Speaker 1: Welcome back.
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Speaker 3: It's time to talk some college basketball on Cougar Sports
with Ben Crittle. Welcome back the Cougar's Sports three nine
note eighty four three s been the phantom Npittal broadcasting
from R.
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YU great bucket, get her to talk some BAU basketball.
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Let's get out to the hot line. Welcome in the
bucket getter himself. We got Kevin Nixon on the line.
Speaker 1: What's up, Cavin, how's it going?
Speaker 4: Man?
Speaker 1: Living the dream Man?
Speaker 3: Did you know do you know how to pronounce AJ's
last name?
Speaker 1: Kevin?
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's these bonsas right, got it, got him? Got him?
Speaker 3: No, pronounced it all the time. I think I've said
it a thousand times wrong.
Speaker 4: So I've always like I heard it maybe like three
or four years ago when he was a youngster. Is
de Bonsa? But and so that's what I've always kind
of heard.
Speaker 1: But Debonca.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's de Bonca. Yeah, I mean it's
I guess he said everybody straight, So I guess we
better start going by He probably knows how to pronounce
his last name, so let's we'll go with that.
Speaker 3: D's Bonsa is arguably the most talented, the best player
to ever come through b YU.
Speaker 1: Uh.
Speaker 3: The only other player that rivals his potential draft picks
status is Sean Bradley. Remember how talented? Do people not
remember how talented Sean Bradley was coming out of high
school and into college when he was healthy, strong, nourished
and strengthened and he hadn't gotten you know, beat up
by the mission, you know, thrusting in his sickle with
his mind and getting injured in the NBA. Do people
not realize how talent that that man was?
Speaker 4: They don't. I mean, it was a long time ago,
and uh, yeah, he just doesn't. He doesn't get enough
credit just because he only played the one year, right.
I think if he would have played a couple of years.
I think he would have gotten a little a little
bit more credit. But you know, he was I played
at By the two years that he was on his mission.
So the year I was at Utah Valley, I had
a chance to to get to know him a little
bit and to watch him play. And I was already
committed to the program, and so I had a definite interest,
and so I had a chance to watch him play
a lot. And it's I mean, it's kind of funny.
I used to say, he's the he's the most skilled
seven foot six guy I've ever seen. But and there's
only a couple of them. But it's like he could,
he could shoot it, he could he could handle it,
he could pass it. He was he was just you know,
he was just a freak of nature. It was just
just unbelievable to see a guy with that much size
and have that much skill. You know, he had to
put on some weight and had to do a lot
of those things to to be able to be in
the NBA. But the fact that that a seven foot
six kid out of out of Castleedale, Utah made it
to the NBA is uh is crazy to think about
there's a lot of there's a lot of tall guys
that are just tall and don't know how to play basketball.
And the fact that he could move his body the
way he did was Uh. He was way underrated. Just
an unbelievable, uh basketball player, And and I don't think
he gets enough credit.
Speaker 3: Honestly, dude, I'm telling you right now, I actually think
Sean Bradley would have gone first overall in the NBA
draft had he not served a mission.
Speaker 1: He would have been number one overall.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that was there was no question. So
I mean credit him. I mean he could have he
could have taken that and and uh, you know, been
the number one pick, taking the money, didn't have to
worry about going and having to you know, deal with
the struggles of being a missionary in Australia. I mean
credit him. He followed his heart and went on a mission,
and I have all the respect in the world for that.
He just kind of delayed it. But but yeah, I
mean it definitely. What people don't realize is what you mentioned.
I mean, the mission really took its toll on him,
and for him to be able to come back and
to be drafted, you know, as high as he was,
and to be able to have the career that he
had in the NBA is unbelievable.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I really believe, and so I think
in the nineteen ninety one NBA Direft Larry Johnson Grandmama
win number one.
Speaker 1: Number two was Kenny Anderson. Do you think he do
you think he would.
Speaker 3: Have went number one over I mean that was still
a big man's league. It was, you know, the Kimmit
mccumball went number four. I want to say Luke Longley
went number seven at a you know from Australia.
Speaker 1: I think Sean went number one overall.
Speaker 3: I think he would have been taken number one overall
to the Charlotte Hornets instead of Larry Johnson.
