The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - More To Lose In Game 7: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Victor Wembanyama? | Hour 1

Episode Date: May 29, 2026

"I know about you, snitches!" After a huge win for Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the crew has come away with one big question: Can you believe the Thunder let Carter Bryant get away with barreling over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? Udonis Haslem would NEVER have let that happen! Plus, should Vikings fans be worried about Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy's relationship? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Accenture. When your advertising operations fall out of sync, everything else follows. Spotify and Accenture are working together to reinvent the rhythm of ad sales, using automation, analytics, and smarter workflows to simplify campaign delivery and access better data across the business. The result? Less time spent on operations, more time connecting brands with the moments and fandoms that matter most. Learn more at Accenture.com slash Spotify.

The Hulu original series Furious is coming to Disney Plus, starring Emmy Rossum. Furious follows FBI agent Alice Black on the hunt for a mysterious and calculating serial killer. Both walk their own paths toward justice, and as their lives start to intertwine, the line between right and wrong begins to blur. Don't miss the three-episode premiere of the Hulu original series Furious on July 27th, only on Hulu on Disney Plus. This episode is brought to you by Activia. You might already be eating yogurt, but not all yogurts are created equal.

Activia contains over one billion probiotics per serving to survive and reach the gut alive. When it comes to gut health, Activia is the number one family doctor-recommended probiotic yogurt brand. Choose Activia. Feel good from the inside out. Visitactivia.ca for more details. This is the Dan Levatore show with the Stucats podcast. This episode of the Dan Lebertar show is presented by Draft Kings. Drap Kings, the crown is yours. Season finale of Euphoria this weekend.

Trista, you ever seen Euphoria? I saw the first season. I've never seen it. So last night you had Game 6, Spurs and Thunder. Before we get to that, tonight is game five. It'll be the final game of the Eastern Conference. conference final in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I mean, come on, I dare you to disagree. I mean, Canadians, it's dead team walking.

Canadians, hurricanes tonight, game five in Carolina. Watch party, right, Roy? Yes, the hockey show is hosting a watch-along for game five of the Eastern Conference final. You can watch it on the Dan Labelotaugh show YouTube page, or you can watch it on our YouTube page at the hockey show, the Hockey Show DLS. They're going to crush them tonight, right? Oh, no, the series is over. Yeah. Well, yeah, the series is over, but are they also going to crush them? I think they're going to crush them. Yeah, yeah, I think

it feels like 5-1. Yeah, I think the hurricanes are going to end up covering tonight. Man, like, it's so disappointing. The Canadian got out to such a great start. They killed them in game one, but it feels like it has to be because Carolina had all the time off, right? Dave, like, what other explanation can you draw

from the way that, I think, grand, look, games two and three went to overtime, but still like the Canadians, they couldn't get a shot on goal in those games that they only lost by a goal in overtime. Like, the only Canadian and Zwin, you have to chalk it up, right? Dave? They had so much time off Carolina, and they were just like rusty, right?

Yeah, Football America, regular Nick Costos was talking with him, and he assured me and everybody else that the Habs were going to win that series, and I said, oh, contrary. You know, the Blue Blancé Rouge are overmatched here, just straight up, let alone with the Cains rested up. Their very aggressive style of play was going to overwhelm. that have, I remain bummed out for Buffalo fans, especially given that this is the tepid performance we get from their vanquishers. I mean, you know, so this dream season that Buffalo almost had once again, not football, but this time hockey, that they almost finally get over. And the team that beat them is getting whipped in the next round. It's sad and also sad for the NHL. I think it

sort of invalidates on some level. I don't want to overstate it. Roy, I'll say you about this, but I don't think it's a great look for the credibility of the sport to have another President's Cup champ, the Colorado Avalanche, the best team in the league, to have that team get swept out. Listen, Kail McCar might be the best player in hockey, is one of the top three players at minimum and all of that. But still, bad look for the league, right? To have Vegas who hires John Tortorella on the eve of the playoffs wind up in the final? Yeah, I mean, it's been 13 years since a President's

trophy winner won the Stanley Cup. That was the 2013 Blackhawks. What did John Totorella do with six games left in the regular season that changed the Vegas going to nights around like that? Just feels random. Babs. I don't know that he did anything. Just feels random. So again, tonight, watch

along, right? Yep. Watch along tonight. Oh, by the way, the Canadian's, the first two series that they had in the playoffs when seven games, played seven overtime games. So obviously, they are tired. You think they're a little tired. All right. So speaking of tired, that was the possible angle going into last night's game six, right? Where Victor Wenbanyama, who has never played this many games. I know he didn't play 82 regular season games, but still an 82 game regular season. And last night was like close to

game 100 overall then for the San Antonio Spurs. Super physical day off. Super physical day off. and he shows up, you know, in his best monk outfit. I mean, he was training with the monks, right? I heard the Terminator music when I saw him walking. I heard, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. He does come off as, like, he's different from most players today, where he really comes off as super serious and business-like, and this is serious business.

