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There's the anthem Shh. Yeah. Man, just let just sit in that for a second. It's the anthem of March. Even though it's April.
An absolute banger. You are on the drive. Right here on WSJS. And Will Dorton. Also known as the W D.
And I wanted this music. I wanted to bathe in this music. Cause this is it. A champ has been crowned. Michigan beating Yukon.
Putting a cap. On the college basketball season. And this song, man, despite what the former host of this show might tell you, is an absolute banger. It's not just the highlights that make this song. I don't see any highlights right now, do you?
No! It's just the music. It's just the vibes. It's just Luther. It also means March Madness has come.
To an end with Michigan sitting at the top of it, as we just said. And as this song and the clips played last night. The transfer portal officially opened. It's tough. We are officially on to the next season.
But Morgan Corson. I gotta start with you. It's only right. You're a Michigan die-hard fan. How you feeling today?
Couldn't be better. Love that. Couldn't be better. It's a It's been a long time coming. Yes, it has.
1989. A lot of teams tried to get there and almost did. 2018, 2013, 92, 93. But This is the one. This is the one that God had done.
There's already talk of this being a top five team of all time. in all of basketball. Um not sure about that, but what I am sure of is Amongst the Michigan fans, this is considered widely considered to be the best Michigan team ever put on a court. Very well said. Very well said.
It was their first title. since nineteen eighty nine. Fab five didn't get it done. And I do think this is the best Michigan team we've ever seen. I really do.
Uh it capped A dominant season. For the Wolverines. And, you know, the thing that... Seemed to be this team's superpower was how versatile they were. The fact that they could get it done in a lot of different ways, whether it was the size with Mara and Yaks, you had that.
But they also had the shooting, they had the passing. They had the pace. Shout out to our guy, former Tarheel Elliot Cadeau, your most outstanding player. of the final four. We'll get to his story.
here in just a little bit, but The other thing I thought about with this win last night over Yukon and over Dan Hurley, as they were trying to go for their third title in four years under him. I mean, regardless, heck of a season. Like, I'll be honest, when. When UConn lost to Marquette, That's when I kind of was like, Yeah, I don't know if they're a title team. And here they sit.
uh went on the run that they did uh Dan Hurley's group. But I thought about the Big Ten. as a whole. Because the Big Ten is the conference right now in college sports. They're it.
They are because This was the first basketball championship that they've won since 2000.
So it had been a minute. But They've now won. The three most recent Men's titles? Michigan. Last night.
Women's titles. U C L A the other night. In football. With Indiana. and Kurt Signetti, three of 'em.
belong to the Big Ten. Uh That's it. They're the super conference right now. Dusty May. What an incredible job he's done.
In fact, so I... Looking at the Big Ten scope of this, the thing that I did a little homework on this. Cause I got to thinking. And again, you're the Michigan fan, so you can speak to this stuff. What Michigan was a couple of years ago before Dusty May came.
It was not good. We were struggling to get a thousand fans in the stands that last season with Jawan Howard. Yeah, so was Indiana a few years ago in football? We've all seen those pictures that went viral. But Dusty May, before he got to Michigan, Eight and twenty-four.
in 2023.
Sorry to bring up bad memories already. Morgan.
Sorry about that. The next two seasons under Dusty May, 64 and 13, and a natty. Pretty good. Indiana. before Kurt Signetti got there.
3-9 record in 2023 before SIGs. When he gets there. The next two seasons, 27-2 and a natty. Seems very similar, right? Very similar.
But don't just take it from me. Tommy Lloyd. He was One of the, you know, he was one of the participants of the Final Four here. That heavyweight fight that ended up not being so. Great for Arizona.
Um But a great season nonetheless for Arizona. Tommy Lloyd inking a new five-year deal over there. Here he was. Over the weekend in Indianapolis. Speaking about Dusty Mae.
Dusty's done an unbelievable job and and you guys are gonna think it's crazy, but When they send this award, they're shipping it home. It's kind of crazy. I got Dusty's home address on it because he's deserving to be the coach of the year. He did an incredible job, and that's as good of a well-coached team as I've ever played against yesterday. And that's a tribute to him, and he's got a great chance to bring it home tomorrow.
That was the Naismith Awards brunch. Tommy Lloyd up on stage talking about What an incredible job Dusty May's done. And I mean, the proof's in the pudding, the numbers are right there. And now you've got the hardware. to prove it.
And You know. I don't know who all is going to be returning. from this team next year. Probably going to be losing a fair amount of talent. Morgan, you can probably speak to that a little bit better than I can.
Yeah, absolutely. A lot of talent's going to be going Yaxel, probably a top. Definitely top 10, potentially top 5 pick. Uh Mara is being projected to be a mid-late first round pick. Um But the ones that I have staying right now looks like it could potentially be Cado.
LJ Kaysen, who got hurt in mid-February. Trey McKinney. And potentially Moraz Johnson, which would be horrible for the rest of the country, but potentially Moraz Johnson, who's projected around a mid-second, I think. I am fascinated to see if Cadeau. goes to the draft because He obviously finished, like, he had a really good season, finished the season very strong.
But I don't know. He seems like a player that... could benefit and could really raise his stock with another year. at Michigan under Dusty May. Dusty May.
And we're going to talk about this a little more in depth: the Elliott Cadeau piece of this and the Carolina piece of it. Uh a little later this hour, but When when Elliott got to Michigan, Dusty May really turned him loose and let him play the way he wanted to play in a way that maybe he wasn't quite able to at Carolina. And I think another year of that, a little more continuity, even more confidence from what you just did. Just saying, maybe could benefit Elliot Cadeau. Uh more on that a little later on.
