Jesse Chuku on transitioning from a pro athlete to a creator with over 3M TikTok followers
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Welcome to Season 2 of the creativeBTS podcast! creativeBTS goes behind the scenes with different marketers, creatives, and creators to learn about their work. Today I’m joined by one of my favorite creators, Jesse Chuku. Jesse was one of the top basketball players growing up in the UK, and had a successful college career in the States at Lehigh University and then professionally in Greece, Spain, and the British Basketball League. Since he stopped playing professional basketball last year, Jesse has become a content creator and amassed more than 3M TikTok followers and 620K YouTube Subscribers. We chat about what it was like growing up in the UK playing basketball, how he transitioned to being a creator, the TikTok Creator Basketball Tournament at the GG3x3, and advice for other athlete creators.
Full Transcript:
Brian Bosche:
What's up, Jesse. Thanks. Thanks for coming on.
Jesse Chuku:
Thanks for having me. It's great.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, I mean, we just met in person at the first ever TikTok Creator Basketball Tournament at the GG 3x#, which is a lot of fun. You, uh, you know, you had some pity on the players and you actually commentated instead of actually joining them for safety reasons you weren't able to play, um, that would have been,
Jesse Chuku:
Nah, I'm rusty, I'm rusty. I'm rusty. Um, it would have been though that crazy.
Brian Bosche:
It would have been ugly out there, but I want to start a little bit back on your background. Uh, cause you've been hooping for a long time in the UK. Uh, you've been creating for a while, so let's just start at the top. What was it like playing basketball in the UK?
Jesse Chuku:
Okay. Um, so when, when I was in primary school, uh, originally like football was my thing. I wanted to be a football player. I think maybe even like, do you remember this? This may be bended like Beckham that was out. It was just this time. It was just such a
Brian Bosche:
That's basically all we knew about football in the States. It was like, soccer, okay, Bend It Like Beckham.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah, exactly, exactly. So I wanted to be, uh, like that, you know, I wanted to be a football player, but I wasn't, hadn't really grown into my body. I was always, always tall, but just very like active also. And um, I didn't make the football team in my school and my school was small enough that like, pretty much, if you didn't make the football team, there was no one left like to play with and stuff, you know? Cause it was like all the boys were on the football team. Maybe a couple other guys were just like reading books. Um, naturally I just found basketball just started bringing the basketball to school. Um, just, we didn't even have a hoop at the time, but the next thing I know, like I was dribbling the, the at school, like every single day, next thing I know magically a hoop appears. And I think now looking back at it, I feel like the teachers probably took pity on me. I need to like add this to the actually really nice thing. So, but from there just kind of, I just start to having in my mind down getting good at this. So then when the football players start to come over to like play boss with me already, like in practice it like non-stop, so I'll just use all my tricks on them and stuff. And it was just like becoming really fun for me. So what's
Brian Bosche:
Primary school in the UK. What age is that?
Jesse Chuku:
What age? Oh gosh, it's up until it's up until 10, I think up until about 10 11. So it's, it's like an elementary school. Yeah, but I wasn't, I wasn't, um, I wasn't like being trained by anyone I was doing. I just had a ball and the internet, so it was just, you know, it was just me like kind of seeing some things online and copying that thing. Like, and one mix tape was, was big for me to see and the skills that the guys had and I'll just try and copy these things at home, you know? So, um, it was up until I was, um, maybe like 12, 13, I paid for my first team.
Brian Bosche:
And w when did you start taking it seriously? You went to Barking Abbey, right? Is that the
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah, yeah, but the way before that, so when I left that primary school, I went to a school called St. Aloysius and they had a basketball team. And to me that was amazing because up until that point, I'd never seen possible actually being played like a, as a team sport. You know, I just kind of saw people in the, in the courts outside and stuff like that, but I never really saw it being played. So it was like really impressive to me. Um, and there was a PE teacher there, Mr. Cusick taught me how to do like a layer and all this. And he saw I had potential and stuff. And then they introduced me to this thing. I forgot exactly what the name was, but it was like the tryouts for the England team, the England development development team, the under 15 team. And I went to that, I met, she made that without even really having a club team, but the coach of the London is actually a whole long story, but I ended up playing for Westminster Warriors.
