The Xtra Time Podcast- Keifer Sykes

The Xtra Time Podcast by Xavier Sanchez debuts with an interview of Keifer Sykes.

The Chicago native has played all over the globe and shares his experience playing the game, growing up being from Chicago, his goals and much more.

As always, follow XtraTimePod on Instagram and Twitter/X.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to the Extra Time Podcast. I'm your host, Xavier Sanchez. Before I get into things, I want to say thank you. Time is valuable, and I'm excited you want to share it with me. This is interview one of the show, and it was actually recorded in January of 2025. It was supposed to debut a long time ago, but the priorities shift and the time needed to be used for other things. Now I'm energized and excited to share episode one. So enjoy. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode. This is the inaugural episode of this new era podcasting for the Extra Time Podcast. I want to welcome a legend in the Wisconsin-Green Bay community. He's a graduate of the school. He's now a professional baller. But for some of you guys, you might know him from his days at John Marshall on the Southwest Side. Welcome to the show, Keefer Sykes.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

What's up, man? Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

I want to first start by how have you been? Where are you at? You know, some of our listeners, it's not that easy to keep track when someone's not playing in America, just because of the way websites are working. Like I've been trying to search up stuff, and it's not always available on this side of uh the country.

SPEAKER_01 1:15

Yeah, so I'm doing good, man. I'm in my 10th year professional. Um, never thought I'd be playing this long. There's this, you know, just small, you know, a small guard, like you said, from the played at the John Marshall on the west side of Chicago from the south side, um, navigating through Chicago, but I'm in Italy right now playing. So yeah, playing my 10th season um here in Italy. So it's a blessing.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Yeah, that is pretty uh, you know, to some it's like oh you're not in the NBA, but I I think people more and more recognize to be able to say you played in the NBA, but to continue, have long-term success. Whether it's here or out there is not always easy, and the grind is always cool to watch. I want to rewind to those John Marshall days. I was reading up and listening to some of you talking about your story. How how many looks did you have at that point? I know me and you uh we share we're we're smaller guys, so it's tough in a scene that has a lot of people. You know, Chicago, it's tough to play basketball, uh, but you found a way.

SPEAKER_01 2:21

Yeah, at the time of me committing, I only had two schools. And as you said, I was actually scared to lose those uh opportunities, those scholarships. So I committed early, you know. I committed um later in the summer, um, going into my senior year, and then I signed at the you know, the first signing period, which I think is in um October or November. So um, you know, I had some looks from a from a couple schools, uh, some interest. You know, I had some letters, but um I only had two real offers. Um and just me just being a forward thinker, I knew my circumstances. My junior year, we went downstate, we went to the city championship, we were a better team. Um, so I knew like the next year I wouldn't, you know, have those same weapons. We lost 10 seniors my junior year. So I knew that we wouldn't probably go as far. So I was like, let me just you know commit now and uh you know commit before someone else commit to these schools and I lose my scholarship. And then from you know, from there I gotta just try to play my way into something. But um, you know, our team structure was much different.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Around this time, uh, they started doing a film on you called Shy Town. How'd that come about?

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Uh that came about because going into my senior year, this film crew from New York City, um, they were you know in town filming um Oprah's last season of her show. So they love basketball being from the inner city, or like just being from the city of New York. And um, they wanted to do their independent project as they was, you know, building their uh just building their just media, media company. And they started recording um the top 30 seniors, you know, because they was working with this all-star game that was uh in Chicago. So uh with them filming us, you know, 15 from the south side, 15 from the west side, um, I guess after the season was over, because all-star games after the season, they filmed us through the season after the season. Um, they didn't have the project that they wanted. They said it was a little bit too scattered, you know, didn't have a focus. Um, and then with me going to Wisconsin Green Bay, you know, a smaller school, a mid-major, I was able to play as a freshman, you know, but also still be from the city and tell my story as a teenage parent, um, someone who navigated as an underdog. And um just one day, my freshman year of college, they just like, okay, we're gonna focus in on you.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Yeah, and during that time, you know, uh, it's different people that come out of Chicago, they have their different stories of triumph. But one of the things that happened to you, unfortunately, you had lost your parents. Uh, I know that's tough to talk about, but talk talk about I I read that you were into journaling at that time. Is that something that you still do in those hard moments?

