1 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: Hey, what a welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlieb. This is 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: all ball and we got some great shows for you 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: upcoming with the more long form interviews over so many 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: of the coaches and players that you that you love 5 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: and like, I did want to do a quick little 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: pod on a couple of things that are that are 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: going on in the world of hoops, and I thought 8 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: it was I think, like this is like a super 9 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 1: important time, believe or not, just because so many of you, 10 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: like me, we love basketball, surround, watch basketball, read social media, 11 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: which has like kind of become our right like our 12 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: daily newspaper sort of thing, and if you read, you know, 13 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: now with everybody's comments being kind of judged the same, 14 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: the freak out over colleges and their portal situation or 15 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: their rosters with the new world of the nil is 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: is really interesting and I want to get to that 17 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: in a second. We'll also talk a little bit about 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: the media, which I'm a member of. I'm not one 19 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: of these guys I hate get people that are in 20 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: the media and they'll say, like, you know the media, Like, well, hey, dude, 21 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: you're actually in the media, so whatever narrative is being set, 22 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: you are setting said narrative. So in the media which 23 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: I'm a part of, and our treatment of Kawhi Leonard 24 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: more specifically of how we break down the NBA, how 25 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: the NBA is covered. It's really interesting as you watch 26 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: kind of the polar opposite style coming from the NCAA 27 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: tournament to watching the NBA playoffs in terms of style 28 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: of coverage, and you know who people go after and 29 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: why they go after them. And then I thought we 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: could also do a little something, a little something on 31 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: the NBA draft as we're going to kind of crank 32 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: up closer and closer to the draft and some of 33 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: the coaching hires have been made. So let's start with 34 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: anil because I'll give you a couple of things that 35 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: are just like interesting. You know, with Nemhart going to 36 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: Gonzaga Arizona, Twitter Nation is freaking out because the premise 37 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: of what people thought was Ryan Emhart's at Creighton. He 38 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: would only leave to go play somewhere that you can 39 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: maybe win a national championship or become like his brother 40 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: or pro And because his brother was supposedly recruited by 41 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: Tommy Lloyd, then of course he's going to go to 42 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 1: follow Tommy Lloyd to Arizona because Arizona lost Kirk Carrisa 43 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: and Kirk Carisa, by the way, signs at West Virginia, 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: which just feels I can odd fit. But I mean, 45 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: Huggi and his group, they've done a really good job 46 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: in terms of NIL. They've gotten after it, They've got 47 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: the center from Syracuse, and they're they're rolling in terms 48 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: of kind of their new group as they're trying to 49 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: put it together. Let's just kind of explain sort of 50 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: how it works again, And this is because I've tried 51 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: to do a little bit of a deep dive into 52 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: NIL stuff, into the market and how it works by 53 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: talking to coaches, players, agents and really kind of informing 54 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: my because I knew or a thought I knew, But 55 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: the more you you listen and learn, you're like, wow, 56 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: it's kind of eye opening that it's not exactly as 57 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: it's perceived by most fans and by the media, and 58 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: maybe even my perception on some level is off as 59 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: not being as inside as somebody who's actually a college coach. 60 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: But generally, you know, you have different sorts of guys 61 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: that enter the portal, and many of these players that 62 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: enter the portal, the number one reason they enter the 63 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: portal is they're looking for more money. That's it. And 64 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: that's where we talk about free agency and the odd 65 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: part about calling college basketball in twenty twenty three free 66 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: agency is the difference in free agency and college basketball, 67 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: and the difference in free agency in the real world 68 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: professional athletics is you actually have to fulfill your contract 69 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: before you can become a free agent. You know, like 70 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: in Major League baseball, think how many years you have 71 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: to play. Really, you got to play up to five 72 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: or six years of Major Lee League baseball time, not 73 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: even count the minor league to become an actual free age. 74 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: And yet here in college basketball, I mean, then the 75 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 1: everything has gone from I thought a reasonable share in power, right, Like, 76 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: as much as it felt in the media like there 77 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: was an imbalance empower in coaches and administrators had this 78 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: ability to stop a player's career, the reality is, you know, 79 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: for the longest time, if you felt like you were 80 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 1: being treated poorly, you could get out of your deal, 81 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: you could get to a new school, and you can 82 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: get to a place where you fit in better. Right 83 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 1: Whereas now there's a complete imbalance. There's you know, if 84 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: you want out of your national letter of intent, you 85 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: just ask out and they let you out. If not. 86 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: The just social media and social pressure is so great 87 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: regards to the fact that like no one forced you 88 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: to sign no one, no one forces anybody to sign 89 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: a national letter of intent. And yet when a team 90 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: goes out and gets a player in the portal that 91 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: plays your position, and you feel like you're not going 92 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: to play as much right away, you ask out and 93 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: generally get out, and then you're a free agent and 94 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: you can renegotiate a new deal with a new school. 