PODCAST · sports
The Victory Degree
by Nik Atanackovic
On a mission to interview & learn from the world's greatest athletes.
Episodes
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Marques Johnson on CRAZY Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Larry Bird Stories & What It Takes to Be Great
Five-time NBA All-Star Marques Johnson joins The Victory Degree to share stories and lessons from a lifetime in basketball—from his upbringing in Los Angeles and playing for John Wooden at UCLA to competing against Larry Bird and his connection to Michael Jordan. We discuss the influence of his...
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8 Harsh Truths to Build a Winning Mindset From Michael Jordan
What drove Michael Jordan, and what can we learn from the way he approached the game? In this episode of The Victory Degree Podcast, I break down my favorite quotes and stories from Jordan’s book, For the Love of the Game. We explore confidence, preparation, leadership, handling setbacks, and...
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Jonathan Bender on Breaking Michael Jordan’s Record, Guarding Kobe & Why Hard Work Isn’t Enough
What does it take to build real confidence and keep moving forward when life changes your plans? Former NBA player and entrepreneur Jonathan Bender joins me on The Victory Degree to discuss sacrifice, reinvention, and life beyond basketball. We explore lessons from Larry Bird and Reggie Miller…
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11 State Titles. 2 Undefeated Seasons. 10 Lessons From a Hall of Fame Coach to Unlock Your Potential - Charles Smith
With 11 state championships, two undefeated 41–0 seasons, and induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, basketball coach Charles Smith joins The Victory Degree to discuss confidence, discipline, and what separates talent from fulfilled potential. From his upbringing in rural Louisiana…
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Someone Half As Smart As You Is Making 10X More - Ed Latimore
Ed Latimore has lived a life shaped by boxing, discipline, adversity, and a relentless curiosity about what makes people succeed. In this conversation, we explore the psychology behind resilience, fear, hard work, happiness, confidence, and what it actually takes to become someone you’re proud…
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10 Harsh Truths To Build An Unbreakable Mindset From Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis’ journey was shaped by adversity, discipline, self-belief, and an relentless commitment to becoming better. In this episode, I break down 10 of the most powerful lessons, stories, and mindset principles from his life, from the experiences that shaped him as a kid to the mentality that...
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10 Powerful Lessons From The Inner Game of Tennis To Unlock Your Potential - Ryan Sweeney
Ryan Sweeney is a former college tennis player, filmmaker, and founder of The Inner Game, a modern performance platform inspired by the work of The Inner Game of Tennis author Timothy Gallwey. Through his work, Ryan has spent time learning from elite athletes, coaches, psychologists, and high...
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12 Harsh Truths To Stop Wasting Your Potential From Saudi Arabia's First Pro Boxer - Zizo Almaayouf
Ziyad "Zizo" Almaayouf is Saudi Arabia's first professional boxer. He has fought at Madison Square Garden and on undercards in front of millions worldwide, all while building a path that did not exist before him. In this conversation, Zizo breaks down why self-belief has to be delusional before…
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15 Harsh Truths On Fear, Doubt, and Discipline From The NFL’s Greatest WR - Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice is widely considered the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, and by some measures the greatest football player, period. But the mindset behind the records is less understood than the highlights. This episode covers everything I learned from reading his 2007 book Go Long, along with...
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12 Brutal Lessons On Success From Basketball's Greatest Coach - John Wooden
John Wooden won ten national championships, seven of them in a row, and eighty-eight consecutive games. He also never talked about winning. In this episode I go through "Wooden on Leadership" and pull out the lessons that made him the greatest coach in the history of the sport. What success...
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Maxx Crosby & Brock Bowers’ Hidden Habits & How Constraints Built The Greatest Athletes | Eagles Coach Beyah Rasool
Coach Beyah Rasool has coached football at nearly every level of the game where he spent last season inside the Raiders building around Max Crosby and Brock Bowers before joining the Philadelphia Eagles. This conversation is about what he saw up close. What actually separates the players at the…
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How The Greatest Olympian of All Time Wins - Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps won more Olympic gold medals than most countries. This episode is about how. I spent over a week inside the mind of the most decorated Olympian ever — his book No Limits, New York Times profiles dating back to 2002, and every interview I could find. What I found wasn't a story…
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Seth Greenberg On: Lessons From 30+ Years of Coaching, Coach K & The Camp That Built Michael Jordan
Prior to taking the position at ESPN Seth Greenberg was a coach for 34 years, the last 22 as a head coach. Greenberg has been the head coach at Long Beach State, the University of South Florida, and Virginia Tech. He was a two-time ACC Coach of the Year. This conversation is about what all those...
