Mike Bibby, Andre Ward & Urijah Faber Reveal What Sacramento State Is Really Building | COMBAT U

24:14But it's intentional. I don't want anybody to think that this is haphazard, right? We are intentionally trying to build us up as a sports powerhouse so that we can also then be a sports powerhouse plus an academic powerhouse. Yeah, what I was going to say on that front and again, the conversation and what I love about Dr. Wood is he's an action man. I mean, there's a lot of talk out there in the world and not many people taking action. And especially in this kind of environment where you've got like a lot of red tape and you got to talk to this guy to get that done, etc. In the entrepreneurial world, you just do it.

24:51So he's in a very unique position to be at the head of a, you know, a government entity and be able to make big decisions and operate quickly because things can be slowed down otherwise. And so that was what I think is the key in this was an idea. And then we put into action right away without, without, you know, trying to give too much overthought on it. It's like, okay, let's, this needs to happen. It's a valuable resource. It's something that, that the world hasn't seen before. and we'll get eyes because of that. And so then it became a quick introduction to the world and I have access to get on and talk about it.

25:29And then it grew from that point, but it started out with action. So many people are talking no action in this world. And we all know action wins always in the combat community, athletes in general, like we know that, you gotta get up and go. and then it's just like, you know, if a tree falls in the forest, doesn't make a sound, you know, same idea. We gotta talk about it. We gotta keep talking about it. We gotta put it out there. We gotta talk about why we're special, why we're different. And our athletes are doing that for us. We've had so much success with our program from the boxing to the wrestling to the jiu-jitsu and now on the combat side as well.

26:11Like the action and the results are speaking for themselves and that's how my team was built. That's why my team's an international powerhouse now, because we started small, had success, attraction. You put out great things, it attracts. And that's what President Wood's done, is get action that's brought attention to the Sacramento State like it's never been seen before. And it's going to keep on growing. Not just this, all the other things he's doing as well. So I'm very thankful to have a leader like this that takes action, because too many people taught. Dr. Wood, first of all, I want to congratulate you.

26:49I'm someone who grew up 20 minutes from here and never have I thought that it would be where it's at today. And I'm very proud of the city, but also proud of you for opening the doors from hiring a Mike Bibby and having Shaq as a GM. And then forgive me, I forgot the football coach's name, but I know he comes decorated. Yes. And then the combat program where you have two Hall of Famers that are day in, day out, lending their expertise in this space. My question is, where did the concept of Combat U come from? Ooh, concept of Combat U actually came in two different ways. So first, I just got announced as president of Sacramento State.

27:32And I had just come off of an amateur fight, and a couple smokers. And I had a lot of video on my Instagram of me either training or sparring and things like that. And then so I get flooded with all these messages from students saying, hey, did you know I do jujitsu? Or did you know I do MMA? Or did you know I do boxing, right? And one of the students, she was from India. Her name is Erin Jock Carr. She's actually our student body president right now. So our student body president's got hands. It's kind of cool, right? And jujitsu. And jujitsu. And so basically, so she says like, hey, I'm coming to Sacramento State and I do MMA.

28:12And I was like, oh, that's awesome. Did you know that Uriah favors Ultimate Fitness, where Team Alpha trains out of, is just right around the corner? And she said, yeah, that's why I'm coming. And so that's when I realized there was a thing that was already a thing, that we have students who come from all over the world, and even faculty members who come from all over the world to train at Ultimate Fitness. And then from there, I met her, and then I met Ethan Krieger, right, who's also, has been a big part of it. And around about that same time, I have a friend, his name is Parrish Gary, who passed away.

28:47And he was training at Flawless with Brandon. And we were talking about, hey, we should do something that encompasses MMA, but also encompasses boxing. Want to make sure we have a legit boxing team. And so he connected me with Brandon. And then from there, it was basically this kind of thing just unfolded from there. And so it was really a combination of students, of meeting Uriah, of meeting Brandon, and just realizing that we could do something special because we have people here who are at an elite level. And I've trained with a lot of boxing coaches. I can say I don't feel like I've – I feel like I've only ever trained with two elite coaches, the coach that I had in San Diego, Ernest Johnson, and also then training with Brandon Gonzalez.

29:30and I was like, if we could bring that to Sac State, man, we could beat up everybody. Yeah, and on that same topic, you know, traditionally, because our gym started in 2006, and no one knew who I was when I started the gym. I was creating something that I needed, bringing everything together. The sport was still brand new, but throughout that time, we kept building a name, and we kept bringing more and more. So Sac State alumni that are part of my team or part of my staff doing something, there's quite a few. Tuss Mart D, she does all our marketing for our team. She was a Sac State alumni. She came here from Australia because of the gym and because of Sac State combination.

30:18We have Andrew Coyne, who's a homegrown talent, one of our top up-and-comers, who's a professional. He was in our team and on our team his whole time at Sac State. So he's a Sac State Combat U alumni with that before the program was here. And then, like you said, we've got people from India. Now we have a girl from Azerbaijan that's here because of the program. We have, you know, Baba from Hawaii and so many different people that because of this program, it makes sense for them to move here. And it was just a perfect marriage. And then in our own backyard, Ayanna Gonzalez, right? And so that's been amazing.

