Spill in the Ville

Damion Dantzler joined the latest episode of Spill In The Ville and reflected on his legendary second-half performance against Texas in the 1997 Sweet Sixteen.

After scoring 17 points in the second half, Dantzler helped propel Louisville to the Elite Eight following an injury to star guard DeJuan Wheat.

Dantzler revealed that both he and Alvin Sims were struggling mentally before the NCAA Tournament, leading Coach Denny Crum to have them work with a psychiatrist. For weeks, they practiced visualization exercises, wrote down goals, and spoke positive affirmations into a mirror.

When he went into halftime against Texas with zero points… “I’m thinking, ‘All this work was trash. I can’t believe I even believed that.’”

Then came the second half.

“Dance Mr. Dantzler, Dance!” was born, and the rest is Louisville basketball history.

Check out the full episode on YouTube & Spotify!

When Chris Smith joined Spill In The Ville, he kept it real about his NBA journey with the New York Knicks.

In this clip, Chris reflects on being called up when Knicks guards Raymond Felton, Pablo Prigioni, and J.R. Smith were sidelined. After arriving at the team hotel and getting hyped up by his teammates, he thought his opportunity had finally arrived. But when game time came, he never saw the floor, receiving a coach’s DNP instead.

Later, Chris discusses playing in the 2014 Christmas Day game against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Just days later, he called his father and admitted he had a feeling he was about to be waived. Moments later, that feeling became reality when an ESPN notification on his phone informed him that he had been cut.

It’s a candid look at the highs and lows of life in the NBA, where opportunities can appear—and disappear—in an instant.

On Spill In The Ville, Samardo Samuels reflects on his time playing for Dan Hurley in high school and explains why he was more than prepared when he arrived on UofL’s campus.

Samuels says Hurley had him ready to play college ball from day one and recalls Hurley telling him that the only thing separating him from the top coaches in the country was that they had nicer suits. 😭

Blake also asked Samardo if Hurley ever pulled anything similar to what fans saw during this past NCAA Tournament when he famously went forehead-to-forehead with a referee. Samardo's response?

“Dan and I in high school is history.” 😂

Fast forward to today, and Hurley has backed up that confidence, becoming one of the premier coaches in all of college basketball.

Check out the full episode with Samardo Samuels now on YouTube and Spotify.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gb1FAPkLnQw?si=r_eD9ek7Y2cL3vKa

During the latest episode of Spill In The Ville, Dr. Troy Pearce shared that while Seattle was an obvious candidate for NBA expansion, he was also hopeful Louisville could eventually land a franchise.

The crew discussed whether Louisville could realistically sustain an NBA team, pointing to the city’s deep connection to University of Louisville basketball and its market potential compared to other current NBA cities. Blake suggested a WNBA franchise could be a strong first step in testing the city’s long-term viability as a pro basketball market.

Terence added that building a successful franchise would take time, but with the right superstar acquisition through the draft or free agency, Louisville has the passion and support to make it work.

Tune in now on YouTube & Spotify for the full conversation with Dr. Troy Pearce as he shares his journey and discusses working with stars like Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins.

Clip sponsored by
DERRICK SELLS LOUISVILLE

YouTube: https://youtu.be/YQSeD-9NvoA?si=sLTRI72ODUa1yGjf