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Larry Bird: Inside the Mind of Basketball's Greatest Underdog
Magic Johnson said there was only one player he ever truly feared. This episode goes inside the mind of Larry Bird — not a career recap, but a deep dive into how he actually thought. How he practiced, why he took losses personally, what he did the summer after getting swept, and why the man who...
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The Brutal Reality of the NFL Fans Never See - Alex Barrett
Alex Barrett spent nine years in the NFL — undrafted out of San Diego State, through stints with the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers. But his journey looked nothing like the highlight reels. In this conversation, Alex opens up about the side of professional football that...
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He Shared a QB Room With Aaron Rodgers & Brock Purdy: This Is The Harsh Truth About Elite Success - Kurt Benkert
Kurt Benkert is a former NFL quarterback, content creator and entrepreneur. Kurt spent his career inside the quarterback rooms of some of the best to ever play the position, and the perspective he gained there has made him one of the more thoughtful voices on the mental side of the game. Today…
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The Relentless Mind of Steph Curry
This video recaps everything I learned about Steph Curry, his mindset & how he operates from reading the book: Shot Ready By Stephen Curry bit.ly/4g3jRfr Connect with Nik: Instagram: instagram.com/victorywithnik/ Twitter: x.com/victorywithnik Sources: Bleacher Report Interview: bit.ly/4vzvlfq…
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Navy SEAL: "Pain Is The Path To Becoming Unbreakable" - David Rutherford
Former Navy SEAL medic and instructor David Rutherford has spent 30+ years studying what drives people to perform — and what makes them quit — in the most extreme environments on earth. From the SEAL teams to Blackwater to the CIA, and now working with elite sports organizations and the world's…
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Kobe Bryant: The Obsession That Built A Champion
This episode dives into the mindset, habits, and philosophy that made Kobe Bryant one of the most relentless competitors in sports history. Through Kobe's own words, discover the lessons, stories, and principles behind the Mamba Mentality—and why his approach to greatness continues to inspire...
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Falcons Legend Patrick DiMarco On: 28-3 Super Bowl, Julio Jones, Matt Ryan & Undrafted Mindset
Former NFL Pro Bowler Patrick DiMarco joins the show to share the untold reality of life inside the NFL — from being an undrafted free agent and nearly losing football after a devastating injury, to the emotional aftermath of Super Bowl 51 and the hidden pressure athletes carry behind the scenes....
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NBA Champion Jeff Ayres Reveals Rare Kobe & LeBron Stories & Behind The Scenes of The Spurs Dynasty
Former NBA champion Jeff Ayres joins The Victory Degree Podcast to share a rare inside look at life in the league, from his rookie year with the Portland Trail Blazers to battling LeBron’s Heat with the Pacers and winning a title with the Spurs. Jeff opens up about the grind of an NBA season,...
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What 13 Years Inside The NFL Taught Him About Greatness & Why Drew Brees Is The GOAT | Luke McCown
Luke McCown returns for Part 2 — and somehow, we covered even more ground than the first time. A 13-year NFL career as the guy standing right behind Drew Brees gives you a perspective most fans never hear. Luke pulls back the curtain on what really happens inside an NFL building — the parts the...
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From 400 Followers to 60k+: How He Became One of NY’s Biggest Sports Voices (Alex Day Interview)
Alex Day went from making $33K behind the scenes to becoming one of the biggest voices in New York sports — and he did it without the overnight viral moment everyone assumes built his career. In this episode, Alex breaks down what authenticity actually means in content creation, why picking a…
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He's Building The World's First Supplement Brand Specifically for Hoopers. Here's How.
Will Custis, aka The Corporate Hooper, built a massive New York City basketball following while working a full-time corporate job, then bootstrapped HoopFuel, the first performance supplement brand built specifically for basketball players. In this episode, we get into the reality of going from...
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Tyler Webb ON: Packers' Secret, 15M Views From 1 Video, AI's Threat & Why ESPN Is Losing to YouTube
Tyler Webb grew up a die-hard Packers fan in Green Bay, Wisconsin — and turned that sports obsession into a 12-year career in content creation. Now he runs a sports media brand and social media agency, and he knows better than anyone what it takes to build an audience in this space. In this...
