The Sam Acho Podcast

Sam Acho: Welcome to the Sam Acho
podcast featuring Cliff Marshall.

A place where we go first,
we grow, hope we give space.

And so Cliff, we have a very, very
special guest and I can't wait

to hear you introduce our guest.

Clif Marshall: Yes, Sam, I'm
so excited today 'cause we have

Jalen Hood Sheeno on the show now.

I call him Feno.

I'll probably call him Feno
throughout the the show today.

But Feno just finished his second
year in the NBA and he played his

college basketball for the Indiana
Hoosiers, where he was named Big

10 Freshman of the Year in 2023.

And he went on to become a first round
drafted to the LA Lakers and we will

certainly get into that later in the show.

But, um, Jalen, I want to just say
thank you so much for joining us,

for giving us your time this morning.

And we talk on this podcast about faith.

Family, football and finances.

Now you don't play football, but
you come from a football family.

Can you explain to us a little bit about,
uh, how football is a part of your blood?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah, football
is a big part of my blood man.

And even before I get started, I
just wanna say I appreciate both

of you guys for having me on.

Um, obviously I don't know you
like personally, Sam, but you

know, it's obviously great to meet
you and I can tell you're, you

know, a good man and everything.

And for you, coach Cliff, you
already know what it is between us.

Um, great dude, we always talk
about, you know, great humans.

You're definitely the example of that.

So I just wanna say I appreciate
you and give you your flowers.

Um, but to answer that question,
man, yeah, I grew up in a

basketball and football family.

Um, my, uh, my, my uncle Jake
actually played in the NFL.

He played for the, um, Texas tight Texas.

Titans or yeah, Texas Titans.

And then the, uh, Houston, Houston Texans.

And he would play with
the Patriots as well.

Um, so in my early days growing up, I
remember being at my, uh, my grandparents'

house and seeing him going through
like his, his routine in, in the weight

room downstairs or being in the back
backyard, him teaching me like the

nine o'clock, like all the catches.

'cause he played wide
receiver and everything.

So, um, I had that example.

My dad played quarterback as well,
so when I was playing up in my

early days, I played quarterback.

So I was always outside with
my dad throwing the football.

He was always, you know, giving me
the ropes, uh, teaching me the ropes.

Um, who else?

My, my uncle, my, uh, my cousin
Deandre played football for

the University of Pittsburgh.

Um, he's a couple years older than me,
so growing up being younger, I've always,

you know, had him and my other cousin
Sharon, who played college basketball at

Point Park, um, had them to always grow
with playing basketball and football.

So, um.

Yeah, man, I, I just, I've always had
football and basketball kind of in my

life since I was a baby, so it was kind
of, I was pretty much born into it.

Clif Marshall: So part of
our priest, oh, go ahead Sam.

Sorry.

Sam Acho: real quick, I know Cliff, but
I'm, but I got a question of, okay, you

grew up in a football and basketball.

Why'd you choose basketball over football?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah, I mean,
honestly, man, like growing it is crazy.

'cause if you ask any one of my family
members, like if you were to spend a

day with me as a little kid, I would
be a hundred different things in a day.

But in terms of basketball, football,
in the morning time, I might wake up,

be a football player in the middle of
the day, I might be a basketball player,

then I might, you know what I'm saying?

I've, I was always switching off.

But fast forward to when
I was like in sixth grade.

Um, during that time, me, my mom
and my sister, we actually moved to,

uh, Charlotte, North Carolina, and.

I went to a middle school,
Bailey Middle School, um, sixth

grade you couldn't play sports.

But my seventh grade year,
that's when you could play.

You obviously like the, uh, middle school
sports, basketball, football and whatnot.

So tried out, played
basketball and football.

Seventh grade actually played with
the quarterback for the Patriots.

Drake May.

Me and him played.

He was, he was a year above me, but me
and him went to the same middle school.

We played basketball together.

We played football together.

That was actually, I didn't
play quarterback that year.

He played quarterback and I
played, I was good, but he

was, he, he played quarterback.

Um, and I played, played wide
receiver, a little bit of running

back, and I played defense as well.

But I think after my seventh grade
year, um, I was in Charlotte.

Charlotte was like a
big city for basketball.

Um, I was starting to kind of
like get a little bit of buzz

like in the city with basketball.

Like people were starting to
recognize me as like, okay, like

this young kid is up and coming.

He has potential.

Like, so once I started to hear
that and I started to just.

I really wanna perfect one thing, I'm,
I'm the type of person, like I need to

like die down and focus on like one thing.

And I've always felt like it was tough
to be in basketball season and like,

be my best at football and vice versa.

So for me it was like after my seventh
grade year, I kind of told my mom for

my eighth grade year, I really want to
like, take this time to just lock in on

basketball and get ready for high school.

'cause I feel like I told her like, I
feel like I'm gonna end up making it.

So yeah, that was, that was
kind of the story with that

Sam Acho: Eighth grade.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: like eighth
grade was like the, that was like

the time I, I decided it was time
to focus on basketball for sure.

Clif Marshall: Well, Fino,
you've got the body for both.

Let me tell you, Sam, he came
on his official visit and

I measured him in, right?

I get his height at six foot five.

I get his wingspan at six, 10 and a half,
and then I weigh him in and he is two 15

and I'm like as a strength coach, right?

In college basketball, that is
your dream to have a freshman

point guard walk in at that size.

But pheno, you had the body.

You could have played
football as well, no question.

The other thing I wanna mention
on your official visit, I'll never

forget, your mom and your sister
came with you, and I knew right away

that there was a special bond, a
special connection between you guys.

Can you speak to that and why your mom
and sister are so important to you?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah, like that's,
I've always went by, I've, I've probably

said in the media too, in like interviews,
it was always street or hard way, and

that's not taken away from anyone else.

Like I have a, a, a huge support system.

I have a lot of great people who
support me, who poured into me.

So, um, that's not taken
away from anyone, but.

Like I said, when I was in sixth
grade, me, my mom and my sister, we

moved to Charlotte, North Carolina,
and it was just us down there.

So we did spend a lot of time together.

Um, early on before I made, made a
transition later in my high school

career, it was typically just us three.

So growing up, like growing those
early years where I was like.

In the process of playing a a u
basketball, um, playing middle

school sports, like my mom was
pretty much doing everything.

Like she was the one taking
me to those practices.

She was the one staying up late.

She was the one waking up early before
work to take me to, like, just making

all the sacrifices and doing all the,
all the things that I needed to do

to pretty much be the man I am now.

And my little sister, she's, she's 12
right now, but early on during those

times, obviously she was a baby, so
she, she don't know what's going on.

She's just always in the gyms, being up
late, falling asleep on the bleachers,

just pretty much having a, pretty much,
not having a say, just being a baby,

having to just be in all the gyms,
being, um, around sports, sports, sports.

Um, so those two definitely
made a lot of sacrifices.

So for me, it is always
been through the hard way.

And, you know, now I'm obviously,
I've reached my, my goal and

my dream of getting to the NBA.

So now I try to just,
um, repay them and, um.

Just always sh show my, show my
gratitude towards, towards them for

everything that they did for me.

Sam Acho: Fino.

I want to go back to
moving to North Carolina.

What caused that move?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

So I actually need to
go back a little bit.

So I'm from Pittsburgh and then when
I was, um, when I was either eight or

nine, me and my mom and my dad moved to
Charlotte when I was like eight or nine.

So I was like in the, I was, um, maybe
I was eight, so I was like in second

grade, first or second grade seven.

I was seven, actually I was seventh.

