PTI - LeBron to T-Wolves with Lamelo Ball, Ant-man & Rudy Gobert?!

Episode Date: July 6, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss the latest World Cup games and Controversy, Wimbledon coverage, and then whether the Timberwolves have a chance of landing LeBron James. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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but I'm Mike Wilbon. It's International. Kissing Day, Tony. Do you remember your first kiss? Tony Kornheiser, how could I forget that moment we had Amelia Earhart? Whoa, wow. Do you think anybody watch, well, watching us, watching us, they know who Amelia Earhart is?

Nobody else watching this network knows who Amelia Earhart. We have the older demographic, don't we? Yes, we do. We don't have the old dur demographic. We got the old death. 15, 20% know Amelia Earhart? Yeah. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls.

Boys and Girls. In today's episode, England beats Mexico, Naomi Osaka, tops number one, and the Timberwolves make a bid for LeBron. But we begin today with tonight's World Cup game in Seattle, United States versus Belgium. Yesterday, the United States team got a great break when FIFA suspended the punishment of Fularen Baligan. Baligan had gotten a red card in the second half against Bosnia, which carries with it the automatic suspension for the next game. But FIFA suspended that suspension and Balagan will play tonight. President Donald Trump intervened with a phone call to FIFA President Gianni and Fentino asking FIFA to review the red card. Wilbon, what does this decision mean for the United States team and the overall competition? I don't know. I would say

for the overall competition, it's just shady. It's just shady. It's seedy. It's shameful behavior. It's fuggish behavior all the way around. Look, we know that bullying behavior is no stranger to this person and incident. We know that FIFA, as an organization, has been involved in all kinds of scandalous stuff. It's like the IOC. That's right. So, again, 360 degrees around it is just shameful. So basically what it says there's nothing that happens on the field of play is sort of out of bounds

to be just sort of addressed in whoever can get away with being the most thuggish individual in the moment. And that's what it says to me. To you. Now, will it help the United States? We don't know. I mean, suppose he scores the winning goal and he shouldn't have been out there. Suppose he scores two goals. Suppose he in PKs puts the winning ball away.

What does that mean? I mean, you look at it, Tony. It's just the whole thing is diminished to me, no matter what country it is, and no matter who's president. Because he has said, we've talked to many presidents all the time. that behavior is bullying and probably thuggish too. So it's just like, it's just unwanted.

I'm going 180 away from this. Because to me, I've thought about this a lot. To me, the most important thing in all of this is to get the call right. This is the tradition of sports in America most recently. You review the call, you get the call right, and maybe you have to change the punishment. So what is most important to me?

Did this action warrant, did it get up to the level that it warranted a red card? From the people that I watch on television who are soccer people, most people seem to think it didn't. Overwhelming. This is not, for example, like the case of Alyssa Thomas, taking her fist and grinding it into Caitlin Clark's neck for which she should have got five games,

and she only got one. So that's an important thing to me, that it may not go up to the level of red card. Then there's the other part of how this stuff is reviewed. Are the procedures to review it completely followed? and a lot of people say they aren't being followed. So I'm okay with Balligan playing in the game, and I'm even okay with the White House making a phone call.

If I were Portugal, I would be steamed. Totally steamed about this. And rightfully so, they are steamed about this. You know, because we are getting our best scorer back, and maybe he can win the game. On the other hand, the head of FIFA understands this is a television show. He's going to get 40 million people watching tonight, and if we beat Belgium, he's getting sick.

60 million on the next game. These two are separate things. I don't want outside intervention determining who can play. We wouldn't stand for that or anything else outside intervention. I think everybody's got a right to make their position known. In other words, people say, for example, let's keep sports and politics separate.

And they spare me. Stop. Spear me from that because he's in the most corrupt organizations over a long history time. And all the people who normally say, many of the people normally say, keep politics out of my sports. I don't want to hear it.

