Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Luka Dončić Pushes Slovenia Past Italy, Continues Fueling Hype Around the "Luka Era" for the Lakers

Episode Date: September 8, 2025

Luka Dončić has gotten progressively better game to game throughout Eurobasket, helping Slovenia get on a hot streak. Sunday against Italy in the Round of 16, Luka put in his best effort of the competition, finishing with 42 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. He throttled the Italians, basically accounting for half of Slovenia's offense. He continued drawing fouls, getting to the line 16 times. All in all, his performance is ramping up as the tourney goes along, and he gets more comfortable and gets more minutes under his belt. Even as the competition gets more intense and the quality rises. All of this contributes to add to the "Summer of Luka," and while Lakers fans obviously can't project with precision how Luka's performance for Slovenia will carry through into the regular season (not that they won't try), one thing that is unquestionably true: Everything that's happened this offseason is a) likely beyond the best case scenario envisioned by Lakers management for the summer, and b) increasing the already incredibly high level of anticipation about his presence on the team. In many ways, it reinforces the notion that the Luka Era really began at the end of last season, not necessarily when he was traded to the Lakers. Meanwhile, the Basketball HOF had its induction ceremony over the weekend, and Dwight Howard was there as a first-ballot HOFer. Why does that seem to surprise and anger a certain element of the fan base?  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Luka lights up Italy.  SEGMENT 2: How this impacts the dawn of the Luka Era in LA. SEGMENT 3: Why is there resistance to Dwight Howard in getting in the HOF first ballot?  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYTee up that trip! Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip for two to any golf tournament* in the USA. Visit 5HEWIN.com for full rules and entry. No purchase necessary. Excludes the Master’s tournament. Ends October 31, 2025.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, everyone. Welcome to Locked on Lakers for Monday. Brian Komenetsky, Andy Komeneski. Luca Donchich turns in his best performance in Eurobasket and bounces Italy from the tournament. People are getting excited about what's coming next. And we'll talk about it next. You are Locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Locked on Lakers first. listen of every day, Monday through Friday, no matter how or where you get your podcast, this one's always going to be free, never behind a paywall and locked on Lakers on YouTube.

It's where you can go hang out with over 36,000 subscribers to the channel, Andy, all of whom were not just taking in on Sunday, the first full day of NFL action or maybe even the finals of the U.S. Open. They were watching Luca Dantzich in Eurobasket competition throttle throttle the Italians. He's played some good games of late, Andy, and this one was the best. 42 points, 22 of which came in the first quarter. Very efficient shooting, including from distance.

Those 42 points, that was half of Slovenians' total score. Slovenia at 84, 42 was Luca. Nobody else was making shots. To put this in perspective, Luca was 11 of 19 from the field. The rest of the team, a combined 16 of 45. Luca was plus 43 in this game, 10 rebounds, three assists. Like, his entire Eurobasket showing has been really strong.

And it's actually included some better three-point shooting over the last couple of games because that had really been the only thing that he had been struggling with at all. But it just speaks to what may be coming for Luca with the rest of this tournament. insofar as just starting to get his rhythm and timing back because the offseason of Skinny Luca infamously involved very little basketball. So in a lot of ways, he's still just sort of playing himself back into basketball timing. But this can also, I think, we're going to get into it, create a lot of excitement for Laker fans just thinking about what may lie ahead for this season

as Luca just looks fantastic. Yeah, we'll get into that in a moment. because that I think ultimately is one of the things that Lakers fans are really looking out for. But if you are now finding yourself with Eurobasket fever, it is Wednesday is the next game. It will be the quarterfinal of the U.S. versus Germany. The German team considered a very, very strong group.

It includes our friends Dennis Schroeder. Franz Wagner plays on that team. They've got a bunch of NBA talent on that team names you recognize. And, you know, it's already been a pretty good tournament for Slovenia to get to the quarters. They have a chance to move on. And the way that Luke is playing, you know, we've done this after most of the games. You kind of look through it and look for some of those things that make you feel encouraged about what's coming. I mean, I think the primary one at this point in.

is just the arc. Like if you were starting sort of drawing like a curve of where Luca's performances have been, it's steadily moving up the axis and starting to get kind of exponential in its growth. Like he, you, what you said before was really important. Like the summer of Luca and the body transformation, all that is awesome. But he wasn't playing. And so it took that week of. you know, two weeks of, of tune up games where he was okay, but he wasn't this.

