WEBVTT - Who is the Next MVP, and is Wemby Ahead of Schedule?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcoming into NBA poster production of iHeartRadio in the NBA.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Sarahkustak, NBA analyst for the Yes Network, and today

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<v Speaker 1>is Friday, March twenty second from our extraordinary core group.

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<v Speaker 1>If NBA journalists were joined now by NBA dot Com

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<v Speaker 1>senior writer Michael c.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, Michael c you.

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<v Speaker 1>Got your new MVP ladder that has dropped, but a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of things look pretty similar up at the top.

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<v Speaker 1>We've seen no Kola Jokic maintaining that number one spot

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<v Speaker 1>for quite some time, Shake Gildas Alexander at number two,

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<v Speaker 1>but with a recent push by Dallas. Tied for number

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<v Speaker 1>three is Luka Doncic and Yatastana Kupo and Jason Tatum

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<v Speaker 1>rounding out.

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<v Speaker 2>The top five for the Celtics.

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<v Speaker 1>And I want to get into not this current iteration

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<v Speaker 1>of where things sit and where things have sat for

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<v Speaker 1>for kind of last couple of seasons, probably expected the

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<v Speaker 1>next few seasons in terms of what the MVP looks like.

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<v Speaker 1>We've been talking so much Joel Embiid, Nicola Jokic, Giannis,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of those that have kind of maintained that

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<v Speaker 1>top builing and xbxations as we enter each and every season.

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<v Speaker 1>But when those guys, maybe you know, continue to go

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<v Speaker 1>down the back end of where their prime is. So,

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<v Speaker 1>whether that's five years, whatever, that looks like, I'm curious.

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<v Speaker 1>And we talked about this a little bit before the pod,

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<v Speaker 1>and I know, judging by how long our list became,

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<v Speaker 1>the NBA is in great, great shape for the future.

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<v Speaker 1>Who would you put as your top candidates for the

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<v Speaker 1>next grouping of what those MVPs look like? So, I

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<v Speaker 1>know we probably hit about fifteen names.

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<v Speaker 3>But.

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<v Speaker 2>When you kind of look at the tears and the

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<v Speaker 2>tiers of guys that you have expectations for who we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to be talking about here coming up, who jumps

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<v Speaker 2>off the page now for you and your expectations of

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<v Speaker 2>what that will look like.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, first I want to start with a dark horse,

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<v Speaker 3>Sarah shocker to you, I'm sure, Ja.

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<v Speaker 4>I like Jaylen Green. Jayleen Green, I like it.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not that it's a shocker.

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<v Speaker 1>You said, well, one obvious name, and I had a

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<v Speaker 1>couple of my head I thought we're gonna be obvious.

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<v Speaker 1>But yeah, I mean rockets. They have been hooping, they've

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<v Speaker 1>been calling, they're making a run. They're making a run

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<v Speaker 1>for Peter Cowder as Lakers for that nine ten spot,

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<v Speaker 1>with the Warriors currently sitting in eleventh.

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<v Speaker 2>But so Jalen Green tell us more.

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<v Speaker 3>I just as we mentioned, or we talked about earlier

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<v Speaker 3>on the Pod, I was saying that, like I've just

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<v Speaker 3>the last couple of years, I've thought that the Rockets

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<v Speaker 3>were a Jalen Green leap away from really being a

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<v Speaker 3>serious team that you know, might have a shot at

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<v Speaker 3>making the playoffs and everything. And I think we are

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<v Speaker 3>sort of in the middle of seeing that leap right now.

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<v Speaker 4>Jalen Green is falling. Man. I mean, he's got.