What are they saying today? If it suits their needs and gets the player they want under their flag onto the field. And not only that, I believe Cristiano Ronaldo was supposed to miss the first two games of the World Cup. No, it's not. In the lead-up to the World Cup, all rules were dropped. 360 degrees, shameful. But we disagree on a lot of the particulars of this. Let's stay with the World Cup, though.

Yesterday's highlights were Norway getting two goals from Erling Holland and knocking out former World Power Brazil. And then England against all odds went into altitude in Mexico City and beat Mexico in a thrilling game where England played a man down for the last 40 minutes. Wilbon, you were totally geeked up for these games. Where do you want to start? Well, Tony, I'll start just briefly because there's been a few days now with Cape Verde's incredibly valiant loss to Argentina. I mean, this is so beyond one versus 16 and something we're familiar with. That's smallest.

This is David Goliath. This is not possible. That game. The population size of Baltimore. Yes. And the way it played out, the way the game played out, the goal that made it to, too, yes, my voice is a little raspy because I was screaming the entire match. And then, look, Mexico, England last night, Jude Bellingham was the best player on the field. I mean, not only did he have two goals, he also prevented, straight up prevented. And so we get to that because England goes down in altitude, in the heat, and wins in Mexico when nobody ever wins, like twice in 60 years. But Brazil. I knew losing. You said former power Brazil. Come on now.

Brazil isn't once since 2002. Angelotti, a decorated coach, he better be decorated because he'd be starting a press conference with somebody asking, have you resigned yet? Like the Dutch coach. This guy has been great everywhere except Brazil is now former world power. And I'm reading all night. I started to text you, but I knew you'd be asleep.

3.30 this morning. Why is Brazil? Why is Brazil not Brazil? Yeah. And part of it has to do with midfield play. And all the great midfielders, the magician-like, the wizard-like midfielders they've had over the decades, they don't seem to have any more. And it's just like they're lacking.

What is Brazil going to do to get this back? And then do you lose? They are going to lose and say goodbye, happy trails to one of their all-time great players. Yeah, Namar. Retire. Namar is going to be done. And he was tearful, sobbing Brazil. Brazil.

I would like to talk a little bit about England, but first, I just want to say this. The World Cup, from a viewing standpoint, could not be better. Because the stars are scoring goals. Mboppe and Messi and Ari Kane is scoring goals, and Holland is scoring goals. So it looks great on television. Let me get to England. They're in an impossible situation. They're playing at 7,500 feet altitude.

It's like Aspen, right? It's all the way up as high as you can go. They're playing in that so you know that they're at a complete. three days to acclimate is ridiculous. You're a complete disadvantage in terms of respiratory health. Yes. Then the Mexican fans surround the hotel where the English team is. They light up fireworks and serenade all night long,

so they don't get any sleep. And then they're playing in the stadium where Mexico has played 89 games and lost how many? Two. And none in the World Cup. I would say, Mike. And then... And then they're short.

I would say, Mike, that that is the heart. hardest road game in any sport of all time. Of all time. And they win. And they're two best players, Bellingham and Harry Kane, were great. How about Harry Kane's week? He gets the two late goals against Congo that saves

that game, and he gets a goal, it's in a completely impossible week. Viewing standpoint, Tony, it is. Stars being stars, David versus Goliath. That's what you want. You're still having big games. Don't surprise me. Get the heavy duty guys out there scoring goals. They're out there.

Let's move to Wimbledon, where Naomi Osaka, my favorite, as you know. He's your favorite. Upset, top seat in world number one arena, Sabalinka, and straight sets. It's Osaka's first time into the quarters of Wimbledon. First time. Also, going out over the weekend where second-seated Elena Rabakana and defending champion, Ego Shfiantek. So, Tony, could you see Osaka winning this whole thing?

