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Josh Hubbard Interview · Johnny's World

• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: All right, welcome back to a brand new episode of the Johnny's World Podcast.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_01: It's Johnny here.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: We've got a great show lined up today.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: But before we get into the show, I want to uh remind all the listeners out there while we're here.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we uh we we do this podcast.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we started this about four years ago.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Me and my buddy uh Brandon Wally, uh, who's an optometrist up in Carterville, and uh he's seeing patients today, so I'm doing the interview solo.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: But we started this as a way to spread awareness about cystic fibrosis and uh since I fight CF every day.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: And we have um we have if you go to johnnypacker.net, we have coffee products.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we're we partner with a Mississippi-based company and in New Albany at high post high point roasters, and uh we love it for uh holidays coming up.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: Just go on johnnypacker.net, buy a bag of coffee, 20 bucks.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: Do uh you can do a subscription to come straight to your door.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: And uh it's a win-win deal, I tell everybody, because you're uh you're raising money by helping people with CF.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh uh, you know, there's 10% of the CF population that does not have access to a miracle drug.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, thank God I was able to get hold of mine in 2019, and it has changed my life, but we're still fighting for these 10 people that 10% that do not have a miracle drug.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: So you're by simply buying a bag of coffee at Johnnypacker.net, you're making a difference in the life to someone with CF.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: So we thank you so much.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: And uh so bringing up back to today's show, we've got a great guest, and this guest it'll be the third time he's been on there.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: First time we've ever had a guest three times.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: So uh so excited.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: And uh without further ado, I'm gonna bring him on.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody knows who he is, Mississippi State basketball player, uh Josh Uber.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: Josh, welcome back to Johnny Squirrel.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: So good to see you, man.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, sir.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Glad to be back.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Glad to be back.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: You you you get the award, Josh, for three times, three years in a row.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: You you've been on.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_01: We've had people a couple times, but no one's three times.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: So so congrats on that, man.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: You you you topped the spot for us at three.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: But uh uh, so everybody knows you are.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: We all know everything about your story.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: Just talk a little bit about what uh the season's coming up, and y'all have already had a couple games coming in to the game.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, tell us about what to expect from the Bulldogs in 2026 campaign.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, it's uh it's an interesting year, you know.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of fans are used to uh a lot of core guys uh and not really a big transfer portal, you know.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what that's what we were um challenged with this year.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Uh 11 new transfers, you know.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I love these guys.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: I'm all for it.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um Janice has done a great job recruiting these guys.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: And so um we have the team um to accomplish our goals, to accomplish our dreams.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so I'm super excited uh that the type of guys that are here.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, we um we have a tough non-conference schedule, as uh everybody knows.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so um that's great, you know, uh that's it's a challenge, you know.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's what you that's what you play basketball for, to play the best of the best.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's it's it's especially good to uh play these type of teams and to have a tough non-conference schedule before SEC because we all know what the SEC is like.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so just to get that experience um can go a long way and help us succeed in the long run.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: Because you know, sometimes you get these these cupcake schedules at the beginning of the season, you stack up all these wins and they get to conference play, and you're like, whoa, we haven't really uh been tested, you know.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so I I'm I'm with you on that.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: That you the tougher the competition leading up to SEC play, you're already getting that experience and everything.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you mentioned guys coming in from the transfer portal.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: What's it like, man, having pretty much a whole new team?
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh how how does it take to getting used to the new guys coming in?
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: Did y'all bond throughout the summer, or what was that process of getting to know everyone and getting getting used to them?
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh we bonded pretty quickly.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we all came for one reason play basketball in the win.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: So um on the court was pretty easy, you know, uh building that bond, but off the court was even easier by surprise.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh we all just glued well together.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we all have the same type of interest.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, locker room is great, you know.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: We we're not that type of team where you have to worry about any drama or things like that.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I think that's one of the things Coach James was aiming for.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so this was it was it's great, you know.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um meeting these guys was tremendous.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we we bonded so quickly.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: It was all fun and it's still fun.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: You know, um we do everything uh off the court together if if if it's not one of us is alone anywhere.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: And so I just love that about this team.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that that's good.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_01: You know, building uh this um friendships and and uh camaraderie between between the players goes a long way because you don't want people being disconnected and what you just said, everybody getting getting together and bonding right away makes a big difference.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um talk about the uh the size on the team, man.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: I I went to the first game at the hump and I couldn't believe I mean we just got we got big time uh tall players on the team.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: Well, what about the size of the Mississippi State team this year?
