Everyone knows the NBA is the biggest basketball platform on the planet. Only a select few are deemed worthy each year. But are you aware of the process that comes before the league? You hear of international stars, college commitments March Madness – these strike a thought in an ardent fan’s brain. Just how competitive is the landscape and what does it take to leap into the NBA? At times it’s breathtaking talent – a current example is someone like Cooper Flagg. Or it is something that sets you apart from the rest. That is the story of Peyton Marshall, Overtime Elite’s commanding center.

Playing for RWE, Marshall only started to burst onto the basketball landscape after his junior year in high school. The 18-year-old phenom led his side – Kell State to an undefeated record and subsequently, a state championship. Standing at 7 feet, he has awareness on the court that’s akin to Nikola Jokic. Then again, he can be a 300-pound force who resonates more with Shaquille O’Neal.

On the latest segment of ES Fancast, we invited over high school sensation. Under Overtime Elite – one of the highly ranked high school camps in Georgia, Marshall spoke about his early affiliation to basketball, his decision to withdraw from Auburn and join Missouri, and other loaded questions. The following is the conversation he had with one of the known faces in NBA media – Brandon ‘Scoop’ Robinson. (This interview is edited for clarity and brevity)

In conversation with Peyton Marshall

Author: Marietta, Georgia is producing some talent. You look at Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics who is making it happen. You look at yourself. Did you like the Hawks growing up?

Marshall: No, I was never a Hawks fan. I am originally from St. Luois so I grew up with no basketball team for real. I am a Celtics fan now though because of Tatum.

Author: That’s interesting because You talk about the Celtics. Jaylen Brown, any connection there? Have you met him?

Marshall: Yeah, I came up playing in his AAU program. We played through the same program. Not sure if you are familiar with Game Elite but we had the same coach. So yes, definitely familiar with him. I met him and I kind of got to meet him a few teams through the program.

Author: What’s the conversation like?

Marshall: Oh, he really was tapping into the more mental aspect of the game. It wasn’t more so about like basketball or on-court stuff. He had a little two-day camp about like history and the way we can help our community. It was an amazing experience.

Author: He’s intentional, he’s spiritual and he’s laying the foundation for the next generation. I like that a lot. You’re at Overtime Elite. How did you and Overtime become a thing?

Marshall: I got recruited to come and then been talking to my people. My people like all the trusted few and my family of course. And it made it seem like it was the right decision to be made to better my career and take my game to the next level.

Author: How did the experience at OT help you grow and how was it different than any other leagues from a basketball perspective?

Marshall: Helped me grow in tremendous ways. I only been here like, I want to say January, I came in like September it’s not that long of a time but it’s a long time if you think about it. I can already see the growth in my body and just my overall game as well. I feel like my game is improving in a tremendous way.

Author: I was doing some research and you being from Georgia only makes sense. You like football, but you couldn’t play in high school. Why?

Marshall: I just feel like I was too tall you know. There’s not too many 7-footers out there on the football field no more. I kind of had to make a decision early on in like middle school like ‘If you want to play football, you got to play football. You want to play basketball, then play basketball’ because you don’t want to just keep taking time off of one another. Because you can’t focus on one and then you be average at both. I felt like basketball might have been the easier way to go because you know football, you 7 foot they going to do nothing but try to chop block you or take your knees out. At that point, you ain’t going to be able to play anything.

Author: Okay so, I am intrigued by this. In the past 20-plus years I have seen a seven-foot quarterback. I think they went to Kentucky at one point. You are 7 feet. Would you have been more of a wide receiver, would you have been a tight end? If you played what position would you have played at?

Marshall: I played a couple positions growing up. My last year playing football though, I played tight end.

Author: I like it. You talked about being from St. Louis originally then moving to Marietta. You did commit to Missouri. Committing to Auburn then deciding to go to Missouri. How much did hometown play a part in it and what ultimately went into your decision?

Marshall: People say there is a lot but really being from St. Louis had nothing to do with it. I just fet like it was a coincidence that it was an hour and some change away. You know, you get the whole family aspect to be able to come down whenever they need to. But really it was just the school itself that got me over there. The coaches and the community and all that. Being from there really had nothing to do with it. It is a plus though I will say that. Having a grandma down the street.

Author: You talking about that home cooking. I don’t know about you but the good cabbage, the yam, the cornbread, the fried chicken. You can’t eat all that because you in training. But that cooking, you can’t go wrong with it.

Marshall: Yeah, thanksgiving and Christmas is going to be smooth though.

Author: It’s always cool when you can go viral. By doing my research and just asking around and looking at what the apps are saying, you had a viral moment. A block. What was going through your head as it happened? When did you know it was a thing?

Marshall: Like my uncle always say we try to go over viral. In a good way though (laughs). The next morning my grandma had it sent it to me. It was like they behind. We know St. Louis out behind. So it had just hit our phones and the news and all that. She texted she was like ‘Look, look!’. But people had already sent me the block and they thought it was funny. But once I seen it on like all the websites and the news was getting out I was like ‘Damn’. I was just doing this like out of nowhere. I didn’t do it to get some views. It was just me doing what I thinking in the moment. When it blew up, it blew up all the way.

