Latest / Hoop Industry Podcast / Cavs Forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin Gives Back, Hosts Summer Camp at The Sports Plant
Transcript
- Tyler Neal: What's up, guys? Another episode of Hoop Industry checking in from the sports plant for a third time here with Naquan Tomlin. Just had your second camp here with Run the Show. Obviously, first one here at the sports plant. How'd the day turn out for you? The day turned out great. We had a good group of girls and boys. ⁓ you know, a lot of a lot of kids came. ⁓ you know. And I'm just glad that, you I had RTS here to help me with the camp. What was your favorite part about today? And what's your favorite part about these camps overall? ⁓ just interacting with kids, you know, ⁓ Answering questions that they have, you know, whether it's basketball related or just like, you know, just what I do on my daily, you know, my daily days and stuff like that. ⁓ yeah, pretty much that. Did you get anything that threw you off? anybody ask anything weird? Nah, no one asked me anything weird. The only thing that threw me off was when we was ⁓ demonstrating the drill, the w I forgot the game. I think it was the high shot with the layups and the ⁓ the layups, the free throws and threes. I hit the layup, I hit the free throw. I did not hit the three. It probably took me like 20 attempts. I said at that at that point, it was just like, I'm done. I'm not even gonna shoot it. We're working on that anyway. We're working on that anyway. For sure. But hey, that one that he had on the other side though, I saw it. Ball was still in your hand on the dunk. Yeah. That one didn't count. That one didn't count. The one kid did make one though at the buzzer. It was like a it was like a like a a three pointer. He like banked it after he had to redo it too. So ⁓ that was kind of funny as well. Yeah. ⁓ What's your summer been like, man? We haven't talked to you in a minute. I mean, the summer's been good. You know, I've been working on my game, you know, ⁓ getting with a lot of my teammates lately. ⁓ you know, congrats to ⁓ Donovan on, you know, on his wedding, Donovan and Courtney. ⁓ but then also just, you know, just working, you know. I I wanna be able to come back next season and be a impactful player, as you know what I'm saying? So I think What what what kind of ⁓ environment was that wedding? 'Cause it looked like it was the talk of the town. It looked like everyone had a blast there, man. ⁓ what you're allowed to share, how about that? What you're allowed to share. I mean it was lit, you know. You know, you got the afties, then you got the afties, afties, you know, you you know what I'm saying? It's going on. But yeah. ⁓ you know, it was it was good, you know, just to be able to be with, you know, my teammates and then, you know, like coaches and stuff like that, you know, just to interact with them, you know, outside of basketball, you know, that was really good. What what's it like to have a team like that close knit though? Cause Don like literally invited all y'all. ⁓ I mean, yeah. I mean, it's good, you know, it builds You know, chemistry. ⁓ you know, especially going into the season, you know, and want wanting to accomplish what we want to accomplish. ⁓ yeah, it's it's just the energy, you know what I'm saying? I feel like when the energy's good like that, you know, the locker room's good, you know, I feel like you should just play better as a team 'cause you play for each other. What'd you like about your summer league? How you played out in Vegas? ⁓ I think my summer league was good, you know. ⁓ you know, going into summer league, I'm a vet at that point. You know, that's my third summer league. ⁓ you know, and then just trying to be able to help. And like leads, you know, like the the young guys coming in or even like the guys coming in from college, you know, like Malik, you know, other guys that's on like E10s and stuff like that, you know, just to be able to, you know, help give them that confidence. Let them know what's what to expect going into the summer league and let them know what teams expect from them and stuff like that. Just to go cause I was in their shoes at one point, you know? So yeah. Yeah. What what is quant advice? What's quant advice to the next generation and that those those guys coming up to try and get to where you got? Right? Cause you started off as a guy like with a two way and then getting up, making that climb. Like what do you say to those guys? Play hard, man. Play hard, play smart, you know, let the game come to you, you know, ⁓ be for one another, you know. You know, yeah, play play for one another. ⁓ you know, and just just play hard, you know. Just go out there and and be an impactful player, whether that's offensively or defensively. You know, I feel like I feel like that's what teams really like to see, you know, guys that come in and