30:54But the other piece I got to say is our athletic director, Mark Orr. Mark, throw up your hand, please, brother.

31:03So what's unique about Combat U is that it's sports that are also managed under the arm that does intercollegiate athletics. That is a very, very different model than you see anywhere else. Most other campuses, oh, it's a club sports with some coaches who are volunteering their time. No, this is managed through athletics. So that's a whole different way of doing it. And it makes sense, too, because these are higher risk sports, right? You got gymnastics, which is a higher risk sports. You got football, which is a higher risk sport. And you got combat sports, higher risk sports. You want to make sure that the concussion protocols, the safety testing, the way that we provide the kind of wraparound support, like you got to be doing it in a thoughtful way so that you're making sure that like we're being safe about what we're doing, as safe as you can be in, you know, a violent sport.

31:52You got to be a little different to want to box At any level Yeah Right Somebody described you as a bulldog In terms of how you get things done He said just a dude that gets things done He gets locked in on something And he'll get it done All presidents, all faculty members are not created equal Like what kind of president are you? Like what do you have in here that makes people feel like Oh he's like that Ooh Brag on yourself a little bit Talk about it. All right. Well, this is what I would say. I think it comes from humble beginnings. So, you know, I was born when my mother was in prison, foster child, grew up in the foster care system, transracial adoption, came to Sacramento State, lived in my car, went days at a time without eating.

32:43And I always and I and even then when I was a student here at Sac State, I was like, man, this place could be something special. So by the time I hit my sophomore year, I was walking around campus and introducing myself to people. Hi, my name is Luke Wood. I'm going to be the president of Sacramento State all the time. There's hundreds of people in the city who remember that. And they probably thought I was crazy. But for me, I was just I knew what I was going to be capable of doing because I knew that this place was special. But I also knew that it wasn't being maximized to the level that it needed to be.

33:16So everything that I do, I move forward hard. I move forward fast. I don't like to talk about things. I like to do things and talk about them at the same time. And I think that that describes both my leadership style, but I also feel like that describes how I am when I'm sparring or in the ring. Man, that's powerful, man. I think, you know, what I hear from you is that you're not afraid to dream. You have vision. And you're not afraid to go attack what you think your vision is. Because like you said, all the people you have associated with this great university right now, you ask the question, hey, can we have a meeting?

33:53Can we do this? Like some people are even afraid to pursue a vision. They're afraid to ask the question or to take the meeting. And you don't seem to have that fear. You know, I tell people being president means that you take nine L's in one day so you can get to one W. Hey, you can't stop. You can't stop. See, sometimes I won't ask because I'm like, I don't like being told. I don't like to know. Like you make the pitch and it's like, yeah, we can't do it right now. I'm like, forget it. I knew I should have did it. But sometimes you got to take 10 meetings to get the one yes. Yeah. You got to be kind of different to keep pushing through the no's to get the yes.

34:27Because the one yes can change everything. Yeah. At the same time when everyone is saying, oh, it can't be done. Last question before we get you out of here, Doc. You hired someone on the basketball side that has broken a lot of these kids in here as parents' hearts. Playing for the Lakers and doing a lot of different things. What was the process like getting Shaq to be the GM of the men's basketball program? Well, I mean, that really is a credit to Coach Bibby, right? So basically he said, hey, Shaq, why don't you be the GM? Shaq says, no, how about I'll be the assistant GM? And then Mike said, well, you can't be the assistant GM because we don't have a GM.

35:12And then so Mike got on a couple calls with him. And then I got on a Zoom call with him. And then Mark also got on a Zoom call with him, just trying to explain, like, what it would mean to be involved. And he wanted to make sure that, like, it was something that he'd be able to do at the highest level. And so, but he's been incredibly involved. You know, I'll leave it to Mike to talk about what that involvement looks like. But I think people think, oh, it's like a symbolic thing. It's not symbolic. He's been truly invested in Sacramento State. Everything from what happens in basketball, but also other parts of the campus as well.

35:46I mean, for example, we got admitted student day coming up on April 18. And all the students who applied to Sac State are about to get a call, a robocall from Shaq, inviting them to come to admitted student day, right? So even things like that where he's trying to make it so that he's helping to elevate the campus. And elevating the campus is elevating the community, and elevating community is improving Sacramento. And if you care about Sacramento, you're rooting for the only university in the entire region, other than Sac City, that has the name Sacramento in the title. So I'm all about Sac. I'm rooting for everything Sac.

36:20Congratulations again. I wish the best of luck. Continue to break down these glass ceilings. Give it up for Dr. Wood.

