The Herd with Colin Cowherd - All Ball - Lottery Pick Summer League Breakdown, Gelo Legitimacy, Westbrook/Lakers Fit, Nets Bounceback with Andrew Salop

Episode Date: August 26, 2021

In this episode, Doug talks with former Israeli League guard Andrew "Combo" Salop about his upbringing in the Bronx, bouncing around to a handful of high schools, how he played in the ABA without playing DI college ball, his move to the Israeli league. Andrew and Gottlieb also break down the top NBA lottery picks performances from the NBA Summer League, Gelo's legitimacy, Russell Westbrook's fit with the Lakers, and which teams could surprise in the East and West. Make sure you download, rate and subscribe here to get the latest All Ball Podcasts! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast.

For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians,

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Full details on carnival.com, ships, registry, Bahamas, Panama. Hey, welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlieb, and this is All Ball. All Hoop all the time. Think you're going to love, I think you're going to love this week's podcast. That's because we have a special guest. Andrew Combo Salab, you can follow him on social media on the gram at 1-2 combo. Of course, you can follow him on Twitter. You can download his podcast. He's a former professional basketball player, mostly in Israel, although spent a little bit of time in Denmark, grew up in New York City, and you're going to follow his journey.

It's kind of unique, right? Didn't play Division I basketball. Didn't play division two, division three. Bounce around high schools. How do you get to playing overseas? How did it all happen? You will find out. He's going to join us momentarily.

You know, look, we're getting ready here for this upcoming NBA season. I have some really good guests set to join us. But as we get ready for college and college basketball, kind of weird, does feel like there's been this mass upheaval. And I'm not sure that we've been. done a good enough job of covering it. Coach K, this is last year. Roy Williams is retired. Jim Beheim is still going strong. But once you have, you know, a name like a Roy Williams retiring, you're having a lot of guys that had a chance, a Jason Terry, a Damon Stottomier, leave the college game. You have overtime elite. You have the G-League Ignite team.

You have all of these challenges. I'm going to be fascinated by college basketball. And this could be the last year of the Big 12 is currently constituted. And obviously what happens with Kansas is paramount for the sport. But I think it's going to be interesting when that happens to Oklahoma. There's a program that's been really successful through multiple head coaches. But how do they look in the SEC? That part's going to be really interesting.

All right. We'll get to more of that in a second. First, though, let's catch up with Andrew Sallum. Let's start at the very beginning. You grew up where? Riverdale, New York, in the Bronx. Huh? Riverdale, New York, in the Bronx. You don't know my dad's actually originally from the Bronx.

Okay. Mine too. So early on, like middle school days, where are you playing? Oh, middle school days. Wow. Well, in the parks, you know, all kinds of leagues. I went to a lot of different high schools. I mean, I went to a lot of different middle schools and high schools just for basketball reasons.

Yeah, it was a private school in New York called York Prep. That was one of them. And then I ended up transferring to St. Thomas Moore, which was a prep school really young. So, yeah, I was all over the place. So, man, I was all over the place, Doug. Okay. So what's your family situation with? It's good.

You know, Riverdale is, you know, middle class, the upper middle class, Jewish community and the Bronx. Yeah, it was a good situation. You know, my parents aren't basketball people, kind of like your dad. They weren't that. So I had to figure out the game on my own to some degree. But, you know, they put me in positions to be great. Like they sent me to basketball camp. The game in my space whenever I wanted to play, they never shunned me away from playing the game.

But my upbringing was great. I mean just because it's interesting. So my dad grew up in Bronx. His dad was like self-manman, like an accountant. And then eventually they moved out to Long Island when he was a car dealer and became a car dealer because like most accountants, you know, you find failing businesses and you, you know, you get a piece of that business. And he turned into a very successful one. But, but his, my dad's infatuation with the sport was not met with like, oh, hey, great support from at home. They thought like, this is fun. You got fun. And we get done with college and come take over the family business, right? So I'm just wondering for you, you grew up in a, you know, upper middle class Jewish neighborhood in the Bronx. Right. You're chasing it and you're switching high schools. I'm just wondering what that conversation is like at home.

No, they were great about it. They never tried to steer me away from it. They wanted me to do what I loved. And my mom will tell everybody I was obsessed with basketball since the age of seven. It was all I ever wanted to do. Never really talk about this much in my podcast. But, you know, my mom always talks about it to me. Like, all you ever wanted to do was basketball.

So, yeah, they never shunned me away from it. I would say that my mom would always, you know, she would always talk about the lawyers and the doctors and how they're so successful. But she would never try and steer me in that direction, if that makes sense. Right. The Jewish mother wants your kid to be a lawyer, a doctorate. You're really a screw up an accountant, right? Right, right. That's what that's what is.

Okay, so you get to St. Thomas Moore. How old are you? I'm 14. I'm really young. and, you know, there was the PG team, and I was on the JV team because I was young, you know, and a lot of great players like Carl Krauser, Julian Sensley, I don't know if you remember some of those names, but Carl, Carl, Carl, Carl was my roommate. Of course I remember.

