October 3, 2023 • 9 mins
Dwight & Chad sit down with Anfernee Simons to talk about his role on the Blazers now that Dame is gone, how he spends his off-season, and what coach Billups wants from him on the court this year, 10-2-23.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
We're joined now by Blazers guard AnthonySimon's aunt. That's great to see again.
(00:04):
Great to see, Yo. We'rejust talking to Travis Demrce, the
voice of the Trailblazers. Only fourplayers, including yourself, remain on the
roster from last year's team that startedthe season. How crazy is that for?
Yo? You know, I'll seea lot now INBA, like you
know, teammates coming and going,so but probably this one is is probably
(00:26):
gonna probably hit the most because it'slike instantly recognized that I was one of
the last ones left, and youknow, I you know, I thought
about it. I was like theonly person that's been here longer than the
year on the team, which iscrazy. So you know that's what I
was gonna ask you about. You'restill a young guy? Yeah, are
(00:46):
you a vat? I mean,are you thinking of yourself and you're gonna
have to take one of these youngguys under your wing? Right? Yeah?
I mean, I mean that's Iguess that's what's coming with a territory
and you gotta embrace it in now. Like I've been saying over these past
couple weeks, all the young guyshave been pretty receptible into what I've been
(01:07):
saying, or they come to measking any questions I have, and so
I just, you know, speakabout my experience and what I've learned from
all all the players that's came beforeme. So you know, I don't,
I don't. I mean, obviouslyI'll never name it that, but
I'll let y'all name it that.I mean, I'll just I'll give my
you know, two cents and myadvice whenever I you know, whenever I
(01:30):
can, or whenever they ask.Well, you did such a great job
a couple of weeks ago when youwere talking to a since studio of detailing.
You know how much Day meant toyou when you came in and the
way he took you under his wingto kind of show you the ropes and
really help you out when you wereyoung and getting used to the NBA game.
So I'm wondering, because of yourexperience and the way he helped you,
do you feel a responsibility kind ofpass it along to youngsters who come
to you and seek you for help. Now, yeah, for sure,
(01:53):
you know, like I said before, it's it's I feel like that's one
of the one of the things asan NBA player that you know might be
overlooked to the outside world. ButI think that's one of the biggest things
about you know, becoming in bigplayers. It's learning from you know,
your best growing growing into the league, and you know, just passing that
(02:15):
knowledge on to you know, youngerplayers. And you know, all my
vests taught me, you know alot of things, like I said,
whether it was a Dame or Chiefor c j Or or Norm or Robert
Covington or Mellow or you know moChief and all of them. So I
(02:36):
think, you know, you justlearned from each and every player. And
you know, obviously every player wentthrough a different experience in their career,
and so they could just teach youwhat they experience was and you just kind
of learn from it and apply itto what you've gone what you've gone through.
So I think I can do that, you know, for the young
players, and because I do feellike I've you know, been through been
through a lot. I think I'veseen it all when it comes to a
player, whether when it comes toyou know, the basketball side of things.
(03:00):
So I think that can just youknow, share that share that els
to them and we're scoot here areyou looking at yourself this season more as
a two guard? Do you feelthat, Yeah, I mean whether it
doesn't matter whether whether you know theone or two like it was, you
know, like last year with Dame, I didn't see myself as a one
(03:21):
or you know, one or ortwo. I just you know, see
myself as both of us being guardsand playing out there together. So I
think it's gonna be the same dynamicthis year. You know, Scools brings
a different level energy to how wewant to play and so how we're gonna
play a lot, you know,probably a lot more faster this year for
sure, and you know it's gonnaopen up the game for us, just
(03:42):
us, like I said, thesame like last year, us you know,
kind of rotating each other on beingon ball and stuff. What are
your thoughts on DeAndre Ayton joining theteam. Yeah, I mean, obviously
DeAndre is a great player. Wewere in the same draft class. You
know. Obviously a former number onepick is getting to that type of talent
(04:03):
is is amazing. So I'm prettyexcited to work with him, and I
think we're gonna I think he's adifference maker for sure, obviously, you
know what I mean. He hasexperienced as well, playing in the playoffs,
playing in the finals, and sohe can bring, you know,
also another version of you know,veteran leadership and you know, just bring
(04:23):
what what's he experienced to the tothe team. Now I'm curious about this
too. You said, open thegame up more, scoot, you're gonna
run more. I would think,play faster. What's that gonna do for
your game? Oh, I thinkit's it's just obviously, you know,
you know, we've we've we've youknow, played at a slow pace for
(04:44):
my first five years in the league. So you know, it it it
It wouldn't take it that long toadjust just because I I I feel like,
you know, I mean, I'mI'm still a youthful player, so
I can play fast and play youknow, play play that way. So
I think it wouldn't be it's nota it's not a big of adjustment,
you know what I mean. AndI and I feel like, you know,
(05:06):
they're just gonna help my game evenmore. Just saw a different dynamic
of it, and so that Ican play both ways. I played played
you know, in a slow system, slow paced system, and then you
know, I can play in afast paced system. As well. So
I think it's just it's good tobe able to do both. I know
you guys have been playing out ofpractice facility. What if you learned so
(05:27):
far playing with school? What doyou what do you have? What do
you think of him so far?No, I think that he's he's a
gonna be a great player in theleague. And I think, you know,
he's very mature for his age.You know, works hard, you
know, It's like I said,it's very mature. You know, he
could do a lot of things onthe court, whether it's scoring, a
(05:49):
passing, pushing the pace. AndI think, you know, for his
age, he understands a lot aboutthe game. And I think that's what
you know obviously, that's what youknow made us draft him as it's that
he's he's as good as advertised,you know. So I think that's what's
that's what's special about him is justhis mentality and you know the way he
(06:11):
carries himself. We're talking with AnfreniSimon's here. Travel has your media day.
