The Truth About College Basketball Recruiting, The Portal, and Coaching Changes

College basketball is a business.
That truth is hitting families, players, and coaches harder than ever.

In this episode of Baseline Truths, we break down what today’s recruiting world really looks like and why so many high school basketball families are still reading it wrong. From the transfer portal to coaching changes, conference movement, and the false idea that exposure alone solves everything, this is a direct conversation about what actually matters now.

If you are a player, parent, trainer, coach, or someone trying to understand basketball recruiting, this episode is for you.

In this episode:
Why college basketball recruiting has become more transactional
How coaching changes can wipe out opportunities fast
Why conference shifts change what programs look for
How the transfer portal is reshaping high school recruiting
What coaches are really watching during live periods
Why role clarity, defensive value, and translatable skill matter more than hype

A lot of players want attention.
A lot of families want hope.
But college coaches want solutions.

That is the truth.

If you want more real basketball conversations around player development, recruiting reality, Texas high school basketball, and what truly translates, subscribe and stay tapped in with The One-Eyed Scout.

Don’t guess the process — grab The Parent Recruiting Roadmap: https://a.co/d/0chCXmyQ

https://youtu.be/SjLU5pWokes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s2E5mYcALE

 Shoutout to The Brunch Spot in Converse — great food, great people, and always showing love to the game. This is The One-Eyed Scout Show, and remember — it ain’t for everybody. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Hello, hello, and you are on the right spot for sure. Baseline baseline truth on a Wednesday night with my man, Mr. Phillip Townsend. Phil, yes, sir. We need to really hone in on something, man, that I think people know but they don't know enough of.

unknown 1:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

And we're gonna do it tonight. College basketball at the end of the day is a business. And if you're not willing to accept that, then you're gonna be behind. And being behind costs you money. Being behind costs you emotions because the games change. You got coaching movement, you got player movement, you got NIL, you got transfer portal. And I don't I think people realize it, but you're playing against older players, portal players. The final four was loaded with international players, and staffs are trying to win right now. Right now. So tonight we're not being emotional, we're not faking like we deep thought, not for clicks, just the truth. I think a lot of people know pieces of this, but they really don't understand what kind of era we're actually in. You know, uh and and we've seen some of it happen right here. So tonight, this first segment, let's start right here. Because I think this phrase gets said a lot. College basketball is a business, but what does that really mean? And I think for a long time it was relationships, you know, I don't think it's relationships anymore.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

It's not, yeah, it's it's not, you know, uh can't can't think about it. People used to say, man, look, I mean, part of someone's recruiting thing was talking about how the coach worked with the players or the you know, the school, different things, and those were the the things that just endeared you to that, you know, program, right? I think one of the biggest things that um that still even irks me today, Ken, is when I hear especially older guys say these kids have no loyalty, they need to suck it up, and that means being behind that person, that means being being behind that person. They yeah, what happened to the days they need to go to a program and they can't leave unless the coaches want them to leave? What?

SPEAKER_02 3:56

Yeah, and and and and in truth, man, that was back when coaches held the most power because if you're gonna do a my way or highway, you gotta sit out of here.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

You talk about dictatorial. Camp, think about it. You went to a school, and that coach knew he held your career in his hand, and if you wanted a release, how many times did you hear the coach where the coach said, uh-huh, no, we don't let you go anywhere. What man? Look here. I um, you know, to me, so often that loyalty was one way street, that same coach who wouldn't let you go somewhere, as soon as the school offered him a bigger contract or what was deemed a better position, school position for him, he was out of there.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

Yeah, you know, and and uh we talked on previous shows that people were still open to high school, right? We talked about Wright State, you know, and they had brought in like three or four high school freshmen, and how I was excited to see if somebody was gonna actually stick through the developmental phase, and I think that college basketball has become so puzzle piece dependent, you know, and and that that's where kids are are missing it, you know. It's not about how many, what you can do this, do that. Do you fit what I need? And that really drives the trans transactional relationship, you know.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

You don't care, and let me ask you this how much into play do you think positionless basketball plays into that?