Author: Listen, these are big shoes to fill. Our producer said that there are people out there, well we talked about it in the beginning. You are a combination of Nikola Jokic and Zion Williamson. They say you have Zion’s dominance inside the paint combined with the passing IQ of a big like Jokic. So it’s safe to say you can stuff the stat sheet no problems. Points, rebounds, assists, blocks. You name it you got it. My question to you Is, do you have an intentionality to include a myriad of different players’ skill sets in your game or you just out being you?

Marshall: From the comparison aspect, the Jokic. Because you can go on YouTube and all that and look at like breakdowns and stuff. So I read like what is he seeing when he makes this pass? But you watch in a game sometimes you think like ’Oh, he just got to throw the ball up ain’t nobody open’. Then two seconds later he throwing the pass to somebody wide open. You ain’t even seen it. So I kinda try to look at stuff like that. But really it’s just like I try to be myself most [times]. But I do try to get some moves from a player. But I wouldn’t say I just imitate my game completely after just like one player or I got this from this player.

Author: You think that’s kind of overly done. The way people say that all the time with comparisons?

Marshall: Oh yeah. Because that one player didn’t create the move. People were doing that move before that player. They just might be an All-Star or a superstar. Ain’t no different from him doing it and the last guy from the bench doing it. It’s just a move. I don’t really think the ‘I play like this guy or this guy’ is a thing.

Author: Listen, I am always intrigued when I hear players talk about players they watch on YouTube. For example, Zach Lavine currently plays for the Chicago Bulls and he tells me he watches YouTube videos of Michael Jordan from back in the day. You weren’t born when Michael Jordan was playing. But I’m sure as a big man you know what the Shaq and Hakeem matchups back in the ’90s correct?

Marshall: Yes sir.

Author: So they are considered two of the most dominant centers to ever play the game. For you, who do you think ranks higher on the all-time list in that rivalry department and why?

Marshall: Me, I will say Shaq because I was a little more familiar with him growing up. Hakeem Olajuwon was a good player, but I just did more of my research on Shaq and all that. So with my knowledge, I will just have to say Shaq.

Author: Many greats like LeBron and Kobe came into the league right out of high school. With the one-and-done rule, you got to wait a little bit. What do you think about this rule change and would you ever declare for the draft earlier if you got the chance to do so?

Marshall: I think’s good. Some players take as much time. Somebody like me, I think I wouldn’t do it. I would probably try to go maximise going to college and try to max out real fast but then take my talents to the next level if I am able to make it. But I feel like it’s a good rule. If a player If ready straight out of high school, go and get to what you got to do. But somebody like me I would take the college route and go do what I got to do in college one two years then do what I got to do.

Author: Take it slow.

Marshall: Yes sir, ain’t no rush.

Author: Listen man no rush is a good thing. You can enjoy, you can grow and you can meet people and network. Curious, Victor Wembanyama is a phenom in San Antonio. He took the world by storm and a lot of aspects he was underestimated or people looked at him in excitement of him same way people looked at LeBron in 2003 when he went to the draft. I am curious from your perspective. You think young players in today’s game, your peer group, and the older little younger face more pressure in the social media era than they would in the earlier eras.

Marshall: Most definitely because it plays such a major role in today’s game. Social media plays a big role in anything you do. You can fall or something simple that it’s going to go on social media and they going to make a big deal about it. So I definitely feel like social media play a major role in today’s game including putting pressure on the kids and stuff like that.

Author: We fall down but we get up as the great Donnie McClurkin said. Tell me something, do you think NIL valuation influences draft decisions?

Marshall: No. I don’t really know too much about that so I can’t really speak on this. So I’ll just decide to say no right now.

Author: You are a pro early. I like it. How supportive have your parents, especially your mother been in your journey of basketball as a career and to make this jump from one level to the next level?

Marshall: I can’t even get into all that right now. But she definitely more than 100% supports me. Whether it was taking me to this practice, this workout or ‘Hey momma I want these shoes’. She just believes in me so much. So she get up, giving it her all every time making the sacrifices because she believe in me so much to make it to the next level. So I would definitely say if nobody believed, my mom would.

Author: If momma don’t believe you then who will? I like it. Tell me something, my producers are telling me that your mom actually queued in and left a special message for you. Can you guys pull that up?

Marshall’s mom: Hey, kid. Just want to say congratulations. I know that you been working really really hard. I just want to say I am proud of you. I want you to keep working hard, staying focused, staying consistent. And remember, what you put in is what you get out. I am so very proud of you and I can’t wait to see what’s next in your journey. So far so good. Just keep staying focused, stay grounded, stay humble, and congrats again! Love mom.

Author: How does that make you feel?

Marshall: I am not too emotional. It’s a little tear-jerk. I ain’t not going to look crazy on camera though. That’s my dog.

Author: Anybody ever tell you that you look like your momma?

Marshall: That’s all they say I look like. They think we twins.

