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How I Gained 1M Subs in a Day: My YouTube Journey | The Professor DSH #864
00:31:45
🎥 How I Gained 1M Subs in a Day: My YouTube Journey with streetball legend, The Professor! 📈 Tune in now to Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly for an exhilarating ride through The Professor's incredible journey from high school standout to global Y
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- [00:01]
A
There's a lot of good players, don't get me wrong, they're all like pretty good that are on. But it's a myth that. And like some people. It depends who you ask, right? Some people think and one players were like better than NBA players. Others will say like they weren't even good at all. But the truth is like, it was, it was actually pro and like we would mix it up with NBA players and run all the time. And like you, you might not even be able to tell who's in the league and who's not. I mean, that was a super high level.
- [00:26]
B
Ladies and gentlemen, street ball legend here today, the Professor. Thanks for coming on, my man.
- [00:30]
A
Hey, humble man. Appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
- [00:32]
B
I haven't seen you in six years, dude. Yeah, that is crazy.
- [00:35]
A
Wow, Was this. I didn't even think it was six years, but like.
- [00:38]
B
Yeah, I was 21 when I met you.
- [00:40]
A
That's right. I remember you're young.
- [00:41]
B
Yeah, I was just starting out. And to see your growth too has been awesome, man.
- [00:45]
A
Thanks so much.
- [00:46]
B
Blowing up, now you're appearing in movies.
- [00:48]
A
Appreciate that, man.
- [00:49]
B
Are you getting into acting pretty heavily this year?
- [00:52]
A
You know, actually I moved to LA. I had a lead role in a movie, 2006. And I was always doing acting stuff throughout my career, but it was more just like opportunities that came directly to me.
- [01:03]
B
Yeah.
- [01:03]
A
So now I'm trying to like put one foot into acting and kind of like pursue it a little bit more. Because I mean, if I look back now, I've probably been in like three or four movies, maybe 50 to 100 commercials, you know, tons of YouTube stuff been in front of the camera. So it was something I always enjoyed doing, but I never really like pursued it full time just because basketball made most sense, you know, Paul is nice. Yeah. So I'm actually trying to release that movie I did in 2006 though, right now. Oh, don't lie. Yeah, Trying to put it out on Amazon.
- [01:33]
B
Wow. So you filmed it 20 years ago.
- [01:35]
A
And 20 years ago I had like a. A list cast and everything. Yeah. But it never released.
- [01:39]
B
How come?
- [01:41]
A
They held out for like, they were trying to hold out for like a big box office release, which at that time was like over 3,500 theaters. So it got tons of DVD offers, tons of small theater releases. It was actually supposed to be the first ever movie on Amazon prime.
- [01:57]
B
Wow.
- [01:58]
A
In 2009. But remember we were talking about how like we didn't think anybody would watch a movie on a phone. You know what I'm saying back then, little did we know. So they held out and I think, like, producers got busy. The guy, the guy who produces pretty successful. He's got a bunch of films. Like, it just got deprioritized over the years. And then here we are trying to bring it out.
- [02:19]
B
I love it, man. And you were in that movie with Sandler recently, right?
- [02:22]
A
Yeah. Hustle. That was Adam. Yeah.
- [02:24]
B
What was that like, man?
- [02:26]
A
It was dope. Adam's just a cool guy. Adam's reputation in Hollywood and just amongst all his peers that he's super down to earth, loves basketball. Like, when I first met him, like, he wouldn't even let me give him props. Like, he's just telling me how much he loves my YouTube channel. Wow. Yeah. Which I was like not expecting at all, you know.
- [02:45]
B
It's unreal, man, to get that from him.
- [02:47]
A
Yeah. We had a mutual friend who want to put us on the phone who I hadn't talked to in years, but I guess he worked for Adam. And then, you know, we ended up talking for like an hour or two and he's just talking about basketball. And then he told me he's writing a film, you know, in a couple years, and he wanted to write me a role. And I was like, oh, let's get it. You know what I mean? Sure enough. Hustle.
- [03:04]
B
That's legendary. Could he hoop?
- [03:06]
A
Yeah, Adam could hoop. I mean, there's levels to hoopa, right? So I think, like, it depends who you ask, right? It's kind of subjective. Like if somebody plays pro or like really balls, like their brow of like, what's good is like way higher. But I would say, like, Adam's solid, you know, I mean, like presumably like you go to LA Fitness and pick him up. Yeah, solid.
- [03:23]
B
Okay. Yeah, I've seen a couple of jump shots from him. Yeah, he's got that jumper.
- [03:27]
A
He's like a passer. He's a good passer too.
- [03:29]
B
Okay. Yeah. And you played at a high level growing up, right? College, high school.
