October 3, 2023 • 9 mins
Dwight & Chad talk with Matisse Thybulle to talk about his favorite books, what it takes to be a good defender in the NBA, and how he is a young man in the world, but a veteran in the NBA, 10-2-23.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
He's back with the Trailblazers on anew deal. I'm talking about matises I
have on Matize. Welcome to theshow. It's great to have you back
in Portland. Oh, thank you. Yeah, no, it's really good
to be back. Yeah. Whatdoes it mean to you to sign with
Portland? Get that taken care ofall right? Ripsity driving, it means
a lot. It was, It'sit's a stressful thing, my first time
going through it, and yeah,I'm just happy to have had the dust
(00:20):
settle a little bit on my endand future. I know that I've got
three years covered and I can comeback to Portland. Speaking of Portland,
like you're you're you know, youspend time living out here. So a
lot of players they come to Portland, they're kind of blown away by the
changes in the Northwest with the weatherand everything. But you have experience out
here, so it's got I meanculturally, the fit for you and just
the comfort of the area around you. Any majority of my life in Seattle,
(00:48):
so I know the weather. Well. I can't say that I missed
it, but I know how todeal with it. You're familiar with the
trip down I five to Portland andyeah, familiar with it. I will
say I'm really happy to be backsomewhere where there's so much nature. The
tree, the mountains, the rivers, lakes, all of it. It's
beautiful. So that's something I'm lookingforward to. You. You've been known
as such a great defender throughout yourcareer, an All defensive team kind of
player. But last year I thoughtI saw some improvement in your three point
(01:12):
shooting, and I'm wondering how youfeel about that improvement and whether it will
continue now. Yeah, I mean, I think less season was a tough
It was a tough one for me. First three quarters of the season.
I wasn't really playing inconsistent minutes andnot a lot of shots available for me.
So coming to the Trailblazers was abreath of fresh air where guys trusted
(01:34):
me to shoot. You guys werelooking for me when I was open,
and I think that's just something thatthe making shots is something I've been capable
of but just didn't feel like Ihad the opportunity to do. So I
think moving forwards is just going tocontinue to be more of it. What
has Coach Billops communicated to you interms of your role and how he sees
you as a part of this teammoving forward. I mean, I'm lucky
(01:57):
positions of having a very simple rolethere like three and it gets and for
me, I enjoy it and Iwant to be a star in my role.
I don't. I think at timesguys get lost in trying to be
bigger than what they need to beand in reality, it's just doing what
you do better than everyone else,better than everyone else, and being able
to do that consistently. We'll setyou apart my taste. I know what
(02:21):
scorers do in the off season,They go to a gym and they shoot
one hundred shots or a thousand shotsor whatever. What's a great defender do
in the off season to keep yourdefensive skills sharp? Just playing? It's
it's one of those things where youjust got to get the physical and mental
reps and there's no better way todo it than playing. And so for
me, playing in the World Cupand being able to have live, real
(02:45):
basketball games against world class talent isone of the best things I can do.
You know, we talk about thisall the time. What does it
take for a great defender? Isthere certain physical tools that you're born with
that that promote better defense. Isit just a matter of effort? What
does it take to become a legitimatebig time defender in the NBA? So
much of its effort, so muchmore of it is heart than any type
(03:07):
of technicals. Want to Yeah,a desire, like a willingness to do
it. And I think that's that'sthe thing that has set me apart since
I was young, and because Ijust got a knack for so early.
I think the instincts have been builtup over a pretty long period of time.
But I mean, most guys,when I make a play defensively,
like I didn't think you're gonna keepgoing, or I didn't think you're gonna
(03:29):
fight through? Is like, really, is just a matter of not quitting
on a play? Tell us aboutthe basketball culture in Seattle. There's so
many players from up there. Theyseem to stick up for each other.
They play with each other in theoff season. They're big advocates of each
other. I don't know if that'sstarted with Jamal Crawford or what. What's
it like, it's it's a Imean, we're in the Northwest right now,
(03:53):
but having been in on the EastCoast for the last four years,
it's not very well known just howmany players, the quantity and the quality
of players that have come out ofSeattle in the Northwest in general. I
mean, the older players like NateRobinson's, Jamal Crawford's, Brandon Royce have
done a really good job of pouringinto my generation and the younger generation of
(04:14):
players coming up. So it's createdthis tight knit community where we've all kind
of kept in touch, and Jamalhas been able to do his ProAm,
which has done a lot for youngplayers like myself. Even I remember being
in a high school me and dejan Tay Murray being the only high schoolers
in the pro am. Having achance to display ourselves on that level at
that time, I think plays abig role in what we're ultimately able to
(04:36):
do with our careers. That campusup there is beautiful. What was a
U DUB experience like for you?Oh? It was, it was great.