Speaker 4: That was what I was hearing at the time, that
if he would have, if he would have gone directly
into the draft, that that they would have taken him
number one. I find it hard to believe that they
wouldn't have. Larry Johnson is a great player for sure,
and all those guys you talked about are great players,
had good NBA careers, But I don't think anybody would
have would have been able to pass on on Sean
at at at you know, seven six and and being
able to do the things that he did. I mean,
he think of this. He he literally did not play
basketball for two years and was still a top pick
in the in the Nbay number two overall, right, Yeah,
which is which is unbelievable. I mean that tells you
that teams, you know, teams were doing everything they could
to get him, you know, in the top two picks
and hadn't hadn't touched the basketball in two years. So
they're just basic basing it on what they what they
saw him do as an eighteen year old kid. So crazy,
crazy to me that that he doesn't get the credit
that he does. I mean, he had a great NBA career.
I mean people people, he kind of gets. He he
gets a little bit of a bad rap because he
was on the wrong side of some highlights and it's
going to happen anybody that's that's blocking shots and close
to the rim. There's some awkward dunks on him that
that are kind of memorable if if you've seen some
old NBA because.
Speaker 1: Injured his back.
Speaker 4: Yeah, and that's and that's the thing. It's it's uh,
you know, i I've I've been living in a six
foot nine body, my my most of my life and
and I just like, I don't know how people do it.
It's like I feel like, now that I'm not playing
basketball'm just like, man, I wish I could have been
six to one, just like the rest of the rest
of the normal world. And just you know, but I'm like, Okay,
I I I was able to experience a lot of
great things, and if it wasn't for basketball, I, you know,
wouldn't be anywhere near what I what I've been able
to accomplish and be able to do what I want
to do. So I'll take that. But every time I
get on a plane, I'd give anything to be six
to one. But then I but then you think of
Sean and you know, obviously the tragedy that happened just
a few years ago, but even his entire life, he's
try to to try to move around and to try
to fit into a small man's world at seven to six,
and to try to play it, play a rigorous schedule
and try and try to avoid injuries. It's it's like
it was inevitable, and you know, I feel I feel bad,
that's you know, for for what has happened. And and
uh feel bad for him, but but I can't say
he was. He was an unbelievable basketball player, unbelievable representative
by U. And uh, you know, I hope people hope
people remember that.
Speaker 3: So is Sean Bradley the most talented player to ever
play at b YU Or is A J.
Speaker 1: DAVONSA Oh man?
Speaker 4: Come on, I just got done like that. I should
have known that this is coming.
Speaker 1: Uh.
Speaker 4: I just honestly, I I've seen I've seen AJ play
a lot of basketball. First time I ever saw him
play hadn't been in I think he was in eighth grade,
and he looked like I mean, he was. He was
just a seasoned player at the time. It's just like
it was. It was. It's been unbelievable to see his development.
He's just he's a freak. He's a freak. And I
mentioned this on the show before, just like he's to
have like a forty plus inch vertical, to be as
big as he is, to have such a feel for
the game, it's just it's just rare. And Jay Billis
mentioned this and I don't think A J gets enough
credit for it. But he could be he could be
one of the top defenders in the Big twelve, if if,
if given the kind of the opportunity, I know that
a lot of a lot of times, you know, k
why and the staff are trying to reserve him for
you know in games as far as you know, they're
they're not gonna they're not gonna put him down to
put him in as a lockdown defender the whole game
against the other team's best wing. But if he if
he was given that opportunity or given that task, he
could be the top defensive player in the in the
Big twelve. Like he's he's that good at at on
the defensive end and offensively, you just see he does
things that you just you just don't see. Like he's
compared to a lot of the other top freshmen, you know,
Boozer and Colea Pete and Darren Peterson than those guys,
but they none of those guys can do what he does.
None of them are as fluid as he is with
the basketball in their hands at that size. I don't know,
I just find it. I find it very hard to
believe that whoever has the number one pick in the
in the NBA draft would not take a j I
just can't imagine them taking anybody else in the world,
you know, and and I honestly think that that's what's
gonna happen. I love those other guys. I think they're
all great players. But as a as a GM, if
I'm if I'm taking a guy that's gonna, you know,
transform my my basketball team for the you know, the
next whatever eight to twelve years, that's that's the guy
I'm putting my money on.
Speaker 3: We got Kevin Nixon, ladies and gentlemen talking to BAU Basketball.
I just dropped my poll overday. Who's the most talented
play to ever play at? By Jimmer fordet Sehn Bradley,
Danny h Asy to Bond. So everyone's gonna pick aj
I'm gonna do a what's the is it?
Speaker 1: Crowder? What's his name? Crowder? That does the change my mind?
I think it's crowded.
Speaker 3: Sean, I said, Sean Bradley is the most talented player
to ever come through b YU changed my mind.
Speaker 1: I'm picking Sean.
Speaker 3: People don't realize the mission set him back and then
he was never the same once he injured himself. He
had a back injury early in the NBA. But watch
the highlights. Bro watch him out in transition.