Michigan. They're the king of the hill. They're the last ones standing in college basketball. One shining moment, it belongs to them beating UConn last night for their first title since 1989. If you have thoughts.
And what we saw between Michigan and Yukon last night. Would love to hear from you. 336-777-1600 is a number to call. Morgan Corson, of course, taking those calls as the executive producer of this show. We've got a great show lined up for you.
We really do. The Greensboro swarm. Going to be a heavy Greensboro Swarm show. We've got a guest each hour from the swarm. Terrell Brown Jr., who is the now all-time assist leader for the Greensboro Swarm, is going to be joining us at 4:30.
And DJ Baker, the head coach of the Greensboro Swarm, is going to join us at 5:30 as the swarm prepare. For the G-League Finals, a three-game series. Starting tomorrow night out at the Novant Health Fieldhouse. The Stockton Kings, I think it's very fitting that The ho uh the hornets. beat the Kings in the in the Summer League Championship.
to win that. And now they're facing the Kings G League affiliate in the G League finals.
So they will begin that series tomorrow night at seven thirty out at the Field House. We will have an opportunity multiple opportunities for you to win tickets. on today's program. Also Shout out to Larry. The winner of our bracket challenge and the hundred dollar East Coast Wings and Grill gift card.
on WSJS.com. Also, shout out.
So we did. We did one for you guys. But we also did one in office here. Um and DJ Turner. As you know, operations manager here, making everything sound good.
across the station. DJ Turner is your champion. Didn't you finish third, Morgan? Yeah, I I finished third on the tiebreaker. There's a three-way tie going into yesterday, and I uh it was based on the uh total points scored, and I just went way too high.
So there you go. You were close. Close. You were close. Good job for DJ on his birthday, too.
Good way to end it. That's right.
So I mentioned this at the top. And by the way, Michael Malone, his He is a fish. They had the meetings today of the Board of Trustees and all of that good stuff, and the ink is now dry. Michael Malone is the new head coach of the Tara Heels, official official. We're going to talk about that and get into the contract details a little bit more in just a few minutes and get some of the reaction.
You know, we reacted to it right after it happened yesterday. But what are some of the other what did Jokic have to say about this? Stephen A. It do people think this is going to work? We'll get to that in just a few minutes.
But first, I mentioned that one shining moment played last night right as the transfer portal opened. Um And we've got some names already. In the portal, a lot of these deals happen before the portal opens, as you know. Um They just can't officially enter until today. And We've got some of our locals.
Now. One thing you have to keep in mind is a lot of things are happening. Throughout the day.
So if we miss a few, we will catch them or let us know in our YouTube comments or things like that. If anything, any updates happen, Morgan is probably a good thing for you to be looking out for throughout the day. But some locals that we do know, Already and just starting. You know, with the with the trendy team right now, with the new coach and Michael Malone. There's some tar heels that are already in the portal.
In fact, yesterday we talked about it towards the end of the show. Derek Dixon. He declared for the transfer portal yesterday towards the end of our show, and I was a little surprised by that. You know, I guess I shouldn't be surprised with the regime change and everything, but. I don't know.
He seemed like a guy. Like he came on Kyan Evans. He's also in the transfer portal as of today. The Kyan Evans thing just did not work out, him coming from Colorado State. And Derek Dixon, while not a traditionally elite Carolina point guard, he became very competent.
He became very consistent. You know, he started to play right there in that big Kentucky win that Carolina had. And You know, he brought a little bit of stability to that position. Again, nothing crazy, not super elite, but he did make it better. But he's going to be entering the transfer portal.
Zayden High also is in the portal. And Jonathan Powell, somebody that you probably would have liked to have gotten back for some shooting depth off the bench this year, he has entered the transfer portal as well.
So those are the tar heels that we know about as of right now. Again, if we miss anything, we will get it. In terms of Duke, Darren Harris. He's entered the transfer portal, came in the Cooper flag year as a freshman, was not going to play on that stacked starting lineup. He knew that.
Uh but I think he had the The thought that he would get more of a role and even maybe a starting role this year. But it didn't quite go that way for Darren Harris. He did have some moments late in the season, but it just never quite really clicked, I think, the way he or Duke wanted it to.
So he's in the portal as well. And we already talked about some of the dekeks that declared for the portal over the weekend. Jukaris, he's going to be going to the draft process, but he's in at the portal. Omaha Blue, he's entered the portal. Sebastian Aikens, Cooper Schweger, they've entered the portal.
And Miles Colvin, today, we learned that he's going to be entering the transfer portal as well, continuing to empty the bucket a little bit over there at. The Joel and Steve Forbes program.
So they're going to have their work cut out for them for sure, retooling that roster. Let's get to Michael Malone, though. And again, we'll have you updated all throughout the day on the transfer portal and any new things that break. If this goes sideways, that's on purpose. All you do is talk to talk, you just bluff it.
You're on the drive, the triads-only live sports talk show. Yes. Back at it on the drive, right here on WSJS. Gonna be joined by Terrell Brown Jr. Of the Greensboro swarm here in about.
10-15 minutes from now. As they get set to take on the Stockton Kings in the G League finals starting tomorrow night. But We must get to what's happening in Chapel Hill because... The ink's dry. The deal is done.
