Taeron Hogg: Late Bloomer to Professional Hooper

A famous last name can open doors in a small town and quietly raise the bar on everything you do. We sit down with Owensboro, Kentucky’s own Taeron Hogg to talk about what it’s like growing up under that kind of spotlight, why it “crushed” him as a kid, and how he eventually reframed legacy away from stats and toward something harder to fake: being a genuine person.

Taeron shares the people and moments that shaped him, from his grandfather Houston Hogg, a local figure whose influence reached far beyond sports, to a childhood home marked by service through foster care. We dig into the real-world lessons that came from those experiences: empathy, structure, faith, and the kind of character that holds up when confidence dips or plans change. If you’ve ever felt behind, overlooked, or tired of carrying expectations, his late-bloomer mindset is a reset button.

We also get honest about the behind-the-scenes reality of college basketball and professional basketball in Canada. Taeron breaks down the mental ups and downs of a season, what it feels like to “restart” as a pro in Halifax, and why tying your entire identity to sports can be so dangerous when the game ends. The big takeaway is simple and challenging: accountability is the fastest way to grow.

Listen, share this with someone chasing a dream, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next All Things Owensboro story. If you enjoyed it, leave a review and tell us: what does legacy mean to you?

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It's been a great episode and I hope you share this with all your Owensboro friends! Thanks for the support and again, if you have questions or guests ideas, send a text!

Transcript

Legacy And Pressure In Owensboro

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Well as a kid, as a kid, it kind of crushed me. He was like my first superhero, honestly. There's no pressure when it comes to being a Jamie person.

SPEAKER_00 0:23

In Owensboro, Kentucky, some last names carry weight before you're even old enough to understand why. For Taylor Hogg, basketball was never just basketball. It was long before the points, before college athletes, and before professional contracts in Canada, there was legacy. A grandfather who helped break barriers, a family known for opening their home to foster children, a city where people knew the hog name long before they knew Terran's game. And for a while, that pressure followed him everywhere. But this isn't the story of a child prodigy. This isn't the story of the Cat-Miss superstar Everyone saw coming. It's the story of a light bloomer, a player who questioned the journey. A young man learning the identity had to become bigger than sports. There's no pressure when it comes to be a genuine person. From Owensboro, the college basketball, the professional level in Halifast Canada. This is a story about growth, about accountability, about legacy, about becoming the kind of man your city remembers long after the final buzzer. This is all things Owensboro. This episode is all about legacy, family, and carrying a name in a city where people know your grandparents before they know your jump shot. Today's guest grew up surrounded by service, sacrifice, and a family that opened their doors to countless foster children over the years. And somewhere in the middle of all that, a kid from Owensboro chased a basketball dream all the way into professional basketball.

Leaving Town And Finding Belief

SPEAKER_00 2:26

So Tayron, thanks for coming on today, man.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Appreciate you having me, brother.

SPEAKER_00 2:32

Alright, Tayron. Well, thanks for coming on the show. And when did you first realize basketball might actually take you somewhere outside of Owensboro and into the professional level?

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Well, into the professional level. But as far as just taking me out of Owensboro, probably my I went I had a postgrad year where I went to West Virginia and played for a year. That was the first time I started tra like that summer I started traveling. They started sending me a couple places to play in like little postgrad tournaments and stuff like that. That was like my first few times on a plane and stuff like that. So I started I started realizing then.

SPEAKER_00 3:11

That's really cool. You know, Go Share came on last year, or last year, last week, and said that you were a late bloomer. And so what would you say to kids in high school right now who are feeling overlooked or behind everyone else?

