The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 05/14/2019

Episode Date: May 14, 2019

Colin can’t wait for tonight’s NBA Lottery selection and shares his top ten squads where Zion would prosper. He thinks the New York Knicks better not be stupid and trade for an NBA superstar if they land the first pick, just take Zion Williamson! And, if the Warriors win this upcoming series against the Portland Trailblazers without Kevin Durant, it makes it that much easier for him to say his farewells and head to New York and possibly join Zion. Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart Radio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, a

Tuesday it is. We are loaded live in Los Angeles. This is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're on IHeart Radio. We're on Fox Sports Radio. We're on FS1 for what will be the most exciting night of the year

in the NBA. I kid you not tonight. Ping pong lottery and Warriors Blazers open game one. Joy Taylor is joining me. I am so excited for it not only tonight, but today's show. This is a, I can't believe how excited, no games last night. I watched hockey, went out with a fan for dinner, got kind of a night off. I'm so excited for tonight. There are a lot of things in the line tonight. People have already started, you know, praying and lighting their candles. I'm all on board on the conspiracy for tonight. Well, I saw this morning.

I saw this story. Let's start here. Keep the number one pick if you're the Knicks or trade it. What? Trade for what? Anthony Davis? He's boring. Not all stars are fascinating.

Carl Anthony Towns is boring. Anthony Davis, been in the league seven years. I don't rush to a TV to watch Anthony Davis. I rush to a TV to watch Zion in college. where I don't know 95% of the players. The kid's a star. This is A-Rod to the Yankees. This is Jim Harbaugh to Michigan.

This is Kevin Garnett to the Celtics. It's shack to the Lakers. When you get a star and you put them with a huge brand, you don't, from an ownership standpoint, and I would never be a meddling owner. I'd walk downstairs and say, fellas, trade, not happening. Zion is staying.

Not all stars are fascinating. Okay, Steph Curry is crazy fun. LeBron's bigger than life. KD's a personality. James Hardin's controversial. I think he's interesting. Yonis can be captivating. But, you know, it's not like Kauai.

It's not like I'm rushed into a TV set for Anthony Davis, Carl Anthony Towns. Zion to the Knicks is a once-in-a-franchise opportunity. It's bigger than Ewing in 1985 because of social media. You can talk about kids now 24-7. You don't watch a game. go to bed and wait for the next game to talk about him. The emergence of opinion shows, the emergence of cable television, the emergence of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook.

This is bigger than Ewing in 1985. College basketball no longer furnishes us with known commodities. We finally meet John Morant for March for a game and then he's gone. Used to be Ewing came back three years. I mean, Ralph Samson, Leitner, dominating. players. Duncan came back for three and four years. Now college basketball is an airport. You land and you're looking for the next flight to get to the next city. It's the apartment complex. Nobody with talent wants to long-term live in one. You want to buy a house or a condo. I read a story this morning,

the Knicks would see more than a 70% increase in their sponsor values the minute they get the number one pick. I don't want to hear a trade for Anthony Davis. I'll get to why in a second But the first reason why is he's not captivating. Nobody's rushing to their TV set to watch Pelican games. You were rushing to your TV set. I saw the numbers to watch college basketball this year. The kid can also plug and play right now. He'll be very good, very early.

And he also has a magnetism where I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up in a New York. Veterans, like, I don't want to play with that guy. There are a lot of guys who want to play with LeBron early. Zion is in a very unique class. Eric Lindross in hockey, Bryce Harper, Tiger Woods, LeBron James. Yes, he is. He's in that class. When LeBron entered the league, there wasn't no Instagram. Facebook won this big. Twitter wasn't this big. Cable TV. I mean, it's opinion shows. Talk radio. It's all, it's big, it's big, it's big.

You know, Bryce Harper's only a 270 hitter. How many big series is Bryce Harper won? Not even the best player in baseball. He has just signed a, you know, a $350 million contract. From a marketing standpoint, you just don't get this. You just do not get this. Do you think tonight, this trade talk, do you think tonight when the Knicks, when everybody's sitting in bars around New York and they're going to take shots all over, right? Like you'll see the video. And if the Knicks won this and all those bars explode, do you think they're exploding because they're all saying, wow, I can't wait to trade for Anthony Davis?