Yeah, so Carl was my roommate. He was, he was older than me. That was, you know, it was just a great experience. I played JV. played really well. It was a good experience. I mean, it was a little bit of a weird school. You know, you had to dress up in these suits. And there was no girls. It was a little bit strange. But for the most part, I got to work on my game, you know, get in the gym early and see what high level high school basketball was all about from a young age. Okay.

So you stayed there off. You say you bounced around a bunch of high schools. Where was that? Oh, yeah. So then I left there, went to public school. 10th grade played varsity was really short still. It was like 5'8. my, my, my, my, my athleticism and my height didn't reach up to my skills yet.

So, you know, it was a tough experience playing varsity at that age, but I improved quick. What school? What school? What school? Yeah, Clinton in the Bronx. You guys any good? We were pretty good. You know, we got pretty close to making the garden, but we didn't get there.

We had a good run in the playoffs. Yeah. Okay. So that's your sophomore year, your junior year than when you do? I go to Winchenden Okay, so now you go Another prep school

That's up in Massachusetts, right? Yes, sir. So you show up at Winchendon, it's probably in August. Yes, sir. First, how did you connect with the coaches at Winchondon? I think I was sending out a bunch of, you know,

emails. I don't know if it was emails back then letters and, you know, they gave me the go. So actually that was the year I grew. So they had like a varsity team and you still there, Doug? Yeah, of course. Oh, okay.

They had a varsity team and a PG team. So I played on the varsity team and I started growing like I average, which was basically the B team. I averaged basically like 33 to 35 points a game on what you would call, you know, the B team. It was 11th grade. Yeah, and I started to grow like I grew from like 5, 9 to 6, 4, 6, 5, you know, really quick. I started playing above the rim.

I improved a lot that year. So that was a good experience. And I decided to leave right after the basketball season. Wait, so you left there, too? Who was on your team at Winchison? Well, there was Curtis Thinson was there. Francisco Garcia was there. Mike Lytle, who's now a basketball,

who's now a sneaker YouTuber that you might have heard of for Mr. Former Simpson was my roommate with Curtis Thinson as well. So, yeah, there was a lot of good players there. So you grew from 5-8 to 6-4-65? Yeah, yes, sir. Maybe 5-10 to 6-4-65? That's crazy. I mean, you probably should stay back.

I stay back and I grew from like 5 feet to 5-9, 5-10. So I totally get it. Okay, so then you decide, why did you decide to leave? I didn't like the school. I just, I was so out of it. I was missing classes. They didn't kick me out yet, but I was. I was on the verge of it. I was never a schoolperson, Doug. And I just left after. And I went back to public school. My grades weren't good enough to play senior year. I knew you were going to ask me that. So I had to take the Jucal route. And I went to a divisional. So you didn't play basketball, you're senior. You go to two prestigious prep schools. You start as a sophomore to public school. You go back to public school your senior year, but you're not academically eligible.

Yes. I am not. So I finish up. up at Clinton. And I graduate, but, you know, schools are interested, but there's no way I could go to any of them because of my grades. So I had to take the Division I one Juko route, Doug. Wow. So where'd you go? Westchester, man. It was a good experience. I was an all-region player my first year. You know, we traveled to places like Idaho, Wyoming, Utah. And I think the Juko level is a lot higher level than people think. And back then it was interesting. It was kind of like more like the modern game.

I remember going out to Utah and Wyoming and everybody was jacking threes playing up and down, playing fast, a lot of good players. It was a great experience. Ron's brother, Daniel, Artes was on my team that year. We had some fun playing in Utah. We played well together out there. And it was a good experience. I was an all-region player. It went pretty well.

We lost actually in the regional finals on a buzzer-beater to a guy I ended up playing with in the ABA later in my life named Garfield, Ricky Johns, who now I think is an assistant coach at Iona. So we lost to him. I cried that day. We lost the in the regional championship, man. But it was a good year. So you stay there for your sophomore year? So Doug, you know, New York City big street ball is the mecca street ball.

I play streetball. I tear my ACL that year. And I have to sit out red shirt and then come back the third year. And I wasn't quite the same yet. But I was getting there. How did you carry your A Sale? What were you doing? Playing in Nelson Park in the Bronx.

Outdoors? Outdoors. I'm a big streetball guy, Doug. I played in Dykeman and Rucker. So that was all going on through these years as well. So you tear your A. When you did it, how did you do it that time? Driving hard in transition.

Somebody just bumps me. The three pops. They're like, they run up to me. You're all right. You're all right. I'm like, maybe I am right. I walk, my knee is not even in, really, it's hardly there. It's buckling. I get on the train. You know, somebody helps me up the stairs. I get home. And yeah, man, the next 10 months was

the toughest 10 months in my life. So what did you tear that first time? ACL, MCL, meniscus. What did you have a replacement? My hamstring graph. Okay, which is what I did from mine. So this is the hard. one, right? Because you still had a lot of basketball to play, whereas I don't have as much to play, but you're not at a major university. So it's not, there's not somebody on your ass to rehab, right? You're just kind of, you know, 19, 20 years old. So how did you rehab that time? So, yeah, I went to a great hospital. Man, I forgot the name of it. It was in Manhattan,

kind of near Dyckman and England. I forgot to, oh, Columbia Presbyterian. Yeah, they did a great job with me. You know, I was there. I was very motivated to get back. I was definitely worried that I'll never come back the same. But, you know, I fought through it, played a lot of video games, did a lot of push-ups, and went to therapy and focused on that. Now it's easier because you have YouTube helping you out, man. You could like rehab on your own pretty much if you just watch the right videos. Back then wasn't so much. So I was dedicated to it, though. I really wanted to get back and I wanted to play professionally eventually. Okay. So your third year, you go back, back to Westchester? Yeah. Yeah. I wasn't.