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The Most OVERLOOKED Quarterback Story in NFL History
Chris Streveler didn't get a single call from the NFL after college. So he went to Canada, won a championship, and forced his way into the league. Then he got cut. Then he threw game-winning touchdowns three weeks in a row without getting a single practice rep. Then he got cut again. Then he tore...
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Inside the Mind of Elon Musk
What does it actually mean to learn from someone you disagree with? Eric Jorgenson spent five years compiling the most useful ideas from one of the most polarizing figures alive — Elon Musk. Not a political book. Not hero worship. Just the frameworks, mental models, and philosophy behind someone...
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Tom Brady's Secret Weapon: Lessons From The Legendary Coach Who Changed Everything
Tom House has spent nearly 80 years learning what it actually takes to build elite athletes — and he's still coaching. A former MLB pitcher turned pitching coach, Tom has worked with some of the most iconic athletes in sports history — including Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Nolan Ryan, and a long list…
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Why You Should Take More Risks (Lessons from a 13-Year NFL Veteran)
What does it really take to chase a dream for decades—even when the outcome isn’t what you imagined? Former NFL quarterback Luke McCown joins the podcast to share the mindset that carried him through 13 seasons in the league, the risks he took pursuing football since childhood, and the lessons he...
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"You're Overthinking Success" The 1% Mindset That Changes Everything | Bishop Kevin Foreman
In this conversation, Nik sits down with Bishop Kevin Foreman to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions about success: that it’s complicated. Together they explore why the most powerful principles in life, business, and personal growth are often the simplest ones — and why so many people still...
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The TOP Principles of 0.01% Leaders
What separates champions from everyone else? In this episode, we break down the sports psychology behind elite performance — from Roger Federer winning just 54% of his points to Simone Biles stepping away to rebuild mentally and come back stronger. This isn’t about hype or highlight reels. It’s...
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Don't Do Business With Dicks | David Meltzer
In this episode, David Meltzer breaks down the mindset shifts, habits, and principles that separate people who stay stuck from those who build meaningful success. From how we think about money to how we use our time, this conversation challenges common beliefs and reveals a different way to...
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The 1% Mindset That Separates NFL Athletes From Everyone Else
Former NFL player Marcus Peterson joins the show to share his unconventional path from Inglewood to the league, and how football became the platform that launched his journey into entrepreneurship and global business. In this conversation, Marcus opens up about using fear of regret as fuel,...
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From Underdog to Training NBA Hall of Famers — His RARE Blueprint for Winning in Life | PART 1
Ganon Baker joins the show to break down what it really takes to win — in sports, business, and life. From being an undersized underdog chasing an NBA tryout to building a decades-long player development career working with some of the best basketball players in the world, Ganon shares the…
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Jack Gohlke ON: 10 Threes VS Kentucky, Elite Shooting (Steph Curry Method) & March Madness Aftermath
What looks like an “overnight success” is almost never overnight. In this episode of The Victory Degree Podcast, Jack Gohlke breaks down the unseen years behind his viral March Madness moment—his mindset before dropping 32 points and 10 threes against Kentucky, the confidence built through years…
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Jimmy Sotos ON: 1.7M TikTok Followers, How To Ignore Haters & The Fake Ball Knower Epidemic
Former Ohio State basketball player Jimmy Sotos opens up about the real truth behind playing overseas, building a massive social media following, and navigating identity, confidence, and luck after sports. In this raw, honest conversation, Jimmy breaks down what life is actually like for pro...
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Trey Drechsel On: EuroLeague vs NBA, Fear of Regret & The TRUTH About Playing Basketball in Europe
What does it really take to make a living playing professional basketball without hype, shortcuts, or fake guru advice? In this episode of The Victory Degree Podcast, professional basketball player Trey Drechsel breaks down the real journey of chasing a career overseas. From growing up as a late...
