Club Shay Shay - Best of NBA News Part 1: Unc FURIOUS at Byron Scott DISRESPECTING LeBron James LAKERS LEGACY! Unc & Ocho FLAME the WNBA for being CHEAP after the STARS SHINE with UNRIVALED

Episode Date: March 4, 2026

Subscribe to Nightcap presented by PrizePicks so you don’t miss out on any new drops! Download the PrizePicks app today and use code SHANNON to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/NI... 0:00 - Face of the NBA10:50 - Knicks snap Spur's 11-game win streak in blowout18:35 - Byron Scott wants LeBron out of LA40:37 - Unrivaled putting the pressure on WNBA (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than No Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sports most consequential driver's strike and plenty of other mishapsed scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, dumpster fire

for more than 75 years. Listen to No Grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry.

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Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL offseason. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters.

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Go ahead and click that subscribe button below so you don't miss a single episode of Nightcap. That button right here. Come for the sports. Stay for the story. The cab showed their toughness today when they beat the Nets. 106 to 102, James Hardin scored 22 points in his return in the lineup with a broken thumb. Keon Ellis also played with a fracture finger today and still was able to put up five blocks and three steals. The cows got a defensive menace at the trade deadline from the Sacramento Kings.

Yeah, look, the thing is that I think it's on this non-shooting hand, James is the left end. I think it's his right thumb. Right, yeah. He played well today in the return. I think he had 22, nine, and seven. I say something like that. The Biggs played okay. I thought Evan Mobley played well.

You look at this grad, I don't know if you guys can see it. But Detroit, 45 and 14, the one seed currently. Boston, 40 and 20, the two seed. The Knicks are 39 and 22, the three seed. The Cavs are 3824, the four seed. Toronto, 35 and 25 to 5 seed. So if the season ended the day, Cleveland will face Toronto,

the Knicks were placed, faced the 76ers, Boston would face the Magic, and Detroit, well, we play the, whoever wins out of the 710 matchup. But, look, it's close. Obviously, it's not as, you know,

what is 3 and 6? 3 and 6, it's a bigger separation than what it is in the Western Conference, because it's only two games, separating three from six in the Western Conference, and it's about six games, separating five and a half, separating three to six in the Eastern Conference.

But Detroit, Detroit's looked well all year. They played really well. They got an all-MBA selection, and Kate Cunningham, I think Duren is going to be an NBA selection also. He might make the all-defense team. Hell, Kaye might make the all-defense team because he's that good. Yeah.

The problem they're going to have, is that Durn is going to damn to get a max contract five years over $200 million. And it's better, it's kind of like football, it's better to sign these guys early than late. Because in basketball, they don't give discounts. And teams don't even ask them. In baseball, they don't give them no discounts. Ain't nobody with there and just, hey, judge, check this out, man. We try to put a team around you.

Can you cut, no. The players associate you won't let you do it. So your hand ain't cut no deal. The only deal that he cut is that he's like, you know what, I'm nice. I'm nice like boss. Give me $2 million a year. And then the other $68, so he gets done. So he's only costing them $2 million a year.

That's why they're able to just stack players on top of players. You get a Brady Freeman. You get a bets. The guy that just signed for $60 million a year. You get those kind of guys because you get guys taking deferred compensation. Now, they'll do that. But it still keeps the market up here. Right.

And so, but it's going to be very, very interesting. The NB has kind of been quiet this year, Ocho. Uh-huh. In terms of what? Well, Steph has been out because you can see the shift coming. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The shift is coming. The young guard is coming.

The old coming out of the-on. Steph is going to move on. Katie's going to move on. You know, and so things are going to be different. Right. Things are going to be different. The league is transitioning away from those guys, and that's okay. The legal is in great hands.

It moved on from Dr. Jay, Larry, and Magic. It moved on from Jordan. It moved on from Kobe and all those Shaq and all those guys. The league will be fine. The legal will continue to prosper. Yeah. It'll be fine.

I'm trying to, hold on. I'm trying to look at these stats right quick. I think, I mean, the NBA, obviously, the new guard that is coming in, they have a lot of excitement. Obviously, players that put butts in the seats. said a lot of fans, regards to what team you support. You look forward to watching them.

Obviously, and man, you got, you got Wimby. I'm not sure if you would put Zion in that due to the inconsistency of actually being healthy and actually plan. And who will? Jah could have been in there.

Cade, Cade. Yes. Obviously, in that conversation, Jha, I'm not sure what's going on with Jai over over. But you got Wimby, you got SGA,

you got Ant Man. Yeah, yeah, okay. You know, you got Yoke. Obviously, we mentioned we got Brunson, J.B. JT. is out, but the young guy, I mean, there are a lot of under 30 guys that's going to, you know,

the league that's going to have to carry the league like those old guard, like Magic and Bird and Doc and Jordan and then Kobe and Shaq and here come LeBron and K.D. and Steph and all those guys, Harden is going to, you know, going to move on also. But those guys, you know, go ahead. You know what's funny? It's obviously with a new guard coming in.

and all the great names you just named, who the hell is the face of the NBA now? Once the old guard moves on, who's the face? They don't have one. And they won't Ant Man, but Ant Man said, nah, let Wimby do it. Amman want to be Amman. And, you know, Ant Man want to go, you know,

because there's a pressure that comes along with that. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So you have to, you know, your image and everything and where you're going, how you conduct yourself and thing like that. And they said, no, that ain't dying me, because I ain't been to hold y'all. You know, I ain't really try to, you know, when I'm in Atlanta, you all see that the collab that's going on with Magic City and the Hawks.