SPEAKER_01 3:22

That are feeling overlooked, that are behind everyone else.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Yeah, like you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

I get what you mean. Really just self-reflect, be accountable for what's really going on. I think there's a lot of like a lot of blame and stuff that gets tossed around when you're in those positions. But I I just I'm just a big fan of like looking in the mirror as far as what helped me kind of just focusing on myself and what I'm doing wrong or what I'm doing right and build on it.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

Gotcha, gotcha. No, that's awesome. And I, you know, who knows who's listening to this podcast? And hopefully there are a high school at leads who listen to this who you can get encouragement from you and your journey for sure. And so, you know, for the next question I have is you know, I know you could probably say Coach Tray, you could say your grandparents, I don't know, but who believed in you before the stats did?

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Who believed in as far as being a basketball player or just as a person?

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Yeah, yeah, I think so. Yeah. Who believed in you?

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Yeah, yeah. Probably for sure my my close friend Deontay Douglas, he always told me I was gonna be a good basketball player. Regardless of any bad game. He's probably he's probably the number one person outside of my family. My family always gave me like a lot of support. I've had support from my family since I was really young, but probably Deontay Douglas, honestly. He was early great.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah, Deontay's great. So he's early, early. Like when you were like elementary. I don't know. I know you guys have known each other forever.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

So more like middle school, stuff like that, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Oh, really? Okay. Okay, gotcha.

A Grandfather Who Shaped A City

SPEAKER_00 4:45

All right, well, you know, Houston Hobb, uh he is famous. Uh he's one of the first uh black players to ever play in the Southern Southeastern Conference as a football player. And you know, for him, you know, he wasn't just your grandpa, but you know, for a lot of people in the city, he was somebody who shaped history in in Owensboro. And and for those who maybe were on the outskirts or in the margins who maybe weren't getting believed in. And so so talk about your grandfather. Like, talk about, you know, like how did how do you think, well, looking back at at Houston Hollywood, how did he shape Owensboro?

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Um, well, everybody knows my grandfather was my best friend. So first he was he was like my first superhero, honestly. He was like the uh That's cool. He was bigger than life to me. He kind of created my whole life as far as like my environment growing up. So he was he was everything to me. He was a big influence as far as like character development and morals and showing me what it what it really meant to, you know, go out and influence the world in a positive way. So he's he's just one of those people, man. He's one of those people that impacts a lot of a lot of different spaces and it's always positive. So yeah. He's like my my first superhero. I feel like he was dad for the city and he was that for, you know, history.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

That's

Growing Up Around Foster Care

SPEAKER_00 6:01

really cool. You know, your you know, your grandparents, I didn't know this until I knew you, but your grandparents fostered a lot of children over the years. And so what did growing up around being around foster children, being around those who are in foster care, what did that teach you about life and people?

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Uh it gave me a lot of different perspectives. It helped me see a it helped me see a lot of different walks of life up close and really get to really get to interact with them and mingle with them and understand them. So I started becoming like a lot a lot more empathetic than I feel like a lot of other kids probably would be. Because I also I was up close with it and like I understood their situations and got to hear from them consistently. So that kind of shaped me into being, you know, somebody that thinks of of others and what they're going through.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Yeah, that's cool. And and I've saw I've seen you like you worked ever at the rec before you headed out to Canada and like you were really good with people when they came in. Um I think that was definitely a plus. And so, you know, there is some pressure of carrying that hog name, especially in a smaller town

Redefining What The Name Means

SPEAKER_00 6:56

of Owensboro. And so, you know, kind of give us an inside look. What what did it look like when you grew up carrying that name of Hog uh around Owensboro?

SPEAKER_01 7:04

Well, as a kid, as a kid, it kind of crushed me. As a kid, I was I was more focused on the wrong on I was focused on the wrong things. I felt like carrying the name had to be sport performance related instead of just exemplifying what it means to really be a hog or really be somebody that's similar to Houston Hog or Deborah Hog, the people that raised me, like they're just good people. I feel like I focused on the wrong things at first, so it kind of put it put a lot of unnecessary pressure on me, but there's no pressure when it comes to being a genuine person. I kind of been I've been practicing practicing it for my whole life and seeing it. So once I started, once I switched the focus to that, life got a lot, life got a lot better for me.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Oh, that's cool. You know, your grandparents, you know, they they were huge models for you, for the community, for others

Structure Faith And Quitting Thoughts

SPEAKER_00 7:50

in the community. You know, what is something that your grandparents modeled that you hope you carry into your own family someday?