95 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: That part is crazy. So if we start from the 96 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: ground level, right, we start from high school recruiting changing dramatically, 97 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: where many college coaches will tell you like, man, I 98 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: still like recruiting high school kids, but I have to 99 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: go in knowing that there are some kids who you know. 100 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: Hopefully if you get a top hundred, get top fifty kid, 101 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 1: you think he can stay for a year or two. 102 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: And then outside of that, you got to either just 103 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: get guys that you know at the numbers game. How 104 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: many can you hold onto? What type of kid is he? 105 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: Is he willing a red shirt? Because you're going to 106 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: can be competing against you know, college players, grown men, 107 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: who have developed and honed their game, and whether or 108 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: not they were as highly tauted or have the upside 109 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: of your high school kid, you'd prefer them because he's 110 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: already been coached, he's already been in the weight room, 111 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: he's already played a college season, and at this point 112 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: in time, many of these kids that played at the 113 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: low major mid major level, all they want to do 114 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: is come in and win and think get a little 115 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: bit bigger check than the kid staying where they were previously. 116 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: So how it affects the high school recruiting is going 117 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: to be interesting moving forward because you know, how much 118 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: do you recruit high school kids, you know, because you're 119 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: signing them to eventually play on somebody else's roster. That's 120 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: just the reality to it. Look at the high school kids, 121 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: and you know, if you talked to college coaches, they'll 122 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: tell you, like, you know, I can, maybe you play 123 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,239 Speaker 1: a freshman, but having two on the court at one time, 124 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: unless they're an absolute pro, like, you're going to get 125 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: destroyed because you still have COVID six years, seventh year kids. 126 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 1: You have low major mid majors that people missed on 127 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: because of the COVID years where they were just recruited 128 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: off of a off of a huddle video which was dated. 129 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a it's a hard thing. So high 130 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: school recruiting has changed dramatically, and now with the live 131 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: events going on, it's like a lot of these coaches. 132 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: You talked to him like, yeah, I'm going there, but 133 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: I don't know do I go all in on any 134 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,679 Speaker 1: of these high school kids knowing that I'm really recruiting 135 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: out of the portal and I and in the short term, 136 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: that's what the sport actually looks like. I think that 137 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: that element to it is interesting. But let's just take 138 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: the Nemhart situation, right, like, whatever whatever you say publicly 139 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: has nothing to do with what's going on private. Right, 140 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: you have to go all in on a player, you 141 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: go through an agent, which again completely legal. You go 142 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: all in, and then you know, at some point you 143 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: got to have kind of a backup plan. And when 144 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: Nemhart's brother shows, you know, is pushing him to go 145 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: to Gonzaga, it does show that it doesn't really have 146 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: to do with his relationship with Tommy Lloyd. And it's 147 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: not a negative towards Tommy Lloyd. It's just the reality 148 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,239 Speaker 1: the kid had a great experience there and he wants 149 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: his brother to have a similar experience, you know. And 150 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: then Creighton goes out and they sign a kid who 151 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: I think is as valuable in the portal and Steven Ashworth. 152 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: Now I'm interested as to whether or not Steven can 153 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: play the point full time because he's kind of like 154 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: a college version of Steph Curry where he can play 155 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: both point and off the ball. And then, you know, Creighton, 156 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: you get Baylor Shireman pack with Steven Ashworth pack and 157 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: holy cow, can you shoot the ball. And now it 158 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 1: comes down to what do you surround him with? Could 159 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: Creighton be better off? Even though Nemhart is a better 160 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: pure point guard than Steven Ashworth in terms of fit 161 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: and what you need and how you play, it does 162 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: feel like Creighton's going to return to the more totally 163 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: offensive mine had spread your court, shoot the three short 164 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:46,719 Speaker 1: a team than they have been maybe the past year 165 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: and a