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: Looks looks good.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, compared to me, everybody's tall to me.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: So uh but um yeah, we're big team.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we got that size, you know, um from the first man to the last man, you know.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's what that's one of our uh advantages.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, Quincy Ballard is uh is a monster, you know.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: His size uh bring is is just so helpful to this year's team, his presence in the paint.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, without his size, you know, it's a lot of the possessions we wouldn't win just because of him.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, yeah, we got a lot of big guys, guys that a lot of big guys that can do small player things.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh that's just one of the attributes that that we're just blessed with.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um Josh, going going back a little bit, you know, last year uh you y'all y'all make the NCA tournament, and it's hard to believe.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's back Josh when I was in college uh back 20 years ago when when we had consecutive NCAA burst, uh, and and that's what Chris Jans is doing right now.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: Talk a little bit about what Chris Jans had done to Mississippi basketball.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's he's revitalized the program, he's he's taken up a notch, and which it hadn't been in since Coach Stansbury's here 20 years ago.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: So let's talk a little about uh Coach Jans and what he means, Mississippi State, and y'all.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he's changed the whole program, like you said.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um he's he's established the expectation of making the NCAA tournament every year.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: And that's a good and that's a good expectation.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, he's put the work in, you know, he deserves everything that's coming his way.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um with without his coaching, you know, this this program wouldn't be where it's at now.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And so um just because of uh his game planning, um his belief in players and the type of players that he's coaching, the way he coaches and the way he gets the best out of you each and every day, is um it's it's what comes with it, is the results at the end of the day.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so um he knows what to do.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: He's a winner, and you you can't teach a winner things of of of things that he's been doing his whole life.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's uh you can tell a difference, and it's just like because we went through so many uh like a decade or so where you come, you get to the games at the hump, you know, everyone and the crowds aren't great, everyone talking about we got to get back to that that moment where you pack the hump, get the crowds loud.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: And man, what's it like playing at the hump when the hump's rocking, man?
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: It's back, it's back to rocking like it was when I was in college and 20 years ago.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: He's brought it back.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: Y'all brought it back, Josh.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: The energy.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_01: I know you guys feed off that emotion with the fans.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: What's it like?
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: Just after hitting that three, man, and and and coming down the court, looking at the fans and knowing, wow, they're behind us.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: What that's gotta be something.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's it's a blessing.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's like no other.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the experience is it's it's just it's just man, it's no words can explain it.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know, um, you know, the fans, like you said, we feed off their energy.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they help us win multiple games more than they realize.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so um just their presence and just um them showing their face, um it it helps us.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it really does.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so I'm super glad for this fan base and the way they support the Bulldogs.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: And like I said earlier, without them, you know, we we wouldn't win as much.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: And and talk about, you know, you got the fan support, but you got family support.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: And Josh, I've gotten to know your family, your dad, Jason.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: I I just can't say enough good things about your family.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I always look at the uh when I'm at the hump, I look over and I see them over there.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: They're there every game watching you and cheering for you.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: What's it like knowing that your parents and your family are there supporting you behind the every game?
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: I know that's a special, special feeling.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely special.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the support is is really special.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they don't they haven't missed a game um since I was real little, and so um that's just a blessing itself.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: And uh we all support each other.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: We were all brought up that way, and I'm the youngest of five, so we all have some to support.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: And three nieces now and one nephew, so the support level just keeps getting higher.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, you know, that's that's what we're here for.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we always preach that family's over everything, and so um, it's just that love aspect that our parents uh installing us early at an early age.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I I love it, you know, without them, there would be no Josh Hoper.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh I can never take all the uh credit.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I I can't I can't uh sing enough praising for them.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_01: They raised a great young man, and I'm so proud of you, Josh.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: And and I I know I know you're thrilled to have them at the games and uh can't say enough good things about you and and your family.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: So proud of you.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_01: I've read this, I've seen articles in the news about it, and I have to ask about this uh uh make a wish campaign.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: I love giving back, man.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: And that's kind of what we do with this podcast, get press uh spreading awareness about cystic fibrosis, trying to raise funds for CF.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: And uh talk a little bit about your giving back through the make a wish campaign.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, it all started uh with the idea that was presented to me by uh Mr.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Craig.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: Mr.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: Craig, he uh he kind of runs the um Mississippi Kids uh Make a Wish Foundation.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, they did it with baseball and football, and I was uh invited to an um event for Make a Wish.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I was one of uh a few student athletes that we were assigned to kid that were gonna be at the event, and um saw Mr.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: Craig there, we talked about it, and then a few months later um it got serious.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: We we started talking about uh the idea, the plan, and everything, and I was all for it.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: And so um after that, you know, it it really just took off to um it was an easy process really for me because I didn't really do anything.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: They just told me to just go out there and just play and um and just and just help these kids and by basketball.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh that was really easy for me, uh, easy playing and really not that stressful because you know, most partnerships you gotta do multiple things other than just your sport.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, you know, I I was super excited when the idea came to me uh and super blessed still to to help them.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: So how how does it work?
