Well, well, well, we are officially a week away from the start of the twenty twenty four to twenty twenty five NBA season, and we are in the thick of the WNBA Finals. Some of us simply hoping our teams can stay healthy and available until opening day. But we've got news and notes from around the league, expectations to discuss, and also we have a very special guest up top for a brief segment on the WNBA because that's all we can think about and talk about right now, Christina Williams.
On today's episode, I'm Jack O'Brien and.
I'm producer Jabbari in for Miles, and.
This is Miles Sometimes story got MGS.
Dog story, got it?
Luca Dog hitch t o kay start a MB driving Spiny Taylor Number eighteen that's been secured the Celtics or.
NBA Champions over the double team.
Short time. Christina, thank you so much for taking time away from the finals. I know this is a probably a very hectic period for you, but you are an award winning w NBA reporter, host of In case you missed it with Christina Williams for iHeart. Is that the name of a network? Yeah? Okay, iHeart I've heard of them, but everybody should go check out her latest episode with the legend Sue Bird.
Birds.
Yeah, but first w NBA Finals tied one one, absolute classic, all time classic Game one Court Williams four point play. We were racking our brain before just has there been a more dramatic four point play in the history of basketball?
I can't really think of a more dramatic play, and that I couldn't think of one.
Yeah, Fortney Williams.
Is a dog though she's been playing super clutch for the Minnesota Links in the playoffs so far. You mentioned that four point play in Game one of the WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Links. She's really that engine that's been keeping that team, you know, full steam in this series against the number one Liberty team.
Yeah, just NonStop. Just it feels. Yeah, the type of player you hate to go against because you love to have on your team, but you hate to go against because you're like, oh, she's she's sprinting again. Fact fast now.
I was gonna say, she's one of the best mid range players of the w NBA right now, and she's added that outside three point shot yet Williams, she's she's a three level score. She's definitely deadly on the court, for sure.
I'm not mistaken. Wasn't that like a fifteen point game? At one point in like eighteen it was an.
Eighteen point game, eighteen point game.
I was at Barclays Center, and I literally looked down and I was like, oh, it's almost time to go, like and then I look up and it's like a three point game. And then Courtney Williams hits the shot, and it was like, Oh, we're gonna be here for a little bit longer, like let's get comfortable. And yeah, the game went into overtime, and we know how the story went with Stewie missing that free throw and the lay up to to lose Game one at home and Link stole one.
But yeah, I was super surprised. Yeah, I think a lot of people were just putting it in its proper context of greatest four point play ever. The answer that you get for the greatest four point play in NBA history is the LJ. Larry Johnson Knick's Eastern Conference Finals. I just rewatched that play in the context of the Courtney Williams one, and I regret to inform Knicks fans that he like barely gets hit like it's I mean,
he sells it. Cordan Williams got mugged like it was like how did she even get the ball to the rim? Like the way she got hit, and also just you know, it was the finals. It wasn't the Eastern Conference Finals.
So yeah, and to that point, like Sabrina Yanescu, I mean, yeah, you have to look at that and live with that in game one, but she came back.
What a game to come back in Game.
Two for the New York Liberty.
Offensively and defensively, she's definitely stepped it up. I think in game two we saw a better New York Liberty team, and then they found ways to climb out of that and extend the lead. They had a really good start at one point for the Stewart had a record setting seven steals in Game two, and so the Liberty just really put all the Jets be Niguline Hailton, a player that's been struggling with injuries all season, just had a surgery before the Olympic break. It is kind of getting
back to her old self. She's known as a good defensive player, but then she had twenty points in.
That game two for the Liberty.
So I think that this is the team that's turning the page and it could get scary for Minnesota.