I mean, to stay home isalways a special thing and something I
try to encourage players to do becauseno one's gonna love you like the people
who've seen you grow up. Sotrue, it's it was a special experience.
And being able to have graduated likedone four years and then make it
(04:56):
to the NBA. It's it's prettycool, all right. God less than
two weeks away Oregon Washington up inSeattle, first time the two teams have
played in football, both ranked inthe top ten. How big is that
game? Do you pay attention tothe football at all? I do not
watch many sports? Really, No, No, that's true. I and
I. Well, what I've heardis you're a big time reader. So
(05:17):
what is your favorite thing to diveinto when you're when you're seeking books to
read? Honestly, I just seekout recommendation. So like, if if
I'm talking to someone in books you'rebrought up, and they have a book
that changed their life or was reallyimpactful, I kind of seek those books
out. And it's easy to goon Google and try and look for things.
But I think when you can makea connection with someone and they share
(05:38):
a piece of you with a book, that's one of the most powerful things.
Is there a particular genre that youlike, I'll go anywhere. Like
if if someone right now I'm readingThe Zen Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Oh
that's that Book's been around a while, yeah, and I just stumbled upon
it. But how are you enjoyingthe read really good. Yeah, I
have like fifty pages left. I'llprobably finish it when we get to Santa
(06:00):
Barbara for training camp, but yeah, I'll basically read anything. Do you
have a bike, like a bicycleor motorcycle? No? I don't think
I am allowed to write a motorcycle. Yeah, alright, you mentioned Santa
Barbara Camp was down there last year. I mean, how excited to get
down there away from town? Isthat something that is you think is good?
(06:20):
Is it not? Like? What'syour take on getting away for camp?
It's nice. It allows you tojust go out and focus because we're
going to spend so much time herein these facilities seeing the same pace as
It's always good to just change yourenvironment and know like this is the preparation.
This is a time to really lockin. And we got a long
season ahead of us, so getready. Everybody's talking to us about a
(06:41):
greater pace this year. You're playingwith Scoop, it's gonna be a faster
pace. How does that fit withyour game? It's great. I mean
my job has always been to pushthe pace of the game defensively, so
creating new opportunities for us on offensehas been something I've done for as long
as I can remember, so tohave the players and the pieces to take
advanceage of that is a dream cometrue for a player like me. How'd
(07:05):
you enjoy your time getting a chanceto play for Australia? Great? I
love like any chance I have togo play feeble basketball, play with the
Australian boys is is an awesome opportunity. It's actually funny. I can see
the mug across me. There's aglobe on it with Australia on it.
Right here. I think it's yourcoffee. I'm looking at it. Yea
go yeah, But I mean evenlike to see guys like do our breath
(07:28):
on our training cap roster, likeguys who I've went to the Olympics with
and now get to see an NBAand then the countless other players from Patty
Mills to Joe Ingles too. Imean the list goes on and on now,
Like, it's pretty special to seewhat Australia's doing in the basketball front
and guy's really hang together. There'ssuch a camaraderie among the Australian players.
It's how does that happen? It'sa small country. Small Yeah, it's
(07:51):
a small country and like so farfrom from like this this side of the
world and this level of basketball,and so anyone who's kind of live there
and made it to this level.Uh, it's a special bond that not
many can relate. It's a it'sa place where you can't really relate with
many people. So you know,only four players are on the roster that
we're on the roster to start lastseason. What's it like for you to
(08:15):
have the youngsters come to you seekingdirection on this NBA journey. Yeah,
it's unique. I still it's sofunny. Like in the in the outside
world, I'm young, I'm ayoung man. In the basketball world,
I'm I'm becoming a veteran player,and so to have these kids come to
me looking like I'm old and wise, it's a little feel like a bit
of an imposter at times. Butwith that being said, it is nice
(08:37):
to know that I have the experience. So and I see these guys like
group making these little mistakes or doingthings on defensive, I've I know I
can tweak and help them. It'sit's a cool opportunity. And also I
mean to have young players who arereceptive to taking advice and coaching is also
a huge part of it. Whatabout the way this team defends obviously the
(08:58):
last season, what's the best defenseof year? Can that be tightened up
with this roster that you've seen now, Yeah, I think so. I
mean, that's gonna be my goaland whatever I can do to help to
help do that and facilitate that.But I think, I mean, they've
seen how a lack of defense leadsto a lack of wins, and so
hopefully we can all get some buyin and really turn that around. All
(09:20):
right, Blazer fans, send Matisseyour book recommendations, Matisse table here.