No. People in New York this year, I saw the ratings. watched more Duke basketball than they ever had. Why? Because they like Coach K? No, Zion. And they have a 14% chance to land the number one pick. I don't want to hear about trading him. You don't get this opportunity. You just don't get it.

And even if he's just like Bryce Harper good or Eric Lindross, which is a star, but doesn't win at the end of the season as much as you thought, it's all worth it. Because Anthony Davis isn't winning either, and he's not captivating. Let me shift to this. Speaking to New York, I saw this story yesterday, got off the show. Kevin Durant is going to miss game one,

and it appears he's going to miss game two, and he may miss game three. And you know what I thought about? I thought about the Knicks. When KD got hurt, it created this fascinating storyline with Steph and the Rockets. It made it a different series.

Right in the middle of the series, the series got even more interesting. Oh, my God, the dynasty's over. Oh, Lord, can they win without? Oh, is Hardin not going to be able to? I thought it made the series more captivating. There was more drama. And everybody acknowledges,

including Marcus Thompson, writing the KD book, that Kevin Durant can be swayed. He was on our show a month ago. Listen to this. I'm not buying that at the last moment he's sitting at a meeting with somebody and he can't be swayed. Either way, to stay or go.

Because that's his personality. Yeah. He could think it's done right now, whether that's staying or going. I still think later on, like, he can be swayed. Like, he's a guy. He feels everything. He sits in the room. He's present.

He's got away this stuff. We still have three or four more series if they win a championship. data to insert into this equation, right? Like, I don't know, I don't know if, even if he thinks he knows the answer, I don't think he knows the answer. I'm not buying it. Okay, if that is true, and Marcus Thompson knows KD as well as anybody in the media, I'm just going to throw this scenario at you.

Because, you know, with Kyrie and Kauai and Kevin Durant, it's like every day that the news changes, right? Oh, Kawhi had a big shot. He's got to stay in Canada. Oh, all right. Kyrie's recruiting people. Oh, all right. I saw a picture of Katie celebrating the Warriors win.

He's staying, oh, all right. So I'm going to throw this scenario out. Let's say Kevin Durant, and I saw this story yesterday, misses Games 1, Games 2, and then the Warriors win both games against Portland at home. And the Warriors say, why playing him for game 3? What's the point? He's 90%. Let's just.

And then they play game 3. three and the Warriors win game three in Portland. They're still really good. We all know this, 30 and four when KD doesn't play. Well, then you just don't play them in the series. There's no reason to play KD in the series. So the Warriors win tonight without KD. And then they win again, that's not unheard of.

It's hard to win there. And they decide not to play him for game three. And as they win, why play him in the series? Just get him healthy for the finals. He had nothing to prove, right? And then KD returns for the finals. and Milwaukee beats them. And Milwaukee beat the Warriors by 20 in Oracle earlier this year.

They match up pretty well with them. No freebies at the bucket with Janus. That's why I thought of the New York Knicks. That would be the impetus to go, okay, KD's out. Because that narrative would be, they're like 36 and 4 without KD. They're worse with it. That would move him.

So I just, when I saw that story this morning, KD to miss game one and probably game two. First thing I thought it was the Knicks. Because I've said all along, I don't think it makes any sense to go to the Knicks. I would never tell my wife, honey, we're moving to the East Coast. My wife would say, oh, more money. No, less. Oh, better company.

No, way worse. Why? I just want to be the man. She punched me in the forehead. So I don't really get the move. But beat Golden State without him. just beat Houston without him, come back, lose to Milwaukee. Then I think he's gone.

Now, I want to throw this out to you. This happened 10 minutes ago. This happened 10 minutes ago. An NBA veteran, you know how they call it, Joy, sliding into your DMs? You know, when people do that? Somebody you follow, you follow them, they slide into your DMs. So someone slid in your DM with some small J journalism? An NBA veteran player.

I follow all sorts of people. an NBA player very, very connected. Been around this league for a long time. Told me 15 minutes ago. KD to the Knicks is 100% done and he has made calls to other players. Ooh. I do not have it double sourced.

I don't. I'll just tell you. I don't. But he's somebody I respect. He's smart. And I'm going to put it out there. Because I believe this is what we, in our show, double-sourced, big J journalism.

Right. Single-sourced, small-j journalism. Sometimes that gets run over by a truck. So I don't have it double-sourced, but I got it 10 minutes ago. That's interesting. I'm telling you, I told you all along. I think he's going. You know, you are on the going thing.

