Glue Guys

Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta share the sayings and pieces of advice they’ve carried with them from some of the most influential coaches, mentors, teammates, and family members in their lives.

They break down Jeff Van Gundy’s “don’t fail the plan” philosophy, why playing it safe can actually be the biggest risk, Jim Harbaugh’s advice for handling pressure, Hubie Brown’s brutally simple rule about getting paid to perform, and the mantra Alex leaned on while recovering from his devastating leg injury. They also trade lessons from Coach K, Andy Reid, Jason Williams, parents, and mentors—and discuss which sayings they’re now passing down to their own kids.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer joins the Glue Guys to discuss leading one of college basketball’s most iconic programs through a new era.

Scheyer breaks down how Duke is adapting to NIL and the transfer portal, why no player is promised a starting spot, and how the program evaluates the 98% of the game when a player doesn’t have the ball. He also reflects on following Coach K, the pressure that comes with coaching at Duke, why he still thinks about the losses more than the wins, and why he chose to keep building at Duke amid interest from the NBA.

The Glue Guys talk about raising kids in a world that looks completely different from the one that prepared them—from NIL and the transfer portal to careers, pressure, money, independence, and uncertainty. Shane reflects on watching his son enter his senior year, Ravi explains why there’s no longer a clear professional path to hand down, and the guys debate what lessons actually still hold up when the old playbook no longer applies.

Adam Cheyer—the co-founder of Siri, a magician, entrepreneur, and former assistant coach for the Nigerian Olympic basketball team—joins the Glue Guys for one of our most wide-ranging conversations yet.

Adam explains why startups and basketball teams operate by the same principles, how he envisioned an AI assistant before the web existed, and why today’s AI is still missing its ability to get things done. We also discuss what Steve Jobs understood about magic and storytelling, the memories that ultimately give our lives meaning, and the teammates and mentors Adam feels indebted to for life. Plus, he performs two magic tricks live on the show.

Has NIL and the transfer portal destroyed what made college sports special—or are fans romanticizing a past that never truly existed?

The Glue Guys debate how money and player movement have changed college athletics, whether loyalty still matters, and why fans can still form deep connections with players who may spend only one season at a school.