You know, I'm trying to be down now. I'm trying to get on the lemon pepper wings. Hey, the collab is Mar 16. We're going, right? You and Joe going? Okay, okay, okay. Well, me and Joe, we'll tell you about it. Yeah, we'll tell you about it.

I might hit Madge up and say, Mad, let me get one of them hoodies. Yeah. They got Atlanta Hall, Magic City Collab Hoodie, the side. I might take a look at that. But right now, right now, Ocho, I don't think, I don't think they got to face of the league. And, you know, obviously all things being equal, who they want to be the face of the league,

that's not what he wants to be. And, you know, you want somebody to embrace that. Yeah. Guys used to embrace, you know, magic and bird and Kobe and Jordan, LeBron and stuff. They embraced it. Mm-hmm. And there are guys that are willing to embrace.

embrace it, but the NBA is like, nah, we don't kind of want y'all to be the face. We want him. We want him to be the face. Right, right, right, right. But I think eventually it might have to, because it's becoming such an international game and some of your best players are international,

if you probably had to take a pick, your top five players in the NBA, maybe top seven are all international players. So it might be your face of your league. It might have to be. Someone that's not even from here. Yeah. Yeah. Because if you look at, I mean, if you look at baseball, it's one or two players.

It's Aaron Judge or Shoahe. And if you take a poll, they're probably going to say 90% to say show hate. Yeah. Yeah. But the MLB also has always had that. They've always had Dominican. They've always had Cuban players. They've always had players from, you know, those countries.

Yeah. That have dominated in business. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so now, and the Asian-born players were the Nomo, or Hedekhi Matsui, Ichiro. Each other.

Yeah, they've also some Korean players. So they've always had that. Basically, this shift that happened, yeah, there were a few foreign-born players. Like I said, I think I read somewhere, it might have been nine players that was in the NBA in 92. Right. And now you might have every team that play in the Olympics might have three, four guys. You look at Canadians. Damn than the Canadians' whole team is in the NBA.

The Slovenian team have players in the NBA. the Serbian team, Yokey's team, Greece. So it's a lot more. So now it might be, it might, you might not have a choice, but to have a Shay or a Janus or, you know, one of those guys, you know, a yoke as the face. It is what it is. It is what it is. Right now, Kate is coming.

I think he's a couple. I mean, Ant-Man, but it's an ant-man that has a charisma. He has the personality. Personality. Yeah, he has the shoe. He's perfect. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He is.

He is. He has a game to match. But Ocho? Yeah. You have to want someone to want it. He has to want to be it. Yeah. You can't force it on him.

It comes with too much, uncle. It comes with too much pressure because you have to conduct yourself a certain way, not only on the court as an example, but even off the court. And, I mean, if you know aunt personally, that ain't happening. That ain't. That definitely happening. You look at the quarterbacks. You look at them that's been the face of the league.

You know, you look at, be it, Marino or Elway or Montana or Brady or Manning or Mahomes. You see, Josh Allen, the way they kind of lead to that. Yeah. You know, Josh Allen, like, man, I want to be the fact. Baby, we've been doing this thing. We've been dating for like six months. You want to get married? You know what I'm saying?

You want to get married, don't you? You see the quarterback, they don't be wasting no time, Boucho. Oh, no. Quick. Quick. They don't play. So we will see. I think there's some American players that's getting better.

Like I said, Kay Cunningham is getting unbelievable. We got Ant Man. We got J.T. We got J.B. JT would gladly, gladly accept that role. The problem that he's having that he's getting pushed from a teammate. Right. It's hard to be.

Hold on. how are you to face the league and you're not even the best player on your own team. Ooh, some would say, now that all depends on the end. That's my point. Right, right. And so, you know, normally with the face of the NBA, you got to be the one guy on your team. Yeah. So it's going to be very interesting in the next.

I think, look, we do all this target all we want to. Until 23 for the Lakers League, he's still it. You think so? Still. He's still it. He's still it. Right. You look at his social media.

You look at his engagement. You look at who moves the needle. Right. It ain't no question. No question. Understandable. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies.

Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind. Now, I've got my own show. If you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms in the IHeartRadio app. Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than no grip. a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series.

Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F-1, including the astrology of the current grid. Lewis Hamilton, Crapicorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it? Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. The story of the sports most consequential driver strike. We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out, and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom.

And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1, career, a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both. He started getting all this attention, and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better, and plenty of other mishap scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026.

IHeart Podcast Awards, live from South by Southwest, March 16th, will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, see all the nominees now at IHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award.

Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped.

This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine. The NFL draft Pro Days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel, Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits to my top 101 free agents and how real

rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move. We got teams rebuilding its hope season. Yeah, absolutely. It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations, every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Spurs 11-game winning street with a blowout, 114 to 89, Mikhail Bridges had 25, Jalen Brunson

had 24. The Spurs couldn't overcome 22 turnovers that led to 24 points, and they were out rebounding 54 to 41, something that they're really, they're not because of Wimby. Wimby played well, but, you know, they went on the run. I think the Knicks went on a 20, a run outscored him 22-0, and they could never get back in the game after that. They never could. But they played, look, you got McHale Bridges and Avarado.

