The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Kevin Durant, Baker Mayfield, Best QB/WR Combos, And The Top Athletes Under 22

Episode Date: June 5, 2019

Colin continues to explain why Golden State Warriors F Kevin Durant would be a bad fit in New York, why it's important to prove you won the trade to your boss, Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield's recent comments, and who is the best QB-WR combo in sports. Guests include Nick Wright, JaVale McGee, Mark Medina, and Chris Broussard.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Loaded. This on a Wednesday is The Hurd. Wherever you may be in, however, you may be listening. We're on I-Heart Radio. We're on Fox Sports Radio, and we are on FS1. Cleanly shaven, wearing my Raptor black. Joy is in Golden State Warrior Gold.

Oh, I am not. Sort of looks like it. Tipping your hand. It kind of is, but that was not the purpose. I'm going with the Raptors with an upset win tonight. I am too. All right. I don't know if I've ever used this line on the air, Joy, but I do think you and I, I think I know you enough, well enough, to say this.

And I know this describes me. I believe in life we all become what we overcome. Not what mom gives you, not the prep school. You will become all you guys listening, all you parents listening. your kids will become what they have to overcome. And that will create a metal and an armor and a toughness and a drive and a focus. Charles Barkley, who I love, disagree with a lot, but I love him, said this about Kevin Durant going to the Knicks. He goes, he's one of the greatest players I've ever seen.

He's also got some of the thinnest skin I've ever seen. I don't know if you're made for New York City arguing with these teenagers online. You're not going to be able to deal with the New York media. he's a great person. He's a great player. I don't think he has the mental makeup to play in New York. Charles is right. And I don't blame Kevin Durant. You become what you overcome.

And I want you to think about this. Let's talk about Michael Jordan for a second. Probably the greatest basketball player of all time. Cut from his high school team. Goes to Carolina, the number one or number two basketball power, total microscope. Hell, he may be the second biggest program in his own state. ACC was easily the best conference in college basketball. Goes to Chicago, two coaches fired, battles with teammates the entire time.

Quentin Daly, Orlando Woolridge, they called him a ball hog. Then they get a new coach and he can't get past Detroit. Three straight years of Pistons beat him. He leaves, go to baseball and struggles in minor league baseball. Can't hit the curve. Comes back first year to Chicago. people forget about this, loses to Orlando in the playoffs, three more titles. What made Michael Jordan was all the adversity, all the no, all the rejection.

Let's take LeBron James. Now, it's not quite as difficult for LeBron because every generation has generally, every basketball star generation's got a little easier life. But at 16, he's on the cover of SI under a microscope. He goes to his hometown Cleveland, little pressure, got to win. Two coaches fired. Doesn't get along with the owner. Can't beat the Boston Celtics.

Adversity. He goes to Miami. Got to win four titles. Got to win five. Some of it, self-inflicted pressure. Lose the first year. The decision. Getting crushed.

Then he goes to Cleveland. There's a lot of adversity. A lot of adversity. Now, Michael faced more than LeBron, simply because LeBron had more money earlier and because generally it's easier for basketball stars today than when it was 30 years. years ago. But LeBron multiple times has been the villain, battling an owner, fired coach,

adversity. Now let's go to Kevin Durant. You are what you overcome. Kevin Durant goes to a football school to play basketball. Actually, for as great as he is, that's sort of low profile. How often do I talk Texas college basketball? Then he goes to Seattle, which geographically might as well be Juneau, Alaska, isolated. Then they go to Oklahoma City, small market media, mostly beloved. I mean, mostly beloved. He once complained about a headline in a newspaper. He didn't like it. Then he goes to Golden State.

Well, come on, it's the Rich Carlton of basketball teams. The coach is smart. The players are great. The system's in place. Where's the adversity? I'm not saying his life is all rainbows. But we become what we overcome. Michael Jordan just went through gravel road and off road.

And Kevin Durant's basketball life has been a football, school, hiding in Seattle, comfortable in Oklahoma City, joining the greatest team ever. So that's what he is now. He is a great, great basketball player. But does he have the medal? Does he have the medal to deal with New York? And let me throw this in, because I've lived this experience. When you stay at the Ritz Carlton, it's much, much more difficult to then stay at the Bates

Motel. Like, if you never stayed at a Ritz Carlton or a four seasons or a Mandarin or all the And you just always stayed like at the Hilton. Hiltons are nice, right? They're solid. I stayed a lot of Hilton's. Well, then if you have to stay at the Bates Motel, you're like, well, it's not as nice. But when you live at the Ritz, and that's what the warriors are, the culture, the GM played, the coach played.

Steph Curry is the easiest superstar to play with. Clay Thompson doesn't talk. The rough guy to get along with is Draymond Green. And a lot of people say Draymond and Katie are actually closer than people think. And then you go to the Knicks. owner, I'll pass. Roster, terrible. Front office.

People say it's good. Prove it to me. You know, you start looking at KD. I don't think it could just not be about titles. I think New York could be a disaster for him. Brett Farve went from the well-run Packers. Say what you want about Green Bay. Pretty darn well-run for most of the last 25 years.

They don't always have the perfect coach, but they draft well, they're smart, Not a lot of chaos. He goes to the Jets. Man overboard. When you have been without chaos and then you're inserted with pressure to chaos, also throw this in. If I said to you, name the star in the NBA who is great. But he can be a little difficult to deal with and he's a little erratic. Kyrie Irving, that's who would join you?

I'd take AD in a heartbeat over that. So this is not a criticism of Kevin Durant. It is not. But his basketball reality is not Michael Jordan's basketball reality. Cut. Carolina. Massive pressure. Fighting with teammates.

Coach is fired. Can't get past Detroit. By the time Michael Jordan finally won a title, he grabbed that trophy like it was a puppy and started balling. Because that he had been through so many obstacles. And Kevin Durant's first title, he loved it. I don't remember the crying. I mean, the tougher the road, the longer the cry.

And again, I like KD. I think he's the best basketball player in the world. I'm a fan. He's sensitive. But here's a little video. He does get a little sensitive with the social media and the criticism thing. I have nothing to do with the Knicks. I don't know who traded Porzingis.

They got nothing to do with me. I'm trying to play basketball. y'all come here every day ask me about free agency, I ask my teammates, my coaches, you rile up the fans about it. Let us play basketball. That's all I'm saying.

And now when I don't want to talk to y'all, it's a problem with me. Come on, man. You're talking. We're talking. So, who are you? Why do I got to talk to you? How are you playing?

How's a team playing in the last couple weeks? I'm done. You know you don't care about that. Listen, A.K.'s not mean-spirited. He's a good guy. But Charles Barkley here summed it up. He's arguing with teenagers online. That's true.

That's why we all laugh when he says that. We're like, oh, my God, he's right. He is arguing with teenagers online. You are, you become what you overcome. He hasn't overcome to the level of MJ, level of LeBron. I don't think in my opinion. All right, let me shift to this. So yesterday, about halfway through our show, Joy,

the story broke that Anthony Davis and Rich Paul have told the Pelicans, listen, we love you, nice couple of breakfast, but we're out of here. So the Pelicans, the story broke yesterday, the Pelicans now David Griffin, smart guy, used to be in Cleveland with Rich Paul, LeBron, knows him well. They're going to make a move for him. And remember this. Don't kid yourself on this. I've been told this by more than one executive.

When you make a big draft pick or you make a trade as an executive, got to make sure the owner thinks you won the trade. That's a real thing. That's why a lot of times executives float rumors to see how it plays on media, talk show, radio, TV. Okay, it's not a disaster. Here's the narrative. Don't kid yourself. This is a real thing.

So Anthony Davis and Rich Paul now, they have the leverage. As my golden rule of trades is, when a star player said I want out, get him out of town. Because every day, every month, every trading deadline that passes, the power goes to the agent and the star player. Because now everybody knows it's official. Pelicans have to trade him. And frankly, with Zion Williamson coming to town, they probably have to trade him soon in the next month. If you really want a clean break, start over. Give Zion a draft pick, get the team.

And everybody knows LeBron and the Lakers, right? They want him, and we know Anthony Davis has said there's three teams I want. So let's eliminate Boston because Anthony Davis has shown no interest in Boston. Danny Age has shown no interest in losing a trade, and he's not giving up Jason Tatum without guarantees. So let's just take Boston out of it. Anthony Davis has said Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, that's where I'll play. So that's where he's going to end up. Let me eliminate the Knicks.

They don't have any players. They have better draft picks. They've got no players. You can't win with a bunch of 19-year-olds in this league. You want to get some players. You've got to get some guys who can play and are proven. You can't have nine draft picks with Zion and Drew Holiday. So take the Knicks out.

They don't have the players. Let's take the Clippers out. I'm told the Clippers, Jerry West, they're lukewarm on Anthony Davis. They're not going to cobble together a package the Knicks or the Lakers would. They like him. They love Kauai Leonard. They'll sell the farm for Kauai. They won't for Anthony Davis.

Okay, so now that leaves the Lakers who I think have an advantage. So remember my initial premise. You've got to be able to go to your owner as an executive and say, we won the trade. Here's what I believe the Lakers would have to give up to get Anthony Davis. There's a story out today. The Pelicans and Griffin love Brandon Ingram. He's going. We also know the Lakers have the fourth pick.

Griffin's going to want another pick. Right. They're rebuilding, right? So he's going to take Brandon Ingram. Griffin loves him. We know he likes picks. So they'll take the fourth pick. My belief is they'll try to get the Lakers' first round pick next year,

but that's not important for this segment, push it off. But I also believe they'll want Lanzo ball. People are telling me Griffin and the Pelicans like Lanzo. And by the way, if you've got Zion and you got Brandon Ingram, you got two young guys who can score, but they're not really, you need a guard that can create things for them and they can finish. They're not like spot-up shooters, right?

Lonzo works. And then the Lakers would be able to keep, they would land Anthony Davis and keep Kyle Kuzma. So let's look with my proposed trade, what the Pelicans could take to their owner. David Griffin could take to his owner. Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson, All-Star Drew Holliday, Brandon Ingram, and the number fourth pick.

You can absolutely take that to Gail Benson and say, this is amazing. This is unbelievable. You can say, we got the two Laker players we liked outside of LeBron. We loved Ingram. We liked Lonzo. They gave us both and the fourth pick. Now let's see what Rob Palinca can say.

say to Jeannie Bus. Here's what the Lakers can say. Hey, we didn't have to give up Kyle Coosma. He's the guy like Brandon Ingram, except unlike Brandon Ingram and Lonzo, Kyle Coosma can stay healthy. And the Lakers have LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Coosma. That's an exceptional front court. And one of the hardest working players, Josh Hart, in the back court.

So Rob Polinka can go to Jeannie and say, I got you a second star. And we got you the young player, the hard worker, leadership quality, stayed in college never gets hurt. You got to be able to go to the owner and say, I think we won the deal. Whether you did or not. And I think David Griffin could do it if he gets Brandon, Lonzo, and a four-pick. And I believe Rob Polinka can do it if he says, I got you a second star, and the one young player who never gets hurt.