There was. A meeting Earlier today. Bubba Cunningham, Lee Roberts, the Chancellor. And you're going to be shocked to learn that this Board of Trustees emergency meeting at two o'clock today was to get the deal done with Michael Malone. Shocker, right?
So here are some of the details of said deal. The contract is six years. Fifty million dollars? And Pete Thammel goes a little bit further in depth here. That According to his sources, he can confirm that Malone is going to average more than $8.3 million per year on that six-year deal, and that's going to put him among the top five payers.
Paid coaches in the sport. Bill Self made $8.8 million this year, so I believe this is going to make him the second. highest paid coach in college basketball. UNC ain't playing around. They ready to get that name back out.
Oh Up where it belongs with Michigan and Yukon and Duke and those types of things. They ain't playing around on this one.
So let's get to some of the reaction from Michael Malone. And this News that broke yesterday, just before we went on air. What does he think about this deal? He had some reaction to it. on first take and here's what he had to say.
Well, I don't think it's a good hire. I think it's a great hire. I think the man knows basketball. Um obviously he's a champion. Um he coached grown men.
For ten years, in Denver. They were perennial contenders before they finally kicked down the door and won a championship. a few years back. And he was considered one of the best coaches in the NBA. And so now you're talking about shoving aside his basketball acumen, His ability to coach players.
The fact that these are youngsters trying to get to the next level to get the bag is entirely different than cats who are there and have the bag. If he could deal with that on the NBA level, he could certainly deal with it on a collegiate level. This is true. And Speaking of that NBA level, where they won the title back in 2023. Again, it was shocking.
when he got fired. year ago. Um You win a title in 2023. You're fourth in the West. And Yeah, there was some friction apparently between Malone and the GM, and they ultimately both got fired on that day.
Again, almost a year ago, it happened on April 9th of last year, so almost a year ago to the day. that that happened. Jokic. That's the face of he and Jamal Murray, but Jokic is the face of the Denver Nuggets team and That Denver Nuggets team that won the finals a couple of years ago. Um I'm glad we got this clip.
I'm glad somebody asked it up in Denver. Shout out to the Denver media. Asking Jokic on. The Mike Malone hire at Carolina. What was his reaction to it?
I'm happy for him, you know, uh little probably a little bit different. Was he ever a coach in college? No. before he was in NBA. Yeah, that's doesn't matter.
Yeah. I'm happy for the coach. I wish him all the luck.
So I think it's a little bit different just because he was coaching NBA for how many years? 12, 15 years. But he definitely have the poise and the brain to do it. I think he's going to do a really good job because I think he can actually coach the guys and he's going to have time to coach the guys and teach them how to play the game the right way. To Jokic's point there, that's one of the reasons I think this is going to work.
is because he knows how to build a winning culture. In fact, Michael Malone actually went on the Carolina Insider podcast with Jones Angel. and was talking about culture back in October. Like again, his daughter is a volleyball player at Carolina. That's the tie here.
And Like, he wasn't lobbying for the Carolina job. Nobody, it was no on nobody's radar that Hubert Davis was gonna get fired back in October, of course. Like, they that was right around before they beat Kansas. Like, that was at the start of the year.
So, Uh I do think he's going to bring a winning culture. I think he's going to bring vision. Um And he's going to bring what he's learned in building those things in the NBA very recently. And he knows how to develop players, which players want that. Like, he helped develop Shokic into what he is.
Henry Vesar, you might want to indulge in that, just thinking about that. Jamal Murray. Hey, Derek Dixon, you want to come be the next Jamal Murray? Maybe at college? Hey.
Malone helped develop him too. By the way. This is not the same thing as the Bill Belichick hire. I ain't trying to hear that. Not trying to hear it.
Because you are going to hear a lot of people say that.
Now, a lot of those people are haters. A lot of those people are anybody but Carolina people. Um Yes. The reason you're going to hear that, they're both professional. Coaches coming to the college ranks, coming to Carolina.
You're going to hear that because it... Yes, they both win championships. And you're also going to hear that because it might seem like Carolina. Just pivoted to each of them in their own way. But They are not at all the same.
Everything that went wrong with the Bill Belichick year one. And we'll see if it turns into year two, TBD. That was all specific to Bill Belichick. That was a Belichick thing. That wasn't a.
You know what I mean? Like, Michael Malone's a different cat. I guess he's now a different tar heel. Um I think Michael Malone understands what it means to be at Carolina. A lot more than Bill Belichick does.
I think Belichick wanted to be in the NFL and played a game of chicken with him, and ultimately the NFL didn't want him. And he ended up coming to Carolina. I don't think he understands really what it means to be at Carolina. And with that, what comes with that? I think Michael Malone has a real respect for it and is getting it and already got it because he told an interesting story on.
That Caroline Insider podcast about coming to some of the practices. He did that. In fact, you should go listen to that. After our show, of course, you should go listen to that because there's some interesting stuff from there about your new head coach if you're a Tar Heel fan. And.
He was coming to the practices, and then he got to the Smith Center for the first time. Hubert saw him and brought him down to sit at the floor level. And Michael Malone talked about how special that was. And I believe at practice, those seats are reserved for family. And they invited Michael Malone to sit there.
And there's a real honor that came with that, that Michael Malone talked about on that podcast. And again, he was not lobbying for this job, but he also talked about the reverence that he has for Dean Smith. And had for Dean Smith back in his younger days when he was a kid. And He talked about how special it was that when his daughter picked the daughter. Like having the reverence that he already did for Dean Smith.