36:31Repeat this after me, please. Everybody say, speak it. Give it to me again. Speak it. He walked around and said, I'm going to be the president of Sac State. Ali said, I'm the greatest. Who told him he was the greatest? He did. He said, I float like a butterfly and he spoke it. We got to speak our dreams into reality. The next champ coming to this stage. Her name is Ayana. I call her Ayana the Great Gonzalez. She's a member of the Combat U boxing team and a trailblazer for the program. She became Sacramento State's first female boxing All-American and represents the dedication, discipline, and competitive spirit that define combat you and its student-athletes.

37:13She is the 2026 regional champion. If you're in the nest right now, I need you to make some noise right now, right now, right now. Make some noise for Ayanna the Great Gonzalez. Come on, come on, come on, come on.

37:29What's up? So you just came off a big regional win that's got you going to the Nationals. Tell us a little bit about that. Yeah, we just came back from Reno. Had two fights out there. Went well. First round stoppage for my first fight. First, like, 15 seconds. Oh, really? Second fight, we went all three rounds. It was a good, hard fight. Great opponent. Got tired, for sure, up in Reno. So, yeah, I'm really excited to be going to nationals next. I'm excited to go with my team, my coaches, go represent Sac State on a national level. So you, 11 years as a gymnast, four years competitive tennis. You were boxing as a cross trainer.

38:13Yeah. You know, obviously, you know, your father, Brandon Gonzalez, your mother also fought. It was almost like it was destined to happen. So how did you make the decision to officially say, I want to be a part of Combat U? Sounds like she was born with hands. Yes. And you know, it's crazy because I never saw myself boxing. Like, yeah, you know, being in the gym, you would think like you would gravitate towards a sport. But no, like I was like, nah, I'm not interested. Like gymnastics is my sport. Like I'm a gymnast. I'm not a boxer. You'll never catch me like training with my dad. My dad tried to get me into it a little bit when I was younger, but it just never really stuck with me.

38:49But then as I got older, I found kind of a new appreciation for the sport. so towards my senior year of high school I was just training in the summer with my dad for fun like just once or twice a week you know just on the mitts nothing serious but then the more I started going in the gym the more I started showing up putting in the work for that sport I was like wait you know I kind of I kind of like this like why didn't I give this a chance before so then you know we had the combat you program start up and I was like well this is my opportunity to take my boxing on a next level. So this is now the time to really lock in, start pushing it, showing up in the gym every day, you know, being present and being ready to work.

39:31So I said earlier, you gotta be a little bit different. Just a little bit. I don't wanna say crazy. I don't wanna say off. I just wanna say different. You could take that word however you wanna take it. But for a person to hit a person and you have a desire to wanna hit back, you gotta be a little bit different. So how did you overcome that? The physical side, training, that's one thing. But how do you, who are you when you get hit? Are you a fight or flight type of person? I'm a fight. I want to get it back. You want to get it back ASAP? I want to drop you. As soon as you get one good hit on me.

40:02You said I want to drop you. I want to drop you. I mean, the goal, I mean, you know, boxing, it's nothing personal when you're in the ring. Everybody wants to win, but you got to want to win more. So you got to really have to go after it. Yeah. Yeah. So vice president of combat you competing for Sac State in pursuit of your degree. How do you find the balance in being a true student athlete? Yeah, you know, it's definitely a challenge. My parents always tell me, you know, things are always only as hard as you make them. So, yes, while it is difficult and, you know, there's days where you're tired and you've been training for hours, but then you have an exam to study for the next day.

40:39but then you have to think to yourself like, I have the ability to be afforded these opportunities, so why not make the most of it? So you have to show up as a student and an athlete. Yeah. I have a question for you. I know that at least I've heard that you want to be a doctor. Is that the case? Yes, that's correct. And combat sports are life skill. You know, how how satisfying is it to know that in a real situation on the streets you know exactly what to do if something confronts you or you're in a bad situation that's a life skill but first off has that given you a different type of confidence obviously you're doing the combat you stuff I would vote you go down the doctor route versus the boxing but have you thought about becoming a boxer because, you know, it's a very lucrative world, especially in today's day and age.

41:34If it's something that you're really passionate about, you know, you have, you know, some star power, you know, that's one of the reasons you're up here. Not only you, you have the boxing skills, but there's a little something extra there. Have you thought about what that would look like? Or you even let that, that cross your mind to be a professional? Or are you a hundred percent going don the doctor out? So, you know, I've had people ask me that question before and I'm like, you know what, like, I love boxing, but that's not my ultimate goal. My ultimate goal is, you know, to become a doctor and help people and give back.

42:08Because, you know, I have a lot of support, so I want to be the kind of doctor that can support others and support their patients. And whether that's, you know, becoming an athletic physician and helping, you know, my fellow boxers and giving back to the boxing community, that's definitely something I would look forward to. Cool. All right. Dad was happy about that. Dad's extra loud clap over there. Yeah. He lived that life. That was dad's loudest clap of the day. Speaking of dad, have you heard any stories or got a chance to see any videos of your dad and Andre back in their days sparring? I've never seen videos of Andre and my dad, but I've been curious now that all this is going on.