- [03:33]
A
Yeah. Well, actually I always had a high skill level, but didn't necessarily play at a high level until I got on the N1 mixtape tour. So I always look like I was 10 years younger than I am growing up. So by the time, like, I always had skills. Like in fourth grade, I mastered the Iverson crossover.
- [03:52]
B
Fourth grade.
- [03:53]
A
Fourth grade.
- [03:54]
B
Damn.
- [03:54]
A
I'm like this tall, you know what I'm saying? But I could cross over like grown adults with that move. And I had a trainer, he taught me like in and out across Tim hardaway crossover, Iverson crossover, all these handles. So I always had a high skill level. But then by the time I got to like, my junior year in high school, I got cut from the varsity team. How come I was on the J? Just because I was, like, so small, I think, like, the way my coaches played, it was about being physical and being, like, very defensive. And like, they favored, like, big man offense and I was all like, like guard, you know, with like, handles and stuff. Didn't favor the way we played. It was more like Hoosier style of basketball or, like systemized.
- [04:31]
B
Right, right.
- [04:32]
A
You know, motion offense. It's kind of like just a different style. So they didn't really, like, trust my game. And then I transferred schools. I had a good senior year. I got like, second team all state of the small Christian school I transferred to. Then in Juco, I got cut from three community colleges. Finally landed a spot as a red shirt. A couple people got injured. Then I end up suiting up. And I only played three minutes a game, but I was actually good. And then. But I just didn't get that opportunity. And then after that freshman year, I improved like 300. Like, I hit the weights. I was doing three a days. Like, I already spent my life practicing, but I practice even more now.
- [05:10]
B
Damn.
- [05:10]
A
And I improved. I literally improved like. Like, I was three times as good by the end of that, like, spring summer after my freshman year in 2003. And then I went to try out for an one, and it was just like this. My idols just became my teammates in one. It was like a movie, you know?
- [05:24]
B
Wow. Three A days? I've never heard of that, man. I've heard of 2A days, but 3 days?
- [05:27]
A
3A days. Yeah. I was like. I was like, wake up 5:00am, make 500 jumpers, go to class, open gym, 2:30, hit the weights, and then come back and work on my game again in the evening.
- [05:41]
B
That is crazy. What were the N1 trials like?
- [05:43]
A
And one trial is more just like, whoever came, like, hop in this run and do your thing and then, like, figure out who stands out and then pick some guys.
- [05:53]
B
And you think your dribbling kind of really stood out from everyone else.
- [05:56]
A
Yeah. Yeah. I went out there and, you know, like, I was going as a fan, I was actually just going to watch the game. I'm saying I was like, culturing and one in high school. Like, if you look at my. My mixtape from, like, my high school years, I have on, like, animal sneakers.
- [06:10]
B
Wow.
- [06:11]
A
So I'm just going to watch my idols play Figured I had nothing to lose, so I hopped in the run and shook a few dudes up, and people started going crazy. But it was my look, you know, I forever just don't look like a Hooper, you know?
- [06:22]
B
Yeah.
- [06:23]
A
Look like an underdog. And so the crowd took to that, and then next thing I know, I'm playing against my teammates. That's so teammates at that time. Yeah.
- [06:31]
B
Yeah. I think people want to root for the underdog, right? You were smaller than everyone. You were white, obviously, and, like, you were like, who is this kid?
- [06:37]
A
Yeah, I think. Well, I think that's timeless, right? People always root for the underdog. So, yeah, favor me for sure.
- [06:42]
B
Do you think something like anwan can ever come back in today's kind of social media world?
- [06:47]
A
I heard rumors they were actually trying to bring the tour back, but I don't know. I guess nothing's impossible, right? So I think if it had a great TV show, like, if you brought it back and you just had its own YouTube channel, like, I don't know how much that could really go off just because, like, there's a million great basketball videos on YouTube. And, like, at that time, there was the first time street ball was like, you know, being put out to the world, you know, Mainstream. Yeah, yeah. Street ball on the east coast, they knew it at, like, Rucker and, like, different parks like that, like, big cities on the East Coast. So, yeah, it was more mainstream, and people were anticipating those moves. And the fan excitement was crazy. It aired on ESPN literally, like, sometimes, like, 30 to 50 times a week.
- [07:31]
B
Damn.
- [07:31]
A
I mean. Yeah, because the ESPN at that time only had, like, five shows. You know, it's like poker, sports center, like a game and one and maybe like, something else, but, like, it might air all night as, like, that filler show.
- [07:45]
B
Yeah, yeah.
- [07:45]
A
You know, and then there's only, like, 50 channels at that time, right? 50 to 100 channels.
- [07:49]
B
I remember those days, man.