And, you know, I think it's both the tournament focusing in, but also this is like what training camp is for. Like you go and you play, you're a little rusty at the beginning. You get into a rhythm and all that stuff. And what I love about this, you know, he got to the line 16 times against Italy. So that continues the trend of Luca, not just, you know, putting up big numbers of he's also he's like developed this really impressive um we only have one dime on uh on i don't think that was his fault no that was not luka ball hogging no but i was going to say like he's he's had it didn't come up as much today but like he's had this like really impressive run too of like near triple doubles the one that he actually got so like the numbers are just outstanding

but you know if you're looking for certain things it's the getting to the free throw line it's you know the increasing efficiency from three point range. It's the fact, I think, that he is getting better as the competition and the stakes in this tournament go up. I mean, Italy isn't considered, I wasn't considered a favorite going in, but they've got, you know, they've got, you know, a handful of players who play have had NBA experience or currently play in it. And, you know, it's a pretty good team. And so, you know, it's just, there's just, there's. There's nothing you can say about Luca's performance, particularly over the last three or four games, that you would be unexcited about.

And for me, you know, it's like, okay, you know, every game is a risk. I get that. But even if Slovenia makes it all the way through, the timing of this, we talked about it before Eurobasket started. It's like he gets to play. He's staying in shape. And there's plenty of time to recover before training camp. starts. You know, he's... I don't know about plenty of time. A couple wouldn't necessarily be considered plenty of time. It's a fairly quick turn run. It is, but he's also not playing

that many games in between. I just meant if they got all the way through because that that gets you to like mid-September. Sure. But all that does is just keep him sort of training. And the most amount of games they can play now between now and the end of tournament is three. And so, you know, it's not, We're past the point of, you know, sort of a lot of games stacked on top of each other. And so, you know, I just feel like there is the timing aspect of this is still really positive where it's not an overwhelming burden for him to continue playing and training and all these things. It's similar to probably would be doing anyway. And it doesn't seem to me to be something that's going to, in any meaningful way, from a from a fatigue standpoint risk anything about what's coming up in the regular season.

Yeah, for sure. When I brought up the idea that it's not a long time off between the furthest he could go in Eurobasket and the start of training camp, I wasn't trying to create worry. I just didn't want to create an impression for our listeners and viewers that it was longer than they might picture. That's all. I agree with you. Yeah, it's just, I'll even just so the quarter final is on Wednesday. the semifinal would be Friday, the final or the third place game, both of them would be Sunday.

So the whole thing would be wrapped in a week. Right. So it's a couple weeks and then you'd start up camp. So depending on what some people would consider like a lot of downtime, it might not be. Again, I'm not trying to create worry. I just wanted to add a little more specific. You mentioned the quality of Germany's team. And even some of the lesser guys like Tristan De Silva, who had a nice rookie season.

and if it continues, well, if it continues, there's going to be a lot of Laker fans wondering whether or not the Lakers effed up by not just taking him instead of Dalton Connect. Tristan DeSilva went to Orlando one pick later.

And DeSilva had actually been heavily linked to the Lakers. I'm pretty sure we actually did a scouting report on DeSilva because he had been so heavily linked. Also, Daniel Tice and old friend Esak Vanga, who Luca got into a dust-up with in the friendlies or the not so friendlies. But I think it is important, like you mentioned, just the idea that as this is getting harder, Luca is looking better. And in a game like Italy,

even if you're not impressed with the NBA talent or former NBA talent on that roster, it doesn't change the fact that Luca's the only guy on his roster who has been a part of the NBA and he carried that team. Like he carried Slovenia over Italy. Without Luca playing at like a Luca magic level, they get dusted, man. Like they get absolutely dusted. I, I mean, there's no question.

That's been true of a lot of games in this tournament. But the thing, there's one other big thing that sticks out to me about this to turn it back to the Lakers. and it gets to a theme that we've noted a couple times over the course of the offseason. But I think a game like this really reinforces, and I'll tell you what it is next. Lockdowne Lakers is brought to you by Fanduel. The NFL season is upon us. And Fanduels making sure you are ready for each week kickoff with Can't Miss offer right now.