I am a one-percenter. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life.

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going.

From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me.

And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer 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 Fontaine, 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

and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. I took out teams with 1% chance on the NBA ping pong lottery tonight. Here's the 11 teams with a chance to land him. I like big. Okay. You know, in the Fiesta Bowl, I'd take Ohio State Notre Dame every year. It's nothing against TCU and Boise State. I like big. I like big moments. I've been doing this for 30 years. Regular season baseball games don't feel urgent.

I like World Cups. I like Super Bowls. I like star players. I like big stuff. It's not that I don't watch, you know, random, you know, regular season college basketball games. But when you've been doing something for 30 years, you're looking for a little juice in life, right? Zion to New York is juice. So let me give you the sixth place.

Because some of these are a buzzkill. I mean, the guy ends up in Memphis, I'm turning my television set off. I might not even watch the NBA next year. I'd be so disappointed. Let me give you the six places that makes sense to me and that feel big. Number one, obviously New York, Madison Square Garden. It rejuvenates the franchise. It's got a Patrick Ewing, 1985 feel.

If you've been to the garden, New York is just a different basketball environment. Loud, obnoxious, raucous, intense, urgent. It literally would be the biggest story in the league, along with Katie to the Knicks, if that's true. Number two, don't deny it, Lakers. LeBron plus Zion, LeBron plus the next LeBron. Of course it's huge. Lakers are still the biggest brand in the NBA. It would kind of rejuvenate LeBron's final destination potentially in the NBA,

because it feels, as Joy said yesterday, it feels after that Frank Vogel hire like it's just a bunch of nothing. Number three, Dallas. I'd like to see this. I'd be very excited if that happened. Maybe not LeBron, Zion excited, or Nix, but I would get Luca Dantage. I'd get Porzingis, I'd get a good coach in Rick Carlis,

crazy popular owner in Mark Cuban, and Zion. They'd be really good, really fast. That would be a top four seed in the West. I've always thought Dallas, I've never kind of understood why Dallas isn't a more popular franchise for free agents. No state tax. You can live right next to the arena. It's right in the middle of the country,

so you never have a six-hour flight anywhere. It's a nice place to live. I've never figured out why Dallas is not more popular in the NBA with free agents. I think this would be great, and they'd be great for the next 10 year with Zion. and Luca Dantich, it'd be great for a decade. Number four, Chicago. Chicago has never been the most brilliantly run organization.

They can wear me out at times. But Zach Levine, Lori Markinen, they got some shooters, and there'd be some comps to Michael Jordan. I mean, we've seen Chicago when basketball is big. It is a big, Midwestern, heart of the country right in the middle of it, and we all still have memories of Michael. It'd be fun. It'd be fun to see Chicago.

great American city, you know, be fascinating. I'll say number five is Phoenix. You know, they can work with Jaa Morant or Zion. Jaws a better fit. But you know what? Phoenix has Devin Booker, a legitimate young star, kind of a Damian Liller, doesn't get talked about early, but great. You got a max contract.

You got the DeAndre Aitin from Arizona. And then you throw Zion in. You're like, okay, people forget this. Phoenix was a really good NBA franchise. Won a title years ago. Gar heard, and this is not a dead franchise. They have been good before. They were good for years and years.

Number six is you'll be surprised by this. I think Cleveland would be okay. They have their point guard. And you know what? I've seen LeBron there and it made it fun. And it would be fun to compare, okay, the next LeBron replaces the last LeBron. It gives me a lot of shows, a lot of topics, a lot of segments. I don't think it would be bad for the NBA.

Cleveland has a weird way of winning this thing all the time. And then number seven, eight, nine, ten, I would be miserable and no fun to be around if those happened. I don't want to see John Wall's injury and bad contract with Zion. I don't want to see, can you imagine Zion in an Atlanta Hawks uniform? This is simply not good enough America. Out of the teams that are left that we've excluded of the one percenters, that is the most tolerable situation. Yeah. Atlanta had five all-stars and got swept by LeBron.

