1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Is Sam Hoiberg Too Short to Play in the NBA? - June 25th, 12:00pm

Episode Date: June 25, 2026

Is Sam Hoiberg Too Short to Play in the NBA?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to go one-on-one with D.P. Sponsored by the Downtown Lincoln Foundation on 93-7 the ticket. Run that baseline, run that baseline. Run that baseline. Tomorrow, 11 to 6. Buffalo Wings and Rook, 68th and O. Fan appreciation or customer appreciation that. Come on through.

50-cent wings. day. Boneless and traditional come on through. Do raffles and otherwise. Again, we have some jerseys of note. If you have one that sparks your interest, let me know. And we will raffle that one off. But I think we have the two Nix jerseys. We have the Fraser and the bridges. And then we have, I think I would, DeMorne would text me and say put mine up because he's going to be there, be able to take pictures and the line. um jacory barn barney jersey the jerry taggy jersey

um that we will offer up for those that stop in of the news of today the Huskers match the best Directors Cup finish since 2001 Huskers match the best directors cup finish since 2001

Bach are we surprised by that not necessarily after the year we had But, oh, after, you know, some years, it was a couple of years ago. They're like 49th in this thing. So it is quite the rise for the athletic department as a whole. 17th overall in the Division I Directors Cup standings. Finished the year with 929 total points, the most points Nebraska scored in the Big Ten era going back to 2011. The seventh place finish matches the program's best showing since a 13th,

place finish in 2000 and 2001. Bach, what was going on 2000, 2001? Well, the football team was pretty darn good. That's for sure. The volleyball team won the title in 2000. John Cook went undefeated in his first year. So, man, I think those would probably be some of the leaders. How was baseball? Baseball was coming around, of course, under Dave Van Horn. Let's go back and look at some of those other teams. Yeah, get pulled some numbers. Troy Dannen, he posted top 25 finishes the last three years. The first time this happened more than two decades. First time you've been on a run like this.

Also marks the fourth consecutive straight year for Nebraska has improved in the final standings. As Bach said, they were, in 2021, they were 49th. Steadily improved, 29th, then 22nd, then 21st, and now 17th. Nebraska, which owns, which was 21st, in the most recent update going into the college world series for softball in early June, climbed four spots in the final standings behind the performances of track and field baseball,

softball. The baseball team reached the NCAA tournament, earned 37.5 points while Huskers, men's and women's track teams finished, posted a top 10 finish combined for an impressive 183.75 points. Nebraska had nine sports with top 10 finishes. Nine sports, nine of the 19 that are measured in the Director's Cup. But nine, finish in top 10, six teams that are in top five. Those programs include wrestling, which was third, men's gymnastics, which was fourth, volleyball, which was fifth, softball, which was fifth, rifle, which was fifth, bowling,

which was fifth, women's outdoor track and field, eighth, men's basketball, ninth and men's outdoor track and field night overall 19 sports are counted in the d1 standings five of which must be women's soccer volleyball and basketball but also includes baseball and basketball the next highest sports scored in each institution regardless of gender are used in the standing so women carrying weight men you step up your game Nebraska was one of eight big 10 teams to finish in the top 25. In reverse order, Wisconsin was number 24. Oregon was number 23.

Penn State was 21st. Of course, the Huskers were 17th. Ohio State was 10th. Michigan was ninth. USC was seventh. And Bach, any ideas who the top team in the Big Ten was in the Directors Cup? right. Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Not sure. Saucy. Saucy, kind sir. Saucy Bernays. UCLA. UCLA. So that's another program that if it gets the football help required,

they could do some damage. But even without the blown up football program, UCLA finished third. Now, women's basketball title, that certainly helps. Basketball, baseball. Yeah. Top of it. Softball.

in the top national arm. So, yeah, that's how you get it done, is balanced and otherwise. In all, the SEC and the Big Ten account for 17 of the top 25 spots, with the others coming six from the ACC, one from the Ivy League, and one in the Big 12.

Big 12, your attention, please. Come to the courtesy phone and explain yourself. One, Big 12 team in the top 25. What are y'all doing, Big 12? what are y'all doing? Can you imagine, right? Can you imagine? I saw that too.