42:45I want to see who was whooping on who. It was intense. I'll say that. It was intense. Yes, for sure. What's your overall, like, vision for Combat U? And, like, how do you get the word out personally? Yeah, you know, for Combat U, I want to see a lot more people come into the sport, especially females. You know, we don't have a lot of females, especially in boxing right now. So, you know, I want this. I want other females to come in and see, like, this is an opportunity to be a part of something big, too. You know, for combat sports, for a lot of girls, it can be really intimidating. Like, I've met girls who are like, oh, I want to join.

43:19But, you know, I'm kind of, like, nervous. Like, I don't really know how to get into it. I'm like, fine, you're okay, just show up. Like, everybody has to start somewhere. No one, you know, comes to practice already being ready to take on a national title. So, you know, I tell them it's just about showing up, showing consistency and getting more comfortable in the space. And, you know, we have a lot of great people in our club. Everybody is super welcoming, super supportive. We all want to help each other grow. We're all here for the same reason. So I think it's really important that, you know, we kind of push each and lift each other up.

43:49Before we get you out of here, what's your favorite part about all of this? I mean, you're a student here, Vice President of Combat U, you're competing. What is your favorite part about this so far? I think being able to work alongside my parents, in all honesty. You know, before I was like, oh, well, now I'm going to have my parents, like, even more involved in my life and more nagging at me. And I have to hear, oh, get up and do your runs. But, you know, I've honestly really enjoyed the process of, you know, just becoming a better boxer and a better person, having my parents support me through school and the sport.

44:25I got one more question for you. I remember going to UC Davis and seeing the athletes when I first got there on posters and, you know, being excited to see them at like a local like event or a party, you know. and eventually I became that guy that was on the poster and then on to my professional career, et cetera. And you're talking about, you know, wanting to get more girls involved. Have you felt now that, and like you said, boxing wasn't your focus. It's something you are good at and then put the work in. Are you feeling now as a role model, have you met girls that are inspired by you? And if so, what does that feel like?

45:05Yeah, honestly, it's really rewarding. You know, Some people say boxing is a thankless job. It's a thankless sport. But then I've had parents reach out to me and say, my daughter really wants to start boxing now. She's seeing you on the billboard, and she's really excited to start boxing, and she wants to compete and be a fighter like you. And then when you look back and see that, you're like, wow, you really are making a difference in people's lives. Even though on a personal level you don't think anybody cares or anybody's paying attention, there are people out there who are looking up to you and seeking inspiration in you.

45:39That's great. Well, Ayana and Uriah both, thank you guys for joining us today and best of luck moving forward. Thank you. Thank you, guys. Thanks for all the support, guys. Good to see you guys. The first one is Prophet Johnson. He's a senior guard for the Sacramento State men's basketball team and one of the top players in the Big Sky Conference. He was named second team All-Big Sky and selected to the all-defensive team after a standout season establishing himself as one of the conference's premier two-way players. And before we show him some love, the second champ I'm gonna introduce, his name is Mike Bibby.

46:17He's the head coach of Sacramento State men's basketball team and a former NBA all-star point guard known for his leadership and clutch performances. He played 14 seasons in the NBA and remains one of the most respected figures in Sacramento sports history as he leads the Hornets into a new era. If you were in the nest, I need you to make some noise right now, right now for Mike Bibby and Prophet Johnson. Give it up. Let's go. Let's go. I need to hear you.

46:46Mike, after a great run with the Kings and a long NBA career, did you ever think you would come back and be the head coach of Sac State basketball? I never did. You know, I mean, the thing is, I wanted to coach. I've been wanting to coach. I coached my son since he was nine years old. like growing up. So, I mean, I never really wanted to coach. I just wanted, you know, to retire and just sit back and just watch my kids grow up and stuff. Both of us, both of us. So the thing was, you know, never, when the job came open like four or five years ago, I talked to Mark and was like, Mark, hey, I'm the guy.

47:23You know, so, I mean, it didn't happen. The timing wasn't right. And then, you know, the second time around, it opened up and, you know, it was God's timing and God got me here. I feel it's only right to start my career here in Sacramento. That's dope. Prophet, I've played against this guy for a long time, played with him. What's he like as a coach? Hey, listen, you can't get in trouble no more for telling the truth. No, he's definitely one of a kind coach for sure. He's a player's coach because he's been in the position we've been in. I feel like you're not going to find no one like him, honestly, because he relates to us on a different aspect that other coaches have before.

48:01A lot of yelling, Matt. They make me yell a lot. They make me yell a lot. They make me yell a lot. Coach, what's the balance, though? Because sometimes you have a coach who is obviously older than the players, and they just can't make the connection. They can't relate. What's the balance between getting your respect as a coach but then also being able to let them know I've been in your shoes before? I got my son. My son's associate head coach with me, so he's 28. So he's kind of a closer age to them as far as dealing with them like that. But, I mean, I'm not that much older than them. You know what I mean?