quite the same yet. So I played. I played well. There were schools, you know, D1's NT2 is interested after that year. I don't think I was as good as my first year just in terms of a player, but I came back doing something. It's funny. I came back. My jump shot wasn't as good, but I became more athletic. I was a little too strong up top. I lost a little flexible. It was just a whole mixture. I wasn't quite there yet. It takes like a full year or two to get all the way back. But I did have some, you know, I played well. I played well. And there was colleges interested in, you know, grades again, didn't have the grades. So what did you decide to do?

I decided to play in the ABA. Who'd you go play for? Teresa, Teresa Weatherspoon in the Westchester Phantoms. Wow. What years is this? 0405. Okay. So my recollection of the ABA, I was in Phoenix. And I had just got back, I was playing in Israel, and they were fucking around with them. money and I was just tell me about it done just I went to the president of macabhi renana

has before I lived in renana for a little bit Doug yeah and I went to the president and I said listen I'm on an Israeli contract I got to stay here like two months after we lose just give me your word as a man I'm going to get every penny and I'm good and he was like we will do the best that we can and I was like no maybe you didn't understand it was translation I don't know Just give me your word as a man that, you know, I will be, I'll be compensated every penny in my contract. And you will not hear a word from it. And he was like, we cannot, I cannot give you my words. I will do the best I can't. I was like, all right, well, I'm leaving after, you know, Sunday's game or whatever.

So anyway, so I show up. So I played two games for Phoenix against the Detroit dogs in Detroit. That was interesting downtown Detroit, $25 per diem. We get back to Phoenix. We're staying right across the street from Arizona State. And our hotel is, I'm going to say like a holiday inn, but it also has like a Denny's. So basically you should have had like your $20 or $25 cent to the Denny's. That's your union.

But my teammates were really talented. I was unbelievably talented league. But we were in Phoenix and they all like were living with one of the sons. You know, like Jamel Thomas 530 was. I know Jamel. Jamel's a good dude. Yeah. So Jamel was like living with staff, right?

So he'd roll up. I mean, here we are. We're playing. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10. pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now

I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people

who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, This is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fantine, Ryan Clark, Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

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We played one game at Memorial, the Phoenix Sun's old arena, and then we play like at this church after that. So like we're rolling up, making 500 to 1,000 a week, and he's in like steps escalated with like all the, all the Stefan Marbury logo shit on it, right?

Like, you name it we had dudes. And we had a lot of talent. So, okay, who's on your team in Westchester? Oh, man, Jason Stamper played at Minnesota. We had a couple, like, you know, high-level streetball guys that are super talented, super athletic, never went to school. Actually, the kid who hit the game when he shot against me in Juko, and who ended up actually at Utah.

He was a really good player for the Utah youths and now coaches at Iona, Ricky Johns. We had a few good guys, man. We had other guys that played at Iona. And, you know, it was, I was probably the only Juko guy. And it was everybody else played at a D1 or either like that streetball route. So it was an interesting. Oh, you know who's on my team?

Headache for man, one. He was a character. He was a character, man. That guy was. What was Theresa Williams been like as a coach? She was great. You know, she's so caring, knows what she's talking about. It's no surprise, like, her success.

such she has now to me. Like, she's just a great person, you know, great to play for. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox SportsRadio.com. And within the IHeart Radio app, search FSR to listen live. Beverage Sportsbook wants to invite you to discover the complete sports betting experience. The foundation of that experience is a massive number of betting options on nearly every regular sporting event around the world.

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Now what? Well, an agent got some film of mine, realized I was Jewish, said I should get my citizenship. went to Israel, worked out with teams, and, you know, played really well in a lot of those workouts and ended up signing in the second division. It was just, you know, all that stuff that you talk about with your conversations with the guy from Israel is very familiar. Like, it's, I don't want to say this, but a lot of Israelis are hard to deal with, man. No, there's, listen, it's, I think what happens is a good portion of the negative stereotypes about Jewish businessmen are actually stereotypes about Israeli businessmen, right, who are Jewish, but not necessarily, they're not

American Jews. And I, and I also think that there's like a, some of it is, is just the region, right? That region, and you can, you can experience it. So if you've ever played, and I, it's not just Israel, but the Middle East is very much like this. So four years ago, go I coached the Maccabi games team right and I told the guys I was like look a day is not a day until there's an argument okay that just you can set your watch by it there will be an argument just about every day we get on the bus and they're like no why I was like I don't know why I don't know what they're saying but they will be talking with their hands and they'll be yelling at each other and then they will grab their coffee and they will they will say goodbye and like I don't know I don't really

understand the mentality, but it's something about that, like, fighter mentality that Israelis have. And you'd get on the bus. I'd never get. Like, we landed, you landed like five. You go to the hotel, you check in. And then you have practice like 7.30. And so guys are, like, still half asleep. And they grab a big water and they get on the bus.