The crazy, well, I don't know if it's that crazy, but Stanford has never finished lower than third in this. Their second this year. Just imagine, I mean, again, they would have finished first had they won. I mean, they do well on some of the other Olympic sports. Yeah. That's a big part of it, right?

It's a big part of it. Overall, you have to be consistent and balanced. And that's literally how it works. I mean, you know, we don't talk about Stanford as an athletic power, but it is. You know, and it's just still weird that it's ACC now. Yeah. Like, it's just weird to me. I haven't gotten comfortable with that.

I'm just getting comfortable with Maryland being in Big Ten. I was raised on Maryland and ACC. It's really weird to me to kind of disconnect the Terps are from the ACC and put them in the Big Ten, but that's what it is. Eric says this, be prepared to be heckled. if you are heard ordering boneless wings. Bach, kind sir. Are you a boneless or traditional guy? Traditional, by far.

By far. What about your son? Well, he likes the chicken skins, too, so I guess he would like the traditional as well. Right? Well, he likes the skin. Now, boneless wings are good, too. They're just not pretty about the same. Do you, do you, I, listen, I worry that boneless skins

boneless wings aren't chicken. Yeah? I worry about it because, wait a minute, you press the chicken. It's not in a natural form. Like, I'm always curious about, like, what did you? Did you accumulate the scraps? Press them together and then coat them and fry them? Like, I, listen, it's a part of who I am.

I worry. Now, there are people, too, that would say that you look like an animal while you're eating bone in wings, and that's why they would prefer boneless. But that slants to the caveman, Neanderthal portion of people who, right frankly, come here, chicken. There is the thing, right? You really don't know a person until you eat chicken wings with them. You don't know a person. Watching a person and how they attack or approach eating traditional chicken wing.

How much meat's left on the bone? How much meat is on the bone? You know, what direction? Do you go to the middle of it? Do you go to the drumstick? Are you a thumbs person? How do you approach it? Do you pull the bones apart?

Like, do you rip it? Do you need to hear the crackle of that joint separating? Right? It's, you know, it lets you know who people are. Eric's is chicken nuggets are for children. See, you know what? I'll give Eric credit for that because that's part of my problem with Don.

Chicken Nuggies? Oh. You're grown up, bro. You're grown up. What do you do? He's also served hard time, so it's not, I mean, he balances out pretty well. Did he? Did he?

Yeah, there's that one night, right? Did he? Did he really? Right. He earned his stripes. Listen. I wonder if he says that around Jacob Potts here. Right?

Like if you if you want to, if Don wants to say he served hard time, he has to say to Jacob Potter. Yeah. Who really served hard time. Like say it to Art True. Right? Like, bro.

Yeah. Obviously in the story. Right. Come on. What do we do? A lot of the conversation. So the NBA drafted and 60 players were drafted, 46 of them from the U.S.

Of various ports of around the company. I think those numbers are. off too because I thought of six Nigerian players right out of the bat. So I think the numbers are off a little bit. But there was a time when it was where the draft picks were European dominant and it was happening for a variety of reasons. I think those younger European players were finding themselves into the league in other ways. They're getting themselves into colleges pretty quickly.

As a matter of fact, if you look in the Big Ten, Big Ten is Euro pro-friendly. Illinois, several professional European players. So I think that's the thing, right? Bach, that from it, how are we going to identify pro, the term pro, when it comes to college basketball? Because they're European players who are a little older, right? when are they on the clock at 19 or proof of 19? I suppose.

Yeah, you're going to have to prove it. There's also, I think it was... Into the clearinghouse with proof of birth proof? I think so. There's also interesting. There's a draft and stash back at the end of the second round that's going to be playing Auburn. That's a little bit different too.

You know, we've had draft and stash for years. but usually don't come play college basketball. Well, sometimes it's partnering with a coach that you're familiar with and his system, that he runs your system. And that'll be a big thing. Like, I would imagine that there are quite a few NBA executives who would love to have Fred Hoyberg coached players because he runs systems that are familiar and consistent with NBA systems. Now, right?

So it wouldn't be a terrible thing to get a guy that was coached by an NBA guy. And that'll be a big part of the forward as a powerful coach. It will almost make more sense for you to have been an NBA friendly player coach, right? Somebody that can explain. I mean, think about it. Michigan, that's how they were built. The only... BetMGM is an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. One's that really stayed outside of that. Tom iso, right? But most of the other folks, NBA-friendly matters. So imagine if you're Denver, wouldn't you rather have a college player that you're interested in, that you know plays in the system that's easy and convenient for you to scout, right? You can see them in your system playing now.