He comes in the game and he's a spark plug. And you knew he would be that type of guy that the Knicks crowd would love because he plays with a lot of energy. They like that, a lot of hustle, a lot of grit. He's going to make a big shot. he's going to get you a couple of turnovers. He's going to feed, you know, get the crowd energized. I'm not surprised that the nickel base love him as much as they love him,

which I'm trying to pull up this game. Here. Yeah, Champini, three points. Wemby was 25 and 13, but they shot terrible from the three. Nine of 34, 24, 24, what's that, 26 percent, 42 percent from the floor. And the mere fact, they only had 89 points, less you know. But OG had 12, Kat had 12. Josh Hart almost had a triple double.

He had 10. McHale Bridges had 25. Brunton had 24. DeWari had 14. But they got overall contributions. And look. From everybody? Yes, they did.

And like a, and you know the Knicks want to play, you know, they got McHale Bridges, who's a wing defender. They got Josh Hart who can defend. They got OG can defend. Right. Mitchell Robinson comes in and he can bang and he can defend. But they do a great job. They do a great job of creating chaos and turning

turnovers into points. And that was really the difference in the ball game. They just kept turning the spurs over. The spurs couldn't protect the ball. And they're going to have to do a better job of that. Look, they had won 11 games, had been playing really, really well. And to play at the level,

I don't think they were going to go undefeated heading into the postseason. But I think they're, you know, I think the coach is pleased with the way they played thus far, but today was just one of those games, a nationally televised game. It's an early game. They don't normally play that early, Ocho. But give those guys, give those guys credit. They played, the Knicks played an unbelievable game today and they got to win

and blow out fashion. And the Knicks needed this too, aren't? Yes. They've been, they haven't been playing too well, especially as a group collectively. The way they played today is how they can play it. They can find some type of balance, you know, not too high, not too low, but find Now, I even kill way to play collectively as a group the way they did today, they can make some hay and make some noise similar to what they did last year.

I know I've been watching Stephen A. He's been upset with the Knicks, the past few games and what they've displayed out there as far as the product is on the court. But, I mean, shockingly to me, you know, knowing that the Spurs were playing the Knicks, I thought obviously the Spurs would run away with this game and the Knicks look completely different, you know, a completely different team. watching them play today. Well, they swore on Wemba.

Wemby have seven turnos by himself of those 22. You can't turn the ball over like that because now you create, you get runouts, things of that nature. And like I said, the Knicks can cause you that type of problem if you turn the ball over because they got really good defenders.

OG can defendants. O.G. can defend it in high level. We know McHale Bridges can. We know Judge Hart can. So they got guys that can clamp the ball and keep the ball in front of them. And so, and Mitchell Robinson,

comes. Obviously, Cat is seven foot and he'll block a shot here or there, but that's not what Cat is known for. He's known for, you know, being a perimeter big that can shoot the ball extremely well. We know Brunson is Brunson. He's going to get you buckets. He's going to make clutch shots. He's as clutch as any player that we have in this league, so we know what he represents is that when they play defense like this, they force you in the turnovers and they make you shoot 26% from the three. You're not going to beat them. And they double, you know, they've made 17 threes you made uh you made nine so now they out they're 24 they're plus 24 from the three point line so if somebody's plus 24 from the three point line and they force you into 22 turnovers this

probably was going to be the outcome of the game you're probably going to get blown out yeah it's really that simple it's really that simple and so uh give the nix credit i mean i'm sure step and a is happy about this uh happy but not satisfied right um because he knows they got an uphill struggle because Boston is played well. Boston is playing extremely well. Toronto's putting that thing together. Toronto's better than people think. I watched them the other night.

You know, Scotty Barnes and B.I., those guys are playing R.J. Barrett, they got some scorers over there. They're playing really well. Yaka Portal or Portal. They're better than you think. Now, do I think they can beat the Knicks and the seven? Nah, I don't.

I don't think, you know, when it's all said, done, it's probably going to be Boston and probably the Knicks, looking at how everything is kind of like shaping up Ocho. Like it's going to be Boston and the Knicks. If I had to bet anything, I like Philly, but I just don't know if, if, Embeddead's going to be healthy enough.

Tyrese Max is going to be Tyrese Maxy. Edgecom is going to do Edgham things. They probably, you know, I don't know if and when PG is coming back, But if I had, if you were like, okay, Shannon, who do you, I mean, who do you think is going to be in the Eastern Conference finals? I'd probably say Boston and, uh, Boston and Knicks. And that's a, that's an old rivalry that they had, when it happened last year, I don't know if we'll ever get those,

those 80s rivalries like it once was. But we'll see, we'll see the Knicks played well today and they needed this ball game. They definitely needed this ball game more than the Spurs. The Spurton needed it to try to keep place with OKC. because the thing is like all things being equal, like I think they probably need the home court more than OKC because the type of ball, the OKC play, it does travel. They got a lot of wings.

They got five, six guys that can defend at an elite level. Shea, you already know, Pils and Shea in for 30. You just Pils and me in for 30. Automatically. You know, he's going to get there. Yeah. And so now you get a couple of those other guys to come along with him. You get Chet, you get Jdub, you get Wallace, you get some of those other guys.

I'm Zail Joe, you get some of those other. And Carusia. He always shows up in big games. He's going to make the right play. He's going to create chaos. He's going to create turnovers. He's going to knock down a big three. He's going to get a big steal.