48:31Yeah, you are. I mean, not like these other coaches. You see these other coaches are 70, 60, 70 years old. I'm not – I'm 47, so I got a little bit of time. I'm not 70. Yeah, definitely. You know, but, you know, I mean, it's a playful time that I have. Like I said, the best coach that I had probably was Mike Woodson, and he was an all-around coach as far as, you know, we'll have fun. But when you get between those lines, it's about business. So, you know, we have fun a lot. But we also – when it's time to get dirty, we got to get dirty. I got a question for proper, but I got to ask you, Coach. You know, like, I just turned 42, man, and stuff is different at 42.

49:06You know, the muscles don't pop the same, and it's harder to get in shape. But I got a question for you, man. What's the protocol, man, for me to look like you be looking, man? What's the protocol? Talk to me. I mean, I can't get out there and run. I tried to play with them one time, right? So I got to practice one time, and I'm just trying to fill in the spots. You know, I'm just trying to show these guys how to play. and one of the kids got his eyes lit up and he just took it. I had to foul it out of him. I just told him, I was like, man, look, I'm out here just to show you guys how to play.

49:37Don't try to take me one-on-one. I'm not out here for you to see what you can do against me. Defense was never really your thing anyway. You got to get on the other side of the ball. They paid me to score that thing, so I was out there to score. You did it well. So I flagrant fouled him. I just told him, like, man, look. I stopped the practice and said, look, just because you all see me out here, don't mean that y 'all are just going to try to take me. They thought it was sweet, huh? I'm going to foul you hard. So that was what it was. But, I mean, just I love to lift weights, man. You know, when I was playing, they wouldn't let you lift because every summer I'd go back home and I'd come back bigger, and they're like, Mike, you can't lift like that.

50:14I said, would you rather me sit home and do nothing and gain weight and get fat? They're like, no, but you can't lift like that. So it's in between. So now I can lift. Nobody can tell me what I can lift. I can do my own weights and do all that stuff. You'd be throwing the weights around, boy. Yeah, it's impressive. Got a question for Prophet? Yeah, Prophet, you've had an interesting role, man, and you battle-tested. You know, you started in JUCO, you worked your way at different colleges, and then you had a breakout year this year and the year before. Like, tell me about that journey and how has that shaped you as a basketball player?

50:43Yeah, first I went prep school. It was like out of high school I was a name and like where I'm from and everything like that, but, and I didn't get anything out of high school, so it was like a mental game this whole time because I was player of the year in high school, So then I had like what I'm gonna do next. I was debating about going juco or going prep school So then I decided to go prep because I didn't want to waste a year college So then I went prep I was the best player on my preps team and then still didn't get anything So I'm like dang am I just not good enough or something like what's going on?

51:15And so then I went juco Up in Washington Bellevue College. I went there and I killed I balled out even after I see we won our championship after that season I still didn't have anything so I'm just like dang this is really like a mental rollercoaster I'm like should I just stop playing or like what's going on and then eventually I got my first offer like a month after the season it was like a surreal moment so ever since then I just ain't looked back so it's just just keeping my head and just staying level headed through the whole process like just never give up is really what I can say. Mike I know how important being a father is to you and obviously with the rigors of the NBA schedule that made it hard for us.

51:57But now that you're retired and you're coaching, tell me what it's like to be able to have your son sitting next to you and learning from you and helping you and just having this, having junior long this whole journey with you. It's good. You know what I mean? Because, you know, I mean, me coming into this situation, they have always told me, you don't have any experience. You know, that was the main thing. And, you know, then I went, I did the college program. I mean, the NBA assistant coaching program where it was now Now I'm learning computers. I'm learning how to do stuff that they said we couldn't do.

52:27Because remember back in the day, the players would get on just because you played. Now they try to change it to analytics to where you need to know how to do the computer and stuff like that. I think that's all BS, but go ahead. Yeah, me too. So we did that, so I did all that. And they always tell me, you don't have experience. So I would want to put him in a situation to where when he gets his own head job, they can't tell him, hey, you don't have any experience. So he's going to have that experience. So just have him there along. You know, he's still, you know, he's a brainiac. He thinks he knows more than me.

52:56I always have to tell him, like, I've been doing this before you were born, and I have to remind him. I remember him in diapers in the facility. Yeah, and his mindset is just like he's a very smart kid, and he's always been a smart player. So it kind of goes right into coaching. So tell us the – I mean, we talked to Dr. Wood, but tell us how you convinced Shaq. And I don't know if you guys don't know Shaq. Shaq is the biggest kid in the world, first and foremost, the biggest grown kid in the world. But what was the process of talking to Shaq and getting him to buy? And obviously, I knew his son played here.

53:30He was a senior this year, right? Yeah, he was a senior. His son came in and played. But obviously, his presence is bigger than life. And as Dr. Wood mentioned, it's not just on the basketball side. It's to uplift this university as a whole. So how was it getting Shaq? And tell us something we might not know or a funny story about the process of getting Shaq in. It was a quick process. I mean, I hate the Lakers. I always hate the Lakers for the rest of my life, no matter what it is. So never in my life did I ever thought that me and Shaq would come together somehow. And I talked to a guy that trained his son, and he was like, hey, would you want Shakir to come?