Yeah, so one thing, let's just go big picture here for a second, about like where we're at with the WNBA. Something we talk about, you know, on our NBA show is like the the idea that the league is progressive, where like the players are building their games on top of other like past players games, and so you can actually see the difference, like if you look ten fifteen years ago, you can actually see a difference between the
level of play. Even you know, as much as I love Jordan or you know, young Lebron, even looking at like young Lebron Heatles Era, like the level of play back then just feels it feels different, Like the players just seem more uniformly skilled. The shot making is better, The defense is like more comprehensively like better, the offense is like more complex and beautiful. I'm just curious to hear your thoughts on that as it relates to the WNBA.
Do you see that like progressiveness as compared to like ten fifteen years ago or because you know, there are definitely sports where that isn't the case. Like I feel like baseball, you look twenty years ago and people kind of look about the same football it's like a little different. But the NBA, I've always felt like it's very clear that like people are just adding new flourishes, like they're building art on top of other people's art. You know. Yeah, that's a good question.
I mean, obviously, the WNBA is only twenty eight years old, and so when we talk about looking back in just seeing how far the game has come, I think that, yeah, I think that the talent has always been there. When you look ten fifteen years ago, you had players like Diana Surrozzi, who's still an at WNBA player, wasn't officially retired yet, the Superds, the Candice Parkers who was MVPM Rookie of the Year her rookie year, Maya Moore who recently retired as well. So you see that the talent
level and skill level has always been there. I think that the difference that we see now is this is a big woman's league. I want to say, Asian Wilson, a piece of Colie of Brianna Stewart. The top three players in the w NBA right now, so you see a lot of the bigs get love but then credits the players like Kitlin Clark and Sabritan and Escup who's representing for the guard play in the W NBA right now, I think that what we see is a faster pace game.
We see more.
Versatile bigs in the W kind of mirroring what you see in the NBA, like that positionless basketball so to speak, started to happening. The pace, the pace is more fast, but I think the athleticism and skill is kind of neck and neck.
I mean, we love Katelyn Clark.
For her logo threes, you love Sabrita for how she can facilitate an offense. I think that when you look at legends like Courtney van Dersuit, who's still active on the New York Liberty, one of the best passes of the game, Chelsea Gray who's on the Aces, they call her the point God. So we see those flashes of style and in the play and the skills of the players of the W. So yeah, I think that, you know, we're seeing the game progress and transform right before before our eyes.
Yeah, It's it's kind of a beautiful thing to watch across both leagues. Is there anyone coming up and either out of college or you know, young players. Obviously you mentioned Caitlyn, but any any players that you're excited about, maybe any that are like flying under the radar right now.
I wouldn't say any place flying under the raid. I mean the college basketball. You can look at last season with the ratings from South Carolina and Iowa and Caitlyn Clark went up against them, or the LSU team, the Yukon team with Page Beckers, I would say the exciting players are Page Beckers out of Yukon.
She four went on other.
Season to go play at Yukon for one more season to try to win a Nashville championship under Gino r Emo. She's projected to be the number one pick next year in the WBA draft. Juju Watkins out of UFC. Everyone's calling her Michael Jordan of a w NBA. So I think she's going to be super exciting to watch. I mean, just as a freshman, just seeing how she was able to get Uscson that final four, I think that you know, they're gonna just continue to build on that momentum next season.
So those are some players you can keep an eye out for women's college basketball and going into.
The w Yeah, Juju watchin. I'm pretty excited about her season. Here in southern California, people, people are pretty psyched, you know.
Admittedly, Christina, this is you know, this season, I watched the most w NBA basketball that I've ever watched, you know, And as a casual, I will call myself as a casual, but someone that is very much interested in the league and very much appreciative of the game that it is. I'm wondering how you feel, you know, about it, about the future, about the present looking so bright, and about the you know, more of the mainstream audience jumping into the mix.
Yeah, I mean, obviously, as someone who's been covering the league for over seven years, we welcome new fans, new new eyes.
To the game.