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<v Speaker 3>The tools, got all the tools, but I just thought

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<v Speaker 3>he sort of needed a coach that would, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>demand a lot of him and would sort of make

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<v Speaker 3>him clean up some of the mistakes that young rookies make.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, they like the turnovers and things like that,

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<v Speaker 3>and just bad decisions. And you've got sort of a

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<v Speaker 3>I don't want to call them a disciplinary disciplinarian, but

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<v Speaker 3>you know, because you were with he May in Brooklyn,

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<v Speaker 3>he don't blame yep. And when you got a coach

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<v Speaker 3>like that, I think that just sort of helps you

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<v Speaker 3>to eliminate some of the just the unneeded things.

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<v Speaker 4>That you do as a player.

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<v Speaker 3>Like he's not gonna like he's trying to shape the

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<v Speaker 3>Rockets into a team that is not going to beat

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<v Speaker 3>themselves themselves, sort of in the mold of the Spurs,

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<v Speaker 3>not beat themselves, be disciplined, make great decisions, culture scrappy.

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<v Speaker 3>Every other night you see the Rockets get in somehow

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<v Speaker 3>of fight on the floor, and it's because they all

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<v Speaker 3>are sort of standing up for each other. And that's

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<v Speaker 3>sort of the type of culture that May is gonna bring.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think that's just been great for Jalen Green,

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<v Speaker 3>So I'm really hyped to see his development. Not even

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<v Speaker 3>mentioned Alpera and the shan Gun. That kid he's a

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<v Speaker 3>baller too. So the Rockets I think are set up

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<v Speaker 3>to be pretty good. You know, they maybe a piece

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<v Speaker 3>or two away, But like Jalen Green, like I would

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<v Speaker 3>just say, keep an eye on him, because that kid

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<v Speaker 3>is sort of he's just got a lot of momentum

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<v Speaker 3>right now, and I'm really excited to see what he

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<v Speaker 3>does the rest of the season.

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<v Speaker 1>He does, and I haven't seen him quite as much

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<v Speaker 1>obviously as you in person and probably have been not

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<v Speaker 1>watching the Rockets, yeah, quite as much. But as you me,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, he's just in his thirty year, twenty two

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<v Speaker 1>years old. I would be interested to see if he

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<v Speaker 1>can make a leap in terms of his efficiency from

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<v Speaker 1>the three point line, adding that to his gay I

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<v Speaker 1>know he takes a high volume of threes, but that's

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<v Speaker 1>something that I'd be curious and interested to watch. And

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<v Speaker 1>I always think, you know, just in terms of the

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<v Speaker 1>MVP conversation, it's been a big talking point, you know

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<v Speaker 1>this season with what Shake Gills of Alexander is doing

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<v Speaker 1>for that Oklahoma City team, a young team ahead of schedule,

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<v Speaker 1>how he has been the center point of that, and

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<v Speaker 1>how much that factors into guys being an MVP consideration.

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<v Speaker 1>So I also think a lot of that depends on

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<v Speaker 1>what does Houston look like. You mentioned alprin Shangoun. Tough

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<v Speaker 1>loss for Houston despite how you know they still continue

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<v Speaker 1>Roland and playing without him, but if the team itself

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<v Speaker 1>and with email and I got a ton of confidence

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<v Speaker 1>that they will continue to build and move in the

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<v Speaker 1>direction that they want to. You know, how much that

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<v Speaker 1>factors in my obvious choice to jump to immediately And

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<v Speaker 1>again we said this, we get a lot, a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of options to have and some that we still continue

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<v Speaker 1>to talk about.

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<v Speaker 2>I would put Shay in that category of what that

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<v Speaker 2>looks like.

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<v Speaker 1>But Anthony Edwards like there there to me is no

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<v Speaker 1>question that sometime I would say within the next I

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<v Speaker 1>would say ten years to give it a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>a runway, but five years a couple of years especially

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<v Speaker 1>interesting to see what Minnesota has got. Some tough decisions

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<v Speaker 1>to make in terms of contracts, in terms of salary cap,

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<v Speaker 1>in terms of what that looks like this offseason.

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<v Speaker 4>But luxury, you got to keep this group together.