half, and maybe that fits them better. Maybe 166 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: that's who they are. And what happens to Gonzaga is 167 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: Gonzaga looks like they're kind of back roll in here 168 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 1: getting high level recruits at high level transversely, like everybody's 169 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: talking about all these all the kids coming in from 170 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: the from the portal. For Gonzaga, he's Dusty Stromer's big time. 171 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: He'll play right away. And depending upon who else they 172 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: get to come back, you know, if they get Anton 173 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: Watson or maybe they go ahead and get another portal, 174 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: big guy. I think I think Gonzaga is going to 175 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: be interesting, but I don't know if they're I think 176 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: they're better, you know, on the perimeter they were last year. 177 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: What happens to does Drew Timmy come back? He can? 178 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: He said, he doesn't want to say he's gone, but 179 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: he sounds the right to change his mind unless he's 180 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: actually signed. There's two different contracts, right There's the the 181 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: agent representative contract for college. Then there's the agent representative 182 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 1: for pro and unless you switch that contract over, you 183 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: can still return. It's it's just the craziest kind of 184 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: set of base rules that aren't crazy binding, with a 185 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: couple exceptions. Anyway, if you follow on social media, you'd 186 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: think that the end is near for Arizona hoops, and 187 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: it's reasonable to be concerned at this point in time. 188 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: But here's you have to understand about the portal. There 189 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: are waves to it, and there's another wave coming right, 190 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: you have the first wave, which is kids, some of 191 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: whom were asked to leave, some of whom put their 192 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: name in hoping their current school would increase what they 193 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 1: were making in NIL and some kids that just want 194 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: to leave because they want to go make money elsewhere. 195 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: They want to be that free agent. And then you 196 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: have the kids that have put their name in the 197 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: NBA Draft while maintaining their college eligibility. What does that 198 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: allow you to do? That allows you to be in 199 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,840 Speaker 1: what you call the dark portal? Right in the portal 200 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: agents talking to people but not really talking to people, right, 201 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: that would be illegal and that would be frowned upon, 202 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: but for just having a conversation and it doesn't involve 203 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: the player. And if he pulls this name out of 204 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: the draft, I mean, look at all the kids that 205 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: have put their names in the draft. So now what 206 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: happens The second wave of the portal is players go, 207 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: they have a workout. The feedback they get is, hey, dude, 208 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 1: go back to college. You can make more money in 209 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: college now than and maybe you ever will as a pro. 210 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: Stay as long as you can, and so some will 211 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: go do that. Additionally, there'll be a wave of players 212 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: who are at their current school chose to tell the 213 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: coach they were coming back, whether they renegotiated ANIO or not, 214 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: but we're probably told, hey, your role will be bigger, 215 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: everything will be better next year, don't worry. And then 216 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: that same coach has a kid they take in the 217 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: portal and the current player gets nervous or doesn't like 218 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: the idea that there's another guy come in to compete 219 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: those minutes for those field goal attempts, and they put 220 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 1: themselves in the portal. Right, so there's at least another 221 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: wave or two coming from the portal, And my advice 222 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 1: to Arizona Wildcat fans is like, don't freak out. Tommy's 223 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: going to have a team. My guess is they'll be 224 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: pretty good. He's obviously been very good at international recruiting. 225 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: That was his jam when he was at Contaga. And 226 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: there isn't the portal for those kids. There's all sorts 227 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: of and there are other kids that you may look 228 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: and say, no game changers in the portal, which is 229 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 1: not true. To Ron Armstrong, the kid who played at 230 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: Cal Baptist. I mean he's an elite point guard. He's 231 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 1: in the portal. Many people think he'll end up at Providence. 232 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: But you know, now Arizona they have I'm sure money 233 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 1: to play with. They need a point guard and it's 234 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: been point guard you forever. Is that a place that 235 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: they would go Just a lot of different interesting elements 236 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 1: to it, which you know without talking to each coach. 