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So the everydayers, Andy, or at least the ones with long memories, will remember there was a stretch time where we were talking about a few things related to something that you said, I think it was both on the show, this one, and then either on the radio when you're filling in 710 or doing your show at 710 ESPN in LA. about where you didn't even necessarily say it and then we started talking about it. I pointed out to you and we kind of had the context conversation about it, but you consistently talked about this season, talked about Luca as like

the start of his Lakers time. Which is, of course, Well, the beginning of the Luca era is the way I specifically put it. Right. And so, you know, like as And obviously the time that he was traded to the Lakers, you know, February onward in playoffs. And it all counts. Like he was, but like in terms of the beginning of the era that this summer was really the beginning of that.

It was a really interesting way, I think, of looking at this offseason. And you've seen it, I think, in the context of the buildup to free agency and how we are going to talk about who they would put around Luca and then, you know, the recruiting that Luca does and then the the contract extension and all that kind of stuff. To me, this fits in perfectly in that sort of narrative because was it, what it does is, you know, more than anything, we can try to read the tea leaves of getting the free throw line. What does that mean this year? Is he getting over that first, you know, can he get into the paint? Oh, like, what is Skinny Luke? I don't know. But what I do know is that what he's doing right now in Eurobasket is taking the anticipation level for this season of Luca playing for the Lakers and ramping it up to like a million.

But not just the idea of the Lakers have a great player in Luca Donchich. It's getting people excited about Luca's Lakers and the 25-26 season. There's been a lot of, I've mentioned this before, whether we're talking about the Lakers. Luca era as I framed it or Lucas signing his extension, not just on the first day he was eligible to do it, but like in the morning, like by noon LA time, not only was the contract signed, I think like the post game presser or the post signing presser was basically for all intents and purposes done. There had been like as you mentioned the big buildup with the Nike tour that landed in LA. that telegraphed, this contract is about to get signed right away. There's the recruiting you mentioned, the skinny Luca and the men's health profile,

and going on Good Morning America. And just like basically, Luca making a tour out of announcing this era that is upon us for the Lakers and physically, mentally, emotionally, tone setting, however you want to put it, There's been, I think, a let's eff and go to all of this. It's going to be exciting for the franchise. It's going to be exciting for Luca. But I think also it's exciting for the fans and Lucas teammates. Like Luca's teammates seeing him play like this this offseason and also the commitment

that he made to transform his body in ways that like I mentioned this with the men's health profile. I showed the photo to my wife and daughter, you know, the, cover photo. It took them a second to recognize that it was Luca. Like, I mean, they really did not immediately recognize him. And they, you know, thought it was thought it might be me. Yes. They thought it was, they thought it was you. Brian looks great. Yeah, and apparently got a rug. But like, they, they, they, but they, but Andy, a good one. Yes. Very good one. Very convincing rug. But like, there is a galvanizing effect of this. Like, in one person,

presence in in a similar way because we I think we're going to talk about this a little bit because the Hall of Fame induction was Saturday and among those being inducted and celebrated was the 2008 redeem team the the gold medal team that was very famously led and galvanized by Kobe and Kobe's presence was a constant let's eff and go to everyone right down to if you watch you know the in the Netflix documentary about them, the story that like Wade and Bosch and LeBron all talk about and Mello where Kobe knows the opening set that Spain's going to run. He's like, I know exactly what they're going to run. I know how they're going to run it. I know the screens they're going to set. One of those screens is being set by Powell. I'm running through Powell's chest.

And he means like I am basically going to just run straight through the guy, commit an offensive foul knocking him on his ass. And like LeBron and Bosch and Mello and all them are like, no, you're not. It's your teammate, dude. You just went to the finals with that guy. Like, you're not doing that. And then the game started. And it's like 30 seconds into this game, Pau just gets mowed over by Kobe.

And all those guys are like, holy. Mm-hmm. And that wasn't a one-off for Kobe in those 11. That was like the entire time. And obviously like Kobe, you know, we covered Kobe, we covered the second half of Kobe's career. We were around him all the time. You, his presence was to say the least a lot.