I don't care about there's stuff that's going on. I don't care about social media. I don't care about Twitch I just like I'm not talking to the media after game five because I have to get ready for game six Oh stop it Well that's the excuse he's going to give

Whether it's true or not We cannot be like hey I just was already locked in on game six so I couldn't talk to the media That is that is giving cover To a guy that we just already like If that was somebody else We would not be saying that It was Anthony Edwards

But my boy I think he skipped He missed the mark last night He should have skipped last night's postgame interview. Facts. Just because, like, yeah, this is what I'm on. Well, but, okay, so that's interesting that you said that because, and this is my fault, I don't have the clip, but in the postgame interview, she asked him two questions, and he bounced.

Like, after the second question, he gave his answers, he said, thank you, and he ran off. Like, so he, he's going to give the whole spiel that he's locked in and he doesn't want to do this, and this is serious business right now, whether it's true or not, he can, he, he, he's going to just comes off as different than most of these guys. And, and last night you saw, he showed up. I mean, Juju thinks it was like the Terminator music. He's out there, you know, in his best monk outfit. Just a quick correction on that. He clarified after the game to a French reporter that this was actually for Eid al-Fitter, which is the Muslim holiday. Oh, his outfit is saying. That's what his outfit was for. I apologize if I didn't pronounce that correctly. But that's actually what this was.

four is for that time period, that holiday. Dan doesn't pronounce Oregon correctly, so. So, when Bonyama, is he tired? You know, he had the huge game one, games two and three, especially game three, bit of a drop off, has the huge bounce back in game four, then game five, worst game of the postseason. And all right, well, if he's tired, this series is over, you know, like game six. if he is actually fatigued, they have no chance.

And he was pretty great. Again last night, you saw it from, he's the kind of player where you can kind of see at the start of the game. You know, at the start of game five, it's like, oh, he's got nothing. And then at the start last night, three-pointer, three-pointer, three-pointer, a floater. Like, he had, what, 13 points, I think, in the first quarter. It's like, oh, yeah, he has it tonight.

Yeah, he's the kind of guy that needs to see the ball go through the rim early and often to be like, all right, I'm in a groove here. Like sometimes shooters need that. All right, I saw one go in. I saw two go in. I got a free throw. I saw those go in. When he starts missing early, it's like, all right, he's trying to chase.

He's playing the game from behind and trying to chase. All right, I need a three here. I need to get my guys going. And, I mean, he played sub 30 minutes, like 28 minutes last night. Obviously, had a great stat line. I mean, it was a blowout. I mean, when you have a 20 to nothing run to start the third quarter, like, yeah, nobody expected that.

I'm sure that people that went to take a shower midway through the game came back and were like, wait. It was a seven-point game. It was an eight-point game. It's 25 now? What happened here? Right. You mentioned he was tired.

Yes, I think he was tired. The whole Spurge organization is tired of Chad Holmgren. Bro, I ain't never seen somebody get punk like they punking my boy. Devin Vassell in your face. Push it in and what's wrong with you? And on the other end, Carter, Bryant, welcome to the show. You're going flop and you want some files. SGA.

Well, take these two. Call them, ref. You did. Salute. I'll tell you, I think over the last two games, and granted the, you know, the Spurs lost, they got blown out in game five, Spurs have kind of punked the Thunder the last couple of games. And I'm surprised that the Thunder are allowing them to get away with it. You know, late, these are the champs, all right?

And late in game five, you had Plumley go out there and forearm shiver to the back of Jared McCain, Bumbo with the huge foul to. All right, it was at the end of the game, but you kind of let them, you know, like, all right. When we called for it. Right. Let's be honest. Okay.