SPEAKER_01 7:56

Really just acceptance, but with a good balance of structure. I feel like they were they were always they were always open to letting me be myself, but at the same time they were. It was a structured environment. My grandma came with that side, you know. My granddad kind of kind of let me run loose a little bit, but she brought a lot of balance. So I want to bring that to my household. I want them to I want them to be good people and you know be their own version of themselves or whatever, but I definitely want I definitely want a structured environment in my household. I feel like my grandma did that too.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

No, that's cool. Yeah, and I know for you, you know, you talk about your grandma, you know, she's always making sure you're getting in the word, at least you're you know you're being prayed for, which is really cool to have that in your corner. I mean, so that's really cool that she's sticking with that. She's you know, she obviously gives up with a lot of people, and for her to, you know, make sure she's intentionally reaching out to you, uh, is was encouraging for me. Maybe one day I can do that to my grandkids, and whether that's annoying or not for them, we'll see. And and maybe I just don't care about it. But I feel like it's good to be intentional with your grandkids.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

And so I I really like to highlight my grandmother though, because there's always a lot of focus on my granddad, because you know the sports sports side, he was an amazing person, but he also partnered with an amazing person to to build like a a super solid household and family. So she definitely she's she's a big part of that.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

Yeah, so shout out to Miss Deborah. You know, maybe I'll get to meet her before I I head out. But uh, you know, you talk about you talk about basketball, and you know, there probably was a point at some point where you might have maybe quit or thought about quitting, or she just questioned the journey. You know, what what moment was that was there a moment like that? And if so, what did that look like for you?

SPEAKER_01 9:34

The moment, a moment that I wanted to quit.

SPEAKER_00 9:36

Yeah, the moment, a moment that maybe you thought, this isn't gonna work out, what am I doing?

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Yeah. Well, I've had a million of those moments, obviously, because I um I mean I've played basketball and left basketball, played athletic basketball numerous times. Numerous times I've lost the game and uh for different reasons. But all the reasoning was kind of it was kind of I think it was weak minded stuff, honestly. Like now when I look back on those times, there was a lot of those times where I was just running from my situation and things like that. So it was never like there was never a real valid reason to to quit or nothing like that. Like when I look back on those times, I really just kind of learned from where I was at, where my mind space was.

Church And Rec Community Invite

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Hey, quick pause. I'm Brad Winter, host of All Things Owensboro Podcast. If you're looking for a church that feels like home, we'd love to invite you to First Baptist Church Owensboro. We gather Sundays at 10 30 a.m. right next to the Blue Bridge. Infos in the show notes, and if you reach out, my family will gladly sit with you. Looking for a place to get active, connect with others, and have fun as a family? Then come check out the rec at FBC Owensboro. From open gym and a weight room to upward sports and community events, there's something for everyone. Memories are super affordable, just $2 a day, $10 a month, or $60 a year. And get this, families, you only pay $120 max for the entire family for the whole year. And if you're a senior, college student, or one of our city heroes as a teacher, first responder, or healthcare worker, you get a discount too. The rec is more than a gym, it's a place to belong. Alright, well, let's go to number nine.

The Work Nobody Sees

SPEAKER_00 11:29

So, you know, you're a thousand point scorer in college, which is a big deal. And so, like, what's the part of becoming a thousand-point scorer and a professional athlete that people that maybe people never see? You know, like what's the what's the stuff that's behind the scenes that that people don't really think about?

SPEAKER_01 11:45

About being a thousand point scorer in college and being a professional.