237 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: And again, even when you talk to the coaches, they're 238 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,559 Speaker 1: not going to necessarily share with you their plan A, 239 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: their plan B, their plan C. But any of these 240 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: guys that have been in this game for long enough, no, 241 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: you actually have to have about five guys at each 242 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: spot that you're recruiting at any time, and the second 243 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: they commit elsewhere, you got to go to the next 244 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: man up. And some of these deals, believe it or not, 245 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: our package deals, just like they've always been, only now 246 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: it's a package deal through an agency where you go 247 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: and the agency says, look, all right, if you give 248 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: me six hundred, you know, we get six hundred. We'll 249 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: get these three kids, you know, and one of the 250 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 1: kids could be a two fifty kid, one of the 251 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,839 Speaker 1: kid can be one hundred kid, one of the kids 252 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: could be a one to fifty kid, right, and maybe 253 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: you overpace that you get all three in once like 254 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: that legitimately happens. So the message to the college basketball 255 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: fan out there is not every kid that doesn't choose 256 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: your school, your school completely wanted. Like, I know, I'm 257 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: not going to crush kids, but you know, I was 258 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: talking to one of the coaches of a top ten 259 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: team earlier this week and I asked him about one 260 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: of the higher level mid major low major players in 261 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: the portal that they had had on a visit that 262 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: they had reportedly offered, and his response was like, yeah, 263 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: we're not getting him, And I just ended of the 264 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 1: day I didn't really want him because he doesn't totally 265 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: fit with how I like to play. I mean, he's 266 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: like I like him, but he doesn't necessarily fit. You know, 267 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: whether it's a lot of these kids that played at 268 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: the lower levels because they're the star player, they haven't 269 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: played the level of defense you need to to compete 270 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: at the higher level, you know, or they've just you know, 271 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 1: they've been they've been dominant at that level. And now 272 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: you get to where there's like athletes, but guys that 273 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: are way more committed defensively, and can you hide that 274 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: while understanding that as talented as they are offensively, it's 275 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: not going to be as profound as you're playing against 276 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: high level competition in a higher level athlete. I think 277 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: all of that is is super super complex. And again 278 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: the message is like I didn't say I like it, 279 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: but understand that the process has changed dramatically, and I'm 280 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: just using Arizona as the perfect kind of jumping off point. Well, 281 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: like four guys on a roster. Well last year at 282 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: the final four, so shortly thereafter, Kansas State had two 283 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: players on their roster, one of whom was Marquise Nohell, 284 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: who nobody was doing backflip flips to keep. And you know, 285 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: they went out, used their connections and figured out a 286 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: way to put together a roster and how you're going 287 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: to do it again this year. So I just don't 288 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: freak out. Let's wait. You got to almost wait until August, 289 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: and by August you look at your roster and even 290 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: then you don't really know how good any of these 291 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: players are. You know, you talk to a coach, you're like, hey, 292 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: have you seen him? Yeah? I watched him on Synergy 293 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: And sometimes it's really hard to tell what does that 294 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: look like against an SEC Big ten, PAC twelve, Big 295 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: twelve level of athlete ACC level of athlete. It's like 296 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: a different sport, you know. So I think that part 297 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: is fascinating. And for these kids, many of the players 298 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: are very bright and they understand, hey, I'm never going 299 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: to be an NBA player. My path is going to 300 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: be overseas. It's not like overseas money out of the 301 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: gate is mid to high six figures. It's not a 302 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: lot of these guys that played at mid majors. You know, 303 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: your first job is going to be less than one 304 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: hundred grand, you know, fifty to one hundred, and so 305 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: if you can make you know, one hundred one hundred 306 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: and fifty two hundred for one more year in college, 307 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: why wouldn't you do that? Give yourself a little cushion 308 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: so that you can take your first job overseas and 309 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: you know, be able to still send money home and 310 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: take care of yourself and all of this now they'rein, 311 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: by the way, lies kind of the rub and where 312 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: we're setting kids up for failure is the numbers being 313 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: thrown around are so obscene and really not realistic. You know, 314 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: oftentimes you'll hear numbers in the six figures, and then 315 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: how they actually get to it is you combined Alston money, 316 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: cost of attendance money. You know, you kind of piecemeal 317 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: it together and it ends up being close to that 318 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: number if and only if they achieve, said Marx. But 319 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: it's going to be interesting when these guys get out 320 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: of college, the reality that hits them when there's no NBA, 321 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: the G League is filled up with dudes and you 322 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: got to go overseas and you're like, wait, you want 323 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: me to play for what I made more than that 324 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: in college? Yes, you did. And then the last part 325 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: to it, which is really interesting, is going to be 326 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: how are these guys remembered and where is their quote 327 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: unquote basketball home, right. I mean, that part's really interesting. 