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<v Speaker 1>Mark, Mark and Alex and just officially you know, they

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<v Speaker 1>gotta dig into those pockets right.

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<v Speaker 3>As well, because they do have a team that I

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<v Speaker 3>think is is ready to start competing for championships.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, right, yeah, but that but that's the point.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think there were so many questions you look at, like, oh,

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<v Speaker 1>Karl Anthony Towns, you know, with him being out, what's

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<v Speaker 1>gonna happen now?

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<v Speaker 2>How are they going to drop that?

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<v Speaker 1>You know they've had guys, And that to me is

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<v Speaker 1>why ants like on top of the insane highlight plays

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<v Speaker 1>would love to see on both ends of the floor,

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<v Speaker 1>it's also about his production and how he wills a

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<v Speaker 1>team uh to be.

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<v Speaker 2>Playing at the level they're playing.

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<v Speaker 1>His personality, the charisma, the competitiveness, the seemingly coach ability

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<v Speaker 1>of Chris Finch being able to coach him hard, him

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<v Speaker 1>wanting to get better, and again, just a player that's

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<v Speaker 1>twenty two years old in his fourth year doing the

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<v Speaker 1>things he's doing, and it seemingly is like he's adding

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<v Speaker 1>on to his games in terms of facilitation, finding teammates.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, all those things.

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<v Speaker 1>To me, he's my He would be at the top

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<v Speaker 1>of my leaderboard for this discussion of the trend of

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<v Speaker 1>what's going to happen.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, you know, the audience right now is just like

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<v Speaker 4>you got you're missing all the all the you know,

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<v Speaker 4>the the main candidates. We're talking about some of the

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<v Speaker 4>ones that just people maybe not have paid attention to.

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<v Speaker 4>So that's why I mentioned Jalen Green. But Anthony Edwards

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<v Speaker 4>obviously he's obvious.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean because when you look at MVP conversations a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of time, let's be real here, our eyes like

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<v Speaker 3>if you have an esthetically pleasing game, then we're gonna

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<v Speaker 3>watch you more. And so you know, like so the

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<v Speaker 3>other night I'm watching him with the Nuggets. He had

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<v Speaker 3>thirty eight and eight without Karl Anthony Towns and took

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<v Speaker 3>the last shot to tie that game, missed it. But

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<v Speaker 3>the Nuggets just were like, hey, uh, you're not gonna

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<v Speaker 3>beat us, and they just.

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<v Speaker 4>They were like, you're going to get off the ball,

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<v Speaker 4>and he did.

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<v Speaker 3>For the most part all night or at the end

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<v Speaker 3>of that game, ended up getting that potential game time shot.

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<v Speaker 4>Missed it. But that kid is something else in Collins. Oh,

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<v Speaker 4>poor John Collins.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry when you have a duncan. Both players need

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<v Speaker 1>to get injured and won his excitent the cat Like

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<v Speaker 1>when you want to talk about on your head, that

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<v Speaker 1>is the true definition of on your head.

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<v Speaker 2>Get concussed and get out of the game. Okay, so

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<v Speaker 2>you mentioned it and you called me out. So we're

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<v Speaker 2>talking about the obvious candidates.

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<v Speaker 1>You'd also Jason Tatum put him in the bucket, shake

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<v Speaker 1>gives Alexander put him in the bucket, Luca. You know

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<v Speaker 1>he's still gonna He's still going to be a part

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<v Speaker 1>of this mix. Obviously, these players are all young enough.

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<v Speaker 1>Who else may be in other potentially dark horse candidate

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<v Speaker 1>We're not just talking about excellent players in the league.

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<v Speaker 2>But those that would be in the MVP conversation.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, Jayalen Brutson, obviously the guy is not He is

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<v Speaker 3>not the most athletic, he's not the fastest, the biggest,

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<v Speaker 3>but he's like Jokic in a way that he finds

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<v Speaker 3>a way to get it. He gets it done, he

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<v Speaker 3>finds ways. And I think his basketball IQ is just

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<v Speaker 3>off the charts. I think he's a dog. He's a

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<v Speaker 3>dog like on the defensive end and offensive end.

