What's In Your Bag? With Andrew Robinson

Would you move across the country to sleep on a couch at 17 years old to chase a dream? Because that's what Austin Mason did in order to pursue his dreams of becoming an NBA agent.

We sat down with the New Jersey native to discuss his insane journey that has taken him through a career in Las Vegas nightlife, the mailroom at CAA and now a manager in brand relations for Excel Basketball.

If you're someone who wants to be a sports agent, is curious about brand building, or looking for tips to build relationships, then make sure you tune into this episode, and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more conversations just like this one!

Keandre Cook has had one of the most unconventional routes to the pros that you'll see in a long time. From only playing three years of AAU, attending junior college before earning a Division One scholarship, and dealing with a global pandemic as a senior, Keandre has most certainly taken the road less traveled to get to where he is today.

We caught up with the Baltimore native to discuss his journey that's taken him from a local standout, all the way to the NBA hardwood, and now to one of the best leagues in the world outside of America, the Australian NBL.

We touch on the early days in the city, including a transfer to Edmondson-Westside High School that catapulted his career to new heights. We then reflect on the grind that is JUCO basketball that prepared him for the stardom he would soon walk into at Missouri State University as a junior and senior.

We finish the episode with a good old fashion draft segment around international basketball that will surely leave you running to the group chat afterwards to state your case!

Make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and tell a friend to tell a friend so you don't miss any more conversations just like this one to come!

Matt Bonds just wrapped up a legendary three year run with the Nagasaki Velca that saw them go from a team in Japan's third division, to a team firmly in the mix in the top league in Japan in only two years. A feat that included an MVP season, and back to back promotions along the way!

Bonds unpacks what those three years in Nagasaki meant to his career, and how it has prepared him for his new beginning with the Osaka Evessa in Japan's B1. Matt also shares what he's most looking forward to about playing in Osaka, the second largest city in Japan, and unofficial food capital of the country!

We get into what has contributed to Matt's success as an undersized big, standing at roughly 6'5, Bonds has always played much bigger than he is, and the same tenacity that allowed him to grab over 1100 rebounds over his four year career in college, is the same tenacity that has allowed him to carve out an 8 year professional career that has spanned over three different countries overseas.

For all of our #DMVHoops fans, Matt takes us back to that legendary state championship run at North Point high school alongside Marquise Wright, that included a 27-0 season and upset victory in the state title game over American high school LEGEND Aquille "The Crimestopper" Carr!

This is an episode that will leave you feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to attach whatever obstacle comes your way! Make sure to like, comment and subscribe to our channel for more conversations just like this one!

Ike Udanoh, or "Keasy" as most of us have come to know him as, is one of the more unique players in European basketball. And not for the reason's that you would probably assume.

Keasy has experienced one of the most improbable journey's to get to where he's at today, that included stints living on an army base in Germany, Sleeping in a train station in Detroit in between jobs, and selling his car to pay his own way for a flight to Europe to give his dream a chance.

For most people, experiencing one of these, let alone three of them, would cause someone to quit, and pivot to something more stable, with less volatility. But reflecting back on the journey 13 years later, multiple six figure seasons in the rearview mirror, it's clear that it all worked out for the better.

We go in depth on all the trials, tribulations, and overcoming that it took to get to this point in his career, and Keasy also shares some advice that will change your perspective on how to face adversity, no matter what field your in!

However, we couldn't forget about the other aspect of Keasy's life that also makes him unique, his social media presence that began on YouTube, and has since grew to instagram and TikTok as well, that has made him one of the most recognizable athlete creators on the internet!

We get into growing this brand in the midst of a high level basketball career, and how athletes can replicate this in there own lives today!

This is an episode full of great perspective, advice, and inspiration that will surely change your mindset on how to approach challenges and road blocks in your own life. So make sure you like comment, and subscribe to the channel, so you don't miss anymore episodes like this one!

Yonathan Napoleon grew up in Los Angeles, California, and like many other 90's babies, grew up a Lakers fan with hoop dreams. Those hoop dreams eventually turned into an opportunity to play professional basketball in London. A lifelong dream fulfilled, and a future career with endless potential was on the horizon, right?

Well the pandemic of 2020 changed all of that, and forced Yon to pivot into the next chapter of his life, one that has landed him at Excel Sports Management, one of the leading talent and marketing agencies in the world, in pursuit of becoming an NBA agent.

We caught up with Yon to discuss his transition from playing, to his role now behind the scenes, trying to work his way up in an industry that's often described as cutthroat, and very transactional.

Yon shares some of the most important nuggets he's picked up along the way, such as the importance of building genuine relationships, putting aside your ego to ask for help, and not being afraid of rejection. All of which are things that have contributed to him being in the position he's in today, staring his dreams in the face while on the precipice of the breakthrough that could change everything.

So get your noted out for this one! Because this conversation was full of perspective that could help take you to the next level, no matter what industry you're in.

Don't forget to like, comment, and tell a friend to tell a friend about what's going on here at the What's In Your Bag Podcast!

What if I told you that going viral on twitter could land you a job at the most storied marketing agency in the world? Or to put it in Travonne Edwards words, the "Yankees" or the "Lakers" of the advertising industry. It's crazy what social media can do for you these days!