328 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: Like take Hunter Dickinson. You know, I know he can 329 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: put on the WWE character, you know, be the heel 330 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 1: sort of guy, but the reality is, I mean, he's 331 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: a hell of a player at Michigan. So reportedly he's 332 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: you know, he was kicking the tires on Maryland, kicking 333 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 1: the tires on Georgetown because he's from the area. What 334 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: does he do there? And now he's being recruited by 335 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: Kentucky and Kansas, and I kind of think that's one 336 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: of the two places that he'll end up, right and 337 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: if you're gonna leave Michigan and Juwan Howard as a 338 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: four year starter, you're gonna leave one. Not it's just 339 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: for the most money, but a place where you feel 340 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: like you can win a national championship, and those two 341 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: places you can. And he's probably more important, frank to 342 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: Kentucky than he is to Kansas because self always finds 343 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: a way, right whereas cal there's a little bit of 344 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: desperation there and Al is banking on his recruiting class 345 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: and going back to the start of the Nile discussion, 346 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 1: can you really win with eighteen, nineteen twenty year olds 347 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 1: against twenty three twenty four year olds. You know that's hard. 348 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: And he's a I believe he's a winning player, a 349 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: damn good one, a really tough one. And though yeah, 350 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: he can be a bit of a dick you need that, right, 351 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 1: He's just you do you need an older player that's 352 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: not not afraid to make big plays, to be himself 353 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: to lead a team on the road, And that's Hunter Dickinson. 354 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: But I mean, you know again, think about Hunter Dickinson, like, 355 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,719 Speaker 1: is he an NBA player? He was an NBA player, 356 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: he would have left for the NBA draft a long 357 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: time ago, so you know, on many levels, it's smart. 358 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: Hey dude, you can play another year. You can make 359 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: well into mid six figures, maybe seven figures. He goes 360 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: to Kentucky or Kansas, right, I mean, that's a legitimate 361 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: thought that how much that he can get, and it's 362 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: smart to do so. On the other hand, when it's 363 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 1: all said and done, is he an Kentucky guy or 364 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: a Kansas guy? Right? Like? Is he? You know, like 365 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: that's part of your basketball family, that's everything you do. 366 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: And how welcome does he at Michigan as a Michigan man. 367 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: Keep in mind, he I believe has a Michigan degree. 368 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: So he fulfilled his service. But he could also have 369 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: stayed there for another year. He can still go back 370 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: there for another year. It's just going to be interesting 371 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 1: to look at this point right now, fast forward to 372 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: ten years from now, because every guy I know still 373 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,239 Speaker 1: feels associated and tied to the schools that they went to. 374 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 1: And when things go bad or they want to, you know, 375 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: redo their life or get into coaching or you know, 376 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: do pharmaceuticals, he goes whatever. The people you call on 377 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:42,439 Speaker 1: are the people who cheered for you or played with 378 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: you in college. Right, What happens to these guys that 379 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,919 Speaker 1: played four or five years at a good school and 380 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: then they left him played, you know, for nine months 381 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 1: at another good school. Where's their home? That's fascinating to me. 382 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 1: We'll talk about that more in future pods. I have 383 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: one coming up my next spot with Darren Heighten, who 384 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: negotiates a lot of these nil deals, and you'll get 385 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:05,479 Speaker 1: a much greater insight into how it works from his 386 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 1: perspective as a lawyer and agent and representative of some 387 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: of these players. 388 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 2: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in 389 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio 390 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 2: dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to 391 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 2: listen live. 392 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: Let's talk NBA for a second. I'm really bothered by 393 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: the coverage and treatment of Kawhi Leonard. I saw Steven A. 394 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: Smith say that always he's the worst superstar ever and 395 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: he's done with him. He should just go retire, Like, 396 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: how have we gotten to this place where it's ever acceptable? 397 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: I am just like anybody else. I hate the load management. 398 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: And my belief is that basketball players play basketball right 399 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: like you're gonna play. Most basketball players play basketball six 400 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: days in a week, you know, and twice on Central. 401 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: So I hate the idea that we have. You know, 402 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: you get to a point where, like I get the 403 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 1: NBA season's hard, it's long, it's difficult, but we're treating 404 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: medical professionals advice like it's gold. And yet we haven't 405 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: done that in sports for the longest time, and we've 406 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: always kind of taken their advice previously, as I get it, 407 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: But that's for normal human beings, right, Like a speech 408 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:26,880 Speaker 1: I give the kids all the time is like, what's 409 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:28,719 Speaker 1: your dream car? You know, and they all tell you 410 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: something crazy, right, Oh, a Lamborghini or a Ferrari or 411 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: heck even like a five S five fifty Mercedes Benz. 412 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: Those are great cars, right, an Audi S eight to 413 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: pick the car. It's always fast, it's always high powered, 414 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: it's always a luxury car. Right. And you go to 415 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: the gas station the first time you got to fill up, 416 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: and what's to saying, must take ninety two octane? Right, 417 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: And then you explain to them like do you know, 418 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: do you know a car can run on eighty seven? 