And all of a sudden, Mom, my way, my name. And you're like, oh. And I was, I turned around. I was like, told you it's, now what, that's a day. You know. So yeah, no, you're right. There are, it can be, I think, I think lots of guys, lots of young people are like, you know, if I don't make it, I'm going to make in the league.

If now I'm going to play in the G league. Like, that's hard. Don't make a ton of money. Super competitive. And oh, yeah, by the way, really talented, not a ton of spots. And like, not great traveling if you're in a bigger city than they were, you know, back room as a CBA. And if you're going to go play overseas, you don't know.

know if you're getting your money. You don't necessarily know the language. The coaches can be bizarre, you know, in their desires. There's a lot of things that kind of go on there. So, so your first gig is with who? Binyamina. My teammate was Kenny Williams, who used to play for the Indiana Pacers. I'm Kenny. Me and Kenny are great friends to this day. Play great. You know, they mess with my playing time at times, but when I played, I played great. They tried to convince me to stay. This is funny. They tried to convince me to stay the second year after Bessa would be the whole year.

And they're like, I'm like, I think I'm going to go play in the first division. Like, you know, this is not really for me. They're like, and they were going down to the third division. So I'm like, yeah, I'm not going to stay here. They're like, it's going to be very tough. And eventually I end up playing in the second biggest club in Israel called Hopwell Jerusalem. alone. So you can't really listen to anybody there. You got to go with your gut. And that happened to be the lockout season, though. But it was an accomplishment for me just to get on that team because you know how it is, Doug. Like you're fighting with Israelis that lived there their whole life and they watch playing the national team and they're familiar with these guys. And those guys probably don't like you for whatever reason, even though I think I'm a pretty likable guy. And I always got along with teammates. They kind of resent you because they feel you're taking their spots and money. But I did end up on the second biggest club in Israel, and it was the NBA

lockout season. Luke Jackson, Avery Bradley, was there for a little bit. It was stacked. DJ Strawberry, who I think is underrated players, was with us, you know, was there. And then they started messing with my money, and I had to leave. And just a lot of different, different places in Israel within all the leagues played really well when I played. Ended up going to in Denmark, which was one of my greatest experiences in the Division I average 33. That was fantastic, Doug. Like, you know all the stuff we say about is Israelis making things tough for me? The Danish people made things so easy for me. It was awesome. I love Denmark. I love Denmark. Those noted countries are incredible.

Clean, right? Yeah. Yes. Oh, man. So clean. You're like, wow, why is everything so clean here? Yes. Okay. So you go to Denmark, then where? Then I go back to Israel a few years. And I realized I just couldn't do this anymore. So this lasted, you know, 10 years altogether. I'm not going to go through all my teams, but, you know, second division here, first division there, you know, Denmark, back to Israel. Had some really great seasons with some teams, had played all different kinds of roles, kind of was like an overseas, you know, journeyman. It was a great experience. And up at Israel in that last year, I just realized like, I was playing well, too. I was like,

you know, my game was still there. I still work on my game to this day. I never felt I never lost a love for basketball. But I just realized like being in Israel is not for me anymore, man. And I think I want to go back to the States. Okay. So when did you come back state side? 2017. Then what did you decide to do? Well, I worked with players, which I still do and started a podcast, man, I'm most interested in, you know, being in basketball media, either creating my own niche or, you know, getting with a bigger platform eventually. So I've been focused on media on media for a long time now, Gombol's Court podcast. If you include the bonus episodes, we're over 300 episodes in, a lot of great guests, like Jay Billis, Joe Winardi, yourself. I don't even know if you remember, you were on my pod, Doug.

Can you? Okay. So, yeah, you know, all different former NBA players, former media members. been great and that's something I work on religiously. So, but then you tore your ACL again, what working dudes out? See, the thing is, is that my ACL was never the same after the first surgery and it deteriorated to a point where it wasn't stable anymore, so I had to get surgery again. Okay. So you're currently rehabbing that and you're five months in. Did you do the hamstring again? Or did you do the son? Yeah, I'm almost at six months now hamstring again.

hamstring on the right side back to my left. Okay. Well, you have the unique perspective of basically kind of skipping college basketball, but that allows you, you're not kind of polluted by the college basketball style of offense and defense. And it's a different sport, right? On the other hand, most of your experience of the player is an international ball, whereas it's different here, even though he played in the ABA. So recently, you went, to the NBA Summer League, which it's just different when you have a guy like yourself has played that gets it, they can see it. I think, you know, most of the social media reaction is a highlight here, a highlight there,

maybe even one really good game where the true, what you learned about, what you learned about Summer League is, I remember I was Summer League with the Lakers, you know, I had a really good game. And then I came back in the next day. And Frank Hamlin was one assistance for the Lakers back of the day. He came up from the Bulls, you know, he's a Phil Jackson guy. He's like, galley. Yeah, it's like, good game last night.

You know what being a pro is? I go, no, fucking do it again tonight. You know, and I go, it's a great point. And I just, I didn't struggle with it necessarily when I was in the USBL. I didn't struggle with it in the ABA. just like playing a hoop every day. But the mentality of like you, you got to, you sit there on the bench and you just load up with energy and you have to process it and have it come out the right.