He loved the fact that his daughter picked UNC because now it's like go heels, and you know, he gets to wear the gear, and he had a reason to.
So. And that's a pretty cool thing. Here was Sean. Farnum, he uh was on ESPN. And he was discussing.
this Michael Malone hire. I will tell you, to just add on to that, he's 54 years old. He's one year older than Dan Hurley.
So we're not talking about Bill Belichick 2.0 here. I was lucky enough to be there Elite 8 Saturday. NBA countdown finished and Coach Malone sat down, spent about 35 minutes with him just talking basketball. His passion, his sense, and his finger being on the pulse of not just, by the way, what was going on in the NBA game, but also the college game as we were watching the Elite Eight games together. I'm telling you, he's going to make a natural transition over.
His basketball acumen, in particular at the offensive end of the floor, is going to be invigorating for a lot of players to want to be a part of. I think North Carolina got this right.
So there you go. Lastly, last clip here. What does this mean for the Carolina family? Because. He is an outsider.
Like, yeah, his daughter goes there, but this isn't the Carolina family that we're talking about when we talk about Carolina family in basketball. He got Michael Jordan Roy Williams blessing, so that's Carolina royalty. Check, check. Check those boxes off. But some of the players have already started talking about it.
Like Justin Jackson posted on X yesterday that he loved this hire. Theo Penson, I think, also said this is a great hire. Ty Lawson loved this hire. And it goes even further than that. Tyler Hansborough was thrilled and pumped up about this hire.
Here was Danny Green. A champion back in 09, of course. Who actually has a little bit of a more interesting perspective because he's actually had a pretty long and tenured multi time NBA champion career, and so can kind of speak to more how the NBA piece will come and synchronize with college basketball. I see it because, again, what player wouldn't want to play for a coach that knows the NBA level and knows how to develop or produce, you know, that type of thing.
So he's been on that level. He started out from, I'm going to say the bottom, but he was, you know, assistant coach, helped develop guys along.
So he knows how to do that and he knows what the pros are looking for. And he has a great relationship with GMs and professional teams and that nature.
So if you were a kid, which most of these kids now, Want to come in. Everybody thinks they're a one and done for some odd reason, but he can coach you to win, but he also can coach you to get to the next level.
So, yeah, I think he's going to, again, surprise a lot of people. And I mean, I said I'm rooting for him. Of course, we are rooting for him. We hope he crushes it, but I believe he will crush it because that's just who he is and what he's done since I've known him. The player development piece and that NBA tie, it's big.
Players want that nowadays in college.
Somebody that can get them to where they want to go in the league.
So, Michael Malone, the deal's done. His introductory press conference tonight at 6 o'clock. It's open to the public in Chapel Hill at Smith Center. Doors open at 5. And it is at six o'clock, so it'll be on right when we get off air.
One, two, three. You're on the air. Your afternoon just found its fast late. You're on the drive. Back out on the garage.
Right here on WSJS and The Greensboro Swarm. You'll see that jersey back there. The swarm, they're having their best season in franchise history, getting ready to start a three-game set in the G-League finals against the Stockton Kings tomorrow night. Your chance to win some tickets a little bit later on out at the field house. And this guy, our next guest, he's become the all-time assist leader in Greensboro this year.
He's a Washington alum, and he is Terrell Brown Jr. Terrell, how are you doing, man? I'm doing well. How you doing? I cannot complain, man.
So. This is your third year in Greens, bro. And you've seen all the growth that's taken place in that span between last year making the G League playoffs for the first time in franchise history to this year hosting games, and now you're in the G League finals. What's been the most gratifying part about seeing this journey over the three years that you've been here? I would say the process and like the whole being together.
There wasn't many of us that, you know. Usually the G League changes so much. It's really rare to have players come back to the same team and Players that have gone through the ups and downs, and now you know the really highs. But like for me, Jalen Sims and Marcus Garrett, we've been here for three years together. And, you know, the first year was a rough patch.
The second year, last year, you know, was growth, you know, making the playoffs. And now it's like, all right. Let's really get the job done this year. You know, um Coach was telling us that there's a real DNA on this team of like winning what's in front of you. And a lot of times in the G League, like you got two-way guys that, you know, they're trying to develop to NBA players, but it seems like the two-way guys that you guys have, whether it's PJ Hall, Liam McNeely, um, Tajan Salon, Reeves, like.
Yes, they're trying to develop as NBA players, but they're really bought into winning at this level, at the G-League level, winning what's in front of them, and they're hungry for it. What does that say about the DNA of this team and the character of this team? I don't think it just goes to this team. I think it's also from the Hornets. I think a lot of it is just the chemistry that they have up there.
They're also willing to win down here. You know, um, There's things terminology that we bring from both ends, from the hornets to us, that you know, is. hand on you know And I will say like, As a unit, that we're together unit. We're a close unit. Um We're always, you know, having fun, talking to each other in the locker room, but also knowing that, like, when it's time to, you know.
Get into one another to pick it up that we also can do that because we all just want to win. We know that. Every game might not be one player's great game. He might have 25 tonight, and he might have 10 points the next game. But we all are into the whole, let's just win.
It doesn't matter whose day it is, as long as we win as a team. That's all we're looking forward to. And that's just, you know, hopefully, you know. holding up that championship at the end of this. You know what?