Okay, so let's review this again. Let's review her history at Wimbledon. She has won two U.S. Opens. She has won two Australian opens. She never got to the fourth round at Wimbledon before. This is the furthest she has ever been. This is not her best surface, obviously, by any means. And if you want her to win, Mike,

she's got to win three more matches on grass. So I sort of think that that's a long shot, but it needs to be said that the women's game. Like, this is not the men's game where you got Alcaraz and Sinner. The women's game, you've got 10 to 15 people who pop up and win something and then recede a little bit.

Six different winners in a row of slams, which opens it up, I think, to everybody. I watched a lot of this match. Don't ask me why, but I did. I would say that Sabalanka has been the most consistent of the highly ranked women over the last few years, the most consistent. There was a point, she was hitting a lot of balls into the net.

There was a point where she took her own racket, banged herself in the head five to ten times. I thought she was going to draw blood. With her own racket, because this is straight sets, and it's not supposed to happen. No, Tony, it's not, except we're talking about Naomi Osaka, who does have four to her name.

But not there. Okay, not there. And it's been a while coming back. Yep. It's been, yep, I don't even want you use the word tedious. It's just, you know, bit by bit, she has come back and gotten better. She can lose to Makova.

She has been better known for fashion than tennis in recent years. Late years. Like what it says coming back? Yes, but a couple of years. She could lose to Makova, who I think is seated 10th, but she could also beat her. You mentioned the nature of women's tennis right now,

and if Osaka continue to serve as she did against South Lanka, she's going to have an advantage there. And Tony, I'm looking at Cocoa Golf, though. Coco Golf is, look, she has got the goods to win any tournament, any time. We know that. But I'm just saying if Osaka, Osaka at her best, if she can give back to that point, she's as good as golf. This is...

Remember in the French Open? Every top seat went out by the first Saturday? Well, this is looking like that at Wimbledon that people are just going out. Jessica Pagula, I think, is the highest seed left. Fagula could win? Well, she could, except she's only been to one final in a major and she didn't win that.

I mean, I just, again, the men's draw, you know who's going to be in the semis, and in the women's drawing the last few years, you don't know. Most bankable stars, Vince Sabalinka. Yeah. And now, done. It was amazing to me. I mean, banging her eyes.

But you know what? Look, you and I both will admit to some sort of fascination with her. Yes. Because she's so mercurial. Yes. And then after the matches, she sits there and she's calm and she's fascinating to listen to. Yeah, no, I agree that. I agree with that.

But, you know. Let's take a break. Coming up, could LeBron actually join the Timber War? No. Really? No. I'm going to say something different. And whether Marlon's right to pull Yuri Perez while he's pitching a perfecto.

No. I'm going to go back and talk about a guy who I know and what he would have done. If he was poor, you can't. Hey, y'all. It's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair. Ever order furniture online and wonder, what if? Like, what if it doesn't hold up? That sofa was four days old.

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Ready? Do you think the Timberwolves have a real chance of landing LeBron? None whatsoever. Well, that wouldn't be a real chance then. See, LeBron James, not like people who grew up on either coast, and they think they know what the weather in Minnesota is. LeBron James grew up in Cleveland, where it's cold. Not as cold as Minnesota.

Not nearly as cold as Minnesota, and LeBron knows this. Here's what else LeBron knows. They just got rid of Nas Reed. And I suspect that LeBron James, in his 20 years in the league, in his time against Nasreed, really got some respect for Nasree. Not necessarily did they play all that off in one another, against one another,

but Nasree, he's gone. Because Minnesota said, oh, no, let's go have us some lamello ball. Let's go have us a guy who's never shot 43%, I don't think, in his career for a season. So you got lamello ball, you got Anthony Edwards, great, you want to play with Anthony Edwards,

and you got Rudy Gober at this stage of his life. But, no, there's not enough there to attract, not like Miami, not like Philadelphia, not like Golden State, not like even Denver. No, no, no, no, and no. Okay, okay. I think 20 to 25 teams are diluting themselves into thinking they have a chance.