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Uh yeah, man, it's right here. I got myself a little sitting right in front of me. But um yeah, losing my father was uh really, really tough, you know. Like growing up in Chicago, um, I guess I would say in poverty in a city or just really just in a sports landscape. Um, I would say um not being able to have that guidance or just being nurtured from you know a two-parent household makes the journey that much tougher. And uh fortunately I had that, you know, for 18 years of my life, which helped me succeed, you know, and it showed with uh just my morals, my values, the way I carry myself on and off the court. Um so yeah, to lose my father, who was like my biggest supporter, um you know, my motivation, my inspiration, just uh just my he was like just singularly really my support system, you know, like you know, my mom was there and she supported, but she didn't come to my games a lot, you know, we're taking care of the house. Um, you know, she just you know was kind of in the background, you know, just would come to the big games, things like that. But my dad was, you know, at every single moment, you know, even when I'm playing football growing up, um, we doing track, baseball, cross-country, you know, basketball, it didn't matter, he was there. So um he was like my singular support system. So to lose him was very, you know, very, very hard. And you know, as you said, I had to, you know, create another support system, learn as a you know, uh a college uh student, just ways to, you know, support myself uh mentally, spiritually, emotionally, um, and you know, just reading books, uh, like you said, journaling, those are ways that I was able to support myself, you know, and then having a great coaching staff who my dad told me um that that was the right decision to make to go to Green Bay. Um, I just have to find those ways to continue to support myself and support my dream as I want to see it through.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

Yeah, I was uh just hearing you talk about it now, and then in a couple of things I was watching, it's cool to see um the closest of you and your dad, and then later on in recent years, uh your mom just going out and being there, and you you've been lucky enough to play close by, and that relationship kind of looks almost been as strong as it's ever been. Um, as a parent, because you said you were a teen parent. How is that how have what you learned from your parents you now done for your own?

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Yeah, it has helped a lot. I mean, first and foremost, them even helping me be a better parent, you know, because having a kid at 16 isn't easy. You know, I had my son at 16 when I was still a kid, you know, I was a teenager, you know, not even not even an adult having my own child. So to have their support, their guidance, uh, them actually assisting, you know, helping, still letting me go to college, you know, I realized quickly that, you know, you know, some some kids that have kids, teenagers that have kids, even adults that have kids, you know, they have to fully support them themselves, you know, with, you know, even if they're not watching, they have to figure out child care, daycare, schooling. And that's something that my parents helped me with. And uh, you know, let me continue to dream when I have to also um take responsibility for my kids' dreams. So um, you know, my parents pretty much led me. Uh, they they taught me everything. Um, they gave me opportunity. Um, and like I say, just coming from where I come from, I just know it's a blessing how lucky I am to just have a two-parent household because um, as easy as that may sound or comfortable or uh convenient they may sound, um, it's not that, you know, that's an obstacle for a lot of people that I know due to a lot of different circumstances and situations, you know, in poverty, you know, just people just backing out. So they just taught me how to hang in there, just keep going, keep supporting. Like you said, like my mom, you know, was able to step up and do when my dad passed away. And um, like I said, like all the coaches, the great coaches that I had that played a father figure role, and uh just you know, male mentors that were older than me, you know, I kind of gravitate towards more friends that are like mentors or older, older men who can help me on my journey or could teach me something with me losing my dad and losing that voice. Uh it's just very important that you just build in my my structure.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

During this journey, um, in some of these big moments, for some it it can be very scary. So, like going to Green Bay, losing your parent, and then going overseas. You play in Korea, Turkey, Italy, um, Australia, correct? Right? That's New Zealand.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Um, China, Greece. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