I'm glad you said what you did about the Hornets because. Um they've been On an incredible run this year, you guys have been on an incredible run this year. And again, there's just so much growth, whether it's the summer league title, now you guys in their G-League finals, and now the Hornets-you know, they're right there on the cut line. If things break the right way and they do the right things, they might be able to just skip the play-in tournament and just get into the playoffs. How crucial has that You know, bond between Charlotte and Greensboro, Charles Lee and DJ Baker.
How crucial has that been to the growth? Because this is a trend here. This is like a common theme. This isn't just love. How big of a deal has that been?
I think the connection just comes from, you know, when Boozo trying to ramp up. Into getting to playing shape, like Josh Green and Brendan Miller. They often send us to Charlotte to help them out, you know, to give them some like five on five competitiveness. Even Lamello at times came down or we went up there to help Lamello out. And it's just like the same exact type of game.
You know, we're playing the same exact plays. um all the terminology like i said earlier was the same And it's just like, you know, we see what they're doing up there, how close and how connected they are, you know, from, you know, even. Was it Kobe White came in late during the trade deadline, and he's been a great spark plug for the team? but just like just the botting system that, you know Coach Lee has up there. And then, you know, with Liam and them guys up there, also, they're also putting it down here to help us out.
You know, I like how Kendrick Perkins put it about a month ago. He called it agenda-free basketball when he was talking because the Hornets had just beat the brakes off the Celtics and like people were finally starting to. I mean, we already knew being local, but the national heads were starting to really take notice. Terrell Brown Jr. with us here on WSJS.
So now we get to the fun stuff. You guys have a three-game set for the championship starting tomorrow night, Stockton Kings. What does a typical game day routine look like for Terrell Brown Jr.? You got food, music you got to listen to. What does it look like?
So it just depends. For myself, I always try to get something light before the game or before shoot around. Yeah, more than shoot around. Um I'm big into like Healthiness.
So, like, last game I had, like, was in a row, and I had like a week, a week grass shot. which ain't is that doesn't taste the best, but it helps me out. And I'm really into like beet juice before the game. I've seen like a nutrition fact that it helps you with some energy.
So, like, I'm into things like that. And pregame playlists, I get here super duper early to get my treatment in early. Um just in case if I Kind of miss them by having another treatment slot. Prepare for the game. But everything's for myself is the same.
It's the same routine. Um, not into you know, napping too much because I feel like I get all sleepy and drowsy during games, so I just stay up and watch a lot of film. But it is normal for myself. Music, you know, treatment, activation with tile. Um and film with um A lot of play, I mean, not a lot of coaches from Brian Boyle, who's my player development coach.
Alex Bowman, who also helped me out, and Nick Thibeto, who also helps me out with on the court workouts. Yeah, I can confirm those beet juice and some of those sucker shots. They don't taste the best, but these are the lengths that you go to when you're trying to find the edge. And I respect that. I really do.
Terrell Brown Jr., best of luck to you guys as you guys start this series tomorrow night. We appreciate the time, and we'll do it again sometime soon. Thank you. I appreciate it. There he goes.
Terrell Brown Jr. right here on WSJS. And You know what? Let's get you guys out to the game. Let's do that.
Greensboro Swarm, Stockton Kings, tomorrow night, 7:30 out at the Field House, game one. 336-777-1600 is the number to call if you want in. on that action. We want to get you out there to the field house. Good times for the Greensboro Swarm and the Charlotte Hornets.
More on them later. But right now, We were talking about Elliott Cadeau. And You know, we've got diehard Michigan fan Morgan Corson on the ones and twos over here. Elliott Cadeau. Most outstanding player of the Final Four People don't People really tend to not like Elliot Cadeau sometimes.
Because he's one of those pesky guards, how he plays. How would you describe his game if you had to? He's very fluid.
So he's what you need him to be. He's more of. He's more of a quarterback than just a pull-up three. Yep.
So he's more of, he's going to dish it before he takes it himself, unless he has a good look. Um he's very good at making sure that He's not forcing things also.
So he's not reckless with his passes. He's very good at passing. We saw against Arizona, he was dishing it off the backboard because Arizona had height.
So he's very good in his. I would say his game overall is very fluid. It changes to what he needs it to be for that game.
Okay. I think that's all very well said. And again, 336-777-1600 is the number to call. If you went in on these swarm tickets, as it looks like we've got somebody on the line there. Yeah, Elliot Cadeau.
He He is Yeah. Randolph Childress, he said it on the Field of 68 podcast last night after the game that. One of the greatest compliments that you can get as a basketball player is how effective. You are without the ball. And I to that point Uh I was listening to LeBron James and Steve Nash, the podcast that they do.
Um And they had Steph Curry on. Yeah, they had Steph Curry on. And LeBron was telling Steph, and to his face, like one of the things that is so, like, what makes him Steph? Is what he's able to do and how much he is all over the place when he doesn't have the ball. That's one of the most frustrating parts about going up against Steph.
And Elliot Cadeau has a lot of that in his game as well. Elliot is also one of those guards that people can't stand, as we'd mentioned, because of how downhill he gets, how pesky he can get, how he can get to the cup, and He knows how to draw the fouls, man. He does. That's what a lot of people can't stand about him, but he knows how to get the foul calls. He does.
Um And this is the part where we get to. Everything that happened at Carolina. obviously did not end great for Elliott Cadeau. Uh With the tar heels and You know, he goes to Michigan and Dusty May. He got him right because The problem was for Elliott Cadeau at Carolina is that Like the potential was there.