And has shown real leadership qualities. So I think that's the Lakers advantage. I'm not saying I'm not crossing my fingers on this. this. I would prefer more stars come to my hometown. But I'm just telling you, I think I've been told that before. In fact, I was told years ago by a general manager, assistant general manager in the NBA, it's a funny story, but he, I won't go too far into the story, but he said, sometimes like your second round pick, or if you have a later pick, like an 18th, 20th pick in the NBA, and you don't think he's ever going to be a starter for you. Sometimes you just take the guy

who was pretty good in the NCAA tournament because it's the only college basketball the owner watches. And if you have an international player, the owner's never seen, and he's not significantly better, according to your scouts, than the kid at the Final Four,

who are Elite 8 that was good. And your owners, they have them both. You have the grades are equal. Take the domestic Elite Eight Final Four American kid over the international guy because the owner watch the kid in the Final Four and can go to his rich buddies and go,

yeah, I love that kid. I saw that kid. He was fantastic and he can tell his wife and his mistress and his rich friends. Yeah, I know a lot about basketball. That was my pick. I like it. It's hard to sell the kid from Dusseldorf that nobody saw a play. So appeasing your owner in these professional sports leagues, it is a thing.

All right, we're packed today. Baker Mayfield in Cleveland. Baker calls out Duke Johnson yesterday, or did he? That coming up, Nick Wright, too. And I'm going to have one of my favorite segments ever on the show. today. Ever. I am going to anoint 10 young people, men and women in America as the next great thing.

Cool. A lot of pressure. These are the 10 stocks in American sports to buy. And they're all 22 years of age or younger. Okay. Very excited for this. I'm wearing Raptor Black today. How is that Raptor Black? You know what?

It is in Los Angeles. The sun... That is a grayy shirt. It depends on the lighting. 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 sweat. Wagging 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 Levant this plant 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 podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle 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.

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women's sports. 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. 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 SportsClace 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. 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 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? 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 hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Great to have you in. Nick Wright in 10 minutes.

So listen, a couple, it was a few days ago, Baker Mayfield, I put a bunch of stuff on Twitter, like my staff put stuff on Twitter, and Baker Mayfield reacted to it and took shots at me. And I didn't react. I have no interest in winning the debate on Twitter. Everything to me is the long play when I do this show. I don't worry about daily ratings. I'm worried about year to year, are we growing? It's the long play.

It's how Tom Brady quarterback's. Tom Brady's the classic Tom versus Time. It's all about the long play. It's not about getting into feuds and arguments and winning. So Baker Mayfield yesterday, Duke Johnson talks about wanting to be traded. Duke Johnson's a really good running back. And then the Browns have him. And then they draft another running back, Nick Chubb, who's also excellent.

And then they make a deal to get Kareem Hunt. And Duke Johnson's like, I got no touches here. And so there's been rumors. He's on the trade block. And he said yesterday, you know, just I'd rather, I want to play. Baker Mayfield, and this is his personality. He wants to win the moment. He wants to win the press.

conference, he wants to win the debate, calls out Duke Johnson. It's self-inflicted. It is what it is. It's not awkward for anybody else in this building. He's got us do his job. He said he's a professional. I hope he does his job. We have guys that want to be here. They'll show that. They'll voice that. You're either on this train or you're not. It's moving. You can get out the way or you can join us. So it is what it is. And Baker won the moment, and he feels great. But Duke's still a teammate and you're going to need him.

This is who Baker is. This is the immaturity. And this is what kids do. They got to win the Twitter battle. They got to win the press conference. They got to win the moment. The police video is classic. The police pull up to Baker Mayfield. He doesn't think of consequences.

Even if he escaped the cops, you'd still figure out it's Baker Mayfield. Right? But he wanted to win the moment. I'm going to escape those cops with no thought of consequences as a quarterback in college. planting the flag, grabbing the crotch, winning the moment, winning the press conference, winning the debate. No sense of long play, long-term consequences. Russell Wilson lost a Super Bowl. Richard Sherman, emotional, bury people, rip coaches.

He's out of Seattle. Russell Wilson was like, this hurts, but I want to be here for 12 years. Baker, stop trying to win the moment, win the press conference, win the soundbite, win the debate, win the Twitter war. Drew Breeze, back-to-back years, has lost a heart-clutching game in the NFC, a playoff game that you have won and you lose. And the rest of New Orleans, the crazy fans, yell, scream, blame, NFL, protest. Drew Breeze's response is The Long Play

There's nothing we can do about it So it's unfortunate You can go one to two directions You know, either you can go in the tank Or you can find a way For this to come together for good That was the mindset we took last year after the loss And it really brought us together as a team

And strengthened us And I hope that this will too I plan on being here next year And making another run at it A grown-up Not blaming the NFL blaming the league, blaming the Rams, blaming Goodell.

Quarterback is a grown-up position. The long play. You buy stocks. Baker Mayfield's a day trader. Buy a stock, sell a stock. Won the stock. $9. Sold it for $10. I got a dollar. I won the debate. I call out my team and I get. Brady's like I buy the stock, Warren Buffett,

and I hold the stock. Sometimes I have to move off the stock, but I do so covertly and quietly so it doesn't disrupt the system and create noise. Folks, we have a precedent. Noise is bad in the NFL. Asked the Steelers last year. Seven and two got noisy. Asked the Seahawks, had a dynasty, ended quickly.

When Belichick and Brady, the only time they've had disruption, got noisy for about two months. Whether you agree with Baker yesterday calling out Duke, it's noise. It's winning the moment. It's not what quarterback's about in this league. Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Well, the Warriors have the injury bug pretty bad. First was Boogie, then KD, then Iggy, and now Clay's status for tonight's game three is up in the air. While Durant and Kavanaughan Looney are already ruled out, Clay's injury is a little bit more of a gray area, and so is the answer on his status. Obviously, I don't do anything I can to be out there, but it's all in their hands, and there's any pain.

It would be a no-go just because of the position we're in. It'll be a game-time decision. But for me personally, it would be hard to see me not playing. So hopefully I'll feel much better tomorrow and be a go for tip-off. I wouldn't play him. I'd roll the dice without him. Well, the issue is he's talking about the trainers when he says it's in their hands. The issue is if you play him and it gets worse and he's done for the rest of the series,

which you cannot afford. Joey, couldn't I make an argument when Boogie came back and played really well? At home, Steph, Draymond Boogie, Iggy? Wouldn't you roll the dice, joy? I mean, you're saying his strength in numbers. Look, Clay Thompson is a huge piece of this, but these soft tissue injuries are delicate. And if you've ever, I mean, we're not professional athletes, obviously, but if you ever tweak something like this, you need to rest it, and it's very easy to make it worse. And you're just kind of ginger on it the entire time that you're performing.

So look, they have a ton of injuries. Obviously, they need Clay Thompson, and obviously Clay Thompson wants to be out there. But I really don't know what to expect. I'm picking Toronto either way. I'm sitting, Clay. I feel really good. Once Boogie came back and gave me that night, I walk and I think to myself, at home, Steph Dramon, Iggy, Boogie, Bogot, Quinn Cook off the bench.

And by the way, if I lose, I then get a healthier clay for game four. And KD's back. I'll roll with that. I still don't believe that KD is going to be back. Clay was reportedly active during practice and getting up shots, and he said it was feeling a lot better than it was a few days ago. A little fun stat for you. The Warriors have played 511 games over the past five seasons.

So this situation was kind of inevitable. They played a lot of games. That is a ton. Good stat. So a lot's being made about media market sizes and how that influences players, especially free agents. Well, Donovan Mitchell says playing in a big ball. market isn't a requirement to win a ring. He told the athletic, I don't think you have to

have to have a big market to win a championship. You look at Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, competed for many years and it's still competing. Portland is on the way. To be honest, I think it's kind of overrated at times. And I think the things that are precious to small market teams, I think that's what's special and creates that culture, especially that we have in the locker room. What do you make of that? I feel like overall he's, he has a point about the culture. It's easier to build a culture, I think, in a smaller market because you are likely going to have those players. You're less distracted. You have usually a great, very loyal, dedicated, uplifting fan base because it's probably one of the few teams in the market.

But the teams he mentioned there, they don't have any titles. Well, technically, the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder have titles in their previous lives. but the issue for me is not that it's a small market. It's about where the star wants to go play. We know that you need a superstar in a small market. It has to happen. So you either have to have the ability to draft that superstar or get lucky in a situation like LeBron.

You know, it's funny. Like, my wife and I talk about this all the time. I don't want to live in the middle of a big city, but I like the proximity to it. I'm a 20-minute drive to downtown L.A. I don't mind not being in the biggest market in the world. Okay? Are you showing my hometown here?

That's funny. Well, I mean, most people don't live in downtown Los Angeles. That's right. But I would say there are places like Utah and Oklahoma City that feel, and I love, by the way, I go to Utah all the time. But I do think access to big is good. Like San Antonio's not a big city necessarily, but it is in of Texas. It feels of Texas. Like, I think people say big markets are overrated.

Maybe, but you don't want to be too out in the boonies either. Well, you also have the ability very easily to become dysfunctional in a big market. If you look at these top 10 media markets, the Knicks, the Nets have not been consistent at all. We all know what's going on with the Lakers. That's fair. I mean, we're the Bulls. 76ers haven't gone over the hump yet. The Wizards.

I mean, the Rockets are competitive. but have they made it happen yet? No. So I don't, he does have a point as far as building a competitive culture in a smaller market. But the free agent thing is. San Francisco, by the way, is like the fourth biggest city in the country. Let's not make that Mayberry. Like it's not like Golden States playing.

No, of course not. And San Luis Obispo. No, and they're moving from Oakland to San Francisco into a bigger part. Right. So finally, the Cowboys are coming off a successful season. They made the playoffs and won the NFC East. and they even won a playoff game before falling to the Rams in the second round. But now the Cowboys are slight underdogs to even make it back to the playoffs in 2019.

Let's look at some of the notable NFC odds. So they are not favored to make the playoffs, the Cowboys. Those are perfect odds because I think the word narrowly, they'll either narrowly make it or narrowly miss it. And that's exactly how I feel about the Cowboys. They're narrowly in or out. That's a great word. Also, the kind of interesting, the Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings are also not favored. that's how I feel about Seattle and Minnesota.

I think Minnesota narrowly misses and Green Bay wins the division. I actually, now they have Philadelphia as a narrow miss? No, they're our favorites to make the playoffs. And so is Green Bay. Yes, they should be. Those are the two teams I love. Yeah. Good stuff. Joy with the News.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. So I read a great story yesterday by Jason Jenks. It was on The Athletic.com. And you've got to pay for those articles, but they're very good. They had a story about Kauai Leonard, and they went back to his college days. And they literally, it was a fascinating story. He used to take a lamp to the gym, break into the gym, not break in, but get into the gym at

San Diego State and play basketball and shoot all night. The guy is completely obsessed. The quotes go up and on and on about Kauai Leonard, the hardest working player ever, the hardest working player. Tim Shelton was his college teammate. He said, Kauai had a lamp on different occasions. He'd been there late. The light box would be locked.

so he'd bring a lamp in there, he'd put his finger under the door, unlatch it, he'd go in there and shoot with just he and the lamp. And once again, it's the story of hard work. And I love this story. It's the same Michael story, the same Kobe story, the same Brady story, the same Brady story, said DJ Gay, his college teammates, by far the hardest worker I've ever come across, I've ever known. Several times I tried beating him to the gym, no matter how early I got there, he was there before I was. This story, of course, reminds me of Corey Muggetty, who lives close to Kobe Bryant, their friends. One day, they decided to meet the next morning at 6 a.m. for a workout. Corey Mgetty pulled his Mercedes into the gym at 6 a.m.