It's it's so many.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

It's a long list, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

Two that stick out is you've been able to you play with your close friend Alfonso McKinney, also from John Marshall. And then when you were overseas, uh, I don't know how close you were, but Ben Moore, uh, having that uh familiarity in a place that you might you've never been before.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Yeah, yeah. Um, so Alfonso McKinney, obviously, like you said, uh just playing with him in high school and just having someone to navigate um, you know, first the collegiate, we, you know, the collegiate level, that's where we went from high school to college together, and that helped us a lot. Um, he actually, you know, the story of me having two scholarships, it was really like one. So it's like, you know, Alfonso, he was one of the seniors that, you know, led us to the city championship, to the state tournament. And he was a year ahead of me, so he went to Eastern Illinois. Um, and you know, the coach, and I only had two scholarships from Eastern Illinois and from Wisconsin Green Bay. So the coach that recruited him at Eastern Illinois, Trent, uh, got, I wouldn't say, um, got another job at UWG Green Bay and continued to recruit me. So those were my, you know, my two scholarships from the same coach. Um, and he, like I said, recruited Alfonso. And then, you know, once I got there, my freshman year, me and him recruited Alfonso back to, you know, over to Green Bay with us in my sophomore year. But that just helped me a lot, especially with me losing my father going to my sophomore year. It just seemed perfect to have just a brother with me to continue to build and continue someone to keep me focused. Uh, you know, just keep my mental, um, my mental right and just, you know, some just family, you know, around. And uh, you know, being more, like you said, the same thing. Like I I knew him like from a distance, but for me to, you know, have someone, you know, you have someone that you play with from Chicago or just from the Chicago area, you know, all the way we were in Australia, which probably the furthest place you could play from, you know, from Chicago, um, from the states. Um, and then it was during COVID. So it was a time where, you know, a very turbulent time, but to have some familiarity in a place where like you have to drive on a different side of the road, you have to be really like 14 hours difference, like you basically like a almost a day ahead there. Um, you know, it's definitely a blessing. It's amazing. I love those bonds. And um, you know, if you if you reach speak to any of those guys, I love to just pour good energy out and just you know, just pour into those relationships and friendships and just have that happiness and joy because ultimately I feel like those are the things that you remember the most, you know, being with your friends, being with good people and having great memories, uh, you know, more than just chasing um external things.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Yeah, I'm very grateful for, you know, uh basketball is so big, but there's and you know, there's politics with it, but there's a really strong community once you find it between athletes, media, photographers. It's printing, it's been amazing to connect with a lot of different guys over the years. Uh, was there one game that stuck out at Green Bay that just will always be like maybe you got a photo printed out from that game, or you had a career high?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Um a lot of games, I'm sorry, a lot of them are flashing by, so it's hard to pick one. But I mean, I guess uh one of my more fun games is actually it was a loss. Uh we played Wisconsin in at home. The University of Wisconsin, uh, the Badgers uh came into town my junior year, and we ended up losing that game by two, but um we didn't have Alfonso McKinney that game. Another one of our great players, Alec Brown, was in foul trouble, so didn't play really strong, but from the tip. I mean, I was just I was zoned in, I was locked in, you know. I had a dunk the first play, I ended up with 32 points um, you know, against you know a high talent, uh, really, really competitive Wisconsin team who went to the championship uh in the A final four back to back. So that's you know, those those kind of things were like times where I measured, you know, myself, measured my game, and you know, had the opportunity to, you know, believe, you know, like, okay, I could play at this high major level, I could do this at a high level. You know, I think even now with the NIL, I probably would have had the opportunity to, you know, play at a high major school, but just at the time with the ruse, with you having to sit out if you transfer, um, and things of that sort, me just being just a loyal, just humble person. You know, I wanted to stay at Green Bay and finish what I started with the same staff, with a lot of my friends who are still, I mean my teammates who are still my friends to today. And obviously, like I said, brought, you know, Alfonso there and a bunch of other Chicago guys too. Uh Josh Humphrey, Greg Mays, Aaron Armstead, Khalil Small. Um you know, just a long list of, you know, even friends that are not from Chicago that that you know I've built a bond with. Um, it was amazing. But that game for sure is probably one that stands out in my head just because the performance and just the energy and just the level of the game and for it to be in our arena, uh, we was really, you know, putting on a show there and just changing basketball there.

SPEAKER_00 15:42

So after that, you go unsigned and you you go through the G League, or at that time, even the D League at and then mini camps, summer league, training camps, until we talk we're gonna get there, TBT, and then the pay getting out of the Pacers, making your NBA debut. But during that those four or five years, what were was there a spot where you're like, I was this close to just stepping away and going on with something else?