You know, you, you, he could command a room. But it's very much like, it's very much like LeBron in the sense that like, and Lakers fans don't see it necessarily as positively as LeBron. But like this, the effect was. the same. Like you just, he was the elephant in every room he was in. He was the elephant in every room he wasn't in. Yeah. And you mentioned with LeBron too. Like with Kobe, there were times where that was complicated as well. It was not always easy navigating the elephant in the room factor with Kobe. But no. In this particular instance with the redeemed team and that time where

2008, they eventually got back to the gold medal and reestablished that standard. Kobe was a galvanizing force in a way that it feels like Luca is looking to be with this franchise. Like this is not accidental the way Luca is approaching all of this. No, I don't think so at all. And I just, there is, there are a lot of different ways that I think this summer could have gone and i think the lakers were pretty optimistic that it would be good there's a there's a version of this summer where you know he doesn't heal right or maybe he doesn't you know the fitness thing it's mostly like it's always been like you know secret workout videos and he shows up for slovenian it

looks basically the same not bad not good he's i guess the bad scenario is he's you know he's like fat elvis or something like oh man that time off uh You know, but like any, the most realistic scenarios that like they weren't bad and they were fine. Like they'd be neutral. Like they would still sign them on, you know, the same time. You know, I'm out and do all this stuff. And me and everybody would be excited. But I can't think of a set of circumstances.

I can't think of a pathway for this summer where if you drew up the whole thing, before it started and you were the Lakers and like what is your dream scenario for this summer like what if you could pie in the sky pick anything you want I don't think they I'm not even positive they'd have drafted something as ambitious as this I don't know if they would have you know what he doesn't just get in shape he's a fitness magazine cover story. He's not just in regular shape. He's on fitness magazines shape. Like, he's not going to just sign his extension. He's going to sign at 8 o'clock, you know, and we'll have the press conference. He's going to sign after he does a workout, you know,

and then we'll have a press conference, and he's going to recruit our free agents, and he's going to show up and just ball out at Eurobasket. And, you know, not that they need help selling season tickets, but, you know, just ramp up the hype and the excitement and the intensity. You know, everybody can hear me. They still got, you know, knock on wood, everything comes through the rest of the tournament. I honestly think they would have sent people back into the writer's room if they were like, I think this is how it's going to be. A little much.

Head writer would have looked at the scripts and like, guys, this is. Dial it back. You're laying on a little bit thick. Yeah, it's a great point. This is as great as anybody, forget realistically, I could have imagined, maybe even unrealistically. It's just been really great messaging and signaling for what could, at least, could lie ahead for the season, or at the very least, what Luca wants to lie ahead. What are our Dallas, our friends who followed Luca from Dallas to here,

you know, to hear, you know, Lockedom Mavs podcast or our Slovenian friends. It's a drama. joining the show. What did they all said consistently? You ain't seen nothing yet. You haven't seen it yet. You haven't. Andy, am I wrong? I sound like our friend John Ireland. Am I crazy? But are there fans out there who seem shocked or disappointed or don't believe that Dwight Howard deserved to be put in the Hall of Fame at the first moment he was eligible? Some of them may be the same person who was surprised Carmelo Anthony would get into the Hall of Fame at the first moment he was eligible.

We'll tackle this next. Andy, I'm not here to tell you that Dwight Howard's time with the Lakers was 100% perfect. His first go-round was particularly problematic. We covered that team. Yeah, the second one was kind of magical in a certain way. and the third one I, like many, you know, part three is I could have done without it. I wonder, because I found an, not overwhelming, I think most people get it, but I still found like an unusual amount of people going like really, Dwight Howard, first ballot Hall of Famer, headlining a Hall of Fame class, like, really? Well, it's actually kind of fitting that both Dwight and.

And Carmelo, who I think there is less of it with Carmelo. But there is, Carmelo has always been a player that a lot of people have looked to detract from his accomplishments or frame a lot of it as empty calories. And, you know, by the way, both former Lakers. But they're both players that have been polarizing in ways that on one hand, like, I get it. Like, I understand the reasons that both, and in particular Dwight have been. polarizing. And, you know, Dwight, it is very understandable why he may rub you the wrong way, great, not be your cup of tea personality wise. He is an ex I mean, I'm not even sure this is like

speaking out of school. Here he's an exceedingly odd person. Yeah. Like we we covered him twice. I mean, we were not as much around the third go around with the level. There, they're there. I mean, he is I don't want to get in a good person, bad person, whatever, but they either are, myriad contradictions in Dwight Howard. He is an unusual personality, and I'll leave it at that. I guess to your point. But we were around the first and second go-arounds a lot, and we saw him interact in the locker room in ways that were appreciated.