are impactful, you know? For sure. And no one's got a motor like this guy, let's say that. But but hey, what was your favorite part about last season? This is obviously like the first time you real got minutes. You got real minutes and you were on national TV. You and Tyson were showing out on national TV against the Lakers. You got a game with Philly. Like w what was that like for you and like what did you learn from those experiences? ⁓ I learned a lot, you know, 'cause you got a good group of guys, you know, in the locker room. But I think The biggest part for me, well, the part that I was most exciting was just I think exceeding expectations. You know, I feel like obviously there was no expectations on me coming in. And I feel like for a while I feel like I was a impactful player, you know, coming in like on the defensive end and stuff like that. You know, just going out there and playing hard, giving the team that spark of energy, you know, when it was needed. ⁓ but yeah, just you know, and also just learning from the guys in the lager. You talk about expectations. What are expectations for yourself next year? Like what are the things you're working on this summer that you want to do to get on the court more? ⁓ pretty much s just keep working on that shot, you know, ⁓ you know, confidently being able to just, you know, shoot it with confidence and really kind of continue what I was doing as far as, you know, just going out there and playing hard and, you know, ⁓ trying to be an impact. What's your reaction to this offseason in general? It feels like everyone's moving everywhere in the damn league. Nah, right. And I mean, you guys pretty much are coming back with the same people. You obviously added Mario Hazonia. ⁓ you got TB coming back. Yeah. But like, it seems like the whole East just got completely warped. That's a fact. The East is scary. You know, I feel like a lot of people always talk about the West and what the West got going on. But I like the East though. I like the East. And on top of it too, the East won the championship last year too. So I I feel like people can't sleep on the East. But the East definitely took a jump for sure. What kind of competition does that bring into you? Because you're obviously a guy that likes to go out there and compete with Fire. And knowing that these teams are getting better and it's not getting any easier too, like, what does that bring out in you? ⁓ I mean, the same old, same old. You know, I feel I'm a dog at the end of the day. So, you know what I'm saying? Like, I mean, some new players on some on some teams, but I all I can do is, you know, control what I can control, you know, go out there and play hard and, you know, try to help my team with as many games as I can. I don't know how much you guys talk to each other about basketball when it's offseason time, but like, have you had conversations about How everyone else around you has changed and stuff like that, or you just keep keep the th the main thing, the main thing with you guys? I think we keep the main thing the main thing. Okay. For sure. Okay. All right. Last thing. Obviously, Sports Plant, great facility here for this camp. I I can't tell you enough. But when when I was talking to Raleigh, he talking about they got Sam volleyball, they got boxing, they got football back there, they got everything you can think of here. Just being around here and training here over the summers, what's your favorite part about this place? ⁓ I think it is hot. It do be hot in here. But just building here. Yeah, definitely builds character. That's what Kevin said. Yeah, it builds character. But just coming here and be able to work, ⁓ you know, you know, with a good group of guys, you know. ⁓ that's what I'm saying. I'm I'm I'm happy for to be here with a part of ⁓ to be a part of RTS. You know, they come in, they, you know, they work me out. ⁓ but now yeah, it's a good facility. And I get good work. Yeah, this is my second summer working here. ⁓ so yeah, sure. What's your favorite part about working with Run the Show? And do you want to do another camp with us? Well, Zev, ⁓ I think we will probably have an annual Run the Show XKON Camp every year. You know what I'm saying? For sure. Sounds like the idea. Swan, thanks so much, man. It was a blast. Today was awesome. Last camp was awesome. Yes, sir. Can't wait to see you. It's almost time. It's almost that time. It's a fact. All right, guys. Take it easy. Back here again at the sports plant with another guest, the man who ran the show quite literally today, Kevin Christie of Run the Show. Dude, this is a great turnout today. Naquon, another camp with us, his second one. We did one in the winter. We brought it here to the sports plant this time for the summertime. How do you think it turned out today? You know, I I thought it was great. ⁓ like you said, this is our second time