He knows what these moments mean. Having played on that Lakers championship team and before that, and last year he was a big reason why they won the championship last year. Some guys just understand the moment. And they can rise to the occasion in said moment. And Caruso is definitely one of those guys. So the Spurs, look, 11 straight games, Ocho, to get back in this thing.

They're the team that gives OKC the most trouble. But you never know in the seven-game series. You never know an injury here or injury there. Change everything. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind. Now, got my own show.

If you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms in the IHeart Radio app. Ready for a different take on Formula One, look no further than no grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F-1, including the astrology of the current grid. Lewis Hamilton, Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it? Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. The story of the sports most consequential driver strike.

We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out, and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom. And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1 career, a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both? He started getting all this attention, and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better. And plenty of other mishaped, scandals, and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. is on to our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th,

will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, see all the nominees now at IHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app.

Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar.

Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the Combine, the NFL Draft, Prod, trades, this is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits. To my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included.

You got quarterbacks on the move. We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season. Yeah, absolutely. It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for you. your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations every week. I'm not about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah. Former Lake of Byron Scott wants LeBron James off the team. Scott said, I think he should be his last year here. I don't, he don't have to go home, but you got to get the hell out of here. Ocho, are you surprised to see Byron Scott publicly calling for LeBron's departure? That wasn't A.S. Byron Scott really said that? You heard me on? Byron Scott really said that publicly? That's what he said.

Yeah. You've known his podcast. I mean, that's crazy. And obviously, maybe, maybe I don't, I doubt that Byron Scott would really feel that way. Or maybe he actually does because LeBron is not the same LeBron of old, but, but, but, but, but, but, but saying that he needs to leave L.A. And Luke would just be the only person there that, that, that is somewhat consistently outside of Austin Reeves makes no damn sense. So why is LeBron? being the one that's being called out from Byron Scott

when all the other issues that even Ray Charles can see that they have going on with the Lakers right now. I don't know. I think the thing is, and I don't know when this started happening that guys from an organization, great guys from an organization

would all of a sudden call out guys that's currently within the organization. And maybe this is a Kobe thing. LeBron was never really accepted, even though he really revitalized the Lakers organization, I don't care what anybody says and I think the fans understand

they know that. They know what the Lakers were Kobe last three years. And when Kobe left, they know what the Lakers were. I don't know what is this. Right. What are we talking about?

If LeBron doesn't come, the Lakers are not selling for a billion dollars. Right. You're not going to be able to get Luca because you don't get AD. AD is not coming to L.A. Mm-hmm.

It's just, I don't know what LeBron did to piss so many great players are. Yeah. Oh, no, he didn't. No, he didn't. I get it. Ocho, and a lot of times, we talk about this on the show all the time, Ocho. These guys currently in the NFL get privileges and things we didn't get.

But I don't begrudge them because we got things in the 90s and 2000 that guys in the 70s and 80s didn't get. They got things in the 70s and 80s that guys in the 50s and 80s that guys in the 50s. 50s and 60s didn't get. It's this thing called evolution. The game grows, the game evolves, and people get more things. It's okay. But this notion

that LeBron James is the only one that's ever had power within an organization. Do y'all realize that a man won a championship and Magic had a falling out and he says, it's either him or me? And Dr. Buzz fired the coach that won an NBA title. Yeah.

That happened. Landberg did the same thing. it happens. But for some reason, anything that goes wrong, that is the reason why. That's what free agency was meant to do. So you need to tell me you want free agency and then want guys to stay. If that was the case, what was free agency for?

What was free agency for, Ocho, if guys are not going to move around? Yeah. I get it. Team a trade a player like it's nothing. Don't perform in what they do. Even if you do perform, if they think they can get better, they'll move you. But now a player say, you know what?

I think I've gone. I think it's going about as far as it can. Yeah, I can't move. Yeah. But LeBron, there are been a lot of guys that's moved, but nobody has caught the criticism. And LeBron James has never asked for a trade. Every time LeBron James has moved, Ocho, he's played his contract out.

Check out. He played his contract out in Cleveland. He went to Miami. He played that four years out. He went back to Cleveland. He played that four years out, and he headed the L.A. I just don't get it. I don't know.

I've never, you've never, I've never heard so many great players, championship winning players, take shots at LeBron. You have to understand. It comes with the territory. He sits at the top of the mountain. He's the great one.

He's the chosen one. He's the one with the moniker, the king. So what do they do? Regardless of his accomplishments, regards of his accolades, you know? I mean, people,

they argue that Jordan debate. What's about the greatest, basketball player of all time. So what happens when you're the greatest of what you do, regardless of what you've done, even those that have played, you know, your sport, they're going to have something to say, whether it's good or bad, because what you've done is not enough to them, despite what we may think on the outside, despite what you may think and understanding how great LeBron is and what he's done for organizations to date. Again, he moves the needle. So what's one way to move the needle on a platform? We want eyes and viewers to listen. You talk about

the one all the way at the top. Yeah. But I think LeBron is smart enough to know Ocho. He knows there was nothing he could do to topp of Kobe. That's not what you... Just because I'm trying to achieve something, that doesn't mean I'm trying to take his statue down. Why can't we both regret?