SPEAKER_02 6:05

You know, I I go back and forth with the positioners because you still have to have down the stretch, you still have to have an inside game. I mean, look at the the Elite Eight game, Arizona one, and uh I think it was like 110 points and 92 of them were in the paint. You know, that still has to be there.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

Um, if you look at what Michigan did to Arizona, yeah, and Arizona's Arizona's strong game was their their inside paint game, but when you started looking at height and them calling off the heights of the players, you're like, Michigan, what and Michigan showed uh where that inside game played off paid off for them.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

Hey, and you know what's interesting, Phil, is I'm an SEC guy. I ain't gonna because where I grew up, right? The Big Ten is back in a major way, not just Michigan, right? But we talk about Michigan, we're talking about Purdue, uh, we're talking about, you know, uh blank, but I'm so big on what Michigan's done. Oh, how's Ohio State flittered in in basketball, but it's not SEC dominated anymore. And I truly believe it's because the people that that used to be a developmental thing, and Kentucky was the outsider with the one and done.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

Yeah, weren't they? Weren't they? That was that's what Caliperry got crucified for, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:56

Right. And and now you don't have the developmental stories, right? Developmental stories are the guys that was at three different schools and finally ended up in the final four.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

You remember when Duke could be braggadocious and say, we graduate people, and uh nah, because remember Coach K used to not put up the banner until the whole team had graduated.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Yeah, then he would put up the banner. But talking about Duke, man, what a mess that relationship is with North Carolina right now.

SPEAKER_00 8:33

You know, well, yeah, you know, uh it's always been something, right? Yeah, yeah, it's always been something.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Man, well, you know, we know that the the big boozer's going. You know, I'm not sure about the brother, but man, he had a terrific year.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Um he better go because he is going to get critiqued on his defense so much. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Yeah, that's true, man. And and and and the thing that I want to talk about, even with with, you know, Kingston's a big story here, and and he deserves every thought he's got. You know, when he got the good, you know, the hard coaching and all this other stuff. And uh it's interesting, man, because at times Samson gets critiqued for lack of development, but Kingston, prime example, uh he went from a good college, good high school, great high school player to a lot of.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

But you know, Kev, well, look, you know, uh when I got to see him last year for the you know, first time I see him and stuff, you know, instantly I was like, man, this dude is something else, right? But the one thing that surprised me most about Kingston that I would hear them laud about him on TV was his speed, right? Uh they just talk about his speed, and I was like, um, okay. Um, yeah, I you know, I I guess uh I I guess everything kicked up a level. I mean, and you I mean you could you could I mean you can see it. I mean you you lead the team uh in a couple of uh major uh categories and uh you know playing for coach Sampson, look, nobody's gonna set up and say, uh, oh he didn't really do this or that. Uh yeah, because Coach Sampson don't play. Why did you leave Oklahoma? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:58

Hey man, you know what? Uh I uh as a San Antonian and as a sports person, so proud for him. Uh proud for Bella, his sister, man. I just wonder how riley those horse games get at home, you know, because both of them high-level players, you know.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

She's going to duke, right?

SPEAKER_02 11:23

Yeah, she's going to do. She's going to do. Um, that's all. You know, and oh yeah, yeah. I mean, and and give kudos to Ray Caldwell, Lonnie Pate, the whole SA finance basketball program, man. Um, you know, because we talked about it coming in, like we wanted to help follow, establish, you know, with the with the girls, but man, they're they're on such a high level, man, that you know, we we kind of focused on where can we do the most good. Um, but yeah, man, that's an amazing, amazing piece. And you know, and and we're gonna talk about this in a little bit later, but talking about coaches changing and conferences changing and scholarships getting changed. You know, um just recently the coach from McNeese uh took the head job at University of Georgia on the women's side, you know, and now Aradondo's got a she opened up her recruitment, but you know, you know they're in great hands with uh with with the finance program on finding a place, you know, and they do such a good job of development.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

Uh yeah, you know, Kev, this uh this gets into an interesting situation when you get into the portal, you know, with the same hand that pets you on the back or slap you across the face. Yeah, I know Pat Summit is rolling over in her grave. Oh every single player on Tennessee's team this past season, the the uh women's team will not be there, you know. Aside from the what five graduating seniors or so, everybody else went to the portal.