So from my first and second
grade year, I spent two years in

Charlotte with my mom and dad.

And then, um, for my third, third grade
year, I ended up going back to Pittsburgh.

Um, spent third grade, fourth
grade, summer of fifth grade.

And then, um, during those years,
my mom and my dad had split.

Um, and then my sister ended
up, you know, being born.

So my mom just decided, um.

She wanted to, you know, have a change
and kind of start something new.

So that's how we made the
return back to Charlotte.

Clif Marshall: And Feno, obviously
you've moved from Charlotte, right?

Um, now to, you went to Mount Verde,

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Mm-hmm.

Clif Marshall: high school.

You

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: Mount Verde, you came
to Indiana University for one year,

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: boom,
you're off to the MBA.

So you've certainly made, um, the
most of every opportunity, but I

really want to talk to you about that
transition from high school to college

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Mm-hmm.

Clif Marshall: kind of what that was like
for you both mentally and physically.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Man,
it was definitely a lot.

I think any, any transition
is always a lot on anyone.

And I think the main thing is you gotta
learn how to adapt and find ways for

you to be successful, for you to thrive.

And, um, thankfully again, I've been.

I've crossed paths with so many great
people and so many people who poured

in so much into me from an early age.

And starting at high school,
like my first year I went to,

uh, Northside Christian Academy.

And then after that year, honestly,
I've, so before even going to

my freshman year, we kind of had
already set, set a plan out for me.

'cause once I told my mom in eighth
grade the goal was to get to the

NBA at that point it was like, all
right, so how can we maximize that?

And my eighth grade summer, um, I ended
up going to a, this is kind of like

the start of it all for this, this is
like the start of my journey to where I

started to, um, go, go on the right path.

My eighth grade summer, I went to a
CP three Rising Stars camp, and that's

where all the top in my class 2022,
that's where all the top players was.

So any of the players from, so it
was a whole bunch of guys I can name.

Um, I went there.

I made a name for myself
and end up getting invited

to the USA basketball camp.

And once you get that invite,
you kind of know like.

Okay, I might can do something with it.

And then they dropped like the
ESPN top 25 rankings and I was on

there, I was like 22, so five star.

So at a, so that's when I like, it
kind of like hit me, like that was

like the start of it where mentally
I'm like, okay, everything that I

used to dream of and watch on YouTube,
like all the lists and all that

stuff, like that's, that's reachable.

And I've always wanted to go
to Mount Verde and go to those

type of school, Oak Hill.

So my freshman year, that
was kind of the plan.

It was like, we're gonna spend
either one or two years at like a

school in Charlotte and try to go
to a school like a Mount Verde.

And thankfully I ended up having
like Mount Vern kind of like

built that connection and had that
rapport like my freshman year.

So after my freshman year, um, I
was honestly going to go to Mount

ve but I just think I wasn't ready,
like from a mental standpoint.

Like again, it was just always me and
my mom and my sister and I was super.

Just super nervous about that move,
going all the way to Florida, staying

in a dorm, not being able to be home.

So that, that in itself was tough and
I dealt with that at an early age.

And then I ended up going to Coal
Mine Academy where I played with

Jeff McGinnis, a former NBA player.

And that was challenging as well 'cause
I known Jeff since I was a little boy.

Um, when I moved to Charlotte, I started
playing with his a a U organization

team Charlotte, and pretty much
me and him had that relationship.

So, um, my mom was like, well, if
you wanna make that move and really

challenge yourself, you need to either
go to a school like a Mount ve where

you know you're playing against the
best competition every single day

and get coached by the best players.

Or you should go to a school like a
combine where you'll play with Coach

Jeff, somebody who's played in the NBA
knows the ropes can teach you and you

can also play like a national schedule.

So at that time, like I said, I wasn't
ready to go to Mount Verse, so I

ended up choosing to go to combine.

Um, did a, did did a year
there, had a good year.

Um, and honestly, after that year.

My thing was, alright, I'm, I'm
ready for the next challenge and

I'm ready to go to a school like a m
ve 'cause that was always the goal.

So after my sophomore year, I went to
m ve for my junior and senior year.

My junior year.

When I went down there,
that was like a, um,

how do I say it?

Like, that was like my, that was
like the thing that tested me the

most in my basketball journey.

'cause it's like you're, you're
away from home, staying in

the dorm, um, a strict school.

Um, and it's just challenging.

And I think that was during the covid year
too, so it was a whole bunch of rules.

But that was like the first time I was
able to be in that environment where

everybody that I'm practicing and playing
against is, is in the same boat as me.

I'm playing with the top five players,
whatever, playing with, uh, j Jalen

Duran, Dari Whitehead, Caleb Houston,
uh, Ryan Nihart, Langston Love.

Um.

Th those are some of the guys that
were on that team my junior year.

And I actually, I didn't
even play a lot that year.

Um, honestly, that was just more like
a development year, a lot of learning.

Um, and that was more so that, and
then I came back my senior year,

um, started point guard, played like
30, 32, like 30 minutes a game, um,

and won a national championship.

And then I ended up,
decided to come to Indiana.

Um, and then after that,
man, the rest is history.

Sam Acho: I wanna, real quick 'cause I
wanna get to the Indiana piece and that,

but, but going back to the adversity, we
talk a lot on this podcast about adversity

and how that can build character.

What did you learn during that junior
year away from family about yourself?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Honestly.

I did learn that.

I'm like a, I, I, I'm able, anything
I put my mind to, I can do it.

And that I'm very tough cause Again, I
was, my junior year, I was like, what, 16

or something around that age, whatever.

And again, that's, that's not normal
for any like, high school kid to like

just be away from all their family
and just to be, you know, at a dorm.

And now it's like, uh, you could tell
like my life is kind of shifting towards

like, I'm putting all my eggs into
basketball and obviously like Montverde

is a great school, school as well, not
just for sports, like a great academic

school and everything, but when you go
to Montverde and you're on the basket,

like, you know, like, all right, like
basketball is like my, won't be my lane.

So again, like just being away
from home and then playing like

seven to eight minutes a game my
junior year, like, it was tough.

And I used to call my mom all the time
and just be like, mom, like, truthfully,

like I, I, I don't like it here.

Like, I would say that to her, but it
would never show up in like my attitude.

Like if you ask any of my
coaches or teammates, like I

showed up to work every day.

I got extra work in.

I never verbally necessarily complained
at practice or to anyone around.

But, um, I.

To answer your question, like whenever
I was going through all of that and

I still maintained and stay even keel
and just continue to put in the work,

um, I think that was when I knew.

And then that summer I had a good summer
with a a u and everything, and then I went

on to have a good, a good senior year.

Clif Marshall: Know, I want to
talk about while you're at Indiana,

right, you're a true freshman.

You come in, um, you're on a team that
is full of a lot of older players,

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: And, you know, you came
in and if somebody was watching from

afar, it was just how you handled your
day-to-day business that you, you weren't

your typical 18, 19-year-old freshman.

I'll never forget the first time you
walked in the gym, was like first week

of June, everybody's getting to campus.

Sam, you remember that, that first
week that you were on campus at Texas

as a, as a Longhorn football player.

just like to watch the players,
how they carry themselves.

And I'll never forget, FENO comes
in the gym before they play pickup.

Most guys will grab a basketball, right?

And just start getting
up some shots, right?

Getting loose.

Feno grabs a mat and he goes to
the corner and he starts going

through his own dynamic warmup.

And I'm like, man, this guy's different.

And um, of course he, he goes
through that fast forward, right?

He has an incredible year.

He's the big 10 freshman of the year.

Um.