It was? And the skill set was there. Dusty Mae was talking about that as well. Like he already knew what he was made of just from watching his tape. But the problem was is he was trying to share with R.
J. Davis and with Seth Trimble, and there's only one ball to go around. And under Hubert Davis, he wasn't quite able to play freely. The way he wanted to, and Dusty Mae turned him loose. Dusty Mae said, No, no, no, there's the ball.
He let him play the way he wanted to, which is why I think Elliot Cadeau had the year that he did, resulting in a title and a most outstanding player of the year award. But. Dusty May, he was asked last night. About Elliot Cadeau and Uh You know, the evaluation that went into him in the offseason. And there's actually.
A tar heel tie here that Was a lot of the reasoning why he decided, yep, let me go get him. We had seen him in prep ranks and we had seen him in high school ranks, and we felt like we needed a quarterback. A pass first quarterback on the floor at all times. And with Elliott, once we got him, we were able to sell him and even. I coached Sean May years ago in the AU basketball.
And so I called Sean and I sit and he gave me all the intel and everything on the background. And I just said, let me ask you one question. Would 17, 18-year-old Sean May, who was a McDonald's All-American NBA player, All-American, all-would he want to play with Elliott Cadeau? And he said, Explicative, yeah, absolutely, let's go. And I said, That's all I need to know because Sean is one of the smartest, best players I've ever been around.
And so I valued his opinion that much.
So Sean May was kind of the tipping point there. Here was Elliot Cadeau last night talking about the journey that he's been on and, you know, how far it's come. Means the world to me like. Um I'm just so proud of myself, where I came from, like Last year I was really down on myself. A lot of people doubted me.
And I'm just so proud of myself for me to be able to. say I was the most outstanding player. and win a national championship at the same time. I don't think he becomes that. without Dusty May.
That's no indictment on Elliott Cadeau. That's... A compliment to Dusty May's coaching and having the right system around you. Like, it all matters. It does.
Like, that's not knocking Elliott Couldo's skill set. That's talking about structure and making everything groove the right way. And I think he was able to do that for Dusty May in a way that he wasn't and wouldn't have been under Hubert Davis. Talking sports the way you do, just louder with a mic. You're on the drive, the triads-only live sports talk show.
Uh Ah, man. If there's a tune I like just as much as One Shining Moment. It's this. That's what it is. The Masters.
That's how you know college basketball is over. Is when you start to. It's sad, and it's kind of soft music that kind of doesn't help, but it's still exciting. Uh. Because it means we're about to witness some terrific golf.
We're gonna eat some pimento cheese sandwiches. And hopefully, it means we're going to visit, gonna visit with John Dell of the Winston-Salem Journal here. Uh In a day or so, he's already in Augusta. He's gonna be there all week long and uh I think he might try to phone in.
Sometime this week. Gotta get those details still ironed out. Um So we want to do this draft. Because We just had the bracket challenge on WSJS.com. For not done.
We're not done. At WSJS.com right now, you can get in on what we call the green jacket. Challenge. East Coast Wings and Grills done It Again. $100 gift card on the line.
Congrats to Larry, who won the bracket challenge and won our East Ghost Wings gift card. Congrats to DJ Turner for winning the office bracket challenge. But What the green jacket challenge is, is you choose Four golfers, and then a sub. You get one sub. And essentially, you get a $33,000 salary to put this team together, and then the lowest score wins: $100 East Coast Wings and Girl gift card.
Morgan and I are going to get in on the action. I'm gonna do it. Right now, we're going to draft our teams. And uh Let's do this thing. Let's do that.
So I'm going to. Who do you want for golfer number one? Who do you want, Morgan? A lot of people are calling for Scotty Scheffler to win this. Yeah.
Get his third before 30 tying. With Tiger and Nicholas? I'm not going that way. John Robb. Wow.
See, this is the tricky part: you got to spread the wealth around, you got to do that. I don't care. Scotty Scheffler, 11. What is that? $11,000.
Give me Scotty. See, I was thinking about Scotty, but. Roman. Ten thousand dollars. And he won in 23.
and he tied for fourteenth last year. And he's the second favorite this year, so. Second pick. Jordan Speeth, $9,300. All right.
I dig it. Any reasoning there or just, you know I figured two big splashes at the beginning. Probably set you up better for the end. Here's my splash. Let me just take the other favorite: Rory McElroy.
I'm going big or going home here. I like Rory and Scotty against the field. I really do. Let's see there. How much does that total bring you?
So that was $10,800. Oh, no. I've I've got $5,600 remaining. There's no golfers above $6,000. Am I able to do that?
Yeah, there's no other golfers. Oh, no. Alright, Shane Lowry, it is. That may not cut it either. Let's just keep going.
Who's next? I got Matt McCarthy for $7,700. This is such a disaster. I knew it would be, which is what makes a great radio. It's a young young one here, Matt McCarthy, tied for fourteenth in his Masters debut last year, only looking to get better.
Love that. All right, golfer number three for me. Let me do Patrick Reid. $9,300. I have 3,500 bucks remaining.
Japan. It's just so bad. I might not even make it through. I might not go into it. The cheapest one is $6,000.
My fourth is Zach Johnson for $6,000. He won it all in 2007. Recently it's been in and out, but Last year top tw top eight, so He's on the he's on the resurgence. I'm laughing because I just clicked a random golfer and now I'm in the red. I'm in debt.