I think that I love where the game is growing in terms of just the conversations that we see. I think that the more visibility, the more that these athletes are more normalized in regular day to day sports conversations. We see women's basketball being featured on the a blocks of shows like First Take and things like that. I think good or bad, I think that you know, you have to welcome in different types of coverage, but also when it comes to the league and the progress of
the league, there's lots to look forward to. Next year, we're going to have the Golden State Balkyries expansion team happening. Then you have expanded in Canada and Portland and a few more teams coming by twenty twenty eight. And so this season there'll be an expansion draft in December. We're teams now can retain up to six players and then
everyone else's kind of fear game. So the league is going to look different than twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six, the league as we know it, maybe some super teams form. We welcome in rivalries when it comes to storytelling. I think that is just a fun and exciting times. In November, the players don't have an option to opt out of their current collective bargaining agreement, So how does that fall
in the mix. When it turns when we talk about the new media rights deal, you know what I mean, and players getting paid more money, and so I think that the priority for also a lot of teams has switched over. So when it comes to free agency next February, a lot of players are going to prioritize the teams. That's spending money on facilities, simple things like locker rooms that men's basketball players and athletes have in other sports.
And so now you see owners really stepping it up when it comes to investment to make these teams a landing destination for free agents so that their teams can compete. We have the charge of flights right now, so that's no longer something that you that will entice.
The playing field is leveled when it comes to that.
But I think all the extras is now going to make the league better.
Yeah, all right, we know you've got to get back to it. We really appreciate you coming on taking a banktime out of your schedule to talk to us about the WNBA. Where can people find you hear you all that good stuff?
Yeah, every week, new episodes of In Case You missed It with Christina Williams drops on Ihearts Women's Sports Audio Network. You can follow those across socials that I see Why am I with kW but also follow me at Christina on Twitter. That's with a KH not at ch. But yeah, thank you so much for having me.
Yeah, thanks for doing it, Thank you. Enjoy the finals. Thank you we're gonna take a quick break. We're gonna come back. We're going to talk NBA basketball, and we'll be right back. And we're back. W and BA was what we talked about before, and now we're talking about the ABA, which is what we don't really talk about on this podcast frequently. So I have this team that I follow called the Philadelphia seventies Acers, and I got a text from super producer Jabbari last night that let
me let me just read it direct. I don't know if you correctly. I don't know if you can read that expletive, man, Jack. I am sorry. Yeah, So I thought that somebody had died, but it was just it's a thing that I expect at this time of year. An injury to one of the better players on the seventy six ers, Paul George hyper extentedives left knee while depending on the perimeter Monday, but he said he wasn't too concerned about it. So I'm not too concerned about it. Uh.
And I appreciate your sympathies, Jabari. You did scare me to death.
Admittedly, I have to be better. I have to be a better friend off. I have to be a better friend. I have to be a better producer. I recognize that, just sending like, oh my goodness, Neil type the accidents probably aren't they Hell no, Jack, probably not the healthiest, but you know what happens Jack in the moment, I'm like, no, Jack, it's just that, it's just that. But yes, no, like like you said, he says he's not too concerned about it. Uh,
there was an MRI. You know, it showed. It showed that there was a bone bruise and there's no structural damage and he's, you know, set to be reevaluated and this is the interesting part in approximately one week. So maybe he won't be there for the beginning of the season, but at least it sounds like it's not going to be a catastrophican.
We're good, We're good. You just get healthy, Paul George And speaking of we're good, you just get healthy. Joel Embiid has gone on the record and said, if I had to guess, I would probably never play back to backs again in my career. So that's that's fine with me. I mean that I remember when his first year playing, after he's coming off the foot injuries. That was one of the rules that was in place. I think it was like a twenty minute pitch count and no back
to backs, and he did some damage. They were pretty good that year. President of Basketball Operations Darryl Morey softened it a bit when asked about it by describing it as probably not playing many, if any back to backs, but I'm sure there's like something. Yeah, you can't say. No, I'm not going to rule all back to backs out, But I don't know what are our expectations for Philly in the event that they're able to somehow maintain their health over the course of the year and can be
relatively healthy come playoff time. Jabari as it you are someone who's opinion on basketball I respect. Do you think, Yeah, I'm a full I'm a fool foolish man. I have bad taste in basketball minds. No, that's not true. You know a lot of basketball. You watch a lot of basketball. Is there something inherent to Joe l Embiid's game that is limiting his playoff effectiveness because he's had great games
in the playoffs. He's had some good Round one games, hit that one game winning three falling out of bounds, those amazing that capped off a really great game. For him and then like promptly like got a concussion or like broke his face or you know, and then they're the more standard like lower body injuries. Do you think there's something inherent to his game? Do you think it's just been a string of bad luck? Where what are your thoughts?