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<v Speaker 4>I think I really like his humility and.

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<v Speaker 3>His his his uh the pride in the in in

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<v Speaker 3>sort of always improving at his craft.

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<v Speaker 4>Like the kid.

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<v Speaker 3>I saw him a couple of years ago when the

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<v Speaker 3>Mavericks made that run in the playoffs, and if you remember,

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<v Speaker 3>I think to start the playoffs, Luca was hurt and

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<v Speaker 3>Jalen Brunson had to be the guy and I think

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<v Speaker 3>he had a couple forty point nights and so you

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<v Speaker 3>saw it then, and it's a shame that Dallas, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>couldn't find a way to get him back because him

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<v Speaker 3>and Luka Doncics would would be a force to record

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<v Speaker 3>with for years. And so I just love his game,

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<v Speaker 3>love his game, and you know you mentioned Tatum and

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<v Speaker 3>isn't it crazy that what Tatum is, what twenty five

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<v Speaker 3>something like that?

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<v Speaker 2>I think twenty six. I think he might be twenty.

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<v Speaker 3>Think of all the big games he's played in, Like

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<v Speaker 3>he's played and he's got so much big game experience.

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<v Speaker 4>He's won so much already.

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<v Speaker 3>And it's like we sort of knock him in the

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<v Speaker 3>MVP conversation because we say, well, you know, he doesn't

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<v Speaker 3>really show up in the big games. Well that's not true.

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<v Speaker 3>He's played in a ton of big games. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>he's definitely won for years to come. Tyrese Haliburton, that's

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<v Speaker 3>that's the name. Charismatic, very articulate, fun to watch. I

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<v Speaker 3>think he's a guy Zion Williamson this year, Like, okay,

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<v Speaker 3>we're talking about Zion Williamson right now. Usually when you're

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<v Speaker 3>having a conversation about Zion, it's about him being out

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<v Speaker 3>of shade, overweight, or he's heard or something. And so

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<v Speaker 3>it is really nice to be having a conversation that

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<v Speaker 3>is positive about Zion Williamson. And it's just don't you

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<v Speaker 3>just love the idea of seeing a guy that be

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<v Speaker 3>just running the show.

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<v Speaker 1>As a point, I just saw I just saw him

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<v Speaker 1>live the other day earlier this week, and his size

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<v Speaker 1>and frame and physicality match with finesse and the quickest

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<v Speaker 1>defeat and the smooth nature when he's handling the basketball

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<v Speaker 1>ability to facilitate.

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<v Speaker 2>This is the best defense that we've been seeing him

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<v Speaker 2>play throughout the course of his young NBA career.

0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:03.360
<v Speaker 1>He has bought in, he's moving so well, he's he

0:12:03.559 --> 0:12:06.440
<v Speaker 1>is an absolute force. I think to your point, those

0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:08.760
<v Speaker 1>two names, I mean Zi and he's twenty three years old,

0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:13.199
<v Speaker 1>twenty three years old and so, but Zion and Jah

0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:16.520
<v Speaker 1>to me are the two players that the availability and

0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:17.520
<v Speaker 1>being on the court like.

0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:19.439
<v Speaker 4>A lot of other people I've forgotten.

0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:22.680
<v Speaker 1>But if they're if and I think that's why you forget.