Kobe was leaving. Rolled the window down. See you tomorrow, bro. Kobe'd been there since 4.30 a.m. Reminds me the story of Wayne Gretzky. A dad comes up to Wayne Gretzky one time. and says, my son is really talented. How do I instill this sort of work ethic that I've read about you?

And Wayne said, you don't. You couldn't pull me off the ice. My dad would take me off a rink he made at midnight because I had to go to bed. It reminds me of the story of the greatest tennis player I've ever watched Roger Federer. In his prime, his average day was five sets, an hour of conditioning, an hour of drills. That was an average work day. Not a great work ethic day.

That was every day. Folks, the world offers all sorts of choices and people lose their focus. But all these stories from Rush Limbaugh in my business is dedication, work ethic, shooting basketballs with the lights off, taking a lamp to the gym, driving up to meet Kobe at 6 in the morning, and he's driving out of the gym because he's been there since 4.40 a.m. I know. Your mom's going to put you in a prep school and your dad tells you the best ever, and you got this fund and that fund and that school and that advice and that resume. Nah, it's like in my business. Good luck on having a great agent.

Awesome LinkedIn page. Are you willing to put four hours, three hours of prep into the show? Because that's what does it. The Kauai Leonard story isn't really new. It's very predictable. Serena, Fetter, Rinaldo, Kobe, Michael, Kauai,

Janus. Never noticed they're always the hardest working guy anybody's ever played with. Nick Wright, around the corner. First things first. It's the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

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 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 Aihar Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them?

On Hurtle 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 WMBA 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

feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. 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, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments, moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaders 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 Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist.

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 free?

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 hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. All right, game three tonight. So fired up for this. my buddy Nick Wright. First things first co-host. Let's bring him on via the Coward Global Satellite Network. All right, we got three things to hit on. Let's first start with this. I led my show with it. I agree with Charles

Barclay. Durant's amazing and a quality guy. But I think New York could be a disaster. He's arguing with teenagers online. I don't always agree with Barclay. I kind of agree, Nick. What say you? All right, so sometimes I think you being

not an older guy, but an elder statesman to me, presents enormous advantages. Like, I think your advice to Baker Mayfield at the top of the show, he will wish one day he heated it. And I love Baker, but that is the advice of a veteran of someone who's seen things.

I also think there's some disadvantages, and here's one of them. Man, New York media is something media folks think is a real thing and folks that played in Barclays era think is a real thing. You think Kevin Durant cares what's on the back page of the New York Post?

No, he cares what's on the front page of Bleacher Report. You cannot have more people following a team than he's dealing with right now with the Warriors in the Bay Area. I love Frank Isola, but I don't think he's going to make Kevin Durant's free agent decision any harder. So I think the New York media is more of a relic of what was when you didn't have the NBA at the heights that it is now, the internet media being so important, and the international. contingent being so important. So I just, I think Kevin Durant, the fact that he argues with teenagers online speaks to the point there's nowhere he can go and hide because he seeks it out.

But I don't think the New York media is actually going to be much worse or different than what he's dealt with in these last three years playing for one of the greatest teams we've ever had. And as you put it, the Bay Area is not Bismarck. It's a pretty big market itself. Okay, I said at the top of the show, you've got to be able to take a trade to your owner and say, at least, I think we won the trade. I don't think the Celtics, I don't think Rich Paul and AD are going to get said with them. I think it's coming down to the Knicks, it's coming down to the Clippers, it's coming down to the Lakers. And what I said is, I believe Brandon Ingram, Lanzo ball, and a four pick for the Pelicans, you can take that to Gail Benson and say, we won the trade. and then Rob Polinka could go to Jeannie and say,

I got you second star and I kept Kuzma, who unlike Brandon Ingrams, never hurt. I think the Lakers have a shot here. What do you think, Nick? So, listen, I think the Celtics, you can cross them off the list because unless Kyrie stays and he's not, then Danny Aange is not going to include Tatum.

So take them off the list. The Clippers, I don't think, have the draft pick assets. We do have to keep in mind that David Griffin, before he took this job, when he was in the media, he said exactly what he would want if he were trading away Anthony Davis. Now he's going to be in position trade away Anthony Davis. He talked about a blue chip lottery pick, a player that was a blue chip lottery pick that has all-star potential and potentially a veteran.

So now you, the only way the Knicks can trump the Lakers offer is if the Pelicans are in love with R.J. Barrett. because if you look at the Knicks top three young players, Knox, Nillikina, Mitchell Robinson, even if you have the most pessimistic view of Ingram, Ball, Kuzma, the Lakers win all of those one for one, two, for two, three for three. So you have to just love R.J. Barrett compared to who you would take it for, whether that's Reddish, Darius Garland, whomever, DeAndre Hunter, whomever you would take it for.

So I think if it's a Knicks-Lakers situation, the Lakers are in the advantageous position. Now, I think they might have to include Kuzma or Hart to go along with Ball and Ingram, but I think they do that in a heartbeat. But I heard right when I got off the air today from someone within the Nets that if the Nets sign Kairi, they are already putting together the trade packages to where they could then try to trade for Anthony Davis. A lot of Dominoes have to fall into place, and I don't know if the Nets can beat the Lakers or Knicks offer because they don't have a top five pick. It depends on what you think of their young players.

But the Brooklyn Nets would be interested in doing what the Celtics wanted to do, which is Parachy and Anthony Davis. Let's shift to this game three tonight. I thought it looks like Steve Kerr said Durant's going to practice. Okay, so I'm going to get Durant in this series. Now, it may be game 5, 6, 7, but with Boogie's emergence, I thought he was terrific the other night, got 28 minutes instead of 20, KD's coming back. Could I not make an argument?

Sit clay tonight. Hamstrings can be very easily reagravated. Roll with it tonight at home. Iggy, Draymond, Steph, Boogie, and then come back in game four with the whole crew healthier. do you think? Well, I think that might be what they do, and I think you can make the argument for doing it. But if Clay Thompson does not play tonight, the Warriors cannot win. I know you have dipped your toe in the gambling waters as of late. I'm telling you right now, if Clay Thompson is ruled out, I am putting the maximum allowable wager on my, however I wager, we don't need to get

into that on the Toronto Raptors. The Warriors have struggled scoring with both Splash brothers out there. We saw what happened to their offense the moment Clay Thompson went to the bench with injury with eight minutes left in that fourth quarter. The only reason the Raptors didn't come back and steal that game is because their offense, they went three for 16 the rest of the way once Clay went out, even though they had a fresh Kauai. Steph, they don't need Clay to be great to beat the Raptors, but they need Clay to be out there. They need someone else that can draw defense away to where there is some spacing. I think Toronto is too good of a defense for it to be Steph Curry and others. And while we were really impressed by Boogie's 28 minutes, 11, 10,

and 6, the Warriors themselves thought he could only play 20 minutes that game. We can't now just say he's going to be able to play 30. If Clay doesn't play and the Warriors win, this will be one of the most impressive wins of the Steph Curry-Dremond era. Those are the two tent balls of this dynasty, the two most important members of this dynasty. If they find a way to win with no Clay, no KD, Loonies out, Boogie's Limited, and Iggy's limited, it will be a remarkable victory to me. But Clay has played in 120 of 120 playoff games. I don't think that streak ends tonight.

I think he finds a way to get out there. By the way, before we go, I have to say this because, you know, I am your mentor, as you put it. You are a hit record away from being Justin Beaver. Whatever you're doing with your hair, your beautiful wife, you are a style master. I'm so proud of you. Could you acknowledge the other person in your life and what she's doing to your appearance? Because seriously... Oh, okay.

You're a melody away. Listen, my wife, after a decade, after a decade of prodding. I think this is my fourth straight appearance. My wife has made a cameo, if you will. on this show. Credit to you for that. Listen, after a decade of prodding, I've grown my hair out. Now, the only reason that I'm glad you brought it up is because

my television partner, my brother, a man I'd lay down in traffic for where Chris Carter, has been telling the audience this is a toupee. Damn it America, the hair is real. I don't know if it's good or not, but it ain't no damn toupee. He tells him I'm 5'9, which I'm not, I'm just under 6'1,

and I wear a toupee. Neither are true. Well, the hair's the credit to my wife. The height is just how I was. thank you, Colin. You're right. Yeah. And if anyone I can take hair advice from, it's Colin Cowell. My buddy, Nick Wright, good seeing you. First Things First with Chris Carter, Geno Wolf, good stuff. No, it's not.

I've had people say that to me before. Is that a toupee? And I always say, if I could buy hair, would it look like this? I had a guy come up to me one time. He goes, that's not your real name. And I'm like, you think I would choose Colin Cowherd. I know. I mean, it is actually a very good... No.

I've already got my name chosen. Sky Bannister. Oh, yeah, you did. You told me about that. Yeah, yeah. I've always said, Jack Danger or Sky Bannister. I want to stick away from the danger. All right.

I like danger. Sky? Your number one pick would be Sky. If my name was Sky Bannister, I'd be 10 times bigger than Howard Stern. I just walked around. Sky Bannister sounds like a very serious. Sounds like a superhero. Like Wolf Blitzer.

Yeah, and again. You have to only be serious all the time. That guy's got nothing above the shoulders. He's a superstar. off his name. Oh, stop. I saw him on Jeopardy one time. He couldn't answer how many people are in the room. Where's your nose? Point to it on your face.

He couldn't get it right. People ask me if Joy is my real name all the time. I think Joy's a pretty, I mean, not common name. I'm happy with it. Can you imagine if it was Joy Taylor and Sky Bannister? Good God. It'd be like Sean Hannity, get out of the way. Literally, we'd run cable. I thought you were America's

media superstar already. I'm America's, most beloved media icon. Right, that's right. That's how we say it. I am overcoming this name and this hair and this nose and these ears. Jabel McGee's going to stop by. Fascinating dude.

Good dude going to be joining us. Chris Brousard too. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Ah, this is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be. be listening. We're live in Los Angeles. Hour 2, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and

FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. By the way, I said last hour, I was talking about Michael Jordan, LeBron, Kevin Durant, and Charles Barkley says, you know, I don't know if Kevin Durant would be great in New York. And, you know, one of the things I talked about, if you look at Michael Jordan's basketball career, I don't know what happened to Michael's zero to 15, I didn't know him. I don't know LeBron 0 to 15. I know a couple of his friends. Kevin Durant did have some real childhood drama in his life. I'm not talking about that. Everybody's overcome something, but I'm talking about if you look at

professional basketball careers, Michael Jordan's sports career from North Carolina, from high school on, which we all know about, it's amazing how much he overcame. I mean, it's just a lot of roadblocks, a lot of crap, a lot of firings, a lot of no, a lot of battles. LeBron James has been under a microscope

since he was 16. Kevin Durant's basketball life has not had a ton of what I would call adversity. You know, I know Kevin's backstory. I had a buddy of mine just text me. I know his backstory is not perfect. That I'm not going to talk about a kid's childhood.