Brian Bosche:
I just tried out for them this week. Oh, isn't that crazy? Yeah. John J got one to try outs, you know, I'm 31 year old, you know, I'm just trying to get out there and get some exercise. Hopefully I get picked up, but I just tried out for them and it's like, Justin, Tosin. Great group of guys. Yeah.
Jesse Chuku:
I was going to go to that scrimmage. Actually. It is it's on a Friday, isn't
Brian Bosche:
It? Yeah. There's Tuesdays. Oh, LVC went, we had a bunch of it. They were a bunch of winners there. I'm just trying to, just trying to make it up and down the court, man. Just trying to keep, keep those knees going, keep the ankles going.
Jesse Chuku:
Honestly. I'm the same way these days,
Brian Bosche:
But you, so you played for the Warriors, uh, and then you made a transition to the state. So you went to Kimball Union. Uh, love it. New Hampshire prep school. I went to Dartmouth. So that's like everyone, it seems like I went to a prep school in
Jesse Chuku:
Their fifth year.
Brian Bosche:
Close by. Yeah. So what was it like transitioning to high school, college basketball over in the states? Oh,
Jesse Chuku:
It was, um, it was a lot more different than I thought it was gonna be a thought it was going to be
Brian Bosche:
Like the basketball or the culture, both everything,
Jesse Chuku:
Everything. Um, the basketball, I was very prepared for the basketball. Like I was really, I, I did feel really prepared for that part. Um, but the culture especially was a lot more different than I thought it was gonna be. It was, um, I thought, yeah, you know, they speak English over there, so it's going to be fine. But I was really not understood by people as much as I thought I was going to be in that. And that caught me off guard so that people couldn't understand me or that people confused by me. That was an American. Yeah. So it was, um, yeah, it was, it was really different, but once I got used to it,
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. One of the, one of your funny call-outs is that you all right? Because the number of times I've launched into telling people how I am in the UK, in London after they've asked me if I'm all right. And then people are like, no, it's just like, what's up? Like, like don't respond. Like, it's just like, what's up man. And then you're done with it. But yeah, the you all right through me when I first got here, you were 17, 16 when you went over, uh,
Jesse Chuku:
17. 17. Yeah.
Brian Bosche:
Got it. And then you went to Lehigh where CJ McCollum was a senior. I know you kind of practice that first year for NCAA March Madness. Uh, but what was that like, like getting exposure to that NBA type talent and kind of getting exposed to Lehigh's a really good basketball school. Did they make it to the sweet 16? That the year?
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah, the year before I went, they beat Duke, sick to see
Brian Bosche:
The level up for you. What was that like?
Jesse Chuku:
It was, it was amazing. Especially, you know, seeing CJ on the court. He was even off the court. Like I always tell like, uh, the story that when, when I seen him on campus, I'll see him on campus and he'll just be walking if possible. And I'm thinking, I'll see, CJ, what are you doing? I have to get as many free throws as I can before, before my next class. And I was just like that. That's just a story to certain, the type of dedication as he was really, really hardworking, which I didn't, I didn't see that often. I paid it against a lot of talented players there. A lot of guys play in the NBA and stuff, but I've never seen someone who works as hard as him, but also be as talented as him, which is why I feel like he's as good as he is.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. I, you know, hearing stories, I was able to play in Seattle, Jordan Hamilton, who was as co-captain, uh, I think the year before the 2012. So you came in right after, but CJ, what? He was still like six, three in college, wasn't like the most physically gifted person. Right. And just like that work ethic was incredible. And he always talks about that. Like very similar, like has to hit this many shots. He was learning to set the tone in the locker room, uh, with that type of leadership where you looking to the NBA, like with that type of person in the locker room, how did that kind of adjust what your like ceiling you thought you could get to?
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. I think, I don't know how it is with most other players, but I feel like every that's, every everyone's like goal or dream, you know, to have actually make it there. So seeing, seeing him even on my visit and seeing the amount of talent he had was just incredible. I, let me just tell another story. It was a practice. This was before I even came to the school and I was watching him practice and he was on one team and they were playing a scrimmage up to seven or something like this. And he'll be on one team. He'll get them to five or six. And coach Reed will be like, okay, CJ, you know the deal. It's like, oh man, really switch over his jersey to the other team. I make them win. And then the other team that he, he helped in the first place we'll have to run.