0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:25.840
<v Speaker 1>And we have not seen Jaw obviously for most of

0:12:25.880 --> 0:12:29.800
<v Speaker 1>this season, so I think for those reasons. But if

0:12:29.920 --> 0:12:33.720
<v Speaker 1>Jah and Zion have the sustainability of a full season

0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:36.600
<v Speaker 1>and at that point and both those guys young, like

0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:39.760
<v Speaker 1>absolutely put them on the list. I co sign your

0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:42.160
<v Speaker 1>Tyres Halliburton because I think there's so many reasons we

0:12:42.400 --> 0:12:46.120
<v Speaker 1>obviously Indiana has dip sum and and some since the

0:12:46.200 --> 0:12:48.840
<v Speaker 1>All Star break with Halliburton and how he's been shooting,

0:12:48.840 --> 0:12:50.880
<v Speaker 1>how he's been shooting from three, you know, throughout the

0:12:50.880 --> 0:12:52.920
<v Speaker 1>course of the last couple of months. But but overall,

0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:57.080
<v Speaker 1>he's someone to me that absolutely would be a part

0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.200
<v Speaker 1>of that. Jamal Murray too. I think he's someone wh

0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:02.360
<v Speaker 1>continue to monitor or watch Jokic. Obviously it didn't take

0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:05.560
<v Speaker 1>so much the attention, deservedly so. But there's one other

0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:09.679
<v Speaker 1>player that we have overlooked for the courtesy of fans

0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:13.360
<v Speaker 1>in this this thought thought exercise, we have overlooked the process,

0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:15.760
<v Speaker 1>and that is none other than the man that you

0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:18.959
<v Speaker 1>get to see all the time, Victor webbin Yama. We're

0:13:18.960 --> 0:13:29.160
<v Speaker 1>going to talk about him right after the break. Welcome

0:13:29.160 --> 0:13:31.920
<v Speaker 1>back to NBA Pulse. Sarahusac joined. But the great Mike

0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:36.040
<v Speaker 1>see right, who Michael? You get to see Wemby on

0:13:36.040 --> 0:13:38.800
<v Speaker 1>on a what semi nightly basis, very very often. I

0:13:38.840 --> 0:13:41.439
<v Speaker 1>had the great fortune of it was more exciting for

0:13:41.480 --> 0:13:44.520
<v Speaker 1>me to see you in person, ye down in Austin,

0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:47.000
<v Speaker 1>Texas and see than I mean Victor. And Victor is

0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.520
<v Speaker 1>great and all, but but you were my number one.

0:13:49.520 --> 0:13:53.160
<v Speaker 1>Get to see you in person, Victor webbin Yama, number two.

0:13:53.320 --> 0:13:56.640
<v Speaker 1>As the San Antonio Spurs and the Brooklyn Nets met

0:13:56.640 --> 0:14:01.040
<v Speaker 1>in Austin, Texas a little too off there playing at

0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:04.480
<v Speaker 1>at the University of Texas, which was a lot of fun.

0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:08.480
<v Speaker 1>The atmosphere and the movie center was extraordinary, and it

0:14:08.640 --> 0:14:11.480
<v Speaker 1>was an extraordinary game. I mean filled with a ton

0:14:11.480 --> 0:14:14.880
<v Speaker 1>of highlights. It was an overtime thriller. Uh, San Antonio

0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:18.719
<v Speaker 1>Spurs end up winning and Victor wimban Yama had the

0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:22.160
<v Speaker 1>most insane highlights to me, and some that you put

0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:24.440
<v Speaker 1>together a highlight reel of him just from that game alone,

0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:26.760
<v Speaker 1>and I think there was missing a couple because there

0:14:26.880 --> 0:14:29.320
<v Speaker 1>was just wild things he did, you know, like a flat,

0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:32.440
<v Speaker 1>flat footed shot over a we talked about this, a

0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:36.200
<v Speaker 1>six to eight cam Johnson. Uh, some reverse flushes him

0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:39.000
<v Speaker 1>on the move, a couple of the blocks. It's just

0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:43.280
<v Speaker 1>wild to see what he does, how he moves, the

0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:46.560
<v Speaker 1>skills already at that size.

0:14:47.320 --> 0:14:48.360
<v Speaker 4>Just get out of balance.