SPEAKER_00 11:49

Yeah, like, you know, people will see it on the outside and like, oh, you're successful, you're doing great, uh, which is all true. But like, what what are some things maybe they don't get to see that has has allowed you to become and have those athletes?

SPEAKER_01 12:00

Probably just the ups and downs of a season. The ups and downs of a season are really tough. Just kind of taking hits on your confidence consistently. And then, I mean, just as far as going pro, like just restarting, fully restarting. Like, especially when you're not coming from a big school, nobody knows who you are, nobody really cares. So this isn't it's definitely not the same as college. So you kind of got to restart and prove yourself again.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Gotcha. No, and well, I think it's cool because you know, just even thinking into the next question, you know, we talk about what separates players who actually make it from players who just have talent. Like you can have all the talent in the world. You can even be a 2,000 point scorer, which would be nuts, but you could, you know, you could have all the accolades, but what what what really separates those players from making it to the next level than just having the talent?

SPEAKER_01 12:45

I say character and and lifestyle for sure. Like a lot of people are a lot of people live a lifestyle that's that's really difficult. It's difficult for them to control like the the circumstances that they're allowing into their life. So I feel like people that are able to get through it are people that have, you know, a structured like a structured lifestyle that keeps that type of stuff away from them.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

Yeah. Well, you know, you're talking about, you know, we we think of sports, you know, and I know you know this because you're an athlete, but you know, sports are such a big part of identity.

Identity Beyond The Game

SPEAKER_00 13:16

I mean, I know we can get raped into it pretty quick. And so do you think young athletes today tie their identity too closely to sports? And and if so, like like why do you think that is, or how can they maybe refocus their identity to not just be the basketball player or the baseball player or whatever?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Yeah, well I I I talk to my I talk with my friends about that a lot, and I feel like it happens frequently. And I feel like it's it's been detrimental to a lot of a lot of people across the world, a lot of people I know personally. And I feel like the reason for it is I mean, maybe just because it's there's so much money pumped into it and it's commercialized, and obviously it's a fun, it's these these sports we play are really fun, but as far as the identity, it's I feel like it's just it's kind of just like neglecting neglecting other sides of yourself for long periods of time. I feel like it's really detrimental. I feel like for young players it's it's easy to focus all your attention on doing something that brings you a lot of attention and brings you a lot of, you know, I guess popularity or whatever you want to call it. And you're just doing something that's fun. But I feel like it's important uh to develop other parts of yourself because this game really isn't all of all of life.

SPEAKER_00 14:31

Yeah, because I mean, just like the reality is is that like someday you you hang up the shoes or the cleats or the racket or whatever, you know, you put your identity in, you know, you gotta move on, which I know is not the fun that's not what people want to think about, but it's also the reality too. Like there's life after the sports as well. I mean no, talking about talking about life, talking about sports, talking about basketball.

Life And Hoops In Halifax

SPEAKER_00 14:52

You know, when I say Halifax, I don't even know I kind of know I really don't even know anything about Halifax, but you know, what's been the biggest adjustment living and playing professionally in Halifax?

SPEAKER_01 15:01

Um the biggest adjustment, I mean, obviously just being in a different country is is a lot different. But personally, I've enjoyed this whole experience. I feel like everything about it has been has been super positive. Even when I've been uncomfortable for short periods, I feel like it was only it was a good thing for me and it's it's been going really well. But as far as what I like about it, I really love this city. I feel like it has a lot of a lot of potential regarding basketball. I feel like the demand for basketball, the excitement around it is there. So and a lot of a lot of a lot of guys go pro and you kind of jump around and things like that. But like if I have the opportunity, I would like to, you know, stick around here for a little while and try to become a part of the community, really.

SPEAKER_00 15:41

That's cool. Well, uh so it's not on the questions, but like what's been your favorite thing about Halifax so far?