Speaker 1: AP.
Speaker 3: Have you ever seen highlights from Sean Bradley in college?
No you haven't, have you Okay, I'm gonna send this
over to you. This transition dunk. I mean, that may
be the best dunk in by basketball history right there.
Speaker 5: Better than a J's, better than Yoli, better than over
to Utah defenders.
Speaker 1: All right, that's close.
Speaker 3: But like I mean, come on, dude, look at that dunk.
I mean, his head's at the rim. For the love
of Pete, I know he seven six.
Speaker 1: Look at how he runs.
Speaker 3: He runs like a gazelle. Sean was a freaking gazelle
just galloping. He was a He was a large like
alpha giraffe is AJ. If you're listening, you have to
go saves in order to reach Sean. If you had
a cert edition AJ, you would be number five in
the NBA draft.
Speaker 1: Not remember number two, like Sean Bradley.
Speaker 5: We are challenging you AJ. Serve a mission and then
be the number one.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, try to be that. Try to be that.
Not gonna happen. Not gonna happen.
Speaker 1: Sean Bradley does not get the love he deserves. Doesn't
get the love he deserves.
Speaker 4: All time dunks from in BYU history. Mike Hall would
like to have a word with you.
Speaker 1: Look, I'm a huge fan of Mike.
Speaker 3: Call love Mike, and he's got to give a whole
lot of credit to my brother in law, Jake show
rest in love. One of the best to do the
dirty work in BYU basketball history. One of the most
efficient rebounders and scores field goal percentage, one of the best.
Speaker 1: Uh, Jake deserves some of that credit.
Speaker 3: Uh, Michael had an easy path, easy path, Look, Jake,
clearing it out, clearing it out so Mike could just
yam it home, yam sandwich.
Speaker 5: Because nobody expected Dollon Hall to get up there and dunk.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Marty Hawes had a really nice I mean a small,
you know, white dude with like a forty inch vertical.
Marty deserves some love. No one gets any love to Marty.
Speaker 1: Marty could gallop for sure.
Speaker 4: Yeah, for sure. There's been some good dunks. I had
a dunk uh in my vying career. What finding it?
Good luck?
Speaker 1: What game was it?
Speaker 4: Gas? It was against Princeton Capital Fire. Somebody messed somebody
was messing with me. They sent me, they sent me
a video of the of uh these some highlights, and
and it was a dunk against Princeton and it looked
like I got a flat tire as I went up,
and I just be like that ball was just like grab.
I mean, I had the ball grabbing the rim just
to get up over the top of it. And so
I had a few decent dunks. I uh, no highlights,
but you're if you're if you're talking highlights, you're you're
probably gonna see from some three pointers. I'll leave the
dunking up to those guys that we just talked about.
Speaker 3: Hey, you know what, you know, it's kind of like
drive for show, hut for dough. You know, it's like
dunk for show, but hit threes for the dough. Right,
That's what it's about. It's it's hitting that three ball.
And it's a It's been that way for a long
time in hoop.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you don't. You don't win games in the warm
up lineup or the layup lineup. So it's uh, you know,
warm warming up, you know, you know, making making dunks
and warm up line isn't it's overrated. But start dropping
threes in the game. You go three, six, nine really quick,
and that that changes games right there.
Speaker 1: No doubt about it. Kevin.
Speaker 3: Let's talk a little bit of b A U hoop here,
special team special season.
Speaker 1: Thus far only two losses.
Speaker 3: You contextas tech, uh like, we're we're we're splitting hairs
here when we're critiquing this team.
Speaker 1: All is well in Zion.
Speaker 3: But if you can have anything added to the squad,
to this roster, what would it be and why?
Speaker 1: What do they need to improve upon?
Speaker 4: Oh? You know, I it's for me and you you
hear this from me all the time. I think I
think defensively, just the defensive engagement. I think offensively, we
have three guys that can they can put the ball
in the hoop, and we have capable other shooters. I
think we're missing, you know, obviously with the injuries and
that Dawson hurts not having that shooting. I think we're
we're we don't we're not as deep, uh you know,
a shooting team as we as we want to be.
But but defensively, I just think we need to stay
a little bit more engaged. I think we're we're a
team that that uh you know, prefers to run and
gun and run and score and and and spend a
little bit more time on the offensive focus, but I
think individually, each guy needs to do a little bit,
a little bit better job defensively boxing out. I mean,
we're we're into the league and and every team that
we have is going to have big dudes that are
athletes that they get up and down the floor, the
offensive rebound, they crash the glass, you know, a few
a few less turnovers, a few less offensive rebounds. That's
going to be the difference in a lot of these games.