Some of that stuff's personal. I don't want to go there. It's none of my business. And a lot of those players don't want that stuff out. But it is interesting with Kevin's basketball career. It has been a football school, way up in Seattle hidden, Oklahoma City, arms around, small market beloved. And then they're the Rich Carlton of the NBA, the Golden State Warriors, which are like

bizarrely uncaotic, like bizarrely smooth. Then you go to New York, and let's be honest, if I said NBA franchise chaotic, aren't the Knicks number one? Now, a lot of people like their coach, David Fisdale, who I don't know, but I've heard it's a great guy, and people like their front office, but you've got to be honest about this. The Knicks have been chaotic. They have been just, and you know, you can't overcome a shaky owner.

It doesn't work. There's a reason the Detroit Lions have never been a dynasty. There's a reason the Cleveland Browns have never been a dynasty. in the last 30 years. It's not about the players and the coaches. They've had a lot of good coaches. Belichick coached in Cleveland. They've had a lot of good players. I mean, Joe Thomas is arguably the best left tackle

along he and Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones in the history of the league. It's not the players and the coaches, the assistants, the coordinators, the scouts, the jams, it's the owners. So I really, I've said this before. From a basketball standpoint, I'm rooting for Katie to go to the Knicks because I love

the NBA. Oh, I've loved it since I was a kid. but from a I'm running Katie's career I'm his agent I wouldn't let him leave there's no way I'd let him leave I'd say dude A I don't like my athletes to give up money I don't like that

especially tens of millions if I'm as agent I'm like listen it doesn't matter you know LeBron was a star in Cleveland D Wade was a star down in surf loving Miami it doesn't matter where you're at I wouldn't I would be hard if I was Kauai's agent

I'd have a hard time saying, you know, leave $40 million on the table. I couldn't sleep at night as an agent. I couldn't. Unless my player said, I don't like Canada. I like California. Then I could be okay with it. But if I ran, if I'm Adam, I look at it from a different situation. If I was Adam Silver, I want Kevin Durant to leave.

If I'm Colin Coward and I want better topics on the radio, Joey and I want him to move. The Knicks would be great. If I'm Kevin Durant's agent, I'm not letting him go. There's no way I can sign a paper and go from Joe Lacob to James Dolan to Dennis Smith, Jr. from Steph Curry and Clay. Had no way I'm going to let that happen.

I would just talk him out of it and say, you're crazy. Kevin, you're nuts. But, you know, players want to do what they want to do. And I do think when you've been in this well-run operation, Brett Farve with the Packers, then he goes to the dysfunctional jets. It's culture shock. It's like, yeah. And you go from, you know, Lacob and Steph and Bob Myers and Kerr and, God, these guys just all Clay Thompson, they all get along.

They've even taken some guys like Boogie Cousins who has sort of a history of being a little difficult, and he works. It's tough, man. We had, who we have on at the end of the show yesterday, Corey Brewer. And he said, you know, I stayed in college for one more year because it was fun. I had a good coach, had good teammates. I knew I could get paid in the NBA, but I stayed because it's fun. I have a saying I've been saying forever. Don't try to get happier than happy.

Like if you're happy in life, box checked, move to the next issue. Like there's five or six boxes you want to check in life. Are my kids healthy? Do I have a good strong relationship with my wife or my husband? Am I happy? Do I wake up happy? Check. Once you check that happy box, don't be like, all right.

I've got to find a happier I'd be happier every day of my life No a happy life has a few You know You're bouncing around with tumbleweeds once and while Happy life isn't perfect There is no perfect life

So you know As Adam Silver Colin Carrer I love to see Durant go to the Knicks As his agent No I saw a nurse story here I want to throw this out there

Is that This is a I know I'm going into my theories And beliefs here And blah blah blah I read this story about Kauai Leonard yesterday on the Athletic. And, you know, it's really funny. The best baseball player in the world right now is who?

Mike Trout. And the best golfer in the world right now is who? Brooks Kepka. And the best basketball player, many people are saying in the last month, is Kauai Leonard. Because Kevin Durant's been out especially. Trout, Brooks Kepka, Kauai Leonard. They're simply interested in the result. Twitter, not interested.

Social media, not interested. Great interview, seeking attention. Not interested. And it's funny, there's something going on in America that's kind of fascinating. So we have been on about an eight to ten year run of a great economy in America. A lot of it's tech. Manufacturing is up. Now, I think eventually, since World War II, we go into a recession about every six years.

We've got nine, ten years here with no recession. We're on, like, we're close to an 11th year with no recession. Double the historic American average economically. So we're going to, at some point, and I think it's coming pretty quick, we'll have a recession, not great, right? But we'll have it. That's the way the company works, so bubbles don't exist and housing market explodes in the market. And so we have this great economy right now in America, and yet there's a troubling statistic. Depression and suicide are up.

Why is that? Why is that? Generally, families got a little money. They got a little breathing room. They don't feel that chaotic crisis, that panic of not being able to pay the cable bill. The economy is great and depression's up. Why? Because choices create anxiety.

I watch it with my daughter all the time. I'm like, honey, you did it. There's all these choices. Did you get a good night's sleep? is you have a good breakfast. The family love you? Boom. Day's done.

The rest of it's all just opinion. Choices create anxiety. Brooks Kepka, Mike Trout, Kauai Leonard. They're not really into the choices. They're just totally focused on the result. And so when I look at KD and I look at Karee, Kyrie appears to be retreating from good coaches, retreating from LeBron.

I don't think that makes happiness. I don't think that's when society offers choices. Everybody sees it as a win. Oh, there's a new platform I can Instagram and Facebook and LinkedIn and Twitter and Snapchat. It just creates stress. You think choices would make everybody happier when in fact they create anxiety. Mike Trout disconnects from all of them. Kauai Leonard disconnects from all of them.

Brooks Kepka disconnects from all of them. It's fool's gold. When society and sports, now, athletes have never had more choices. They've never made more money. They've never been able to afford as many cars and houses and boats and vacations and stuff. And they've never had more choices and more platforms and more Instagram and Snapchat and LinkedIn and Facebook and Twitter. And yet, look at who's at the top of most of our sports. The focused, the not caught up in all the stuff.

Kauai Leonard, Brooks Kepka, Mike Trout. There's a great young hockey player. I'll get to that later in the show. Christian Pulisics, the great young soccer star in America. All soccer, all the time. Is that I look at Durant leaving and Kyrie seeking and this guy moving and this guy buying. And I got this. I know I'm going to be probably wrong on this.

But just because you have choices, all, in my opinion, it simply complicates life. And the people that are willing to be Uber-focused as society creates more choices, it's fools gold. It's fools' gold. Be very careful thinking all these new exits off the interstate provide a rainbow of opportunities and a gold rush of commerce. Nah, they just take your sights off what really important. For Kauai, it's basketball, for Kepkitt's golf, for Trout, it's his wife and hitting the baseball. Stay focused. All right, I kind of ran it there.

I just started kind of blah, blah, blah on right there. I didn't give it some Uncle Colin wisdom. Now I'm done with that. Let's break down the games. That was a little too much. You know what? No, I'm actually 100% with you. I think that whatever you put your energy into is what you get back, right?

Go all in. So people call it all kinds of different things. But to me, if it's mentally, physically, emotionally, what you're dedicated to is what you're going to succeed at. And with these guys, I mean, what do all those three guys have in common? Mile deep on what they love. That and there's just, there's not a whole lot of extroverted personality. There's not a whole lot of social media. I mean, you always talk about your bore for.

it's really not that they're boring. They're just focused on one singular thing, which eliminates all of that other stuff. Now that's not saying that if you are focused on other things, you can't be successful. Clearly LeBron has done that. But Kobe was interesting. All basketball retired all business.

Whereas we knocked LeBron this year for a lot of converging different shows, basketball, there was a lot of stuff. Well, I think how your personality is built depends on how you can balance all of those things. Clearly, someone like Hawaii, that's not his personality. So him trying to balance all those other things would not work. He wouldn't be successful. But either way, when it comes down to it, like you said, you have to have a singular

focus. All right. Javale McGee will bring, he'll bring the show down to a less ethereal. We'll talk hoops with Javale McGee, who actually had a great year. He popped with the nuggets, great years with the Warriors. Fantastic for the Lakers this year. Is he staying, coming, going? We'll talk to him next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. 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 conspiracy 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. 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 WMBA 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 feel on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. 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, like, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. 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 athlete 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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? 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, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Friday on FS1, the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off as post-nation France faces off with Korea Republic and group play. Coverage begins at 2 Eastern and all matches will be live on Fox FS1 and streaming on the Fox Sports app. Jay Francis co-favorites with U.S. Javail McGee is joining us. 11 years in the NBA champion 2017, 2018,

with the Warriors, came to the Lakers. And I said this on the air. When you came there, I said, I don't know how this is going to work. It's a bunch of kids. They're immature. Javelle McGee's got a big personality. And you were actually the shock of the season. I thought you had a great year.

You were very formidable. And it's the first time the home team where I lived, you were on the home team. It's funny, Javail. You got a reputation early, kind of fun, kind of crazy, kind of flaky. And then I watch it with the Warriors and the Lakers. That's not reality. Does it bother you at times? that the perception of you early isn't reality this morning.

Yeah, definitely. I mean, so when I came into the league, the things that kids are doing now I was doing to where, like, using social media a lot. So, but when I came into the league, GMs and we're looking at it like, you're not focused. Like, why are you using Instagram?

Why are you using Twitter? Like, get off of there, stop making videos, putting them on YouTube and thing like that. Now, when I went to the Warriors, PR, it's like, you need to post more. on Twitter. You need to post more. And it's good for feedback.

So it's just a whole different aspect. And I guess I was sort of ahead of my time, I guess. So it gave me a perception, like, I'm not serious about basketball or I'm not focused. And it really, like, messed up the character that I had that people really preceded me as. But the Golden State Warriors didn't listen. They said, we like you. They brought you in.

What did you help them with? And what did they help you with as a player? Um, truthfully, uh, I help them with, I feel like rent protection, if anything, and just having a big that's, that's willing to do the dirty work and run the floor. You run the floor well. I run the floor very well. Not worried about minutes, just being able to do whatever it takes to win. And, uh, they helped me with just realizing, like, going to the Warriors, like probably first day of the Warriors, my perception was going to be like, okay, well, they're champions. They probably, it's probably tight-knit. I probably have to be like, I'm in the Army. It's probably, It was probably one of the most relaxed environments I've ever been,

and I've been on multiple teams. It was the most relaxed. And I've been in practice, like, is this okay? Like, Steph's shooting a half course shot every time we stretch. Like, this is crazy. But it was just so relaxed, and it just showed me, like, just be a champion. Like, you don't have to be uptight and everything.

It's just real hard work, though. I don't want to take that perception away. It was hard work. Yeah. We have fun to have playing hard. It's interesting because we, you know, In the media, we hear a lot. Kevin Durant's going to leave, and I've said, listen, man, if I was his agent,

A, I don't want him taking less. I don't want my players taking less. Secondly, it's a Ritz Carlton. Like, everybody likes everybody. I don't trust the Knicks in their ownership. And to me, you can't overcome bad ownership. In my career doing this, I've been incredibly lucky. I've had one bad owner, and you can't overcome it.