SPEAKER_01 15:46

Favorite thing. My favorite thing about this is for sure the people I've met. My teammates, coaching staff, like just not even just coaching staff, but literally all the staff that that helps out. There's been a lot of good people that came that came across. So for sure the people, and then um I I like the new s new scenery. I like the new scenery for sure. I hit a couple of trails, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Yeah, there's actually mountains, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Yeah, uh, yeah, a lot of forests and you know stuff like that. I'm going fishing here soon, so that'll be that'll be oh yeah, send me some pictures.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

I'd like to see what you catch. I don't know what they have up there, maybe like surgeon or salmon. You're pretty far up north, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

So I don't know yet either.

SPEAKER_00 16:29

Do I know?

SPEAKER_01 16:30

I said I don't know yet either, but we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Yeah, we'll see. Yeah, let me know. Going into the next question, like what you know, for a lot of people, like, even if it's a lower tier, it's still making it

Choosing A Legacy That Lasts

SPEAKER_00 16:39

to the next level. And that's why I want to stress people, like the second you sign a contract at a professional level, that's a big deal. And so what still feels real to you about being a professional hooper?

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Probably just where I started. Like like Coach Drace said, I was a late bloomer, so I probably was never I just was never thinking about really being a pro. I was having fun hooping with the friends or whatever. But bro, when you do that, you're gonna have to like move your face out of the screen. You can see you doing that.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

I got to see, I've been able to see your highlights, and so I know it's been really cool. And I think they have a picture of you on a on a jerk on your one of your jerseys that I saw on Instagram, so that was cool. So you're you're like you know a big dog now, you know?

SPEAKER_01 17:16

So no man, not at all. But it's fun though, for sure. This is a good time. I've been playing, I've been playing pretty decent this year. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

Yeah, no, that's cool. What's uh I don't have no I don't know, it may be in your your rapid fire questions. I I looked at it in a second, but you know, what's been uh the most unique place you played in so far? It isn't well, maybe it is Halifax, I don't know, but uh what's been the most unique place you played in so far would be with the Halifax Supers.

SPEAKER_01 17:41

Most unique place. I probably don't know the most unique, but the probably the the funnest. Well, I feel like it has like one of the best environments I played in. It's called Newfoundland. And it's probably like it's like a it's like a two-hour plane ride for us. So that that trip was always fun. We always got taken care of. And even though it was freezing, we still go out in the city and see things, and it's a it's a nice place to yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

It's really cold up there.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Freezing, brother. It's getting better though. It's getting better now, finally.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Yeah, yeah, that's good. Well, hey, well, you know, your if your grandfather watched your your entire journey, which I know he's unfortunately he's passed away, but like if he'd watch your entire journey from youth basketball to now, what do you hope he'd say about the man you've become?

SPEAKER_01 18:24

I hope he would I mean I know he would say he'd say he's proud, but I hope he would just I hope he could get just some satisfaction with with being able to tell people who his grandson is. I feel like I I know it's bad, but I feel like I let him down a lot of times in person when he came to see me and stuff, and I feel like now he'll be able to he'll be he'll be a lot more proud to, you know, not more proud, but yeah, I'm sure he's so proud of you.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 18:49

It's cool. Well, so two questions I like to ask every single guest that comes on before we're gonna rapid fire, and that is, you know, you're born and raised in Owensboro, you're obviously in a in a di a different country right now, but you know, for you, what makes Owensboro Owensboro?

SPEAKER_01 19:03

Well, the people and the size, I feel like I feel like it's just one of those cities with a lot of potential and like a really, a really strong community. I feel like we've been losing a little bit of that, but there's a lot of people that are trying to do things about it and I've been I've been really I've been really happy to see that. Hopefully when I get back I can be a part of it some more. But I feel like there's there's a lot of things that we're we're willing to get behind the support if it's packaged right and presented the right way. So I feel like this is a I feel like it's a real strong community.