You see their development. You see whether they're acclimating to the system that they would. would be a paid professional. Wouldn't you enjoy that? Wouldn't that be helpful, yeah. Right? To be able to go, wait a minute, okay. I would imagine that the relationship between Illinois

and the Chicago Bulls will change pretty soon. Right? It'll change based on this stuff. Carolina, all the Carolina schools. And the Hornets were really upset. They were shut down, but the Hornets said, we're just going to go older. We're just going to get, we're just going to go older.

By the way, the Lamello ball trade to Minnesota, Bach, walk me through. You're getting in the head of the Hornets. What are you doing? You made the playoffs, right? You made the play in. Yeah, they're right there. I think it's opening up Brandon Miller and Khan Canipa a little bit to be the leads there.

And then Kobe White's going to resign with them. And he average 15, you know, not quite, you know, but, you know, a salary difference, quite a bit of a salary difference. him in Lamello. So I think you're just, I think they're just handing over the reins to a couple of their younger guys and they feel like Kobe White

can step in that point card spot. You know, they don't like the Lamello's whole ticket. Yeah. And he will in Minnesota too. But he also will take, he'll also jack up some shots. Oh,

there'll be some conversations in Minneapolis. Anthony Edwards, like, well, hey, man, Rudy Gober. Hey,

let's have some conversations. Let's have some conversations. But it also sets it up that Lamello coming off Gobert Pigs with Edwards on the wing certainly opens the door. That like that, listen, Lamello finally has a legitimate big that can run interference for him. So I certainly get that. Of course, the Washington Wizards choosing A.J. Their stories change every day about whether they think they'll be able to count on Anthony Davis for them.

And I wish they'd make up their mind. Because if Anthony Davis stays, I could see myself buying into the wizard. If he doesn't, what would you, who would, what, what's the trade range for an Anthony Davis, Bach? Give me a player like that if you said, okay, Washington could get him for Anthony Davis. What's the player level in your mind? I hope you're doing dirty business with the Lakers, apparently you can get a pretty good player out of it. But at this point, you're not, I mean, but I think there's only one player that they want from the Lakers.

And they can't have them. So I don't think that they, I don't think, Luca's not possible. LeBron is possible, but I'm not sure. Again, we did that with Jordan. Like we brought Lake Jordan to D.C. Not necessarily what you want to do. just asked Kwame Brown as the big in the middle, young big in the middle, trying to play with a goat contender late in his career.

Like you have to play their way. And a good annual reminder, don't call, call me, Quambeer Brown a bus, he'll come and beat you. I, I have committed to never saying speaking ill of Kwame Brown. That will never happen on my watch. A dude knows that. Like, you talk about, like, the fighting, like I said.

Oh, yeah, yeah. At the very top of the, listen. High on the list of people that I would not want to have to throw hands with, Guamai Brown. Yeah. Guamie Brown's really. Trevor Reza? Yeah, you don't find him.

High on that list. Charles Haley. Charles Haley. Even, even at 60. Listen, I would fight Anthony Smith before I fought Charles Hale. Yeah. Yeah. And Anthony, like, it's not a long roll call before Anthony.

Right, it's not a long list. There's certain people that just don't want to mess. So Kwame is on that list. We were talking about Sam Hoyberg. And first of all, I can name 12 to 15 players who were drafted in the second round, who I think Sam Hoyberg is a better player. Is that a fair thing? In the second round?

Yes. I don't want to there's just so many good players the NCAA's all-time assist leader was in the second round you know sometimes I think we get this idea you know especially college to pro

you know the second round is not that big of a deal but there's always some pretty darn good players there but I get your point I mean yeah players that you would want on your team ahead of Sam Hoyberg there are guys that are drafted in the second round also based on development right and so at this point

their career. Yeah, I'd take same. Right. Like, I get that, hey, man, you love who you love. But as a basketball coach, yeah, man, let me get that dude. Let me get the coach's kid who played in the big 10, was successful in the big 10, right? Doesn't need the ball in his hand, right? Like, doesn't need shots. He's not a point guard that requires shots. Right? Is he willing to do all of the. the things on the floor that you want done that maybe other people don't want to do.