I'm saying out of the choices that I don't want, that would be number one. Yeah, when I was a kid, out of the choices I hated, Raisin Brand was the best cereal. But I wanted honeycomb and Lucky Charms and Count Chocula. I can cost some sugar on Raisin Brand and make it tolerable. Barry just was, my mom was into this whole health thing, and I was like, I got Count Chocula staring at me in the cupboard, and you're making them eat Raisin Brand.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, Week in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. I had an NBA veteran who's very smart and connected. Been around this NBA for over a decade. Slide into my DMs tonight and say Kevin Durant in New York's 100% done deal. And Kevin Durant is calling guys now. Don't have it double-sourced. Small J. journalism.

Have it single-sourced. But it's somebody in the NBA I have trusted for a long time. And this morning, 10 minutes before our show, he sent that to me. KD to New York. It's done. I don't necessarily think it'd be the smartest move, but it would be probably more engaging for the league and for a lot of fans, and it would be fun, and I get it, but I wouldn't do it if I was him.

I think if he wins a third championship, you're staring at a fourth. Michael Jordan couldn't do that. LeBron couldn't do that. Shack couldn't do four in a row. I think it'd put you in a – it'd be a new category. It'd be a new category. But whatevs. But I thought this morning, because I'm just into this Zion Williamson kid,

and I've said it before, the longer I've done this business, I like juice. I like big. I like Tiger with the Masters. That's the stuff that moves me. I've seen a billion games. And I saw Zion Williamson on the internet about five years ago, and I'm like, oh, he'll be fun. Then he goes to Duke, signs, and all the other stars in college basketball follow him.

He's got a magnetism. And I watched him playing. I'm like, okay, this doesn't look like anything else in college basketball. This is Larry Johnson meets Barclay meets magic. This is a once-in-a-generation talent. I think people that don't see how he fits in the NBA don't get it. College basketball is all clogged up. in the middle, you can play zone. You can't

in the NBA, and the centers are mostly European skinny guys, and he's going to barrel over him. I mean, Westbrook can score at the basket. You don't think Zion will? He's built for today's NBA. So I told this morning, we were talking on the staff about, like, people are like, you just love this guy, and I said, there's almost, who

would I trade him for? And so the game is like, Zion versus who? What do you want to get started? So let's get started. You give me the star. Okay. I have Zion. If I got Zion and I had to trade for him, who in the NBA currently? All right. Zion?

Now, let me just say this. I don't buy in young NBA players. I don't. I'm for veterans. So I've never been about, I mean, I'll watch young guys. Right. But, I mean, Damian Liller has been in the league now a long time. I am for veterans.

By the way, outside of Andrew Luck and John Elway, I've said it forever. I would trade the number one pick in the NFL draft every time to just get more young players. I think in the NFL, Belichick, Andy Reid, Sean Payton. You watch Sean McVey against Belichick in the Super Bowl? Young guy got taken to class. I am for veterans, Breeze, Brady, experience. So I'm generally not into young guys coming into the league and doing anything. I think this kid's going to sell tickets, going to be fascinating, going to average 18,

going to be a real plug-and-play guy in the NBA. So I'll never do a segment like this again. you put the stars up and I'll guess. Which one would I take Zion or the star for the next whatever year? Zion versus Anthony Davis. I take Zion. First of all, I think Anthony Davis doesn't sell tickets. I think he's boring.

He gets hurt. I don't think he has big leadership qualities. I think he's a really talented guy that gets you buckets. And there's value in that. I don't feel he's a leader. I don't feel he has a magnetism. I don't think other players follow him. I think Zion walks in.

He's more fun. He sells more tickets. he's more powerful. And I do think players will eventually follow Zion wherever he goes. Zion versus Janus. Not as easy. Janus is young, relatable, loves the game, NBA's best rim protector.

Let me get back to that one. Okay. Let me get back to that one. Zion versus Kauai Leonard. I would take, again, I would take Zion. I think he's a better passer. Again, I got about seven more years of Kauai, who's a tremendous two-way player.

But he's an odd personality. Do other players want to play with Kauai? I have no indication that's true. Now, LeBron does because LeBron's getting into desperate territory with the Lakers. But I don't think there's a magnetism about his personality where guys wanted to play with magic. They wanted to play, you know, they want to play with Steph. Kevin Durant left a good team.

I don't think there's a magnetism there where people follow him. I just think he's a great two-way player. I take Zion. Closest thing to M.J. All right. Zion versus Damien Lillard. Love Dame. I think he's great.

It is a guard league. He doesn't play a ton of defense. Again, who's going to, for 15 years, change the league? Now, Dame has changed the Blazers, but he's not even changing the Western Conference. I'd go Zion. All right. Zion versus Paul George. A pretty easy one.

