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Max is Nicee (@maxisnicee), real name Max Perandize, is a basketball comedian and social media influencer. Max grew his following by hilariously imitating famous basketball players like the Ball brothers, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Lebron James, and more.
At only 22 years of age, Max has an Instagram following of over 1 million, his own clothing line, and recently spoke with us about his basketball background, his first viral video, the stress of being an influencer, his favorite NBA players to imitate, and much more.
Check out this episode by listening to the podcast, watching the video on our YouTube channel (or below), or reading the full transcript of the interview below.
Also, if you missed last week’s episode with Joe Pompliano on the business and money behind sports, you can check it out here.
Full Transcript of Max is Nicee (@maxisnicee) Interview on Being a Basketball Comedian & Social Media Influencer
Interviewer 00:00
Max is Nicee. Welcome to the youth hoops pod man. I appreciate you being here,
Max is Nicee 00:05
Yes, sir.
Interviewer 00:06
How’s everything going? Where are you at?
Max is Nicee 00:08
So I live in LA. I’ve been living here for a while now. I actually just moved into this condo that I got going, I know California, I’m sitting the chair but wasn’t even condo, you know LA, Semana Valley and yeah, pretty much.
Interviewer 00:24
Yeah. Well, where are you from originally?
Max is Nicee 00:26
I was born in this country in Europe called Moldova is near like Romania is closer to Russia and my parents are Russian. So yeah, I’m overseas. I’m like, five minutes away from where Luca was born.
Interviewer 00:44
I’m somewhat familiar over there. I played five years over there, probably the closest I got towards that way was like Hungary or Greece or something like that but otherwise, I was mostly like, Western Europe. Yeah, so where’d you grow up in the states then?
Max is Nicee 01:06
LA, Hollywood, Los Angeles. Basically, I’m 22 years old now. I came down here when I was like, 12. So I came down like 8, you know, I’ve been here for I mean, I basically was raised in LA and stuff.
Interviewer 01:23
I got you, and so I’ve read a lot about you and stuff and then almost every article I’ve read you talk about how you played ball since I don’t know four years old, or however long so what was your youth hoops experience like?
Max is Nicee 01:39
Well, yeah, I mean, I was always that kid, like, as kids, you know, that basketball, like, at the park, you know, I mean, I was never really like, you know, on a youth team or anything like that, you know, I play like, not for fun and stuff but when I got to like, high school when I was really started taking a peripheral but yeah, when I play High School, then after high school, I could have went the one and all that, but I never went to school, like I hated school, like, it’s not for me. I had no grades literally, like I didn’t know how to do it. I barely had a 2.0 to make the high school team like, I hate school, like, and it’s just not for me. I love it at school, but it’s not for me and so after high school, I went to Juco. I went to Juco and I played a year there had a great year, trade, trade tech college and downtown LA, was a great year. I loved it in my second year coming back. I got injured in the summer. I tore my MCO, I was stretching and my one of my big men just walk by had failed, slipped and fell on my leg and I saw it and that’s how I roll. So yeah, I got injured stretching, like, makes no sense. Yeah, no, yes and that’s when I started doing the videos.
Interviewer 03:10
Yeah, I was gonna ask, in one of the articles I read it said, so you were in college when you made I guess your first viral video was the one about lamella, right? And so, it was from that injury from the big guy falling on your leg and then you started making…?
Max is Nicee 03:27
Yeah, it was just oh, I got injured and when I found out I couldn’t play that season. He wasn’t gonna catch me in class finishing my classes. So I just took the year off and then I just one day, I wasn’t the gentleman, my boys and then you know thought I started the lamella jump shot and you know, I said just video this little bit and then I did it and I posted the next day and it went viral.
Interviewer 04:04
Yeah, what was the next viral video?
Max is Nicee 04:10
It was LaMelo then it was Lonzo because it went more viral and after Lonzo it was the brawn and after the brawn that’s why just above ESPN SportsCenter bleacher bore on and it’s just of followers and then I just kept going after that.
Interviewer 04:34
I know, yeah, obviously we run Team Curry and you imitate Steph a decent amount or clay or whoever.
Max is Nicee 04:44
The funny part is, so literally that first Steph video that I made that video actually put me on the map. It was the video that I made when all guard stuff like went out… like I was in the gym I would run around the bleachers I went under the bench. I went outside I came back in now my twin brothers chasing me it was after that I think was though it was a playoff game where they put blazers or something, Steph, get one right after that. So, I literally had like 300k followers before I made that video. I made that video then the next morning I posted it and when I posted it and then I went back to sleep. Literally, I wake up and my phone’s hot. It’s like ESPN, SportsCenter I’m getting crazy followers like that video really, when I made that step video, I think that thing got to be the best max Nicee thing go even farther, I see Steph follow me after that video. Now that was crazy.
Interviewer 05:52
I think Steve Kerr even commented on it.