And then last night. The enforcer. Juju brings up Carter Bryant to. Nicola Topic, one ball. Is a rookie. Carter Bryant's a rookie. And he's allowed to take shots at the back-to-back league MVP. With no retaliation, by the way, from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And the Thunder don't do anything about it? Like, that's a little bit. And look, you know, Dave, you could shake your head and I come from. this place as well where that shit doesn't fly in hockey. Like, that would, if you did that to the star player on a hockey team, on the champs, and it was a rookie who did it, they would wrap their stick around your neck. That's what would happen. Hell yeah.

And it's like, they got punked. They got punked last. How do you allow a rookie to commit what was reviewed for a flagrant foul on the league MVP? That was shocking. Well, you know, Shaq, notwithstanding, because of his large S, got banged around real good at the start of this millennium. But for the most part, yeah, I can't recall, I guess Isaiah Thomas as an old man, I remember watching him get knocked around by the Lakers and otherwise in the late 80s and trying to send a message. But yeah, like you say, this is NHL kind of stuff. This is a different sport we're looking at here.

But what really strikes me is something, again, that I talk about, old people have to lionize the past, and I understand it. You want to swoon about the 60 Celtics and the 80s rivalry with the Lakers and Celtics and all of that. But I think people need to understand that the standard is much higher and much tougher for today's player. They go harder. All this load management and all of that is off-putting. But I do think every trip up and down the floor, they're going harder than guys were going several generations ago. They were sparing, they were holding something back, whereas today's guys are balls to the wall every trip up and down the floor, believe it or not. And also, seven-game series, you have to do that four times to win the title.

That just wasn't true back in the late 60s and 70s. So the standard is higher, but it's all yielded this big question for me that I turned to Trista and Juju and everybody else with. What gives with the variance from game to game? This is all very fun to talk about as a soap opera, what goes on with SGA and Wembe and his legacy and the rough stuff and all of that stuff. But since game one, everyone has been a blowout. It's kind of unsatisfying to actually sit there and watch the two and a half hour game, right? Yeah, and I think what it is, if you look at just how the league is evolved,

you're talking about a team like the Spurs shooting 41-3s in a night and the Thunder shooting 40. Now, you know, you get five more threes. You get a 37% from three for the spurs. That's an okay night, pretty good night. Sometimes it's 50% though. And then you have the thunder shooting 25% from three. When you have that many threes being taken, one hot night, I think, versus one super cold night.

And I think when you have it, you have it. And then things start to compound, right? Because if you're stepping into threes and you're up 15, you just have a little different swagger about you. You have a little lean with it, rock with it. When your butt starts to pucker and you're down 10, 15, 20, and your shots not falling, I feel like that's just something that can compound a lot more. What you think, did you? Exactly.

And I think what you said earlier, Carter Bryant is a rookie. Y'all allowing a rookie to take shots at the MVP. Y'all allowing Devin Vassell to push check, tell him about his cell, walk off and dare him to do anything. This is why I've lost belief in the Thunder moving forward. I don't, if the Thunder win, good luck with these Knicks because these Knicks is going to do the same thing to you. Jose Alvarado, he's going to punk chat. He's going to get in the game just to punk you. And I feel like this is what's wrong with them, specifically the Thunder. So my schedule gets a little chaotic this time of year.

Most days I'm here at the Metal Arc Studios and then I'm heading straight to another broadcasting or hosting gig. And especially in this Miami heat, it's insane. And not the Miami heat, but the Miami summer heat. I've been trying to keep at least one healthy habit consistent, and that's why I've been bringing Kachava's new travel packs with me. It's one less thing I have to worry about, which is great because I'm already spending enough mental energy, figuring out what shirt is acceptable to wear on camera or hosting or on the show that I'm not going to get made fun of for. So I just throw one in my backpack, and I've got an all-in-one nutrition shake ready whenever I need it. It's packed

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Built for every industry, ready for every boardroom. NetSuite.aI. slash DLB. For 22 years on this show, we've debated the greatest athletes of all time. Who's the goat in football? Who's the goat in soccer? Who's the goat in hoops? One thing that we all know is Dan's the goat of finding the worst possible take. But there's another kind of MVP slash goat that doesn't get enough credit.

The friend who knows to show up with enough Miller Lights, plus X-Rice, because they just know. The one who already has seats at the bar when you walk up, that is a Miller time, NVP. I've been on this show long enough to know that Dan is going to make everything about his feelings, and Jeremy is going to push back on whatever I just said. But here's something nobody on this show will argue with. Miller Life is the summer beer, the original light beer since 1970. This summer, recognize your MVP's. We all have that one friend who makes every game better.