- [07:50]
A
So think about the view count. Like, think about YouTube. We know how many views, like, YouTube videos get. Like, this is, say, my channel, right? Yeah, but think about. There's only, like, 50 to 100 channels in the United States. So, like, think about what the view count was on those TV shows.
- [08:04]
B
Probably tens of millions, right?
- [08:05]
A
Yeah. So, like, the fan anticipation by the time you go on tour is, like, insane.
- [08:09]
B
Right.
- [08:10]
A
So to recreate it today, you couldn't use the YouTubers though, right? Like, the YouTubers, there's a lot of good players, don't get me wrong. They're all, like, pretty good that are on, but it's not like a pro. It's like college level or a lower tier pro level.
- [08:26]
B
Right.
- [08:26]
A
You know what I'm saying? Like, and one, it's a myth that. And like some people, it depends who you ask. Right. Some people think and one players were like better than NBA players. Others will say like they weren't even good at all. But the truth is like it was, it was actually pro and like we would mix it up with NBA players and run all the time. And like you, you might not even be able to tell who's in the league and who's not.
- [08:45]
B
I didn't know it was that high level.
- [08:46]
A
Yeah. And was a super high level. A lot of guys had NBA talent. They may, they may have had things that held him back from making the league, but a lot of guys had NBA talent. So I don't know. To recreate it I think would be tough. But nothing's undoable. If you have an entertaining TV show, maybe it could be remixed and done differently somehow. You don't know.
- [09:03]
B
Did you see the downfall coming at all? Were there signs of it or did it just abruptly happen one day?
- [09:09]
A
It kind of abruptly happened there, there were signs now. But that's like a hindsight, you know, hindsight's 2020 viewpoint. We got bought out. Right. So that's already a sign. Right. But, but when I was, you know, when A1 ended, I was only 25 or 24 years old, so I wasn't able to assess what that even meant.
- [09:28]
B
Right.
- [09:28]
A
We had a buyout. A lot of the same employees stayed though, even though there was a lot of new faces too. But we still like did the tour. But I think they tried to fulfill their, either their production contract or their contract with espn. So we still did it for two or three more years under the new ownership. So we're thinking like, oh, we still got our jobs. You know, I'm saying we're still touring, the TV show, still spinning quite a bit, but every year it was like a little bit less and less and then they put less money into the tour and, and you could, I could see it now looking back, but at the time we were still massively popular and like we were getting paid more. Yeah, I think like as time went on they felt like they owed us more. So at the time we didn't know. It was very abrupt but there were, there were signs. Not back.
- [10:12]
B
Yeah.
- [10:12]
A
So 08, at the end of the 08 season, it just ended. Yeah, that was it.
- [10:18]
B
Cuz back then you had to be in the NBA to make money. Hooping. That was like a rare thing, right? To do content.
- [10:23]
A
Yeah. And, you know, we. We had our. We were optimistic though. We were thinking, like an one was so big, like, you would think another company would do it or another TV show would start or like somebody else pick it up, but it just didn't like, wow.
- [10:35]
B
No one even tried to do that.
- [10:37]
A
A couple people tried. You know, from 2011 to 2015, there was a whole new regime. It was called Ball Up. And I. I was on that we tour. But for that, the marketing, the marketing wasn't on point. It was like at a show on Fox Sports, but, like, nobody really watched Fox Sports for no, like, basketball, reality, nothing. And then digital was becoming the new thing, Right. As far as how to market your thing. And like, we had a YouTube channel and an Instagram, but like, it was just, you know, like kind of like, whatever.
- [11:07]
B
Yeah.
- [11:08]
A
So, like, I think it missed the wave of digital marketing or at least maximizing on digital marketing, and kind of was slated, like, old school, like looking for that hit TV show on cable.
- [11:18]
B
Yeah.
- [11:18]
A
And right then the times were changing. So, yeah, it didn't work out.
- [11:22]
B
I feel that.
- [11:22]
A
So it wasn't great events, but it just was. It's not ant one, you know.
- [11:25]
B
Yeah. When did you make that shift to YouTube? Because I feel like you've done the best at maintaining relevancy from the and one days. Like, you are still known to this day. You know what I mean?
- [11:34]
A
Yeah. So I actually was aware of YouTube, like, early, like when it started, you know what I'm saying? People were ripping our highlights from the ESPN show and making fan compilations. So there was like a hot sauce mix, a main event mix, and professor mix, and they all had like tens of millions of views. And like, YouTube is like, empty at that point. Like, I remember one point, if you search basketball, my mix would pop up.
- [11:58]
B
Damn.