Great to have you on the show. Thanks your time and good luck this
year. Yeah, thank you,guys.
He's back with the Trailblazers on anew deal. I'm talking about matises I
have on Matize. Welcome to theshow. It's great to have you back
in Portland. Oh, thank you. Yeah, no, it's really good
to be back. Yeah. Whatdoes it mean to you to sign with
Portland? Get that taken care ofall right? Ripsity driving, it means
a lot. It was, It'sit's a stressful thing, my first time
going through it, and yeah,I'm just happy to have had the dust
(00:20):
settle a little bit on my endand future. I know that I've got
three years covered and I can comeback to Portland. Speaking of Portland,
like you're you're you know, youspend time living out here. So a
lot of players they come to Portland, they're kind of blown away by the
changes in the Northwest with the weatherand everything. But you have experience out
here, so it's got I meanculturally, the fit for you and just
the comfort of the area around you. Any majority of my life in Seattle,
(00:48):
so I know the weather. Well. I can't say that I missed
it, but I know how todeal with it. You're familiar with the
trip down I five to Portland andyeah, familiar with it. I will
say I'm really happy to be backsomewhere where there's so much nature. The
tree, the mountains, the rivers, lakes, all of it. It's
beautiful. So that's something I'm lookingforward to. You. You've been known
as such a great defender throughout yourcareer, an All defensive team kind of
player. But last year I thoughtI saw some improvement in your three point
(01:12):
shooting, and I'm wondering how youfeel about that improvement and whether it will
continue now. Yeah, I mean, I think less season was a tough
It was a tough one for me. First three quarters of the season.
I wasn't really playing inconsistent minutes andnot a lot of shots available for me.
So coming to the Trailblazers was abreath of fresh air where guys trusted
(01:34):
me to shoot. You guys werelooking for me when I was open,
and I think that's just something thatthe making shots is something I've been capable
of but just didn't feel like Ihad the opportunity to do. So I
think moving forwards is just going tocontinue to be more of it. What
has Coach Billops communicated to you interms of your role and how he sees
you as a part of this teammoving forward. I mean, I'm lucky
(01:57):
positions of having a very simple rolethere like three and it gets and for
me, I enjoy it and Iwant to be a star in my role.
I don't. I think at timesguys get lost in trying to be
bigger than what they need to beand in reality, it's just doing what
you do better than everyone else,better than everyone else, and being able
to do that consistently. We'll setyou apart my taste. I know what
(02:21):
scorers do in the off season,They go to a gym and they shoot
one hundred shots or a thousand shotsor whatever. What's a great defender do
in the off season to keep yourdefensive skills sharp? Just playing? It's
it's one of those things where youjust got to get the physical and mental
reps and there's no better way todo it than playing. And so for
me, playing in the World Cupand being able to have live, real
(02:45):
basketball games against world class talent isone of the best things I can do.
You know, we talk about thisall the time. What does it
take for a great defender? Isthere certain physical tools that you're born with
that that promote better defense. Isit just a matter of effort? What
does it take to become a legitimatebig time defender in the NBA? So
much of its effort, so muchmore of it is heart than any type
(03:07):
of technicals. Want to Yeah,a desire, like a willingness to do
it. And I think that's that'sthe thing that has set me apart since
I was young, and because Ijust got a knack for so early.
I think the instincts have been builtup over a pretty long period of time.
But I mean, most guys,when I make a play defensively,
like I didn't think you're gonna keepgoing, or I didn't think you're gonna
(03:29):
fight through? Is like, really, is just a matter of not quitting
on a play? Tell us aboutthe basketball culture in Seattle. There's so
many players from up there. Theyseem to stick up for each other.
They play with each other in theoff season. They're big advocates of each
other. I don't know if that'sstarted with Jamal Crawford or what. What's
it like, it's it's a Imean, we're in the Northwest right now,
(03:53):
but having been in on the EastCoast for the last four years,
it's not very well known just howmany players, the quantity and the quality
of players that have come out ofSeattle in the Northwest in general. I
mean, the older players like NateRobinson's, Jamal Crawford's, Brandon Royce have
done a really good job of pouringinto my generation and the younger generation of
(04:14):
players coming up. So it's createdthis tight knit community where we've all kind
of kept in touch, and Jamalhas been able to do his ProAm,
which has done a lot for youngplayers like myself. Even I remember being
in a high school me and dejan Tay Murray being the only high schoolers
in the pro am. Having achance to display ourselves on that level at
that time, I think plays abig role in what we're ultimately able to
(04:36):
do with our careers. That campusup there is beautiful. What was a
U DUB experience like for you?Oh? It was, it was great.