And it just, everything works one night. You're like, okay, now you got to do that again tomorrow night. You just extend. Because you get done, you play a game, you get done. And then Summer League was in Long Beach, which is close to where I grew up. My parents were there. I think she's my wife by then I was there. You know, you're just like, you feel like you're a part of the Lakers.

And but then you realize like, oh, shit, I got to do it again. Like tonight was Memphis. Tomorrow night's the Clippers, you know, and it's pretty dope. Anyway, okay. So who if you could say I came home from Summer League and this was the best player that I saw. Can be a big name, can be a small name. The best player you saw was who. man it's close between jalen green and kate cuttingham i'll give the edge to kate cuttingham because of the leadership

and the poised and he seems a little bit more advanced with his game at this point but jalen green was explosive man and what i liked about jayling green was that obviously he could score the basketball really athletic separation is amazing like he could just get a shot off whenever he wants but he cares on both sides of the floor so that tells me he's going to be a good defender as well at the NBA level Like you could look in his face, and that's the great thing. That's the value of showing up somewhere in person. You could read body language better. So I just really feel like he cares about both sides of the floor,

and he's going to be a dynamic score. Like, he's an NBA score right now. I wouldn't be surprised if he scores like 17 points a game, his rookie year to 20. Yeah, I think he'll struggle with Steel goal percentage the first couple years. He doesn't really know what a good shot is, but I would agree with you. I mean, that guy's a professional score. I think what's interesting is that both of them are as advertised. Yes.

And that's kind of a rarity, right? Sometimes you get there and you're like, he's not as big or he's not as good or something. No, this is interesting. Top five was probably as advertised. I would agree. I would agree. You know, I mean, I think Jalen Suggs is exactly what he's advertised to be. I think Kaminga is pretty much what he's advertised to be.

Well, actually, I think Kaminga is better than what people were saying. I mean, everything you heard about Kaminga going into this was negative. And the Warriors didn't care. They obviously didn't look at the draft boards or look at draft Twitter or look at media. They just took who they felt the best player was at the moment. And it seems to be like it's going to work out for what I saw in Summer League. Yeah. Okay.

So let's go to, let's go to comminga. What you said it's going to work out? What's he ultimately going to be like? Yeah, that's the thing. I think he's better right now. He's better suited to be a four or five in the NBA. Hopefully he could develop those skills. with his handle and reading off pick and rolls to be eventually becoming a three.

But his best path to NBA minutes right now or as a small ball four or as a small ball five. But the guy is a crazy athlete, man. Like he made one defensive play that really stood out to me. How quick he gets off the floor I haven't seen in a long time from anybody to be honest. Like he gets off the floor quick. He's a top level NBA athlete. Okay. What about Evan?

You mentioned top five. What about Evan Moble? What was your impression? So Evan Mowgli was probably the most disappointing out of the five, but that's not saying much because all five, I think, played well. What's six out about Evan Mowgli is his fluidity. Really, like, he could go up for a shot fake land and still slide and stay in front of his man. He could close out, jump, land, and still slide with a perimeter player.

Defensively, he's NBA ready right now. He has great feel for the game, great fluidity. the jump shot has to improve. I think he only shot 12% from three in Summer League. So everybody was raving about his touch, but we'll have to see if that really develops and he'll be able to knock down that three consistently. All the other guys were more consistent

with their playing the top five. I think Evan Moble was more flashes, but he played well also, just not as well as the other four. Okay. Let's go to Gell and Sucks. What is, what is, who is he in the NBA? Who does he play like for you?

I think he could be a Drew Holiday. He could play both sides of the floor. He's a, he'll be a good offensive player. And he'll be dynamic on defense. He made some crazy defensive plays in the big moments of that Summer League game. I know it's only Summer League, but I think he's a guy who gets it. I think he's a great intangibles guy. He's a really good athlete.

I think the shooting is better than people think. When it comes to a lot of these processes, actually like cage shooting was probably better than even people thought. Scottie is a willing shooter. And I think Jalen Sugg is another guy that shoots it well off the dribble. He's going to get better catch and shoot. It looks good. So yeah, I think he could be an NBA comp for him. And I have a love hate relationship with NBA comps, but I could see a Drew Holiday. And I think he's going to be a guy that comes up in the big moments. That's always been his rep. And that's what he's done in college for most part of his own year. Okay. He mentioned Scotty Barnes.

Kind of the prototype athlete, right, for 2021 basketball, but as a player and an evaluator, what did you see? Well, I was high on Scotty Barnes, higher than most going into this. And I saw what I thought I would saw from him, an NBA ready defender, a guy who can initiate offense. Defense is something you could really start out with. Like, he's a guy that could guard one through five legitimately. And on offense, I think we don't put into enough stock into players,

that just make the right decision really often. I think we overanalyze things sometimes. And he's a guy that just continuously makes the right decision over and over and over again. Great passer, great feel. And you mentioned the athleticism. There's probably guys that jump higher than Scotty Barnes, but there's not a lot of guys who have the athletic profile of Scottie Barnes. Like I think a good person to compare that with would be like Obie Topping.