We saw it in ways that were unappreciated. The idea that Dwight Howard, though, and we'll get to Mellow, but Dwight in particular, would not be a, a first ballot Hall of Famer is frankly insane. I'll give you some of Dwight's resume, resume accomplishments. Championship, three-time defensive player of the year, eight-time NBA,

eight-time All-NBA and All-Star, five-time all-defense, five-time leader total rebounds, two-time block champ, rookie of the year, five times top-seller. or higher for MVP voting, four times top five. He was the runner up the year Derek Rose won,

which just strange year in general. But it kind of speaks to the idea of how much people just did not want to give it to LeBron. His prime years in Orlando, he averaged 18, 13, and two blocks. Like those years in Orlando alone would be the foundation for a Hall of Fame, a Hall of Fame. Oh, I think it not only would be. I think it is, it's about 85% of his whole thing resume.

Here's something else though that I think is really specific and interesting to Dwight and also a great example of the paradox about how people will complain all the time about how superstars have to team up in order to win titles as if anybody ever has sustained success, like championship success on their own, like it doesn't happen. But people will also give.

give no credit to anybody who carries a team to the finals unless they win, because then they lost in the finals. And who cares? If you don't get the ring, none of this matters. And it's the catch 22, with everything that's rings culture, which, as we both said many times, rings culture, it's just a rigged parlor game where you can eventually just say Michael Jordan's the goat. And it's boring. And it's stupid. But, well, yeah, I mean, to your point, I've said many times, you are better off for your legacy losing in the conference finals and losing in the finals. Absolutely. But Dwight's 2009 magic team that lost to the Lakers in 2009, 4-1, the series was, I think, a bit more competitive than people remember. But there was never any doubt that the Lakers were going to win.

They were the better team. They controlled the series. And because it was, I think, seen as a lopsided series, it led to people like poo-pooing this as an accomplishment. It's like, you know, it's a weak east. And, you know, that was a period that was dominated for the most part. by Western Conference teams winning championships. And like, so who cares? I want to remind people who was on that team,

Dwight's Magic in 2009. His supporting cast had a combined three all-star appearances for their careers. Richard Lewis made it twice. Jamir Nelson made it once. Nobody else on that team ever made an all-star team. like Hito Turgalu was most improved player one year. Dwight took that team to the finals, took out the defending champion Celtics.

I know they didn't have KD, but still, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, good team. Then took out LeBron's calves. That should get a lot of respect. It just should. Like you want to talk about putting a team on your back? Dwight did that that year, man. Like it should be respected. It should.

And, you know, like, again, I know especially the year that mattered was bad. Like, it really was. It was bad. You got to work hard to make Steve Nash criticize you on the record, like complaining about you? It was bad atmospherically. It was not terrible statistically. No, his actual production was pretty good that year. It was fine.

And to Dwight's credit, he shouldn't have been, he played 76 games that year, which I think people forget. and he shouldn't have because he was coming back off back surgery and shouldn't have played should not have been playing as quickly as he did but you know you're talking about but that I mean the year with the Lakers he averaged uh 17 12 and a half um with two and a half blocks a game um you mentioned his his run here five year stretch never finished lower than seventh in MVP never finished lower than seventh in defensive player of the year five six straight all-star teams, five straight first team, all NBA teams, four straight, all defensive teams, first team the other year he was second team. So, and I think people even kind of underrate,

like they sort of, because again, it was a disaster in Houston from like a optics point of view and like, you know, it didn't work. But even that first year in Houston, he, you know, the production wasn't bad. And then, of course, he starts getting, you know, hurt a little bit more. more of a journeyman. He plays for Atlanta. He plays for Charlotte. He plays for Washington. He plays for the Lakers.

He plays for Philadelphia. He plays for the Lakers. He goes to China. Let's say you get this vagabond thing. But as I like, if you go to basketball reference and just look at some of the metrics that they have there,

like who his player comps are based on what he did. Pao Gasol, Patrick Ewing, Bob Lanier, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Walt Bellamy. All Hall of Fame, all Hall of Famers, Robert Parrish is on that list.