- [11:58]
A
On YouTube. Yeah. So, like, I realized there was something to that because fans would approach us and, you know, show love. And as habit, I would always be like, you know, thanks for watching the show. You know what I'm saying? But some people would be like, oh, no, we saw yourself on YouTube. So I was like, YouTube, you know what I mean? So I looked into it. So when 2006 and 7 rolled around, I was actually having a homie make edits to put on YouTube to kind of like flood the market for, like, marketing. But AdSense hadn't rolled out. So then when. And when ended in 08, I noticed AdSense or excuse me, and went in at 08. And then 2009 AdSense came out. So I started my own page in 2009. Wow. But I was using YouTube for bookings. Really? Because I didn't know you could make real money. I didn't know that was going to be the top streaming platform in the world. I knew there was something to it and it was growing, but I didn't know to what level. So you could get a DM on YouTube back then. So I was getting like bookings primarily internationally because AM one kind of died out in the States. So I would, you know, get these bookings for my videos. And then I think at that point it was in like 15 countries or 10 countries. So that was like free TV. I'm knowing it's free TV. You know what I mean?
- [13:08]
B
Yeah.
- [13:08]
A
But then 2013 I had a video go viral and I got a million subs in one day.
- [13:13]
B
Was that the Spider man one? Yeah.
- [13:16]
A
Yeah. So then it became a business like overnight. But I was still under these endorsement deals. I had like old school endorsement deal up until 2016.
- [13:23]
B
Oh, they had 360 on YouTube.
- [13:25]
A
Pretty much full exclusive. They would let me do my YouTube and they didn't really know much about it. They like I said they were a little bit behind on that whole like wave of like seeing digital go to the forefront of marketing. But. Yeah, but life was good. I was still doing my tour thing. I would do YouTube when I was home. But I could never be a full time YouTuber like I wanted. And I was making three times as much on YouTube as I was. My endorsement deal. Holy Per month.
- [13:50]
B
Crap.
- [13:50]
A
I know. And I was a decent on the endorsement deal. But yeah, so when it ended it was cool. Got to go into it. But I think to answer your question more specifically, it's just like, just like trying to stay ahead of the. The trends of like different ways to edit what platforms are going off, how to maximize on, you know, business wise on certain things. And just hanging around a lot of young people and really just trying to be a consumer of it too. Not only a creator.
- [14:18]
B
Yeah.
- [14:18]
A
You know, I mean I think those things help.
- [14:19]
B
Were like the first basketball creator on YouTube. I feel like I. Yeah, I was.
- [14:23]
A
Actually a bass first basketball influencer.
- [14:25]
B
That's nuts.
- [14:26]
A
Ever. Yeah.
- [14:26]
B
OG now there's so many of them.
- [14:28]
A
Yeah. It's crazy. I know. It's funny. Yeah. I was just doing it as a means to figure out what's next, you know, I mean I knew that was marketing so I was like, can't be bad. You Know what I'm saying? And then a fan actually taught me how to edit. One of the dudes who was making the. The Fan compilations. I hit him up. He lives in San Diego. And she. He actually showed me how to edit. So I was making my own edits on YouTube.
- [14:50]
B
So you edit your own videos?
- [14:51]
A
Till this day. I'll only edit it if I feel like it's like a banger, that I can't really convey the vision to somebody else.
- [14:58]
B
Wow.
- [14:59]
A
I try not to, though.
- [15:00]
B
Yeah. Are you shifting your content? Because I know you had that major injury and you're getting older. Do you have a shift in content for the next few years?
- [15:09]
A
I've done videos where I don't hoop, but people still want me to hoop. So I can't say I've really came with a solution to like. Like, how do I, you know, turn my content a different way? That's still massively appealing because you can do a bit, like, as time goes, you know, your, Your, your bill spend might change and also like, your standard for what you consider as a good video might change. So a lot of people might be content with like 100k, 150k. I'm like, bummed, though, you know, really?
- [15:38]
B
With 100k, we try to do a million. Damn.
- [15:41]
A
You got Mr.
- [15:42]
B
Beast standards out here.
- [15:43]
A
No, but we've been at 20 years, you know what I'm saying? So. So I look at it like, well, Mr. Beast, he trying to get 100 million, you know what I'm saying? So it's different though, you know, I mean, so think about him. He's at the top of the YouTube food chain.
- [15:54]
B
Yeah.
- [15:55]
A
He'd be bummed if video didn't get 100 million today. Right? Does over 100 million every video. Correct.
- [15:59]
B
Yeah.
- [16:00]
A
At least 50 I've looked at in a while. I think over 100, though.
- [16:03]
B
It's over 100. Yeah.