54:08I was like, would you come here? And he's like, yeah, you come. So I ended up coming here. It was the first recruit we signed. And then like two or three weeks later, I saw people being general managers. And I was like, let me ask Shaq if he'll be the general manager. And so I just asked him. I said, hey, Shaq, would you want to be a general manager of Sacramento State? And he took like a five-second break and said, yeah. And it was that quick. And I was like, well, okay. I didn't think he was going to answer that quick, so I didn't even know how to answer. I was like, okay, well, let me. You were surprised.

54:35Yeah, so I said, let me figure out what it cost. So he wanted to know what it entailed. What entailed. Yeah, what entailed. And then got Mark and Luke on the phone with him. And we knew we couldn't be here all the time. He's a very busy guy. So the thing was just whatever he could do to help, he helped. You know, he helped us raise a lot of money. You know, he sends me videos of kids that get sent to him all the time. And, I mean, just his presence around changes everything. So it was good. Yeah, so Overtime and Omaha Productions recently announced a docuseries about Sac State. You guys have had cameras where you normally wouldn't have cameras.

55:07Why did you allow that around the team? I mean, just to kind of tell our story. You know, I mean, it's my first year. You know, it's just a different situation that probably no school has ever had. You know, we got Shaq as the general manager. I'm the head coach. We had all – we had 15 new players come in this year. So it was – And a whole new team? Yeah, it was all 15. So we had all guys come in and, you know, just to get these guys, to show these guys with the background of what we do and how hard these kids work. You know, we got Mikey Williams. We got Prophet. Just to show people on the outside looking in, just how these guys are on the court and off the court.

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59:11Your journey has started a little different. What are you looking forward to after having a coach like Mike, having the success you've had here the last two years, what are you looking forward to moving forward in your basketball journey? I mean, I'm just, of course, looking forward to going pro. That's the number one thing. But it's kind of the same situation as I was in high school. If it don't work out at first, just keep going, just keep my head up. Like, for instance, how you did, you said you got cut. If I could get cut, then just keep on pushing and keep going. Just keep God on my side.

59:41Like that. I also told him, Matt, that, you know, not everybody's route's the same. You know what I mean? You have to take a different route. You might not beat the NBA right away, but you got to keep working to get where you're trying to get. You know, he was trying to come back to school. I said, get your ass out of here, man. It's time to go. So he's moving on. What you think you're going to do? He ain't looking at us talking to you. what he said gotta see Mike I feel like I'm in this space too I have 17 year old twins that I coach in the summertime and I feel like this generation of kids is a lot different from our generation from a standpoint of they're very skilled but I feel like they lack a little bit of basketball IQ and knowing what to do when the ball is not in their hands how did you implement a combination of what's current to keep these kids with what you are talking about, but also the way we came up in the game.

1:00:34And how did you implement that in your coaching style this year? I'm still trying to, Matt. I mean, I don't know if they caught wind of it yet. But, you know, Michael helps with that stuff, too. And, you know, as far as being the younger generation, puts the offense in to make it easier for them to where it's not a lot of thinking. You know, I mean, a lot of cuts, just here, ball goes this way, cut back door, come around. It just made it easier for them that way. But, you know, I mean, they still get back to the way we were, Matt, and just to be tough. And I mean, if you're tough and you play hard, things will take care of itself.

1:01:04And we'll just try to implement that into them. And sometimes it was hard, but I think towards the end of the year, they started to get it. I feel like now is my favorite time of basketball with March Madness. Obviously, you were able to win a national championship as a freshman. What was that journey like your first year coming into college, accomplishing what you accomplished and leading your team to a national championship? Well, coming in, you know, we had Jason Terry was a starting point guard, and, you know, I was the number one point guard in the country. So coming out of high school, never – like you see kids today, they ask you, you know, how much money am I going to get?

1:01:40Am I just going to start? None of that was even in our vocabulary. Yeah, that didn't cross my mind. Because we would get in trouble for that, right. It didn't cross my mind. I just figured I'm starting when I come in. You know, I mean, I'm going to work myself to get in. And just taking the – just coming in and just sitting back and not trying to step on anybody's toes. You know, I'm a freshman in that team. We had the same exact, almost the same exact team that they had the year before. So I'm coming in like, okay, just fit in, do what you got to do. And, you know, what kind of opened it up for me was, you know, in the tournament, Coach Olsen, rest in peace, the great Coach Olsen said, hey, Mike, I need you to play how you played, how we recruited you for.

1:02:17And so once he said that, it kind of opened everything up for me. That was after the first two games. We almost lost our first two games to South Alabama and then College of Charleston. So we end up winning those, barely squeaking those out. Then we end up going beating three number ones on the way. We beat Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky to win the championship. So, I mean, it was a good thing for me. Everybody wanted me to come out after that season, and, you know, I wasn't ready. And I just knew that I wasn't ready, and I just said, Coach, I'm staying another year, and he was fine with that.