Jesse Chuku:
I'll be like, yo, this is absolutely insane. And he was scoring style too, you know? Amazing, amazing. But anyway, to answer your question. Um, definitely seeing his, his amount of talent and, um, his work ethic and that he was in talks of, of NBA talks that people were looking at him, but I think he was leaving the country in scoring, uh, before he got injured his senior year. So it was just seeing that it made me feel like, okay, I'm just going to look at everything this guy's doing and try and copy it, but is that's a lot harder than, than it. We'll see, you know, even, I don't remember how many shots you think you take. And I was young, I'm taking, I'm making like 200, 300 threes and stuff. Oh yeah. I make 700. And I remember trying, I'm actually just trying to do that one day and my arm, the falling off, you know? Yeah. It's crazy. Once you see
Brian Bosche:
With those guys get to that level and what they put into it, you're right. Try to make 700 threes in a day. You get to 300, your arms too tired to make.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. Yeah. It's and that's mate. Think about how many I have to take. And that's not the only sort of like, you would make several hundred threes, but you also take other shots. It's not the whole, that's not the only thing you practice this guy. He was.
Brian Bosche:
And then after, after Lehigh, you went, played abroad. You played in Greece first, right?
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. Pave in Greece. Um, one year Spain, uh, two years. And then over to the BBL.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. So what excited you about, I mean, Greece is obviously incredible place to play. Same with Spain. What excited you about the opportunity to come back and play in the BBL?
Jesse Chuku:
Um, well, it was, it was, uh, an interesting situation because I, I had been struggling with injury on, in my hip for, for many years, for a long time. That was just kind of, I never really thought anything of it. I kind of just played over it. Cause it was, it was okay. And my last year that was in Spain, it got so bad that I couldn't continue playing and I saw sort of hip specialists out there now just like you is, I think you're done. You shouldn't continue playing team 20. Yeah. 26.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. Um, so I came back to London at this point and not thinking, thinking I'm not going to continue playing basketball, started doing my other creative endeavors. You know, I was doing graphic design cause I studied graphic design in school. So I started making my album, covers my friends. I was deejaying at events and do all these type of things, just trying to figure out what I'm going to do next. And the less the writers contacted me and was kind of like, you know, let's, let's have a look at, you know, your situation. We got, you know, um, specialists here that could look at, you know, we we'll look after you, if you decide to come. And I was thinking, oh, that would be good because I was going through the NHS to kind of get things sorted out. So I was thinking about access to private healthcare.
Jesse Chuku:
This might be a good look. So I ended up going with them, signs with them and doing a whole rehab thing. And amazingly to, to everyone's surprise before the season even started, I was ready to play again. I was dunking and everyday I wasn't, it wasn't perfect, but it was, I was there and played that season towards the time where it was like February, March. I start to realize that maybe like I rushed a rush, the whole thing, you know, it's exciting because I thought I was never going to be able to play basketball again. And this is how man I could play now, but it wasn't, I wasn't even at that point, I wasn't myself still, but I was excited to be on the court. I was playing off adrenaline. And um, so when it did come to the pandemic time, I was in a lot of pain, you know, like get playing through those games. I was taking painkillers to, to pay through the games. Exactly. So, yeah, that was at that point,
Brian Bosche:
It's in the pandemic and I guess helping you with like a forced assessment of everything.
Jesse Chuku:
Exactly.
Brian Bosche:
Uh, so you, uh, if, if people don't know you had a stand out basketball career, but most people probably know you better for your being a creator for your TikTok for YouTube. So you have over 3 million TikTok followers now over 600,000 subs on YouTube, you're across all channels. When did you really start creating, you know, you mentioned you studied graphic design in college. Did you start early in your basketball career or did you really do that in your transition to back to London from Spain?