I've had four great owners, one I didn't like. And in the end, if you were KD's agent, what would you tell him? I mean, first of all, if I was Katie's age, I would tell Katie to do what he wants to do because it's his life. You know what I'm saying? He has to live with his decision. So wherever he wants to go, whatever money he wants to take, then that's his decision to do. I wouldn't be that guy who's like, you should go here, you're here.

I would definitely weigh out the options, lay him out, tell him everything that's positive and negative, all the pros and cons. But other than that, it's his decision. Now, what about Charles Barkley? New York's going to eat him up. So I heard this what he said about that and that he wouldn't be able to survive out there. But in my opinion, if Charles Barkley grew up in the era of social media and he could respond to the things that people were saying about him when he would do the same thing. Like if someone said on Twitter, you're this, you're this, you're going to be like, okay, a thousand people who said it.

I'm responding to this one just every now and then. But I feel like the media portrays it as like, oh, he's sensitive. No, like we live in a world where information is just so fast and we see everything. When Charles Barker was playing, like you would have to wait until the morning newspaper came out to hear somebody talk stuff about you. So it's a totally different aspect. I don't take that as being sensitive or not being able to handle it. How does Steph, I find it fascinating because Steph is such a unique superstar. You know, goes home, married kids, quiet, don't hear stuff.

And recruits Kevin Durant. Take me behind the scenes. What's the secret sauce with Steph? Steph is one of the nicest guys I've ever met in my life. And just think of the superstardom that he's at. He doesn't have to be that nice. But he's extremely nice, maybe too nice. Like, he's one of the nicest guys ever met my life.

And to be the superstar status that he's at, to do the things that he does on the court, off the court also, the family man he is, is pretty impressive. They're the best third quarter team in league history. And we were talking about this yesterday. They're a little like the New England Patriots. They don't play well early in Super Bowls. They always play great after halftime.

You've been in for two championships. You have been on this warrior team, Javelle. Javelle McGee joining us, and trailed at half, struggled. And then the warriors go in for 15 minutes and it's magic. It's David Copperfield. It's Chris Angel. You're making stuff elevate. You've been in that halftime session.

Is it intense, loud? Like what happens? It's not necessarily intense. I mean, coming from Jermann is loud, but it's intentional. The first half, it seems like, as a championship team, you have the confidence of, we're going to win. Sometimes they would take people for granted, and then in the second half, they're like, okay, they came out, they hit us in the mouth, and now it's time to turn it up. And that's all it really was. Like, okay, third quarter action, we know what we do, we know we have, let's step it up.

And that's how it will work out. I want to shift now to the Lakers. It was a weird year. It was a weird combination. So LeBron historically has played well with shooters. And LeBron tends to play well with veterans. He's a smart dude. So you've got a LeBron guy who plays well with veterans, plays well with shooters.

Well, he goes to the Lakers, and it's a bunch of kids. And then it's mostly guys who aren't known as great shooters. Ronald's a good player, not a shooter. Lance is a good athlete, not a shooter. It never felt kind of perfect. But you were on the roster. The trade stuff happens, all these rumors. And their stories to avail that it's freaking the kids out,

which I get, if you told me tomorrow, my name's in the paper, I'm being shipped to, you know, whatever. How chaotic was it? Like, how hard was it on the kids to read in the papers and on Bleacher report? Yeah, you're all getting shipped out of town. First of all, they didn't read in the papers. I don't say that right now. Internet, maybe.

Internet, all social media. But, I mean, so I've been traded before. And the first time I got traded, the first day that I'm hearing all this, information and this is the social media age, I'm like, dang, like, it's, it's terrifying. Like, you're like, okay, I'm leaving my home. I have all my stuff, all my family, everything I know here. Like, it really shake you up if this is your first time hearing it, especially as a young guy. But I mean, if you've been traded before, you're like, okay, it's a part of the business. You learn it as a part of the business. These are young guys. These guys, and they're

in L.A. You got to think, okay, this is my livelihood. I mean, beautiful L.A., and I'll be shipped somewhere else, which is in LA. So, I mean, of course, I'll be a little shook, but, I mean, that's natural for anybody who's their first time going to be traded or hearing serious reports that they're going to be traded. So you freaked out a little bit?

Yeah, the first time I got traded, I was freaked out, but after that, you're just like, it's a business and that's all it really is, so you have to be a professional about it. So LeBron gets hurt, and I'd never seen an injury. I've said this for years, Javail. One of the most amazing things about LeBron, the second chapter of his book, the first chapter is,

that dude may be the best player ever. The second chapter is his body. Like Michael Jordan broke a lab midst a year. Stockton did. Everybody gets hurt except LeBron. Yeah. So when LeBron faced his first career injury, what was he like? I mean, that's daunting.

Talk about trade. How was LeBron? I mean, surprisingly, he was lighthearted, extremely lighthearted. I mean, he really doesn't have anything to worry about, really. I mean, his contract's fine. He's there for a lot of years. There isn't really anything to worry. worry about. But just the way that he came back and the way that he was working in that

that time that he was injured was truly amazing. And I mean, truthfully, the fact that he got hurt, Lonzo got hurt, players got in fights so that suspended. Our starting five really only had like 10 games and that's exaggerating without actually knowing the actual being together and being able to get our chemistry. This is our first year together. Like we should at least be able, we never got a chance to get our chemistry together. Everybody got hurt at once. I got pneumonia. Like, everything happened to this team on the injury side, and then they tried to play it.

Like, it's all this other stuff. No, we got injured. Like, everybody. You've played with LeBron, Durant, Clay, Steph, Draymon. I'm looking at the teams you've played with here. Dirk. Dirk. Gilbert Arenas.

Gilbert Arenas. Okay, so of all the stars, You've played, they're all different cats, right? The player that I find fascinating in this league, he literally becomes double the player as Draymond Green. So Draymond in the regular season goes 7-7. And then I'm watching him in the playoffs. And Javelle, there are games.

I think he's the best player on the floor along with Kauai. Take me into Dremon. Like, I, analytics don't even work for him. He literally puts on a cape in like May and June. Take me behind the scenes on, again, the secret sauce on Drayman, because I think he's going to have a chance to be a Hall of Famer. Yeah, definitely. The focus that Draymond puts into every game, the studying, the things that he knows about other players or games,

you'll play against a player and be like, oh, what does he do, Draymond will come out of nowhere? Oh, yeah, he's probably left hand. He's going to shoot over the left shoulder, and if he doesn't do that, he's going to come back with a pump fake, so watch out for that. Like, he knows everything about every player. He studies the game extreme. And on his own? On his own, there isn't like, you have to do this.

Like, that's just his thing. He loves basketball and you can just tell it. And you can see it in this game also. By the way, celebrity softball game, this is June 22nd. Javail's Jug Life Foundation, bring safe and clean water to underdeveloped areas around the world. By the way, you grew up in Flint, Michigan. I did. So this is a very personal thing for you.

Jug Life also spreads the message of how important water is for healthy and active lifestyles. Team Javelle versus Team Lanzo Ball. You know, LeVar was on yesterday. I keep bringing LeVar on because I think he's done a pretty good job with his sons, and he's a little crazy, and there's a lot of nonsense. But yesterday he answered all the questions. He never ducks a question. Do you think there's ever a little pressure on Lonzo because dad's public?

A little bit, do you feel? Maybe it's a little pressure, but the thing that surprised me, how everybody's on LeVar for being a sports dad. like if like i'm gonna that's my son like the way that he's in his son's lives in his kids lives especially as a black man is amazing like he's there every game like focus like he has his kids back and nothing else like it's pretty impressive um he says a lot of things i mean of course lanzo probably doesn't like everything he says but in my opinion i mean he's a great dad if anything lanzo struggled with his health do you buy into lanzo long term as a player oh yes uh just

Just seeing the focus, like, okay, so when people get injured, they tend to have a go down in spirit. But he had a great spirit this whole time that he's been injured. He's in there everyday work and in the weight room. It's coming from a person who's behind the scene sees it all. He's training. He hasn't missed a training session. Like, you get fine for things like that. And, like, people are really paying attention that he hasn't missed any of that since I've been there.

So it's not like he's not trying to get healthy. Like, he just had a bad injury. and it's just been lingering, that's all it is. But when he's healthy, oh, my goodness, and amazing. He started finishing at the rim last year. Man, because we, like, what it is is you really need those people behind you to be like, me personally, I'm that type of guy who, if someone lays the ball up, I'm booing them, even if they're on my team.

When they're going down the court, I'm like, boo, you're supposed to dunk that. Like, we're playing basketball. This is fun. Dunk that thing. Like, this is how we do it. You know what I'm saying? It's just a... He did last year.

I got to give Lonzo credit for. about eight to ten games before he got hurt. He got, because the knock on him was, he's a little passive. And he started finishing at the rim. People forget. He's six, six guard. And athletic is, I don't know what, like, he can, yes. So, like, that's what we're doing behind the scenes.

Like, we're like, dunk it. Like, dunk on anybody that's in the way. Like, why not? Like, do it. Like, why not? Juglifewater.com for tickets. Jug J-U-G-Live, JugGWater.com for tickets. It's absolute pleasure meeting you, man.

Thank you. You had a great year for the Lakers. Good luck to you. Thank you. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So we were just talking about this.

Steph Curry is beloved by millions of fans across the world, especially in the bay. Yes. But he's also increasingly becoming a player, people, notably current and former NBA players, like to hate on. Yeah. And yesterday, he was asked about that hate. I mean, honestly, I don't need anybody's validation or praise or them to hype me up as other people in the league. I know who I am. I always say confident in my abilities and appreciative of the stage that I get to play on alongside my teammates,

especially these last five years. So whatever comes with that territory doesn't really bother me, whether I'm liked or disliked. Think about this. I don't believe there's a player, maybe Michael Jordan, that could score zero points in one half and 33 in the other. That's all about confidence. Because a lot of guys, you're that bad at half, you miss the first shot of the second half. You are Seacrest out. That game against Houston is like, was that Houston or Portland?

When he had 33, zero in the first half, 33 in the second half. I think it was Houston. That's one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen by an NBA player. That is remarkable. I think Steph Curry will be appreciated. And I think, I mean, obviously he has millions of fans. He is very well liked overall. But I think the effect of stuff Curry will be appreciated more after he's done playing.

Because he has really changed the game. And he's inspired an entire new wave of young people who see him. And they don't actually realize how big and strong Steph Curry is because we focus on, you know, guys like to be all bigs and he's inspired an entire new group of kids that think like oh i can make it to the NBA not being six foot nine and and physical phenom michael vick had this effect that michael vick i never forget when michael vick played at virginia tech and bobby bowden coached florida state and bobby's team beat him in the national title but bobby bowden tells a story when you saw michael hit the best athlete in the field playing quarterback and bobby bowden's like

It just changes worldview. I can put my best athlete at quarterback. A little small, runs a little too much. And there are times when there are games, they don't have to be the best player in the world. Michael Vic changed the way a lot of people looked at quarterback. Steph Curry has changed the way we play basketball. I do find the polarization with players liking him to be interesting, though.

I don't know about that. So I've talked a lot about how Classy the Toronto organization has been about their postseason run, especially Missai Ujiri. giving Dwayne Casey and D'Amar de Rosen credit. Well, DeRoson spoke about that in a recent sit-down with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report. Honestly, I don't even think I said this. I probably said this to my own inner circle, but it wasn't for all the years and groundwork that I did before then.