1:02:48And then I ended up having a really, really good sophomore year, and I went to meet him. He was like, go. It's time to go. So I knew it was time to go. Provin, what's the life of a D1 athlete and how do you stay focused? Because there's a lot of pitfalls walking around them campuses, man. Could you imagine if we had... He got his hair done today. He walked in. A lot of times you don't have his hair done. He walked in one time. I'm like, damn, who's that over there? He had this sticking up here. He might have found himself. He was like, who's that little girl? Yeah, I don't know. I was like, come on, man.

1:03:23Come on. But you guys hair done today, so he must be on to something. You must be on to something? Oh. I always got my hair done. But just staying focused. I mean, I don't live on campus, so it's kind of being, yeah, that helps being out the way and stuff like that. And just staying level-headed and staying in the gym, really. It's like I don't really do much, so going out and stuff, everybody does that, like, here and there, but not much. just hanging with the friends and stuff like that. And just the most important thing, just staying out of trouble. And if you're in the gym, you won't get in trouble.

1:03:56He was one of the hardest workers he had. Like, we lost a game because of him this year.

1:04:04If we're being honest? Yeah, I'm going to blame him. So, like, an hour and a half, he'll work out an hour and a half, like, before the game. So, he cramps, like, and he walks out the game. His leg is, like, looks like it's shifted. Like, nine minutes left in the game. We were up by like nine or eight against the top team in the conference, and he just goes in the back. Didn't see him again until after the game. He put a Darren Peterson on you? No, but he cramps because he does so much stuff before the game. And so we had to start getting him IVs before the game so he could last the game. So, I mean, he's a hard worker, man.

1:04:38He stayed in the gym. That's good. Well, man, we wish you the best of luck moving forward, man. You got a great circle around you. This is one of the best point guards to ever do it. But, Mike, before we get out of here, what was your favorite part about coming to Sac State this year and being the head coach of this men's basketball team? Just getting the opportunity. You know, I thank Dr. Luke and Mark to even give me this opportunity. That's the biggest thing. And with me coming, I played here for six and a half years, seven years, half of my career. It was only right I start here. You know what I mean?

1:05:08Or maybe finish here, too, you know, just see how it goes. But I want to be here for as long as I can and turn this program around because, you know, this is second home to me. Love that. Well, thank you guys for joining us today. Shout out to the staff to make Combat U. Mike in the basketball team, football coach. Again, as someone who grew up here, I couldn't be prouder to see where this school is going and the intentions it's getting. And if you need me and my company, all the smoke, let us know to help promote anything, help do anything, and wish you guys the best of luck, man. We just have a few fan questions.

1:05:46And the first question is for you, Andre. It's from Cameron Lyles. He said, how do you break down opponents before a fight? I'm a combat U-boxer and grew up fighting. What habits do you guys do to be the best at what you do? So the breakdown part is just years of watching boxing and then being taught boxing. So I got great teachers. So they're teaching me not just, it's not just about hitting my opponent harder or hitting my opponent more than he hits me. But he said, hey, you see that jab to the stomach? You see how he reacted? He didn't like that. So I start watching that in my opponent. And man, you saw he had a good round.

1:06:28But then the other round, he didn't throw very many punches. He gets tired very quick. So you just start to pick things up and you start to just learn the game. So now it's not hard for me. It takes me a few minutes to look at a fighter and see, oh, he does this good. He doesn't do that good. And, man, I think he can go this. This is his ceiling. I mean, not his ceiling, but this is the room he has to grow. And if he can get this, man, he can be really good. So it's just experience and time and being taught. What was the second one? How did your sparring session with Bud go? That's the question.

1:06:58It was good. No, it was good. I need to hear more, Dre. That's the commercial response. I'll give you a little bit more. So he was getting ready for a fight. He was a couple weeks out. And obviously I'm retired now. But because I'm me, I did a little four-week mini training camp. I'm running. I'm sparring. I'm hitting it bad because I just can't go out like that. But it was fun. It was more just technical work. And, man, it felt good to be in there. And Bud was like, man, bro, I'm hitting you. You know, you're hitting me in certain spots, but I can't get it back. And it's like, it's just good to know that even though there may be some rust on my weapons and my tools, they still kind of work.

1:07:44You know, so it feels good. Let's go. I'm going to piggyback on that. It says, do you get pushback from parents about promoting boxing or combat sports? I don't really get pushback about it. I think that, I'm going to say this right. I would rather our kids know how to defend themselves than to see them getting beat up. I don't promote violence. You know, my dad was real big on, like, not being a bully. You know, he said, look, always defend yourself, you know, but do not abuse this ability that you have. So I probably had a handful of street fights in my life. The reputation kept a lot of people away from me.