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Um I I don't know. I wasn't, I always was believing, you know, it was crazy because um you know, having my friend Alfonso make it to the league kept me believing. Um, you know, like you said, man, I did summer league like four times. Like those things kept giving me, you know, just kept the NBA fresh, you know, just kept it like someone must be watching, you know. Yeah, in the forefront. And then, you know, another thing is that, you know, at times when say I didn't believe, or times where my agents or people didn't believe, I quickly like changed that, you know. Like I, you know, I would get around like a new trainer that could just bring me fresh energy and belief. You know, I'll get around a new mentor who, like, all right, I would tell him, okay, this is my goal, and he would hold me accountable to that. I would get around um a new agent and be like, hey, this is my goal. Like, if you don't want to do this, then we could go somewhere else, or I could go somewhere else. So it's like, you know, I was kind of uh, you know, very, very, you know, focused and determined to, you know, just just just make that dream come true. And uh, you know, ultimately it did. Uh, it just shows what persistence does. And uh, like you said, once you get there, it's a whole nother lane of politics and business and things of that sort. But um, yeah, I would say I always kind of realign and reshuffle um, you know, my camp to try to make that happen. And uh, you know, those things go a long way. You know, even if I had to switch leagues, you know, I saw people from Australia going to NBA. I'm like, all right, I have money over here, that's more, but I want to go play in Australia. You know, it's like, you know, that was something I think was uh, you know, that has been big for me, and I think forever would be, you know, something that you know they can't take away from me now. So it's like something that's very, very, you know, big for me, even though I only play one season. But some people never play no season, like millions of people, billions of people in the world never play one game in ABA.

SPEAKER_00 18:24

They they say there's eight billion people here on Earth right now. I think it's less than 5,000 ever played in the NBA, which is you got even for guys who just touch it for a minute, that's incredible. And I think people gotta start realizing just to be on a court, and you got the whole you got at least a season in, and who knows? Maybe we'll see you back on the court again in the NBA. Um, when and it what's cool is you've been seeing different uh cultures and different levels of basketball, and it I think that only makes someone a little bit stronger play. You that TBT tournament, you hit that game winner, uh wild atmosphere, something new, still kind of new at the time. But going into that, did were there any NBA teams kind of in the back in your air, or did that just kind of spark that Pacers contract?

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Yeah, so I think like after that, after that season, you know, to your question before that, um I was at the point where like, all right, I'm tired of overseas. So it was kind of the opposite. I'm like, you know what? You know, I'm going, you know, it was COVID year, it was one of my roughest seasons abroad with um, you know, in Australia, they denied me from having my kids come live with me, deny any Americans who are coming to visit. So, like my girlfriend, my mom, like no family could come visit me the whole season. I got hurt in the middle of the season for six weeks. You know, it was one of the, like I say, most difficult time zones. So um, even though it's a beautiful country, beautiful place, they speak English, you know. Um that's one thing I say, playing abroad is not easy, you know, for us Americans. Um so after that season, I was like, you know what, I'm going full NBA, you know, like so again, like I say, teams offer me great contracts. We had just made the playoffs, things like that. Um but for me, I had a couple teams, you know, reaching out because for them getting me, who was an experienced player who's played, I brought at that point like five or six years, very strong player, point guard, leader, um, for 85,000, which is exhibit 10, that's great for them. You know, that's great for them. Um, and give give their G League chant team a chance to win the championship. So um I had you know a number of teams wanting to acquire me, yeah, going into the TBT because I had already told my agent, like, you know, I'm not listening to no European deals, no deals, and I don't even care if it's a million dollars. Like, I'm I don't want to do it. I want to stay here with my family, you know, my kids, because that's kind of my top priority, and which is why my um at that point, your kids are probably at nine, ten, like some crucial years. Exactly, you know, so it's like you know, it makes it makes those those decisions different for me, you know. And after having my son in Milan with me and in China with me, and then not have not having them for a whole year due to COVID. And like just with COVID, everything going on, I just want to stay at home. You know, my dad is missing, I want to be home with my family, so I want to give the NBA a shot. So yeah, I had a couple teams, and um, you know, to your point, the Patriots was one team that during during the TBT, as I was making a decision, they said that I could continue to play, you know. Some teams were like, no, you need to, you know, be healthy for summer league, you know. But Indiana, you know, close to home, and they was like, oh, we don't, we don't mind if you play, you know, TBT and miss a couple of practices, and you know, if you all go all the way to the championship, like then you could just show up to training, you know, mini camp and training camp for um summer camp late. So it just was like kind of a no-brainer with them being close to home. I looked at the roster, I played TJ McConnell in college, I played Malcolm Broadland in college. So I'm like, these guys that I could play with, I know I could play with. Um, so you know, it just was perfect, really.