being able to get the opportunity to work with Naquan ⁓ in this kids' camp sort of setting. ⁓ you know, we've spent a lot of time with him on the court and You know, it's really good to see, you know, how he interacts with kids, parents. ⁓ and I think that's really the best part of what I saw today. It's like both camps, I've gotten compliments from, you know, kids, families about how much they, you know, respect what he's doing out here, ⁓ how great he was, signed autographs, took pictures, never said no to anyone. ⁓ I thought it was a great turnout. What was your favorite story from today? Favorite story from today, probably our beat the shot winner. S the the kids called a clock violation on him. So they brought it back and he banked in a three pointer to do it again. So ⁓ the ball don't lie in sometimes a situation. So ⁓ that that was a pretty good moment. It got all the kids excited. Nick One also had one that he was going down the floor, didn't beat the buzzer. I got it on my phone, made sure to see it. That ball was still in his hand when he tried to dunk that thing through. So don't let him tell you otherwise. Gotta go to the the The review. Yeah, we're we're we're going to Secaucus, just like the games. But ⁓ great camp today. What were the things for you that that really showed the passion from Naquan with these kids? You said yourself, like he was interacting with the parents, he was interacting with the kids, but like what really showed you that he's engaged, but not only engaged, but just having fun? Yeah, I I think that's the biggest part of it. Like you could tell from the very beginning, you know, he walked in the door, you know, he shook hands. I watched him, we went over and shook hands with all the parents. introduced himself, you know, you did not have to do that. ⁓ you know, he even talked to the kids a little bit, answered some questions from them, ⁓ you know, about what his journey was like, players who've kind of inspired his career. ⁓ so the pair the kids being able to hear from them and then even just some of the little stuff, like being involved with the stations. You know, he doesn't always we have coaches doing stations, but you know, he would go over and check in with each station, maybe block a shot. Steal basketball, snore on a kid. So ⁓ so yeah, it was definitely ⁓ definitely a good experience, you know, and him ⁓ seeing how involved he was, you know, head to toe, start to finish. How was the sports plant in hosting this event? We've obviously been here all the time, each summer, come here, train out with all these guys that pros, college players, high school players. We're always here at the plant. It's a great place. Just what's your favorite part about this spot? You know, ⁓ yeah. The the ownership here and and all everyone who works here from you know JB to Finney, ⁓ even to Raleigh, ⁓ you know, great people. I think that's the biggest thing we look for when we're doing ⁓ you know, camps or any sort of clinics for anybody. ⁓ we're looking to have a good relationship with the facility that we're doing it at. ⁓ and those guys were more than gracious with, you know, giving us their space for this. And ⁓ like you said, even other times, you know, short notice. Sometimes things happen ⁓ with some of the these MBA guys. So Being able to kind of shift and still being able to accommodate us. You know, we're we're really grateful for that and appreciate these guys over here. Let's talk about the shot doctor leading this whole thing, leading this whole operation as Ty is home with his brand new baby girl. Congratulations, Ty, by the way. But Kev's stepped in here and pinch hit for him and he re ran another camp so gr so well as we've seen him do before. But what's your favorite part about leading these things and seeing, you know, everything come together like this as successfully as it has? Yeah, I I think a lot of it comes from experience, you know, ⁓ from the early days of when I first started getting involved with run the show. ⁓ kind of, you know, with Tyler setting the standard on how these camps should go, ⁓ you know, how much energy you should bring, when we should, you know, maybe push the kids a little bit more, when we should reel it back in. ⁓ you just start to do it over and over again. This is probably the fifth over fiftieth time I've done a a something like this. So You start to get the hang of it. And, you know, what I really enjoy is seeing the kids laugh and smile. You know, I think a lot of times when you're coaching or maybe you're doing, you know, individual one-on-one, it can be a little bit more of a serious tone, ⁓ a little bit more of kind of focus. ⁓ where kind of an event like this is a little bit more fun, laughing and seeing those kids doing that. ⁓ that's my favorite part. So when I see the kids having fun, ⁓ I know we're putting we're having a good product. Hopefully