1:08:20Right. Right. That's the boxer. But I'm not, I don't like bullying. I don't like that at all, you know. And, in fact, I speak out against it a lot. But I do think it's smart for our kids to know how to defend themselves if something ever happens. So it's not to start it. It's just to protect yourself. Absolutely. Two more questions for both of you. What has been your biggest obstacle in life, sports or business? Oh, man, just sticking to it. I think sticking to it is probably one of the most important things you can do, because as Mike said, everyone's journey to where they're going isn't going to be the same.

1:08:59Um, life. I'm a dad of seven now. So just making sure I navigate and prepare my kids the best I can for the cold world that's out there. And for business, um, and I talked to Kobe about this, actually, when we did his last interview. And I think as an athlete, we have a certain mindset and discipline and responsibility that we put ourself to as an athlete. And being able to take that same mindset into business, I think gives us an upper hand on most people because, you know, as an athlete, we have to get up at five or six in the morning to go hit the gym. Now it's five or six in the morning to respond to emails or, you know, create business plans or talking plans for the day.

1:09:40So I just think that discipline that was installed in me as an athlete has helped me tremendously in this business space. Whether it's business, personal life, or sports, I think the biggest obstacle can be me. I can be my worst enemy because the thing that has made me great in, you know, sports business, which is my mind, my work ethic, my drive, my focus, if I'm not careful, that can be the greatest obstacle for me. So I have to, you know, I'm a believer, you know, I'm a Christian, and releasing that to God in tough times and not overthinking or trying to be perfect or trying to, you know, or beating myself up if I missed the mark, that's really key for me.

1:10:29So it's just staying in that flow of have the focus, be the person you are, but just know when to release it and just walk by faith. That's good. That's good. That's good. Yeah, you clap for that. Yes. Yes. I got it. I got one for you, Matt, and then one for the last one for both of you. What was your favorite team to play for in the NBA? Oh, I got to ask for, be careful how I answer this question. Obviously, being able to come home was great, but I caught two weird times when I came home. I came home at the end of the great Kings run with C-Web and Mike and them and was traded with Chris DeFilly, which is horrible.

1:11:09Oh my God. And then I came back and they were still, I signed a three-year deal here and thought I'd finish here when they first got the new arena and management and ownership were still a little, eh. So my favorite places that I actually played were Golden State. Okay, it's close to Sac. And then the Clippers, because they had traditionally been so bad for so long and we had a really good team. And then getting a chance to play with Kobe was something I'll never forget. Let's go. Let's go. Last question for both of you champs. Speak to the internal battle in the mind and how do you navigate it, which you did a little bit of that, Dre, just a few minutes ago.

1:11:55Speak to the internal battle in the mind and how you navigate that. I think the biggest part of whatever you're doing is going to be the mental aspect. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of physical that comes with it if you're on the sports side, but once you get to the top of the mountain where Dre and I have been, what keeps you there, what keeps you consistent, what keeps you on top is your mental approach. And it's interesting now, and again, as I was talking as a father, there's so many more distractions today for these young student athletes. And being able to prioritize your time is at the utmost understanding what the, at the end of the day, what the goal is, because they're playing with a lot more money now.

1:12:31Like everything they're given now, we had to get in the pros. So to be able to be able to balance responsibility, financial responsibility, and understanding that you can't do everything your friends do because you guys don't have the same goals. So I think the biggest part of anybody today, but particularly student athletes, is having a sound mind and focus on the goals ahead because there's so many more distractions and pitfalls. A couple things battling the mind. I think it's a combination. It's three things. It's faith, works, and then also listening to the people I have in my life. So the works part, I try to do everything that I can do.

1:13:10I work as if everything is up to me. I try to check every box. I try to make sure that I leave no stone unturned. That helps put my mind at ease. But then there's a place where I've done everything that I can do. I got to have faith now because the rest of these results are not up to me. So that keeps me at peace. The third part is, is sometimes when I am wrestling, having that voice to say, you're good. You've done enough. Or, hey, you got to let that go, man, and just walk into it. So those three things, like working puts my mind at ease, walking by faith, but then also I got a handful of people in my life that can speak just what I need to hear in that moment, and that puts me at rest and lets me know that I can go attack this giant and do what I need to do.

1:13:52I think having, I mean, to Dre's point, to piggyback, having a solid circle around you is very important. Less is more. The older you get, you realize the less people you really need. You just need those real runs around you. Awesome. Before we close, before we close, can you take a second and give yourselves a round of applause for being in this building right now? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for supporting Combat U. And give these champs a round of applause right now. Have a great day. There's greatness in you.

1:14:29This is Ashanti Plummer with a huge congratulations to the WNBA top draft pick, my friend and amazing podcaster, AZ Pud. From all of us at iHeart Women's Sports and your friends at Geico, we know your life's about to change. New city, new locker room, new home. It's a lot, but you're not doing it alone. You've got friends, family, and teammates. You got all of us at iHeart, and you've got Geico with you every step of the way. Congrats again, AZ. Listen to AZ's podcast, Fud Around and Find Out, wherever you listen to podcasts. Moto Casino, American Social Casino. Welcome to Moto Casino, where the excitement never ends.

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