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Nick Knows Ball ON: Ben Simmons Shooting Montages, Marcin Gortat Screens & NBA Conspiracy Theories
In this episode of The Victory Degree Podcast, I sit down with Nick — one of the most creative new voices in NBA content — to break down basketball culture, internet humor, and why true ball knowers are gravitating toward his viral videos. We dive deep into how the NBA has changed over the last…
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John Abraham On: 133.5 Sacks, Sacking Colin Kaerpernick, NFL's Mental Battle & Becoming Unbreakable
NFL success isn’t just about talent — it’s about mindset, resilience, and survival. In this powerful episode of The Victory Degree, former NFL star John Abraham pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to make it — and last — at the highest level as a professional athlete. From his rise as…
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Kevin Dahlstrom ON: $1 Million Doesn't Make You Rich, Why Most Entrepreneurs Fail & The Lie About Success
What if everything you’ve been taught about business, being an entrepreneur, achieving success, and mastering your mindset is actually leading you in the wrong direction? In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Kevin Dahlstrom to unpack the truths most people in entrepreneurship never…
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LEGENDARY Basketball Coach On: Magic Johnson, 23 Winning Seasons + The Game That Shocked America
In today’s episode, Legendary Coach Jim Johnson shares the unbelievable journey that led him from being fired at 25… to building one of the most consistent winning cultures in high school basketball. We talk about his unforgettable encounter with Magic Johnson, the leadership lessons behind 23...
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David Tyree On: Overcoming Addiction, Hidden Giants Stories + The Blueprint for Beating Brady
What does it really take to survive in the NFL — not just on Sundays, but in life? In this powerful episode of The Victory Degree, Super Bowl champion David Tyree shares the untold story behind one of the most iconic moments in NFL history and the unseen battles that almost ended his career…
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Jay Bilas On: Journey to ESPN, GOAT Debate, Lessons From Coach K + Has Sports Gambling Gone Too Far?
Jay Bilas joins The Victory Degree Podcast for an honest and thought-provoking conversation on confidence, criticism, and the evolving world of college sports. From his early days under Coach K at Duke to his insights on NIL, social media, and mental toughness, Jay shares the lessons that shaped...
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Breiden Fehoko On: Hidden Politics of the NFL, A Crazy Justin Herbert Story + Principles for Success
Former NFL defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko (Chargers, Steelers, LSU) joins The Victory Degree to pull back the curtain on the truth about the NFL — from how politics decide who plays, to how mental health and self-belief define success long after the game ends. Breiden opens up about playing…
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Shea Serrano On: LeBron’s Legacy, Greatest Game 7 in NBA History, Tim Duncan’s Greatness + New Book
NBA writer and best-selling author Shea Serrano joins Nik Atanackovic on The Victory Degree Podcast to talk about his new book, Expensive Basketball — a love letter to the moments, feelings, and players that make the game beautiful. From Ray Allen’s jumper vs. Joakim Noah’s, to Tim Duncan’s quiet...
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From Money Laundering & Prison To Mentoring World Class Athletes - The Wild Journey of Chad Dunn
After serving two years in federal prison for money laundering, Chad Dunn rebuilt his life from the ground up, transforming pain into purpose. Once a promising athlete turned felon, Chad used his time behind bars to redefine his identity, confront his demons, and build a mission around helping...
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Taybor Pepper On Long Snapper Life, Kyle Shanahan, NFL Free Agency Chaos + Mental Health Battles
Taybor Pepper sits down with Nik to talk about the real side of the NFL — from getting cut by the 49ers just days into free agency, to what it’s actually like inside a Kyle Shanahan team meeting. He opens up about the chaos of bouncing between teams, the pressure of fighting for a roster spot…
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He Played College Football at 59 — His Advice Will Change How You See Life | Mike Flynt
At 22, Mike Flynt was kicked out of college football for fighting. 37 years later, at 59 years old, he went back to finish what he started. This is the unbelievable true story of regret, redemption, and second chances. We talk about adversity, character, faith, and what it really means to never...
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Derek Sivers — Selling a $22M Company, Overcoming Fear & Choosing Useful Beliefs
Derek Sivers built and sold CD Baby for $22 million, walked away from fame, and chose a radically simple life. In this conversation, Derek shares the unconventional rules, frameworks, and mindset shifts that shaped his journey from overcoming fear to redefining success. If you’ve ever wondered…
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The Brutal Reality of Elite Performance | Brett Hawke
What does it really take to push human limits? Brett Hawke — Olympian, world-renowned swim coach, and coach in the Enhanced Games — joins me to reveal the uncomfortable truths about elite performance. From why “working harder” is the most dangerous advice in sports, to how recovery, self-belief,...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
On a mission to interview & learn from the world's greatest athletes.
HOSTED BY
Nik Atanackovic
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Victory Degree have?
The Victory Degree currently has 123 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Victory Degree about?
On a mission to interview & learn from the world's greatest athletes.
How often does The Victory Degree release new episodes?
The Victory Degree publishes regularly with 123 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Victory Degree?
You can listen to The Victory Degree on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Victory Degree?
The Victory Degree is created and hosted by Nik Atanackovic.
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