- [16:04]
A
Yeah. So. So, you know, yeah, I'm like a video success if it gets a million. If it doesn't, it's all good. Because you can't, you know, you can't win on every video, but you want it to go off. So I could turn the content and get 100, 200k view. I think I'd have to, like, probably like, lower my standard and try to, like, rebrand if that's the case. But my goal is to hoop till I'm 50.
- [16:25]
B
Wow.
- [16:25]
A
I'm trying to hoop till 20. 34.
- [16:27]
B
Damn.
- [16:28]
A
50 years old.
- [16:29]
B
That's impressive, man.
- [16:30]
A
Well, I don't know if I'll make it. But that's, you know, that's, that's my. It's a good goal, what they say. Shoot for the moon, land amongst the stars.
- [16:36]
B
Yeah. You might have to get some stem cells, but you could probably make it with all the technology these days, right?
- [16:40]
A
Hopefully. Hopefully. I mean, like I had that Achilles injury you mentioned.
- [16:44]
B
Yeah.
- [16:44]
A
I was able to recover 100.
- [16:46]
B
100, 100. So you don't feel like that lost a step or anything?
- [16:50]
A
No.
- [16:51]
B
Wow. Because KD had that one and people said he was done and he, he looks like he's back to normal, too.
- [16:57]
A
Sports rehab is going a million miles an hour. You know, I'm saying sports rehab is getting better and better and better like, like every day. And it's kind of like unspoken about because people don't like to think about injuries. So, like, if you say you tore your Achilles, a lot of people don't even know what that is. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? They'll think it's like your knee or something. Like acl, Achilles, mcl, it's all like the same.
- [17:17]
B
Yeah.
- [17:18]
A
So, like, I think people don't really talk about it. You don't really know what the injuries are until you get them. Like, I remember I got a hernia, like two hernia surgeries. But I tell people that I don't even know what it is.
- [17:27]
B
Yeah.
- [17:28]
A
So I think it's just an unknown thing. The sports, Sports rehab, sports therapy, treatment and all that is like going to the mood. You can almost recover from anything. You know what I mean? I mean, granted, you know, bad replacement, hip replacement, bad back, those things are going to end you at, you know, from playing at a pro level.
- [17:45]
B
Yeah.
- [17:46]
A
But a lot of things you can recover from that we couldn't before in the 80s.
- [17:49]
B
Yeah.
- [17:50]
A
Shaq, Isaiah Thomas, was it. Chauncey Billups. A lot of these people retired off the Achilles tear.
- [17:59]
B
Damn. I didn't know. Shock Torres.
- [18:00]
A
Yeah.
- [18:01]
B
Wow.
- [18:01]
A
That's what ended it. Yeah.
- [18:02]
B
Yeah. They say that's the worst one, right?
- [18:04]
A
It's the, it's the worst basketball injury, like single injury you could get. You know, I, I guess outside of like a bad back.
- [18:10]
B
Right.
- [18:10]
A
Like Larry Bird retired with bad back. Price still would have had to retire current day. Yeah. I'm saying the back is a confusing one, but yeah, it's getting better all the time.
- [18:20]
B
Absolutely. Do you watch the NBA pretty heavily right now?
- [18:23]
A
So. Funny enough, I'm actually a kind of a casual when it comes to the league. I think, like, I still keep up with it, like on sports, I liked a little bit of sports talk, a little bit of IG narrative. Watch a game every now and again. I'm in la, so I support the Lakers. I try to go to like three or four games a year. Try to sit course side. Yeah. One of my favorite things to do. So I guess, yeah, I keep up with it, but not as much as I did in years past. Just because, you know, when you're on your grind, like, it's hard to really binge, watch or keep up with anything.
- [18:53]
B
Yeah. Yeah.
- [18:54]
A
Fact.
- [18:54]
B
So when I was a kid, with all the time in the world, I would watch almost every game.
- [18:58]
A
Yeah. Same like I could name everybody on the roster when I was a young. Then I collect like basketball cards. I can name everybody on the roster of every team.
- [19:05]
B
Damn, that's impressive.
- [19:06]
A
Yeah. But then, you know, as you get older, I think as I get older, I fall like less and less. Even now I follow less than I did five years ago. Just. I don't know, you get busy, priorities change.
- [19:15]
B
Yeah. What do you think of the game? Because when you played, it was more physical. Right. Like you said. And now it's like you talk someone. It's a foul. Do you think it's a good thing or bad thing?
- [19:24]
A
That's a good question. I think it has its pros, its cons, both ways. Yeah. I think it has its pros and cons both ways. I think when it was more physical, like, it's. I mean, it's better for the defense.
- [19:39]
B
Yeah.