I mean, several things could be true. Yes, there's been some bad luck. And to quote the great twenty first century philosopher Jack O'Brien, usually we get to the end of the season and he's got like a broken face or something of that nature. Look, he's a big guy, you know, he plays inside and out. While he's not necessarily a high flyer, you know, he puts his body on folks, and folks will in turn do the same. So there's going to be that you'll wear and tear
over the course of the season. I think ultimately this is just a matter of this is finally them saying, hey, look, I don't care what it takes. We need to get this guy healthy or have him at least relatively healthy at the end of the year one of these years. And if this is what it takes, quite frankly, I've come full circle on this. I used to be you know, like against it as even a concept, But the reality is I love seeing the best players play in the
biggest moments. And if we can finally get a playoff run with a healthy Joel Embiid a relatively or healthy Paul George, I think Philly still has a fantastic chance. Yeah.
I mean you asked the question in the doc is this the most talented roster Embiid has played with? And it would be good podcasting if I said yes, But I am a bad podcaster, so I'm gonna say it's not as good as the Jimmy Butler team. That segment of a season I think was a little bit scarier just because peak Jimmy Butler I think was underrated at that point. Yeah, and yeah, I mean I don't know, they had shooting, they had kind of a more complete team.
We'll see that this this could be, this could be the most talented roster. It's up there. But they got to show me something. They can't just come in thinking like they're super team, because oh yeah, I mean I don't think that works there.
I mean, look like, this isn't like a no brainer where you see it and go like, oh okay, Yeah, they're you know, mark them into the finals like we did with Golden State for what twenty fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, you know, and so far beyond. But I think it at least it's at least the reason why I post the question because I think it's at least in the conversation. Yes, you know, Prime, I would take Prime Jimmy over current PG. I absolutely would. But I also think Todd Maxi is
better than anybody else that was on that team. So and they guess that is including the Ben of it all.
Wait, Ben Simo, Yeah, you think he's better than Simo.
I do. And you know we're gonna talk about being you know, so this is not just going to be a rain on his parade deal. But if I'm being honest, I would also take you know, the six foot two, six foot three time actually over that six foot eight basketball whiz that you know, impressed so many folks for a few.
Years he did it, but it was before he became afraid of shooting free throws and it affected how like how aggressive he was being. All Right, big Twitter news, I don't know if it's big real news, but there was a showdown between the Knicks and the Timberwolves post trade, Dante DiVincenzo said to Tibbs during the game, we don't quite know, right, No, no, we do now.
Initially we were so thirsty for it. When that first outlet said that it was thanks for the trade, TIBs, thanks for the trade, we were all just like, oh absolutely, oh yeah, like like pigs and slop. But no, that's not that's not what he said.
It was a little bit more like straightforward confrontational though, right. He said, I can't finish, right, TIBs, I can't finish right. See what happens when they leave you in charge. The main thrust of the negativity is still intact with the This is what happens when they leave you in charge, your dodo, I think, is what he said after that, if I'm not mistaken. And then what happened with coach Brunson.
It looked like they It actually looked like Brunson was kind of like just going over to feel it out after the game. And you know that they must have exchanged some words, because it it appeared as though others had to step in between the two. Look quite frankly, nothing was going to take place. And and and it's funny enough. You know, Jalen Brunson was the one that
was between his dad and Dante at the end. But I'm here for it if there's any way that we can develop more rivalries and more actual teams disliking or having a distaste for one another. So, while I don't necessarily anticipate a finals matchup, I don't say it's impossible.