I mean, if you told me, if you put him in the irritant, the Duwain Schroeder irritant category, I think Sam Hoyberg would be the guy that opposing players would just get mad at and opposing coaches would like. Even in the NBA, how many point guards are going to run by Sam Hoyberg? especially for a two-minute stretch where he gets to come in an empty tank and just be a nuisance. I was going to say, I think just having them at practice,

I mean, would level it up. And he's fighting for, if Sam Hoyberg's fighting for a roster spot at practice, oh my goodness. It's a whole other level of intensity. Everybody's got to play. Yeah.

Like, and every play is a play. I also was asked this question about rank bass, but we'll talk about him in the next. next segment. If I said to you that there are, you had a list. Who was on your list of the smaller, now, they did the NBA tape measure and they measured Sam Hoyberg at six foot and three eighths of an inch. I think that's where they landed just below six one. So, but I think six one is kind of the measuring mark. Bach, you had six one players

currently in the NBA. I let me go back to that. I love that list a little bit. Six one players in the NBA. And folks were talking about it this morning. Sam's shooting percentage from three went down as his career extended. As his minutes went up, his shooting went down. Is that a fair statement? That the more minutes he spent on the floor, the lower his three-point shooting percentage. Right? So where how he literally, he was the designated shooter as the walk on 12th man. Like that's what he did in the scout team. That was his role. and then the more playing time than the shooting percentage went down.

And then we also need to figure out what Sam's three-point shooting percentage was versus the field, what his field goal shooting percentage was. And here's why. So Ryan Nimhardt, I was with the Dallas band. Under six foot.

Average six and a half points, five assists, two rebound, shot 41, percent 41 and a half percent from the field right so there we put a flag there jordan mclaughlin for san antonio two points a game just under a rebound and an assist per game shooting 41.8 percent from the field okay Isaiah Stevens uh with sac with sacramento three point three points a game one rebound three point three assists shot 43 percent from the field 40

33% best shooter are amongst those in that conversation. And then Yuki Karamora for the Chicago Bulls, 3.4 points per game, two rebounds a game, two and a half assists per game. Field goal percentage, 32.7. So if you tell me that the baseline is a Yuki type of player, I can easily put Sam in the Yuki category. Right? Style of play. energy, right, does all the right things.

Scrappy defender, right? He is 5'7 inches tall. 5.7. Could Sam Hoyberg play in the NBA? He can play in the NBA. Again, the height is, it is a factor, right? It's more difficult, obviously, to make the league the shorter you get. But it has not stopped a lot of great players from being great.

we just saw Jalen Brunson won a title. He can't be much taller than Sam, if any. And, you know, obviously the grades around, you know, the Allen Iversons and stuff that Isaiah Thomas is of the world, both Isaiah Thomases, I suppose, you know, Peyton Pritchard right now is 6'1. There's J.J. Barreya. I mean, there's just so many examples over the years that you could,

he could figure out a role, like find out a role, right? So it is possible. A lot of those guys, though, do bring a little bit more. It's just kind of different. know, offensively, bring a little bit more what you would, what you'd think offensively. But I will give Sam credit for improving on his offense because he didn't shoot 38% from beyond the arc this past year. Career is a 36% shooter from beyond the arc. Now, granted, the NBA's arc is going to go a little bit deeper, but that's pretty solid numbers,

right? What's his field goal percentage overall? Field goal percentage overall was 54% this past year, close to 49% for his career. and he became very crafty with finishes at the rim. I mean, very and very good at it, right? I mean, he makes free throws? Yeah. We don't know any NBA coaches that like tough defenders who make free throws late in ballroom.

Yeah. He's not going to create his own three often, but the NBA, you gave a lot of open looks. They didn't do that a whole lot of Nebraska. I just think there's an opportunity. There is. I think there's an opportunity. I think he's, I like the odds that he ends up in the G league. I like the odds a little bit more

when I think about the fact that, listen, he will do the things that coaches want in their system that they want in their organization. That's just that. We'll talk about the other big guy, rink mask, Pacers, give him the opportunity. And there's some questions. We'll ask some questions, kind sir,

and get box perspective on rink mask as a professional basketball player. We'll get that when we come back to one-on-one.