- [19:40]
A
And then I think it creates a tougher mentality, like just for the average player. I think when you can't touch somebody like today, it's probably better for entertainment, maybe the business side of the game. Part of me wishes I could play. I feel like I never get that right because I play street ball. So, like, there's not a referee. You know what I'm saying? So everybody's falling. And then like when we played on and when we actually could foul. That's the crazy part. They tried to. They tried to make it like a street ball game in the park, even when we played an arena, and they kept it really loose. So I felt like. I feel like that was a conflict of interest a lot of times too, because, like, we go in there and try to entertain and try to put on this amazing show for thousands of people.
- [20:19]
B
Yeah.
- [20:19]
A
But like a lot of times I'll play a dude that outweighs me by £100, 50 to £100, and he's like, foul. So it was always like Very difficult. Like, something I've always had to battle. That's like the hardest thing I had to battle in trying to put on a show is like, people are always fouling. So, like, when I see the league and how they play and you can't really touch nobody, I'm like, man, that would be nice, you know?
- [20:38]
B
Yeah. You could put on a show.
- [20:40]
A
You think? Yeah.
- [20:41]
B
I just saw a clip of. Was it Alan? Yeah. Shaq asked Allen Iverson how much you'd average right now if you were in the league. And he said 43.
- [20:49]
A
Yeah. Because he was like, I average. He said 33. He averaged. So he said 43 today. I mean, it'd be easier for him, whatever it was, you know, I mean, I think for him to average 43, he probably just shoot more threes. But I think, you know, the game always changes. If Allen Iverson was coming up today.
- [21:06]
B
Yeah.
- [21:06]
A
He'd have been more of a three point shooter. Right. Because that's more of the trend. Like how.
- [21:09]
B
Yeah.
- [21:09]
A
Play.
- [21:10]
B
Barely took any when he played, so.
- [21:12]
A
Could he average 40? Probably?
- [21:13]
B
Yeah.
- [21:14]
A
He's one of my favorite players.
- [21:15]
B
Growing. Oh, yeah. That was your fa. Well, with the handles. Right.
- [21:17]
A
And that was a dope interview. I watched that whole thing.
- [21:19]
B
Same. That was a great interview, man. It's cool to see these players starting their podcast, actually, because you never got their perspective growing up. You never, like, realized what they're like outside of the court and how they think.
- [21:29]
A
Right, Right.
- [21:30]
B
Like Draymond Green. That's a great one. Paul Pierce has one now. It's really interesting, man.
- [21:35]
A
Yeah. Kg, Paul George. Yeah.
- [21:38]
B
I love that you said you're a big AI fan. Do you think he had the best handles of all time?
- [21:44]
A
They were. It's funny they asked him that, right?
- [21:46]
B
Yeah.
- [21:47]
A
And he said Kyrie. But I think. Yeah, I think he made. I think they said it right. Kyrie has a deeper bag of more moves, but AI probably had the most effective move. Right. Like that. I don't know if. I don't think Kyrie has a good A move as that AI crossover. You know what I'm saying? And he's not as quick on any move as AI was on that move. But. But yeah, I think Kyrie's handle is right. Yeah. Probably the best handles all time. But I think it's like Shaq. He said J will, right? Shaq said Jay will.
- [22:22]
B
Yeah, Jay will.
- [22:25]
A
It's a good argument, right? Yeah, it's a good argument. I think a lot of it's subjective, too. There's a lot of guys who had amazing handle. You know, Steph Curry has a nice handle. Jamal Crawford had a great handle. CP3. A lot of guys.
- [22:39]
B
Absolutely. Now, I noticed when you play, you actually don't talk that much. And I thought that was interesting because in street ball, that's common. And I watch your videos. People are trying to get in your head. You don't even respond most of the time.
- [22:51]
A
Yeah. And I think you don't really need, like. Here's the thing, though, also, it's like a lot of people, when they play ball, they take it, like, really personally.
- [23:00]
B
Yeah.
- [23:01]
A
I don't know. I've never been like that. You know what I'm saying? Like, like taking the game that personally. But also I've played it a lot higher level than like, when I play, like, Venice or like, I play Dudes on the Street. So, like, I don't view it as that high brow of a game. Like, I always feel like I'm gonna win, you know, I mean, so, like, they're taking it super personally. I just feel like the game's gonna do the talking. The truth is. But I actually do talk trash, but it's more in a sarcastic way. You know what I'm saying? Okay. Like, I'll, like cross somebody up and go by and be like, oh, thanks. Appreciate it.
- [23:30]
B
That probably pisses them off more.
- [23:31]
A
Yeah. Or like, I'll shoot you and be like, oh, thanks for making that so easy. It'd be more on that tip. But for me, it's more fun. It's not like, personal. You know what I mean?
- [23:42]
B
Yeah, yeah.