Jesse Chuku:
Um, I remember always kind of being this person, you know, like I'm always making home videos and stuff. I used to make prank videos, pranking my sister and my friend, like wearing a mask. I like cutting it all up and editing it together. Even in, through these possible chest, painful England and stuff. I was always the guy who come with a video camera and make like a compilation of like what's happening and stuff. So I've always kind of been making videos and creating and stuff, but I never really been, like, I never really had the identity of that or like really putting out there really. I just always felt it was fun. Um, but when the pandemic hit and really there's nothing else to do, but play call of duty. It was like, it was just something that, oh, let me try this. Let me just like one of these videos.
Jesse Chuku:
Cause at that time, TikTok was, was really like becoming popular, you know? And a lot of people say just like, make one of these tech talks or something like that. And I felt like a little bit, I'm not sure, but, um, I, I tried to, and from the first video I made, like seeing I could get like 3000 views or something, but to me that's a thousand amazing like wow. 3000 people that I don't know, because at that point I hadn't told anyone like, I'd be like promoted them Instagram or anything like that. I just made the account. And from the first video I had 3000 visas. I feel like this is fun. And I was, I was making videos on my phone from that point, editing,
Brian Bosche:
So TikTok was your first channel. And you kind of started,
Jesse Chuku:
I had YouTube before that and now it's make like little game. It'd be paid, like world of Warcraft back in the day. And I made like, like a PVP to me, like fighting other players and stuff, but nothing, nothing serious.
Brian Bosche:
But you got to know the channels, how to make the videos. You know, you got into it a little bit. Yeah,
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. A little bit. But really I've started like putting a lot of time in it when the tick-tock stuff started coming.
Brian Bosche:
I remember your first videos. I think there was a video of you walking the streets of Boston or something. And people were like, oh you're British. Like, I didn't know, you'd be British. Or like, what are you talking about? There's one with Darian Nelson, Henry where like, what other tall guys think when you like, see other tall guys I'm like this isn't quite like it's a British Uber. Who's like starting to go viral on TikTok right away. So it was pretty incredible to see that. And now, you know where you are, where you're at with 3 million, 622,000 subs. Did you take what you learned from TikToK and then start doing those same skits on YouTube because they work really well across both platforms.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. Um, yeah. I think even when I started off on TikToK, I always, my imagination was, was more ahead of what it still is. I feel like it's more, it's more ahead of what I'm actually capable of doing at the moment. Um, and even at that point in TikTok like a lot of people saying, oh, this is like, this is like YouTube quality. Like you should be on YouTube.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah.
Jesse Chuku:
It was too much impact. It was taking me way too long to take talks that I could, I felt like I couldn't even like cut, keep up with people because it's like at that time, all the advice was like, you need to be making five videos a day. That's that's how long it's taking to edit somebody to be, you know, some of them. Yeah. I think, yeah. I D I definitely took the skills, um, that I learned, like producing the TikTok videos and like, just apply that to YouTube, but just now I have, I have more freedom to like make it longer and stuff. And the YouTube audience, I would say are more, um, engaging and more, um, the more engaging and a more kind of, I don't know, committed to, to watch an actual creator to the subs, to the subscribers on TikTok is kind of like, it's a battle to get on the, for you page. But that, that in itself, like taught me a little bit of how to make good content. Cause there's no, there's no, you really have to efficiently make your content good from the beginning because otherwise people are just gonna like click away or something. So from the beginning, you have to make sure that you're not wasting any single second.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, it gets so you're absolutely right. Like I have 320,000 TikTok followers.
Brian Bosche:
Went, I went viral pretty early
Brian Bosche:
On. And if you don't make a good video, you'll get a thousand views. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. The number of followers you have, it's brutal. And I think it really messes with creators minds too.
Jesse Chuku:
It really does. It's tough. It's tough. And I would say since I've been on YouTube, I'll say that that would be the difference I'll say, is that you? Yes, you can. You can have expectations on that platform. Whereas take towards politics. You can have, you could, you could have a video that has 50 million views, you know, could have something crazy. And, but you can also, even if you have 10 million followers, just have a thousand sites what's going on for weapons, all my followers.