Paul's a great player. I feel he's a little bit like a lesser version of Kauai Leonard. Now he's had a couple major injuries. He just had a shoulder issue. Break a leg in Indiana. So I got a couple injuries that worry me. That also worries me about Zion. I always feel like Paul's like the best number two player in the NBA.

Like I don't necessarily want him as my guy. But like Pippen, he may be the best number two in the NBA. So I would take Zion. Over Paul George. Zion versus Kyrie Irving. Easy one. I think Kyrie's a little flaky. I think he has a history of getting hurt.

Look at his career without LeBron James. I don't think he's great. I don't know if he's playing with a ton of joy. I think he's kind of difficult to coach. This is an easy one. I'll take the bigger, stronger body, who I think has a magnetism that a lot of people want to play with him. I'll take Zion over Kyrie Irving.

That's an easy one. Zion versus Jimmy Butler. Again, this is a pretty easy one for me. Jimmy's talented, but he's not as young as everybody thinks. Jimmy's got about four peak years left. Let's be honest about it. He was the best player for Philly in this series. He doesn't play necessarily well with others all the time.

He really struggled, Minnesota and Chicago. I think he can be difficult to coach, though not impossible. I like Jimmy Butler, but Jimmy Butler is now 31. Zion's 19. That's a lot of tread on those tires. I'm taking Zion over Jimmy Butler here. All right, this one will be interesting. Zion versus Ben Simmons.

You know I love Ben Simmons. You do. And Ben Simmons can't shoot, but Zion can't hit a three either. And the NBA is going very much to a shooter's league. And I can make the argument Zion shoot a better three now than Ben Simmons. The other thing is, Ben's got an odd personality. Australia didn't put him on their national team, and he was easily their best young player. He's hard to coach.

He shows a reluctance to put in the time to be a shooter. As much as I like him, I always feel there's a quirkiness about him. And I'm not a big fan of quirky. I know exactly what I get with Zion. Energy, passion, body, size, work ethic, love for the game. I'll take Zion over Ben Simmons next 15 years. All right, this one will be interesting. Zion versus Joelle and B.

By the way, both players, there's a concern about size and diet and body. The difference is one guy's already missed two years with injuries and has missed like 62% of games since he's played. I can't roll the dice on that. Now, I do think Zion's injury concerns, I had a number two guy to an NBA team tell me six weeks ago, he goes, those ligaments for Zion are not going to last 15 years in this league. Those knee ligaments, there's too much torque with Zion.

First thing I do is take 15 pounds off him tomorrow because you'd still get the power and the speed at 265 that you'd get at 280 to 285. But I take Zion here because he hasn't, he doesn't have an injury history like MVP. All right, Zine versus James Harden. Now, this, you would think, for me, I'm not into floppy McFlopster. So everybody's like, I'm calling hates Hardin.

The NBA is built for James Hardin. Right. I mean, it is a three-ball league. And analytically, he's the future of the NBA. Can I just pause? This is bad for radio, because radio people can't watch this. So at least TV, I'm giving you some visuals here. Can I just get five seconds?

I just got to think about this. Five seconds. I got to think about this. All right, five seconds. Hardin. I just changed my mind. You changed your mind. I think the NBA going forward.

I get more guarantees with Hardin. I'm going to take Hardin. Okay. Zion versus Steph Curry. But I'll tell you, Hardin. Start play in defense. Okay. What's next?

Zion versus Steph Curry. Oh, God, I love Steph. You know what? This is brutal. I think this is obvious. You gotta go with Steph. He is small. He gets hurt.

But you know what? And by the way, he's already been in the league like seven years. This body's not getting better. Okay, time out. Can I have five more seconds here? You can have five more seconds? I'll take Steph. Okay.

Good choice. Okay, that was hard, though. Zion. No, no, like, you know, Zion, you're building for the future. Okay, okay. All right. All right. Zion versus Kevin Durant's

Easiest one so far Kevin Durant Okay Best player in the world Now I'm only going to get He's been hurt too I only get four years of Kevin Durant's prime But you're talking about the best basketball player

You're talking about With his shooting ability I could have seven more years of Kevin Four prime And three where he's still Effective as hell And I also think he's a personality I do think, I think there's a, there is something about Kevin Durant's personality. I like him.