What you take on Chris Murray,the youngster who's coming in from Iowa.
Uh. I like Chris Murray alot as well, you know,
I'll say he's a little bit olderfor a rookie. I guess he's still
still young guy. But you know, he just understands the game, understands
where he needs to be, andhe plays his role to perfection. You
(06:35):
know, he knows his job andhe does it well, and he's gonna
do it every single day. AndI like that. It's just the consistency
of him and and also what hecarries himself as he was very mature.
You're looking forward to get that trainingcap down and sat a barbar again.
Yeah, it was fun last yearfor sure. Yeah, the weather was
(06:56):
good obviously, and you know itwas just a good, you know change
of pace, you know what Imean, because from you know, having
training camp, you know in thecity, going to the preph city every
day for training camp. You know, you do that all all year.
So I'm glad that, uh wecan get the change of pace and go
to a different setting and you know, be away with the team for a
week and kind of build camaraderie fromthere. Now, Aunt, as you
(07:20):
know, Duck fans are stronger thanhorse riders. You were down there for
the Oregon Colorado game, but theexperience just being down there with the the
atmosphere in the crowd, seeing whatcoach Prime is doing with Colorado. What
was your takeaway from that experience?No, that was that was a you
know, one of the best gamesI've ever been to. For sure.
Obviously I wish it would have beena closer game, you know, more
(07:41):
like, you know, just alittle bit make it interesting. Yeah,
but for sure, I mean itdidn't. It was It didn't get any
better than than that type of game. Obviously, Oregon. It's already a
great atmosphere. I wouldn't there lastyear for for a game, and Colorado
and Coach Brown just elevated, youknow, the anticipation even more obviously,
(08:05):
And so, like I said,it was a great experience. And uh,
I think all you know, allmy all the teammates had had a
good time that day. How areyou feeling going into camp? Everything okay,
all the parts moving correctly and everything. You're healthy? Yeah, yeah,
yeah, I'm I'm healthy for sure. Does it help now this is
your three hundred coach Bill, It'sjust comfort level knowing what he wants,
(08:30):
what you guys are running the actionsand everything like that. When you take
the court, is it do youfeel that. Yeah, for sure.
You know, I kind of Ifelt more comfortable last year too, but
you know, this year is obviouslywe have more time running each other,
We have a better relationship, andso I understand what we want to get
done. And it's so it's easyto teach, you know, from a
player's respective and teaching the new playersto you know, catch up a little
(08:54):
bit and get him acclomated into iteverything we want to do. It's a
system going to be a little differentthis year. Are you gonna maybe move
the ball more? Uh? Well, how does it look so far?
Like I said, we're gonna beplaying at a faster pace, So the
ball is gonna be popping everywhere,you know what I mean, way more
than it has before. So yeah, I think it's gonna be in naturally,
(09:16):
everybody is gonna be in different positionsnaturally because we were trying to run
so fast and we're playing at agood speed, so good pace. So
I think, you know, it'sgonna be leave opportunity for everybody to be
able to be in different positions.And so I think that's what we're gonna
emphasize. You know, obviously intraining camp with the new guys, is
we want to play with with witha good pace. All right, first
(09:39):
preseason game a week from tomorrow,the openers coming up on the twenty fifth.
