Transcript of Wondery Presents: New Heights

Calling all 92 percenters, Jason Kelsi and Travis Kelsi are football's funiest family duo, and every week, they provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. In New Heights, the two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about their games and share unique perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. Plus, entertaining stories from a combined 21 years in the league, off-field interests, and engaging conversations with incredible guests like LeBron James, Will Farrell, Adam Chandler and Kaitlyn Clarke, just to name a few. Here's a clip of New Heights. Follow New Heights on the WNDYRI app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new and exclusive episodes early and ad-free on WNDYRI Plus. Join WNDYRI Plus in the WNDYRI app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Joining us today, the 6ix9ine, Bored from Akron, Ohio, the number one pick of 2003 NBA draft, 2004, Rooky of the Year, 20-time NBA All-Star, four-time NPP, four-time NBA champion, three-time gold medalist, and the NBA all-time leader in career points. That's right, 92 percenters. Please welcome Northeast Ohio's finest, Mr. Lebron James.

Let's go. Oh my God. Jason, that might be the greatest introduction of all time, followed at the air with the powder. Oh my goodness, you guys are fucking unbelievable. This dude is just wearing the powder, too. He just have to own it. Who's going to clean that shit up now?

Kylie is not going to be happy about this. We got a list of questions. Again, you do not have to answer, but we do have to ask them. There's a story about you playing in an infamous pickup game with Michael Jordan when you were 16 years old. What was it like? Is that true? Can you tell us how you played? Yeah.

So when I finally was able to get on the court, first of all, MJ, Antoine Walker, and the rest of those guys did not let young guys get on the court at all. And I was 16 years old. I was sophomore high school, and it takes a while to get on the court. It's usually when the older guys, they get tired and they don't want to play no more, they're like, whatever. But I did, and I was able to get on the court alongside. I was on the court with Michael Jordan, Antoine Walker, Penny Hardaway, Ron Artes, Michael Finley, all these guys. Who guarded you? Nobody. I was unguardable. I was 16. I was high school somewhere. I'll find this, baby. There's a Were you with 16, the baby fro? Yeah, that was the baby fro. I was in Chicago at MJ's Court. It was called Hoops. There's a clip right now of actually Metta World Peace talking about that moment as well. Oh, man, I got to check it out. When I finally got out there, I was I'm busting ass, man. It's time to show up. I was nervous as hell being out there with MJ and the rest of those guys.

Are you kidding me? I was like, Oh, I'm about to go crazy. And I did. I did, man. That's awesome, man. I did.

That's awesome.

Man, I wish I was in that gym that day. That's crazy stuff, man. Well, you see all these shoes behind me, man. You already know I'm a sneakerhead. I know. I've collected them over the years, man. Was it always Nike? You used to wear the T-Max at St. Vincent's St. Mary. I think I've seen you wear the old Iversons.

Was it always Nike? No, it was not. It was not always Nike. It was Nike when I was a young kid, when I was a young lad. Obviously, I've been in love with Michael Jordan my whole life. Come on now. I saw him. Penny Hardaway, King Griffy Jr, Bo Jackson. I watched all these unbelievable sports figures. So as a kid, growing up, it was Nike. Once I got into the AAU program, started playing basketball, Adidas took us over. And it When we came Adidas, it was Adidas from seventh, eighth grade to pretty much my junior, senior year. They sponsored us every year. We played in all the Adidas tournaments, big time tournament in Vegas and all over the United States of America. So it was Adidas. And then my senior year, the process began. The recruitment, the Nikes came in, and the Adidas was still there. Reebok came in and won. All these companies came in. And I took on three pitches. I did a Adidas pitch, I did a Reebok pitch, I did a Nike pitch. The best pitch that I got, where I thought I was going to end up, was actually Reebok at one point.

Reebok I went to their meeting, and I sat down across from their CEO and the guys that was running basketball. At the time, I don't know if you guys remember this, but Reebok had the NFL as well.

Yeah, they had That's what it was when I first got to the lead.

Yeah, they had the NFL as well. So they knew my love for football as well. So they had all the NFL jerseys, all the Pro Bowl-looking jerseys that was going to be the next year. And I'm sitting across from the table. I'm a senior in high school. I actually go to- This is insane. I'm going back to class the next day. They flew me in. I'm going back to Save Business, St. Mary the next day, my senior year. And the guy slides over a check to me at the At the end of the table. It was me and my mom and Maverick Carter at the end of the table. And he says, If you don't go talk to any other companies, this is yours. And I look at it. I look at it. Ten million fucking dollars. Oh. $10 million.

Just right there as an 18-year-old, I was still stealing change out of my dad's fucking piggy bank.

To go get some candy and shit. I was a high school senior, man. They gave me a check for $10 million. If I promise not to go see anybody else, I told them I need a break. They stepped out. I need to fucking break a time out. I can't believe you.

I can't believe you.

I sat there. I need a time out. My mom looked at it. Me and my mom were living in an apartment in Section 8 housing in Akron. I'm going back. I don't have shit, whatever. And my mom looked at me. She said, Son, trust your gut. If they're offering you this, then who knows what the other companies may offer you? Okay, mom.

Yeah, mom.

She's composed. Yeah, she's super composed. She's like, We ain't got shit already. So it's not like it changes our life at this moment. Yes, maybe in the future, but I want you to trust your gut and do what you think is right.

That's awesome advice, man.

So they came back in. I said, Thank you. I will definitely like to continue our conversation, but I would be remiss if I did not take those other pitches from the other companies. I may have cried on the way home because I had to leave it to me.

You're questioning. Man, I hope I just made the right decision.

I was like, I could have bought the building, and me and my mom was living in for that goddamn money. What? Easily. You already know.

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