Brian Bosche:
So for you with like YouTube, have, did you get a lot of your subscribers from TikTok or was it just kind of organic because you get millions of views on YouTube or, you know, on a lot of videos too.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. Um, no. So when I, I remember it was really, it's been so tough trying to get people to do anything, let alone follow me from TikTok to YouTube, because that was one point I was trying to make like cliffhangers in my stuff. [inaudible] really tight trying to get anyone to change platform, to change app or something. Most people, they look at it, even if they like you to just kind of maybe lay on something and you just keep swiping,
Brian Bosche:
The transfer is not easy. It's not,
Jesse Chuku:
It's not, I'm lucky that YouTube decided to introduce you to shorts because once they introduce you to show us, which is basically like tech talks or like reels for anyone that doesn't know it, I already had a huge back catalog of YouTube quality content in that format, in that format. So it was just like, wow. In a short space of time, it was easy. They release you to shorts. Boom. I could, I could like just, I still got videos I've been posted.
Brian Bosche:
When did that start? Like when did you start posting to shorts? And like a few months ago? Cause they'd been in beta forever.
Jesse Chuku:
They've been at beta for a long time and they hadn't, they didn't have like a algorithm that was pushing things. So I posted like two, three videos and I'll say, oh, oh, 500 views. Yeah. I forget this. But recently in, I think it was maybe two months ago now they officially released shorts. And from that time on feed on
Brian Bosche:
The app, now you can go
Jesse Chuku:
Feed is having that crazy algorithm that is also Instagram real has had with like things could go viral. And once I started person there, it was like a whole new audience. You know, these, most of these people never seen me before these on YouTube. So it was, um, so it's been a lot of growth from there. Then being able to kind of just have more time to be to, okay, I'm just going to make a nice wide screen cinematic kind of thing that I would have loved to have done on TikTok, but I wouldn't want to commit to something and take the rest out. It's only has a thousand views. You know, even though I spent five days edited and planning, you know, so it's, it's really nice to be on multiple platforms now.
Brian Bosche:
I Come from the tech world. So if there are any new features that any social media platform launches immediately start using it because they like, all of their goals are to like increase usage of that new thing. And that happened with reels. Like they would blow up reels for you. Like, cause there's not that many people on it, same with shorts. Like it seems like that is like from like a product manager's brain. That YouTube is like, all right, we gotta like put them front and center in Instagram. They're like, all right, Reels is first. Like that is what we're driving everyone to. And it is a great way to grow kind of off, off that topic though. How do you deal with like creative burnout? Because I see a lot, especially gen Z, like the number one professional they want to get into is being a YouTuber. And there are so many people in this creator community, especially in the basketball community, in the UK, I found you have YouTube channels trying to grow their different channels and it can get really frustrating. Like we talked about where you put all this work into a video and you get a hundred views. So how have you dealt with like that creator pain, that creator burnout and like keeping that confidence as you keep building?
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah, I think, um, it's, it's, it's tough. I'll say that first day still something that it's not, it's not so easy, but why try to do really is just, um, is keep it fun. I think about it really, this, this part is really, it's really important to make sure that I'm having fun in, in what I'm doing because yeah, like editing could take long and be web, but really after remember that it's actually, this is fun. It's not like, uh, it's not supposed to be like having, being in a, an account or something, you know, that I'm just sitting and doing something that I might not want to do. So, um, that that's kind of kept, it kept me from burning. Yeah. Kept it fresh, you know, and, and always kind of stepping outside of my comfort zone.
Brian Bosche:
You have such a wide variety of videos too. Like what is it? Is it Freddie? The fish?
Jesse Chuku:
Is it [inaudible]
Brian Bosche:
You got the friends of fish character, you do different characters. Like you're not pigeonholed into best. Do you ever feel pigeonholed into a certain thing? Cause it seems like you do have a really wide variety and they all are popular.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. I'm glad you said that because I, I would have thought people would say the opposite. I'm doing a lot of just America, British peace American stuff. But,
Brian Bosche:
And before, you know, you have your pillars that you go off of.
