities to capitalize on his viral moments but remains optimistic about his continued growth.

• YPK Raye (24:21): "I feel that everybody just kind of gets caught in a moment and didn't, you know, take the business route of using my buzz."

Sean acknowledges the challenges, noting that many content creators lose traction over time:

• Sean Kelly (25:08): "A lot of basketball content creators kinda fell off."

YPK Raye counters by highlighting his proactive approach to staying trending:

• YPK Raye (27:44): "I just try to always look for new ways to stay trending."

---

8. Future Goals and Collaborations

YPK Raye discusses his aspirations beyond content creation, including potential team ownership and securing more collaborations with the NBA.

• YPK Raye (03:27): "I would own anything. Somebody give me a good deal on it, I'll own it for sure."

He expresses a keen interest in obtaining NBA collaborations through standout performances:

• YPK Raye (30:40): "I just want to get a few highlights so I could just get an NBA collab."

Sean supports his ambitions, encouraging him to aim for NBA recognition:

• Sean Kelly (30:51): "I think they'll post it. From the Creator Cup. They always do."

---

9. Playing Against NBA Players and Other Competitors

YPK Raye shares anecdotes about playing against well-known NBA personalities and other content creators, showcasing his competitive edge and basketball skills.

• YPK Raye (31:27): "I've played against NBA players, but I never matched up with one."

He recounts matches against personalities like Cam Newton, highlighting the universal appeal of basketball across different sports:

• YPK Raye (31:47): "Cam Newton. Yeah, he was there too."

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10. Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Sean and YPK Raye reaffirm the latter's commitment to both his athletic and content creation endeavors. Sean directs listeners to follow YPK Raye across all platforms to stay updated on his latest ventures.

• Sean Kelly (32:25): "Where can people find you, man?"

• YPK Raye (32:28): "YPK Ray on everything."

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Key Takeaways:

• Athletic Prowess: YPK Raye's dedication to basketball and his impressive vertical jump measurements demonstrate his commitment to athletic excellence.

• Content Strategy: Leveraging a massive online following, YPK Raye strategically engages with brands and maximizes his content's reach.

• Adaptability: Whether on the court or online, YPK Raye emphasizes the importance of adapting to changing environments and roles to maintain success.

• Future Aspirations: From potential NBA collaborations to sports team ownership, YPK Raye has ambitious goals that extend beyond his current achievements.

• Balancing Dual Passions: Successfully managing both athletic pursuits and content creation, YPK Raye serves as a model for aspiring multi-faceted influencers.

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Notable Quotes:

• YPK Raye (00:05): "Just because the rim is lower doesn't mean they're gonna have tendencies to still wanna go up and dunk everybody."

• YPK Raye (10:20): "I tested a 46 or 47, if I'm not mistaken, at UNLV recently."

• YPK Raye (24:21): "I feel that everybody just kind of gets caught in a moment and didn't, you know, take the business route of using my buzz."

• YPK Raye (27:44): "I just try to always look for new ways to stay trending."

• YPK Raye (30:40): "I just want to get a few highlights so I could just get an NBA collab."

• YPK Raye (32:28): "YPK Ray on everything."

---

This episode offers listeners an in-depth look into YPK Raye's journey, highlighting his strategic mindset, athletic dedication, and the intricate balance between content creation and personal branding. Whether you're an aspiring athlete, content creator, or simply a fan of basketball, YPK Raye's insights provide valuable lessons on achieving and sustaining success in the digital age.

Transcript

[A]

I saw this viral clip of Shaq and I think it was Angel. Reese, do you think the rim should be lowered?

[B]

I mean, it's up to them, but I also do think that tendencies do play a part. Just because the rim is lower doesn't mean that they're gonna have tendencies to still wanna go up and dunk everybody. I play like that on a 10 foot rim for a girl who doesn't really go up like they wanna dunk at all. Anyways, I don't think lowering the rims to nine feet, nine and a half feet is gonna make them wanna dunk. Everything.

[A]

All right, guys? Ypk Ray is back in almost two years, man. Sure. How you been?

[B]

Good. How are you?

[A]

Good, man. You've been liking Vegas since we last talked.

[B]

Loving it. Love it. I just moved out here when.

[A]

Yeah, literally a month before you came on the first time, I think.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You said you didn't start hooping yet, but now you've got a good feel of Vegas, right?

[B]

Yes, definitely. For sure.

[A]

Yeah. You've been running. You play every day, huh?

[B]

Pass. Yeah, I've been hooping at unlv. I've been to school, so. Yeah. That's cool.

[A]

It's good. Runs Great. Okay, NBA's cups coming up, right? You're playing in the Creator cup next week. What are your predictions for that?

[B]

Another dub. It's going to be the third. Third one, I believe. Yeah, it's going to be the third one. They did one for the in season tournament last year, then summer league now.