- [23:42]
A
So. And I just think you don't really need to anyway, so I just. It's just about fun.
- [23:45]
B
I agree, dude. I go to these runs at Lifetime on the weekends in Vegas, where I live, and people get so personal, man. There's always a fight. And I'm like, dude, let's just have some fun. It's the weekend. We're not working. Like, come on now.
- [23:57]
A
Basketball, like, the most egotistical sport.
- [23:59]
B
Yeah, for sure. And I hate to, like, generalize, but a lot of the times it's the shorter guys. I don't know why. I don't know if it's like a height thing and they feel some type of way.
- [24:07]
A
A small man complex.
- [24:09]
B
Yeah.
- [24:09]
A
Who knows? I mean, you go to the league, though, you got, you know, legendary, you know, crap talkers, you know, I mean, Gary Payton and even Jordan, you know, I mean, so it just depends.
- [24:19]
B
Absolutely. You ever let the talking get into an actual fight?
- [24:24]
A
Maybe when I was younger, Yeah, a few times, but not. I don't know. I feel like I'm not that confrontational. I think, like, sometimes, like, if I embarrass people, people think like, somebody should fight me or whatever. But I think you kind of. You receive the energy you give out, right? So, like, when I go to the court, we're there to make a video, have, like, a camera crew and security. So, like, you don't want to make people feel ultimately victimized. You know what I mean? So if I'm trying to embarrass you on the court, I try to big up everybody and show them love and, like, it's more about fun within the sport. And I think they get that vibe for me. So people don't come as, like, hostile. Yeah, but I mean, we had. I've had a lot of situations, you know? I mean, one time I was in China and, like, it was playing the cba, right? It's like their NBA. It's like. Yeah, season game. So I came down on a dude and, like, I faked up, did it in and out, behind the back. Dude slipped. I'm saying, like, did the splits, and I hit the shot. So now the crowd was going crazy, but it's like his home crowd. And we. We had a little momentum before that, too. And so a couple plays later, I come down. I tried to go off the. Easy, like, you know, off the Dome Pro game, you know what I'm saying? Try to go off his head, but he, like, moved. So, like, hit. Hit the side of his head, you know what I'm saying? And then it, like, I messed it up.
- [25:36]
B
Yeah.
- [25:36]
A
And so I tried to, like, kind of, like, get it back, but I got it back in an ugly way. So, like, he didn't know it was a move. I think he got confused or whatever. And he didn't even speak English.
- [25:44]
B
Yeah.
- [25:45]
A
So couldn't communicate. So he'd, like, picked me up and he, like, threw me. He threw me, like, five feet. And then, like, both benches cleared. It's like, big brawl, you know.
- [25:52]
B
Damn.
- [25:53]
A
It's all sports center.
- [25:54]
B
Yeah, he. He thought you were throwing the ball at his head, right?
- [25:56]
A
Yeah, I guess. I don't know what he thought he was. He was mad from the plays before. He didn't like it. Yeah, it was crazy.
- [26:03]
B
I'm surprised because those Asians don't usually scrap, you know?
- [26:06]
A
Yeah. But, you know, they're mad physical, though. Some. Some American players think they, like, cheap over there, like, their place now. I mean, you can't generalize, right. You can't make it.
- [26:15]
B
Yeah. I don't want to generalize but I'll speak on this because I'm Asian. So like Asians tend to be not as athletic. So I think they have to make up for it by being sometimes being physical.
- [26:25]
A
Right?
- [26:25]
B
Yeah.
- [26:25]
A
Or cheap. Yeah, I think Americans have said that. But a few times American teams have went to play Chinese teams and. And like it's broke out like a big old fight. Wow. Cleared benches. Yeah. You can like look it on YouTube. There's at least three or four.
- [26:38]
B
Damn.
- [26:38]
A
Mine was one of them.
- [26:39]
B
That's surprising. Well, they don't like to lose. I know that.
- [26:42]
A
I think there was something with Georgetown over there like a few. Was it five, seven, maybe 10 years ago? By fast.
- [26:48]
B
You played in 40 countries when you were and one. Do any of those countries stand out to you? Like you still remember when I was in an.
- [26:54]
A
I probably did 25 or 30. 40 is like how many I've been since then. Yeah. I. I had great cultural experiences a lot of places. Cuz like not. It wasn't always a vacation. Right. Like you might go to an amazing place but you really just do your promo tour, have a little fun, play the game after party and then you like out.
- [27:15]
B
Yeah.
- [27:15]
A
I mean so you don't always get to see the place but I spent a lot of time in Australia. We had like long tours over there and that was really cool. Dubai, my last and one game under contract like 08 was like in Dubai. That was pretty cool. Going to the islands and stuff is always like really dope, you know, vacation vibes. I went to Costa Rica. I really enjoyed that. Our highest crowd energy games that we ever went to was in Tokyo, Japan.