I'm fascinated by Kevin Durant. So if I'm fascinated by him, I think players are. And I also think Kevin, because he watched the Warriors recruit him, I think he'll be a willing recruiter with other players. He watched what Steph did. And Kevin's smart. Kevin's like, that recruiting thing works. Westbrook wouldn't recruit.

Steph did. And Kevin was rewarded by Steph's recruiting. So, and I was told this morning that Steph's already getting on the phone with guys. So this is the easiest one, Durant over Zion. All right. Zion Williamson or LeBron James. Now, first of all, I'm going to get a lot of pushback on this. LeBron's in year what?

You're going to get pushed back. LeBron is not only in year 16 off an injury. LeBron's moved into a different stage in his life. His kids matter. His business matters. He's somewhat distracted. I would take Zion. You think I'm nuts, don't you?

I'm 16 years in. You can make an argument for it. You know he's not in his... LeBron's going to be great next year. But he's not in his athletic prime anymore. Even LeBron would tell you that he can't play... He gave up playing defense last year. He just stopped.

He stopped playing defense last year. Yeah. His game changed a little bit last year. It's pretty obvious. I feel like... With LeBron, I feel like... This is difficult. What else we got?

Well, you needed some more time on Janus, so we will end with... asking you again, Zion or Yonis. Just one more time, I need five seconds. Okay. I'll go Yonis. Good choice. Okay, so in review, I took...

Yonis. Yonis, K.D., Steph... And James Hardin. And Hardin. God, you know what? I am starting to have buyer's remorse on the Hardin thing. Yeah, I thought that was a strange choice. Come on.

Could I have a show of hands on that? Did I butcher it? What would you do? I'm going with Zion over Hardin just because... I think we've seen enough of Hardin at his highest level. They haven't been able to capitalize and win. So he's fun. He's a superstar.

He's going to sell tickets and jerseys and merchandise and shoes. He's going to give me 30 a game for the next six years. 30 a game. And he rings? He doesn't get hurt. He gets tired. I get tired. I don't get hurt either.

We all get tired. He gets tired. I can't kill a guy for getting tired. I'm exhausted by hour three. One more herd? The herd streams 24. hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's

chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee. I'm Michelle McPhee. and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history.

You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife Life 12 and the TikTok podcast. network on TikTok. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going.

From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you. but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki.

The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything.

Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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 Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get started.

so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses steve burns dustin ross because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that that's two different levels of trust i want you to just really be a good person join me keir games is we have real conversations conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. I was born in the mid-60s by the mid-70s. I started watching TV and sports. The first NBA star that I really remember that stood out was Rick Berry. The Warriors were the first great team I ever saw. I can remember them well. Al Adels, Clifford Ray, Rick Berry.

Mullins, two bench players I'm thinking about. They were the first great team I saw. And so I've always thought of the Warriors as a great NBA organization, even though they've had these long dry spells. Rick Berry would transition today and be an amazing NBA player. He was Larry Bird before Larry Bird. Long could shoot, tough as nails, play defense, unbelievable passer. And I had a few kids make the league as well.

It's my pleasure. Rick Barry is now joining us 14 years, an MVP in the finals, an eight-time All-Star, a number two big back in the 65 draft. Rick, you know, I love you, and I appreciate you coming on the show. I want to start with this, is that Steph Curry, it's mind-boggling. We almost always acknowledge great players. But there's something weird about Steph. Is he not enough alpha?

Is he not big enough, strong enough? NBA players seem to have more respect for the Hardens and the Westbrooks. What is it about Steph that a lot of players don't hold him in this elite category? I don't get it. What is it? Well, I don't get it either. I mean, he's an anomaly. There's never been a player like him in the history of the league to play the game, the way that he plays, to shoot the ball, the way that he shoots.

And, you know, he went through a little tough stage there. He was in a bit of a funk there for the start of that Rocket Series for a number of the games, but he certainly rose to the occasion in the second half of game number six. I mean, what a remarkable performance on his part. And the beauty of him is that he's been so great for the game. because the average kid out there and the average person can relate to Steph Curry. He's not some Biameth. He's not some Greek gods and guy with this amazing body and this incredible size that's out there dominating people.

He's doing it as an average guy. Yeah. You know, we're talking about leadership. A lot of people didn't like the fact that he was an MVP and recruited another star. How did that sit with you? No problem whatsoever with it. I mean, it's all about winning championships. These guys make so much money now.