[A]

Yeah. And you won the previous two?

[B]

No, I won the first one and lost the last one.

[A]

Ooh.

[B]

So I'm on like a revenge tour right now.

[A]

All right, all right. Are you a captain? How does it work? Picking teams?

[B]

No, there's just two coaches. Who is it this year? Professor and Lethal Shooter. Oh, I think other coaches.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, they're not playing, they're coaching.

[B]

Nah.

[A]

Damn. Lethal Shooters videos are insane right now. Oh my gosh. He's popping off.

[B]

Yeah. I thought he already blew up, but then he just blew up even more from all that. It's insane.

[A]

I mean, dude, is he the best shooter you've ever seen?

[B]

Definitely. For sure.

[A]

I feel like he could. I don't know. He got asked if he could play in the league, but he said he would score like six points a game or something.

[B]

Yeah, I think there's something that keeps him from playing. Some type of injury or something like that. That's what I. That's, I think why he doesn't play Anymore. Yeah, but I wouldn't even want to play if I was him.

[A]

Why?

[B]

Cause, like, he has this, like. I don't even know what to call it, but, like, this stigma that he doesn't miss. Yeah, but in a real game, obviously, everybody misses, so it's like, I. I feel like if he plays in the game, he can't miss.

[A]

That's facts. Cause some people are wet pregame, and then they. They just fumble in the game.

[B]

Yeah. I feel like he'll have a great warmup, but then, like, once he misses in the game. Now that just looks crazy on him. Like, to uphold his image, he just can't play. I wouldn't even shoot a ball in the gym with too many people.

[A]

Facts. Yeah. You saw when Klay Thompson started missing, he started getting a lot of heat.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

He had some bad games. And he's on the Mavs now, though. How do you think the Mavs will do this year?

[B]

A big Mass fan, but they seem to play decent. They seem to incorporate him well in the system. I watched, I think.

[A]

Why?

[B]

I watch one game of the Maps. Yeah.

[A]

Who they play?

[B]

I don't even remember, to be honest.

[A]

They're decent, but I don't know. They got a lot of pieces. Kyrie, Luca, a lot of ball. I like. I like Cuban, but he just sold his equity.

[B]

So what does that mean?

[A]

I like Mark Cuban, but he sold his equity in the Mavericks.

[B]

Oh, so he's not an owner no more?

[A]

He might have a little piece left, but he made a bag.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah. Three billion or something. Imagine owning an NBA team.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Right? Even partially anything in there.

[A]

Would you consider owning a WNBA team? A little piece of one?

[B]

I would do. I would own anything.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Somebody give me a good deal on it, I'll own it for sure.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

Is that a goal of yours one day?

[B]

Yeah. But I feel like I want to find a way to finesse it so that I don't have to buy it. You know what I'm saying? I want somebody to just be like, you know what? In exchange for this service, whatever. We'll give you a percentage of this team or that. Whatever.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, you're in that spot now. How many views are you getting a month right now?

[B]

Oh, YouTube. Probably, like, 60 something million.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

Like, over. Probably over 50 million on every platform.

[A]

Holy crap. That's insane. That's a lot of value to, like, a company, though.

[B]

Yeah. So I feel like I try to use that to my advantage whenever I'm, you know, inquiring anything.

[A]

100%. No, I do the same thing. I don't like paying for tickets these days. Yeah, I'd rather just say, yo, I'll like shout you out, you know, for sure.

[B]

I went to, what was it? Complex Con.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

A few weeks ago, and the first day I probably spent 600. And then I'm just walking around like, oh, my goodness. And then I seen this guy that I know. He's walking with a big wagon full of stuff. I'm like, yo, how about you? Like, he's like, I didn't pay for anything. He's like, I'm just showing them my Instagram and giving me stuff. And I'm like, what? Yo, I probably spent like a hundred dollars, bro. And I walked out with like two big bags full of stuff. That's all I had to do.

[A]

I should have did that. I was there. Yeah, I didn't get.

[B]

Oh, yeah, you should have did that for sure. I'm like, yeah, I'm just working, seeing if, you know, I'll give you a shout out on my Instagram. And it was just going for it. You definitely would have got a bunch of stuff.

[A]

I'm start doing that. That's actually so smart because if you shout them out, most likely someone's gonna like, check them out and maybe buy.

[B]

Something, you know, something. I mean, most. Most brands, they don't. But the only things that I did have to pay for stuff that's like one on one. There was a few people that were selling pieces that they really like. They only have three pieces in the whole store. So, like, you know, pretty.

[A]

That makes sense. The lines there were crazy.

[B]

Insane.

[A]

Even to get food was like an hour wait to get.

[B]

Yeah, I wasn't.

[A]

That was. That was the first time I've been to Complex Con.

[B]

Yeah, me too. I didn't even know what it was until. Until I went.

