Pivot Podcast

“This isn’t Little League, there’s no rule we all have to line up and shake hands.” Ryan Clark 

Special Friday Pivot as we prepare to spend the coming days doing what we do! Father's Day is supposed to be about celebrating dads—but in pure Channing fashion, He marks it as the dumbest holiday on the calendar!

We get into why he feels that way and talking so much more as Chan, Fred and Ryan start the convo fired up about a legendary summer of sports heating up— with underdogs becoming icons, Knicks championship unifying the city that doesn’t sleep, and the World Cup action kicking off being everything it’s promised to be!  Checking out FIFA favorite on the pitch to the growing conversation around Victor Wembanyama, respect among competitors, and where sportsmanship fits in today's game.

The conversation takes a turn as the guys discuss the things we struggle to tell our families and the people closest to us, the emotions we carry in silence, and why vulnerability remains one of the hardest challenges for men.

The guys reflect on the passing of their fellow teammate and friend Aldon Smith, the pressures athletes face long after the cameras stop rolling, and why mental health conversations need to move beyond headlines and hashtags. 

And as we head into the weekend of Dad’s, Ryan, Channing, and Fred chat fatherhood, family, and the realities of being the men their kids count on. Channing gets personal about his father's impact on his life and the funny memories they made together in his final days. 

From laughs and locker-room stories to honest conversations about grief, family, purpose, and fatherhood, this is one of those episodes that reminds you why The Pivot is more than a sports podcast—it's three men trying to make sense of life in real time.

Pivot Family...comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know!
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“16 years in the NBA and 70% of my career, I played depressed. “-JR Smith

In this episode of The Pivot Podcast, former NBA champion and basketball icon JR Smith sits down for one of his most candid conversations yet. From his rise as a high school phenom to a 16-year NBA career, JR reflects on the highs, lows, and lessons that shaped his journey.

He opens up about playing on the biggest stage alongside LeBron James, competing in multiple NBA Finals, and what it meant to win an NBA Championship. Beyond the highlights and headlines, JR shares the personal battles he faced with mental health, the pressure of fame, and navigating life under constant public scrutiny. JR also revisits one of the most questionable and talked about moments of his career—the infamous NBA Finals play that became a defining headline of his legacy—sharing what was going through his mind, how he handled the backlash, and the lessons he learned from a mistake that nearly altered basketball history.

JR also discusses some of the darkest moments of his life, including time spent in jail, the devastating loss of a close friend, and how those experiences changed his perspective forever. He speaks honestly about fatherhood, the challenges and rewards of parenting, and the responsibility of being a role model for his family.

Now in a new chapter of life, JR reflects on personal growth, finding purpose beyond basketball, and the mindset that continues to drive him forward. This is a raw, honest, and inspiring conversation about resilience, redemption, and discovering who you are when the game is no longer the center of your world.

Don't miss this powerful episode of The Pivot with JR Smith. Pivot Family...comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know!
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"Everything Gets Answered In Season 5..."Mekai Curtis

On this Friday special of The Pivot Podcast, we sit down with actor Mekai Curtis, the breakout star of Raising Kanan, for an inspiring conversation about perseverance, family, and the journey to becoming one of television's most compelling leading men as part of Powerbook III's hit drama series.

Mekai reflects on his early days as a child actor on Disney Channel, the sacrifices his family made to support his dreams, and how his parents' unwavering belief gave him the confidence to pursue a career in Hollywood. He opens up about the challenges of growing up in the entertainment industry, finding his identity as an actor, and the lessons that shaped him along the way.

The conversation dives into his starring role as Kanan Stark in Raising Kanan, including the pressure of carrying a hit series, the show's massive success, and what it's been like collaborating with executive producer 50 Cent and an accomplished cast and creative team. Mekai shares behind-the-scenes stories, discusses the relationships he's built with his fellow actors, and reveals how he prepares for one of television's most complex characters.