419 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 1: They're like you can't? Like, yeah, I can, It's fine, 420 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 1: you can run in eighty seven, But do you want 421 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: to find out or do you want to get peak 422 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: performance out of your car? Right, like you're going to 423 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: go and you know, go cruising or race a buddy 424 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:11,399 Speaker 1: or you know, if you know you get done, you 425 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 1: sign a million dollar contract. You just use a million 426 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: dollar contract. You go and get your dream car. Are 427 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: you going to put the crummy gas in it? And 428 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: they all go like, nah, man, I'm not gonna put 429 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: the crummy gas in it? Okay, Well, your engine is 430 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: like that of an Estate or Ferrari, a Lamborghini. You 431 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: don't have a normal you don't have a Antoya Camri engine. 432 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: Why would you put eighty seven octane into you? And 433 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: so there's a there's there's a there's a parallel there. 434 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: And you know, you try and get kids to understand 435 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: that they're different than regular human beings. They can it's 436 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: what's the Chris rock line. You can drive a car 437 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: with your feet, but that doesn't make it a good idea. Right. 438 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: You can live on pizza and gatorade and you know, 439 00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: grab some chips or some funions or some pork rinds 440 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 1: in between games and will your engine run? Yes? Will 441 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: you get pre performance? Probably not? Well, the same sort 442 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 1: of understanding needs to come from the medical community. It 443 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: always has. Like you and me, we sprain our ankle 444 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 1: walking down the street. You know, we step in a 445 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: hole and we're playing adult league basketball. You know you're 446 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: on crutches. You shut it down for a month because 447 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: you're a normal civilian. An NBA player sprains his ankle, 448 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: and you know they're rehabbing around the clock, and depending 449 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: upon the severity of the spring, they may they can 450 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: probably play in the next couple of days. Right, they're different, 451 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,919 Speaker 1: but yet we're treating We're treating the normal protocol for 452 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: a normal human being as if it's the gold standard 453 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: for the NBA. So I don't love load bands, but 454 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: I've been kind of quietly watching Kawhi Leonard the last 455 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: two months, last month and a half of the regular season, 456 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 1: the first couple of weeks of the playoffs or first 457 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: two games of the playoffs, and we can go back 458 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 1: and forth between KB or Kawhi, and I consider Jokic 459 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: as well. I mean, you have to, I guess put 460 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: Yannis in that saying, but if I need to win 461 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: a game, those are the two guys that I think 462 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 1: right now in the NBA playss I gotta win a game. 463 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: Those are the two guys I call upon, right, and 464 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: that's a reasonable pick, and you can throw in there 465 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: any of the usual other suspects. There's three Embiid, Jokic 466 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: and Yannis, and my argument against the other three would 467 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: would be both. You know, Kawhi is super efficient at 468 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: both ends and has become a better passer. It's not 469 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: a great passor. That's the only thing that all the 470 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 1: others have that. I think he's probably the fifth best 471 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: pastor of that group, but an improving pastor. But everything 472 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: else he does, rebounding, defending, is scoring at three levels, 473 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: you know efficiency, He's as good or better than anybody 474 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:57,640 Speaker 1: outside of KD as a scorer. Right, So if I'm 475 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 1: going to say, hey, to win a game or a 476 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,959 Speaker 1: series in the NBA, because the problem with like Jokich 477 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: and Embiid is who can they guard when you go small? 478 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 1: And the problem with with Giannis is still like end 479 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: of the day, he can't shoot, you know, That's that's 480 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 1: his biggest weakness and that's the most valued I believe 481 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: commodity in the NBA. So if I go, Hey, of 482 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: the of the guys you'd most want to have to 483 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,400 Speaker 1: win a game, in the NBA KWHI Leard's on any list, 484 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: and I think he's one B or number two to KD. 485 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: So you have Stephen A. Smith essentially saying he's faking 486 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:38,199 Speaker 1: it or he's overreacting to a tweak in his knee 487 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 1: without any sort of medical background or knowledge. It's complete bullshit, 488 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: Like when did we get to that point? Like there 489 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:46,680 Speaker 1: is a limit to what you can talk about in 490 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 1: terms of load management. He's not missing playoff games when 491 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: Paul George isn't playing because he wants to Like that. 492 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: Dude is a fierce competitor. Yeah, I think the