I'm in debt already. And I haven't even picked a sub yet. Break out the credit card. No, it's not what you're supposed to do. I don't know what to do here.
Who's your next pick?
So it's sub time now. Oh. Yeah, it's up time. Who do you like? Bubba Watson was the best sub in my opinion and over the last few years.
He missed on cuts in 23 and 24. But last year tied for 14th. He's on the ups.
Well, that's a great team you've put together, Morgan. In review, who do you have? John Rahm, Jordan Speed, Matt McCarthy, Zach Johnson, and as my sub, Bubba Watson. And I've got Scotty Scheffler and a whole lot of debt. That's what I've got.
I'm going to have to reevaluate this and maybe get back to you. Reselect some things here. This went exactly how I thought it would go, and I'm not upset at it. I hope you found it as entertaining as I did. Ready?
Yes. Punch up the audio for me now. Strap in. Sports Talk Hits Over Drive Now. Welcome to the Drive.
Back at it on the drive, right here on WSJS and This is fun because we are joined yet again. By the head coach of the Greensboro swarm, DJ Baker. After the swarm, they're the Eastern Conference champs now, and they are preparing for the G League finals. Coach, congratulations, and how are you? Very good.
Thank you for having me on. If I'm on the show right now, that means we won.
So excited to be here and glad we could be talking. That's exactly right. The Stockton Kings are going to be coming to the Novant Health Fieldhouse. Tomorrow night, 7:30, we'll have some chances for you to win tickets to go out there and support. Greensboro swarm here in just a little while, but let's start here because.
The G League, it's... It's mostly about player development, and it seems like Greensboro. Is completely on the same page from top to bottom in their DNA with that. How important has that unity been for this run to the G League finals? Yeah, I think it's everything.
You know, I think it's obviously the buy-in from the players to not only focus on their day-to-day individual development. You know, they all have roadmaps of, you know, what do I have to do to get on the court? But at the end of the day, it's developing winning habits. You know, like, how do I impact winning within my role? Each guy has a specific role.
that we meet with them on. We watch film on these things. And then at the end of the day, they have to buy in and execute to that. And so even while you're focusing on the development to players, at the end of the day, it's that development to impact winning. And so obviously, we've had guys buy into that process throughout the year and obviously put us in a good spot.
DJ Baker, the head coach of the Greensboro Swarm, with us here on WSJS. And You know, a big piece of the story for you guys this year has been the two-way guys, whether it's PJ Hall, Liam McNeely, Tajan Salon, Antonio Reeves. There seems to be a real hunger. Throughout this roster, and those guys seem to have it as well. I know with two-way guys, a lot of times it can be about just their development and getting to the NBA, but they seem to have a real buy-in to win whatever's in front of them and to help you guys win at the G League level.
How big has that been? And what does that say about those guys' character? Yeah, I think, first of all, from an organizational standpoint, Jeff Peterson and his group in the front office bringing in the right DNA of player, guys that are highly competitive, guys that are driven, and guys that are coachable and high character. And then from there, Coach Lee values it a tremendous amount and lets these guys know: hey, when you come to Greensboro, this is an opportunity. This is not a demotion.
This is not like, hey, you know, go to a different team. This is. We value your development so much that we want you to go to Greensboro.
So by the time the players arrive here in Greensboro, my job, I've told Coach Lee this: my job is so much easier because I don't have to create any buy-in or let players know other here. They know. And then at the end of the day, from my experience, Guys who are competitive, they want to play.
So, a lot of these guys might not be getting consistent NBA minutes.
So, in order to prepare them to be in those situations, they have to play. They have to get game reps. They have to get the experience. And the G League obviously is super competitive, obviously, as you know. And so, um, Those guys that bought into it, they haven't, we haven't need to sell them while they're here.
And then, like, You said they just want to win. I don't care what it is: a summer league game, a practice, one-on-one after practice. Like, obviously, real game situations in the G-League, they have that competitive nature and that competitive DNA.
So there is no. You know, motivational talk that I have to give them to get them going. They're ramped-up individuals that, um, You know, they have pride as competitors and they expect to win.
So, like I said, it's the right DNA for the players that has made my job a lot easier. You know, you may have answered some of this right there, but I want to dive a little deeper because. The franchise as a whole has been in such a great place this year, but from the summer league title to now, the swarm being in the G-League finals, the Hornets have had the run that they have had this year, and now they're at the eighth seed. And, you know, they're right there if things break the right way and they do all the right things. They could sneak past the play-in tournament and just get into the playoffs period.
You and Charles Lee. You seem to have this strong level of buy-in and culture. What do you think has led to so much of that, whether it's just with the hornets, the swarm, everything, all of it? It always starts with people. It's the people in the building, you know, like.
It's the players and their mindset and their approach. You know, it's ownership, letting everyone know, like, hey, Greensboro is really important to us. We're going to turn things around in Charlotte. Jeff Peterson and his staff, it's hiring the right people in the building. It's the support staff.
It's the assistant coaches. You know, it's our assistant coaches and the support staff in Greensboro. And then I've said this before, like Coach Lee, his energy, his enthusiasm, and his belief, even when things were very difficult last season, even in the midst of that, he never lost his belief. And I think great leaders create that vision of what we're going to build. And then everybody buys in and puts the team first and puts winning first.
And lastly, it's trusting the process of it. You know, regardless of how good things are going in a certain moment or how if you're in a rough patch with a lot of adversity, it's staying committed to daily improvement. It's we're on a losing streak. We're on a winning streak.