[A]

It was pretty bad, dudes. I think Speed pulled up. There were some big people there.

[B]

Everybody was there. I've seen so many people gonna. Everybody. I seen every.

[A]

Yeah, it was nuts. Could you beat Speed in a race one on one?

[B]

Honestly? I think so. Yeah, I think so. He's fast, though. He's super fast, but I mean, there's always faster out there.

[A]

I feel that. What's your. Like, would you do 50 meters, 100 meters? What type of race would it be?

[B]

I would do a 50 or 100, to be honest. I mean, preferably a 50 because 100, even though it's a short distance in track reference, that's still kind of Long. Like when you race as a kid, you're not racing 100 meters, you're probably racing maybe 50 from one street light to the other or something like that. A mailbox to mailbox.

[A]

100 meters is long. It's like 12 seconds.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

A full out sprint. So sure, it's no joke. People underestimate the hunter. You could cramp up and shit.

[B]

Yeah, it's a pretty long race.

[A]

Yeah. Damn, I'd love to see that though. You really think you could beat him?

[B]

Yeah, why not?

[A]

He kept up with Noah Lyles.

[B]

Yeah, I've seen that. But then again, it's like. And also, correct me if I'm wrong, I have this stigma about track athletes. I love track athletes, but I do feel like track athletes aren't the fastest athletes in the world. And I honestly say that because I feel like track athletes are the fastest athletes that aren't skilled enough to play other sports. Because realistically speaking, if someone was that as fast as no allows and was very skilled at basketball, very skilled at football, I feel like they would prefer to do so.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I'm saying because I feel like track does take less skill than all the other sports, to be honest. You have to do is run faster than the next person or jump higher or further. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But when it comes to like actual sports that involve, you know, a ball in it, it's like you have to run faster, be stronger, and do something to put the ball in the basket.

[A]

Be coordinated.

[B]

You have to be coordinated to do so. So if you're just super fast but not coordinated enough to play a sport with the ball, whether it's baseball, is that I feel like you just do track. But most athletes do do track in their past time. You know, if you play basketball, they're playing track in the spring.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I do feel like track athletes are, you know, the fastest in the world. But I do feel like there is football players, basketball players that are faster than these people but just more skilled. So they ended up playing a different sport.

[A]

I could see that there's. There's some fast ass football players.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I can't put that into experiment, you know what I'm saying? But I do feel like a Tyreek Hill versus no l race.

[A]

I think that that would be, that'd be interesting. No, it makes sense though. Cause the money in track's not as good.

[B]

Yeah, it's not as good.

[A]

It's. It's actually terrible if you're not top five or Top ten. You're not making a living. So they are.

[B]

They're just pretty much running for fun. I mean, I love track. I did track growing up. But I just feel like most track athletes that I know didn't really do most other sports.

[A]

Track and wrestlers were always terrible at other sports for sure. They're just uncoordinated. Yeah, I did track too. And, you know, the respect is like. You don't get respect.

[B]

Yeah, not. Not really. But I mean, it's understandable. It's like teach his own, to be honest.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Do track.

[A]

Well, no, Lyles, if you're watching this and speed this man right here.

[B]

But I. I mean, I probably could. I mean, if that race was 100 real, I think I'd keep up. But if no allows was going 20% like he said, then that makes sense.

[A]

What was your event when you did track?

[B]

I did 104 by one. Long jump, high jump, triple jump. I was doing track in college, but before the season started, that's when Covid had hit.

[A]

So you got a scholarship for that?

[B]

No, I went to a Juco. I played D2 juco basketball.

[A]

Got it.

[B]

And then my second year, I ended up wanting to do track after basketball season, but they cut the season off short.

[A]

I could see why you did high job. Your bounce is nuts. You just launched a program, right?

[B]

Yes, I did launch a program.

[A]

For getting your vertical up, new heights. Yeah, that's dope. I gotta take that honestly.

[B]

Yeah, why not?

[A]

Right game. How long did it take you to see results?

[B]

I mean, I wasn't. I was always pretty athletic. I was just super small. I was probably 4 foot 9 as an 8th grader. Maybe 5 foot 2 as a freshman in high school. So, like, feel like I was athletic, but I didn't really know as an athlete, you only test your. Well, at least a basketball player, you only test your vertical in reference to the rim. So if you can't touch the rim, you don't really think you jump that high or the backbone or anything. So I'm super short and I can't grab the rim. But I think I started dunking maybe like. Like five, five in 10th grade.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

Yeah. That's crazy. And just kind of elevated from there. I was just always in season, so I was just always constantly working out.

[A]

So, like, nuts. Dude, have you measured your vertical before?

[B]

I tested a 46 or 47, if I'm not mistaken, at UNLV recently. If that was accurate, you know it's.