SPEAKER_02 13:25

You know, and so that's a good point, all right. So now we're sitting back saying a player doesn't need to see, you know, what stats he can get. The player has to ask, what problem do I solve for this staff? Because you could be over you know over here, and but they need you over on this side, and and I think, man, that's just a tough, a tough question for a 17 or 18-year-old kid to maturely say, This is what um this is what I saw, you know.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

Yeah, but you know, Kev, that's where we get into how stable, how sound is is your community that that that's guiding you, right? Because inadvertently, somebody that's transferred in a portal is making a mistake. Yeah, you know, so yeah, yeah. Tennessee, don't close that door on me.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

You know, so if if this is a business, then the next thing people better understand is the people recruiting you can disappear fast. You know, uh last year you saw a lot of coaching changes, and we decided this year, hey, we're gonna try and track, you know, and and man, people were getting hired and fired so fast, yeah, that we I just kind of backed off just just to watch. And and and you gotta know that the crew they're recruiting you, they're recruiting you as a staff and not the logo. And I think that's so important because you got, for example, uh NC State. Uh Will Wayne decides that he's gonna go back to LSU. And then uh Coach Chambers has been with Will Wayne at McNeese at uh NC State, and now he picks up the job at UTRGV, which I think it's a great hire. So now you go back and look at what part of that staff was recruiting you to NC State. Was it Wade? Was it Chambers? Was it another assistant? Yeah, because that's the staff that you're gonna need to stay in touch with.

SPEAKER_00 15:59

Yeah, and you know, you really need to know exactly. You know how Kev when you're thinking something out, especially now that you know we would know. You're really weighing all the variables. If I commit here, what if there's a coaching change? What if something happened? Because remember, some of these people, um, that coach moves on now. Yeah, that that four or five-star recruit says, Hey, I want to, uh, I'm I'm backing out, right? Yeah, well, some of the other places that you may have wanted to go, they were able to get the four and five-star recruits that they wanted. Yeah, so now you know that could be a little tougher for you to not get in. You're gonna get in somewhere being that player, but the whole point is you may have limited options where you're at, or you may find that you don't want to go because you know what that four or five-star player at that school that you wanted to go to could do.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Yeah, and I think that's where some of our local universities really um, you know, talking about Incarnate Word and UTSA. Yeah, like that you incarnate words picked up a couple of good guys out the portal. Um UTSA did one year then has has failed this past year. And so you just keep kind of watching and seeing, you know, when what's the expectation, you know, because you know, being in San Antonio, man, we have a lot of former players that that are here and and uh just kind of talk about what it was and what it is, and uh, you know, that they're not exactly happy with where we're at. Um, and I say we because we're a city, you know. Yeah, but uh no, and and that's right, you know, you gotta know that you're being recruited by one assistant, one relationship, one vision to fit in that system, and all that changes fast. Yeah, but what do you let's talk about just from your point of view? How does a coaching change reset a player's recruiting situation?

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Well, that's kind of like Kev what I was getting at, right? Yeah, what exactly are you wanting to go to that particular program for, right? Is it uh, you know, the coaching, you know, you hear so often still, and I'm glad. Well, I like the school, you know. Everyone seems so so I got a chance to meet some of the instructors and all, you know, is that enough to you know to keep you engaged, to stay there, to where you, you know, you'll endure that coaching change, right? Or is it solely, well, I went there for the head coach when really that may be the the last and the least amount of time that you're gonna spend, you know, of a person that you're gonna spend time with. Um so uh I I I just think that so much of this Kev gets down to um knowing your reasoning, and if that reason fails, what's your what's your next go-to plan uh you know immediately, right?