I think he understands that in Miami is going to be... It's Wade County. He understood that. Do I believe in Duane Wade knows that LeBron is a better player? Yes. But if you might ask Miami Heat fan, they'll say D. Wade. Right. So he knew, no matter what he did, he could not be winning us championships to overcome Kobe,

magic, Kareem, and Shaq. That wasn't going to happen. No. And I think he, I don't think he's, he was that naive just like, man, you know what? And I don't think he winning with that mindset. He didn't go with that mindset. Kobe came there as a 17-year-old kid and left as a. as a fully grown, married father of three, four kids.

Yeah. Rest his soul and Gigi. That's what he did there. And that's okay. Same thing with Magic. Magic came there and never left. Magic was a 20-year-old. Now, mostly of the other great play, I mean, obviously, Shack, spent four years,

if I'm not mistaken, in Orlando. Corrine spent, I think, six years in, in, in, Milwaukee. But you know, you look at James Worthy, you look at Jerry West, you know, and Elgin Baylor, those guys, you know, spent their careers there. But I just, I don't know what LeBron did to piss off so many people. Hey, a lot of it. Oh, Cho. Yeah. I believe I can like, I can like Travis Kelsey without constantly taking shots at Gronk. constantly taking shots at at Gates or Gonzalez.

I believe I can do that. But it's almost like, I wonder if he was anywhere else other than the Lakers with Byron. And I love B. Scott. I used to see B. Scott all the time in the gym. We used to see the Giac.

Equinox. And I used to see B. Scott all the time. We always talk hoop and he's a great guy. But I wonder if LeBron wasn't on the Lakers, would he still feel his time for LeBron to leave?

No, absolutely not. Because, I mean, his love for the Lakers, it'd be different because it's not on my team. It's not a team that I was a part of. When Kobe hit Kobe last years, do you hear anything about the Lakers? You know, damn well, nobody would dare say that, huh? No, but, no, I ain't talking about talking about Kobe to leave, but he wasn't even mentioned the Lakers. The Lakers ain't anybody talking about Lakers and a chance to contend for a title.

Nobody mentioned that. And then when Kobe left, ain't nobody mentioned Lakers to contend him for a title. Right. The mere fact that you even think is possible for a team with a 41-year-old to get to the championship lets you know just how great this man is. Tell me the time in history. Another 40-something-year-old has played, and you know what? They have a chance to get to the championship, or they had a chance to contend for a title.

Outside of time, leaving New England to goddamn – I'm going to NBA. Okay. Not Jordan, not Kobe. No. His longevity is, no. Yes. But look, he got his reason for whatever it is.

I don't know. I don't know. So I don't want to get into speculating. There was something to say, I don't know. And I know B. Scott love his Lakers. And if you played in this organization, most especially, he spent most of his years there. Yeah.

Mm-hmm. But B. Scott, you know now, you know that there was a transition that when Kobe won the championship in 10, 9 and 10, they didn't come close. They didn't come close. And nobody said the thing. Ain't nobody said. So 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18.

So eight years. Nine years, ain't nobody. Like if they come close. Yeah. Mm-mm. And y'all had COVID. So you had COVID 11, 12, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 50. 15.

Hey, but they ain't had nothing to go with him, no. Hey, it was the main course with no side. Well, you don't need nothing. Because when LeBron, when LeBron didn't have nothing to go on him, y'all would say if he was great, he would win. That's what y'all did with LeBron now. They did this. When LeBron, you never did that with anybody else.

Yeah. You didn't do that with, like, you see what you said? You see what you said on your, they don't got you convinced to that. Oh, no, I'm just being honest. I'm just being honest. I mean, Kobe, Kobe's the main dish. There was no size to go with it. there wasn't no dessert.

So the chance of winning was slim than none. I thought when you so great, that's what you do. You don't need nobody. Who needed teammates? That what y'all would you tell? Every time I turn around, he couldn't win a championship without D-Wa. He couldn't win a championship without Kyrie. He couldn't win a championship without Anthony Davis.

Right. And you just told me Kobe ain't have nobody to go with him. Last I checked, Shacks's in the Hall of Fame. Last I checked, Powell Gasol is in the Hall of Fame. Last I checked, Scottie Pippen's, in the Hall of Fame. Dennis Robbins is in the Hall of Fame. So in other words, what you're trying to tell me is that no matter how great you are, you need a teammate or two. Yeah, absolutely. Oh, okay. I'll just check. I'm just, you know, just clarifications.

You got to have a two-headed monster. If you got three, it'd make it even, it make it that, it make it that much easier if you got three. Yes. But thinking you're going to get it done, but one man, you got four, you know, just four partners out there just, just going through the motion. It's not happening. Duncan. definitely not happening. Duncan had a month. Manu had Manu and Tony Parker. And then the last one he had Kauai. Mm-hmm.

Hey, boy, Kauai was crazy at the Spurs, boy. Oh, after Timmy left? What? After Timmy left, yeah. My goodness. He knew he knew he had to take on more of a role. He had to take off, you know, he was perfectly tip, playing the backseat, you know.

Hey, I let all, hey, let Manu, let T. Let Timi. Pops and nah, bro. It's time for you. He's like, okay. I get you 25, 26 a night and lock it down on the other end. But I'm surprised.

I think the thing that's surprising is that people say, look, people might feel a certain way and might say things in private, Ocho, that never get public air. But to say this publicly, I'm a little surprised. You know what? And you know what we don't know also? What?