[A]

The one where you hit it, right?

[B]

Yeah. The thing where you hit?

[A]

Yeah, I'd say those are pretty accurate.

[B]

Yeah. For the most part.

[A]

You can't really, like, fake that.

[B]

Yeah. So, yeah, I. I'm reached. What, like 11, 8. But the space in which you have to do it is kind of weird.

[A]

What do you mean?

[B]

It's like in between a few machines. So, like, if you, like fall the wrong way or jump the wrong way, you might hit.

[A]

Oh, wow. So it's like a tight area.

[B]

It's just like a tight area. I want to like, actually be on the court, you know, warmed up and actually like, do it, do it.

[A]

Oh. So were you standing? It was a standing test.

[B]

No, no, no, no. My standing vert is terrible. It was like running. I like steps.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

Yeah, dude.

[A]

11, 8. You could probably touch the top of the hoop.

[B]

What is that? That. That might be like towards the top of the box.

[A]

Wow, that's nuts. Maybe 11, eight. So the hoop must be like 13 then.

[B]

Yeah, something like that. Like 12 and a half or something like that.

[A]

Wemby could probably get up to the top.

[B]

Oh, definitely. Easily.

[A]

That dude's different.

[B]

He could probably stand and grab the ramp, so he definitely should be able.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, these players these days are insane.

[B]

Yeah. And I feel like that's what people don't necessarily understand is the athletic ability and also the size of these guys. Because there's guys that have 40 inch verticals or, you know, 47s like I do, but they're six five or six, six, you know, so it looks way different when they're jumping that high in reference to the rim in the backboard than when I do it.

[A]

True. Yeah. Everyone's more athletic and everyone's chugging up threes now.

[B]

Insane.

[A]

There's teams shooting 50, 60 threes a game.

[B]

Yeah, that's crazy.

[A]

I don't know how I feel about it. You know, the game changes. You like it, though, because you're not. You're not a shooter.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. It's.

[A]

You've had to adapt, right? You got to develop a shot now.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I. I used to shoot a lot more before. You know, I got super athletic, but now I just kind of try to mix it up. But I mean, it's. The game changes so much so drastically, so that, like, you got to be able to adapt if you want to make it anywhere. To be honest, I feel that also, different levels are also different as well because everybody's different sizes. I think college is dominated by 6 foot 5, 10 guards, you know, but once you get to the league. The league minimum for guards is somewhere around 6, 3, 6, 4 or a guard, you know, and like the average of NBA players, I think 6, 7, 6, 8, 8 now. So, like.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Really doesn't.

[A]

If you were 6, 6, do you think you would have made the league?

[B]

Honestly, I could see myself in the league in the right situation, you know, because it's all situation. There's a lot of six, six guys that just don't make it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I feel like if I'm six six and keep all of my abilities, I feel like easily I could in the right situation.

[A]

Yeah. Cause you're getting to the basket with ease.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

Your slashing is. Is nuts. Your speed, you'd probably be one of the fastest in the league.

[B]

Hopefully. I guess I'll just dream about it.

[A]

Was that a goal yours growing up, though?

[B]

Yeah, everybody's goal.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I mean, I feel like I gained consciousness pretty early and realized, okay, this might not be practical. So I want to be a trainer. I want to do this. I want to just play college ball and then, you know, maybe go play pro. The only reason I'm not pro right now overseas is because I do content.

[A]

Yeah. You know, it's probably better money doing content than overseas.

[B]

Ain't really paying no money overseas unless you're in like the first league, you know, the leagues that like Luca. Those guys kind.

[A]

Europe, maybe China too.

[B]

Yeah, those guys make money. But I mean, I mean, if I got the offer to do so, that's guaranteed money, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, the thing with social media is if you're not getting the views, you're not getting the money. No matter how much following or what you were trending for last year, this year, it's like if you're not getting the views, you're not getting the money.

[A]

Facts. Yeah. You got to maintain it. Yeah. Would you take a million a year to play overseas?

[B]

Instantly.

[A]

Oh, you would. Okay, so you got. You got a level?

[B]

Yeah, definitely. I would take. I would take.

[A]

What, about 500K?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. If you're watching this, I would do 500k. Not nothing less though. At least I feel like when the money's sitting right there in front of you, you don't know what. I don't know what I would accept in that situation.

[A]

500K. Plus you could still do the content on the side, so you would probably make decent money.

[B]

But I don't know.

[A]

You'd go all in if you got an offer.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

If I gotta go. You would Stop the content.

[B]

If. Nah, for 500k, no. But for a million, you know, if I had to stop the content, they're like, yo, you can't do no content. That you have to just play basketball. It would have to be in there.

[A]

I feel that. Well, there's probably some teams watching this that can hit you up, you know, hit up his agent. Anyone in the Creator cup you're worried about? No. What about Tristan Joss?