I mean, to stay home isalways a special thing and something I
try to encourage players to do becauseno one's gonna love you like the people
who've seen you grow up. Sotrue, it's it was a special experience.
And being able to have graduated likedone four years and then make it
(04:56):
to the NBA. It's it's prettycool, all right. God less than
two weeks away Oregon Washington up inSeattle, first time the two teams have
played in football, both ranked inthe top ten. How big is that
game? Do you pay attention tothe football at all? I do not
watch many sports? Really, No, No, that's true. I and
I. Well, what I've heardis you're a big time reader. So
(05:17):
what is your favorite thing to diveinto when you're when you're seeking books to
read? Honestly, I just seekout recommendation. So like, if if
I'm talking to someone in books you'rebrought up, and they have a book
that changed their life or was reallyimpactful, I kind of seek those books
out. And it's easy to goon Google and try and look for things.
But I think when you can makea connection with someone and they share
(05:38):
a piece of you with a book, that's one of the most powerful things.
Is there a particular genre that youlike, I'll go anywhere. Like
if if someone right now I'm readingThe Zen Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Oh
that's that Book's been around a while, yeah, and I just stumbled upon
it. But how are you enjoyingthe read really good. Yeah, I
have like fifty pages left. I'llprobably finish it when we get to Santa
(06:00):
Barbara for training camp, but yeah, I'll basically read anything. Do you
have a bike, like a bicycleor motorcycle? No? I don't think
I am allowed to write a motorcycle. Yeah, alright, you mentioned Santa
Barbara Camp was down there last year. I mean, how excited to get
down there away from town? Isthat something that is you think is good?
(06:20):
Is it not? Like? What'syour take on getting away for camp?
It's nice. It allows you tojust go out and focus because we're
going to spend so much time herein these facilities seeing the same pace as
It's always good to just change yourenvironment and know like this is the preparation.
This is a time to really lockin. And we got a long
season ahead of us, so getready. Everybody's talking to us about a
(06:41):
greater pace this year. You're playingwith Scoop, it's gonna be a faster
pace. How does that fit withyour game? It's great. I mean
my job has always been to pushthe pace of the game defensively, so
creating new opportunities for us on offensehas been something I've done for as long
as I can remember, so tohave the players and the pieces to take
advanceage of that is a dream cometrue for a player like me. How'd
(07:05):
you enjoy your time getting a chanceto play for Australia? Great? I
love like any chance I have togo play feeble basketball, play with the
Australian boys is is an awesome opportunity. It's actually funny. I can see
the mug across me. There's aglobe on it with Australia on it.
Right here. I think it's yourcoffee. I'm looking at it. Yea
go yeah, But I mean evenlike to see guys like do our breath
(07:28):
on our training cap roster, likeguys who I've went to the Olympics with
and now get to see an NBAand then the countless other players from Patty
Mills to Joe Ingles too. Imean the list goes on and on now,
Like, it's pretty special to seewhat Australia's doing in the basketball front
and guy's really hang together. There'ssuch a camaraderie among the Australian players.
It's how does that happen? It'sa small country. Small Yeah, it's
(07:51):
a small country and like so farfrom from like this this side of the
world and this level of basketball,and so anyone who's kind of live there
and made it to this level.Uh, it's a special bond that not
many can relate. It's a it'sa place where you can't really relate with
many people. So you know,only four players are on the roster that
we're on the roster to start lastseason. What's it like for you to
(08:15):
have the youngsters come to you seekingdirection on this NBA journey. Yeah,
it's unique. I still it's sofunny. Like in the in the outside
world, I'm young, I'm ayoung man. In the basketball world,
I'm I'm becoming a veteran player,and so to have these kids come to
me looking like I'm old and wise, it's a little feel like a bit
of an imposter at times. Butwith that being said, it is nice
(08:37):
to know that I have the experience. So and I see these guys like
group making these little mistakes or doingthings on defensive, I've I know I
can tweak and help them. It'sit's a cool opportunity. And also I
mean to have young players who arereceptive to taking advice and coaching is also
a huge part of it. Whatabout the way this team defends obviously the
(08:58):
last season, what's the best defenseof year? Can that be tightened up
with this roster that you've seen now, Yeah, I think so. I
mean, that's gonna be my goaland whatever I can do to help to
help do that and facilitate that.But I think, I mean, they've
seen how a lack of defense leadsto a lack of wins, and so
hopefully we can all get some buyin and really turn that around. All
(09:20):
right, Blazer fans, send Matisseyour book recommendations, Matisse table here.
Great to have you on the show. Thanks your time and good luck this
year. Yeah, thank you,guys.
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