There might be things that go on behind closed doors. there might be things that are said that going behind closed doors that we don't know about that also makes Byron Scott say something like this publicly that has nothing to do with anything that we know. Okay. Scott also seemed to take issue with LeBron saying today's games is harder to play than in the 80s and 90s. The game is different.

I want people and our fans to understand that playing 82 games in the 80s and 90s is not the same as playing 82 games in the 2020s. It's just not the way we play, the level of pace, the level of speed in which we're playing is different. It's a different game now. It's a totally different game. It is. It is.

When Beas Scott played in the 80s and the 90s, they might have two guys per team that can shoot the three. Yeah. Now, on a 12-man roster, they got 10 guys that can shoot the three. And you have to guard them all. Bless you. Everybody is a viable option. There wasn't no such thing as no stretch five, no stretch four.

Right. they have that now. The pace is increased. Bless you. Yeah. The pace has increased. And you have to guard multiple. For the most part, every, again, evolution.

The guys are more skilled. The guys are skilled. Yeah, much better. You ain't have no Kevin Durant's. You ain't had no damn wimpies? Mm-mm. You didn't have that. You damn sure ain't have no stealth courage.

Right. Bless you. It's okay. It's okay. It's a, it's a different game now. The NBA, the NBA is different. The NFL is different. It is.

I mean, the game has become, the guys are doing, oh, Joe, guys are doing more exotic coverages now than when, when you and I played. Yeah. That's okay. It's okay to say that. That's not to diminish our era. That's not to enhance their error.

It's just facts. You know more. The scouting departments have gotten better. You think scouting now back, you think when they started scouting players with Cleveland Browns, when they first started, the thing is that Paul Bryant's reported that Paul Brown, the reason why they timed the 40-Ocho, because that's how far the punt went.

So how fast could somebody get down there to get him? The ball normally hung up there about 4.5 seconds. Right. Hmm, 4.5 seconds. You can run like that, because you're, running pretty good. So then the guy was Dallas Cowboys and Gil Brand took it a step further. Because, Ocho, you know they used to draft players and never work them out.

They just look at the scouting fan, look at them, look at them in college. Well, you look at a good place, son. Come on. We're going to draft you first. We're going to drive you in the second round. We're going to draft you in the 15th round, the 17th round. Then the Cowboys take it a step further. Yeah.

Gil Brandt takes tram. They're actually a brain player. They put them through everything. hence a combine-style workout. Right. So you think the way they started scouting players in the 60s is the same way they scout players now? No, absolutely.

They got these scouts on the road every day and weekend, Ocho. Every week, they find somewhere looking at players. Yeah. They didn't do that in the 60s. As a matter of fact, they didn't even have a combine. They just drafted a guy based on what his college numbers were, how he looked at college, and they drafted him. So things changed.

people and it's okay it is okay that doesn't mean that doesn't take away anything from the 60s 70s 80s 90s 2000 and so forth and oh it's just that's just the way it is it is it happens and technology changes oh cho look at the look at the cleats look at the helmets look at the basketball shoe look at the way they trained horses that they've changed I don't know why people can't see that evolution is going to happen with your blessing or without it. Or not, yeah. I mean, or they don't care with one or the other.

They complain about it anyway. Everything gets better over time. Tonight, LeBron moving to fifth place on the Lakers' all-time assist list, surpassing Michael Cooper. Magic is one. Kobe is two. Jerry West is three. Storm and Norman Nixon is four.

LeBron is five. Cooper is six. Kareem is seven. Elgin Baylor is eight. Excuse me. This is LeBron's eighth season with the Lakers. Obviously, we know Kobe spent 20 years there, Magic, I think, from 79. I think Magic played about 12 years.

Coup played. We know Kareem played, I think 13, 14 years there. And that's all. LeBron is the second Laker to make a thousand threes, only behind Kobe. And obviously you would know Kobe played 20 season with that organization and was great. And LeBron is already second. Obviously, they shoot more threes now than they did back when Kobe got into the league.

Ocho, how do you think LeBron would be remembered as a Laker? You think that he, you think he gets his jersey retired? You think he gets a statue out front? You know what? I don't think he gets a statue out front, but I think he gets in Jersey retired. I mean, Woody was able to do once he came to the Lakers and helping that franchise obviously went a ring, a ring that a lot of people put an asterisk behind because it was a bubble ring or whatever it may be. Because LeBron won it. Somebody else wanted, they would have put no bubble behind it.

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. But people have to understand and take whatever hate they may have for LeBron and understanding what he was able to do during his time, during his tenure with the Lakers, with what he had to work with. But outside of that, I mean, being one of the greatest arguably, the greatest, the one or two basketball players to ever play this game, I think he should be acknowledged in such a fashion and such a way based on that alone. Whether he gets a statue or not, but retiring at 23 jersey for the Lakers, it would only be right. And not to do so, it'd be ridiculous. It'd be damn egregious. I mean, imagine, Ocho, just think about this. I want you to picture this.

Tom Brady is one of the three greatest high school football players ever. Yes. He goes to college, and he's one of the three greatest college football players ever. And the next big thing, and he comes to the NFL. And even as a great high school player and a great collegiate player, he's even better in the NFL. Well, that's what LeBron James was. Yes. he was one of the three great high school players ever.