Yeah, that can be. It's not impossible. That could be a lot of fun. I don't know of too many players who have taken a trade.
I get.
I guess Jimmy Butler, like, you know, some people just need to get themselves there, and so they're gonna be like and that this one's obviously fresh. Ye. Jimmy Butler was like, you you took Tobias Harris over me, and Sea were like, no, I don't think that's how it happened, Okay.
But that's how it shook out.
You said you didn't want to play on our team. I think is how it shook out. But anyways, uh, yeah, he seems big mad. It'll be it'll be interesting to see. Maybe maybe he's uh, maybe he plays a little bit better when he's angry. White man can't jump style. You what's going on with the Kings. You're you're sensing something. You you gave me the windhorse. Uh kind of big speech that like says something but doesn't say something. We're like, now, think about this, So give me your give me your pitch.
What's your conspiracy theory here?
So a couple of things, you know, stood out to me. For one, dearon Fox bypassing what would be a three year upwards of one hundred and sixty five million dollar extension by betting on himself. That's that's neither here nor there.
Even though that is significant, that is significant. I would take that much money, I think personally.
But what if it could be a four year, two hundred and twenty nine million dollar contract or even a super max five year three hundred and forty five would you then take that risk?
No? I would not. I'm a coward. You'd take the three three, take the three and sit out most of the season a fair enough. Well no.
But the things that really stood out is, you know, we all look, we know Sacramento they you know, won the Damar War or you know wars or whatever. They were able to bring a man over the offseason, but they made a move on Monday, essentially just clearing out a roster space. You know, they sent Jaylen McDaniels in a second round pick as well as cast considerations to San Antonio for what is going to come out as
a twenty twenty five second round pick via Chicago. In that deal, it opens up flexibility and it makes me wonder, is this is this a signal for another move down the line?
Yeah? So what do they need to address? Do you think because they got point guard, do they need more shooting? Where are we at?
So?
I mean, you can there's not a team out there that couldn't use more shooting if we're being honest, And you know, you look at a guy like whether it's you know, whether it's an interchangeable guy like forward like Who's or like a Cam Johnson or a Dorian Phinney Smith, And while all of those guys bring different things to the table, I think you get the most bang for
your buck out of a guy like Cam Johnson. Admittedly I want my Lakers to go ahead and be and be in pursuit of him, but ultimately I do not think that's going to take place. If I'm the Kings, I probably am looking to bring a guy like that in mm hmm.
Yeah. And if I'm the Sixers, I would also be looking to bring a guy like that in I love Cam Johnson.
You wouldn't be upset about it.
I wouldn't be ang I'd say, okay, we'll take you, Cam Johnson. Why you come over here in Kilda, come join the mix. And then Lonzo Ball set to return to action tomorrow versus the Timberwolves after there were questions about whether he would ever make it back. Hasn't played a game since twenty one, twenty two, but still just
twenty six years old. So we'll be good to see him back out there for sure, because he's he's a lot of fun to watch and everybody plays better when he's out there, so it's it's going to be interesting.
He's a glue guy, like this is the thing, you know, when the Lakers picked him, and they picked him specifically over guys like the Iarn Fox and several other players that have obviously had you know, better careers or you know, you know, had more success in their careers to this stage, you know, a lot was made. But I think, well, I think as the basketball loving audience, we kind of overcorrected because like it went from Okay, it might not have been the best pick too, oh god, it's the
worst pick. And then suddenly, over the next couple of years, Lonzo showed like, no, he actually has a very unique but of very effective, you know, NBA skill set for a guy that has been injured. You know, as many times as he's been you you alluded to it. I honestly, I didn't say it out loud. I didn't think we
would see him again. I thought once they said he had like that third surgery and still was not comfortable on that leg, I figured, Okay, well that sucks, Like you know, it's just going to be one of those cautionnary tales. But I'm very hopeful for him, and as everything is centered around the Lakers, I'm hopeful that the Lakers could find a way to bring him in. Man, you're going to notice the trend here.