Yes, we agree. Like the Wizards are probably going to make a call. And they're probably going to say something like I got Trey Young, I got Anthony Davis, I got Basanta, A.J. DeBanza. And I just got DeBanre Atene. You want to come win with us? Here's what Minnesota's pitch is going to be. You can win the first NBA title of this franchise has ever won.

You can play with the Melo Bowl. You can play with Anthony Edwards. You can stop the citywide drought that started after 1991 with the twins. Herbie Pucket. You can be the most popular person in Minnesota. You can be more popular than Mary Richards. Who can turn the world on with his smile? If LeBron comes and throws a tam in the air, I will go nuts.

Isn't it a great flyer that they're taking? They are. They're taking a flyer. It's wonderful. I'm sorry now, my friend Jimmy Jam is hating me and loving you for suggesting. I just think it's what. Here's what you don't want to do is not. If you want to be the goat.

What? You don't go to Minnesota where they've never won. You don't go to Golden State where they've won or Philadelphia where they've won. I'm just going to move to the next topic with two words. That's letter. Never won. Yeah. Okay.

Never won. Okay. There's a reason. All right. But that's the appeal. For them. That's the appeal. I'm Midwestern brethren.

LeBron. But you make a good point. It's cold. It's cold. It's cool. And all LeBron wants to do now, according to his own social media post, is hit the golf ball. Yeah, we have to hit it on ice.

Yeah, Hazel team for about three weeks a year. Yeah, that's about right. That's the season. Perfecto spoiled. Where the Marlins right to pull Yuri Perez after seven perfect inning. Let me be relatively brief. I don't want to mimic what you're going to say, but no, they were not right to do this.

Okay. I understand he's a kid. I understand he's coming off an injury, but it's a leg injury. he's not throwing a no-hitter. He's throwing a perfect game. In the history of Major League Baseball, there are 24 perfect games.

That's out of 217,000 regular season games. 24. Come on, you've got to give this kid a shot at this. He's thrown 92 pitches. He just got out of the seventh inning, throwing nine pitches and getting three outs. The A's fans were screaming, shame, shame, shame. That's where I'll start.

So I spent the 4th of July at a family barbecue, Don's house in suburban Chicago. Good. And I was defending or attempting to defend baseball against the younger members of family and crew. All with soccer, all on the side of soccer sand, including my own son. Get this out of here, okay?

And then you have something like this, which is shameful. But this is where baseball is. This is what it is. It's shameful. It has done away with perhaps the most, attractive element and position in the game. A horse. A starting pitcher horse. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna almost take you to one guy,

his testimony, because you know I talked to Pedro Martinez recently. And we talked about this. And I said to him, what would happen if somebody came to take you out, take the ball from you on the mouth in a perfect game on no hitter? And Pedro, who was signing a ball for some kid nearby, looked, picked up the ball, put his hands on the scenes. He smiled, but he wasn't joking. And he aimed it at my head. Yeah. And I said, thank God you feel that way. He goes, of course I feel this way.

Because that's what would happen if they tried to take the ball from Pedro. And you don't blame Pedro. No, we agree with him. Fully. It's a awful. It's a perfect. It's a shameful. Shameful.

That's enough female. Let's take one last break still to come. The struggling Yankees start a big series tonight. Two of the top picks in the NBA face each other tonight in Summer League. It's bad enough when you take the ball out of a no-hitter situation. But a perfect. Perfect game. Can't do it.

No, you can't do it. Baseball shame for you? Well, it is. That action, that, and I know you're blaming on analytics, but I didn't see the analytics. He's only thrown 92. No, there's somebody in the office calling down. Let him skip good. Happy time people.

Happy 34th birthday, Mandy Machado. The Padre's longtime third baseman has fine power numbers, 18 home runs, 51 RBI. But his batting average is the worst of his career at 189. He's a seven-time all-star, a three-time silver slugger, a two-time gold glove. since, Machado's results this year mirror his teams. The Padres have expensive star talent in players like Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. But the Padres record is 44 and 45. They've lost eight out of nine.