And whatever you made a thought he could have been, he superseded that. He exceeded it completely. He's exponentially. Nobody thought this man would be a four-time league MVP. Go to 10 NBA finals, win four of them, four finals MVP. What two, three, all-star game MVP's. He's the all-time lean score. He's the fourth leading assistor.

He's a top 30 rebounder. He's a top 15 or 10 assists guy, I mean a steals guy. Nobody thought that. Whatever you thought LeBron James can beat, based on what he was in high school. And they've been a lot of great high school players. Right. LeBron is, Ocho, and his name hadn't come up on any crime blotter.

He hadn't been a source of tabloid speculation. He's been squeaky, squeaky. squeaky, clean. Yeah, most definitely, most definitely. And still people find fault. Well, he flops. All great players hunt calls. They do.

Just like every time the quarterback gets hit, what does he do, Ocho? Look to the, you ain't going to throw the flag? Yeah, something. You saw that man hit me. I know we played football, but he wasn't supposed to hit me. Yeah. He wasn't supposed to hit me, hit me.

You know, he's supposed to lay me down. You know, hey, you got to go to the sideline and get him a pillar, throw me on the pillow. People always complain. It just depends on who's doing the flopping. It always depends on who's doing the hunting. Then they turn a blind act. Depends on who it is. That's all it is.

True. I agree with you, though. I don't think he gets a statue, but I do think they, based on what he's done, you know, the all-star, the all-star games, I think. So he's been the eight all-star. He's been, what, he's going to be, he was a seven-time all-NBA selection. So if you cut his career up in sevens, in sevens, or if you cut it up in eight, he's a Hall of Fame player every eight. Every eight, he's a Hall of Famer.

That's crazy. And I know they're going to miss him when he's gone. Let them tell it. The game will continue to go on. It is going on. Yeah, it's going on. But it won't be anything like that. We won't see anything like this for a very long time, if ever again.

No, no, no, no, no. A guy, a guy that played this long and to play, play that great this long, yeah. It was a big night for the unrivaled semifinals. KP, Kelsey Palm, hit a game winner to go to the championship. She finished with 31.6 rebounds, five assists.

And then, Arrique, Ogumba Wale, also hit the game winner. Fans started chanting, play the players, pay the players. Let's take a listen to this, guys. KP, KP was, She was the women's all-time leading score at one point in time until Caitlin Clark broke her record. She's the number one draft pick.

So KP can get it. KP got buggy. KP. A he has he on you. And she's quick to try to get to the rear with that left end and, hey, go all the way up on the knee or, hey, she'll go up with the right hand. A Rike Mgumbo Walee? She's been making shot like this. Go back and check out at Notre Dame when she hit that buzzer beat her.

This is what Rike do. This is what Rik does. Yeah. Yeah. This is her. I'm not surprised when they said, Oh, man, a Rie hit a game. And tell me something I didn't know that Jeff Bezos sold bean pies at a truck

stock with you, the kid. That's something that I didn't know. But you're going to tell me Rieke can hit a game winner. Okay, and? Right, right. Hey, look, the unrival is doing a great job down there in Florida. I love watching those girls come out and compete on a night-to-night basis. I love what they did with the 1V-1 setting.

But, you're right. K.P., she the real McCorm. court, man. That girl got some game. And she tough as nails, too, bro. Tougher than wet level? Oh. Tough as I don't know way. She'd be out there getting to it. Oh, Joe, I'm talking about them girls ain't. Hey, look, do you see the crowd?

It's sold out up in there. It looks like... Yes. So, so they're talking to the WNBA when they say pay the players. Yes. I think the unrival is doing a pretty good job in hosting the girls, obviously, the pay. Markleys was packed.

Joe, think about this, Joe. the sad part is this is happening in unrival, not the WNBA. Yeah. Imagine, imagine, Joe, we're getting plays like this and the players is not the NBA. Yeah. This is what you should be having in your league. Absolutely. Absolutely.

This is what we should happen. Absolutely. I don't want to get into the minutia because I don't know enough on either side. All I know is is that I hope. they don't mess this opportunity up because the women game was starting to grow and whoever was been charged for it, I don't care.

I don't care who wants to get the credit, who takes the credit. All I know is that there was a level of interest in the women's game that wasn't there before. And people started talking about it. We were talking about it. We were talking about it on ESPN and we were talking about it on here.

And so people started to talk. So I don't care who wants to get the credit or who deserves the credit. I just want the women. I want the game to grow and everybody to be happy. Me too. Hey, so Caitlin Clark, she's not playing in this, right? No, she doesn't play in no rival.

For what? She does $6 million off the court. Why she needs to play? These women, they're on a handful of women that's making bucks. Asia makes money off the court. Sabrina Niske, on the court. Caitlin Clark is the Moby Dick. It's the white whale.

He makes money. off the court. But all these other women, and to keep from going overseas and being held be captain, they're like, okay, let's start this. And they're doing a great job. Hopefully the women now all of a sudden can make $750 a million a year as opposed to women taking pay cuts, especially with NIL, Kaylin Clark took a pay cut. Oh, yeah. Yeah, they definitely, they're going to 70,000. 70,000. Yeah, they definitely all going to be making some ends in the next summer year. Good. Hey, hey, look, and it's going to get better because if you can get those big guns to join, like the

unrivaled, I don't know if they would, but if you can get those big guns to join, it'll take it to a whole other level. You know what I mean? Like, you got to look at girls like Juju-Walkins, who will be coming into the WMBA or playing in the unrival, maybe next year or the year.