So you took him second, We took Markel Faults first in Philly, and I still stand by that call. Did we trade away to avoid picking Jason Tatum? We did, and again I stand by that decision. I think history will say that that was the right move. Jason Tatum Number three, dream Fox number five, marketing number seven, Donovan Mitchell number thirteen, Bam out of bio.
Everyone, every single where.
Alan, come on, man, I don't I don't love it anyways, welcome back. Yeah yeah, but Alonzo at least could have been a real difference maker if he had been able to stay healthy. All right, let's uh, let's take a quick break to weep quietly, and then we'll come back and we'll play a little game called better than fifty percent chance or worse than fifty percent chance. And we're back and Zach three, huh. We got to get to
the rapid fire around a questioning for each other. Just just a shootout, go back and forth, all right, better than fifty chance, less than fifty percent chance, more likely than not, or not likely than more. No, whatever, just is it? You named it correctly? A job. Jamar Wemby
is a first time All Star. Just to reiterate, he went four twenty one point four points, ten point six boards, three point nine as siss, three point six blocks on forty six point five percent shooting from the floor, thirty two and a half from three eighty percent from the free throw line. Like that's he should have been an All Star.
That's already incredible.
Yeah, that's already an All Star. A rookie, that's a rookie. Yeah yeah, So I'm going over fifty on this one.
You can book this one. This is this will take place.
Check also makes the All Star League. Check put up fifteen seven two point three blocks on much better shooting percentage is for fifty three percent from the floor, thirty seven from three to seventy nine from the stripe. Definitely had to take fewer shots, could be a little bit more selective than Wemby, But I don't know that he gets there this time. I'd put this like in the forties. I put it like at a good three point shooters percentage.
I hear you on that. But the only reason why I would say there's a possibility is because oftentimes, if you have the best seam in the league or the best record in the league, they're going to make sure you get at least two All Stars to shake a point. So Shay is a given. I mean, who knows if Jay Dubb takes another leap and he steps into that secondary role. But if I'm having to bet, I think I still I'm taking it. I think I'm still taking it over fifty percent because I think they are going
to be good. I think they are going to have a great record, and I think he's going to know even if it's a slight improvement, I think it's going to continue to improve on the numbers that you put.
Up, all right, better than fifty percent chance, worse than fifty percent chance. This is the year where Mark el Foltz makes people recognize the seventy six ers were right to take him over Jason Tatum.
I'm I'm going to check something in real time because I'm pretty in the league. I don't think he's on a roster right now. Markl faults Mark el Fults. It says who last played in Orlando is not currently on a roster. So I'm gonna say I'm gonna take the under on that one. Even though I would like like in.
The forties, I'd like to be in the thirties, all right. Kid Cunningham plays himself into an All Star spot with new leadership supporting cast around him. He's played in just seventy four games of the last two seasons, but, and this is important, he has looked really good in three of his four preseason games. Three of his four preseason games. Jabari, what are you doing?
When I put that note in there? I was smiling, s I typed, D look, so here here's the quiet part. I haven't been able to discuss it over his last two years. I am a Kaid Cunningham fan. I'm a Kide Cunningham fan. I think he is the goods. I think he has that type of game. But the trouble is, I don't know if I believe in Detroit enough, even though I recognize new coaching staff, you know, like all together, you know, shout out to Jami Bickerstaff, you know, new
roster surrounding him altogether. So do I think he's going to play well enough to be in the conversation ensured? He's going to absolutely get there? You know, possibly not because it's a it's a season flux.
Yeah. So, I mean we said he played seventy four games of the last two seasons. He played sixty two last year. Yeah, so he he got his games then, granted it was a historically bad team, but he put up twenty two points, shot forty five, thirty five from three. You know, he seven point five assists. I don't know, man, that doesn't seem wildly unlikely. I can see him doing it. What do we think? We think the new look, new culture. We think Detroit culture, Piston's culture Israel.