SPEAKER_00 19:33

That's cool. All right, well, you know, this is kind of the more morbid side, I guess. I always tell people, but you know, when it comes to legacy, like you know, the dash on on your grade. What kind of legacy I know, I know it's crazy. You never promise the next day. I don't know. But you know, what kind of legacy do you do you want to leave? Like when people think Te Ron Hobb, like, what do you want them to remember about you? What do you what are the kind of differences you've hoped you made?

SPEAKER_01 19:58

I just wanted to be similar to my granddad. Every time we talk about my granddad, anybody that knows him, we never really talk about sports. So always the type of person who was really want to be remembered for being that similar type of, you know, just this positive influence on people and somebody that just somebody that was consistent in the say the way the way I say I'm living. I want to I want to really live it. You know, I want to be known as somebody that didn't just talk.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

No, that makes sense. That's

Rapid Fire Owensboro Basketball Takes

SPEAKER_00 20:25

awesome. All right, well, we're gonna go in 270 seconds of fame. And so we talked about your legacy and talked about your grandfather's legacy, your grandma, uh, you know, basketball family, all that stuff. Um, but this is where we kind of see where uh this could either potentially ruin our friendship or start arguments, no one's pro comment section. I mean, I don't know. But you know, and let's go into 270 seconds of fame. You ready, Tehran?

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

All right, so the first question is uh who in the NBA does your game resemble most?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Kaban Looney.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Okay, there you go. Nice, nice. Why why does it resemble him the most?

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Because uh, because Brad Winner said it and it was a bad take, and I want to tell everybody.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

Uh all right, well besides my bad take, uh who do you think uh who in the game does your game resemble most?

SPEAKER_01 21:10

I think I play like similar to like an Andrew Wiggins, you know, like a tall, like six, seven wing athletic, shoot the ball, dribble, run the sport well stuff.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah, that's cool. Well, you know, uh yeah, I don't even know what's he playing on the team anymore. I don't even know. But seriously, I don't know if he's with the Cavs or Nah he was with the Heat. All right, well, uh, who's an MBA player you wish your game resembled? You know, your game doesn't really resemble his, but you wish it resembled his.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

I wish I played like Michael Jordan.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

Well, yeah, I think everybody would probably think that, which you know, he's the goat, so that that makes sense. Uh, you know, when we talk about your time at Ellinsborough High School, you were there, I think, was it 14 to 18 or 13 to 17? But uh, you know, who's the best player you ever played with at Ellinsborough High School?

SPEAKER_01 21:56

The best player I played with is for sure Corey Garden.

SPEAKER_00 21:59

Yeah, the player you played.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

With oh a million percent, all right killer, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

I know coach talked about him. Uh they they kind of learn to to work with each other and respect each other uh over time. And I know that actually worked out really well for Coach Drake too, and for Forey.

SPEAKER_01 22:15

So they definitely tested each other.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

Oh, yes, yes, yeah. Yeah, Coach Drake definitely mentioned that. All right, so the next question is is who's the most underrated hooper that you in your mind that's ever come out of Owensboro outside of Tayron Hogg?

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Um, a million percent James Graham. James Graham is top um he's easy top 10 to me out the city already. And I feel like it's just gonna I feel like it's gonna go up as his career, as his career goes on. I feel like he's easily be a top 10 player out the city for sure.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

Yep, that's awesome. All right, so uh your next question is is uh who in your opinion is the best trash talker uh from Owensville?

SPEAKER_01 22:53

The best trash talker?

SPEAKER_00 22:54

Yeah, the best trash talk here.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

Marshall Griffiths and uh maybe like maybe like Ariane Phillips, Arias, probably that group that that group, uh cheaters, real cheaters too. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

Gotcha. But you need one bucket to save your life. Are you driving or pulling up?

SPEAKER_01 23:12

I'm shooting a midi.

SPEAKER_00 23:14

Shooting a midi, there you go. I know your middies are good. So I mean you're an all-around player, and that's great. So uh what's what's one basketball take uh you and I always debate about? Like, what's one basketball tape you always debate about?