SPEAKER_00 22:38

And uh I I was going back, I have a website, and I was like searching up, okay, what did I end up writing about uh during your time at the Pacers? Um to you know, you you you made your debut, you scored points, they think the next game, but the two big ones was uh the game against Golden State Warriors and the Knicks. What's it like to have those moments versus those teams? And in those, like that was at the garden, you put up the career high, and then obviously that's the Warriors.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

Yeah, those were amazing. Um those were amazing for a lot of reasons, you know. At the Gardener, you know, you know, they just did the ceremony for Derrick Rose, you know, so it was like he played for them at the time. Um, a Chicago guy, you know, I wanted to, you know, put my game on display in front of him and one of the biggest basketball rangers in the world. I was starting in the NBA, you know, it was like it was just so cool at the time. And same thing with um the Warriors game, you know, we own TNT. Patients don't give me any TNT games, and I'm starting. They didn't tell me it's right before the game is Steph Curry. Um, like I said, a chance to measure myself, but also like this is the one of the greatest point guards in the world, if not the greatest point guard ever. Um in a position that I play that I work on, work on my craft every day for. So um, you know, those are things where like even to this day, you know, it's it's something that people remind me, like, man, like you you didn't only just play versus the you know the in the NBA, but you put up numbers, you know, in some of the best arenas against some of the best players in the world, you know, like another memorable game is the Nets, you know, Kyrie's first game back after you know him not taking a COVID shot. Um yeah, his first game back was against us, and I'm starting him, Kevin Durant, and James Hart. And it just seemed like like I was in a video game. Like these are guys that I load up a video game on one team, and for them be on to for them to be on one team that year, and me to be starting against them is like you know, it's like something where you did when you was a kid, you insert yourself into the game, but this is the this was the real thing. So that is it's something that's surreal, man.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

To be honest, that has been interesting. Uh, you there's um who is the um the teague brother, he has that podcast, and he talks about these different moments he was in, and that's how I feel right now hearing how you were there for Kyrie's return, how you might have not been the storyline, but you're there witnessing this all take place and time for the NBA and like the crossings of COVID and him not doing the test. Um, I don't want to hold you too long. I got at least two more questions. Um, the first one off the court outside of uh playing in America, what's been your favorite space you've been able to dive into the culture, whether it's the food, music, if at all?

SPEAKER_01 25:40

Yeah, I mean, I mean, playing abroad, I think I would say this. Um definitely like the food, you know, Italy learning one, um, just really the travel, you know. Like I didn't just only play in Europe. So, like you said, I played in Korea, which is Asia, the first place I went to, and then I we won a championship. I could have stayed there, but then I, you know, moved to Turkey and then to Italy, which we played in the Champions League, you know. So I got to play all over, you know, got the Champions League record for most points in one game. We got to play all over in different countries. Then I went to China, you know. I wanted to go there, so to go play in China, um, you know, just one of the biggest markets in the world. And then um, you know, after that to play in Turkey again, to play in Greece, to play in Australia, um, playing in Milan, the Euro League, so get to travel around the best cities in the world. I think just to travel has opened my mind, you know, helped me be a better parent, open my kids' mind, living with my kids abroad, and just, you know, you get to see that it's a big world, you know, just coming from the inner city of Chicago, a lot of people don't even leave Chicago. Some people don't even go from the south side to the west side. Some people never even go to the suburbs, you know, things like that. Um, but for me to live in these places um has just made me just so, you know, I have to come here and figure it out, you know, just even now my own car, my own space, just adapt, figure out so many things of how to spend my time. But uh that's been the biggest thing, just traveling. And now, you know, being accustomed to the world is something that's uh just opened my mind and made me do so many other things. So, like I said, food, and even in the States, I'm like, you know, when it, you know, took a real estate internal had a Harvard master's class. So just learning how like after you go around to see the world is just so big and it's sustainable, is like it's like what else can I do? Like, you know, I want to learn everything, you know. So it's just not it's not like one thing. Like, I love the wine, I love the food, I love the culture, I love everything about just you know, it just makes me curious.