we get to do another one with Klein. But do we have anything else coming up to run the show that we'd like to plug? Because there's obviously basketball goes 24-7 for us. So we've always got stuff going on. It definitely is 24-7, 365 as well. ⁓ but we have a couple of things coming up. We have our camp handle, ⁓ which is you know starting here in September. ⁓ but that'll be at our facility in Twinsburg. ⁓ being able to kind of work on just your handles, really focus ⁓ 45 minutes to an hour, getting that in. ⁓ we also have our three-on-three league coming up in September as well. ⁓ that'll be at Western Reserve Academy. ⁓ you do need a team to register for that. You can't register solo. ⁓ but if you have a team, three or four kids who want to come in, ⁓ do participate in our three-on-three league, ⁓ we have that coming up in September. ⁓ and then I know with school starting up, ⁓ you know, hours start to shift. We work more in the evenings out of the facility, but I know a lot of kids are getting geared up for tryouts. So having them in, ⁓ getting kids ready for the season. Season never stops, even when it isn't the season. Easy when it isn't. Kemp, appreciate you, man. Thanks for popping on. Appreciate you. It's my guy right here. We'll check in again from Hoop Industry, I'm sure, later on. From the sports plant in Euclid, Ohio. Got my man Raleigh Smith with me here at Naekwan Tomlin's summer camp. Man, it's good to get you on here, first of all. Secondly, ⁓ how's the turnout been for you? How's it it's been it's been ⁓ pretty fun, it looks like. Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. I mean, camps are always fun. We got a great group of kids, great group of group of coaches. ⁓ camp is running smooth. The kids are having a lot of fun. So it's been it's been fun. What's your favorite part about experiences like this? ⁓ just interacting with the kids. You know, it's just just, you know, seeing the smiles on their faces and the camps go so fast so it's hard it's hard to kinda think about like the basketball part of it. You know, but ⁓ you know, for me it's if if I can give them like one great experience, you know, one thing that they can get from a camp from me, then it's a it's a it's a good camp to me. Most definitely, man. Been at the sports plants here the last couple of years, at least myself. ⁓ awesome place, bunch of courts, got boxing back there, you got football. I'm sure there's a pickleball court somewhere. I have no idea. But ⁓ can you just kind of go into what your role is here and and what you do here at the sports plant? So I'm the ⁓ the lead basketball trainer here. ⁓ I help out with all the camps, clinics. ⁓ I coach one of the AAU teams out of out of here. ⁓ True Prospects is our AAU program. ⁓ And just, you know, overall just being here and helping out as much as I can, but my my main focus is is the courts. So whatever's going on on c on the courts, I'm I'm I'm involved. Seems like you're pretty passionate about p player development. Can you kind of go in on on what led you to this point and like why it's so important to you? ⁓ well I played. So, you know, for me I I was able to I played in high school, played in college, division two, ⁓ played overseas a little bit, had a couple NBA tryouts. So, you know the the journey of basketball, I feel like I almost have to give it back. You know what I mean? So for me it it's it's all of the little small details of of basketball that kind of get overlooked a lot. You know, I like to give those things back. ⁓ that's how I played. I was very cerebral as a player. So, you know, for me to get into training is almost like it's it's a walk in the park. It's it's just it's fun. Like I don't I don't call it work. I call it training. How how long have you been in the business for and what have you learned over the course of this time of being in player development, working with kids? You said earlier when we were talking that you've worked with the Cavs before too, Cavs Youth Program. So, like, what are the things that you've taken away as you've done this longer and longer? ⁓ you know what? Just just continue to have fun. It's my passion, you know. So every day I I I get to wake up and teach people how to play basketball. ⁓ You know, so it is I I feel honored to be able to do it. A lot of people, you know, don't want to or can't do it. I actually love it. ⁓ you know, and to and to be able to to to do it in so many different spaces. So I've worked, you know, I worked for the seventy sixers during their summer camps when I was in college. ⁓ I worked a I ran a c a camp at at my college at Clarion University. I ran a summer camp for them. ⁓ You know, like I said, I worked for the Cavs. I did three years working with the Cavs youth sports and just going all around the area, all around the state, kinda, you know, just just having fun with basketball and this