Now it's time to give them their moment. Head over to Miller Lite's social media pages to learn more about being a Miller Time MVP. You can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories, and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Don Lebertard. To us, residents? Oh, wow.

That's pretty good. It's in there. Better. I think I haven't been practicing? Stugats. Oh, oh. I didn't realize we had a substitute complicated legacy. Brought you by a headquarter to Toyota, huh?

441 on Powerline Road. Second down to nine. This is the Dan Lebatar show with a Stugats. Juju put it on the pole. When you start hitting threes, you start to have a swagger with it. And also, Juju, put it on the pole when you're missing threes. Does your butt start? to pucker.

You also have to put in, do you have a little lean with it, rock with it? That's also an important point. But I want to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder and the vets there, Alex Caruso, Lou Dork, guys that have been around the league. I can't believe they allowed Carter Binds to do what they did. That they allowed that with no retaliation whatsoever. And I get that there is a spotlight for the next couple of plays on some sort of retaliation. But you got to go in the locker room, you got to go at halftime.

And they got blown out in the third quarter, by the way. So I don't know what they said at halftime. But you got to go in a half time and be like, did you see this MFer? He pushed this guy right here? This guy who's the two-time MVP? Somebody's going to do that to him? Who do we have that we can just go kill somebody over there? Right?

That's the point. Chet's got to step up. Caruso, Dort, anybody with a pulse in Oklahoma City, wake up, they're taking your shit. Also, you made a good point, Juju. She gave you an AP and not the kind that comes with the swatch, watch. This is an expensive one. I think, though, what that means is that Lou Dort has emotionally been cooked. He sees Casey Wallace doing his thing.

He sees Alex Crusoe doing his thing. He's like, I'm supposed to be the man with the back muscles on top of my back muscles. That's the enforcer. But you offensively, my guy, don't have it. And so I think he's starting to see his pecking order go down and down and down. Sure. But you know what to change that? throwing an elbow at Brian's face.

Maybe he's feeling some kind of way against Shea. Maybe how about you're part of this team still, before they ship you out next season, you're still part of this team, you're still trying to go win an NBA championship. Take it on yourself. You haven't a three ball in a month? Perfect.

Go take somebody out on a hard box out and make sure people feel what you got going on. The frustration that you got, go get to somebody in the chicken win. A.O. I think it really shows how far removed we are from the NBA we used to. to be accustomed to when what I mean by that is we're all into this series.

It's got great storylines. It's got drama. But the games are shit. You know, like the NBA that we used to watch before you had this massive variance and how fast the game was played and all of the three-point shooting, which certainly helps blowouts, this series going into a seventh game, we'd be saying that this is not a good series. You had one good game, amazing game, game number one. But the other five games here have been terrible.

But we are so far removed from an NBA playoff that has buzzer beaters and a bunch of lead changes in the fourth quarter that just a tight game in the final few minutes that now just going to game seven, right, Dave? Just going to game seven, this must be a classic series. And I guess if you want to call it a classic series because it's the real coming out party of Wemboniama and it's the two-time league MVP and the defending chiefs. champion with the Thunder, and it is the two best teams in the league, and it is going seven games. So people are going to call it a classic series, but in reality, it hasn't been great. I can, I mean, I completely agree, obviously, as long as you aren't looking at the actual event, this is fascinating stuff. I mean, we're looking at, we're, we're at an inflection point in the league. I mean, if the Spurs win this, it, it's going to be a long night of

Wemby ruling over the NBA for at least, you would assume, for the next half decade or so, or OKC gets a shot at going back to back. Either way, great stuff. But, you know, the NFL doesn't really care very much when on Monday morning the discussion is about the big time game, the primetime game is, boy, the officiating was terrible. But at some point, there's diminishing returns. And the buzz around this, the ascendance of Wembe and OKC and all of that, that the number one topic is, boy, SGA really flops a lot. That is the takeaway from these first six games, right? Is there any credible argument against that?

That's what people are primarily talking about. For sure. That's what they're going to talk about 1,000 percent. But I think the takeaway from last night's game is Jalen Williams, why are you back at this juncture? The trying. You could take a game, take a beat, see how this one goes, rest that hamming, because I think that that was the ingredient put into the sauce last night.

I mean, certainly they look back at it now and it's like, all right, we should have, we should have waited an extra couple days. Right, because Jerry McCain was playing at a high clip. You got Wiggins over there. You have other options to fill in on what he does, so I think that was the mistake. But can you imagine right quick not to switch it back if UD was on the team? I know, man. And you saw Carter Bryant go at Jimmy Butler like this.