Author: (Laughs) Outside of football and basketball, what do you like to do in your free time?

Marshall: I am a really family-oriented guy. I like to hang out with my family, hang out with my friends. Like really I like fashion too so I try to get some clothes and look decent in whatever I can. But nothing really too crazy. I like video games a lot too you can catch me playing some games.

Author: You Ps4 or Xbox?

Marshall: I got a Play Station 5.

Author: I do too. I got to play you in Madden and 2K man. I got to see if you walking that walk.

Marshall: You don’t want that. I am trying to tell you now.

Author: Alright, I hear you talking. Do you have a favorite sneaker?

Marshall: My favorite sneaker? (Thinks). Like for basketball or in general?

Author: It’s your world we live in it so let’s say for basketball and then when you just chilling.

Marshall: My favorite sneaker for basketball probably has to be a Kobe 4. A pair of Kobe’s for sure. Either the 4s or the 5s. I like how they look and they are real comfortable too. That’s a very comfortable shoe. It’s hard to get with the new way they got the technology and all that but it’s real comfortable. So when you can feel good and look good at the same time I feel like that’s a great thing. My favorite shoes to wear are probably like just like if I’m trying to look good… I don’t know it depends. It just depends on the day. Someday I’ll throw on some Jordans, some crocs depends on what I am trying to pull out. If I kind of really trying to just step out.. it would probably be a designer sneaker or something like that. I don’t know I can’t think of the top of my head.

Author: Okay. Let’s pretend today was a game day right? What’s on your plate before the game?

Marshall: Like food-wise?

Author: Oh, I hope so. I don’t know if your opponent is on the menu but for the sake of the audience before the game what do you eat?

Marshall: I try to keep it light before the game. I might get a smoothie, get a sandwich. I usually get a tropical smoothie. Give me a little smoothie and a wrap before the game. I’m not trying to eat really heavy or nothing crazy.

Author: Who is the greatest player of all time in your opinion and why?

Marshall: LeBron James. It got to be Bron. Just looking at what he did for basketball. Coming straight out of high school, top five in almost every statistic there is. How easy he just came and dominated the game for so many years. He almost, how old is he? 39?

Author: Yeah, he just turned 39 last month.

Marshall: He’s 39 still playing like it’s his first season. He got to be the greatest. The rest of the guys are cool but I have to say right now LeBron James is the best player to play basketball.

Author: Alright we going LeBron James. Listen, we scoured the internet and got some questions that fans want to know about you. We call this segment the rapid-fire questions. You have 60 seconds to guess some answers. You think you up for the challenge my brother?

Marshall: Born and ready.

Author: Alright set the timer y’all. You ready? Can LeBron James be a better basketball superstar than Michael Jordan?

Marshall: Yes.

Author: Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Yao Ming – who was the most dominant physical specimen on the NBA court?

Marshall: Shaquille O’Neal

READ MORE: VIDEO: Peyton Marshall’s Epic Basketball Block During Cold Hearts vs RWE’s Match Stuns Fans

Author: Pick one – Kobe and Shaq’s Lakers or Jordan and Pippen’s Bulls?

Marshall: Jordan and Pippen’s Bulls.

Author: I like that. If given a chance which NBA star’s skill would you pick – Kevin Durant’s fadeaway, Nikola Jokic’s shuffle or Kawhi Leonard’s baseline pull-up?

Marshall: Fadeaway. KD fade.

Author: Okay. Which basketball player would you consider your fashion icon?

Marshall: Shai. Shai Gilgeous.

Author: Cool. Who would you call your toughest opponent in a potential one vs one in Overtime Elite?

Marshall: Hype Jackson.

Author: On your future NBA debut which celebrity would you like to see sitting courtside?

Marshall: SZA

Author: Which would you call the second-largest basketball league in the world after the NBA? Euroleague? Man, I wanted to ask you all those questions! Butbro, you definitely was on it. Before we get up out of here. Which superhero’s abilities would Peyton Marshall like to possess if given a chance – Hulk’s strength, Batman’s IQ, or Superman’s flight?

Marshall: Probably Superman’s flight. I can just take the ball, go up and dunk. Ain’t nobody blocking my shot.

Author: (Laughs) I like it. Which of the following would be your spirit animal? You going with the Lion, the Giraffe, or a Cheetah?

Marshall: Cheetah.

Author: Okay. Which of these Hollywood stars do you think can be a great athlete – Tom Cruise, Michael B Jordan, Kevin Hart?

Marshall: Michael B Jordan is big. So I ain’t going to lie. I think Michael B Jordan. That Rocky movie didn’t look too scripted.

Author: Two more questions. If asked to pick one rapper’s music for the rest of your life, who would you pick – Tupac’s iconic songs, the legacy of Biggie or Drake?

Marshall: Drake.

Author: Okay last question. Other than your cellphone and basketball kit, what is one thing you can’t spend a day without – earphones, PS5, or nothing?

Marshall: Somebody I can’t live with. I will probably say my earphones. I be blocking the noise out sometimes.

For much more from this session with Peyton Marshall, check out the entire fancast video.

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