Max is Nicee 05:58
I had tweeted Steve Kerr talking about we all play this a lot it’s called a fifth site or something like that. And I loved it, it was hilarious, I loved it.
Interviewer 06:10
Yeah, that’s cool. So, who would you say, is it Steph that you kind of went when you do something like that gets you the most love or is it LeBron or who is it?
Max is Nicee 06:24
Well, when I do the ROM videos, I never had LeBron, really show me love on it. But I just know everybody really loved my LeBron videos. But you know Steph followed me and those videos Steph sometimes shows love on my videos. (Inaudible 06:45 – 07:17) I love everything Steph does and several he got this his entire career brand just popped off. That’s amazing so, I’m happy for Steph and I’m happy to play in this season, I can’t wait, I can’t wait to watch what I’m about to do.
Interviewer 07:31
Yeah, man. He’s a great guy just super down to earth despite all the stardom. So, what is your, I mean, you do this for a living, correct? So like, what’s your typical day or week like? I mean, is it pretty planned out or is it just like the inspiration when it hits, it hits and you go film?
Max is Nicee 07:54
Well, right now I kind of try to take some time off to myself, you know, sometime, especially right now, I kind of been showing a little bit right, when, NBC ended, I kind of, you know, is about to start again. But you know, in times like this, I want to get to, you know, relax a little bit and give my mental health some time to relax, because I was doing the videos and videos and I was just stressing on the goal, I always stress about what we do rather next, or if I’m gonna do, if they’re gonna like it or not. So, it’s always like the constant creating, this is always gonna be stressing, so, you know, I kind of just, trying to take time and just enjoy myself and relax. And that’s what I kind of been doing lately but I also kind of put content out like I put out like a video a week now. But you know, now that auditions about to start back up, I might just, you know, stop putting more content out, you know, heavy on me. And it’s like getting stuck getting on it but usually it’s random, sometimes I won’t have any ideas, and I won’t do anything, but then it’ll be a week were like, now I got an idea every day, I’ll just do it, I’ll go film it and then I’ll just edit it real quick and I’ll just post it, you know what I mean.
Interviewer 09:14
Yeah, I think that’s a common misperception especially amongst kids like they see all these influencers with a ton of followers and things and they want to be like them, which is fine, but they don’t realize all the stress that comes with it that it is like it ends up being a job.
Max is Nicee 09:32
Literally, I think T jazz. is also a basketball influencer. I don’t know, but he ended up you know, having some submissions. I don’t know if he had liked a stroke or something or something that happened, where the doctor told him that he’s not gonna rest. And he’s too stressed because he wore himself out and you got it. It’s just it’s hard on me I didn’t even notice till because before I started doing all this stuff also I didn’t know what the life is really like. You would always, if you’re not there yet you would think that oh, their life is like amazing, they’re famous, they make money bla and it’s easy. I mean, just like I get all day like they’re like, dude I can’t believe you’re famous you literally get famous by just imitating NBA players, like you suck go get a real job. It’s literally hard, you literally wake up thinking of what you got to do then you got to do it then you got to have the whole world in it, it’s just stressful. But I mean, if you’re built for it, you’re built for it, you just have to move forward and you stay in a positive note.
Interviewer 11:01
Yeah, I 100% feel that, man. I felt that once I went pro-overseas and started getting paid to play basketball became less fun and more of a job, more pressure, just more stress, you know, just kind of more BS and but people look at that and be like, what are you talking about you getting paid to play basketball? Yes, like, less, but it still has its stresses and things like that. Well, what do you have planned, I mean, for the future, what’s the long term vision with it all? I mean, I know you’re selling merch, and you’re doing some other things, you just came out with a podcast? Are you part of a podcast?
Max is Nicee 11:46
“It is what it is podcast” and we just had our first episode and we know we’re just doing the podcast world and budget, see how it goes from here and the first episode, Danny green, you know, did amazing, we’re talking about a bunch of great stuff. But the bubble and him talking about how great LeBron is and just the championship, celebration, and it was amazing. So we’ll let you see how it goes but to answer your question, I mean, for what’s next, basically I don’t know do because everything I’ve been doing, it’s only been for about a year and a half.
Interviewer 12:24
Is that all it’s been, it’s only been a year and a half?
Max is Nicee 12:26
Yeah, it’s only been a year and a half. You know, it’s about to be two years that I’ve been doing this. And everything that I have, I did, I never thought it would happen. You know, I mean I would have never thought that I’ll do a full-on commercial with Denzel Russell or you know I’ll be in a video game eSports or even have a million followers. You know do videos about a guy like Steph Curry and have him repost it and follow my stuff like that I’d never thought I’ll reach. So, I’m even blessed to even just have anything at this point. So just basically for me is moving forward and taking every chance I get to do something amazing like that I’d say do it 100% and just be blessed and I couldn’t ask for anything better because I just love it.
Interviewer 13:31
So, it’s a bit scripted, but…
Max is Nicee 13:35
Yeah, just keep going, just enjoy.