I think he at least have to try. You know, it was reported it JB. Bigger Staff. He plans to create a new culture. You know, he's like kind of wanting the more professional approach. It seems. Who knows how
those athletes will respond to it. But I think if you're him, you at least have to make the effort because the way things have been going there the last few years, and this is you know, not necessarily just on the you know, the previous coach uh you know, shout out to you know, shout out to money.
You know.
I hope he is enjoying his riches in fullness, but the reality is this, you know, this this organization has been spiraling. Maybe this isn't you know, step in the right direction. It would be awesome if they could you know, turn it around and win thirty plus games and kind of re establish things there.
He would love to see it.
I would.
We've got a couple of people that were saying, this is their prove it year, Okay. Ben Simmons fifty chance greater than fifty chance that he is on a roster next year.
I think it's a greater than fifty percent chance he's on a roster. I don't know how many games he's going to be playing. And this, this is I swear to you. I mentioned it earlier. I'm not trying to file on him. I want Ben Simmons to be, you know, to play well and to at least just be in the mix. But I can't trust that, you know, given what we've seen over the last few years, I can't take that bet. It's like the old school Survivor commercials. I can't take that right.
Jack Yeah, and then Jaw, which we are intentionally putting him in the same category as Ben Simmons to give him a bulletin board material, Ja moran, is he gonna do it?
So this is the thing. I don't know if you saw this, like I don't remember, I don't even remember the outlet, but shout out to them. They put you know, a recent conversation was centered around breakout, like you know, like you know, like you guys that are gonna break out, and they had Jaw on the graphic and Jaw actually responded to it and said like, hey, you know, respectfully, I shouldn't be on this, while he should not have been on that. I do think this is a proven
year for him. We can be honest. He's been hurt. He's also had other reasons why he's been getting out of the lineup. This is year six for him. I honestly think this Grizzlies team is probably the probably the best that he's been on. We once everybody, you know, falls into their role, so I would like to see them. I would like to see what they look like this year. I want to see him dunking all over everybody again, and I want to see that, you know, I want to see what they do, you know, as a unit.
Yeah, if he stays healthy, I think there's a really good chance that we have some amazing jaw moments and that the Grizzlies making noise. It's just, you know, he's a small body who is jumping at heights that we've never seen an MP player jump, So it'll be interesting. Edie has looked good in the preseason. Oh yeah, So I'm excited. I'm excited for this team. I'm gonna I'm gonna be watching some league pass Grizzlies games for sure.
You know what, let me ask you that, who are some of your league pass team because they're one of mine as well.
So you got your Memphis, you got your Wemby. Obviously, I'm trying to think. I want to see Orlando this year. I want to see how that all looks. The Knicks are gonna be on all the time, so I don't have to put them in there.
Yeah, seems like, okay, so you'll be on all the time as well, you know, so we'll Denver.
Yeah, so I don't know, those will probably be my teams. Who else? Who am I missing? Houston is going to be interesting.
There you go. Houston is the one for me because again, I like their top line talent, I like the guys they have, like in support, I'm still questioning. Okay, so they got a bunch of younger guys and then they got you know, some actual vets that have had you know, you know, deep runs and I have a ton of experience. Well, yes, it's good to have a mix which what's going to be the direction of the team. So like that's kind of what I'm looking you know, who's taking over, you
know for the bulk of it. Is it going to be a Shane Goon lead offense. Is it going to be a Jalen Green lead offense? Are we going to see more fragman, you know what I mean? Like there's all types of questions there, so I'm intrigued.
I'm also going to be checking for the box because that's just could go either direction. But I want to see it succeed. I love Dame, I love Yiannis. That was really fun when they won the title.
Mm hmm.
And also Phoenix, I'm curious to see how that looks. I don't feel like they changed enough pieces for it to like suddenly be night and day from where they were last year. But we'll see.