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_01: Every time you make a three-pointer, is that right?
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: Money goes to the make a wish campaign.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_01: Is that is that it?
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Every every three-pointer, um, you know, people people have signed up for the season.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, for example, you could do$20 each three-pointer, each five dollars each three-pointer, and uh make a wish does uh an amount as well.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: So wow, that's awesome, man.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: So proud of you, Josh.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, just uh I can't say enough good things about you and what you do, man.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: You make a difference on and off the field.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, in this day and time, when you got so many, so many kids uh watching games and watching TV, and there's so much bad stuff in the news.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: You turn on the news, stuff that's bad is happening all the time.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: But when you got stuff like what you're doing, man, and young kids look up to you, man.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: That's let's just commend you on that for what you're you're a role model to uh to young young kids today.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: And uh it all goes back to what you said, your family and your upbringing, the way you've been raised.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: And man, I just can't say enough good things.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: You're you're a great representative for Mississippi State and for the state of Mississippi uh uh out there on the national level.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: And y'all are well talking talking a little bit about that, man.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: Playing playing big time TV on ESB and national.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: What's it like uh playing playing in front of the whole world pretty much watching you?
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it's as basketball players, it's what we worked for, it's what we strived for.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's what we always dreamed of, you know, playing on that big stage on the in the big arena uh in front of a lot of people.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's just a blessing, you know.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's humbling, you know, because uh just the just the big arena itself, you know, is it's what you always dreamed of.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: Going against the top players, the top teams, the top coaches in the nation, and just competing for a win.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so um just the just everything that goes into one game, you know, as a basketball player is fascinating because you just want to win against the other team, beat the other team.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so um it's just it's just words can't explain the feeling of um just getting the opportunity to play college basketball.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: Well, uh well, Josh, I won't take up too much of the time.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: I know you got a big big day.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, talk a little bit about the uh the schedule, and I know y'all got workouts and everything.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_01: What what's y'all's schedule practice?
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_01: Y'all y'all practice multiple times a day, or how's that work?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh, so for me, uh well, for a lot of guys, we have tutoring or classes in the morning.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: So go ahead and knock that out.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: And then um pretty much after that, or pretty much after lunch and a little bit before lunch, depending on some people's schedule, um, we'll have some some uh weights or some or something, uh not every day, but um some type of weightlifting stretching or something like that.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: And then um after I lift, I uh I do a uh a personal workout with uh one of the GAs, uh just getting shots up, uh just getting the getting the body right for the day, uh getting comfortable.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: And then uh we have practice um close to two-ish uh every day.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: And so um that's kind of the daily routine uh for me, and then uh go home, do some homework.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh FCAs are on Mondays, so I'll go to FCA, uh, have a Bible study on Wednesday.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: So after practice, I'll hop on there and then uh get home, do some homework, do some recovery, uh, and then I'm on for the next day.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, life of the student athlete, man.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's uh it's a round the clock, man, round the clock.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: But uh yeah, I I I just can't thank you enough for coming on and and taking time out of your day.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I guess what would you tell Bulldog fans uh for this coming season to show up, pack the hump, get behind y'all?
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: Is that is that what you would tell them?
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: Uh for sure, you know, pack the hump.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we need you guys' energy, you guys' support uh to help us have a successful season.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, once again, uh without you guys, we're nothing.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: So in Hell State.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: Well, Hell State, Josh, and thanks.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: Good luck to upcoming year.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: And you still got your dog, uh, your Doberman?
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_01: Still got him.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: I I I got I got my puppy, man.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: You know, she was the the the pet mare.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thank y'all for y'all support with that.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: But uh uh yeah, man, just uh just enjoy it, man.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: I I love that.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: I know uh I'm being a dog person, you know, I just uh love little dogs, but uh but the dogs on the court and dogs off the court, man.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: Got dogs all around.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_01: So uh thanks Josh for coming on today.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Good luck to the upcoming season.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: We'll all be behind you, supporting you 100%, and uh and congrats on your make a wish, make a lot of threes, and and raise a lot of money, and you're making a difference.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_01: Proud of you, Josh.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks so much.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_01: All right, man.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: Take care.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_01: And he'll stay.