Jesse Chuku:
Th what I try to do is keep a balance of what, what I feel the audience wants and also what keeps things like exciting to me, you know? So even with that, you know, this British, recent American topic, I kind of got to a point where I've, I've kind of done all my experiences and all my real stories and kind of okay. But people, more people, oh, we've got more people, you know? So it's just like, okay, how can I be creative and still keep this fun and fresh and new for me, but also keep the audience happy. And I feel like this is, this is kind of where I'm at right now.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. Well, I think you have done such a good job with it. Cause like I, my first viral video is for like iPhone photo tips and at a certain point, like you go viral for certain things. I remember like first video got like 1 million views. One got up to 14 million views and I'm like, all right, I guess I am just an iPhone photo tip creator now. And you just feel boxed into it.
Jesse Chuku:
Oh, trust me. I could really relate to that. Especially on tech. I didn't start doing this and read this American stuff was more recently. I started off doing, getting viral for walking under a doorframe. Cause I could walk under it like perfectly. And I was making every sink. Like every second video was a different types of video, you know, like different types of bits, different types of this. And the spin was that I would walk onto the doorframe as each character. You know, then I started doing loops and, and I was like the CEO of loops, you know? And I was just like, me can perfect loops. And it just got to a point where it's just like, how many loops can you do? You know? And I remember at that time there was other CEO of loops that will do it. And sickly sit, I don't know where these guys are now, but it's just, it is kind of like, you have to keep moving. You have to keep moving, keep
Brian Bosche:
Stuck, try new things.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. When you feel that resistance, because the ideas, I feel like the ideas always usually come, but there's always that resistance. People might not like this, or this is new. This is different. Like, I dunno how it's gonna go. But for me, like always kind of pushing through that as has kept me, um, growing. Yeah.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. I mean that's, if any creators on our litter listening are like, that is the biggest takeaways. You'll hit a wall, keep experimenting, keep having fun with it because you're right. If like you keep going viral for walking under a doorframe or for an iPhone photo tip, and then you try something else and it doesn't get any views, you get discouraged, you go back to that thing and you can kind of get stuck and then it's not fun anymore. And then you kind of give up and you're like, all right, I guess I'm going to do that type of content, the rest of my life, or move on to experimenting. Like, that's great. That's a little bit of a tangent, but it's such good advice because it's so hard being a creator and hitting that wall.
Brian Bosche:
All right, let's go to this. A TikTok creator basketball tournament. This is like, this is like a personal passion of mine. Cause I love in the UK that the creator community is so strong. The basketball community is it's strong, but it's small from what I've found. So these events were GG three X, three. So Martin does an incredible job with the GG 3x#, got the partnership with TikTok to kind of bring different creators to, you know, from across, you know, it's like influencers in football and uh, what's, it's like the foot Saul, the, the freestyler footballers, like that are really popular. It's like a fitness influencers brought them together, had them play each other in a three on three tournament to try to do these crossover type promotions of all right. We're going to bring more exposure to three on three by bringing footballers in to try it. What got you excited about participating in this type of event, which is like a crossover, a lot of your different interests.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. I mean, I think exactly that, that is a crossover
Brian Bosche:
Terrible question.
Jesse Chuku:
Nah, it is. That is great. You know, there's just like so many different people from all different walks of life, like kind of just getting together to play basketball, which I love.
Brian Bosche:
And what'd you think of the tournament?
Jesse Chuku:
I think it was really well done. It was well put together. Like it was, it was great foods, which I really, uh, that was great. And the food trucks are amazing. Yeah. Unfortunate. I didn't get to stay for so long, but it was, it was really good. And the commentating was, um, uh, I thought it was really fun. That was the first time I'd done anything like that. So I would love to do that more, to be honest, it was a lot of fun commentate in that.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. And I, it was so fun how seriously they all took it, you know, not a few, I don't think any of them had any basketball experience. I think they played it too, is that it
Brian Bosche:
Still took like 10. So they tried it, they put it all out on the floor, they enjoyed it. They had fun. That was what it was about. It wasn't about being like the best basketball players. That, that was a lot of fun. And what do you kind of see TikTok doing to promote these different types of events, getting creators more involved in the athletic community? Any insights for us from working with textile? Cause I know you've gone to some of these crater events. Do you see them wanting to do more of these types of things going forward?