Clippers 493 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: have to be on some level cursed, right, I mean, 494 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: how do you explain not just all of the injuries 495 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,400 Speaker 1: or flops to draft picks with Donald Stirling or you know, 496 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: Chris Paul getting hurt you know, or I mean, heck, 497 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: even when I was a kid and Larry Brown was 498 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: the coach and they were good, Remember they had the 499 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: LA Riots, so they had to play their home games 500 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,239 Speaker 1: in the playoffs the Anaheim Convention Center like you name it. 501 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,880 Speaker 1: And of course you know Kawhi getting hurt a couple 502 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: of years ago, Paul George getting COVID last year. All 503 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 1: of the it's always something and it's never good, and 504 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: you at some point you kind of feel bad for 505 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: the Clippers and think are they cursed? But I just 506 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: I got to tell you, I'm not down with the 507 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 1: treatment of Kawhi Leonard. I'm just not And I don't 508 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: have any firsthand knowledge on the severity of the injury. 509 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 1: But if you think that guy doesn't want to be playing, 510 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: you haven't paid any sort of attention. He's been incredible 511 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: the last month and a half. He's put himself in 512 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: in position to have a remarkable playoff run, and he 513 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: was playing like it even when Paul George, you know, 514 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: tweaked his knee and got hurt and they's just snake 515 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: bit not going to play in Game four today. As 516 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: we drop this pod, I just sometimes you just go like, man, 517 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: you just feel really bad for a guy, a team player, 518 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 1: being stake bit, and I do you do wonder, like, hey, 519 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: I understand the load management, and I understand he's different 520 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,479 Speaker 1: because he's coming off an ACL injury, but there is 521 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: you do wonder whether or not playing more basketball better 522 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 1: prepares your body for the playoffs, for the stress of it. 523 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: You know that in an effort to protect your body 524 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: so that you're at peak physical condition in the playoffs, 525 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: do you have load management? Do you actually do the 526 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: opposite where your body breaks down easier because you haven't 527 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 1: been playing as much basketball. And then we get the Lakers. Now, 528 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to report back tomorrow on the Lakers, because 529 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: go into Laker game tonight and be able to give 530 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: you a real sense of what's really going on, and 531 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 1: it's they're a fascinating team because you know Lebron Is, 532 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: he scores and he passes, but oftentimes they're at there 533 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: worse when he's in the game trying to do the 534 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 1: old Lebron stuff where he holds the ball too long 535 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: because he doesn't have the ability to go buy guys, 536 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: he doesn't always get downhill on guys, and because he 537 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: doesn't move as well as he used to any tires, 538 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: like any human being in their late thirties, that oftentimes 539 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: causes his passes to be just off or as he 540 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: used to be an incredible passer. He still feels it 541 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: and senses it and has all this, but there's definitely 542 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,560 Speaker 1: a decline in his reactions and in some of the 543 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: timing of the passes, and that has to be because 544 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: of age, which causes fatigue. That's my hypotheses on it. Nonetheless, 545 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis is a big time and they've been able 546 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: to get Austin Reeves to play way better defensively and 547 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: then his offense obviously in Game one was elite, and 548 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: then trying to figure out which of the two point 549 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: guards you know, have it on a given night. I 550 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: think the whole thing is working way better than anyone 551 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: could have thought. On the other hand, you know the Grizzlies, 552 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: why do they play better without you know, without John 553 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: many ways? Well, because the ball moves, and though they 554 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: don't have players that you would line up and say 555 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: are better players historically than Lebron James, because they're shooting 556 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: threes because the ball is moving. It's always been a 557 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: way to navigate having inferior talent, and it's the way 558 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: basketball has played now at even at the highest level. 559 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: Tom fascinated to see if the Lakers can get out 560 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: of this round of the playoffs, or if the you know, 561 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: or if at the end of the day and what happens. 562 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 1: Obviously with Dylan Brooks saying, hey, I don't respect anybody 563 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: till they give me forty. Okay, what happens if he 564 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 1: gives you forty? Does that actually help the Lakers win? Right? 565 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: Because what's interesting about kind of challenging Lebron to give 566 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: him forty is if you look back historically, the plan, 567 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: oftentimes in the Eastern Conference and sometimes in the finals, 568 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: was they make Lebron score forty, you score fifty to beat. 569 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: You don't let him, you know, be the passer and 570 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: create with the idea in mind that carrying the load 571 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: like that is so exhausting that by the fourth quarter 572 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: he won't have it in the tank. And that works. 