None of the things would have been possible. Yes, I fought, I sacrificed. I pushed the limits to where I had to be the sacrificial lamb. You just have to sit back and understand, like, you know, you are the reason. So many things was even possible. I'm rooting for my best right. you know, to do well, to accomplish something that we tried to do all in years,

and he has the opportunity to do it. So all the guys on their team, they know, you know, I'm rooting for him. Listen, there's worse places to end up to San Antonio. Sure. But, I mean, when you are, you know, with a team for nine years, and you've poured your heart and soul and blood, sweat, and tears into trying to win a championship, and then you get traded, and Kauai Leonard comes in, and now they're in the finals and it's not,

it's not out of the realm of possibility that they could win the finals. There's going to be some emotional tie there. And he is right. He literally was the sacrificial lamb because he is the reason that Kauai is there. So I totally understand the emotional tie there. But, I mean, of course, he was a huge part of that. And this is why I said before, this is the way that you build an organization and a culture. You have to have good players that you draft and you build up.

and you're consistently good and you're consistently in the playoffs, and then you get that one piece, or then you come together in that one moment and opportunity and get over the hump that you've been trying to get over. Now, even if they don't win a championship, which is obviously their goal, and that would be the ultimate success, you can't dismiss what Toronto has been able to do.

And obviously, Kauai Leonard was the piece that they needed. But everybody needs a superstar. This is a superstar league. But this is the way you do it. This whole, like, tanking and rebuilding for years and making the fans suffer. I hate that. We just got to wait.

And it's just, it's horrible for the league. It's horrible for organizations. It's horrible for the consumer. It's awful. And it doesn't even make sense because you can't build. It's everything that's going on with the Lakers. You can't have these young guys and these toxic environments. And then all of a sudden, think because you get one extra superstar with no culture around you that you can turn this into a championship organization.

It's just not how it works. Finally, I think you'll like this list. Bleacher Report released their list of top quarterback wide receiver duos. this is the parameters of it. Theoretically, you're down in the fourth quarter by two touchdowns. What duo would you want to carry your team to a comeback win? Now, I think Tom Brady and Julian Edelman are a little low considering, but Patrick Mahomes and Tyree Kill are actually very low on this list for me.

Yeah, this list, I don't agree with this list at all. How would you rearrange it? I mean, I would move Patrick Mahomes and Tyree Kill up to probably two. And Tom Brady, Julian Edelman won. Julian Edelman was the best player in the Super Bowl. He was unguarded. Marcus Peters and Akeed Talib who are great corners. He was open.

It's number one. By the way, I love T.Y. Hilton, but he's often a deep threat. That's lower percentage. What made Andrew Luck last year was his tight ends in his running game. So, and I love, yeah, I would do, by the way, again, yeah, I don't agree with anything here. I think, I think Deshawn Watson, D'Andre Hopkins is often the most frightening. Right.

those guys between his legs and DeAndre's speed. Those guys are you can't even game plan for about four plays a game from those games. Yeah, Andy Dalton and A.J. Green should not be on that list at all just because of Andy Dalton, not A.J. Green. And then they did qualify that Baker O'Dell and Carr, Antonio Brown, were

not included on this list. Yeah, I would say Baker O'Dell is going to have a huge year. But they also didn't have Dak and Amari Cooper on there either. Oh, they didn't, did they? Yeah, so they have that. I mean, Gough to Cooks. They have some very interesting misses on here, too. But, but. Yeah, I figured you'd want to rearrange that.

A little bit. Yeah, joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping back. The Herd Lye News. Okay, we're going to check in in the bay. Mark Medina, who covers the Warriors. We're going to get him come up next.

Tell us the latest on Clay Thompson. Is he going to play it tonight? Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard 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 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 podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle 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 WMBA 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 Ledecki. 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, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. 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 athlete 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 reel. 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 Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier 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? 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 hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. Let's go to the phone. Mark Medina, guy we bring on.

regularly played, covered the Lakers, LA Daily News, covers the Warriors now for the San Jose Mercury News, and he's joining us via the phone, Mark Medina getting ready for game three tonight. Mark, let's start with this. Clay Thompson's health, where are we at with it? This morning, they're painting this as a game time decision. They want to have him test out his hamstring during pre-game warmups, and it's one of these things where I've talked to Clay after game two Sunday, and he was saying, hey, he thinks he'll give it a go, but I don't. don't think it's entirely his down for him. And it's one of these things that unlike other injuries Clay has had in the past,

it's not just a pain threshold issue. This is a hamstring, which can get very sensitive. So if he makes one weird twist, he could be out for a while. So we'll know probably during pregame warmups, whether Clay suits up or not. Now, it does sound like, Mark, the things I'm reading, Kerr's going to let Durant practice that Durant appears to be available at some point in this finals, do you buy that? I do buy that. Now, he's not playing tonight in game three, but he started to do more on

court work. He's progressed from, you know, doing a lot of shooting drills, but for my understanding, he hasn't quite doing any, like running up and down the court. So Steve Kerr has said it's feasible that all he needs is the contact scrimaging before returning. And so if you connect the dots there, if Kevin were to return in game four, he would need to get that full practice on Thursday. He's moving down that direction, but it's not clear at this point if he's going to get there by Thursday. Boogies 28 minutes, I think, was the surprise of game two. I didn't think he'd play that well, and I didn't think he'd play that long. Has his reemergence given the staff confidence that maybe they can bail on both KD.

and Clay tonight? I think yes, I know if Clay is healthy to play, they'll play them, but I think the larger question of, did they have more trust in to Marcus Cousins after the game two performance? They certainly do, because before when he was trying to get back to the NBA finals, Steve Kerr was mindful, hey, as much as he has all-star credentials, this could create more problems than solve any of them because he hadn't been playing in almost a month. And I think when you saw that starting game two, you're wondering, okay, is this going to work out? He's getting so much foul trouble. He's missing shots.

The only real positive thing that he was doing was getting the Toronto front court in foul trouble, but by the time of the fourth quarter started going, it was almost the boogie of old. So I think the Warriors are encouraged that he can build off of that. At the same time, I think there's a little bit of wait and see because you wonder how much he'll respond after a game's worth of, you know, increased workload that he wasn't prepared for it and they just don't know Quay at this point the speed that he's progressing but for better and

for we'll find out game three if he's equipped for it. By the way, Steph didn't score in the fourth in Toronto. Clay didn't play and Katie didn't play and they won. When you got on that plane to fly back to the Bay Area, did you feel like that was the series? That's simply because

there's more injuries and something else might even come up. I mean, Andre Wadal is available to play tonight but more things can come but I will say this. I think if the Warriors win game three tonight, I think the series is over, and especially the fact that Clay is out. I mean, if the Raptors can't beat a Warriors team without Kevin Durant, without Clay Thompson, a banged up Andre Gwada, a rusty DeMarcus cousins, I don't know what they can do. I mean, obviously there's always a Steph Curry injury that could happen or a

Draymond Green injury that can happen. But I think the Warriors through this whole journey with absorbing injury shows that there's so much strength in that armor. Maybe they get some dense with some injuries, some dense with some adversity, but they just have so much reinforcements with all the talent, the depth, the championship equity, that it takes a lot to beat these guys. Yeah. Who do you like tonight? You know, I think it's going to be the Warriors.

I felt like the odds are against them. That brings out the best in the Warriors. And I think what the formula is going to be is Steph and Draymond is going to rise the occasion because they're really the only healthy all-stars still remaining on the floor. And then is inconsistent as the bench has been with all the different young guys, different lineups, Andre, Guadal and Charlton Livingston, you know, fighting father time. They have shown that when their backs are against the wall, they rise to that occasion. These warriors need to be challenged to be at their best.

Otherwise, they just kind of go through the motions because they've been just so bored and burned out through these championship runs. But this is the ultimate test, and the Warriors have shown a pretty good track record and prevailing in those kind of moments. Mark Medina, by the way, you played in that media game last night. Did you hit any jumpers? You know, I missed a three, but I got a putback.

I will say that my basketball game is bad, but I go to the gym consistently. The conditioning was not a problem. The only problem was I had no idea where to rotate correctly on defense, and I only got two shots. I made one of them. There you go. You're a 50% field goal shooter.

I'm very – That's why you make the show. We can always rely on you half the time. There you go. Always dependable with the energy, if nothing else. Yeah, Mark, good talking to you, bud. Likewise, thank you. Yeah, it really does.

There's such a psychology in sports. We saw this in the Super Bowl where Sean McVeigh acknowledged, I over-prepared for New England. They got in my head. If you could win tonight without KD, you talk about, I mean, that plays in the room. That completely plays in the room. I cannot wait for the last hour.

I am going to unveil a list that it's literally like I feel like I'm pushing all my chips on the table. All my chips. Don't go anywhere. Great third hour. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Here we go.

We're live at Tower 3. We're in Los Angeles, too. This is The Heard. Wherever you may be in, however, you may be listening. We're live on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, on Fass 1. I really like my shirt today. You do like your shirt today. Really?

I did several times. And you keep trying to convince everyone that it's a black shirt. It's a charcoal gray. Let's be honest about this. I could be a character actor. I could be a sales executive. I could be a power political figure at a barbecue. This shirt plays.

in so many different areas. That is 100% a barbecue shirt for a politician on a campaign trail. You got to roll up the sleeves on up. Yep, you got it. No watch, though, right? No watch. Free college for everyone. Trillion dollar deficits do not matter.

Let somebody else pay for it. I vote for me. Somebody's got to pay for something at some point. All right. Good stuff. That's Joy Taylor's voice. It is absolutely a pleasure to have you. I have a great list at the end of the show.

I'm so fired up for. So it sounds like, I think psychology is big in sports. I always have. There are different times that you can do things and you make things very clear. You're better than your opponents and you don't have to say a word. I thought the Golden State Warriors made a big impression winning game two in Toronto. KD ain't here and Clay's not here and Steph didn't score in the fourth. and we beat you in Toronto.

I think that ding the Warriors, that ding the Raptors. Can you imagine if the Warriors tonight, they can play Clay. Clay's good enough to play. And they choose not to, and they win. We don't have Clay.

We don't have Kevin Durant. And we beat you. Series is over. Series is over. Psychologically, it's over. I mean, this goes back to Sean McVey acknowledging at the Super Bowl. He over-prepared.

Belichick wins a lot of this stuff before the game starts. You know, Mike Tyson used to always say that. I've won my fights before it starts. People go see me, knock guys out and knock their heads off. I've won the fight before it starts. Guys will not bear down on me. They're jabbing me. They're staying away.

They don't use their leverage because they're afraid I'm going to knock their head off. And I wouldn't play Clay Thompson tonight. And my takeaway is when Boogie Cousins came back and really crushed it, it changed everything. I'll give you an example. We're all young, right? You're all young and we've all struggled, right, financially. And then there's that moment in a lot of your lives. This happened to me that I found $100 in my jeans pocket and I was doing the laundry.

And I was like, wait a minute. I didn't need it. And I don't remember when it was. But I remember the washing machine. I remember where I was. I don't remember the year or how old I was. but it was a while back. And I found $100 in a pair of jeans.