SPEAKER_00 27:55

You answered uh one of the questions I had. I was like, has it made you eager to do more and share it with your uh children? And you're just you've kind of already said that you're like, Yeah, we're gonna do it here and continue to do it more elsewhere.

SPEAKER_01 28:08

Yeah, it makes me like want to learn how to share my gifts even more. You know, we have like a movie, and just it's like what else, you know, what other experiences can I have to share, you know, continue to share these gifts.

SPEAKER_00 28:20

Uh, last one here, two-parter. Um, who were some of those guys you grew up trying to emulate? It doesn't necessarily have to be Chicago guys, it can just be anyone. And then afterwards, I want to know who is your Illinois top five, maybe an actual lineup, or just top five guys that are like maybe not they don't have to be the best, or just ones you're like, yo, those are my guys.

SPEAKER_01 28:46

Okay. Uh so um, you know, I would say Derek Rose, you know, he was like, you know, the person I want to be like, and not not just like I would say, because I know he was extraordinary, you know, but to see to see him, you know, you know, number one in high school, you know, number one in grade school first, number one in high school, you know, become the number one pick right to the Bulls, and like we both were were athletic and kind of played the same way. Like I said, that game at the garden was all just because of me and my energy of wanting to be like him. And you know, we actually even played them the first game of the preseason. You know, it was like my welcome to the NBA moment, like you know, playing against D Rose, actually hitting a shot while he was guarding me. And you know, it was like wow, like you know, this is like storybook written. So um, you know, when we got to the the regular season game, he was not playing, but I'm like, I know he's watching his team, so I gotta go off, you know. Like, so he was just that was that was pretty much like my idol, you know what I'm saying? Like my idol. Um, and then if you say top five, um, and these not including myself, right?

SPEAKER_00 29:59

Not including yourself, top five, uh, all state of Illinois, or just you know, some people, some people just always give Chicago, some people give the whole state, you know, because there's some guys in the suburbs that put out and done well.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Yeah, so this basketball, so I have to say Derrick Rose. I'll have to say uh Derrick Rose at the one. I'll have to say KG, Kevin Garnett at the five. I'm gonna have to say Alfonso McKinney at the four. Um you saying like my friends or just hooping wise?

SPEAKER_00 30:39

Uh you know, friends, or it can just be anyone who's been a part of the history of the game.

SPEAKER_01 30:48

I mean Michael Jordan, not from Chicago, I can't add him, right?

SPEAKER_00 30:52

I wanna hear the yeah, I wanna hear the the local the local played high school, you know.

SPEAKER_01 31:01

Okay, I'm gonna go, I guess Max Struce at the at the at the three or the two. He's in there. Uh Alfonso Alfonso Max D Rose.

SPEAKER_00 31:15

You said KG and um I'm gonna have to go Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah Thomas, that's pretty pretty pretty fun lineup. Yeah, put them in the back court. Yeah, uh, I like the mixture. I you know, that might have been the first time Max gets thrown to one of those. I appreciate the suburbs love. Uh, I want to say thanks again for coming on the show. I'm excited to share this with everyone. Your story's been incredible to follow since the beginning to now, and I'm excited to see where you go from here, whether it's continued on the court or off the court. You have lots of stuff that looks to me in your future.

SPEAKER_01 31:54

Yes, sir. Thank you, but I appreciate you having me.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Wow, what an interview. Thanks again to Keefer Sykes for doing that too for me. He was a half-world away. If you haven't, take a look at preview episode one, two. That's a little bit about the show and the future plans. Lots on the way, too. I'm going to work hard to improve with each one. Once again, follow the extra time pod on Twitter slash X and Instagram to stay up to date. I'm Xavier Sanchez, and thank you for listening to the Extra Time Podcast.