Yeah, but I wanna talk about the mindset.

Um, we have an optional game day chapel
and, uh, pheno would always show up there

and pheno, do you remember that I you guys
to choose one word, to focus on during the

season, and then you would kind of choose
a Bible verse that would go with that.

Can you tell us what your one
word was and why you chose that?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: I remember
during that time my word was peace.

My word was peace.

And I think I just chose that because
I think that was during a time where,

to be honest, like at times I'm, I'm
typically a person who's, you, you,

you kind of know my personality cliff.

I'm more just reserved
and kind of laid back.

So I typically don't get
like too high or too low.

But I think even after my senior year,
like I knew I was going to a great school.

I was gonna be around a lot of great
people, but I did kind of, that's just

always been my goal to be a one and done.

So I'm not gonna say I put a lot of
pressure on myself to do that, but I

definitely went in with the attention
to like, all right, I'm gonna put

in the work and I'm gonna maximize
what I can to get to that level.

And I think early on, honestly, I.

Before the season I was creating some buzz
'cause we had a good pro day or whatnot.

So that's definitely in your mental as
a 18, 19-year-old kid, you're, you're,

you're obviously thinking about that.

And I think fast forward as the
season was going on, I didn't

start off the season good.

Um, wasn't shooting the ball as well.

Like I was playing well overall, like
being a good play maker, facilitator.

But in terms of just like my shooting
and everything, my numbers weren't good.

And um, I think just fast forward as
we started to play through games, I

think I just started to find myself
settle in and kind of find that peace.

And that was just kind of
the word I gave Coach Cliff.

'cause I just felt like, especially
in the college season, you're gonna

go through many ups and downs.

You're gonna go through wins, losses,
great games, bad games, but if you can

have that internal peace and stay even
keel, you'll be able to, you know,

maximize and get what you want outta
you know, the, the situation and try

to reach towards that positive outcome.

So I think peace for me in college
was definitely a big thing, is

something that I tried to focus on.

Clif Marshall: Hey, Sam,
real quick, real quick.

Sam, I just gotta say this.

If you were to walk in my office right
now at, at my home, uh, FENO, you'll

see throughout the office, right?

He's got this picture right here
of me and him on draft night,

which I'll get to in just a moment.

that's, uh, that's at
the NBA draft, the green

Jalen Hood-Schifino: sir.

Clif Marshall: a part of.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yep.

Clif Marshall: But more than anything
else, man, I have a letter that Fino

wrote to me, um, as he was departing
his last week in Bloomington, Indiana.

Now, he didn't just write me a letter.

He actually wrote it to every
assistant and also the head coach.

and the letter that he wrote to me
says, he says, coach Clif thank you

for your time, passion, and dedication
in getting my body prepared to play

at the highest level that I can play
at Peace That's the one thing I was

searching for this year, and I got it.

You're a big reason for that.

I will cherish the times we spent
outside of basketball, especially

going fishing and the game day chapels.

Thank you for always reminding me to do
my best and to trust God with the rest.

God is faithful.

Love Fino I share that with you
guys because I want you to know

that's the heart of Jalen Hood Fino.

How many other 19-year-old
freshmen would hand write a

letter and give it to every coach?

That was a part of his journey at Indiana.

And then obviously I'm chasing crowns.

Not rings as a coach.

in my office I also have some
championship rings that I've won

over my 25 years as a strength and
conditioning coach, But I would consider

this letter a crown and not a ring.

the reason it is is because
this relationship is eternal.

ring is only temporary.

So fino, I want to thank you so
much, brother, because this letter

that you wrote me hangs right up
in my office here at home, and

it reminds me why I do what I do.

So I appreciate you for that.

Jalen Hood-Schifino:
A hundred percent man.

And I think even going back to like
the word peace, like again, aside from

basketball, I think like just first
getting to campus, like probably like

our second day there, like Coach Cliff
had me and the three other freshmen,

Malik Renew, CJ Gunn and Kayla Banks.

Like he, he kind of like honestly helped.

We were all like, we
didn't know each other.

We all kind of had a group chat
before, like college and everything.

But when he got down there,
he kind of just made that

connection with us four smoother.

And then like, we built a really strong
relationship with Coach Cliff, so he

kind of just helped us transition,
especially being the young guys.

Like he was taking us out to fishing,
we were going to chapel every

Sunday, again, something to eat.

So that was like the start of it.

And I mean, I always like to say like,
for me, basketball is like, it's, it's

definitely deeper than basketball.

Like you wanna build
connections with great people.

And truthfully, at Indiana, like that
was like, that was probably one of the

best, if not like the best experiences
I've I've had in my life just because

of like the people that was there.

You know what I mean?

So again, I appreciate you Coach
Cliff, and man, you know, you

already know what it is with us.

Sam Acho: Hmm, coach Cliff,
can I ask you a question?

I'm gonna change it up a little bit.

Why?

Why do you do what you do?

Clif Marshall: Well, I think,
you know, early in my career

it was to, it was to win man.

It was to win championships.

It was to get guys, you know,
bigger, faster, stronger.

And there was a a moment in my career.

2012 where it hit me like, man, God's
not gonna ask you about how many guys you

had, uh, going the first round of the NBA
draft or the NFL draft, or how many four,

three forties you trained, or 40 inch
vertical jumps, or pound bench pressors.

Right?

He's gonna ask you did you
impact those that you trained?

And a long story short, I had a
player that I was training for the NFL

combine had a near death experience
and it really rocked my world.

Um, in terms of, man, why are
you doing what you're doing?

Like if you go to this player's funeral,
is it really gonna matter where he

got drafted or what his 40 time was?

No.

What's really gonna matter
is how did you impact him?

How did you love him and how did
you share the gospel with him?

And, um, thankfully the
player ended up living.

We, Sam, you know, the facility that
I was training out of Ignition, we

were, we were doing an FL combine
prep down in Naples, Florida.

And uh, one day after a workout.

He decided to go get on a jet ski.

when he got on this jet ski,
he, he literally went so far out

that it, it got outside the GPS
where they couldn't track him.

And um, he ends up getting stranded
out in the middle of the gulf and

they have to call in the search
and rescue and basically there's

three hours of search and rescue.

They found the jet ski,
but he wasn't on it.

So, man, it was most one of the most
scariest moments of my life because

in this moment I'm thinking about,
man, I'm gonna have to call this

player's family, his agent, right?

Um, this is gonna be national news.

um, thankfully they found him
with like 10 minutes left in the

search and they rushed him to the
hospital and he certainly lived.

But Sam, that shook me.

And ever since then, I've
taken a different approach

to the way I train athletes.

Sam Acho: And it sounds like,
um, it's like there's a lesson

pheno I'm hearing from you.

And Cliff, I'm hearing from you as well
is it's not always about the tangible

things that you can feel and touch.

It's almost about sometimes more
the intangible things that you

maybe cannot feel or touch or see.

Pheno.

You talked about how important it
was for you to be around, uh, your

mom and your sister through the
hard way, but then you talked about

that adversity that you experienced.

When you went at 16, 17 years old by
yourself and all of a sudden you realize,

okay man, I grew and I didn't play a lot.

Like we all think, man, I want to
be on the field or be on the court.

I wanna play at least 30 minutes.

You were barely playing on the outside,
but you were growing on the inside cliff.

You talk about all the accolades, the
people you've trained, the first rounders,

N-B-A-M-L-B, uh, NFL, all these things.

But it's the experience that no
one else knew about, where it's

like lives are being changed.

And so it almost, what I'm hearing
is this idea of if we focus more on

those things that maybe the world
doesn't put as big of a shine on?