now being at the sports plant where there's a you know, a great facility. ⁓ and a and a great group of kids and just, you know, just being around the game has just been fun. What's it like working with pros and seeing them interact with all the the kids that you interact with on a daily basis? But for them it's kinda something different. It's a little more special for them because it's it's an opportunity for them that They don't get every day. Yeah. No, it's great. I I I love it when all the pros come back and they and they're just, you know, interacting with the kids. It's is it's especially when it's like genuine. You know what I mean? Like it seems like they have more fun than the kids. You know, and that's that's the cool part. And then, you know, just the experience for the kids to be around professional basketball players as they're starting or or continuing their ⁓ their own journey so they can kind of see where they need to get to. So they're, you know, when when When Naquan is is in here and he's working out, they get to look over and see, ⁓ man, he's making that many that many shots in a row. Okay, I gotta get in the gym a little bit more. You know what I mean? So, like that part of it is cool. No doubt. I gotta ask you about the nickname. Mr. Miyagi. Where did that come from? So ⁓ one of the players that I coached at St. Joe's, and obviously I trained him a little bit too, ⁓ we were doing some drills and you know, he's like, How is this gonna fit, you know, into into into my game? And it's like I'm like, just trust me, you know, just just go through it. It's gonna feel a little weird, it's gonna feel like what what are we doing here? And then all of a sudden he goes and he's doing it in the game, not even thinking that he's doing it, not even understanding that he's doing it. So, you know, kind of a a spin off on, you know, on the karate kid and, you know, Mr. Miyagi and all that stuff, they'll, you know, wax on, wax off, put your put your coat on, put your coat down and it's like, Why are we doing this? And all of a sudden they come out and they're doing all the moves when they when they need to do it. So ⁓ it just it's ha organically happened and then I just kind of stuck with it. For someone that wants to get into player development, say they're just either ending their career or maybe they didn't play at all. Maybe they just want to focus on getting kids better, getting players better. What would your piece of advice to them be? Just do it. Just go after it. ⁓ and that's what I did. You know, and I've I've encouraged and kind of mentored a couple other guys that are training now. ⁓ and that was that was my advice. Like I I was working at a school for autism. And I had got into training on the you know after a as a side job. ⁓ and I started to fall more and more in love with it every day. And I got to the point where I was at work and I'm like, I I could be training right now. And I just quit. I quit my job and I focus full time on it and it's and it's been just a great ride ever since. ⁓ I I let my competitive nature Guide me. So when I did take that leap and quit my job, I just told myself I'm not gonna lose because I don't. That's an awesome mentality to have. Like literally dropping everything to go chase something that you want to do. And like you said, it's not even work for you. Like it's such a unique thing in this space, too, because basketball brings everybody together. Yes. And that's my favorite part about this. It's the networking, it's knowing someone you know that. Someone else knows and if you don't know someone, someone knows that versus it's just it's crazy to me how small the world of basketball is. Do you ever have like any stories of that? ⁓ even around here, that that you meet people and you're like, ⁓ you know this person? How that crazy? ⁓ it's it's funny, I I joke with my family members ⁓ all the time. I I I call myself a D-list celebrity. I do that too. I'm not gonna lie, I do that too. So you have like, you know, your your ⁓ LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and then you have like, you know, Dizendell Washington, and then you got like the the movie star, like the movie stars that are not on their level. Yeah. And then you have like the reality show people, and then I feel like I'm right under that. ⁓ and I'm just saying it because everywhere I go, I run into somebody who either I know or knows me. ⁓ like literally everywhere. I'm talking like in the airport, ⁓ you know, going to the grocery store. in another city, just randomly just running into somebody who or you know, or like I said, I know them or they know me, right? Or we have the same ⁓ mutual friends or or, you know, acquaintances. So like, you know, it's just it's I joke about it, but, you know, it's it's kind of true. But it's all because of basketball though. And that's that's the part of it that I