It's not about money before guys were leaving to try to get more money. Well, they can make enough money to go ahead and leave 50 lifetimes. So now it's all about trying to be a champion. And why would you not want to do that? I said before years and years ago, I said, I would give up part of my salary to have played with Steve Nash. For the guys like that, just look at two of the guys that play with him. What did they do after they left the Phoenix Sun? Stademeyer and Joe Johnson?

maybe Joe Johnson. No, no, not Joe Johnson. It was, I'm throwing a blank on the name, Sean Marion. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. He made them so much better. Yeah. It's an interesting dynamic. I've said this for years. I always think self-awareness and IQ

is underrated in basketball. We just say, okay, you got the best players. The Warriors are a very interesting culture. And Draymond's fascinating. He drives me nuts, and then he shows up in these playoffs. He's such an energy guy.

Is it Rodman? Who does he remind you of? Well, he's another one. I classify guys as anomalies, guys who have played the game differently than anybody's really kind of played before Charles Barkley was one for a guy his size and what he did, Shaq for a guy his size and what he did, magic for his size and what he did. And you throw Graymond into that category. I mean, he does things.

He's got such a diversified game. And occasionally he gets hot. He can make his three-point shots, which he did one of the important games for the Warriors. But he is the energizer, buddy. I mean, it's important. I remember I always told people in our championship year. You mentioned some of the guys, Jamal Wilkes, who was Keith Wilkes. Yes.

There's another one in Butchbeard and Charlie Johnson. Butch Beard and Charlie Dudley. That's right. Yeah, yeah. Woodshbeard and Charlie Dudley and all guys never got great Derek Dickey. You know, just great, great guys. But Clifford Ray was the hub of our team, not me. Clifford Ray.

And I think that Draymond Green is that guy for the Warriors. It is interesting the Warriors record when Steph starts and KD doesn't. What am I supposed to make of that? Like, why are they so good without KD? Well, because they were good before KD. I mean, this is a team. That's why everybody's so panicky. What are you panicky about?

This team can win. This is a team that won championships before KD was there. KD just made them better. And somebody came up and asked me, oh, do you think that they're better without KD? Are you like fine? I mean, how can be better without one of the great? players in the history of the game and then the indefensible player who when he's playing the warrior style of basketball the way that they play their best that team becomes unbeatable when the three

of those guys are on and now that he's not there you only have two of them two of them got their game going and they're still able to win because they won championships before without kd and what happens to them is that sometimes kd so good they got caught up in that rocket series and got away with it of relying too much on kd got away from playing the warriors basketball that i love to see pass, cut, move, get the easy baskets, not just give it to a guy and go one-on-one, because if that guy's not going, it could be in trouble. And so the Warriors didn't play good basketball at all in the beginning part of the series against the Rockets. You know, people are saying now that Katie's gone, I would have a hard time leaving Steph, Clay, Kerr, the culture, it's smart, it's a new arena. I would have trouble leaving that.

When you hear that, yeah, he's gone. What do you make of that? Well, I'm praying that that's not the case because I love watching this team play. I love all those guys. I mean, they're all good people. Why would you want to leave? I don't know. I mean, he's the one that has to make the decision, but I'm hoping that he analyzes it

and realize that he has a chance to be part of something so incredibly special. They're already special. He's already done amazing things. He's coming up in the MVP two years in a row. Who knows what's going to happen here in the finals? He may not get back to even play. I mean, but to want to leave to go someplace else where you don't know whether or not you're going to have that chance, even to win a championship, whereas you have a tremendous chance to win multiple championships staying here and all of the other elements that you just brought to the table,

I don't understand why you would want to leave that. But again, you know, KD's his own man, and he could decide to do whatever he wants to do. I pray he doesn't because I want to be able to be a part of this great run that they're on and ride this straight. I want to shift to Zion. Tonight's the lottery. you know, as a sportscaster, I think it'd be more fun to see him in New York than, you know, than maybe a Memphis or a smaller market. I think it'd be fun.

I like when the Knicks are relevant. I like, you know, I like when the Dallas Cowboys are relevant. It's fun or Michigan football. I think he's going to be really, really good. The NBA lanes wide open now. I think he'll work. Does he remind you of anybody? Well, he reminds me of LeBron that he's a man-child.