Obie probably jumps higher, but he's not the overall athlete that Scottie is in terms of sliding his feet, flexibility. You know, so I think we almost put too much. stock into just jumping and Scotty Barnes is just a great overall athlete and he's a willing shooter as I said so I think that's important and I think if he becomes an average NBA shooter he's definitely an all-star not both you know it's interesting he mentioned obi top and it's like when he was drafted everybody went crazy because he loved him and dating and coming back home and like okay what is he in the NBA you know and when he's at the 8-10 he's playing a five not just a five

but also against Atlantic 10-fives, you know, and it looks, it looks different. Now he struggles to find, you know, something to latch onto that this is what I'm going to be. Whereas Scotty Barnes, you know, didn't start at Florida State, but he's a different body type, as you point out, a different kind of athlete. Yes. And more one that's more transferable to an NBA-style game than obese is. 100%. He was more refined coming out, obviously, because he was older. I think people saw the through the legs, dunks and all that stuff,

and you automatically think craziest athlete, you know, but there's more to athleticism than just jumping out the gym. Correct. Correct. Later athleticism is huge. You didn't get to get to gety a ton. I don't know if you saw him with the Olympic team. What did you think?

Man, I watched that first game with giddy. First play the game, he comes off and just gets down the lane and catches a dunk, and then he doesn't play anymore. I was looking forward to seeing that matchup, Cade versus Josh, but it didn't happen. That would have been interesting. Josh, Giddy size, that's what, that's what a great takeaway from it. He looks about Cade's size from what I saw, but he wasn't in the game very long.

You know, he's big and he's not, obviously not a crazy athlete, but he gets a lot done. I do think also sometimes, like the game continues to evolve and you can make up for a lot. I mean, Luca's not a blur at all, right? He knows how to use his body. He knows how to create separation in space. and he's obviously super skilled. And I'm not saying Giddy is Giddy's Luca, but if Luca can do it as a limited athlete

on some level, so too can have Josh Giddy and with his style of way. I would say the big difference is that Luca gets his shot off effortlessly and seamlessly and Josh Giddy's release is kind of slow. Yes, I totally agree. Totally good. And Luca's, I mean, a star player. By the way, are you in the Luca is the best player in the world?

kick. Man, it's high. And everybody, you know, draft night, Lucas draft night. I was the guy saying this guy was going to be the best player out of this draft. And people were like on me about it. Like, no, it's too slow. That's Europe. They didn't really realize that when you're a Euroleague MVP at that age, it means a lot. But I will say to your question now, I've always been high on Luca and people like talk smack to me how high I am on Luca. I would say that it is between LeBron and probably at this point, KD. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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Open your free, our heart radio app, search learn the hard way and listen now. The two best players in the world. You still think LeBron? Yeah, I know. We have to see how he comes back.

It's always a way and see with him, but he was an MVP candidate until that injury, I think, and we have to see how he comes back. So it's going to be interesting to see. But, KD, I mean, I'm not mad at anybody saying that KD's the best player in the world,

especially what we saw in the playoffs and in the Olympics, not mad at that at all. No, I would agree. I just think sometimes we do a little bit of the dated, like, look, LeBron's just not the same dude. He's still a great player, but I don't think he's that guy. On the other hand, if you don't like him, like, who do you like?

Anthony Davis. But obviously, he's always hurt, you know. Doug, what do you feel about Anthony? He's just not able to physically dominate and pose his will, like LeBron has at times. although I still think, I don't think LeBron imposes as well nearly as the percentage of times that he, I mean, for example, is, you know, again, I understand that KD couldn't get his team to the NBA finals with all those injuries, but he still carried his team when they lost those two other guys. And I know Hardin came back and played. Whereas LeBron, I mean, he lost Anthony Davis and they just house a card, you know, and they just all collapsed. I'm not sure he's not. I'm not sure. I don't think. he's that guy anymore. Still a great

player, but dude, 19 years in the NBA takes a ton of tread off the tires. How did you feel about AD coming into the season out of shape? Well, I kind of knew to, I kind of know too much. I mean, reputation wise out here, everyone will say like, you know, you ask anybody in the Lakers' organization, like, everybody loves AD. But he

just, he's just a hooper. Like, he thinks you just show up in hoop. And, you know, where's LeBron? It's when he says he spends a million dollars in his body, he spends a million dollars in his body. And that's why for the most part, you know, he's had obviously two of the last three years here. He's had injuries.

But he's had an unbelievable run. Whereas Anthony Davis is like, what I'm at four weeks? All right, I'll see you guys in four weeks. Yeah. He just rolls different. And look,

in fairness to them, you know, the Lakers wanted them to get away from it. It was a lot in the bubble. And it was a quick turnaround. Yeah. But, but, you know,

Shaq was the same way. he wouldn't work out in the office. He's coming in and playing his way in the shape. But that's a dangerous game to play because, you know, the second you're carrying a little bit more weight, that's when your body starts to break down. Yeah, I'm with you. You know, there's, I always thought there was like three types of guys.

There's a guys that don't do enough. There's the guys who are professionals doing what they're supposed to do. And then there's the obsessive, obsessive compulsive guys. And usually pros fit into one of those three categories, in my opinion. Yep. I would agree with that. He's definitely not an excessive compulsive. Right, exactly.