573 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: You know. That was I think the Warriors game plan 574 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: when they played him in the finals, and I think 575 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: it generally worked. You look at his production in the 576 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: second half, just you get at some point, you get 577 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: tired carrying an entire team, and that's by design, not 578 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: just what you're going to do offensively, but what the 579 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 1: defense makes you do. And you know, at that point 580 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: in time in his career, he was a really important 581 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: cog defensively. Now he is a guy they almost try 582 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: and hide and use his physical strength because his movement 583 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: isn't nearly as good defensively. So let's say he goes 584 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: for forty or forty five to night. Does that actually 585 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: make the Lakers better or does that make the Lakers worse? 586 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: And to people who say, well, Dylan Brooks, this is 587 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: all part of the plan, I don't think so. I 588 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: think that's just Dylan Brooks being Dylan Brooks. And we 589 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: in the media, we always take the bait on guys 590 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,560 Speaker 1: like this. But you know the truth is that he 591 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: just runs his mouth. To run his mouth, that's how 592 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: he likes to play. And it can rattle certain guys, 593 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: and I don't think it rattles Lebron James. I just 594 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: wonder if Lebron James takes the bait and tries to 595 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: tries to do what you remember what at one time 596 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 1: Tom Brady got called out by a rookie h safety 597 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 1: for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Or look what Jordan would do 598 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: or what Kobe would do if you questioned their skill 599 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: level at any point in their career, they'll try and 600 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: eliminate you. So I think that element to it is 601 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: really really interesting. And the last part is I think 602 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 1: that something sneaking up on the NBA playoffs is that 603 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: the Nuggets might actually be the best team. And what 604 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: has been missing from them is Jamal Murray. And if 605 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: you watch it in the bubble, Jamal Murray might have 606 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: been the best player in the Bubble until they got eliminated. 607 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: And now with the surrounding cast and their ability to 608 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: play without Jokic and to go small, I think they 609 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: fix their chemistry getting rid of Bones Highland. They have 610 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: enough offense, They have better depth than Phoenix. And by 611 00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: the way, if they play Phoenix, you know you can 612 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: play Yokic against DeAndre Ayden, whereas you know against the 613 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: Warriors he can struggle to cover at times. The more 614 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: I watch, the more I think, hey, we may have 615 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: missed the fact that the Nuggets are actually the best 616 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: team and now that Jamal Murray is playing like Jamal 617 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: Murray of a couple of years ago in the Bubble, 618 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: we need to pay attention before they win an NBA 619 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,719 Speaker 1: championship and we say how that actually happened? All right, 620 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: So there's some early thoughts on NBA playoffs. I have 621 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: more thoughts on some of these other players in the 622 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: NBA playoffs and teams and what happens to Trey Young. 623 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: I'll share with you in future pods. In regards to 624 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: the NBA Draft. Again, that's my point is this is 625 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: not a strong draft. Obviously we know who's going one. 626 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 1: I think Scoote Henderson goes too, but I'm not totally convinced. 627 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: But outside of the top five or top ten, because 628 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: of the definite weakness in guys that jump off the 629 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: page and are ready to play in the draft, it 630 00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: probably keeps more players in then need to be in. 631 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: That's usually the case, but maybe more so this year. 632 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:05,520 Speaker 1: The interesting part is going to be how quickly players 633 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: bail knowing they could, you know, they could make more 634 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: money in college and you know, do the same song 635 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: and dance next year. Because if you're you only keep 636 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 1: your name in the draft. If you're a second round pick, 637 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: or and you get promised you're going to get a 638 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 1: two way two way, you can make around three hundred 639 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: thousand dollars. You can make more than that in college. 640 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: Many of these kids they just don't want to go 641 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: to school, even though they don't go in person anymore. 642 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: They don't want to go period, and they're in leaf thrup. 643 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: Can you make more than three hundred thousand? Are you 644 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: guaranteed you're going to make that money in the pros? 645 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: If not go back to college, collect your money, try 646 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: and improve your stock, and do the same song and 647 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 1: dance next year. All right, there you go. So a 648 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: little educational pod, little thoughtful pod, and a little different 649 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 1: way of approaching it. A reminder of The Doug Outlib 650 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: Show is daily three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific's 651 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: daily radio show covering all sports. We're getting ready for 652 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 1: the NFL Draft upcoming now, and we covered the NBA 653 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: playoffs a ton will be dropping a bunch of pods 654 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 1: this week. I appreciate you listening. I'm Doug gott Leave. 655 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: This is all ball