So rookie. Back to your point about like just Jalen Williams almost spoiling the sauce or the way that the gumbo was comprised. Remember when OG and Anobi was hurt and they were playing the Pacers and it was like, is Oji going to play? Is he not going to play? And then he went out on that bum-ass hamstring and then they went down like 20 instantly because O.G. wasn't right. That's what I think of when I think of Jailen Williams. Yo, if you don't have it 100 percent, that hammy needs to be wrapped up. in heat and not in a uniform.

Who is... Okay, so we got game seven tomorrow night, which, I mean, please, can it be a close game? I think game seven tomorrow night is so enormous for Wemba Njama, because while this has been a coming out for him, because it's the first time ever in the playoffs, first time ever in the playoffs, the number one overall pick

was supposed to save this Spurs franchise, has them in game seven of the Western Conference Fonnas. Like, this has been the conference finals. coming out. But for Wembenyama, and we're all dubbing him, he's the best playing the league, he's the future of the league, if in your first time ever in the playoffs, against the defending champs, also two-time league MVP, on the road, game seven to get to the NBA finals, if he and the Spurs win that game, that is legendary shit. Legendary to win a game seven on the road.

at the champs in your first time ever in the playoffs. Legendary stuff. He has to put up big points, though. They can't just win in him have like 0 for 5 from 3. Oh, but we know at this point. They can't win if he doesn't score huge. He was huge in game 1, huge in game 4, huge in game 6. They have no chance of winning if he doesn't put up huge numbers.

It's not like, oh, yeah, they have to win and he has to be the reason for winning. That's the only way they win. I mean, I think if Deeran Fox shows up to Game 7, though, that will be just as important because I feel like they got him for these spots. These are the exact spots where we thought Deeran Fox was going to shine. And he is yet to make an imprint on the series now, the ankle, high ankle is a rough injury to fight through. But him having a good Game 7 would be just as important as I'm going to be having one.

Not a perfect comp here, but Trista, I disagree with what you just said. How Wemby plays is, I mean, obviously, Zaz is right. It's unlikely the Spurs win if Wembe doesn't have a huge game. But if they survived by hook or by crook, Wemby benefits from that, his early legacy and all of that. The best thing that ever happened to Tom Brady was winning that Super Bowl against the Rams, even though he threw for 27 yards or whatever he threw for in that game. because the pressure was off of him before it was ever established to begin with. Those guys, as you get deeper into your career, you're ever going to get over the hump,

you're ever going to be able to take care of business? Yes, you're a great star, but do you take care of business when the pressure is highest? That would be off of Wemby if he gets to, I'm with Zaz completely, and it really is besides the point if Wemby leads the way or if he's a supporting member, maybe Fox has a huge game and that's the reason they win it. Yeah, but no, because, listen, Listen, like when Hardin had that shitty game, and he's had many shitty games in clutch moments, and he was two for ten in that Detroit game seven, people were like, well, yeah, Hardin was still bad,

and yet they still won. So I think there will be some level of narrative building. Yes, the spurs have gotten over the hump, and maybe the pressure doesn't mount on Wemby as much as it has on other stars that haven't gotten it done. But he needs to put the exclamation point on it for it to be a leg. game for him. I think the big question that I have at this point is which player between Wemby and SGA has a bigger moment ahead of them here. Because for SGA, you look at what last year was and you look at his finals performance

and the way that the thunder were blowing everyone out. And the fact that in that finals, he shot 44% from the field, 24% from three. Now, he averaged 30 points, but he did get to the line quite a bit, and they were playing a team in a 5-seat that ended up losing Halliburton at the end. They easily could have lost that finals. Now you're facing a legend in himself and Wembe over there. You got home court advantage, and you're back-to-back MVP. Like, this is the moment you need to step up after a dreadful game six. Like, dreadful.

Gosh, I don't. I don't think, man, I don't think he loses anything if they lose the game. Really, I couldn't feel more the opposite. I feel like people are waiting to pounce on SGA because they have this feeling about him, which is like this grift of getting to the line and all these things. But you're going to think less. You think people are going to think less of him if they don't win tomorrow? I don't think so.

They were an overwhelming favorite to win the championship this season. The way they started the season where you're saying they're going to win 80 games. Only two games better than the spurs. Right. That's where it ends up being. But if you look at the right, if anything, that's the point, which is like this might be, you never know. The last grasps of what this is. Does Jalen Williams become the James Hardin? And he's now gone and you're trying to get to the next evolution. We always say these teams are going to be here forever.