0:14:52.840 --> 0:14:59.880
<v Speaker 2>And Victoryama is always winning the challenge.

0:15:00.480 --> 0:15:01.360
<v Speaker 3>It's coming home.

0:15:02.960 --> 0:15:06.440
<v Speaker 4>We two thirty six in count of here.

0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:16.560
<v Speaker 3>Got it patrol at one point game old school back

0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:17.200
<v Speaker 3>the other way.

0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:24.200
<v Speaker 1>But just I thought that there could be higher expectations

0:15:24.320 --> 0:15:28.880
<v Speaker 1>coming into this season, uh for Wemby and and somehow

0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:30.640
<v Speaker 1>it feels and you know better than me.

0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:33.360
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes it feels like he's exceeding those.

0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:37.120
<v Speaker 1>So to someone who sees him all the time, what's

0:15:37.320 --> 0:15:41.240
<v Speaker 1>your perspective not only on what he's doing and doing

0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:43.600
<v Speaker 1>at this time of the year, but what that does

0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:47.560
<v Speaker 1>to the spurs in their timeline and tracking of of

0:15:47.640 --> 0:15:50.120
<v Speaker 1>some of the decisions and moves they need to continue making.

0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:54.680
<v Speaker 3>Well, Sarah, you saw yourself and you know what I

0:15:55.280 --> 0:15:58.000
<v Speaker 3>told I told you in the past, Like I like

0:15:58.080 --> 0:16:02.680
<v Speaker 3>I wanted you to experience that that that feeling in

0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:07.800
<v Speaker 3>an arena where everybody is so amazed and almost dumbfounded

0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:10.400
<v Speaker 3>by what they're seeing that it's not cheering, it's almost

0:16:10.680 --> 0:16:11.840
<v Speaker 3>a last it's.

0:16:11.680 --> 0:16:15.960
<v Speaker 2>As dumbfounded the word, Yeah, this is this real?

0:16:16.120 --> 0:16:18.840
<v Speaker 1>Like if I was watching this on television, I would

0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:21.240
<v Speaker 1>think that maybe this was somehow.

0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:24.440
<v Speaker 4>Altered, right, And so like it's an experience.

0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:27.360
<v Speaker 3>And I always tell people when they ask me about Victor,

0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:28.880
<v Speaker 3>I'm like, you got to see him in person. Like

0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:30.800
<v Speaker 3>it's one thing to watch it on TV, but like

0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:34.080
<v Speaker 3>just to see the way fans react to some of

0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:36.480
<v Speaker 3>the things they see, it is just amazing and you

0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:38.760
<v Speaker 3>find yourself laughing and scratching your head like how do

0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:43.760
<v Speaker 3>they do that? So, like with him, you mentioned it

0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:47.240
<v Speaker 3>that he has exceeded expectations, and you know, we haven't.

0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:50.320
<v Speaker 3>Like he's the most hyped player since Lebron James, and

0:16:50.360 --> 0:16:51.640
<v Speaker 3>what did Lebron James do?

0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:55.560
<v Speaker 4>He exceeded expectations. And that's very much the case here

0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:56.840
<v Speaker 4>with the Spurs.

0:16:56.920 --> 0:17:02.120
<v Speaker 3>And you know, internally, the Spurs did not expect Victor

0:17:02.120 --> 0:17:05.879
<v Speaker 3>women Yama to be this good so fast. Like I

0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:10.600
<v Speaker 3>think they were of the mindset of let's let him

0:17:10.640 --> 0:17:13.280
<v Speaker 3>develop over a year or two and you know, sort

0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:17.320
<v Speaker 3>of slowly build around him, and he's ready to go now.

0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:21.480
<v Speaker 3>And so I wouldn't say that it necessarily accelerates San

0:17:21.480 --> 0:17:25.560
<v Speaker 3>Antonio's timeline, but what I would say is that it

0:17:25.640 --> 0:17:28.720
<v Speaker 3>really reduces the margin for error, Like they have to

0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:32.400
<v Speaker 3>get this right as soon as possible because you want

0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:34.400
<v Speaker 3>to maximize your window with him.