Exactly. That is not who he is. On paper, where are you on the Lakers? I mean, I guess you can't just be on paper, like, but when they did add Russell Westbrook, but he's an inefficient shooter and he's in his mid-30s and he's had four knee circles. Yeah, you know how it is. Spacing is going to be an issue with them, but they, with the, amount of talent they have, I think the coaching staff could be creative and figure it out.

I think a big key for them is how well Anthony Davis shoots the three so you don't have two cloggers on the floor. I think you could do, now this sounds crazy, but I think you could use Russell as a super Bruce Brown in spots. I think that makes sense. Small ball four, small ball five. That's how they use them in Houston. Yeah, that's how they used them in Houston, exactly. And I think that's how they have to use them now. But, you know, Anthony Davis, it would greatly benefit them if he could knock down that three. Because, I mean, there's a good chance that Russell won't. So the spacing could be compromised there.

Well, I think, I mean, I think the game plan is to start him at the five. And or as Russell or AD? AD. Okay. Yeah. That's what they always wanted to do. But AD's not a fan of that, right? Right.

But I think slowly he's kind of bought into it and he understands that like, that's how they're going to finish. Now they're trying to convince them like, let's start that way as well. And then, you know, bring in Dwight's some, but Dwight's not going to be a starter or Mark if he has anything laps, not going to be a starter either. I think that's generally the game plan. Thunderstruck, adjective, shocked and amazed by the power of Carnival Fun. It's what happens when you ride Bolt, the world's first sea coaster.

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brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. What about the Nets? Can they keep it together long enough to get to a finals where they'll have a ton of talent? Yeah, if they stay healthy, they'll be fine, man.

Mentally or physically healthy? You know, Kyrie is somewhat of a wild card even though I will always say that Kyrie is the most skillful player in the NBA. And I don't know if you want to debate that. I think that guy has more options as an offensive player than anybody in the NBA. But he's always a wild car when it comes to, you know, off the court, but love him as a player. Yeah, you know, the chemistry on the court looked really good when they got to play together last year. And, you know, it didn't last.

They didn't get to play with each other much. but I think Patty Mills was a huge offseason signing for them. I think that went under the radar and that's going to be big for them because he's going to be able to step in when one of those guys are injured and play great regular season and playoff minutes. Good point.

If you had to pick one team in the West that would compete the most with the Lakers who would have been. Oh man, let's say let's go with a wild card. If Jamal Murray comes back healthy, let's say Denver. You know what's funny? that's the one that I would point to.

And I'll tell you why. The Lakers have transformed themselves in this offensive team, right? They were the best defensive team two years ago. Now they're an offensive team. They're not better offensively on paper than Denver, because Denver is so much playing. Michael Porter Jr. is a 20 and 20. He's a problem.

And he has another leap to make, Doug. Oh, yeah. And then you throw in, and then you throw in, obviously, at the MVP. People forget how good Jamal Murray was going back to the bubble. right? Like you have through that's, I mean, you got 65, 70 points right there between those three. Yeah. And then they have a depth of other dudes. They could, people, they still have Aaron Gordon, right? Where they got, they were still kind of trying to figure out how to use them late in the year.

Like, that's a really good offensive team, really good. Yeah. And, you know, it was amazing how they were playing when they had Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray was still healthy. they were playing like the best team in the league at that point and I think they could get back to that. Okay. Give me one team in the East that you think is most likely compete with Brooklyn. Would it be Milwaukee? Do you like what Boston's done?

Are you going to go crazy town and tell me the Knicks? Is it going to be Philly? We still don't know what they hang on to Ben Simmons. Let's go with a team you didn't mention the heat, you know? Heat good one. Heat culture. Their coaching staff always seems to get things done in my opinion

and they have enough talent this year with Kyle and Jimmy and Duncan's face in the floor and hopefully Tyler could get back to where he was in the bubble they got a lot of pieces there and I think they have enough talent to get it done would they be the healthy nets? I don't think so

but I think they can make a run again. Okay last thing how can somebody get your podcast Combles court podcast C-O-M-B-O-S-C-O-U-R Apple Podcast, I-HartRadio, Spotify. You can follow me on Instagram, a 1-2-C-W-O-N-E-W-C-O-M-B-O-C-O-M-B-O-C-O-C-O-U-R-T.

And on Twitter at Combo's Court, C-O-N-B-O-S-C-O-U-R-T. Doug, thank you so much for having me on your platform. I actually listen to your podcast. I enjoy your podcast. I appreciate everything that you do. And thanks so much for having me on. Last thing. Hold on, last thing.

We haven't talked warriors. Okay. I may be the only guy. I kind of think this is going to be, year like I have no idea about Clay's health none I'm with you Doug but I'm looking and I'm sitting there going like when you have those two guys and you got Dre and I don't love Andrew Wiggins I don't know if they hold on him but if he's your third or fourth best player I like it I don't like him as your first or second best player I like it is your third or fourth best player

wise men people forget like dude had played three games in college three you know so no real preseason learning curves hard he's just a kid um i'm i like the i like what the warriors uh the kid what's the kid from michigan i'm i'm i forget his name um came off the bench for him like he i thought i think they found something there i like them i think they're going to be great i don't think they'll be legit title contenders though to be honest Doug okay how come Well, I think, first of all, the Kaminga pick kind of shows that they're going in two different directions. They took a guy who's going to be good four or five years from now and maybe not right away. We don't know about Clay's health.

