00:00Jalen, congrats, man.
00:03You have for years said you're just worried about the next day.
00:09You're just worried about the next thing.
00:11Take it one game at a time, however you say it.
00:15You can't possibly say that right now.
00:18What does it feel like having that mentality throughout your whole life
00:22and then having this bubble burst like this?
00:28I'm just going to describe it, but I'll say I put a lot of time
00:33and effort into trying to be the best player I can be
00:37to try and help a team win.
00:43Just really thankful I have the organization, the coaching staff,
00:48my teammates to have my back every single day.
00:52I think that means the most to me.
00:55James in the front right.
00:55And my family, sorry, and my family.
00:57James in the front right.
00:58James Edwards, the athletic.
00:59Congrats, Jalen.
01:01Out of curiosity, between the final buzzer and now,
01:04have you cried at all?
01:05And if so, why?
01:09What was the emotion that got you?
01:12I was good.
01:14The final buzzer, I walked right to half court,
01:18shook Mitch Johnson's hand, and then turned around.
01:22My dad was right there, and then felt emotional from that point on.
01:26And then I just remember Josh talking into my ear
01:32and him just saying, like, we did it, we did it.
01:34And then I was emotional for a good, like, five, ten minutes.
01:38And then the excitement started to kick in.
01:42Vince, third row on the right.
01:44Jalen, Vince Goodwill, ESPN.
01:45Man, congratulations.
01:47Second round pick, being doubted,
01:51and now you're the best player on one of the best playoff teams in NBA history.
01:57What does that mean to you individually?
02:04It hasn't sunk in, but I honestly don't know right now.
02:12I don't know.
02:14I'm just thankful for the opportunity.
02:17Oh, my God.
02:22You can take this, too.
02:23Here.
02:23Come on, me.
02:25No questions, man.
02:28Just thankful that this opportunity presented itself and we were able to get it done.
02:34Tim, standing here on the left.
02:35Tim Reynolds with the Associated Press.
02:37Jalen, congratulations.
02:40Forgive me if you were asked about this earlier,
02:42but it could be argued that you made a $113 million bet on this happening.
02:49When you made that choice and allowed this franchise that sort of flexibility,
02:54how possible did you think a night like this was?
02:58Very possible.
03:01Through a lot of hard work and effort, I knew it was achievable,
03:05but that was only a small portion of it.
03:10I think everyone binding, coming together, having the mindset of just believing in each other,
03:17never giving up, no matter what the situation was, made this all possible.
03:22But, yes, they may look like it has something to do with it,
03:28but it's a credit to my teammates.
03:31Ian, second row on the right.
03:32Ian Begley, SMY.
03:34Jalen, congratulations.
03:36You won in college, obviously winning here.
03:38What was it about this group, do you think, that allowed it to break through?
03:48Honestly, tonight we played like we wanted to go home champions to finish the game.
03:55Not to start the game.
03:56To finish the game.
04:02Yeah.
04:06It means the world to me to go on that court with those guys.
04:10Whatever environment we're in, home or away, doesn't matter for us.
04:16Dan, second row on the right.
04:18Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports.
04:19Congratulations, Jalen.
04:20The team collectively really struggled offensively in the early going of the game,
04:24and then it seemed like you just kind of decided that you were going to grab the game by the
04:28scruff of the neck
04:29and carry it over the finish line.
04:30Eleven players in NBA history have a 45-point game in the NBA Finals, and you're one of them.
04:36What did it take to get that done tonight?
04:39Everything.
04:42I was just trying to go out there and just will us to win.
04:46I wasn't focused on anything else besides trying to win the game.
04:50Getting stops, getting out and running, just figuring out how to cut that lead or gain it when we got
04:56it.
04:59Really exciting moment knowing that we won't give up.
05:04Christian here on the left.
05:07Christian Winfield, New York Daily News.
05:09Congratulations on becoming a champion at the NBA level.
05:12You took that shot over Wemby, landed on his foot.
05:16It could have been whatever, but, you know, you look like it hurt in the moment,
05:20but no one had any doubt that you'd be coming back into the game,
05:23just like all the other times that you get banged up and come right back.
05:26Just where does that pain tolerance come from, and how much does it mean to you to play through that?
05:31I'm hurting right now.
05:31I'm not going to lie to you.
05:32I'm hurting right now.
05:34But, like I said before, the opportunity presents itself.
05:43Whatever you got to do.
05:46Over here in the second row.
05:47Jalen Steffenbondi with the New York Post.
05:49Obviously, Leon put a lot of faith in you.
05:51Congratulations, man.
05:57Obviously, Leon put a lot of faith in you to be the number one guy.
06:01What did that mean to you, that faith?
06:04And was there pressure that came along with it?
06:07I mean, can you describe kind of that dynamic?
06:10No pressure.
06:11Okay.
06:11No pressure whatsoever.
06:14I've described pressure in the past.
06:18My dad being on eight or nine unguaranteed contracts throughout his career,
06:24and not knowing where you're going to get cut, when a team's going to move on from you,
06:28while your family's on the East Coast and you're wherever you are in the country.
06:34That's pressure.
06:35That's pressure.
06:36Working out three times a day in the summertime and watching him push himself just to get a training camp
06:43deal.
06:43That's pressure.
06:45I'm very fortunate to be in the position I am, and I do think I work pretty hard.
06:52And so when the opportunity presented itself like it did today, I just trust my work.
06:56And if we win, we win.
06:59If we don't, we learn.
07:00We move forward.
07:00But I'm just never afraid to fail.
07:03Last row on the back right.
07:06Jalen, Steve Habel here from Field Level Media.
07:09Can you hear me?
07:10Steve Habel here from Field Level Media.
07:13Tell us just how hard this was.
07:16I mean, it took everything, man.
07:19I mean, they came at you in waves.
07:21Four of these guys, they're just switching off on you the whole game.
07:24I mean, it's just talk about how that took a toll on you mentally and physically and how you dragged
07:30them over the line.
07:33Yeah, I don't think it took a toll on me mentally, maybe a little bit physically, obviously, just because of
07:40the game and what they're trying to do.
07:42Mentally, I feel fresh.
07:44I feel like that's where I thrive.
07:50But you got to give them credit.
07:53But that's a hell of a group.
07:55That's a well-coached, the culture that they have is clearly evident.
08:02They have it.
08:02And so a lot of respect to them and what they brought to the table.
08:06I'm just happy we were able to find ways to win four games.
08:10We've got last two here in the front and then back right.
08:13Chelsea Sherrod, SNY.
08:14Congratulations, Jalen.
08:15Every championship that you've won has been won in Texas.
08:19The first one at Villanova in Houston.
08:21The second one in San Antonio.
08:23And now this one here in San Antonio.
08:25What do you have against Texas?
08:27And how special is it for you to be able to win this title with Mikel and Josh?
08:34I have nothing against Texas.
08:37I love Texas.
08:39I miss the Texas taxes.
08:46Being able to win with Kale and Josh.
08:53It's a great feeling.
08:55It's truly a great feeling knowing that I got to meet them at a young age.
08:58And we were able to grow as friends, as teammates in college and be able to achieve something in college.
09:05And then to be able to do this at this level is just as special.
09:11Maybe a little more special.
09:12But, yeah, it's an incredible feeling.
09:17Last one in the center.
09:20Congratulations, Jalen.
09:21This is Samo Wu from AESports Connect Hong Kong.
09:24Now that you're an NBA champion, what's your message for people saying that you're not a 1A guy?
09:32I didn't respond to them then.
09:34I'm damn sure not going to respond to them now.
09:37Thank you, Jalen.
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