So you know, my, my, you know, emphasis would you know,
would definitely be on on the defensive end, getting a
few more stops, giving them a few less opportunities, and
we'll be okay. You know, if you would have told
me at the beginning of the year that those would
be our two losses and we'd be sitting where we're sitting,
I'd say that's that's we'd take it and and feel
pretty good about it, you know. I it was weird
to me a few weeks ago we dropped two spots
without a loss. Teams that were undefeated kind of jumped
over top over the top of his Vanderbilts kind of
proven that it was probably they were probably not quite
not quite as good as as their their record showed
and their ranking showed. Nebraska has proven you know, we
we we have a head to head matchup. Even though
it was a scrimmage, it was a real game. They
proved that they're they're a top probably a top ten
team in the country. So no, no argument they're But
but I feel good about where we're at. It's just,
you know, it's we're getting into the to the grind
of the the Big twelve season, and and there's gonna
be a lot of these little things that are going
to make the difference between you know, winning games and
losing games, you know, especially on the road against really
you know, top top ten, top twenty teams.
Speaker 3: Kevin, always appreciate our time talking ball. Sorry that was
a bit of a tangent segment.
Speaker 1: It was not planned. It came off the cuff.
Speaker 3: Appreciate you fielding all these very difficult questions that I
put I put you in an awkward situation, and I always.
Speaker 4: Fun, man, No, no worries. It's always fun. I know,
I know to expect the unexpected with you.
Speaker 3: Yeah, look, I I struggle I have add eighty h t.
My mind goes in a thousand miles an hour. I
don't even know how to control my thoughts. Look, it's hard.
It's very hard being me sometimes. You know, AP's got
to put up with me, Ronald's got to put up
with me. Uh, you know, all these guys got to
put up with me. I appreciate you putting up with
me as well, Kevin.
Speaker 4: Cross to them as well, no worries, always happy to
come on. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1: Much love and appreciation to you, Kevin Nixon.
Speaker 3: Ladies and gentlemen, guys, I want to give away four
pack of tickets right now. Okay, if you're tuning in, okay,
if you want to see, uh, the movie Shelter starring
Jason Statham, you want free movie tickets right now? I
want you to call in to this hotline right now, ladies.
Speaker 1: And I didn't tweet this, by the way.
Speaker 3: I was trying to tweet it, but I got I
just got just neck deep in the Sean Bradley A J.
Speaker 1: De bonsa talk.
Speaker 3: Call right now if you want a four pack of
movie tickets three eight five seven six six one nine
five one. That's three eight five seven sixty six one
nine five one.
Speaker 1: Call right now. If you're doing today a four pack
of UH.
Speaker 3: An advanced screening to the Jason Statham movie Shelter three
eight five seven sixty six one nine five one. Okay,
do we have do we have a caller coming calling
in right now? Do we already have them? Three eight five,
seven six six one nine five one? Any thoughts AP
regarding that that awesome segment with Kevin that UH kind
of went out the rails, I apologize.
Speaker 5: Well, I think I have to go watch some highlights,
some Sean Bradley highlights. That's that's what I need to
go watch. That's that's my main takeaway because I was
not educated enough for a Sean Bradley segment.
Speaker 1: I mean, did you did you watch silights I've seen?
Did you?
Speaker 3: But did you see that steel transition? I mean, he's
a he's an alpha giraffe. There's not such a thing
because he's the only one ever to walk the face
of the earth giraffe. You know how fast giraffes are.
They're they're extremely athletic. Like now I'm talking I'm not
talking Baby Graft. I'm talking at Alpha Diraft, the King
of the Jungle giraffe. Like they kicked the trash out
of the King of the Jungle, the lion.
Speaker 5: How did the how did b what you're doing the
NCAA tournament, the Sean Bradley year, That's.
Speaker 1: None of your damn business.
Speaker 5: I think that factor's any the equation though in.
Speaker 1: You know, he was so he was so good. He
was so good.
Speaker 3: He was so good he and he you know, honestly,
and we're talking talent here, which means the clay height,
right athleticism, shot making ability. That nineteen ninety one one season,
I want to say they were They won one game,
I think.
Speaker 1: Around to thirty two.
Speaker 5: Okay, Yeah, throughout must the b U a's history. Did
he have a round? He didn't have anybody WHOA. We
just had one guy that was around him. You don't
want to say that about.
Speaker 1: Our Kevin was hopping on Kevin. Kevin was not on
that team.
Speaker 5: He wasn't he was the next year, wasn't he?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 2: We have given the tickets have been given away, been
people were listening and really the minutes you gave that number. Uh,
Mandy's bou fans are fast.