- [27:47]
B
Wow.
- [27:47]
A
Which we, we. I played there probably like seven or eight times. We did Japanese tours and then when we went to Sao Paulo, Brazil, that might have been the most popping game ever played in there was like 20,000.
- [27:59]
B
Yeah.
- [28:00]
A
Sold. To join out the energy was so crazy. I remember dribbling up the court and like I just did like behind the back at half court and they freaking out like the. Yeah, it was different. I think when you go overseas it's more of like a. They know you're not going to be over there that often. It might be the only time you ever come over there. So it's like a bigger deal.
- [28:19]
B
Yeah.
- [28:20]
A
But I remember we sold a game out there like on a Wednesday and then they paid us extra and asked us we wanted to stay till Sunday and do an another one. Damn. So we like stayed again.
- [28:27]
B
It's awesome, man.
- [28:28]
A
So that was dope. But I mean, it's really hard for me to say, like one spot that stood out amongst the rest. I think I had amazing cultural experiences in India, Mumbai, Africa. Went to Angola and I went to Uganda. So a lot of cool places.
- [28:45]
B
Yeah, it's cool to see you play everywhere. You also played in some prisons. I saw. Played against the prisoners.
- [28:50]
A
Played a prison in Nebraska.
- [28:52]
B
Wow. Yeah, that's cool, man.
- [28:54]
A
Lincoln.
- [28:54]
B
Yeah. It's cool to see basketball is such a universal thing now. It's cool to see you bring it together like that.
- [28:58]
A
Thanks, bro. Yeah, it's crazy. I was, I was looking at a stat. I was actually, I actually had a ball handling program 10 years ago. And I remember when we were doing it, we were looking up stats on like what the worldwide fan base of basketball was. And I remember on Google was like 400 million. And then I was recently looking at the global fan base of what basketball is now, and it's actually 900 million.
- [29:23]
B
Holy crap.
- [29:24]
A
Yeah. So it's grown. Like if you look at the top sports in the world, basketball. At one point, I don't even know if it was top 10 or it was like closer to 10.
- [29:32]
B
Yeah.
- [29:32]
A
I think now it's more middle of the pack. It's like five or six, but it's, you know, doubled in fan base.
- [29:37]
B
I could see that. Because the US Seems like it's no longer like the number one like we used to be by far. Now it's debatable if we're the number one. You know what I mean? We just lost in the last world. What was that? World championship or whatever.
- [29:49]
A
Oh, you're saying. Yeah, like, well, if we put our best team up there.
- [29:53]
B
Right.
- [29:54]
A
It's different. But yeah, I mean, the world's not. Yeah. Getting nice at basketball.
- [29:59]
B
They're catching up. Yeah.
- [29:59]
A
They were always really good though too. That's unfair. I think like our dream, our first two dream teams were like so good and like probably played more team basketball. So like they separated. I. I think there was always Hoopers everywhere, to be honest. But I do think the skill level is improving globally also.
- [30:16]
B
Absolutely. I mean, if you look at even the NBA, the top five players right now, I think three or four of them are from Europe. Pretty crazy.
- [30:23]
A
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. The game is getting so global it's insane. And I think that's one thing I learned too playing with M1. I never went anywhere where there wasn't at least like some decent Hoopers. Like, like decent pro level Hoopers. Like I swear you could go to like Malaysia and there'll be like some pros and big old dudes. Player Eastern Europe I played there was some pro team that was like younger dudes, like 20 to 25. I went to Eastern Europe and they were like, here, you play these, the young dudes. And I get over these dudes. It's all like, not one dude was shorter than six, six. And I'm like playing one on one versus these dudes. But like, they were all decent, you know what I'm saying? Pro level players. That's like the young. That was like a D3 pro team. So it's good. Hoopers everywhere.
- [31:08]
B
Absolutely. Dude. It's been a blast. Anything you want to promote or close off with?
- [31:12]
A
Oh, yeah, man. Well, I appreciate it. Check me out on YouTube, professor live. All other platforms, it's the Professor. Also dropping a ball handling program. It's gonna be called crossed up University. If you go to crossover spelled out in number five dot com, you get a free video right now. Five steps to the perfect crossover. And you'll be notified when my program drops. Boom.
- [31:34]
B
We'll link it in the video.
- [31:36]
A
Let's go.
- [31:36]
B
Yeah. Thanks for coming on, man.
- [31:37]
A
Hey, thanks for having me, man.
- [31:38]
B
Thanks for watching. See you guys tomorrow.
- [31:40]
A
It.