Anthony Simon's here on the rips.Here you d have aunt man.
Good luck this year and thanks foryour time. I appreciate ya. Good
to see Yu.
We're joined now by Blazers guard AnthonySimon's aunt. That's great to see again.
(00:04):
Great to see, Yo. We'rejust talking to Travis Demrce, the
voice of the Trailblazers. Only fourplayers, including yourself, remain on the
roster from last year's team that startedthe season. How crazy is that for?
Yo? You know, I'll seea lot now INBA, like you
know, teammates coming and going,so but probably this one is is probably
(00:26):
gonna probably hit the most because it'slike instantly recognized that I was one of
the last ones left, and youknow, I you know, I thought
about it. I was like theonly person that's been here longer than the
year on the team, which iscrazy. So you know that's what I
was gonna ask you about. You'restill a young guy? Yeah, are
(00:46):
you a vat? I mean,are you thinking of yourself and you're gonna
have to take one of these youngguys under your wing? Right? Yeah?
I mean, I mean that's Iguess that's what's coming with a territory
and you gotta embrace it in now. Like I've been saying over these past
couple weeks, all the young guyshave been pretty receptible into what I've been
(01:07):
saying, or they come to measking any questions I have, and so
I just, you know, speakabout my experience and what I've learned from
all all the players that's came beforeme. So you know, I don't,
I don't. I mean, obviouslyI'll never name it that, but
I'll let y'all name it that.I mean, I'll just I'll give my
you know, two cents and myadvice whenever I you know, whenever I
(01:30):
can, or whenever they ask.Well, you did such a great job
a couple of weeks ago when youwere talking to a since studio of detailing.
You know how much Day meant toyou when you came in and the
way he took you under his wingto kind of show you the ropes and
really help you out when you wereyoung and getting used to the NBA game.
So I'm wondering, because of yourexperience and the way he helped you,
do you feel a responsibility kind ofpass it along to youngsters who come
to you and seek you for help. Now, yeah, for sure,
(01:53):
you know, like I said before, it's it's I feel like that's one
of the one of the things asan NBA player that you know might be
overlooked to the outside world. ButI think that's one of the biggest things
about you know, becoming in bigplayers. It's learning from you know,
your best growing growing into the league, and you know, just passing that
(02:15):
knowledge on to you know, youngerplayers. And you know, all my
vests taught me, you know alot of things, like I said,
whether it was a Dame or Chiefor c j Or or Norm or Robert
Covington or Mellow or you know moChief and all of them. So I
(02:36):
think, you know, you justlearned from each and every player. And
you know, obviously every player wentthrough a different experience in their career,
and so they could just teach youwhat they experience was and you just kind
of learn from it and apply itto what you've gone what you've gone through.
So I think I can do that, you know, for the young
players, and because I do feellike I've you know, been through been
through a lot. I think I'veseen it all when it comes to a
player, whether when it comes toyou know, the basketball side of things.
(03:00):
So I think that can just youknow, share that share that els
to them and we're scoot here areyou looking at yourself this season more as
a two guard? Do you feelthat, Yeah, I mean whether it
doesn't matter whether whether you know theone or two like it was, you
know, like last year with Dame, I didn't see myself as a one
(03:21):
or you know, one or ortwo. I just you know, see
myself as both of us being guardsand playing out there together. So I
think it's gonna be the same dynamicthis year. You know, Scools brings
a different level energy to how wewant to play and so how we're gonna
play a lot, you know,probably a lot more faster this year for
sure, and you know it's gonnaopen up the game for us, just
(03:42):
us, like I said, thesame like last year, us you know,
kind of rotating each other on beingon ball and stuff. What are
your thoughts on DeAndre Ayton joining theteam. Yeah, I mean, obviously
DeAndre is a great player. Wewere in the same draft class. You
know. Obviously a former number onepick is getting to that type of talent
(04:03):
is is amazing. So I'm prettyexcited to work with him, and I
think we're gonna I think he's adifference maker for sure, obviously, you
know what I mean. He hasexperienced as well, playing in the playoffs,
playing in the finals, and sohe can bring, you know,
also another version of you know,veteran leadership and you know, just bring
(04:23):
what what's he experienced to the tothe team. Now I'm curious about this
too. You said, open thegame up more, scoot, you're gonna
run more. I would think,play faster. What's that gonna do for
your game? Oh, I thinkit's it's just obviously, you know,
you know, we've we've we've youknow, played at a slow pace for
(04:44):
my first five years in the league. So you know, it it it
It wouldn't take it that long toadjust just because I I I feel like,
you know, I mean, I'mI'm still a youthful player, so
I can play fast and play youknow, play play that way. So
I think it wouldn't be it's nota it's not a big of adjustment,
you know what I mean. AndI and I feel like, you know,
(05:06):
they're just gonna help my game evenmore. Just saw a different dynamic
of it, and so that Ican play both ways. I played played
you know, in a slow system, slow paced system, and then you
know, I can play in afast paced system. As well. So
I think it's just it's good tobe able to do both. I know
you guys have been playing out ofpractice facility. What if you learned so
(05:27):
far playing with school? What doyou what do you have? What do
you think of him so far?No, I think that he's he's a
gonna be a great player in theleague. And I think, you know,
he's very mature for his age.You know, works hard, you
know, It's like I said,it's very mature. You know, he
could do a lot of things onthe court, whether it's scoring, a
(05:49):
passing, pushing the pace. AndI think, you know, for his
age, he understands a lot aboutthe game. And I think that's what
you know obviously, that's what youknow made us draft him as it's that
he's he's as good as advertised,you know. So I think that's what's
that's what's special about him is justhis mentality and you know the way he
(06:11):
carries himself. We're talking with AnfreniSimon's here. Travel has your media day.