SPEAKER_02 20:19

Yeah. You know, I I had the opportunity uh earlier today to interview uh Trey Pinkert, a three-star point guard out of Grand Oaks. And when I asked him, you know, why yeah, around Houston, yeah. Um, and I asked him why as a 27 did he go ahead and commit to High Point University. And the young man said, you know, the staff, the school, the culture, the area, you know like it was five, he had five check boxes, man. And you could tell that the family was was involved with the process, like he was he had a good circle, but man, that's probably uh at a maturity level, uh very high to be able to you know go through the process. And I encourage everybody go to the YouTube channel and and check it out. Just went live this afternoon. Um but yeah, man, and that's that's kind of what we're seeking out in these uh in these interviews, man, just so guys and and and ladies can can see you know what's really transpiring. Because I I love the stories.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

You know, Kev, one of the things that I'm always, you know, I always kind of just kind of wonder about, you know, we see we see some players, some some some good players, right? Um, but they end up having to go somewhere else because the local schools that can use good players, uh they, you know, but they're gonna go to New York and get somebody. They're gonna go to Chicago and get somebody. And you're sitting up here saying, yeah, but you had that talent right here that you could have tried to get. What why do you think so often local institutions just overlook players? I'm gonna say on the kind of on the same level of the player that they go out somewhere and get.

SPEAKER_02 22:34

I think it's two reasons. I think one, and I've said this in in different communities, that it's recency biased. They've seen everything about that kid, you know. Um, and and you know, I'm really close with several bigger scouts, and and they were high on a couple of kids, and and I told them, I said, man, like just in this conversation, I know everything about this kid, like I know his story. Weaknesses, da da da. You come in and see two or three games. You come in and see watch two or three games on film. And recruiting is a science. It's you know, it's ever evolving, but that can really change someone's viewpoint. And I I know I fall victim to it because then I see the kid go and excel uh you know in other areas. Um so I I think one is regency bias, and I think the other is you know, what if it doesn't work? Um because everyone's gonna know that kid, everyone's gonna know that institution, and everyone's gonna know that it didn't work.

SPEAKER_00 23:59

And what if that kid doesn't start?

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Right, you know, and so I think that's number two. Um and but you know, we go back to the grass is greener, that shining bright diamond, all those things, you know, and and then man, you gotta look at where's people's recruiting strength, right? So we look at you know, we'll just kind of say like UTSA um coach Coach Church, you know, he he he's recruited South Louisiana when he was at Nichols, you know, he's recruited in the South. Um Texas kind of are you a Texas person? You know, the coach president's on the staff, and I know whenever president showed up, that there was a lot more of seeing UTSA in a lot more gyms, you know. Um we were at the um, we were at the uh what's the name, the Northside Gym for the playoffs, when it was all the San Antonio teams. And I don't know if anyone realized it, but he was there with his daughter and he was walking up the steps. I wanted to say something I didn't because you know nobody he was having a good time, you know. But I don't know that, you know, I've seen um coach with church with uh at the Brendan Steele game last year, you know, but none of those guys got recruited that I know of, you know. Um so I think like when you look at the local schools and incarnate where it is mostly at the time when I'm thinking, mostly Midwest guys, you know, so central Michigan. And I know um the head coach, you know, was from uh Dallas uh originally, you know. And I just I don't know that that people have the same relationships with with scouts and coaches because honestly, you know, we're doing some things here with with the doghouse and with uh a couple guys, you know, and and really getting things cranking with high-level workouts, and and I've told people it ain't for everybody, you know, and so you got to be a certain caliber to get in there. But and then people step back and say, Well, what's going on here? You know, like what do you man at the end of the day, Phil has been doing this 12 years? So yeah, we got relationships, X, Y, Z. You know, we got all the different components of coaches throughout the country, and I'll tell the story. There was a coach at UTRGV. I called down there and said, Hey man, you need to look at the he said, I already got my guy, I already got him. A year later, he was fired. The same coach goes up to uh uh Niagara University. Call him up there, tell him about the Scarlet. Oh no, man, I got my guy already. I got my you know, my my my person's giving me info. Guess what? He got fired a year later. So people are overly loyal to there's not enough transactional relationship in there, yeah, because it's the same thing that we talked to parents about, you can't be emotional in this business. You know, uh we were at the Elite Noble Camp and uh Terrell Harris, uh NBA champion, NBA developmental uh player coach, uh player development, made the comment that you know, when a point guard, when you when you're pushing up and they're coming to set that screen, a high pick and roll screen, and you don't get through it, and you say, Oh, I got bumped, I got filed. Right. At the end of the day, it don't effing matter. You got there or you didn't, and that's the bottom line. Oh, yeah. And so when you and whenever I can see it that way, and when you can see that, but it takes the the parent or the player to understand you did or you didn't. There's not an excuse, I rolled my ankle, there's not an excuse. It goes back to we used to talk about uh players with defense, they would make excuses on why they couldn't do this, do that. Then you confront them with it, and all of a sudden they're playing defense, you know. Um, I don't know how I got off of that tangent.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