And Oklahoma is certainly set up in a way they weren't before with all these extra picks. But this is such a fascinating time for his legacy as well. Wembe has something he can go gain. But SGA has something he might potentially lose. Put it on the polls, Juju. Who has more on the line tomorrow night? Game 7. Shegildes, Alexander or Victor Wemble. Banyama. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. We've gotten a lot better at talking about our mental health than we used to, right? People are more open about it, conversations are happening, and that's a really good thing. But asking for help, that still seems to be the hard part. Better Helps 2026 State of stigma report surveyed 2,000 Americans, and if it revealed that 85% of Americans believe getting

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I know it well. It's usually when I show up. Everybody goes crazy. Yeah, you usually take all the credit for it, but it's because Tony usually walks in with Quervo. Walking like this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Quervo is a thing that turns hanging out. into this is the night. It has that effect on people. It does. You usually take the credit for it. But again, it's the Cuervo effect.

It's like that moment in a big game where everyone in the crowd just starts standing up, hooting and hollering. Keep it quervo. Keep it quervo, baby. Excited for summer? Hosting a pool party, a barbecue, or just looking forward to some relaxing time at home?

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Visit Orkin.com today for a free estimate. Don Lebertard. Come with the Frog here live from Metalwork Media Studios here in Miami. Stugats. The Germans are advancing on France in World War II. This is the Dan Lebatar show with these two gods. I just want to say for the record, it is definitely SGA, who's got the curse of supposed to hanging on his shoulders as he tries to get up over Wembe.

He's got the extra baggage of being the guy who's supposed to lead the way for the team that's supposed to win this series. And they better get it done because, you know, we can talk about Wembe, and obviously he takes up most of the oxygen there. But, you know, guys like Castle are only going to get better. and, you know, by next spring, he is going to be a greater factor in the Spurs success. We can almost assume that if I'm right, did Castle ascends, right? And Wembe gets a little bit better in Fox and all of that, that that's going to be your representative from the West. So, OKC, better do it now because I think the window, not because of anything they've done wrong,

but because of the Ascent of the Spurs who are about to take over the NBA. This is their last chance to do it, I feel like. I was talking with my brother last night when we were watching. watching the game. We were thinking about how in some ways when you're down to these last couple games, it's like a March Madness tournament. And then we were thinking, where would Wembe have gone to college if he

wasn't an international player? And he had been forced to go to college in America. What school does he fit? What school would he have chosen? And the immediate thought was Duke, right? Bright guy. I don't think so. Franch, villain. Evil. But I'm not sure if that's the right you want to go. I'm not

sure what it would have been. Because then it's like, would he have been the highfalutin? You know what? I'm going to go to Harvard and make Harvard a tournament team and, you know, be the educated Frenchman. There are so many different options. Do you guys have any thoughts immediately that come to mind on where Wembe would have gone to college? Yeah, I like that. Where, what school does Wemba Niyama give off?

Because he grew up such a Spurs fan, Tony Parker Jersey as a child, I think my boy would have went to somewhere like Wake Forest. because Tim Duncan went to Wake Forest and it's random he can put him on the map I think that's the answer That's a great one What about UCLA A lot of great big men like Bill Walton have gone to

UCLA I'm Abdul Jabar I feel like I could have seen him at Gonzaga Really? Him and Chet in a way He feel it just Because of his look Just to take Chet Spatdo Yeah I feel like he would go to a school like Gonzaga

We don't think North Carolina right Like no way it would have been North Carolina or Kansas. No. Like it would have had to be something off the wall. There's no way he would have just like Duke is the most mainstream, but only because it's like the private school where there's like villains and stuff like that. UCLA because of the history. But specifically like, oh, Bill Walton and Kareem, that's why we're thinking UCLA.

Otherwise, there's no way it's a traditional blue blood. Or maybe the sports gods got it right by sending him to San Antonio. Maybe he goes to Texas. You know, the Spurs, what marks their dynasty or whatever you, whatever you would call what they did. I mean, think about Duncan from the Bahamas and Manu, Spain? Argentina. Italy? Argentina.

Sheesh. And Tony Parker from France, there would be some sort of sense from Wembe like, oh, yeah, Texas, Houston, Austin, very international. You may not know that across America, but Houston is among our most international cities. That might be a nice fit for Wemby. What about BYU? I was going to say BYU. Yes. Spending a lot of money.