You know, people I talk about
oftentimes like, man, how do

you win without losing it all?

Like, everybody's like, man, not get
the contract man, or get, you know,

get the, get whatever this thing is.

And it's like, no, actually,
like there's things that are

more weighty, maybe more eternal.

There are things that actually
so much more than just on

field or on court success.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: A hundred percent.

I agree with that and I, I think
like, again, like now, 2025, we live

in a, a world where like social media
and everything is at our fingertips.

You're able to, it, it's just a lot.

So I think like sometimes you can
definitely get caught up in the social

media or getting caught up into like
how it should be or this per whatever.

So I think like, like you said, just
controlling the things you could control.

And honestly, like things
aren't always gonna go your way.

Everyone's gonna go through
good times, bad times.

But if you could control your mind
and control your everyday approach,

I think you'll eventually, I.

End up being in the place you want to.

And I think for me, in, in my life,
that's kind of how it's been for me.

Like the times where it's been
the hardest for the times where it

might not have been going my way.

When I focus on the things that I can
control, which is my mind, taking care of

my body, putting in the work, being a good
person, um, all of those things, I felt

like at some point it might not have been
when I wanted it to, but God's going to,

um, show, show you the way pretty much.

So not for sure.

I, I, I definitely agree with that.

Clif Marshall: Feno, I wanted to
ask you quickly about the, um.

The transition from college, all right.

You become the big 10 freshman of
the year, which was at a great honor.

You play on a team that becomes, um, you
know, a number four overall seed in the

NCAA tournament, um, you end up getting
beat out of the, of the tournament, by

the Miami Hurricanes who ended up going
on to that year, to the Final four.

one thing that I'll never forget
about that is that when you're in

that March Madness, Sam, and you're
playing in the tournament, they

have what they call open interviews.

so that means win or lose after
the game, the media comes in and

they interview the players players.

And so it's kind of like an NFL locker
room, which you're used to that saying.

But the rule is that you have
to be at your locker you have

to, be in front of the media.

And I will never forget, man,
that, that I go in the restroom

and I hear somebody crying.

Like just uncontrollably crying
after this game and they're in the

stall and the door is locked, I
could tell it was pheno so pheno.

I wanted to ask you about that moment,
because I know you were supposed to be

out there in front of the media answering
questions, but you were so distraught

that you couldn't even face them, and
there was pain and there was heartache.

But I want you to walk me through
what you were feeling in that moment.

I.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Man.

Yeah.

Like I, I, I tried to, I wanted
to keep it professional and tried

to be out there for the media,
regardless of the outcome of the game.

But truthfully, like, I just
couldn't even get, I couldn't

like, get my emotions to slow down.

Like, really, pretty much soon as
the, the horn hit, like, I think

walking, we was walking off the court.

Like, I felt like, it just felt like
everything was like, in my mind I did

kind of know like everything was over.

Like I did know, like I was probably
going to declare for the draft.

Like, that was probably gonna be my last
year, my last time playing for Indiana.

Being around my coaches, you like
everyone playing with those guys.

So everything really just hit me soon
as the, soon as the buzzer went off.

So, man, it was, it,
it was tough, you know?

I was just, even though it was
like a sad moment of a loss, I was

crying almost because of like all
the joy that I've had at Indiana.

Like all, like, honestly I was crying
because of like, like, like the joy I had.

And it was just like, dang, like
I really enjoyed this experience.

I really met some great people and like.

All these guys, male, female, like these
would be my brothers and sisters forever.

So yeah, it, it was honestly me
crying outta like, just like outta

love and just like not wanting to,
not wanting, not wanting the Indiana

experience to be over, honestly.

So, nah, I definitely remember that day.

I

Sam Acho: Hmm.

was it about that experience
that was so special?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: really just like,
I could get into like the basketball

part after, but like, really honestly,
like the, the connections and like

the people, and that's going back to
like the summertime where we were all,

you know, doing team bonding stuff.

Coach Cliff was.

Ma like taking us out to fishing, um,
going to church, like honestly, like

Coach Cliff, set the tone for that.

And then obviously like we just had like
a great group of, of guys, honestly.

And we all had good chemistry.

We all connected and had
a great co coaching staff.

And, uh, for me before getting to
college, like I was always just hearing

stories of like, guys going to schools
and they were like, the coaches were

like this in the recruiting process.

And then when you get there,
they're the total opposite.

And for me, it was just like,
I never experienced that.

Like everything that they said
in the recruiting process, like

whenever I got there, I, I felt
like I did my part, but like it was

all true and it was all authentic.

So, um, I don't know.

And I, I just think like really the
people there and then obviously on the

basketball court, just I think for me,
like just the lessons and the growth

I made over the course of the year, I
think it was definitely good to see.

And um, at the point whenever we
had Xavier Johnson and he went down.

I hated to see that because Xavier
Johnson, like, that's my brother.

And I wanted to see him do
well and I still want him to,

I still wanna see him do well.

But that was honestly like my coming
out party because it allowed me

to like have the ball in my hands.

And then from there, I think I pretty
much, you know, took off pretty much so.

Clif Marshall: I got one.

I got one for you Sam, because
I want you to speak on this.

I remember talking to Fino after he
gets drafted and he is out with the

LA Lakers and I'm like, man, what's
the difference in the locker room?

What's it like compared to
the NBA with your teammates?

And he is like, coach Cliff,
man, this is such a business.

It's like, guys are married
here, they got kids.

It's like there's not as much
team bonding, not as much

time outside of basketball.

It's like, you know, this is more
your job and you're not there

necessarily to make friends.

And so Sam, I wanted you to speak to that
because you, you experienced that as well.

for the Texas Longhorns and
then going on and having a very

successful career in the NFL.

What was that transition
like for you, Sam?

Um, figuring that out.

Sam Acho: The transition was hard.

Uh, and the reason why I say it
was hard, I think it was twofold.

was the speed of the game, right?

Yes.

The game is faster.

Everyone.

You're not playing against,
uh, average people.

You're playing against
the best of the best.

I think the harder part for me about
the transition was the fact that no

longer did I have all this structure
around me that I had in college.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Sam Acho: we had, alright, here's when
study hall is, here's when classes are,

here's when you work out, here's when,
uh, here's where you do, you know, uh,

pre-game lift, all those kinds of things.

And there was almost like, okay, if you
do, if you don't do so great, alright,

there's always next week get to the NFL.

It was like, hey, we got 90 guys on the
roster and 40 y'all about to get cut

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Sam Acho: about three weeks.

So like, wait, what?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: I.

Sam Acho: it was like, it was just, it
became like, it was, it made more sense

as to what they mean by it said business.

There's very little leeway.

I remember there was a time, it's not
necessarily my early in my career, but

like halfway through my career, year five
or so, I just signed with the Chicago

Bears playing outside linebacker and
maybe year six playing outside linebacker.

And we were in training camp and
I remember, you know, I wasn't

doing so great early on in training
camp, but I figured, oh man, I got

a little bit of time trying to get
back into my footing, et cetera.

Come to find out, one of the coaches
said, my coach was like, Hey, Sam,

they're thinking about switching
you to a different position.

I'm like, okay.

I've only and always ever played defensive
and outside linebacker on the edge.

They wanted to move me
to inside linebacker.

And I'm like, Hey, how much time do I got?

They're like, bro, they probably do.

They're trying to do it tomorrow.

I'm like, wait, what?

So I remember, I remember
getting on my knees and praying

like, yes, God, I trust you.

Like whatever you wanna do.

But like, I didn't want to make that move.

Am I not good enough?