Let me throw let me throw this out there about Phoenix. That's an excellent point people. You said I was going overboard a couple of years back when I said Clayton needed to come off the bench. When you know when you came back healthy for Golden State. If Phoenix is going to be serious, I think they need to balance things out by having Brad Buel come off the bench and manned that second unit. For one, you would you would immediately put him in six mant of year conversations.
It would kind of balance things a little bit more for them. I say all that to say this is what they should do, but I highly doubt they do.
Yeah, I don't. I don't think he like just it doesn't feel like it. It would make sense, like given who he is, right like, I feel like, you know, like he doesn't feel like the guy who's like going to lead that team and just be like yeah, now I'm I'm a role player. He's not going to do what Devin Booker did for the Olympics team, you know.
Or you know what, like say what lamar Odin did when Phil Jackson decided like hey, yeah, like I can actually utili.
This could be a weapon.
Yes, could be a weapon, but yeah.
I would I would like to see it, but let's let's try it out. Speaking of Clay, there was a great little graphic where somebody did a split screen of Tim Hardaway Junior and Clay and said you killed the man on the Tim Hardaway Junior side, but not the idea on the Clay side. Uh. And that was messed up.
Disrespectful and you know what respect And I'm sure Tim Hardaway Junior fans would be like or you know, his family would be like, what do you mean disrespectful? But y'all know that y'all know exactly what I mean.
You know, Yeah, no, diss not That's not what Dallas fans are looking for. Also, man, man, I might be having to watch some of these Golden State Warriors. Fam Have you seen this guy Steph Curry? Like I can shoot the rock, you can shoot the dang rock.
I think he's got a future.
All Right, we're going to do one rapid fire because it's just the two of the two of us. We're playing pickup hoops. We did presidents a couple of times. Last week, we did actors. This year it's musicians. We just got the first pick and took my favorite rapper, Alan Iverson in his prime. Unfortunately, we immediately instituted a rule that says nobody else is allowed to draft anybody who has ever played professional basketball. And you are on
the clock, who are you taking next? It can be any musician.
That is a very convenient rule.
It works out well for me.
I'm going to steal the pre show answer because Brian. I think it was Brian that brought it up. You are absolutely right.
Yeah, this would have worked for actor to give me the late great Prince Prince shoot it, yeah, Charlie Murphy era, and we got Prince.
Is gonna cross Ai up like Ai cross Jordan up at the free.
Thom Now, I just changed the rules back and I got Shaq, who got my second favorite rapper Shack?
All right? All right? Prime Kareem Abdul Jabbar, all right.
I like Shaq and Iverson together. I feel like they would have been pretty good. But yeah, no, Prince Prince was supposed to be pretty good too, So I think I won that one. Uh that is gonna do it for us this week? It's almost time. What's got you most excited? If you had to name one player, what's the player that's got you most excited right now?
It's Wimby. And I know that's cliche and left that was the answer going in the last season.
Because it's the correct answer.
That's the answer. And believe me, I'm We're a lot of things. But second year Winby and seeing if the trajectory continues along the line that I think is going to By the way, remember you asked me this last year how long it would take for him to be the best player in the league, And I said twenty twenty six, and then I came back and I amended that and said twenty twenty five.
Well, yeah, here we are, twenty twenty five. Do you think it's gonna be the second half of the season.
Second half of this season, if you know, if he continues, I think he's not going to be universally called the best player in the league. But we're we're gonna look back and say, like, man, he was, he was already there. He was there, he was already there.
All right, that's gonna do it? Jabari, where can people find you?
At? Jabari A. Davis on Twitter? What about you?
You can find me on Twitter at Jack Underscore O'Brien, and you can follow us by searching the hashtag mad Boosties That's B S t i e s for show links and updates, and be sure to join the conversation on air discord, which you can also find the link for wing search mad b W O S t i e S. That's gonna do it again. Another one in the books, Swish Way Downtown, Nothing but Ned