When I gottothejam, I realized I was I wastheonlywhiteguyinthegym, and, um, thelevelofbythatthelevelofbasketballthatwasbeingplayedwasveryhigh.
Andthatwasthoseofsituations I loved.
I lovedbeinginthesituation.
I loveplayingasthebestcompetition, andthebestpartaboutitwaswhen I steppedonthefloor.
Nooneexpectedmuchofme.
NowmybuddiesfromtheNorthShoreandtheteamthat I wasonunderstoodwhatwaswhat I wascapableof, butnobodyelsedid.
Shebatsdid a littlebitcausewehavegonebackandforth.
Buteveryonewasfocusedonthebass.
Thewholegymwaswonderingwhenshewouldbetherewhenshewas a bit, andwhenshebadshowedup, theplaceeruptedbecauseit's technically a homegameintheireyes, forfortheteam.
Andsogamegoeson.
Um, throughoutthegame, I made a fewshots.
Thegymstartedtowonderwho I waas, and I remembergoingdowntherightwingon a fastbreak.
WhenmybuddiesDarrylhitmeonthebouncepass, I wentup a guy, oneofblocking, and I dunkedonandthegymexploded.
When I wasyoung, sixthgrade, I startedtorealizethatplayingtravelitjust, youknow, placecoffeeonthehousebackhome.
ButthatwasjustinthetownofArlington.
Like, that's why I grewup.
Itwasn't a bigtownstill, um, but I think I startedtorealizeitthen.
I mean, when I wasin, like, for a secondandthirdgrade, Um, I gottoplayup, theyletmeplayup.
Soatthatmoment, I knew I wasn't thebestplayer.
Myteamforthosepointagainstguysolder, but I reallylikeit.
Reallyenjoyedit.
Butonce I gotthehighschool, I wenttohighschoolthat I didn't knowanybody.
1300 allboys, verygoodathletically.
Andeveryoneformytownwasworried I wasgonnabeabletocompetethere, orderedwideandgo.
Maybethis 1 maygotownhighschool, buttheydidn't think I couldcompetethereAndthenonce I madevarsityas a freshman, once I startedtobecomethebestplayeras a sophomore.
Finally, I gotsomeoffersfromfromschoolsandonceinourname, anditwasthesamestorythatyou'reyou'regreatincollege, butyou'llplaybaseballprofessionallyifyouwant.
Ifyouhave a chancetoplayproanything.
Umso I thinkforme, itwasalwaystryingtofightthatuphill.
Well, togiveyouaninvitetothis, I wouldsay, took a solidsixmonthsand I willgivethemajorityofcredittothecityofMilwaukee.
Started a littlebitof a grassrootshashtagifyouwillletpatdunk.
Umand I thinkthatgotsomemomentum.
I thinkthat's kindofwhereitstarted.
I think, Look, I thinkdunkcontest, dunkingitingamedunkingaredifferent, bothhardintheirownrights.
I thinkingamedunkingpeopleknow I candonow.
Oratleastifyou're a basketballfan.
Youknow, youstillmightnotknowlightsoutthere.
Yeah, 100%.
I'vegottenupinthelane, Yeah, 100.
Andthat's differenttypeofdifficulty, obviouslydunkingin a game.
There's a lotofpeopleintheMBA, ifnotallthatcandunk.
Dunkingingamesdifferent.
There's significantlylessthatdothatoften.
Butthendunkcontestdunkeralsodifferentlevel.
I thinkthatwasthebiggestthingwiththe N B A.
That I hadtotrytoconvincethem I coulddoislook, I actuallyamhappythatyouguysdon't think I candoitbecausewhen I comeonSaturdaynightand I showthat I candoit, ifyouguysaremythewholeleagueon, I'm oneofthe 4 15 leagueandyoudon't believe I candoit.
What's therestoftheworldgonnathinkwhen I doiton, it's gonnahavethesamereactionasitdidinthemissionofprojects.