0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:37.679
<v Speaker 4>You know, I mean, at the very least Victor.

0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:39.240
<v Speaker 3>Is going to be in San Antonio for like seven

0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:43.480
<v Speaker 3>years at least, well, you better maximize that window. And

0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:45.679
<v Speaker 3>you know, the Spurs are gonna want to do that

0:17:45.800 --> 0:17:50.440
<v Speaker 3>because you want to get the most out of your largest,

0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:55.159
<v Speaker 3>most valued asset. And so what I found interesting is

0:17:55.200 --> 0:17:59.679
<v Speaker 3>we talked to Victor yesterday and he said that the

0:17:59.720 --> 0:18:03.240
<v Speaker 3>Spur are already sort of involving him in the discussions

0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:05.199
<v Speaker 3>as far as you know what they might do in

0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:08.400
<v Speaker 3>the future, how they want to play things like that,

0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:12.159
<v Speaker 3>And Victor was like, you know, I'm really grateful that

0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:17.040
<v Speaker 3>they think enough of me basically to involve me in

0:18:17.080 --> 0:18:22.560
<v Speaker 3>those discussions. So I'm curious as to what direction they

0:18:22.560 --> 0:18:25.960
<v Speaker 3>take moving forward because Coach Pop the other night said

0:18:25.960 --> 0:18:29.920
<v Speaker 3>that everything's on the table, whether it's free agents, whether

0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.080
<v Speaker 3>we do it through the draft or whatever.

0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:34.240
<v Speaker 4>Trades.

0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:39.000
<v Speaker 3>But I think there's going to be a combination. Like

0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:42.439
<v Speaker 3>if you look at what Oklahoma City has done to

0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:46.040
<v Speaker 3>rebuild that program, you look at what Denver did you

0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:49.320
<v Speaker 3>know with Denver they drafted Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr.

0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:54.560
<v Speaker 3>You trade for Aaron Gordon, you get cacyp in free agency.

0:18:55.080 --> 0:18:58.720
<v Speaker 3>So I think what San Antonio plans to do is

0:18:58.760 --> 0:19:00.639
<v Speaker 3>sort of going to be a miss of both of

0:19:00.680 --> 0:19:04.600
<v Speaker 3>those approaches to get back to relevance. And I think

0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:07.399
<v Speaker 3>it's gonna happen sooner rather than later because you have

0:19:07.440 --> 0:19:09.400
<v Speaker 3>a generational superstar that.

0:19:09.720 --> 0:19:14.280
<v Speaker 4>Is probably gonna win multiple MVPs. Just my guess.

0:19:14.720 --> 0:19:18.760
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no question, And to all of that being said,

0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:20.560
<v Speaker 1>I think the thing that stood out to me and

0:19:20.640 --> 0:19:24.359
<v Speaker 1>has most I've seen him a couple of times live now,

0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:28.240
<v Speaker 1>and it's not just it's yes, the size, the skills,

0:19:28.400 --> 0:19:30.439
<v Speaker 1>all of these things that were wild by and the

0:19:30.520 --> 0:19:37.200
<v Speaker 1>highlights he's got. He's a competitor, like you could understand

0:19:37.840 --> 0:19:40.760
<v Speaker 1>how competitive he is on every possession. You watch it

0:19:40.800 --> 0:19:44.040
<v Speaker 1>in his eyes. You watch the way he organizes and commands,

0:19:44.160 --> 0:19:47.840
<v Speaker 1>and whether it's a head nod or communication, how he

0:19:48.680 --> 0:19:52.080
<v Speaker 1>understands and sees the game, and that type of basketball

0:19:52.119 --> 0:19:55.040
<v Speaker 1>IQ of court mapping of what's happening, how it's happening.