You know, but Kev's, you know, sometimes, well, but getting back to like you said, you confront them with it. Uh I'll just say sometimes you have to make people aware of something they aren't doing because sometimes they think they're doing it, right?

SPEAKER_02 29:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 29:05

And and you and then you point it out, and they're like, oh, okay, I got it, I got it, I know, yeah, I know what you're saying.

SPEAKER_02 29:13

Um, you know, you know, and it goes back to that. That's one of the things that that we learned this year. Uh, we built all of our a lot of our covers over the school year based on a handful of kids that did or didn't get it. And so once we had started having one-on-one conversations behind the scenes, some people change, some people different. And people have to get past the point of taking it personal when it's really the truth and trying to help you develop. Because if you don't want it, it's not everybody don't want it, cool. I'm not worried about it. At least I you can't say that you weren't told that this is this is what's happening.

SPEAKER_00 30:02

Yeah, isn't that what you want to do, Cad? You you want to be able to take away that thing where someone can say, Well, why didn't you tell me that?

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 30:12

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 30:13

No, I did. I didn't.

SPEAKER_02 30:15

Yeah. Because at the end of the day, man, like, ignorance isn't going to make it any better. You know, especially when a coach changes and that recruiting board that you were on vanished in two days. And now that new coach has an opportunity to change his the philosophy. They might not need your position anymore. So you're waiting to see if you're gonna be re-offered by that that that university, and really and truthfully, the whole market shifted, you know.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

So well, you know, Cab, a lot of people don't, you know, know they might know pieces of it, but you know, still don't really understand what kind of era we're actually in, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:10

You know, and and people may think they're being recruited by a school. When you think about this, you're really being recruited by one man's opinion. Yeah, you know, and so that right there, man. You know, we'll take this point. I keep telling kids and parents to shift their kids from Instagram to Twitter. Instagram is great for social, you know, pictures. Uh, it's great. But the people that are making decisions, they're our age, or my age, or a little bit younger than my age, and they're on Twitter. So you can sit back and say, I remember that cartoon, man, and uh there's a street light on one corner and another street light on the other corner. And one guy comes up and says, Hey, can I help you, man? He says, Yeah, I lost my quarter. He said, Where'd you lose your quarter? Oh, it's on the other the other corner, but the light's much better here, you know. You never find a damn quarter, man. Right. So anyway, man, let's let's let's keep it moving, you know. Um, you know, families here, D1 is D1, mid-major's mid-major, and he can play there. But you know, you really don't understand that when the conference changes, when programs expectation changes, when the style changes, when the NIL changes, what gets recruited changes too. Same logo, just a different standard. And that, my friend, I've seen people change conferences and pull scholarships. Thankfully, when we saw that, it worked out for the young man and very excited for him. Then you look back and you say, uh I remember back when a high-profile kid here was getting recruited, and I kept beating up this one school and asking, you know, why, why? And it was because the school already knew they were moving up a conference, and so uh while that player will be ready to play at that new conference about a junior and a senior as a freshman and sophomore, he's not ready. So again, business, business, business, and at the same time, you say, well, it's relational because he's not gonna bring him into a situation where he's gonna get cut. You know, um, you know, I from your vantage point, I know that the Oklahoma basketball program uh has been a frustrating, frustrating thing. Um, talking to you and some Sooner fans in Texas. Um, you know, but but what's gonna happen when the school rises their expectations? What's gonna happen if the roster doesn't catch up? And to the point they are giving him supposedly more NIL money to do so.