What you take on Chris Murray,the youngster who's coming in from Iowa.
Uh. I like Chris Murray alot as well, you know,
I'll say he's a little bit olderfor a rookie. I guess he's still
still young guy. But you know, he just understands the game, understands
where he needs to be, andhe plays his role to perfection. You
(06:35):
know, he knows his job andhe does it well, and he's gonna
do it every single day. AndI like that. It's just the consistency
of him and and also what hecarries himself as he was very mature.
You're looking forward to get that trainingcap down and sat a barbar again.
Yeah, it was fun last yearfor sure. Yeah, the weather was
(06:56):
good obviously, and you know itwas just a good, you know change
of pace, you know what Imean, because from you know, having
training camp, you know in thecity, going to the preph city every
day for training camp. You know, you do that all all year.
So I'm glad that, uh wecan get the change of pace and go
to a different setting and you know, be away with the team for a
week and kind of build camaraderie fromthere. Now, Aunt, as you
(07:20):
know, Duck fans are stronger thanhorse riders. You were down there for
the Oregon Colorado game, but theexperience just being down there with the the
atmosphere in the crowd, seeing whatcoach Prime is doing with Colorado. What
was your takeaway from that experience?No, that was that was a you
know, one of the best gamesI've ever been to. For sure.
Obviously I wish it would have beena closer game, you know, more
(07:41):
like, you know, just alittle bit make it interesting. Yeah,
but for sure, I mean itdidn't. It was It didn't get any
better than than that type of game. Obviously, Oregon. It's already a
great atmosphere. I wouldn't there lastyear for for a game, and Colorado
and Coach Brown just elevated, youknow, the anticipation even more obviously,
(08:05):
And so, like I said,it was a great experience. And uh,
I think all you know, allmy all the teammates had had a
good time that day. How areyou feeling going into camp? Everything okay,
all the parts moving correctly and everything. You're healthy? Yeah, yeah,
yeah, I'm I'm healthy for sure. Does it help now this is
your three hundred coach Bill, It'sjust comfort level knowing what he wants,
(08:30):
what you guys are running the actionsand everything like that. When you take
the court, is it do youfeel that. Yeah, for sure.
You know, I kind of Ifelt more comfortable last year too, but
you know, this year is obviouslywe have more time running each other,
We have a better relationship, andso I understand what we want to get
done. And it's so it's easyto teach, you know, from a
player's respective and teaching the new playersto you know, catch up a little
(08:54):
bit and get him acclomated into iteverything we want to do. It's a
system going to be a little differentthis year. Are you gonna maybe move
the ball more? Uh? Well, how does it look so far?
Like I said, we're gonna beplaying at a faster pace, So the
ball is gonna be popping everywhere,you know what I mean, way more
than it has before. So yeah, I think it's gonna be in naturally,
(09:16):
everybody is gonna be in different positionsnaturally because we were trying to run
so fast and we're playing at agood speed, so good pace. So
I think, you know, it'sgonna be leave opportunity for everybody to be
able to be in different positions.And so I think that's what we're gonna
emphasize. You know, obviously intraining camp with the new guys, is
we want to play with with witha good pace. All right, first
(09:39):
preseason game a week from tomorrow,the openers coming up on the twenty fifth.
Anthony Simon's here on the rips.Here you d have aunt man.
Good luck this year and thanks foryour time. I appreciate ya. Good
to see Yu.
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