Well, what do we have to get done the next day? What's right in front of us? Don't look pat, you know, don't look backwards. Don't get too far ahead of yourself. You know, dominate with what's right in front of you.
And so I think. You know, everybody's got to have that alignment. Everybody's got to have strong communication. Everybody's got to be high character. The players are the ones that execute and get the job done.
But it's the vision and the. The vision from the leadership, and then the ownership from everybody else. Coach DJ Baker with us here on WSJS. Last thing for you here, and we'll let you get out of here because we know you got a lot going on. We appreciate the time as always.
I think it's very fitting that the Hornets, you guys beat the Kings to win the Summer League title. And now you face the Stockton Kings and the G League finals, a three-game set beginning tomorrow night out at the field house. What are some of the things you can share with us in terms of? You know, what do you guys need to get accomplished to take out Stockton? What are some of their things there?
Yeah, so I think our process has been the same all along. It's we have a certain style and identity for us to focus on. We got to do certain things night in and night out, regardless of who our opponent is. What's our style of play offensively? No matter how they guard us, we got to do that.
And defensively, what are our coverages? You know, we have to do that.
So, first of all, we have to establish how we play, and we've got to stick to that every night. And then the flip side of it is what are their strengths? You know, what are their individual tendencies? Who are their shooters? Who are their playmakers?
Who are their drivers? And understand who each individual guy is guarding. And then what's made them successful? How did they get to this point? Obviously, they're a really successful and talented team and understand why they get this far.
They're scoring 24 points a game in transition and fast breaks right now in the playoff game.
So, like, you got to get back. Five guys got to get back against the ball, take away anything early and easy. Know the guys are looking to get layups, know the guys are looking to get threes. And then they're a very, very good three-point shooting team, both in volume and efficiency. And so, um, you know, both.
Again, we say KYP, know your personnel, find the shooters in transition, load up to the drivers in transition, and then, like I said, Understand what has made them great, take away their strengths, make them play to their weaknesses. And so the coaches have done a great job in studying the film, studying the numbers. And then obviously, we've got to communicate that clearly and concisely to the players, and then they got to execute. And so that's kind of been our process: step at each round of the playoffs. You know, same exact approach for tomorrow.
A three-game set. Greensboro Swarm, Stockton Kings beginning tomorrow night out at the Novant Health Fieldhouse, 7:30 tip. Coach, good luck to you. Go get it done, and we appreciate the time as always. Very happy for the team.
Certainly. Appreciate your support and following. And thank you for having me on. There he goes, the head coach of the Greensboro Swarm, and we've got more tickets. We got more.
336-777-1600 is the number to call if you want in on that. If you want to get out, To the Novant Health Fieldhouse to see the Greensboros swarm. The first time they've ever been to the G-League finals. Stockton Kings, tomorrow night, 7:30, 336-777-1600. It's the number to call.
We'll get a little bit deeper into the Charlotte Hornets, who have a massive game coming up tonight against Boston. We'll get into some of the ramifications of that game. Um But first Um I saw uh Fernando Mendoza He's not going to be at the NFL draft. See With college basketball ending. Yeah, there's going to be a ton of transfer portal stuff.
There's going to be a ton of, since the hornets are good, there's going to be some. There would be NBA playoff coverage anyway, but even more so with the Charlotte Hornets. The Masters, of course. More baseball, but We're going to be talking a lot about the NFL draft that's going to be ramping up as that will be later this month. And we can't wait for it.
Fernando Mendoza. It's pretty understood he's going to be the number one overall pick to the Vegas Raiders. Um who just signed Kirk Cousins. Gonna kind of mentor him along. Got Tom Brady there as a minority owner, calling some shots.
You've got Ashton Genty in the backfield. And you got Brock Bowers there.
So. You've got the makings of some You've got the makings of something there in Vegas.
Now, it's going to take some time to build it and put it all together and get it grooving. But between Genti and Mendoza and the culture that Mendoza is going to bring to and Brock Bowers, that's triplets. That's an offensive triplet right there. I think that's what they have in mind in Vegas. But I did see he's going to be staying home with his family in Miami, so he's not going to be making the trip to the NFL draft.
He thought it was very important that he be around his family. That helped get him. To where he is.
So that's very Fernando Mendoza. That's not a surprise at all. Um So, yeah, just wanted to pass that along. Also, pass along. I know it's been a lot of Tarheel heavy news today, but that's because there's a lot happening around the Tar Heels between the Michael Malone hire and all the players that's entered the portal for them.
One of them who will not be entering the transfer portal. Luca Bogovatz. That is Somebody that we can say for a fact that will be on Michael Malone's roster next year, and I love the fact. That Luca is gonna stay. I always wondered about that.
Like as The season was winding down, and things looked like they were going the way they were down the stretch for the Heels. I always wondered, like Luca Bogavat's What is he going to do? Like It didn't go. as planned with him, not completely, he had moments. But I don't know.
He just being a European player. He didn't seem like the type that was just going to go into the portal and ghost. He seemed like he might stay put. And with Michael Malone, the NBA ties, the Jokic background, I like that. I think there's something there.
Michael Malone might be able to get something out of Luca Bogovats, like Elliot Cadeau, might be one of those guys. Like, he's got a quick trigger with the shots. He might be one of those guys. That under the right system Could be a dude. He could be like a 14, 15 point a night guy shooting the basketball.
And Michael Malone might be able to get that out of him.
So I wanted to pass that along as well.