And I thought, and I didn't miss it. I'm like, I've made it. Like, I'm not struggling check to check constantly. Boogie Cousins was that Hyundai you find in your jeans that you forgot. They didn't think they were getting 28 minutes from Boogie Cousins. They didn't have a clue. They didn't have any idea he was going to give him 28 and arguably be the determining factor late in the game. You just found a Hyundai in your jeans after you pulled it out of the dryer.

So now I got tonight, I can go, Steph. Yeah, he's pretty good. Draymon, been a monster. Iggy, Boogie Cousins, Sean Livingston. And then I go, Andrew Bogot-Quick's off the bench. And I'm at home. What we haven't played since mid-May, and Oracle's going to be a zoo.

It's going to be the loudest. It's been since, like, three years ago, and warrior fans weren't sitting on their hands. I'd roll the dice because I think if you win tonight, if, let's say Clay comes back. re-aggravates it. Disasteries out for the series. Okay, now I got issues. Now that favors psychologically Toronto. Oh, Clay's gone. Game playing a little different. Why risk reagravating it? This team won Sunday in Canada with Steph not scoring, Clay not playing and Katie out. And I think,

let's say worst case scenario, Warriors don't play Clay and lose tonight. And you're down to 1. You still have game four and game six at home, and I get a healthier clay, Steph, Draymon, boogie, Iggy, and Kevin Durant. Because according to a story today, he is ramping up his exercise routine, said Steve Kerr, meaning he is going to play at least by game five, and we're in game three.

So if I told you right now, games five, six, and seven, I've got the Warriors. Boogie. We don't even know who Toronto's second score is. Kauai Leonard in every series appears to be getting worn down. I would not play. Part of it is health. Part of it's psychology. Part of it's the emergence of Boogie Cousins. But I think it makes a ton of sense. I think it makes a ton of sense. I wouldn't do it. And by the way, it would crush the raptor spirit. It would completely crush their spirit. If it's not already dinged because of winning in Canada game two without Clay and KD,

If you win tonight without KD, Clay, full-time, it's over. Series is over. Psychologically, it's done. Done. By the way, so Joy to the world first. Joy brought something to my attention 40 minutes ago. So Bleacher Report, it's on the interweb, has come out with the top 10 quarterback wide receiver duos this year. Now, what's the premise, Joy?

you're down two touchdowns in the fourth quarter who would you want to be your quarterback wide receiver okay that's a dumb premise how about a new premise okay four minutes left in the game you get the quarterback and the receiver in the ball you're trailing i don't know why this arbitrary two touchdown look at this list they have matt ryan hooleo jones one breeze michael thomas three brady edelman uh two brady edelman three two and a half minutes left in a football game. You tell me Tom Brady Edelman, there's even a second place in this league. I love Andrew Luck, but Ty Hilton's a deep threat. I love

Patrick Mahomes' talent. Tyree Kills a deep threat. I mean, yeah, it would be Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Patrick Mahomes, Tyree Kale, number two, because he's a deep threat. If you're trailing and you can just shows you, this is why New England works so hard in the offseason. Did anybody watch the Super Bowl? They could not cover. Julian Edelman. Marcus Peters, Akib Talib arguably the best corners, couldn't

cover him. And they're third. I mean, it's, people are nuts. Ask yourself as a fan. By the way, Big Ben and Juju Smith-Schuster are not on this list either. I actually think, I'll be honest with you, I think Baker and Odell Beckham are going to be a force this year.

But I guess they're not, they're not counting the young guys. Brady and Edelman are third. You've got to be kidding me. You got to be kidding me. By the way, Aaron Rogers is great. But you do realize that Aaron Rogers come back in the fourth quarter numbers are bizarrely historically low. And that's not a shot at him. Andy Dalton's got almost twice as many come from behind wins. So Kirk Cousins, by the way, shouldn't be on the list.

You don't trust Kirk in big spots. Shouldn't be on the list. You don't trust Andy in big spots. Brady and Edelman are third. Is my television emitting a different signal than everybody else? You know, the thing about it is, is we really should, if you're a Patriots hater, you should campaign against these lists very, very strongly. Because every time they put a list like this out here or say anything negative about the Patriots,

I'm pretty sure they print it in the biggest font possible and plastered all over the organization's walls. Okay, the only duo on that list that has a Super Bowl win and they have several, Brady and Edelman. You could make an argument after Montana and Rice, if they go to another, Super Bowl, Edelman and Brady is one of the greatest quarterback wide receiver duos in Super Bowl history. They are unstoppable together when Edelman's healthy, they're unstoppable together. This is why they're always able to convince themselves that they're the underdog and that no one believes in them every year. Seriously, I tend to think I'm at home watching the Super Bowl and my television is emitting a

different signal. Maybe they're projecting forward? I don't know. I just would move them up to number one. That list is a... Who did that list? Bleacher report. I would definitely lose Kirk Cousins and Andy Doll and just...

I would put Baker and Odell without us even seeing them. Okay, let me ask you this. Some of those duos have never won a playoff game. None of those duos, except Edelman Brady, have won a Super Bowl. How many have been to a conference championship? A couple. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones. Yeah.

Mahomes, Tyreek. Lock Hilton. Crazy. Yeah. Breeze Thomas. Aren't this fun. Crazy. Bruce Ard's next.

We got a lot of stuff to chop up. Plus, my favorite top 10 list ever at the end of the show. I'm very excited for this. We had a big meeting this morning. And I think I've got to be honest with you. I think I blew the staff away. I was just throwing stuff out there and the staff was like, wow. Colin is brilliant.

I cannot wait for the end of the show. My list, it's exciting. I love young, talented people. especially if you don't really know a ton about him and I'm going to put all my chips on the table for 10 amazing athletes who are going to own sports over the next 10 to 12 years, maybe 10 to 15.

That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at 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 Levin this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can they're not? 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 podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle 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 Ledecki.

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, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart women's sports. 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 athlete 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 SportsClyce 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. 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 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. you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose.

On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Tuesday on Fox. All eyes will be on Alex, Morgan, Carly Lloyd, and Megan repeat. as they lead the U.S. Women's National Team against Thylen in group play. Coverage begins at 2 Eastern, and all matches will be on the 2019.

FIFA Women's World Cup will be live on Fox and FS1 and streaming on the Fox Sports app. Cannot wait for that. Broussard, you were an athlete. Buker played soccer in college. You didn't play soccer, did you? No. I played, you know, during recess.

That was my soccer career. My hometown wasn't sophisticated enough to have a soccer league. soccer was for the Bonne Vauvants, the New Yorks, the Dartmouth, the cool, the hip. I grew up in a small town. We didn't even have soccer. I was in the football, basketball and baseball. That's what I was, too. I tore my ACL playing soccer.

Yes, you were a soccer player. Joy Taylor was, but again. And I've never gone back. Big time? No, no, no, no. It was a women's three years ago. Give me a break. Yeah, that was a long time ago.

So listen. Not as long as me. Barkley says, at KD, New York thing, arguing with teenagers online. You're not going to work in New York. I don't think he's necessarily wrong. Here's the deal.

We can look at Kevin Duran as sensitive or we can look at him as engaged. Okay? He's 30 years old. Think about it. Kevin Duran is five years younger than LeBron James. So he grew up like social media is just a part of his life. And I really wonder, and again, some of our private back and forth,

we've talked about this or DMed about it. you know, he just will go back at people. And he doesn't see it as, why shouldn't I go back at this person? You know, I'm just engaging in it. You know, it doesn't bother me. It doesn't, you know, it's just part of my life. And the one thing I'll give KD is this. We've never seen it negatively affect him on the court.

That's true. So that's my thing. Like, look, I do at my, I look at it as sensitive. And I look at it at it, why are you doing this? And I look at it like, man, he's not going to be able to handle the people in New York. But if he's in New York getting into it with the media every now and then, not talking every now and then, still on social media and going back at reporters, going back at random fans here and there. But he's giving you 28 a game? Who cares?

I mean, that may be, I look at it and wonder, is he happy personally going back at all these random people, reading all these people clapping back at you and saying all this negative stuff? about you. I wonder how you handle that as a person. Well, he's not married, doesn't have kids, so it is possible. He's just got more time. He just likes doing it. And my only thing I can go on is it doesn't hurt his game. The problem with a lot of athletes in New York

has been they get there. The media crush is intense. The back pages are making fun of them, ripping them when they don't win and all that, and then their performance suffers because of it. I don't, I've never seen Kevin Durant's performance

suffer because of social media, his engagement with people, he's going back and forth with media members. You know, I'm not the first and not the only one he's gone back and forth. I told you, I'm jealous. I'm the only guy he doesn't DM with. And I'm the one guy that loves him. I love the guy. I say I made him.

You need to say something to rip him and he'll get back at you. But no, I mean, I got to admit this. His play doesn't suffer. No, that's a good point. It doesn't. And by the way, I do think. there are people that deteriorate. I do think O'Dell Beckham sometimes gets caught up at his feelings and it changes.

And he gets called up in the celebrity. When O'Dell came out in that playoff game after the boat and like Odell's got great hands and was dropping passes, you're like, dude, that stuff's in your head. Right. And I haven't seen that with KD, so maybe he could handle it. By the way, I am so fired up for tonight. My theory, I just said it, do you ever find when you were young and you didn't have any scratch. You were just a young hustler.

Right, right. And you're living check to check. Yes. We've all lived that, right? You ever remember a moment when you're doing laundry and you find like a 20 or a hundy in your pockets and you didn't remember you had it? And you think to yourself, damn, I made it. Not a hundy, but yeah, 10 or a 20. Okay. Boogie Cousins is the $50 bill. They didn't think they were getting almost 30 minutes. They didn't have any idea. They found Boogie Cousins. So now tonight, they're like, Okay, we got Steph.

We're at home. We got Clay. We got all these guys. Why risk clay? Get him to game four. Worst case scenario you'd lose. But if I get a Clay, because Katie's coming back, right? I think tonight.

It seems that way. Psychologically, could I not say, Chris, roll with it. When Boogie gave you that, Steph, Draymond, Boogie, Livingston, I think I'd roll without Clay tonight. That's a great point. Look, if Clay doesn't play, there's really no logical reason to pick Golden State. But I have picked them. I'm just going on a hunch, all right?

And I'm saying with or without Clay, I think Steph's going to have a big game. I think Draymond will be in attack mode a lot more than he was in game two, especially when they go to that boxing one, which I think they'll throw here and there, just to see if it still works. Draymond will attack it more than he did in game, too. Boogie Cousins, to your point, I think Boogie's going to get around 20 points, if not more. You know, I think he's going to be more of a focal point of the offense because they're going to need him. And he's played well against Nicola Yolkich.

He can play well against Mark Gassau. And then I think Iguidala is a ball. He's a gamer. He's like Draymond. Like, Draymond is not this great offensive score. But at moments when they've needed it, Game 7, 2016, they lost. that game to Cleveland, but what Draymond do? Six for eight from three, 32 points.

That's not Draymond Green, but he's a gamer. So I think he and Iguodala have big games, and then Quinn Cook can shoot. He's a 42% career three-point shooter. I'm just saying, maybe I'm trying to convince myself because I picked Warriors in six, but I think we might be in store for a big upset tonight, Warriors over rapping. Half the way through our show yesterday, the story broke. and I'm actually happy for Rich Paul and happy for Anthony Davis, where they clearly

told the Pelicans, listen, we're just not going to rebuild again. Anthony said, listen, I gave you seven years rebuild. It's like LeBron did. You haven't given me enough outside of Drew Holiday. I'm moving on. So they're going to make a trade. I believe they'll make it sooner than later. I think they want a clean break.