[B]

I mean, he's good, but I mean, I don't worry about anybody.

[A]

I'd like to see you match up with them. That'd be a good.

[B]

We've been playing on the same team the past two years.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

The team's the same. It's kind of like a rivalry at this point. But I mean, I would love to play against him. It really matter.

[A]

Damn. You and him lost.

[B]

Who.

[A]

Who was on the other team?

[B]

Marcellus.

[A]

He's decent.

[B]

Yeah, Marcellus is decent. Who else did they have?

[A]

Friga?

[B]

No, I don't even remember who they had. Chris Staples.

[A]

Oh, he's.

[B]

He's good. I mean, they had a good team.

[A]

But just hard to see you and TJ losing together, bro. That's 30. 30 game from both of you.

[B]

Yeah, for sure. I don't know. He just couldn't pull it off.

[A]

Maybe you had a weaker bench or something.

[B]

I don't even know. We. It was probably like seven people on the team. It wasn't even really. Yeah, probably like seven on the team.

[A]

You got your boy Mecca on it too.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I got Mecca on. I don't know what the teams are yet. I think they might do like some type of draft or something.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

If I'm not mistaken. But I mean, we'll see. Damn.

[A]

We'll see. And you won the Creator League last year, right? The one on one thing?

[B]

No, I didn't. I didn't. I didn't play in the Creator League last year. I won dreamcon, but that was. That was it earlier this year.

[A]

Oh, okay. That was a one on one tournament.

[B]

No, that was. That was a five on five at. Yeah, dreamcon with the RDC World guys I did with creatively.

[A]

Oh, nice. You picked your own team.

[B]

No, they did a draft.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

The Duke and your age were the captains.

[A]

I remember watching that now. Yeah, you were popping off.

[B]

Yeah, I think I had 30.

[A]

Dude, they couldn't stop you.

[B]

Insane. I mean, it's like creator stuff. So like. I mean, and that's why guys like me, t Jazz stand out and things like this because we're actual Basketball players that just happen to do the content creation, you know, and just, you know, we just came up off of that. You know, I'm like, I actually played basketball.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Playing somewhere right now, but now we're just going up against guys that just might sit at a computer or sit in front of all the time. So like it looks easy because it kind of is, you know, not really that. That competitive in most of these settings.

[A]

I could see that. You get any haters on social media?

[B]

Yeah, but I mean for the most part I kind of got a cult following. But they're just sometimes it's some outside influences.

[A]

Yeah, I had hesi got on and I was asking him about that.

[B]

Yeah, he got has a lot of controversy because of like the way he plays and stuff like that. But he's basketball, who cares? Yeah, realistically it doesn't matter because none of us are in the league. It's like we're taking critique from people who don't really necessarily matter. It's like, okay, this guy's criticizing my game sitting behind the screen. I'm like, realistically, I'm not trying to get scouted by anybody right now. I'm having fun going to a gym or going to play in a. I.

[A]

Saw you playing in an eight foot rim league.

[B]

Oh, that was fun.

[A]

That looks lit.

[B]

That was fun. Fun.

[A]

That looks super lit. So everyone's just slamming it.

[B]

Yeah, basically for the most part, yeah.

[A]

You win?

[B]

No, we lost in the championship. My first game, my first tournament. And then there was another tournament. We lost like in the playoffs.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

I don't know how.

[A]

Did you have a big.

[B]

Yes, we lost with a stack team too. Both times.

[A]

Well, there's people probably just practicing that all the time, that type of setup. And you're just going in there for the first time. I got to see some highlights from that.

[B]

Yeah, that was insane.

[A]

You were probably windmilling and stuff.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Crazy highlights from that game.

[A]

I saw you a slam ball too, right?

[B]

Yes. That's like the funnest thing ever.

[A]

You played it?

[B]

Yeah, I played it. That's one thing. I also won with Creator League as well. They did a slam ball tournament. Oh, what was it like two years ago or last year? They did a slam ball tournament in Atlanta. Okay, I won that. That was cool.

[A]

That looks nice.

[B]

Yeah. That's insane. But that was before I even knew how to play slam ball. I was kind of just playing how I play regularly on the court. I didn't really know how to jump or nothing, but like I started going to Sky Zone. Because they had built one. They had built the court eventually. And I started going crazy.

[A]

Damn. I didn't know Sky Zone had one. Yeah, I got to pull up to that.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

That looks fun. You do any sports betting?

[B]

No, I want to get into it. I'm scared. I don't like losing money, so I'll be mad if I put a bet in and lost money.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I definitely want a sports bet. I don't even know how to do it. I want to.

[A]

You in Vegas?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I know what I'm doing. You have to go to the thing. You can't use the apps, right?

[A]

Certain apps are banned in Vegas. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, I heard. You got to, like, pull up. I don't like leaving my house.