I could see that. If Wemby was in the pipeline, you know Danny A. And the rest of the crew from the Utah Jazz, they're going to spend even more than they're spending on A.J. DeBanza. Yeah. I could see BYU. I like that.

What school would he have gone? Not like what would you have met? What does he look like? What does he look like? It's Duke. The answer is Duke. You close your eyes. see him in that white and blue and you're like, God, I hate him.

I don't know. Right. You got a lot of question. Now, UK is our most mercenary college team, right? They just, for one-off guys, I think it would be uninspired and it would probably he'd be a wildcat, right? Tomorrow's great night, though. Game 7 tomorrow night. Spurs, Thunder.

Also, of course, if you heard me and Mike Ryan yesterday, tomorrow, triple A. You know about that triple A? AAA. That's right. Mask versus Mask. original El Grande-Americano against El Grande Americano. This is a huge pro wrestling weekend.

Of course, Clash in Italy is Sunday afternoon. I know you'll be dialed in Tony. Roman Reins, tribal chief, tribal combat against Jacob Fatu. Wow. Incredible. Where's the Dan Housin guy? Dan Housen, he's not on the card, you know, but he'll be in Italy on Sunday.

You know, they're there for Clash in Italy. He just walks around and does that thing? Yeah, he curses people. That's right. You know about that Dan Housen-Hawson Dave? So, while I know on the undercard for you is a trip to see Dave Matthews tonight, my concern is if you're taking the lady, yes, if you missed earlier, Zaslo is contemplating surprising the misses with tickets to Dave Matthews tonight. Front row, he's assured all of us. Do you, are you worried at all that you saying this into a microphone that it's going out to the public that this gets back to her and spoils your surprise?

No, it could totally get back to her. but that doesn't bother me because then it kind of helps me know if it's a good idea. You know, like, yes, I want it to be a surprise, but like, do I want it to be a surprise? Because if she's not going to like the surprise, I'd like her to know about the surprise, and they don't have to do the surprise, you know? So I'm well aware, you know, there's snitches at her school. I know about you snitches, and sometimes they'll tell her things. You know what happens to snitches, right?

Roy, you know what happens to snitches? Yes, I do. hurt. There are snitches at my wife's school, okay? And if one of those snitches winds up telling her, you know, what I'm up to, I'm actually okay with it right now because, you know, if she doesn't want it, you know, the word will get back to me and there we go. Vanderbilt, maybe? Not bad. Who, I'd hate him there too. Not bad. So with all the OTAs, mini-camps and all of that going on right now, I don't know if you guys saw the Minnesota Vikings and what they have going on right now. The Minnesota Vikings, they have a

quarterback competition, right? You got J.J. McCarthy who's going to go into his third year as quarterback, and they also have Kyla Murray now, all right? So that's like a real quarterback competition. And Dave, have you heard this yet? Is the quarterbacks a couple, I think it was two days ago? The quarterbacks they both spoke, they spoke with the media. Give this a listen here. First, let me explain it to you.

Kyler Murray is first asked about the relationship, what it's like working with, you know, competition, J.J. McCarthy. Kyle Murray first asks, is asked about it. And then J.J. McCarthy, same question. He's also asked, but very different answers. It's been great. It's been great. Obviously, I know he's a younger guy. So any way I can help him, obviously, I feel like, you know,

I've played seven years now going on eight. So I'm considered a veteran, even though I don't see myself as that. Give him any knowledge that he needs. Again, you know, we're both competitors, and I know, we both won what's best for the team. It's even receptive to hearing criticism? Of course, of course. Yeah, he's not.

He's overly accepted, you know, and he's always communicating, asking questions, stuff like that, so it's been good. JJ, what's your relationship been like with Kyler so far? You know, it's just like two guys in a classroom. You know, he sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it's the coach's responsibility to teach us and coach us. Is there any awkwardness, like, between you two? Awkwardness, you know, it's just like the same feeling,

you know, when you're in high school, and there's another person on other side. out of the room. That's just kind of how it is. So I wouldn't say there's any awkwardness. Dave, what the hell is? Like, those are two completely different answers. Well, one guy knows he is going to be the starting quarterback so he can afford the grace that Kyler Murray just showed there. J.J. McCarthy is pissed off. And I don't know if it's fair for that, but he's been sold that he is the franchise quarterback. I mean, this is this is year three for that guy. Really, you're doubling down on it if you're Kevin O'Connell and you're the Vikings.