What is it?

And so I remember, like when I
say Cliff and Fino, every single

rep the next day mattered.

Like for me, imagine like every
dribble, every cro, like every

single step, every single rep.

I was like, I'm gonna give it
everything I got just 'cause this

might be the last time I ever do it.

I had a pretty good day
at practice that day.

Didn't get moved.

Pretty good day at practice the
next day didn't get moved, Training

camp ends, I end up cutting other
people and I stay in my position,

end up starting and all those things.

So it's just this idea of, man, the,
the margin of error is so small.

It's so small and so like,
that's been my experience.

But, but I mean, if pheno, I'd
ask you as well, one and done by

the Lakers, but you're in the NBA,
you're actually getting minutes.

Like what, what is that?

Like, what has, what has this
season been like for you?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah, man, so I can,
I, I can talk a lot about this 'cause you

know, obviously my journey has not been.

Since getting to the league has been
a smooth, but, um, you know, God,

God has a plan for everybody and
everybody has their own, their own

journey and their all their own walk.

So yeah, I mean, going back to that night,
getting drafted, like huge blessing.

And, um, I'm still young, but like, it's
crazy looking back at like how much growth

I've had from a mental standpoint and
how much I mature because I can view,

you know, my rookie year or like even
this year and just like, kind of just

look back on and reflect on it, on things
that, you know, you, you just learn.

But I think overall, like it was,
the transition was very tough

for me for like many reasons.

And I think the main thing was just
mental, like the NBA environment or

just professional sports in general.

Like you said, it's a business and
when you think about it for, for the

NBA, it's like a, it's 450 players.

It's a, it is a big shark tank with
a whole bunch of hungry sharks.

So you gotta think every day and
everything you're doing like.

It's your teammates, but like,
to an extent, like you're

competing like all the time.

Like you're competing, like you
wanna make sure you're the best.

And we all, every player
wants to be the whatever.

So I think there's a lot
you gotta learn there.

And I think for me, coming in,
like you said, I was a 17th pick,

um, big 10 freshman of the year.

I'm coming, coming to the league,
honestly, with a lot of confidence.

And um, I'll be honest, like it, it was
definitely tough for me because I felt

like as soon as I got drafted by the
Lakers, like again, it, it, it's not

like you really gotta go looking for it.

You could open your phone and just see it.

Like, I was honestly getting, like, of
course I received a lot of love, but

for me I was seeing a lot of like, oh,
like we shouldn't have drafted this guy.

We should have.

So like, mentally I'm just
like, all right, cool.

Like y'all saying that I'm gonna show you.

And then I'm also just like,
damn, like the city's not like,

not welcoming me to an extent.

So I was having like a little bit
of that before Summer League and

then I played in summer league and
I, I had some solid, I had some

good games and some growing pains.

Just any young player
going through it, um.

So I'm just, all right.

And then mentally, um, I'm in a good spot.

The Summer league, I'm
excited, ready to get going.

And then we have training camp,
and obviously that's where all

the, all the big dogs get there.

LeBron ad, like all,
all, all the big dogs.

And I mean, you could go look
at it like training camp.

Like a lot of the guys I know ad
spoke on it D low, like I was like,

I was like one of the standouts.

So after the training camp, in
my head I'm like, okay, like

I'm playing with the Big Dolls.

I'm showing that I can compete,
like I know I can play.

And then we have our first preseason game
against Trey Jackson, Davis, the Warriors.

And I didn't have, like, I didn't, I
didn't have a great game, honestly.

And I think from that point,
like mentally it was just kind

of like, it was tough for sure.

'cause I'm just like, all right,
like we set goals for ourselves

sometimes and we set a certain standard
and we want it to be like this.

But sometimes in reality it just,
it don't always go like that.

And I think at that time, as a young
guy, again, I was coming off Indiana.

I.

Was coming off of like that feeling of
always being, you know what I'm saying?

And then you kind of go to the league
where you really start from the bottom

again, you gotta work your way up and on
the court things might not go as well.

And then in like maybe my third
or fourth preseason game, I

caught like a, a dumb injury.

It was a rebound.

One of my teammates got the rebound
and start pushing it up the floor,

but he like banged knees with me.

And then my knee like hyper
extended a little bit.

So that caused me to end up missing, like
my first, however many games in the NBA.

So once that happened, it was
like mentally I'm just like, all

right, we're starting, we starting
off the journey with a injury.

So like, that was like my first
kind of, you know, adversity.

I kind of facing the league where
mentally I'm just like, all right,

I'm going through an injury.

And then, you know how that is,
you gotta ramp up, get the body

right for that, so whatever.

Um, and then here and
there I would get minutes.

And then I just think mentally I
was just, I was in a tough spot.

I think mentally.

I was just, I think it
was a lot of pressure.

I was just mentally going through
a lot of different things.

And then obviously you're, you're
starting to recognize a lot of off the

court stuff that I'm not gonna go too
deep on, but you definitely start to,

you start to see a lot of like people's
true colors and kind of just get a,

get a sense of reality around you.

So for me, that was like super, I'm
not gonna say heartbreaking, but it

was kind of just like, whoa, like
your whole life has really changed.

Like, I was getting told that got advice
from different players, but like once it

started to hit me, I started to really
see like, okay, like, so yeah, I think

like my first year, um, and a little bit
of even like year or two when I was with

the Lakers, like I think my whole journey
with, with, with the Lakers, if I could

go back in time, I wouldn't change it.

Well, I take that back.

I wish it could have went differently in
terms of like me being healthy and being

able to be on the court and produce.

But in terms of how it played out, I
think it gave me everything I needed

from a spiritual standpoint and me like
just learning a lot by myself as a man.

It allowed me to mature to.

Understand, like the whole NBA
landscape to learn how to really

be a pro on and off the court.

Like I, I've always like been
a pro, but like really like

be a pro in terms of like,

I don't know, just like schedule wise,
prioritizing, learning how to say

no, like all those types of things.

So I think now, um, getting the
opportunity to go to Philly, get a fresh

start, um, I think that was good for me.

Um, being able, being able to
get some minutes, um, showcase,

you know, what I can do.

I had some good games and everything.

So for, for me now, I'm definitely
looking forward to going into year three

and just, uh, trusting God and just
continue to put in the work and, you

know, let, let him lead the way from me.

Clif Marshall: Sam, I gotta tell you,
a couple weeks ago I was able to travel

to Miami, Florida and meet up with Fino.

The 76 ERs played, uh, Miami Heat, and
we had another player from Indiana that

was actually a rookie for the Miami Heat.

So being able to watch those two guys go
head to head was certainly a blessing.

But I went to see FENO at their
hotel and let me tell you, the

NBA teams, traveled a little nicer
than the NFL teams where they,

bro, where they're

Jalen Hood-Schifino: man.

Clif Marshall: It's completely five star.

The way they're eating is unbelievable.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Nah,
we definitely got a good,

Clif Marshall: yes, obviously.

Got it.

Really good.

So Feno in my office, again, my house,
I've got a jersey you sent me, I'm

gonna show it here on the camera.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: yes, sir.

Clif Marshall: that's your
Lakers jersey man, which is,

which is really cool to see.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yes, sir.

Clif Marshall: you about your first
interaction with LeBron James.

Obviously this is a player
you've watched growing up,

you're drafted to the LA Lakers.

What was your first interaction
like with him when you got to la?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: It was during the,
um, probably like August or probably

the end of August in September, um,
when you're a young guy, especially

when you get drafted or just you're in
those like off season months, you're

definitely gonna be in the facility,
uh, doing individual workouts, getting

your lifts in during treatment.