SPEAKER_00 34:39

Yeah, but Kev, think about that. You're Oklahoma University, it's not like you're the sisters of the poor, and you you haven't caught on that you gotta really kick in some NIL bucks. That is insane to think, well, hey, okay, this year we're gonna we, you know, we're gonna bring coach back. I know everybody thought he was out the door, but we're gonna bring him back, and you know, this time we're gonna give, you know what, we're gonna give him some NIL money. What you're in you're in the SEC. Well, you know, people are kicking down big bucks, and you wanna set up. And look, I know Oklahoma's got a lot of a ton of small towns, because I'm from one of them, but you don't have to be small-minded when you have big money.

SPEAKER_02 35:46

Man, I just I knew I was gonna get the reaction I wanted. Uh, you know, so now how should players, and we use Oklahoma as a as a as a standard right now, how should players think differently about Oklahoma, about where they fit? What do you think those the changes within our L money is going to do to benefit the university?

SPEAKER_00 36:14

Oh, uh, you know, Kat, look, Wayne Tisdale's not walking through that door. So, you know, the thing is, is that Oklahoma's already behind the eight ball. You're still gonna, it's still gonna take a while. Uh I mean, look, even in your heyday, you still weren't necessarily drawing the big time people, the big time people you can name Wayne McTisdale Alvin Adams. Well, I'm in Oklahoma. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 36:50

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 36:51

So they, you know, and so you weren't really bringing them then, and you didn't do anything to foster an environment to want to try and get some of the really top names. I mean, you look at Fears now, Oklahoma, Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, you see. So, you know, so if you do nothing else, talk to some of your look, talk to some of your colleagues and find out how they get top-notch players from all over the country. You know, spend some money, stop just looking in your back door, out your back door. Goodness gracious.

SPEAKER_02 37:42

You know, and and it's interesting, man, because uh I'm sorry, it's got it.

SPEAKER_00 37:50

I forgot to mention you.

SPEAKER_02 37:52

Hey, I was giving you the opportunity to fix it, you know. But uh, but you know, and and I think to a point, you know, trade's done a good job. I don't know about how the pros are about coming back to the state of Oklahoma. And I'm making a point on this. I think the pros that come out of Dallas return to Dallas and give back more like instructional pieces, you know. And I think that you see some of that with you know uh the Rashad Lewis's, the the Jermaine O'Neill with with Drive Nation with the Dynamic Prep. You know, and I and I know that they don't have to, but I would like to see more with the city. And I don't I'm not trying to pinpoint at one person or two people or anything. I'm just trying as a whole, you know, because Jordan Carson does come back and do the all-star game. You know, the Roberson family is involved in other things, but I think that's part of the harsh, harsh reality is that we don't have more pros that make it come back. Like we never see um Torian. You know, Torian Prince uh was involved with uh with the program for with the city for a minute. You know, he's from here, and that's not a shot at him, it's just a different mentality within the city, and um I think that's that's part of what's holding us back because you got a lot of people that think they know what it takes to get there, you know. Um very few people have been there, very few people have instructed the people they got there, right? And so there's a lot of I think instead of I know or I did. Um but I think that's that that's that's starting to change a little bit, you know. Um, but no, that and that was one thing that you know people always talk about the city, city, cities, you know, and uh that's just that's one thing that really stuck out because there are certain places within the city that do have NBA connectivity um instructing kids, and I don't think that people have the intuition or intuit to go find those people out because a lot of times those people aren't out waving banners in the street, you know. You wave banners in the street, you get everybody coming in, and it ain't for everybody, you know. So, anyway, that was a downer, but uh how do you think transfer portals recruiting changing high school? Not just high school players to college, but high school players between high schools. I mean, shit, I don't think it'll happen, you know.