They're 14 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. Man. Four games out of a wild card. Will Bond. You love the Padres. What is going on there? Tony, Machado's 189 is bad enough. Croninworth hitting 168.

The Padres are dead last in OPS in all of baseball. And next to last in slugging. They had no bats in their hands when they walk up there. Happy anniversary, Paul O'Neill, around this day, 37 years ago while playing right field for Cincinnati, O'Neill stopped a game-winning run from scoring with likely the best kick in the history of baseball. With Steve Jelts of the Phillies on second and the bottom of the 10th, Lenny Dykstra knocked a base hit into right.

O'Neill hoped to gather the ball and throw it home, but he babbled it and he kicked it towards the infield and frustration. Surprisingly, the kickball made its way quickly enough to first baseman Todd Benzinger, to momentarily save the game, though the Phillies would soon score on a pass ball. And in its honor, O'Neill's baseball reference page says, bats left, throws left, kicks left. Shouldn't it have been some sort of rule that says that? Can't do it?

Action stops there. You can't do it? Each runner gets an extra base. If somebody kicks the ball. Yes, intentionally, that was intentional. You know why there's no rule? Because nobody ever does that. Never done it before.

Nobody ever does it. Happy trails to winning the John Deere Classic for Ben Coles. Cole stood on the 18th of the John Deere yesterday, needing a birdie to win or a par to push Chris Godderup to a playoff. It started well with a good drive, but Coles bounced his approach off the rocks and into the water, ended up with a double bogey.

I watched this, I felt terrible for him. He was so rattled that he missed a one and a half foot putt. That 18th hole cost him between $500,000 and a million. Meanwhile, Goddharup threw a 62 out there to win with his brother on the bag. I tried to play with my brother and our sons at Olympia Fields South. We got washed off the course on a day with violent storms. Is that right?

Trees down, very scary. But was it over 100 like it was here for the last four days? One on mission. Spain beat Portugal, one nothing. One-nil. Big result. I mean, Spain can win the whole thing. Don't you think Spain and France look like the best two teams at the moment?

That would be exciting if we got to that point, right? But this was for the, for bragging rights in the Iberian Peninsula, showing my geography. Let's go to the big finish. Let's do it. Patrick Ewing will be assistant with the Wizards. Does that make sense to you? Yes, it does. And you got that young core people there and Anthony Davidson if you plays.

They can use with Patrick Ewing's guy. Canada's Summer Macintosh broke the world record in the 200-meter butterfly. You think this is significant. I do. I mean, that record was there for about 17 years. That's a long time. All we ever talk about is Katie Ledecki. That's all this is a new name.

The honest trade to the heat that went official today. Your thoughts? I don't know quite what to think, but if this helps attract LeBron in a way I don't think we'll help in Minnesota, filling out that roster, playing with some studs. You don't think Lebello Ball going to Minnesota? No. Okay. Yankees, Reyes open a four game set tonight in Tampa, big deal?

Aren't they two of the only teams in the league with winning records? Yeah, like four? Maybe five teams. The Yankees come in bad shake. Have they lost nine out of ten? The Aaron Judge Factor is working. It's right. Last one, Cam Boozer and Darren Peterson face each other.

in the Salt Lake City Summer League tonight. You entreat? Cam Boozel was really, really, really good in his debut. Peterson was great in his debut. And this is what we all expect at the top of that draft. That's half those top four. That people are saying, okay, give me one of them. And I can take my friend who I can talk about anybody's dad

in the top four. No, no, don't. We're out of time. We're trying to do better than next time. I'm Tony Cornhizer. I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads. I hope you have a lot of barbecue in your show.

and your stuff like me. Now, honestly, it was over 100 degrees here Thursday, Friday, Saturday, is hot. Get out of town. Like 90 feels nice. Let's go.