Speaker 1: I love you b I fans, And I'm sorry.
Speaker 3: I've said d A M then twice today And I
saw that's your show.
Speaker 2: Hey, look there's was saying names wrong and he didn't
love the support. No, but the minute you said it, uh, I,
I picked up the first caller in the first callers
is Wade Almonds, so he gets the tickets, but out
of the way, shout out the way. But after that, Mike,
he was.
Speaker 3: The one that was poking fun at you and for
your mispronut.
Speaker 2: Oh here's the thing I'm gonna I'm gonna poke back.
I didn't know that was him, So that's why if
I he could have told me that.
Speaker 1: There.
Speaker 2: See, that's the thing I always tell you defense guys.
I've given my number out over the air, which I
probably shouldn't do. That's probably a bad idea. Uh, But
you can always text and d and me and poke fun.
There's one person that's an idaho. I won't say his
name because he doesn't give me a friention. He pokes
fun in me every single day and it's hilarious because
sometimes I talk too fast or sometimes im my uh
Cougar press releases. I might slow a word or two,
and he always pokes fund. So you can always poke
fun that the dms are open. I'm not going to
give out my number again because I had a Utah
fan call me.
Speaker 1: So that was a mistake. That's why I said, oh
you can call me. No that it's okay.
Speaker 2: See see this is why I got to give you
pushback it anyway. I'm on a tangent. But shot at
the way way gets the tickets for pack and all
the other bau fans. I'm sorry I had to turn
you down, guys, but lots of support pid you had
like six calls and.
Speaker 1: We love Kugarnation. Man. They're the best, really the best
fan base.
Speaker 2: I will tell you this though, the ones that missed out,
we are doing it again tomorrow at four to twenty
five as well.
Speaker 1: So we're going back to.
Speaker 3: Every every day five pm. We're gonna be giving away
that four.
Speaker 1: Pack of tickets.
Speaker 3: Okay, four pack of tickets, Ladies and gentlemen, any other
thoughts before wrap up that segment.
Speaker 5: I I want you thought fans to call me.
Speaker 1: I want to. I want to go at it. You
don't want. I'm ready. It's rivalry week. They don't they
don't want to smoke. It is rivalry week.
Speaker 5: It is you know what Utah fans hit up my dms.
Speaker 1: Let's have a little bit. Have you had any good
interaction with Utah fans.
Speaker 5: Like positive interaction just no, yeah, just.
Speaker 3: Like you know, angry aggression, you know type of interaction
from Utah fans.
Speaker 5: The last one I poked the Bear, there was there
was a a Twitter account that said Bear or that
said Damn Pierre plus Bird is better than than Bear
Bachmeier and Brendan Soursby, and I said, I quote tweeted him.
I said that, you know, there was a game. I
think I remember that Bear beat Damn Pier and Bird
and I had all sorts of you taught fans getting
mount of me for that one.
Speaker 1: So interesting, it's a classic.
Speaker 2: Then you already know you h fans and personal and
people don't like me.
Speaker 1: We already know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yes, indeedy. I don't see them ever attack you, Rodney.
You've never had Utah fans attack you.
Speaker 2: You're well, I need to be very careful when I
say I've had some interesting interactions with with some people
at the School of North that's all.
Speaker 5: I'm I annoyed you tough fans online so much that
they said that they said, you're just like Critle and
I was like, what they said, You're just like Crittle
and another media member, and I said, I responded him.
I said, saying that I am good and I am
in the same atmosphere as two people who have their
own show is not the insult you think it is.
Speaker 3: U tough fans are very interesting. They are they are
unique and singular people.
Speaker 2: I have just been told Ben that I need to
read the room when I'm talking to my colleagues. That's
all I'll say on the matter.
Speaker 3: Yes, indeed, guys, let's take a brief time out. We'll
take a time out.
Speaker 1: We'll be back. Don't go any appreciate you guys.
Speaker 3: All tune in, chaminate wherever you're tuning in and chaminate
from Great chegment with their guy Kevin Nixon. And we're
glad Wade got to to get that that four pack.
It tickets the advanced screening of Shelter starring Jason State.
And we'll give away another four pack on on On
on a Friday tomorrow at four to twenty five am,
So make sure you're stay in tuned. Coming up next, guys,
John Kurtz, Big twelve Insider h and Open for Business,
Big twelve Podcast, Ronald the three Man We've earned Brent
always bring the hammer.
Speaker 1: Caught up with him, Stay tunedn't go anywhere. We'll get
into it. This is Gugar Sports one three nine nine
eighty point three