Jesse Chuku:
It seems like it, it seems like, I mean, I don't, I don't know why I could say, well, I call it say [inaudible], it seems like this is, this is what they're trying to do.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. That's great to know. Um, yeah, let's not, let's not get you in trouble or they're pretty locked down company. Sorry. Um, let's go to some fun listener questions. So Tom bonnet, who was at the serious Scorchers last season, did an incredible job with our media program. Um, his question is you and Joe Ikhinmwinone from the London lions who just retired. Um, I think it's Cyber Nerds, their YouTube channel that they've grown pretty big, uh, have done a great job building your future alongside your playing careers. So what advice would you give other players or athletes looking to do the same?
Jesse Chuku:
Um, I'll say, I'll say this. Cause I, I feel like my time playing basketball, I felt, um, I've always kind of felt to duties type of things, but I felt like I did a one two because of my identity as a basketball player, I kind of wanted to be taken seriously as a basketball player, but my toolkits of people now about this, like they wouldn't, they don't feel any different of me, you know? So I kind of, I would say that advice to anyone if, if that's holding you back. Cause I don't know it could be anything, but I feel like that's something that could hold people back, like kind of to just be one thing, you know,
Brian Bosche:
There's pressure that if you're doing the other thing, you're not totally focused on basketball.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. Like imagine a situation. Imagine if I was making all these tickets and stuff and I was playing sales, still pay for less the writers. And uh, and we lose a game, we lose three games in a row
Brian Bosche:
And
Jesse Chuku:
For some reason, pain poorly and his, his me on, on social media, he ha you know, when you think about it, it does seem like a little bit, it could be a kind of a tough situation, but I feel like it is not, it's not really like that really. You know, it's kind of like you have a life outside of your school. You're more than an athlete, I'll say. So that, that would be the advice.
Brian Bosche:
Good advice. Yeah. Cause I think there is this stigma of doing things outside and this happened to the NFL, a lot more American football, where if like a recruit or anyone in the draft has any outside interest, other than football, it's seen as a, as a red flag that they're not committed.
Jesse Chuku:
They're not serious.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. There's like, oh, that quarterback is too smart. He has interests outside of football. Like Aaron Rogers wants to be the jeopardy host. Like that's a red flag. He's not focused on football, but you're right. Like everyone's a human, like you can do things outside of it. That's great advice. Uh, what do you think British basketball can do to grow in the UK? So you've seen it growing up to playing professionally. Uh, it kind of goes alongside the young athletes, building their brands and careers outside of hoops.
Brian Bosche:
Uh, let's end with a fun, uh, fun audience question. Melita says Melita Emanuel-Carr, friend of the podcast. I think she's trained in Gloucester now. What are your top pet peeves? Because you said you have about a thousand.
Jesse Chuku:
Oh gosh. In like what, in what area of life?
Brian Bosche:
That's all she asked. What are your top? She said water is top pet thieves. They're over a thousand. That was the Instagram.
Jesse Chuku:
Oh, she's funny. Um, what top, top pet peeves. Um, I'll say, uh, Ian really loudly. I don't, I don't like people that like eat with their mouth super, really loud and making a lot of noise.
Brian Bosche:
Any other time for Melita specifically?
Jesse Chuku:
Um, that's that's what comes straight to buy. It comes out door that like, I think if I get into a rhythm, I might just start listing things off and go on now.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. We don't have to do more pet peeves. So what's next for you? You start in the footballers basketball NBA team. What are you doing next? I love that series by the way. I can't wait to watch it.
Jesse Chuku:
Oh, thank you. Yeah. I'm going to release a full episode one on YouTube. I think maybe next week.
Brian Bosche:
That was a, such a good, such a good ad. It's such a good clip. Like the finger ender.
Jesse Chuku:
Yeah. And you know, in that series I have, I have big pants that are, if we're talking about what's next, I'm trying to, I'm going to get more into that. Okay. Bring in basketball into my content because originally I didn't do Boston content. It's all really, which is kind of funny because I'm a basketball player. Um, so yeah, there's going to be a lot more of that. Um, great boss, commentate, presenter. Do more stuff like that. Yeah. Yeah. I mean just, just a little more content comment really? Yeah. Right. Great to see you, man. Well, thanks for coming on.