Travonne Edwards, also known as "Black Tray" has been utilizing social media to tell stories in so many different mediums. From some of the most legendary marketing campaigns we've ever seen with brands like Mcdonald's, Nike, and ESPN to podcasting, and building up "Count The Dings" to a community that has taken on a life of its own, even today seven years later.

We caught up with the LA native to discuss his journey from school teacher, to full time creative, storyteller, and podcaster, as well as to share some tips that helped him build a six figure brand along the way!

We also get into some of the most legendary campaigns of the modern era, such as Nike's "Just Do It", and Chris Rock as Lil Penny and share what went into bringing these to life. Some of these origin stories are just too good to believe!

Lastly, we share some life nuggets on how to deal with the pressure of getting older, not getting caught up in comparison and the importance of mental health, especially during #mensmentalhealth month here in June! So make sure you subscribe to the channel so you don't miss this episode, and many more just like this one!

Chima Moneke has the most incredible path to the NBA that you'll ever hear. And that's not an exaggeration.

From picking up the game in Australia, and getting cut from his under 18 high school club, to signing an NBA contract with the Sacramento Kings, everything that unfolded in between is something straight out of a Disney movie, that sometimes feels too good to be true.

We recap the journey through junior college in Nebraska that eventually landed him a Division One basketball scholarship at UC Davis. The same UC Davis that produced fellow overseas standout TJ Shorts, who Moneke shared the court with as a senior.

We walk through the trials and tribulations of trying to climb the overseas ladder, that included being cut from second division France, and landing at a crossroads in the viability of achieving that coveted NBA dream.

Chima talks us through how he was able to turn that setback into a catapult that would launch him into the most prosperous days of his professional career to follow. Which eventually led him to an NBA contract with the Kings and a reunion with Team Nigeria Head Coach Mike Brown.

We cap off the podcast with the question of the hour, after a career euroleague season in Baskonia, where does the NBA lie on Chima's radar today? Could a return be looming?

Find out on the 50th episode of the WIYB podcast out now on all platforms! And remember to subscribe/follow the show so you don't miss any more episodes to follow!

"Just Keep Going" is a mantra that has become a foundational piece to everyday life for Ike Iroegbu. When you get cut from the Olympics for no other reason than politics, "Just keep going". When you receive a random phone call while sitting on your couch one morning saying you're going to be playing in your first NBA game in a few hours, "just keep going". When you decide to start a brand to highlight overlooked basketball players, there was no better phrase to sum it up than "just keep going"

This phrase is one that can be used whether you're an athlete, or a mailman in your local neighborhood trying to provide for your family. At the end of the day, you just have to keep going!

Ike joined the show to discuss some of these trials and tribulations that have come along the way during this basketball journey, that include stops with the Clippers during the NBA preseason, the NBA G League, and some of the best leagues in the world including the ACB in Spain, and the Serie A in Italy. We get into some of the politics that exist in both of these situations, and have a transparent conversation on everything you need to know to make an informed decision on both options.

We then shift our focus to the athlete empowerment era that we're currently in. An era that promotes creativity, freedom of expression, and leaning into creative outlets that can give you the fulfillment that we all seek outside of whatever our 9-5 may be.

Ike takes us inside the inception of his brand "Just Keep Going" and what it looks like to manage a brand of that scale while being a full time professional athlete.

This is one of those episodes that every hooper should tune into! A conversation that you'll leave thankful that you heard, and looking forward to your next opportunity to "just keep going!"

Make sure you like, and subscribe to the show, so you don't miss any more conversations just like this one!

Dayne Carter is the definition of what it looks like to be an artist in 2024. He's invested in his craft to the point where he's committed to releasing a single every month of 2024. However, he's also harnessing a love for sports and creativity, while working for Bleacher Report, one of the largest media platforms in the world.

We sit down with Dayne to discuss the balance between pursuing a career in music, while also maintaining a job in corporate America, and how those two things have come to benefit one another in certain situations.

Dayne shares an all time story of meeting one of his rap idols, J. Cole through an impromptu run in with Lebron James. It's a once in a lifetime story that you have to hear to believe!

Dayne takes us through his upbringing in New Jersey/New York that first made him fall in love with hip-hop, as well as how a family relationship landed him a job at a company we've all come to know as Uninterrupted & Make Springhill.

Dayne embodies everything it means to be a creative in 2024, and his insight into the industry is something you can apply no matter what field you're in! So get your notepad out, because this is one of them one's you'll have to listen to twice to get the message!

Maclaine West had no idea when she started inviting friends over to her house for dinner on Thursday evenings, that it would turn into one of the most fulfilling endeavors she'd embark on over the next few years.

The founder of Soul Supper joined the show to discuss what the journey has been like building what she describes as a "human connection brand" from inception to today where it is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing communities of collaboration that you'll find anywhere.

We discuss the importance of connection, and how supper can invite more conversations and encourage more breakthroughs than you'd ever imagine.

We also discuss how West has been able to brand Soul Supper to partner the endeavor with over 30 brands and corporations who have bought into the authenticity of the brand, and everything that it stands for. From the pitch deck, all the way to the supper table we discuss the process it takes to conduct outreach and secure brand partners at even the grassroots level.

We end the episode with perhaps one of the most powerful conversations we've had here on the platform, where our host gets put in the hot seat, which leads to a deep dive into realizing the beauty of your surroundings and being where your feet are.

This is one of those episodes you'll want to watch over and over again once you finish it, so make sure you follow the show so you don't miss a single second!