love. Like just being around the game has brought me brought me around so many different people. And ⁓ you know, just ⁓ forever grateful for for that for the game of basketball because of that. Speaking of MJ and LeBron, you got the paintings there in the back. Like, is there any backstory to that? Because those are some gorgeous pieces of art. I ain't gonna lie. ⁓ not really. I mean, we you know, the guy who came in and did it, he's ⁓ Kobe in the corner too. Yep, Kobe. ⁓ he's he's from Columbus. ⁓ when he came and did it, we just said, Hey, you know, we want to have something kind of cool for our to name our courts. Mm-hmm. You know, and I mean you obviously have to have LeBron because It's Cleveland. Yeah. And how can you not have Jordan because he's Jordan. He's Jordan. MJ. And then Kobe, you know, the Mamba. Like you can't there's, you know, there's like the big three. And and when you think about like ⁓ what kind of facility this is. Like we do basketball training. So that Mamba mentality with the basketball training. We have ⁓ men's leagues. So Jordan with the, you know, got winning six rings. And then you got, you know, we got we got the the the youth and all that stuff with LeBron coming right out of high school. So it's like it kind of just ties in. That's a good point. We can wrap this up here. Partnering with Kwan, partnering with Run the Show. Just what what has this been like this entire day? The everyone, all the kids, you can hear them literally in the background right now, just having a blast. ⁓ working with with someone like Naquan, working with Run the Show, can just kind of tie into to how this this day went? ⁓ it's been great. ⁓ Like I I'm having just as much fun as the kids are. We're we're all sweating. All the coaches are sweating because we're just so into it. You're beating people with that dang pad over. ⁓ got a finishing drink. Gotta have my pad. We gotta get our contact finishing in. ⁓ but no, it's been great. Like I said, the camp the camp's been running smooth. Naquan's been great interacting with the kids the whole time. ⁓ all the all the staff, everything, the setup, everything's just been great. So ⁓ we we look forward to to hosting more events with you guys. ⁓ and just doing more and just building and helping you guys grow as long as well as the sports plant. Most definitely. Last thing, anything coming up here at the sports plant you'd like to promote, or are there any advents, basketball, not basketball, that that's coming up? So we have ⁓ we have sand volleyball. So we got our sand volleyball tournaments coming up. We have our sand volleyball leagues coming up. We have ⁓ a bocce league that's starting back up. We have a Dart League that we do. ⁓ we also have our men's our men's basketball league. We have a three on three ⁓ fall league for the kids, ⁓ grades three through eight. ⁓ you know, I'm here every day training, so we're we got training stuff going, boys and girls. ⁓ just whatever whatever you want. I mean we got we have our s we have our sports bar here. ⁓ you know, we got we got our ⁓ after school program, we have our summer camp that's that's wrapping up next this week. And then we have that's gonna transition into an after school program that we had last year. ⁓ and that's through Medicaid. The kids sign up through Medicaid, so it's free. ⁓ you know, we have our boxing and and MMA stuff going on in the back. I mean, just a little bit of everything. We do speed and strength. ⁓ so it's literally a one-stop shop for whatever sport you want. ⁓ we're gonna have a ⁓ a volleyball ⁓ hardcourt volleyball leagues going. ⁓ we're gonna get our J we're gonna get J O volleyball coming back in here. So like literally everything you want. ⁓ and you know, just pretty much just come and come and see what we got. I mean we ⁓ You heard the man. You heard the man. He got every he just listed about every sport possible and including darts. I didn't know that there could be a Dart League around here, hey, they've got it here at the sports plant. ⁓ you can follow us on Instagram at the sportsplant. ⁓ our basketball Sports plant our basketball pages, IG pages, the sports plant basketball. We have ⁓ I think it's Tsp volleyball for our Instagram for the volleyball. ⁓ we have info, all the all the info that you need is is right here. We have ⁓ the website is thesportsplant.com. ⁓ all of our info is gonna be on there as well. We're just we're just here to serve the community and and to grow and just you know change lives. Come out to Euclid folks. It's a great spot. Get some shots up, go bucks, play some sand volleyball, play some darts, have a beer. Yep. You know, you can do it all here. So, Raleigh, appreciate you being on here, man. It's been a pleasure. And hopefully you guys come out here to the sports plant and see everything that they have to offer. We'll catch you next time. We'll see you soon.