Yeah, she's not playing a senior, she's not playing a junior year. She's going to be the first player selected. Yeah, oh, yeah. And them ladies that can go one-on-one. Paige Beckers. Yeah. Chelsea Gray.

Yeah. K.P. Yeah. Although, Juju. Caitlin would be, it would love to see Caitlin play, but I don't think she's going to play. Asia has other things, other interests going on outside of that. So I don't think Asia is going to play. But it was an unbelievable scene tonight.

It was an unbelievable setting. I mean, I hated. I hated to see KP leave Vegas. But, I mean, she was a third option. Yeah. She's the third option. Everything's going to run through Asia. Everybody understands that.

We're talking about the greatest. Well, if she's not the greatest, she's top two. Hello. And she ain't two to me. But anyway, that's nothing there. But with that being said, she understood, you got Chelsea, you got Jackie Young. She's like, you know what? I want to do my, I want to start my own thing.

And more proud to her because she played unbelievable. I love her game. Like you said, Joe, she's extremely tough. She's passions about the game. They play. Hey, they're pure day. They be, hey, I mean, I can't take. I can't say enough about them.

I love watching them play. Rike, she's phenomenal. Yeah, hey, y'all do know Chelsea Gray when she won a one-on-one tournament, she got $200 grand. That was more than her salary for the WNBA. Yes. Yes. Yeah.

Yes. I know. And so, and she won the MVP. She can play. But like I said, so many of these women, especially now, and it happens. when the NFL started guys making, you know, $100 a game, Ocho, and each year generation. And hopefully guys look back in, because I'm very thankful of the guys that were in the 70s and 80, 60s,

that gave me an opportunity so I can make the money that they didn't make. And the guys that came after us that's making the money that we couldn't make. So hopefully guys are appreciative and know that there are a lot of sacrifice. There are a lot of guys that got injuries and down on their look. that didn't make them. Well, you should have saved them. Save what? What making no money back then?

Hey, you're making $12,000 a year? They had a lot of money. Right. You're absolutely. Chelsea Gray was named 2026 Unrival League MVP in the second season with the Rose. They got put out by Paige Becker's team.

I think Paige Becker's team. The Patriot. Yeah. I think that's who beat them. In her second season with the Rose BC, she average 24.2, career high. 5.6 rebounds, career high. 6.1 assists career high. Four game winners.

You know, I think, you know why I think it's so fun to watch because it's three on three full court. It's not a traditional full court. Obviously, the floor has shrunk a little bit. Right. But that's fun to see the change of pace, the three on three. it's not a lot of helping situations like that. Like you really got to guard your yard, guard your man, you know, hold your own. That's what I love about it.

Yeah. Yeah. Hey, they can play. A game like this is Taylor May for like a, uh, uh, uh, Chelsea who can handle the ball, pat the Rock. She got the game with one-on-one is good. Kelsey Plum, one-on-one. Page Beckers, one-on-one. A Rike, one-o-Wa-Wa.

Rik, one-oh. Women that can handle the rock. One-on-one is always going to be their thing. Absolutely. If you can get by your man, you can get a bucket, you can create off the dribble. Can't nobody stay in front of you? This is your, this is what you do. You can't stop.

They got that handsy? Oh, man. That handy, go get you every time. Oh, man. They're going to get you every time. Oh, Joe, we found the video. Let's take it out, Joe. Let me see what he got going.

Ain't, ain't no sound. I don't know what you got the pants on for them. Looking like Jack is Jordan. I had to get them, I had to get them pants off, right? Oh, who. Yeah. Yeah. I'm hurting, Tien.

With a little incline on now. Hey, the funny thing about it, too, Unk, is I could do it assisted, but if I had to do it on my own, like, free will, I'd never get, I'd never run that fast. No, no, no. That's called, that's O-speed training. Mm-mm. Yeah. Because we do that, we do, we did, we did, on the. a treadmill and we also did it with the band.

With the band? And it gets you to, yeah. Because pull you along. It's kind of like, oh, pulling you along. I thought you meant someone pulling you back. Yes, yes, yes. And then they release it and then you're running on your own. Yeah.

So it gets you used to running at that speed. Because like you said, you're not just running. You're not just running that on your own. Hell no. So I could just imagine because they say you same boat could get up to 27. So if he can run 27 on his own, he'd probably go crack 30, 31. On the treadmill, easy. Easy.

Damn. Body dough. Hey, man, when you run like that, oh, it keeps your hips open, right? Yeah. Well, the thing is, it gets you use because you can't stride now. You got to shut up. You got to turn over. You got to stay with the treadmill.

If you don't stay with the treadmill, yeah, going to fly the fuck off. Boom. Yep. That's exactly what's going to happen. So you get got, and so it's teaching you to turn over. Damn. Ocho, you were moving, Ocho. The funny thing about it is the place that was the place where I'm at now,

I'm back on the treadmill again, but I ain't got nowhere near no 24. Hey, how were you then running on that treadmill? I wasn't even playing them all. I wasn't even playing them all. That was, I forgot what year that was. I forgot what year that was. I definitely, I definitely weren't playing. Ready for a different take on Formula One?

Look no further than no grip. A new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sports most consequential driver strike, and plenty of other mishapsed scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent gumster fire for more than seven.

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