SPEAKER_01 23:26

Me and you? Um yeah, man, you just make a bunch of bad points, brother. Like, I don't I don't know which one point. Um, we argue about my play style, and I want I want to draw attention to that. I want people to watch my highlights and tell me if I play like Kavan Looney. And then comment and tell Brad. Yeah, yeah, there you go. Tell Brad. Just tell him about itself. Just tell him about itself. He's confused.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

Okay, all right. Well, what's more exhausting? Is it professional basketball practices or arguing with me about sports?

SPEAKER_01 23:58

That's a million percent you for sure. Thousand percent.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

Oh man, that's okay. You're just gonna argue at your bonders. You know, you're always wrong. It's fun. So all right. Well, uh, you know, you you got to play in a lot of different places, college, high school, now professional level. Uh, what's been your favorite gym atmosphere that you've ever played in?

SPEAKER_01 24:18

Well, when I was at Brescia, we played an exhibition against Murray State. And it was super loud, it was packed for anything I've ever played in, and I had a pretty decent game, so it was it was fun.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

That's nice. Playing at the was it CFSB? I don't know what they call it anymore, but that is a nice that is a nice arena. Um, all right. Well, uh, what's one NBA player you know you could score on at least one time out of 10 possessions? Like, there who's an NBA player you know you're like, I I can score on them.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Um, all of them.

SPEAKER_00 24:48

All of them? All right, all right. Yeah, I like to see that. You know, I think that's a challenge. So everybody happens to come up on our episode.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

Yeah, probably all of them for sure. Ten possessions, for sure. Okay, gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 24:59

Gotcha. Even Nasreed and you know, Gobert, all those top defenders. Chances, that's nice. All right, well, yeah, 10 chances.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Yeah, for sure. I'm gonna score.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

There you go. All right. Uh, what there's one NBA player that you would absolutely lock up. Who is that?

SPEAKER_01 25:16

That I would lock clamp like that. Um, I feel like I got the best the best chance against like a like a Pat B. Somebody like that.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 25:27

Yeah. I can hold it.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

I can hold that's a little dirty, but I tug in. All right. What's the most points you've ever scored when you knew here it goes? What's the most points you've ever scored where you knew before tip-off you were gonna have a huge game?

SPEAKER_01 25:41

Um uh when I was a sophomore, yeah. When I was a sophomore, I had 30, I had 34, I had 34 and 14. And I felt really good in warm-ups. So I figured I was gonna have a good one.

SPEAKER_00 25:52

Nice, nice, sweet. All right, well, another question I have for you. Who's uh what's your favorite post-game meal after a big win? Like, do you have a go-to? Like, I get two double cheaters from McDonald's and a large pride and a spray. Like, what's your what's your go-to meal after a big game?

SPEAKER_01 26:07

I don't have one. I just go get uh I like wings. Yeah, I like wings, case of dudes, regular stuff.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

Okay, all right. So what's the hardest adjustment to professional basketball that fans never think about?

SPEAKER_01 26:20

Hardest adjustment to a leaving, obviously leaving your family. Yeah, I'm I'm just my body, so it's kind of that's kind of rough.

SPEAKER_00 26:28

Yeah, that makes sense. If Ellen's borough had an NBA team, what would the mascot or name be?

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Um that is that's tough because I just can't ever see it ever happening like, but we'll be the um we should be the we should be the Red Devils. We should be the Red Devils.

SPEAKER_00 26:41

The Red Devils. Okay, all right. Well, let's get that one. Uh College basketball or NBA. One has to one has to be you don't keep one forever. Would you do college basketball or NBA?

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Um college.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

College. Oh my goodness. Who's your favorite athlete from Owensboro when you were growing up? Uh what? What? NBA?

SPEAKER_01 26:59

NBA, my bad, yeah. NBA. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 27:02

Okay, okay. Nah, you're good. Uh who's your favorite athlete when you were growing up in Owensboro? Who was your favorite athlete?