0:19:55.480 --> 0:19:58.119
<v Speaker 1>And we've seen it over and over again again. I

0:19:58.560 --> 0:20:00.919
<v Speaker 1>saw it in the in the overtime period and the

0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:03.240
<v Speaker 1>Spurs ended up winning against the Nets. But we've seen

0:20:03.280 --> 0:20:05.560
<v Speaker 1>this in other occasions, like he wants the ball, he

0:20:05.680 --> 0:20:07.560
<v Speaker 1>wants it in the clutch and he will come through,

0:20:07.680 --> 0:20:10.639
<v Speaker 1>like he is a gamer to his core, and so

0:20:10.840 --> 0:20:13.639
<v Speaker 1>all those things, the intangibles that come with it, I

0:20:13.720 --> 0:20:16.320
<v Speaker 1>think to me are also most impressive because it's not

0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:20.280
<v Speaker 1>just a guy you know that that brings. It brings

0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:22.880
<v Speaker 1>the size and the scale and it's gonna put He's he's.

0:20:22.680 --> 0:20:24.439
<v Speaker 2>Got all of it. He's got the package.

0:20:24.480 --> 0:20:26.120
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, So for.

0:20:26.080 --> 0:20:28.520
<v Speaker 1>Those reasons, I think it's it's going to be interesting

0:20:28.560 --> 0:20:29.680
<v Speaker 1>to watch and monitor.

0:20:29.800 --> 0:20:29.919
<v Speaker 3>Uh.

0:20:30.160 --> 0:20:32.560
<v Speaker 2>In watching. Speaking of tonight, we got a good.

0:20:32.400 --> 0:20:36.800
<v Speaker 1>Slate here on NBA TV at eight o'clock PM Eastern

0:20:37.560 --> 0:20:41.560
<v Speaker 1>the Pelicans, uh, which good news for the Pelicans. Brendan

0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:45.880
<v Speaker 1>Brendan Ingram just had an MRI and he uh it

0:20:46.000 --> 0:20:47.720
<v Speaker 1>was said that it's a bone contusion and it's knee

0:20:47.760 --> 0:20:49.560
<v Speaker 1>and injury that look pretty bad and so he'll be

0:20:49.640 --> 0:20:52.640
<v Speaker 1>reevaluated in two weeks for this Repelicans team. Just game

0:20:52.680 --> 0:20:54.760
<v Speaker 1>and half back Clippers in the four spot game and

0:20:54.800 --> 0:20:56.520
<v Speaker 1>half in front of Dallas in the sixth spot.

0:20:57.119 --> 0:20:59.399
<v Speaker 2>So good to see. It's it's nothing too much more

0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:00.400
<v Speaker 2>severe in law term.

0:21:00.440 --> 0:21:02.760
<v Speaker 1>They will play at the Heat and then at ten

0:21:02.920 --> 0:21:05.360
<v Speaker 1>thirty is the Philadelphia seventy six ers at the Lakers,

0:21:05.359 --> 0:21:07.399
<v Speaker 1>and we know the Lakers are vying for that playing

0:21:07.440 --> 0:21:09.000
<v Speaker 1>spot I want to say in the nine tens. So

0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:11.760
<v Speaker 1>we'll see how things shake out. But Michael, as always,

0:21:11.760 --> 0:21:13.960
<v Speaker 1>we appreciate you and your time and we'll continue to

0:21:14.359 --> 0:21:18.760
<v Speaker 1>rewatch all your stuff on NBA TV and NBA dot Com.

0:21:19.000 --> 0:21:21.919
<v Speaker 1>NBA post was Sarahusacks, a production of the NBA and iHeartRadio.

0:21:21.960 --> 0:21:24.560
<v Speaker 1>Please rate, review, and subscribe on the iHeartRadio app or

0:21:24.560 --> 0:21:26.320
<v Speaker 1>wherever you get your podcasts.