Um, not nothing too serious, but really
just in there again, where being around

the facility, working with the coaches.

So it was like one day, um, LeBron's
typically, like LeBron's probably always

gonna be the first one in the gym,
like getting his recovery or whatnot,

but it was one day we were in there.

I remember I was like going to lift
and like he was on the court shooting

with Phil Handy and maybe like Rui,
like that was like typically his,

his, uh, his, uh, workout guy and now
he, he was working out in there and I

remember we just getting on the court
to work out and he was just like.

This is my first time seeing
him after getting drafted.

He just said he introduced himself.

He said, what up Jay?

And that was pretty much kind
of like the first interaction.

Nothing crazy, but just like
a smooth of introduction.

And then from there we just obviously
got to go through training camp

and, you know, play together.

Clif Marshall: And, and you've
told me a little bit about like,

obviously I, you take care of your

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Hmm.

Clif Marshall: the
highest level, I believe.

Um, tell me a little bit about,
like, one thing you can learn from

LeBron man is he, he certainly
knows how to take care of his body.

What did you see like in his
day-to-day approach that way?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: he's
literally just like a machine.

Like everything you see on the
internet, you see about him taking,

like, he really does that like every
day, like his whole day's regimented

from how he takes care of his body.

How, like, how he eats like the time.

Like we can be flying back
after a game from wherever.

Like he's, he has his sleep mask on.

He might be getting a
massage on the plane.

He's gonna make sure he get his nap in.

Like he's just super.

He's super like, I don't know, he's
super locked in and it's like cool.

And to an extent it's almost
just like scary how someone is

like, especially he's what year?

21.

He's 40 years old.

It was honestly crazy to see like,
just him being, um, obviously at,

at this point I got, this is year
two for me, so this is pretty fresh.

So he's obviously at the top of his
game, already got all the accolades,

has everything in the world, and he's
still like the first one in the gym,

like super locked in every single day.

So for me, being a young guy, like that
was a great example to see and definitely

a huge blessing and just be able to,
um, be around that type of greatness.

Um, see it on a day-to-day basis
and to be able to get, you know,

a, a lot of key information for me
to, um, be the best pro I could be,

Clif Marshall: This is really cool because
pheno, was with you on draft night, like

Jalen Hood-Schifino: know?

Clif Marshall: you invited me to be in New
York with you, you were in the green room.

Like I have trained 400 professional
athletes, uh, but I'd never actually

got invited to the draft where
somebody was in the green room.

So being a part of that was like so
surreal and thank you for that invite.

But I was also with Sam Acho on his draft

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: in Dallas,
Texas at his house.

So the fact that I'm talking to both
of you guys right here, I want to

talk specifically about draft night,
like the nerves that you feel and

maybe Sam, let me start with you and
kind of how you felt going into the

draft and how it played out in Aino.

You as well,

Sam Acho: My draft journey
was a little bit different.

I remember at the end of my senior
year, you know, we don't get a lot

of one we don not a lot of people
wanted done in, in, in, in NFL in

Clif Marshall: right?

Sam Acho: one and done in basketball.

But we, uh, I finished my, I finished
my senior year and I had a pretty good

year and so I was told by agents and
scouts and everybody that I was gonna be

a kind of a mid round selection, right?

Third, fourth, or fifth.

But if I did well at the senior Bowl,
then my draft stock would increase, right?

That's like our all-star game.

If I do well at the combine,
my draft stock would increase.

Well, at the pro day, my
draft stock would increase.

We'll go to the Senior Bowl.

Vaughn Miller wins.

Uh, MVPI win most outstanding
performance, so I'm like, boom, check.

Go to the combine, which cliff
you and I have been training

together the entire time.

We go and set a record for the El Cone
drill, still standing all time record

for the three cone drill, top 10 and 40,
top 10 in the, in the, uh, short shuttle.

So I'm like, boom, check, combine, go
to my pro day interviewing coaches.

Boom.

Short.

I played linebacker, check at a Mike
Tomlin, a after my pro day was like,

Hey, Acho, are you ready to be a Steeler?

I'm like, man, I'm ready, coach.

Where do I sign up?

Like, I'm like thinking, okay, boom.

Like this is it, you know?

And like, and in N-F-L-N-F-L,
like day one is Thursday, right?

Round one, excuse me, is Thursday.

So I had something little set
up for round one, but like round

two and three is on Friday.

So all the agents, my agent, the coaches,
uh, teams that brought me in, et cetera,

they're like, Hey, the, you're gonna be,
you know, second or third round pick.

You've done all those things.

So I'm like, all right, cool.

Round one came, which is Thursday.

Nobody, nobody, uh, I won the
first round pick, so I'm cool.

But round, round two and
three was when I was 99.99,

nine, 9% sure I was gonna get drafted.

'cause all the teams that told
me and my agent and everyone.

And Cliff, you were there.

And round two and three, which is Friday,
comes and goes, and I get one call.

I don't wanna throw 'em
all the way under the bus.

I ain't gonna lie.

My agent called me at the very last, like
when the Patriots were up or Ravens, and

I'm thinking, I'm gonna go be a Raven.

And I'm like, Hey, what's the move?

And he's like, oh, I was,
nobody's called me yet.

I was calling to see
if you heard anything.

And I'm like, what?

Like I, and I should have
fired him right then and there.

I didn't, but lost.

And so, uh, but I had nothing
planned for, for Saturday, right?

Thursday had a draft party.

Friday, had nothing for Saturday.

And I remember, cliff, you
probably remember this too.

I told everybody, I was like,
Hey, y'all, like, I mean, I, I

didn't expect this to happen, but,
um, I'm gonna be here tomorrow.

I got nowhere else to go.

And, and I remember going in my
room, Fino and being in tears, bro,

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Sam Acho: just devastated.

And I, and because I had, I, I felt
like I'd been lied to by everybody.

That was like, part of it.

of it had been lied to,
part of it, it felt like.

God, you know, my desire, like,
I'm not in it for the money.

I'm not in it for the fame.

I'm not in it for the women.

I'm not in it for all these things.

Like you talk about the fake, like I've
seen, like, man, we could go, we could

have another podcast about like, you
meet your, you know, people you admire,

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Sam Acho: I said, God, I just
wanna make your name famous.

Like, I want to give you glory.

That's why I'm doing it.

Like, what, what, what,
what, what happened?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Mm-hmm.

Sam Acho: I just remember being in tears.

My sister actually came up to the room
and was like, Hey, like, God's got you.

Don't worry about it.

And I remember just kind
of, she helped console me.

And um, the next day I remember
it was my mom, my, my, my dad.

Cliff, you might have showed
up early that day too.

I think you were there as well.

And, uh, I think we ordered some food
and we were praying for the food.

And as soon as we said Amen, the
phone rings and it, we had like

a little caller ID and it said,
uh, it said Arizona Cardinals.

And I picked up and they're
like, Hey Sam, you know.

We're gonna draft you.

Now, mind you, I don't know how it is
in the NBA, but in the NFL, oftentimes

teams will call you and we'll say, Hey,
we're gonna pick you with our next pick.

And they don't actually pick you.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Sam Acho: And so they call and
they, Hey, we're gonna pick you.

And I'm like, okay, thanks so much.

I said, and they said, okay,
well here's coach, here's coach.

So I'm talking, they finally, they
say, Hey, we're gonna hang up.

You know, we're gonna hang up, you know,
but we're excited to pick you soon.

I said, Hey, instead of hanging
up, can y'all just stay out with me

to make sure that like, y'all pick
me while I see, they're like, Sam,

we need to hang up the phone so we
can go call Roger Goodell to put

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Right.