With Season 5 marking the final chapter of Raising Kanan, Mekai reflects on the show's legacy, the emotional process of saying goodbye, and what he hopes fans take away from Kanan's journey. He promises that cliffhangers will be answered and the show will make viewers live and breathe every scene. He also discusses the importance of balancing real life with the darker realities of the character he portrays and how he protects his mental and emotional well-being while bringing Kanan to life.

From Disney Channel to leading one of the biggest dramas on television, Mekai Curtis' story is one of faith, hard work, family support, and staying true to yourself. This is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Pivot Family...comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know!
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“Regardless of what people think of me, I know who I am & let my play talk for me.” Trae Young 

Some conversations hit right on time and this is one of them- we sit down with NBA star Trae Young for one of his most personal and revealing episodes yet, peeling back the layers of one of sports' most misunderstood stars.

From Oklahoma roots to growing up under the guidance of his father and navigating the pressures that came with being a basketball prodigy, Trae opens up about the journey that shaped him into one of the league's most polarizing and electrifying players. He reflects on draft night, being traded moments after being selected, and how that blockbuster deal fueled the chip on his shoulder from day one.

Trae shares stories from his high school days competing alongside future NBA stars Jalen Brunson and De'Aaron Fox, the doubts he faced throughout his career, and the motivation he found every time critics counted him out. He revisits his unforgettable playoff battles in New York, embracing the infamous "F*** You Trae Young" chants at Madison Square Garden and turning hostility into fuel.

The conversation also takes a deeper look at his years in Atlanta—the highs, the heartbreaks, and the magical run to the Eastern Conference Finals that changed the trajectory of his career. Trae reflects on falling short of reaching the NBA Finals, the lessons learned from adversity, and what it meant to carry a franchise's expectations. Setting the record straight, Trae opens up for the first time on how the move to the Wizards became a reality and the misconceptions around his departure from the Hawks, a city that he called home for so long. 

Now entering a new chapter following his move from Atlanta to Washington, Trae discusses leaving behind the city that drafted him, embracing a fresh opportunity with a hungry group of young players and the legacy he hopes to build moving forward. He takes us inside his circle, to understand more just why and how the trade came together.

In an emotional moment, Trae reflects on the bond with his younger brother, the urge to protect him every step of the way and how he works to make sure his career doesn’t cast a shadow on the future he’s creating. Raw, honest, and insightful, this episode reveals the man behind the headlines as Trae opens up about family, criticism, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of greatness.

Pivot Family...comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know!
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“If we are teammates working towards same goal, how do we grow apart?”-Channing Crowder 

A Friday with the fellas as Ryan, Channing and Fred unpack the blockbuster headlines in sports this week from AJ Brown to Myles Garrett to Odell Beckham Jr to rising star Jared Verse, discussing how each situation could reshape NFL teams, locker rooms, and championship expectations. The Rams going all in, Patriots and Eagles are all the talk and OBJ reunites with his old team to see if the veteran star can shake up the Big Apple once again.

From the gridiron to the hardwood, the guys shifts gears to share their thoughts on the NBA Finals, the biggest storylines, the pressure moments, and which players are built for the spotlight when everything is on the line. They make their picks and give respect to both Knicks and Spurs stars for one of the best championship match ups we've seen in years.

As always, the conversation goes far beyond sports, as the trio gets real about the things that run them hot, talk why resilience matters when life gets tough, and how success often comes down to refusing to quit when everything points to giving up. They also explore a reality every athlete—and every person—eventually faces: sometimes people grow apart. Whether it's teammates, friends, or family, they discuss how relationships evolve and what it takes to navigate change without losing yourself. With Jay Z popping back out, dropping some new verses- the guys reflect on when legends age out and when to know it's time.

Football, basketball, life lessons, laughs, and unfiltered perspective—it's another can't-miss episode of The Pivot Podcast.

Pivot Family...comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know!
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