[A]

I feel you're a homebody.

[B]

I want to go. Yeah, I'm a homebody.

[A]

I thought you were an extrovert.

[B]

Well, I feel like I'm more of an extrovert. Like just when I'm out places. But I don't really like leaving my house that much. I'm damn. If I'm not in the gym. I'm probably home.

[A]

Wow. So you're just hooping and at home?

[B]

I go every day. I go work out, hoop, then go back home.

[A]

Yeah. I didn't know that about you. Yeah, just seeing your content. I thought you were out and about, you know?

[B]

Yes. I mean, sometimes I go and do.

[A]

Whatever, but you think the. And I think it was Angel, Reese, he was like, do you think the rim should be lowered?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

And she said no.

[B]

I mean, it's up to them.

[A]

What do you think?

[B]

It doesn't matter to me. I mean, it would make it more entertaining if. But I also do think that tendencies do play a part. So just because the rim is lower doesn't mean that they're gonna have the tendencies to still want to go up and dunk everything, you know, like. And I use the eight foot rim reference as well. I play like that on a 10 foot rim. So, like, it's gonna be my game transferred over to a lower rim.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But now it's like for a girl who doesn't really go up, like they want to dunk at all anyways. I don't think lowering the rims to nine feet, nine and a half feet is just gonna make them want to die. Dunk everything.

[A]

To be honest, I could see that. Yeah.

[B]

That's just. I feel like that'll only increase. Maybe a fast break. Dunk here and there.

[A]

Yeah. To be honest, no, that's a Good point. Because if you're just shooting so many layups, you're used to. Yeah.

[B]

You're not going to just really just be like, okay, the rim's lower now. Let me go up and dunk on this girl. You know what I'm saying? I don't think that that's really going to be.

[A]

Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. She was saying she didn't want it, but Shock was saying it would get more viewers.

[B]

I mean, realistically, I feel like it'll get more viewers initially for the first however long, but once they realize that there's not more dunking or whatever going on, I feel like the viewership might just drop back down again.

[A]

I feel.

[B]

To be honest, I feel like.

[A]

Who's your favorite player right now?

[B]

Favorite player right now, probably like, Jai Anthony Edwards. Yeah.

[A]

They're fun to watch, for sure.

[B]

Definitely entertaining.

[A]

Yeah. Ants. They're saying he's gonna be the next guy.

[B]

Yeah, I think so.

[A]

He's got the mentality.

[B]

Yeah, for sure. He's definitely got it.

[A]

Yeah. Just the team, though. I was not upset, but when they got rid of Carl Anthony Towns, I thought that was a weird move.

[B]

Yeah, I don't. That was random.

[A]

They were doing so well.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know. Random.

[A]

And they got. Who'd they get from? Randall.

[B]

Yeah, they're not doing that good anymore.

[A]

I'd rather have Cat over Randall.

[B]

Yeah. And their. Their record is not so well this year.

[A]

Well, the west is stacked, too. I mean, the east is. There's only two, three teams in the East.

[B]

Yeah. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Cavs and Celtics and Knicks.

[B]

Yeah, I was just about to say the Cows and the Celtics, because the.

[A]

Sixers suck this year and the Bucks are randomly sucking, so.

[B]

Yeah, I watched. Oh, yeah, I watched the Cavs vs. Celtics the other day.

[A]

Ooh, that was a good one.

[B]

That game was insane. They said Donovan Mitchell had, like, eight points coming into the half. Yeah, I think I turned it on during the third quarter. He scored probably, like 20 points straight.

[A]

He popped off.

[B]

He's insane.

[A]

They were undefeated that game, too. Right. That was the Celtics given the. Their first loss, I believe.

[B]

No, I think the Cavs won that game.

[A]

Oh, they won.

[B]

Yeah. This was.

[A]

Oh, maybe they played twice.

[B]

Did they?

[A]

Yeah, because the Celtics, they won that.

[B]

Game that I was watching.

[A]

It might have been their second game because they were. Cavs are 15 and.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I remember somebody gave him a loss, but I think they won the game that I watched.

[A]

Oh, okay. Do you. Do you like watching in person or on tv?

[B]

In person.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah, definitely. I like watching the games in person. Person I like being close to, I don't really like. And that's probably the reason why I don't really go to a lot of games and stuff as well. Like, I. I have to be courtside. I have to feel like I'm there. Sounds bougie, but, like, super bougie court side. Because I'm not even gonna feel like I'm at the game if I'm just watching. Can't even really see that well. Yeah, I don't want to watch LeBron from the top of the thing. Like, I can't even see him.

[A]

I don't like nosebleed seats, but I feel you, though. You know, I want to be, like.

[B]

Right there so I can feel like I'm there.

[A]

Courtside or Sweets. But courtside for NBA games are, like, thousands, right?