Interviewer 13:39
Yeah, I like it, man. I think that’s good, you’re young. So, over the last year and a half as this thing is built up, you mentioned a couple of the cool things you’ve got to do. But in your mind what’s the top experience you have, well, you’ve had whether it’s like, maybe meeting XYZ player and hanging out with them or footlocker, whatever it might be.
Max is Nicee 14:07
Probably the best thing that ever happened to me meeting LeBron, I’ve met LeBron in the summer, because I’m good friends with KCP on the Lakers. You know, I’ve been president before I started doing videos, but whatever we was on that we have went to Vegas. And then LeBron was there. And then, you know, I just mean to be around people like that. You know, that’s been my favorite player, just being around places like that and also just, yeah, well, first of all, just meeting LeBron. You know, just being in a place to influence people. I like seeing that kids follow my way I mean, or even if see some kid with my merch or something, you know what I mean or anybody even an NBA player and be like NBA play where my merch is like, you know like it’s not crazy…
Interviewer 15:19
Wasn’t Yanis wearing some of your merch?
Max is Nicee 15:22
I mean low-key a bunch of NBA players wear my stuff on, LeBron put up my hat too. When LeBron put it on it was the first time I made merch. I sent Ronnie a box of merch I said here is your box of merch. So, I said, hey, Ronnie, I’m gonna throw some exhales in there just pops in the bathtub because they don’t hold him back. So, that’s what I did, I said it that way and then one day, it was me and Lowe’s and we were in the car, it was on a way to like a celebrity game or something. And then I just keep getting DM’S as check (Inaudible text and names 16:10 – 16:39) and I’m glad I can be a part of the NBA world and the basketball world which I love doing, I love playing, I love watching so, I’m just being part of that, nature’s amazing to me.
Interviewer 16:56
I hear you, man. So what’s next then? What do you have going on in the next couple months, is it just kind of waiting for the start of NBA season, maybe getting back to videos, you just gonna rest up a little bit more?
Max is Nicee 17:07
No, now we started the podcasts. So, hopefully maybe that could be up there with, you know with the rankings of who had the best podcast…
Interviewer 17:23
Are you guys releasing that every week or every couple weeks?
Max is Nicee 17:29
Basically, if not every week then maybe every other week and so that plus what else I got going on, Just yeah, creating more longer films like for YouTube to make much longer films, I can’t think of top of my head right now.
Interviewer 17:54
Rolling with the punches, yeah, I like it.
Max is Nicee 17:59
I just moved into a new condo like I said, you know that every day is just something new.
Interviewer 18:06
Something different but I bet you get a lot of opportunities thrown your way.
Max is Nicee 18:10
Yeah, for sure
Interviewer 18:11
All right, man. Well, hey, I appreciate it. I told you, I promised you we’d keep it short. So I know we’re coming up on the 25-30 minute mark. So, we’ll end it there but I mean, obviously most people know where to find you I think it’s Instagram is the place is there anywhere else that you want to send people to go check out your stuff?
Max is Nicee 18:34
Yes, just maximize with too easy to enter all platforms or social platforms, send me your info. I’ll definitely send you some stuff, send you a box.
Interviewer 18:48
That’d be amazing, man.
Max is Nicee 18:49
Oh, wait, so you guys have a (Inaudible 18:56) team, right?
Interviewer 18:58
What’s that?
Max is Nicee 18:59
You guys have (Inaudible 19:00) team?
Interviewer 19:02
We play on the under armor circuit called team curry. Obviously sponsored by staff and will be curry branded out coming up this season…
Max is Nicee 19:12
When is the next game?
Interviewer 19:15
Yeah, it’ll be in the spring so we play like on the under armor circuit normally it’s in April and July hopefully with COVID happening all that we’ll be able to have it this past year all the circuits were canceled but yeah, we got to Anthony Edwards was on the on the under armor circuit with Atlanta Express tons of good…
Max is Nicee 19:41
I was just in Atlanta with KCP and I just had met Anthony, a great kid…
Interviewer 19:48
I saw that on your story or on your IG.
Max is Nicee 19:51
Yeah, fun, but he’s gonna kill it, bro.
Interviewer 19:55
Yeah, well, I’ll hit you up when the schedule comes out, man and…
Max is Nicee 19:59
Yeah, I got to check you out.
Interviewer 20:02
And I know Steph plans to get out at some point again when all this COVID stuff goes away so wherever out your way on the on the West Coast playing I will hit you up man but we go to Atlanta a lot so if you’re ever back there, let me know and maybe we’ll be playing but hey man, I appreciate you being on here. Congrats on all your success your videos are hilarious. Our kids love them like, you know, everyone loves them. So keep doing what you’re doing, man. Really appreciate you donating some time to us and yeah, man, we’ll see you around.
Max is Nicee 20:37
Love, man
Interviewer 20:39
Take care, man.