Sam Acho: in that you're
gonna get drafted.

Right?

So it was an exciting moment
for sure, but there was so much

fear, there was doubt, there was
frustration, there was confusion,

there was anger, there was sadness.

But it all culminated in joy
because I got an opportunity.

And by God's grace, played nine
years, four years in Arizona,

four years in Chicago, finished up
with Tampa Bay, um, and finished

a a about a decade in the NFL.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Mm-hmm.

Clif Marshall: Sam, you knew what Shado
Sanders was feeling a couple of weeks ago.

Sam Acho: knew

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Sam Acho: I knew what
should do was feeling.

I knew what to do was feeling.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Already knew, man.

Um, no, that's a powerful story though.

And like you said, you, if you look at
like where you started from until like

you had a successful 10 year career.

So that's a blessing in itself.

And I think for me it was my mine
was a little bit different 'cause

like coming out, I knew like.

Um, pretty much a lot of the mock
drafts and even talking to my

agents, like I was like a consensus,
like first round pick for sure.

Possibly like lottery,
like top, top 20 range.

So I knew like everything we were doing
in the, in the process was very strategic.

Like how many workouts I had,
the teams I was working out

for, all that type of stuff.

So, um, it was very nerve wracking
though, like the draft really, like

the night before, well really since
like, whenever I got to New York like

it, it was, it was all hitting me like,
all right, like it's about to happen.

I have no clue where I'm
about to go, but trust God.

And with that, it was still just
a whole bunch of just nerves.

Super anxious, really couldn't sleep.

My mom was just racing.

So fast forward, we get to, um, I.

To the place on draft night, we're
going through it all, taking pictures

like you're in the green room.

Like at this point I'm sure
everyone knows all right, like it's

really about to happen, it's time.

So that was really my, that was like
my whole feeling and throughout the

night just talking to my agent like,
alright, like is this team saying this?

Like, what's what's going on?

And for me it was, it was really no
really word on like where I was going.

So for me, I'm just at the table,
just kind of like just, all right.

And then I'm just seeing teams go down.

Honestly, like for me, like when I
started to like pay attention to where

I feel like I could go, honestly it was
like around probably like Utah at nine.

Once like Utah was on the clock at nine,
that's where I kind of like felt like,

all right, let me start paying attention.

So nine, Utah didn't pick me.

They chose Taylor Hendricks, um, 10,
I wanna say that was Cason Wallace.

He got drafted by Dallas and he got
traded to OKC for Derrick Lively at 11 or.

10 or whatever.

And then teams was going by.

So at when it got to like, I wanna say 15
Atlanta, and they chose Buffin, I think

that's when my agent started to get like
a little, he said, la No, it was once they

drafted Ke George before me or Utah at
16, like before that pick, he was like,

the Lakers are gonna take you at 17.

So I'm just at the table, like,

I'm just froze.

I'm just like, whoa, it's about to happen.

And then on top of that, it's la.

So I'm just like, whoa.

And my favorite player
was like Kobe growing up.

Like I was always just
looking at his workout videos.

So I'm just like, this is
like a full circle moment.

So it just all started to hit me.

And then Rob Pelinka called me
and I'm like, all right, like

it's about to be that time.

Then I start seeing the cameras
come over and I'm just like, oh man.

So I don't know.

That was like a.

Something you always dream of.

And then like, I I, I
tell this every time.

'cause whenever I was going up to like
I'm saying hey to everybody giving hugs,

and I'm walking up to the stage like, no
exaggeration, like everything went silent.

It was like, I'm walking up there to Adam
Silver and like everything I'm thinking

about is just like, like my whole journey.

Like everything I went through,
I'm just walking up there just

like, wow, like I'm finally here.

But then obviously once you get
drafted it's like, all right, cool.

Now it's like you gotta really start
to really put the work in and you

know, you start from the bottom.

So no, the draft experience
was definitely cool.

What's crazy is I actually
watched last night, I always

watched my highlights or whatnot.

I was watching like me get
drafted last night and it

still gave me the same feeling,

Clif Marshall: Wow.

Amazing.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: Mike Woodson,
your head coach at Indiana,

was right there to hug you.

And, um, man, just that
picture was, was beautiful.

And Sam, I gotta share this story, man.

One of my, maybe my favorite game
from the eight years I was at Indiana

University with men's basketball as a
strength coach, was Jaylen's freshman

year, and it was at Purdue Mackey Arena.

Sam, like, this is our in, in-state rival,
our You know, and they've had the number

of Indiana the last few years, right.

But we had already beaten Purdue once
that year and they were currently

like number five in the nation.

We were number 17 in the nation.

And Indiana hadn't beat Purdue
at Purdue in a very long time.

Well, fast forward, we're at a shoot
around right game day, shoot around, and

I'm talking to our team doctor who's been
with the program for like 45 years and I

asked him, I respect him so much 'cause
he's seen at Indiana since Bobby Knight.

And I said, Dr.

Dr.

Rink was his name.

I said, Dr.

Rink, is Feno a pro?

I said, is Jaylen Hood Shino a pro?

And he said, coach Cliff,
I'll tell you after tonight.

So we play right Halftime,
FENOs got like 22.

He's cooking.

He ends up, he ends up scoring 35
points on the road at Purdue, and

we end up sweeping the boilermakers.

And I'll never forget after the game, Dr.

Rink coming up to me and saying,
cliff, is certainly a pro.

man, man, oh man.

Uh, pheno, what a great performance that
was and what a great memory that was.

We've actually got a picture after
that game holding a broom because we,

we swept the boilermakers that year.

So that was a, a, a great moment for sure.

Sam Acho: Yeah.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Man,
that was a great time.

I remember that game man,
like it was yesterday.

Definitely, definitely was a lot of fun.

I think like even going into that game,
like I knew, like the, obviously like

Purdue, Indiana, you already know that's
a big, um, something big for the state.

And I knew we had one in there in a while.

I know we beat him at our
place, so I'm like, all right,

let's try to get another one.

Especially in there.

And I, you probably got the picture
Coach Cliff, like before the game Trace,

like got his arm around me or something.

He's like saying something in my ear.

I remember him telling me
like, like, be you tonight.

And I'm like, all right, cool.

And I remember the game starting and like,
obviously Trace was like probably like

the best player in college basketball,
like, and like stats, all that stuff.

Like he, he was doing it all and he was
obviously a big focus every single night.

And I remember they was just taking take,
trying to take away a lot of his stuff.

So for me, I'm seeing that I'm just like,
all right, now I gotta be aggressive.

And I remember I hit like my first couple
shots and I'm just like, all right.

Then on top of that, it probably helped
that I couldn't really hear, it was so

loud, I couldn't really hear anything.

So in terms of like hearing
Coach Woods on the side call, I

couldn't hear him say anything.

So I was pretty much just
running everything on my own.

So it was just like a, it was just a good
layout and it was like a good game, man.

I was just happy to get the win,
honestly, to beat him two times.

So that was, it was cool.

It was cool.

Clif Marshall: photo of you
and Trace Man, right here.

If you could see that.

Man,

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: a mo, a
monumental moment, man.

That was

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: game and great experience.

And Sam, I know you've had those
moments too when you played in

college at Texas, but when you
talk about getting in the zone.

Being in that zone, man, Fino was, was
certainly in it that night and it was,

it was really, really cool to see.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Mm-hmm.

Sam Acho: So Fino, I got one more for
you and then Cliff's going to close

us off, but I ask every one of our
guests this, and I'm gonna ask you,

you've seen a lot.

still young, but you've seen a lot.