You know, he's a guy that, again, an anomaly. I've never seen the guy that size with that kind of strength and power and physicality that he can do the things and jump out of the gym. I mean, he does some amazing things. And if he keeps working on his game and refining his game, there's no telling how good he can be.

I don't think, feel that LeBron had for the game as far as creating opportunities for his teammates being LeBron playing high school. A special player, there's no question about it. And again, regardless of where he goes. He went to New York. Do you worry that he's 285, ligaments, Tork, his body. Do you, you know, when you went from college to pro, it's a lot of games, Rick. Do you worry about

his body too big? Nowadays, they have so much sophistication in the training of people, sports specific. They'll get the muscles there to protect the knees and protect all the joints. The thing about it is, is that that big and that strong going up that high, have those, you know, took a bad fall or came down another way. Who knows? You just don't know. I mean, you know, skinny guys sometimes get themselves in trouble and do things. I mean, look at what happened to KD. I mean, nobody even touched him and something happened to him. I mean, you just don't know. I mean, you can't even worry about those things. You just go out and play. But he's a fun guy to watch play. It's interesting to see who winds up getting him in the draft and then make mistakes in their

personnel. It's who do you draft? Who do you get in free agency? Who do you trade for? It's all about getting the right personnel who know how to play the game and play it the right way and hope he gets a coach that doesn't screw it up. I think I've asked you this before. I saw Steph Curry play in college. I I would have never guessed he would have revolutionized the game, talking about Zion coming in. I think he's an obvious kid that'll work. Was there a moment early with Steph Curry where you were like, whoa, this is, because I didn't see it coming. Did you?

No, I didn't see it coming. I knew that he could be a factor because of his shooting skills and because he shot the heck out of it when he was Davidson. But to have the overall game that he has and to take his game to a whole new level, but he works at it. He really does. You see great players are never satisfied with what you do. You spend the offseason not working on the things you should do well. You spend the offseason on trying to go ahead and refine the shortcomings that you're having your game and get yourself to be a more aware of around the player.

And this is what Steph has done. And he's doing things now that are just absolutely phenomenal. He's one of the most exciting players I've ever seen. I mean, he is worth the price of admission to watch him play. Stuff that he does. He and Clay take shots, three-point shooting, you know, that for most players, there would be terrible shots. but for those guys, they're not, because they make such a high percentage of them.

And in some of the other shooting, did you see some of the percentages of the shooting and some of the playoffs game lately? I mean, oh, my God. They were, like, it was an abysmal. It was almost embarrassing. I mean, so those teams going and playing against the Warriors of the Warriors are on their game. How do you beat the Warriors shooting like they do if they don't shoot a better percentage? If they don't, they shoot like that in freeze and get to the finals, either of those teams get there,

and the Warriors are there, they're in big trouble. I mean, I didn't know how Denver even wound up. I mean, never lost because, you know, Portland shot what, 15-something percent of some stupid percentage and beat them? I mean, oh, my God. I mean, I was like, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it because there's choice of shots. You see, it's possessions. You have to take pride in the possessions that you have and the importance of possessions also take quality, freaking shots.

Some of the shots that these guys take are just horrible. They're not bad for Stephan Clay at times, but most players, they're bad shot. Tonight, Portland Golden State, Steph Curry against Seth Curry. and it got us talking today in about 10, 15 minutes, we're going to name the greatest sports families of all time. And the Currys against the Berries. Rick, you are a Hall of Famer, you are an all-timer, and your sons play in the NBA.

So if I said the Curry family against the Barry family, compare the families here. How would that roll? We'd win because I'd have five kids and they'd have two. There you go. They couldn't defend you. No, man, we could double team guy and have one guy free to get all the rebound. Well, you were an all-time great.

I always said you're bird before bird, and for people, my generation, it's always a pleasure to talk to you, and I'm very happy for you, and a continued success. Rick Berry, thank you so much. Hey, please promote my website for the people. TLC24.net. TLC24.net. It's a $2,000 free BIP travel card. You'll be happy you go there. No obligation.

Just go and sign up. TLC24. That's it. Good stuff. Thank you, Rick. All right, take care. You bet.

Yeah, they would. They'd have five against two. It would be hard to win. It would, I mean, you could double team two people. It would be very difficult for the curries. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard Radio app.

Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world, like, I can do anything. I can, like, I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever ported on a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves,

their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.