[B]

Yeah, I never. I never sat courtside at NBA game. Yeah, but I mean, I sat in that. What, like the commissioners.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

See, it's like that. That one road that's, like, right above, like, the clock and stuff like that. Yeah, I sat, like, there. That's, like, pretty close. Of course, at a lot of G League games. Those were fun. I love watching basketball and, like, in person, but just like.

[A]

Yeah, tv. Well, G League's actually good competition.

[B]

Yeah, it was when Ron Holland and Mata.

[A]

But still. What do you got next? You've been making some fun videos lately. Anything?

[B]

Yeah, the program was one thing that I was working on for a while. Dropping a line for basketball. Like a hooping line of clothes. What else?

[A]

You just played in Heelys.

[B]

Yes. That was fun.

[A]

That sounds dangerous.

[B]

Just trying to elevate, man. Just do so much more. I feel like one thing I messed up with doing. Doing is not capitalizing on my name trending, you know? And I feel like everybody just kind of gets caught in a moment. I feel like I got caught in a moment and didn't, you know, take the business route of using my buzz, you know? Like, I feel that, say, this is trending right now. Maybe make some merch out of it. Maybe do this, maybe do that. Because there was a point in time where my dunking videos were super, super trendy. I'm mad I didn't come up with the program then, you know, because that could have made me some more money than now, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So. But, you know, I'm learning.

[A]

Yeah, you live and you learn. I will say a lot of basketball content creators kind of fell off. Yeah, but you're still. You're still relevant.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I feel like it just comes with trending as well.

[A]

Okay, well, like five on five was hot for a while.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

On YouTube. But now it's like one on one, I heard, right.

[B]

Yeah, it's decent. What do they got? Like the next chapter? Yeah, they got a lot of stuff going on. That's the only really 1v1 league that I even see. I don't watch it though. I don't watch the games. Yeah, I'm not really.

[A]

You don't watch other people's basketball content?

[B]

Honestly, I barely even watch my own. I don't watch my YouTube videos when they come out like that unless I'm like, super interested or edited in myself. Yeah, my. My editor, Grady, he puts the videos out and then I'll see it on my for you page or like my Explore page on YouTube. Like, oh, I forgot I put this video out and I might watch it. But like, I'm not really too into content creation that much. It doesn't really keep me, like, entertained for the most part. I watch like nature stuff on YouTube. My YouTube is like insane. Like, I watch a bunch of like, nature animal documentaries and stuff like that. And like, people. You ever watch those, like, guys in, like, India or like, stuff they. They like, build houses?

[A]

Yeah, I've seen those.

[B]

Yeah, I've been watching stuff like that on YouTube.

[A]

Yeah, those.

[B]

Those are like TV shows.

[A]

I don't watch shows anymore. Yeah, I watch the animal stuff, though. Those are lit.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

Like, you're like the hunting ones.

[B]

Yeah. And then like. Yeah, like the hunting, like the catch, cleaning, cooks and stuff like that. We're completely off topic.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I love that. I love that stuff though.

[A]

Yeah, no, those are addicting, man. Yeah, I go on long run.

[B]

I like binge watching every time I'm. I'm like eating and stuff like that. I just throw stuff like that on.

[A]

I feel that. Yeah, I really. Only for basketball, I watch Jesser. Yeah, his stuff is really cool. I mean, he's kind of learned from Mr. B style. Yeah, like, I like.

[B]

I actually like Jester's content.

[A]

I like it a lot of Cool.

[B]

I've watched a few of his videos before.

[A]

Yeah, he's cool. But yeah, I don't really watch the like, five on fives anymore. Like, I used to watch Friga. I used to watch mk, like teachers, but I kind of got sick of it.

[B]

Yeah. For the most part. I mean, it kind of just gets repetitive. You just got to keep yourself entertained. So I feel like that's why a Lot of basketball creators have fell off because they aren't necessarily entertaining. You know, I feel like it doesn't take much to go viral. Anybody could go viral. Anybody that I can possibly imagine had told me, you know, because you talk, you know, you talk to people and they're like, yeah, I went viral for this, I went viral for that. I'm like, it's easy to go viral. Anybody go viral for anything?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, but it's just like to keep that and have that longevity within the field is kind of difficult. You know, you got to stay trending and stuff like that. And I agreed. That's what has kept me around is I just try to always look for new ways to stay trending. For the most part. No, I feel that kind of looking for what's next.

[A]

Need that personality these days. That's why Cash Nasty is still doing well.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cuz he's actually cool, like off the court. Like he's funny. Have you played him yet?

[B]

I played him last year.

[A]

Two years ago.

[B]

I played him one on one. I think that's like one of the only one on one games I've ever even played. Oh yeah, he asked me to play after the 3v3 Creator League. This was like two years ago. 2023, I think. Or 2022. Who won that? I did.