SPEAKER_00 41:19

Um that's just that's like when you have Reagan over here and kids living in the neighborhood of Reagan, all of a sudden it's like, oh, we're opening up a new school, Johnson. And before the school even opens up, here's their football team that they have, and you're like, What? How did this happen? You know, you know what I'm saying? Uh, and then you're like, weren't you at Rick and weren't you at MacArthur? No, you know, it's like, uh, don't think. Well, you know, I told you, of course, you know, like the family that was gonna pay my cousin to stay in, you know, a town where he was a football star, pay a family to keep him.

SPEAKER_02 42:13

Uh you know, it's we'll kind of skip over that, man, because that's gonna start UIL questions, but um, you know, but it was interesting, man, because going back to that Trey Pinker interview from earlier today that people need to go check out on YouTube, um it talked about what his dad did to put him in that spot. And so, you know, I made a tweet earlier this week or earlier this month about just because you're playing upper level, if you don't produce, it doesn't mean anything. And uh Mr. Carwell made a point that he was in disagreement, and uh, but I think at the end of the day, we're both in agreement. If you he moves you up so that you can struggle to accelerate your growth on that, right? And I'm all about that. But you have kids that'll just say, Oh, I'm playing up and never get off the bench. That ain't working. So then I asked Trey Pinkert on the interview that we had this week earlier, and said, What did your dad to prepare do to prepare you? And he said, Man, way back when I was in second grade, I was playing in sixth graders, and then in third grade, I was playing in seventh graders, and you had to learn to survive. And so I I agree with that, I agree with Ray. I just people have to go out and seek success and find out the nitty-gritty and why they were successful and really study because one man said it was Jalen Rose. He said, You tell me you want to go to the NBA, but you don't even know how many NBA teams there are. He said, You're not studying your craft, you know, and that kind of stung me between the eyes, man. I had to go look up how many there were, you know.

SPEAKER_00 44:08

Um, yeah, but you had an excuse. You said, Oh, I wasn't trying to go to the NBA.

SPEAKER_02 44:17

Yeah, you know, so uh man, I'm just gonna talk about the weekend really quick. Um we kind of went long-winded on some segments, but I'm looking forward to this weekend in Dallas. Um, and remember, exposure is not the same as evaluation. If you go out there and and just put up numbers and think that you've accomplished something, I hate to break it to you, but you hadn't. Because coaches are looking for habits, they're looking for winning traits, they're looking if you defend the ball. And so they're at the end of the day, they're watching and see what translates. And you have it or you don't, and you can't fake it to make it because you have it or you don't. But some of the top players that we're going to see this weekend, you know, behind the scenes with Tony Crocker and them, they're going to be in Rockwall with the new balance circuit. And, you know, they got um mine just went blank. But they have strong representation in San Antonio, uh, player from two players from Houston, you know, and so BTS has really expanded to be a really competitive uh circuit team. Um going over to the circuit, um, my favorite places because all the sneaker teams play each other. We're gonna get a chance to get a look at SA Future 17s. We're gonna see Trey Cump from Reagan with his Southern Ties team. We're gonna see Amoni Francis with Drive Nation, uh Sun Jenko with uh St. Michael's, uh Mac McKinley with uh Southern Assault. So it's a big weekend, man. This is this is when we get really busy, Phil.

SPEAKER_00 46:17

Well, that's a big weekend up in the Dallas area, right?

SPEAKER_02 46:22

Yeah, but what we got going on?

SPEAKER_00 46:25

Got that all-star high school all-star boys and girls teams, people turn up and turn out.

SPEAKER_02 46:34

Yeah, yeah. You know, it was cool because I've seen two flyers for that uh the the all-star game that we're credential to be at. Uh, one Kingston Flemings, and one Jordan Thomas. Uh Jordan was a doghouse kid. Man, we followed around with Roosevelt and Wagner, you know. But uh, it was kind of cool to look back and see two guys that that we kind of knew. But uh, but hey man, love it. But gotta leave it. Mr. Phillip Townsend, all right. It's been a fun one.

SPEAKER_00 47:11

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:12

Let's get out of here.

SPEAKER_00 47:13

And stop talking about OU.