SPEAKER_01 27:08

My favorite athlete in Owensboro. Um yeah, growing up. I was a big I was a big fan. Uh I was a big fan of my big cousin Ryan Hog. I was a big fan of Arius Phillips, Darian Morrow. Okay. So guys like that for sure.

SPEAKER_00 27:24

Gotcha. Well, if you could uh go back and play with anybody, uh let's say let's say we had a starting five. Who's your starting point guard from Owensville?

SPEAKER_01 27:34

Orangeville starting five?

SPEAKER_00 27:35

Yeah, like a point guard. Like who's your go-to for your point guard?

SPEAKER_01 27:39

Yeah, I can't do that. Um Corey Gardner, King. Do you want to be a big one? Those three. Those three. Okay, okay. Those are my favorite point guards.

SPEAKER_00 27:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 27:49

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 27:49

That's cool. Uh who who wins who wins in pickup? Is it prime Houston Hog or current Ta Ron Hog? Pickup basketball? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is it Prime? Is it your Thomas Prime or is it you?

SPEAKER_01 28:01

I'll beat everybody in my family. By the lot. Tell them to call me.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

There you go. By a lot. All right. Uh we asked your teammates to scribe you one word. Say what?

SPEAKER_01 28:12

I said tell them to call me.

SPEAKER_00 28:14

Okay, I I I'll tell them to call you. Uh, if we ask your teammates to scribe you one word, what would they say?

SPEAKER_01 28:19

Uh I feel like they would say they would say genuine. I got good relationships with my teammates always.

SPEAKER_00 28:23

That's awesome. Good relationship, you said. And then the last thing is is, you know, you come from Owensboro. How would you describe Owensboro in one word?

SPEAKER_01 28:32

I don't know. Uh, I would just say it has potential. City with potential.

SPEAKER_00 28:36

Well, that was 27 seconds. You passed around. Good

Accountability Message And Farewell

SPEAKER_00 28:39

job. Uh, you know, and it's not just because of basketball accomplished your stats, but you know, your guy who was a lake bloomer who's now a professional basketball uh in Canada, which is really cool. Um, it's still definitely an encouraging story for those who are out there as a as a young athlete in high school or even middle school. You know, before we leave, I always ask that like to ask the guest one question. I don't I don't script it uh because I think it's the goal, but you know, everybody was listening to this episode. Um they made it this far. Like, what is one thing that you hope that they get out of this episode? Like what is something that's like challenging, inspiring, encouraging? You know, what would you like to leave the listeners of all things on throw?

SPEAKER_01 29:13

I just want to let everybody know that there's that there's a lot of benefit of being accountable and being honest with yourself. I feel like it's a lot of I feel like it's the fastest way to grow. And I think a lot of people are scared of it. That's that's the main thing for sure. Yeah, no, that's most definitely.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

Yeah, no, that's great. All right, well, promoters were all to college basketball to professional hoops. Uh Tayron, your journey is proof that sometimes timeline doesn't look what you expect it like when you're 15 years old, and that's okay. And honestly, that's probably encouraging for a lot of people listening right now. And so, Te Ron, thanks for coming on, man. I appreciate you. And for everybody listening, thanks for supporting all things Owensboro. Be sure to like, follow, share, subscribe, leave a review, tell your grandma, your barber, your rec league coach, your cousin that still thinks you could have gone D1 if the coach put you in the fourth quarter, whatever the case may be. Uh, we'll catch you next time on All Things Owensboro. Tearon, thanks for coming on.

SPEAKER_01 29:59

Well, brother, thank you for having me, man. I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_00 30:03

Thanks for tuning in to All Things Owensboro, where we celebrate the stories, people, and places that make our city special. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves this town as much as you do. Until next time, Owensboro, keep loving local, supporting one another, and making Owensboro a place we're all proud to call home.