[A]

You won?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He didn't back you down?

[B]

I mean, tried to. Yeah.

[A]

I mean that's his game. He just backs you down.

[B]

He's strong, but. But there's. There's basketball strong and then there's like weightlifting, you know, maybe wrestling strong. I feel like he's that type of strong. But in basketball, if you don't know how to use your body, it's just a little bit different.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I mean, he is strong though, but it's just like not the type of strong that like is dangerous on a basketball court, you know, in that, in that. That makes sense.

[A]

I could see that. I've seen them back down people, but they're. They don't know how to play ball like you do. So you probably know like how to drive that.

[B]

I can. I feel like I can guard for the most part.

[A]

Yeah. Have you played Julian Newman yet?

[B]

I played against him in the 3v3, but I got hurt. We played three games. It was like best out of three. It was like the co ed. It was me and Jenna Bandy and then him and Stefania. We ended up losing, but I got hurt in the last game.

[A]

Damn. What do you think of his game?

[B]

It's cool. Good Everybody. I'm not a critic.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I really honestly don't really analyze people's games that much. It's just like, okay, like you. You're good.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, I don't really think anybody sucks. It's like everybody has their strength and when weaknesses, everybody's game is different. So I don't really analyze people's games like that. I don't care that much, I feel, to be honest.

[A]

What's your stat line predictions for NBA Creator Cup?

[B]

First game I had 22 or 24. Second game, I think I had 17 or 19. I think I could easily go for 30. But there is other people playing in the game too.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I feel like I'm just gonna adapt to whatever role they assign me to, you know, I feel like that's the reason why I. Yo, it was crazy. I had a lot of hate for a while after the Dreamcon game when I had 30. Yeah. They was like, oh, he didn't pass the ball. He doesn't pass the ball. And I'm just like, well, I feel like they look to me to be the score of that game to win the game. But then everybody's like, oh, it's not that serious. But like, it was that serious to everybody. They're giving me the ball, so why not take up the role to be what they need me to be in this moment to win? You know what I'm saying? So I feel like I'll just adapt to whatever, you know, because I played with TJ and TJAZ is also ball dominant. So we kind of just took turns and kind of just got in where we fit in for the most part.

[A]

But I feel. Is there MVP trophy?

[B]

Yes. I think J Dub got it last year. TD has got it the first year.

[A]

I mean, this is your year.

[B]

Realistically, I just want another NBA collab.

[A]

Let's go.

[B]

Because I got two NBA collabs right now. One for a block the first year and I think something last year. But I just want to get a few highlights so I could just get an NBA collab. That's really what I'm worried about, to be honest.

[A]

You think they'll post it?

[B]

Yeah, they do. They always do. From the Creator Cup. They always post dope. Yeah, they post a few clips from the Creator Cup.

[A]

Hell yeah.

[B]

So all I gotta do is dunk it. They'll probably just throw it up there.

[A]

Let's go.

[B]

To be honest, have you ever played.

[A]

Against an NBA player.

[B]

Against as like.

[A]

In a run or anything?

[B]

I've played. Yeah. I Played against NBA players, but I never matched up with an NBA player. Like I've been on the same court, you know, while they're there, but I've never played like matched up with one. I've matched up with a lot of like overseas pros and stuff like that that's like, you know, regular but never no NBA guys.

[A]

Marcus Cousins been out some Vegas runs a couple other NBA.

[B]

He played in the Creator League.

[A]

Oh he did?

[B]

Yeah, he played in. We did another 2v2 at final. No, 3v3 at final four.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

This year in Arizona, he played in that.

[A]

Was he still nice?

[B]

Yeah. You killed him. Paul Pierce and Nick Young. Damn. They all played in it.

[A]

That's nuts.

[B]

Yeah, it was cool.

[A]

Holy crap. Yeah, those guys can still hoop.

[B]

Oh, and Cam Newton. Yeah, he was there too.

[A]

He played Cam Newton? Yeah, he can hoop.

[B]

Yeah, he's all right. I mean he's huge. He's like 65 for me.

[A]

And if you play football with that height.

[B]

Yeah, he probably played basketball too growing up. So he knows what he's doing. I feel like everybody plays basketball. That's like a universal sport. Like, like basketball is one of the sports that like, even if you don't know how to play, you still play that. Everybody just always casually plays basketball these days.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

You don't see nobody just picking up a football and playing pickup football randomly. You know, old people. You'll see a 70 year old man at 24 Hour Fitness a lifetime. Just shoot him.

[A]

Yep. 100.

[B]

That's like probably like the only sport that does that.

[A]

Yeah. Where can people find you, man?

[B]

YPK Ray on everything.

[A]

Right? We'll link below. Thanks for coming on again.

[B]

Sure, appreciate you.

[A]

Check them out, guys. Peace.