J.J. McCarthy, I would be saying to whoever is willing to listen behind those walls, like, can you get me out of here? Can you get me to a different, you know, Pittsburgh needs a quarterback. There are a number of teams that need quarterbacks. Why am I still here if you want Kyler Murray? That would be my frame of mine. Georgetown. Yeah, Kyler Murray, Kyle Murray is saying the right thing, but he's clearly lying. Like, J.J. McCarthy's version is likely what is actually happening, but Kyler Murray is being a professional. And he's trying to make everybody look good, and he doesn't want there to be a problem. So he's saying, yeah, of course, JJ's very receptive to everything.

But what is JJ even saying? Like, even though you can clearly see that there's beef, is like, why are you saying you're on other sides of the classroom, just like in high school? That doesn't sound like a rivalry. It doesn't sound like two people going mono-a-mono. It just sounds like two guys just who happened to be seated in different places in the room. Dave, I look at this and I'm like, wow. Kevin O'Connell for as bright and for as well-managed that he's had that team for the

offense, the way that they run it, like all the great amazing things that Kevin O'Connell's done. This is a big stain on a, you know, pretty clean resume, no? This is a big thing? That's right. I mean, the Super Bowl, the MVP from last year, that's a big stain. That's what I'm saying. It's part of the same thing. They drafted J.J. McCarthy got rid of Sam Darnold, and they're like, this is the future.

But, like, that's all part of the bigger conversation of this whole. nine situation is a big stain on his record, no? There's no question about it. Kevin O'Connell has J.J. McCarthy, just as Kyle Shanahan has Trey Lance, these exceptions that prove the rule that they can turn anybody good. Yeah, I think it's fascinating that Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings keep him around to sort of a double down or a fail safe to Kyler Murray, who obviously they want it or else he wouldn't be on the Vikings right now and they thought he would be better than J.J. McCarthy.

Or again, he wouldn't be on the Vikings right now. But, you know, there's a case to be made that I make all the time, which is that at this point in Mann's Recorded History, or at least in pro football, that the offensive play designer and play caller is more important than the guy at the trigger. You know, who would you rather have if you're a Niners guy? Would you rather have Brock Purdy or Kyle Shanahan? Would you rather have Caleb Williams or Ben Johnson?

Would you rather have Jared Gough or Ben Johnson? And I think that Kevin O'Connell, despite this, is going to make Kyler Murray work. I think the Vikings are going to be good. I just question now, why are you doing that? Is it your ego that you're embarrassed by J.J. McCarthy? So you want to keep them around just so because like we were talking about with Tua, leaving Miami, if he goes and succeeds in Atlanta, that's a bad look for Miami. And so if J.J. McCarthy were to leave and arrive and be a starting quarterback and thrive in 2026,

that would be a bad look for KOC, right? Right? Yeah, but then you look at the hubris of the play calling. You'd rather have the play caller than the trigger man, like you said. But then in the Trey Lance situation, you look at Kyle Shanahan, like, do something with this guy. Like, he stinks. Like, what's going on here? And then all of a sudden, Brock Purdy comes in Mr. Relevant. And then now he, you know, the 49ers are great. Kyle Shanahan's a genius all over again. The same thing that happened with Caleb Williams, too. So it's like, you need a bit of a push and pull, but it can't be the hubris of the offensive coordinator to be like, yeah, I'm the guy. I can put anybody there and we can win. And I think J.J. McCarthy still keep a good attitude about this and keep the optimism there because let's not forget, Kyle Murray got replaced by Jacoby percent last year. He ain't having the most pristine time. Like, there's a competition to be had. And lastly, imagine if Shador Sanders said what JJ said. Oh, my God, the world would be on fire.

You know, we mentioned earlier how Tua going to Atlanta is the Dolphin fan worried. that he may have some success there. I'm not worried at all. I don't think that's even remotely a possibility, but I do wonder. Really? You don't think so in a bad division with good weapons? You don't think Twitter can do something? I know what I watched last year. That is a washed up quarterback. It doesn't bother me at all. He's not going to have any success.

But I do wonder, I feel like the Viking fan is probably afraid that Kyler Murray is going to have success in Minnesota. Not just because Arizona is a shit show, but also it's like Kevin O'Connell. I don't think the Dolvan fan is scared about two having success. I think the Cardinal fan is probably scared that Kyla Murray's going to go up to Minnesota and look really good. Stanford?