Moses Malone, DeKembe Matumbo, Jack Sigma, all in the Hall of Fame. And there are 400, going into this year, I believe the number was 428. I looked it up earlier today. I'm sorry, 436 people in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

And I'm not, they weren't all players, some of them were pioneers and this and that way. Well, let's say, let's say it's 300 players. Do you mean to tell me with a straight face that Dwight Howard isn't one of the 300 best basketball players who's ever played? Give me a bleep and break. I know he's really strange and kind of off-putting in certain ways.

And we all hated the state Dwight billboards, and it was a dark time in Lakers history. I understand all of these things. But the guy is a first ballot hall of famer, and we really shouldn't be having an argument about it. Yeah. I mean, you and I said this at the time, you know, we've both been big time,

proponents of Anthony Davis. We have both criticized fans in media in coverage of him that the go posts, the goalposts always move. The idea that AD would make the top 75 list when it came out over Dwight was ridiculous.

Like Dwight deserved to be there before. But it's all of a sudden done, maybe you flip up out a little bit. But the idea, like, I know Anthony Davis is a bit of a disappointment. You know, with the Lakers, my people might say, but like, I've heard people say, was he really a first ballot Hall of Famer? Yes. Yes. Yes. He is.

But like Dwight, you're right. I mean, I think, Dwight, Dane, I love Dame. The idea that Dame would make it ahead of Dwight is ridiculous. And I love Dane. And certainly just, I just, he is an easy guy to underrate based on his thing. And, you know, like Carmelo Anthony and we, you know, we can wrap here. But like Carmelo Anthony, again, the idea you're going to keep him out of the Hall of Fame. He didn't win a title, but he is arguably, you know, one of the tour.

best pure offensive talents of the last 35 years. I mean, flawed player wasn't, you know, whatever, fine. But like, he was a generational score in this league at a time where there were a few guys who were like, damn. Carmelo Anthony was incredible. Of course he's in the Hall of Fame, unless you just be like you can't get there without winning a title. He's 10th on the all-time scoring list if you only go NBA stats, 12th, if you include,

include ABA. Other than Kevin Durant, I cannot think of a player in the NBA in the time that you and I have covered the league or cover the Lakers, which is like about 20-ish years, that made scoring look more effortless than Carmelo, like just made it look completely, maybe effortless almost to a fault because people might not have thought he was putting in enough effort with that, enough effort in general. But like he might have made it look too easy for his own good. But again, there's been less of picking at.

Because people like Carmelo Anthony more. That's, you know, six-time all-N-B-A, 10-time All-Star. He's on the 75th anniversary team, for God's sakes. And beloved among his peers. Yes. The time he was on the team, like, you know, you and I covered it more via Zoom than in person just because it was still sort of coming off the pandemic protocols and stuff like that. But absolute delight with that team to cover even from a distance.

You and I years ago did an ESPN, the magazine project that involved Mello. He's just a really likable guy. You're going to tell me that he's not one of the 300 greatest basketball players at all time. You're going to tell me he's one of the 200 greatest basketball players of all time. Olympic golds and the Syracuse championship. You forget that stuff counts too. Basketball Hall of Fame, folks. Yeah, you don't have to be.

It's not the the bar is not are you like one of the 20 greatest players of all time. It's not a different Hall of Fame for like, you know, like Michael, you can make an argument. Michael Cooper is the, and I'll put it in air quotes, the worst Hall of Famer. I'm not sure I would. I'd have to look at a list, whatever, but I don't care. but you know what he called that guy? Hall of Famer. And Carmelo Anthony is in a different stratosphere than Michael.

I know that there are people who think it's become too easy to get into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And I'm not even looking to have that debate. But even if you think that's the case, it's not him getting in. This class in general, actually, was a really good one. It was a strong class. Yeah, it was.

Included Maya Moore. Sue Bird was in it, I believe. Good class. Very good class. get that the person who made that Sue Bird statue. They did a good job on that one. And please, please never let the Dwayne Wade guy ever work again. Locked on Lakers on YouTube is we're going to hang out with over 36,000 subscribers to the channel. We'll be back tomorrow. Everybody have a great, great Monday.