It's two injuries in a row. And I think, you know, they caught lightning in the bottle when they were the warriors back then. I don't think they have the same supported cast. They don't have Livingston and Iguodala and these type of veterans. They got Igodala back. Well, they got Igodala back. You know what I mean. closer to

closer to Prima Gooddala and I don't know but hold on but like let's let's let's let's look at it though now

okay so now their bench why can I not remember who is the kid from Michigan who comes off the bench to them can really shoot

it's got the floppy hair I think oh yeah he playing the G league a little bit did he? Probably I mean he can he can hoop

okay but then so you have cool yes yes I like Jordan. Yes, he's great. He's great.

So you bring off the bench, you bring pool, out the bench, you bring Kaminga, out of the bench, who else they draft. They drive somebody else who I kind of like. Doug, where's the playoff experience? Again, that's, well, you have $100 a dollar. Okay. I'm sure they'll add some buyout market guys as well, right? And then, you know, you're starting a lineup now.

You still have Steph and Clay, Gray. We don't know. We don't know. Draymond's shooting has declined and we don't know about Clay. So I feel like there's a lot of questions. It's completely fair. But if we do the on paper thing or, you know, if all, if they, if everything goes right through them. Right.

When you start doing that too much, I feel like you're not a contender anymore, right? Yeah. But it's, but that's part of like, okay, we just said Denver. All right. Well, we don't know what Jamal Murray is going to be like come back from a knee. Yeah. I don't. All right. So we could exile Jamal Murray and Clay. And then we just added all these other problems with the Warriors. You know what I mean? Got it. Okay. You know, but like it's like, okay, Russ has had four knee surgeries. LeBron's been hurt two of the last three years. And they've hurt like every year. The Brooklyn Nets. Like Brooklyn is the best team in the NBA. We're going to win NBA championship. Kyrie rolls his ankle and James Hardin pulls his hamstring. Like these things do happen. What you're saying is there's a, These aren't limited soft tissue, soft tissue.

Like we're talking two major injuries from clay. The one thing that it does give me maybe more hope is that you see how KD came back from Achilles tendon. Like it feels like medicine has really improved. It didn't for DeMarcus Cousins, but it's a different position. He wasn't in great shape. He's not the same type of player. So I don't know. It's going to be really interesting to see what happens with Clay.

But I also think the point that you made, which is a good one, which is I don't think people understand how much they were ahead of the NBA in terms of understanding, valuing the three-point shot, small ball basketball, and all the right pieces. You know, they had Steph's second contract was only $44 million, allowed them to go out and get other guys. Now they're capped out. Now they're older. And now everybody plays some form of small ball. So I think it's going to be interesting. Yeah. No, I just feel like the compound effect of question marks,

it's just going to be tough for the Warriors to overcome all of that. But they do have Steph, but I would say the Lakers have LeBron and the Nets have KD. So that's another factor why you could have the, you know, the Nets to the Lakers over the Warriors. But, you know, all great players, but I would give the edge to LeBron and Katie when it comes to the playoffs and the finals. I didn't ask you. I have my own opinion.

I've talked to you, but I'm not going to cloud yours. Jello ball made a little bit of headlines because he made some threes in the first game. You watched, you evaluated. What level of players, Jellow Ball? Well, I can tell by the way you frame the question. I probably know your opinion on it. Maybe I'm wrong. But I'll tell you this.

He looked like he belonged in NBA Summer League. You've got to give him credit for that. He played well. You know, he made shots. I feel like the biggest issue with him is the foot speed at his position. I think it would help him to lose some weight, maybe get a little bit quicker on his feet. The thing is, though, his brother could be a future superstar, and that helps younger siblings or even older siblings get on their team. So I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the Charlotte Hornet in the future, especially if he could get maybe down to the G League and play really well down there in combination of Lamello becoming a superstar.

I think it could happen. But, you know, in Summer League, he looked like he belonged. I'll say that. Good stuff. All right, bro. I can't wait to hear your next pod. I appreciate you on mine. I only had you on, not just because you had me on yours because I've been listening.

I enjoy it. I enjoy your insight. And I appreciate it. Thanks so much for having me on your platform. Keep up the great work with Albaugh and everything else that you do, Doug. Talk soon. Really appreciate you. Anytime, bro.

Talk soon. Later. I'd remind to the Doug Gottlieb show daily three to six eastern 12 to three Pacific on the iHeart radio app of course you can download that as a podcast on a daily basis that's the Doug Gottlieb show yeah like we we talk a lot about NBA and I I love his insight and his input but in terms of college basketball man we're going to have to do kind of like a like check in Arizona new head coach right Kentucky coming off a really tough season.

Texas new head coach. Looks like they're loaded up for bear. Oklahoma new head coach. Indiana new head coach. North Carolina new head coach. These are the biggest of the big boys. I hope you enjoyed that podcast. An interesting journey was had.

And of course, really good stuff on the Summer League. Keep your questions coming at Gottlieb show. Check out the Doug Gottlieb show. Remember to download, subscribe, rate, write a review of this pot. It somehow helps me out. In the meantime, I'm Doug Gali. This is all ball.

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