How do you win without losing it all?

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Well, I
think you win without losing

it all is it starts with you.

I think as a whole, we are the
creator of our own reality.

So like you can wake up every day
and set an attention and just have an

attitude, or you can set the tone and
trust God, talk to God, be positive.

So for me, in my life, like again,
the journey hasn't been easy.

It's been a rollercoaster,
but that's for everyone.

So for me, I always just
try to stay grounded.

And for me, I always
use the word gratitude.

Like for every single thing, every
person I encounter, every experience I

encounter, like good or bad, like I'm
always just grateful to experience that.

I'm thankful that God's.

Presently have me here and
wake me up every single day.

So like honestly for me, like whatever I'm
going through, I always just stay grounded

and just stay centered and just trust God.

Because again, we are gonna go
through so many different things.

Like that's, that's undeniable.

Failure is going to be undeniable,
but the, for me, failure is no option.

It's not that you're never gonna fail,
it's like you're just never gonna give up.

So, um, I don't know.

I think if you just trust God and you can
control yourself, control your attitude,

the way you view things, and just try to
be positive, um, I think you'll be fine.

Clif Marshall: Really good Fino.

My last question for you is you talk
about faith a lot, you talk about

God a lot, even in today's podcast.

Um.

I, I just wanna know, you've
got the God strong, uh, tattoo

across your, your abdomen, right?

You've got like this faith about you.

I want to know who has had the
greatest influence on you in your

life when it does come to your faith.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Man,
it's so many different people

and so many different things.

Honestly, like I would say, like
my family as a whole, um, I can

even say you like, I don't know.

I've, I've had so many different
experiences that's helped me.

Well, yeah, that's, that's helped
me honestly like, wanna continue

to strength my relationship with
God and then off, like, truthfully

just like experience in my life.

And I think, like I've always
considered myself to be a believer.

I've always tried to be
righteous in my own way and.

Um, things like that.

But honestly, my rookie year, when
I had surgery March 21st, once I had

like that low back surgery, that was
like the first time I felt like I

had in a while where I just slowed
down and I had time to just reflect.

And like,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: it was a lot
of different, like, things that

was happening to me from like a
spiritual level and like things

that I was starting to like realize.

And I was, I felt like I was just starting
to realize a lot of different things.

So I think for me, man, I just
view the world and like everything,

like everything's God for, for me.

So I just, I just try to be a good
person, do my work while I'm here.

Like, like do God's work.

Just be a good person.

Um, be respectful, be humble,
uh, work hard and just try

to do all the right things.

So, um, I know God's, God's,
God's proud of me for sure.

Clif Marshall: And I also wanna re, I
I want to talk about quickly because

when I did visit you, uh, in Miami
a couple weeks ago, you were at the

hotel and I think you told me like,
Hey, go to the arena a little early.

I do chapel, you know, before every game.

So in the NBA Sam, it's pretty cool.

Every team offers a game day
chapel, and that's the home team.

However, the opposing team is
allowed to join that as well.

So, Fino, can you talk about that?

Like what's, what's it like sitting
in a, in a game day chapel with a

player that you're about to face off
against in a, in probably 60 minutes.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yeah.

Um, chapel.

Yeah.

Every, every team has a chapel and it's
every game day at 60 minutes on the clock.

And I know it's just like a time for
everyone to kind of, obviously you about

to go head to head compete against these
guys with the opposite team, but it's

like a second for you to just connect
with, you know, God and kind of take

that time to make space for each other.

And honestly, chapel, that's
one of my favorite things about

my pre-game routine 'cause.

You know, you're lifting, doing
treatment on the court, but it allows

you to relax and just remember like
why, why you're in this position.

Like, God has blessed everyone in
that room to be in their position

and to be on their own walking life.

So, um, no, it's definitely cool
to be able to, uh, share that time

with everyone and to, um, talk,
talk about the gospel and, you

know, being spirit with each other

Sam Acho: Yeah.

Clif Marshall: You're
great and uh, go ahead.

Sam Acho: if we could
share one more thing.

Uh, failure is no option

Jalen Hood-Schifino: so there's no option.

Sam Acho: where tell us about your brand,
but also why that matters to you so much.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yep.

When I was, um, in ninth
grade or eighth, yeah.

Ninth grade when I got invited to the USA
basketball camp, in the email they said,

bring something that's very, um, that
like represents you or something that is.

Meaningful to you.

And I was just like trying to
brainstorm and just try to think of

like, what can I do that's something
that represents me or something

that I could bring that's valuable.

And my mom had came up with, um,
I wanna say she had just said,

why don't you, why don't we get a
T-shirt that says pheno a failure?

There's no option.

And I'm just like, oh, wow.

So I remember like originally, like we
just had, we bought like a regular white

tea, probably just like a Hanes White tea.

And I think she had like, I, this
might be extreme, I don't know.

She either like went and bought
like the letters or whatever.

She might have either ironed
it on or she got got it put on.

Like FENO is an option.

I took it, whatever.

I think from there, that's
kind of just been our thing.

And my mom even started,
um, our family thing.

It's called the, the FENO project.

And it's something that we're
gonna continue to elevate.

But we've done camps in
Pittsburgh for the kids.

Um, did a camp in Hawaii last year.

Um, it's just like something we
wanna do to try to give back, and

it's just, uh, it's, it's a mindset
that's going back to like, just life.

And it doesn't have to be for sports.

It's like, so you're, everyone's gonna
go through some type of failures.

Some of the most successful people
in our life has have failed to

get to the point they're at.

So it's like, how do they
get there, but keep going.

So I think it's just, again, it's
about mindset, being positive and

just always knowing that in this
life, again, you're gonna fail.

You are gonna go through many ups and
downs, but if you just keep going,

you keep putting in the work, you keep
trusting God, you'll be able to achieve

the things that you want to achieve.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

So then with that, what's next?

Right?

NBA season's over, uh, what, what's
next for, for Jalen Hood-Schifino

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Man, a lot,
a lot of work, like I'm very low

maintenance, very out the way.

Um, a big family guy.

So for me right now, it's just been.

A lot of work.

Um, and seeing my family, like right now
I'm in, in la I'm working out with, um,

one of my guys, his name is Sean Marshall.

Um, been working out with him, but I'll
do a little bit of bouncing around.

I'll go back to Pittsburgh, see my
family for a little bit, work out

there, go to Charlotte, work out there.

Um, and then eventually, you know,
Philly or wherever the next, uh,

destination is for me, I, I'll be there.

So right now it's just a lot of work
and honestly just spending a, a lot

of time with family and friends.

Clif Marshall: Fino, I may, um, have to
bring Sam out to Vegas, man, if you're out

there for the summer league at all this

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yep.

Clif Marshall: we need to take a trip out
there in July, man, and check out these,

uh, these NBA players that I was blessed
to train, uh, during my time at iu.

Maybe we'll

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Yep.

Clif Marshall: podcasts.

Maybe we can link up with
you out there if pheno.

Jalen Hood-Schifino: Law for sure.

Man.

I love to, love to make that happen.

I definitely enjoy my time today just
talking and just, you know, getting a,

getting a vibe with you guys for sure.

Sam Acho: No, definitely.

We appreciate it.

Well, FENO, thank you so much for
joining the Sam Macho Podcast,

featuring Cliff Marshall.

And thank y'all all so much.

For listening, go to sam macho.com.

We'll have all the info about the podcast.

Also, you can find out about what Jaylen's
been up to and also about the brand.

Feno failure is no option.

We'll see y'all next time.