And I also think David Griffin may like this draft enough where he not only wants Zion, he wants the four pick. I think the Lakers, and I said this earlier, Chris, And you've been covering this league a long time. As an executive, you've got to be able to go to your owner after a trade or a top draft pick and convince him you won. If David Griffin goes to Gail Benson and says, I got Lonzo, Brandon Ingram, and the fourth overall pick with Drew and Zion, there's your lineup.

You can sell that to Gail Benson. You can say, the two guys we like for the Lakers, we got. Rob Polinka can go to Jeannie Bus and say, I got you a second star, and I kept the one young guy, unlike Brandon Ingram, who doesn't get hurt and were not concerned medically. I think both GMs can go to their owner and say,

we won the deal. I think that's a big deal in trades. Yeah, that's a good deal. You're right. It is a big deal. But I actually think New Orleans will get more than that from the Lakers. I think they'll get Josh Hart too. I think they'll get,

because look, the Lakers got to make the deal. Do they? Yeah, they do. I mean, I think the Lakers would be pretty good. Like I heard Javelle McGill here earlier say they could have got to the conference finals, I believe you said that, if nobody got hurt. So I believe that they could be good if they don't get AD, but they feel like, and LeBron certainly wants Anthony Davis.

So I do believe that if they have to give up the guys you mentioned plus a Josh heart, they'll do it, and they should for Anthony Davis. And I think you still can say to Jeannie, we've got two of the best seven players in the world. We won the trade. So I just think New Orleans, knowing David Griffin, because look, they could send him to New York. They could, Brooklyn. Yeah, Lakers have better players than the Knicks, though. Brooklyn is going to go, and I think the Lakers have a better offer than Brooklyn, too. But Brooklyn, if they can get Kyrie Irving and the talk now,

The latest on the NBA streets, if you will, is that Kyrie is looking at Brooklyn now, leaning heavily toward there, and actually trying to convince Kevin Durant to join him in Brooklyn, rather than them joining it together in New York. I do not believe Kevin Durant would go to Brooklyn. I know everybody's telling me that. I'm not saying he is. I'm just saying Kyrie's trying to talk him into that. I'm going to the Warriors to the second biggest team in New York. No, I'm with you. I think it could come down to who can convince who, right?

Can KD convince Karee to join him in New York? KD doesn't need Karee. Karee doesn't need Karee way more than KD. I agree with that because Brooklyn, to me, with Karee and that team, no DeAngelo Russell. He's better than DeAngelo Russell. Yeah, but they're not going to be much better. Kyrie's not your first superstar on a contender.

What does Brooklyn have right now, back court scoring? This would be more back court scoring. That would be like owning a sports car and telling my wife, I'm going to get another car. Oh, for the kids? No, I'm going to get another sports car. I totally agree. They might do it for the gusto, the name.

Oh, Kyrie Irving. But here's the one thing where it would be a big deal if they get Kyrie. Would they trade for Anthony? Because they're going all in on trying to get Anthony Davis if they can get Kyrie. Where's Rich Paul won Anthony Davis? He don't want him in Brooklyn. But if I'm Brooklyn, and I've said it, look, but if Boston, if they lose Kyrie, should not give up the farm for Anthony Davis.

But if I'm Brooklyn and I get Kyrie, I'm willing to, I'm probably willing to take that risk and give up my young kids, my pieces, some draft picks for Anthony Davis on what could be a one-year rental thinking we're going to be really good. We're going to have a chance to contend in the East. And it's New York. Anthony Davis will probably like it here. We're going to, just like Toronto's done with Kauai, we're going to lavish him with everything he wants,

and maybe you get to keep him. So watch out for that. But I don't even remember the main point. You know what I? We're talking about Joy's soccer injury, and it's all blur. All right, finally, did you read the athletic article on Kauai, Leonard? Some of it, yeah. He is, I was saying this.

You know, we look at him as strange, but Mike Trout doesn't talk. Brooks Kepka, the golfer, doesn't talk. We do have a lot of these great athletes, right now that are like Uber-focused guy and don't have a lot of social media profiles. When I read the article on Kauai, I kind of liked him more. I'm like, listen, man, he's a unique personality. You know, it's like he just loves basketball, and it's what moves him in life,

and it's what gets him out of bed. And it's like, I just read the article, and I was like, you know, we're all kind of going. This guy's odd. This guy's weird. But I love my players to love their sport. Right. Yeah, he doesn't have Kobe's personality, but it's, Kauai's story sounds a lot like Magic and Michael and Wayne Gretzky,

and, you know, it sounds like a lot of great players. He obviously doesn't have their personalities, but he does love the game. And in a league with so many personalities, some of them that get on your nerves, let's be quite frankly, it is refreshing, and you can afford it. Look, baseball, Mike Trout, they don't have as many personalities, so it's hurt. that Mike Trout is like that. Right, right, right. But in basketball, when you got LeBron and KD and Steph and so on and so forth,

it's fine to have a guy like this. It actually makes it more interesting because it puts, you know, one top player against another, and they both have opposite personalities. So you draw in different fan bases. I'm with you. I like that. Yeah, no, it's actually a really good point, is that the...

Some people are going to love Kauai just because he's amazing. Mike Trout, the commissioner. of the sport said, I wish Mike Trout did more commercials, but the NBA's got nothing but talkers, you know, funny guys. Yeah, it's a good point. It's good. It reminded me reading some of it

of a college teammate I had who was very much very similar. Who is that? Shout out to Ricky Washington. He was very similar to Kauai's personality. Up in the morning. Love basketball. All he did was work on this game. Good guy. We hung out, but he was real quiet, real to himself. You were the partier. Yeah, he

would come by my room Friday night just unannounced. Like, let's go hang out. Let's go kick it. And we would. But he was real basic. We called him Basic. That was his nickname. Basic. He was just basic. I like basic. I've had the same breakfast

for 30 years. Mid-range elbow jumper. Ricky Washington. Shout out. Ricky. You're welcome on this show to call out Broussard. I got Ricky Washington's back. He was better than me. He was better player. He's more focused than you. Yes, he was. I wasn't in the gym. Like, he was.

Odd couple, Rob Parker, Chris Brousard, Fox Sports Radio, Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. There's nothing wrong with eating the same breakfast every day. I have the same breakfast every day, right? I eat the same exact thing every day for breakfast. I know what it is.

You have one sausage, scrambled eggs and spinach. You're just missing the smoothie. Well, that's drinking stuff. Yeah, I have a gym, but my oatmeal. No, but you have the same... I have the same breakfast every day. I like to do the same things, the routine. You're a creature of habit.

Well, I think it also limits, you know, the creativity and brain usage you have to do on things that are unnecessary. Save all my energy and creativity for the show. That's very Steve Jobs, by the way. He wore the same thing every day. He didn't want to waste any time or energy on his clothes. Wow. Look at that. I got a little Steve Jobs over here.

A billionaire over here. I'm not kidding. All right. So after game two, Steph used the word janky to describe the Raptors Boxin' One defense. and Boogie was asked about it and agreed with his teammate. The boxing one they played the other night tomorrow. Steph talked about a post game called a Janky. How would you describe it?

Janky, for sure. Did you ever see anything like that before? Yeah, middle school, AAU, my high school day. It's been a while since I've seen it in this setting. But for sure, Janky. Janky means All right, so it's funny you ask that

There's a little confusion to exactly what Janky means But naturally Steve Kerr and Steph were asked about yesterday too Janky defenses have been going on for a long time What does Janky mean anyway

I'm not exactly sure I don't know I don't even know a little southern North Carolina slain I probably just pull out my back pocket It sounds right I don't really know what the true definition is So Janky means

basically, I mean, to me, is like cheap, not refined, not reliable. Like, you wouldn't want, if someone described that, yeah, I got this car, it's a little janky. You'd be like, yeah, I'm good. It's not, this airplane, it'll get you there, but it's a little janky. So how long

have you known that word? I don't know, forever. You've known the word janky forever. Yeah. So you and I've been in the same planet. I've never heard the word, and you've known it forever. Like, where are you going to hear jenky? I mean, you've never used that term before? Janky?

So the Oxford Dictionary defines Janky of extremely poor or unreliable quality. It's in the dictionary? Yes, it's a word. I'm good with words. I've never heard Janky. I just figured out Tert yesterday. Well. God, I got dope a month ago, lit two months ago.

I got turnt yesterday. We're going to limit dope lit and turt, but you can't use Janky if you would like. So it's a real word. Yes. God. So he claims the defense was. janky. They might be a little more concerned about their defense tonight considering all the

injuries that they have. But I will say, though, this is kind of a trap game tonight for the Raptors because I mean, the Warriors are playing with House Money. If they have all these injuries and Clay doesn't play, they have no excuses. They're just going to shoot as much as they want. It's just basically a free

game. There's no pressure. Listen, the pressure, if Clay doesn't play tonight, the pressure is on the Raptors. A hundred percent. They've got a win tonight. If you can't beat this underman team. Psychologically, series is over tonight. I think even if Clay does play, they really need to win tonight.

You can't win tonight. That is so janky. See, I used it like a minute later. Yeah, it's okay. All right, so a lot about the media market sizes has been talked about recently, especially with all the free agents possibly moving. And Donovan Mitchell says playing in a big market isn't a requirement to win a ring. He told the athletic, I don't think you have to play in a big market to win a championship.

You look at Milwaukee. Oklahoma City competed for many years and are still competing. Portland is the same way. To be honest, I think it's kind of overrated at times. I think it's the things that are precious to a small market teams. I think that's what's special and creates that culture, especially that we have in the locker room. Now, you may have a point because if you look at the top 10 media markets, there's quite a few dysfunctional franchises in there and some franchises who have just barely started to get it together. I mean the Knicks, the Nets, the Lakers, the Clippers, Bulls, Raptors, 76ers, Mavs, Wizards and Rockets.

There's really only a few of them that you would consider to be consistently competitive or well-run. Yeah, I don't like it. But let's name the markets that have won titles last 40 years. Philadelphia, a lot of L.A., a lot of Boston, a couple, Houston, a bunch of Chicago, now San Francisco. Big markets do seem to win a lot. In general, yes. I think more of what he's trying to say is that it is possible, but you still need a superstar. And if you're not going to get a free agent superstar, you better draft superstars and find a way to keep them.

I always felt small markets have to draft their stars. Big markets get the luxury of sometimes drafting poorly, but getting the stars. But there's disadvantages to both, you know? And if you're in a big market, you often have the issue of running into dysfunction because there is so much more going on. So finally, we talked about this before. while attending a Bucks playoff game, Aaron Rogers was challenged by David Bactiari in chugging a beer. He gave it a try.

He did not finish it. Yeah, that's not, didn't finish it. So since then, this has become a thing around the NFL for quarterbacks, chugging beer. So Matthew Stafford, we got the video here. Oh, Lord, Matt. Oh, God. Look at Stafford.

Down it goes. How. Pretty good. This is Patrick Mahomes. Down it goes. Damn. Yep. Mitch Trubisky and Josh Allen also got involved in the beer chugging.

There's a synchronized beer chugging there. So what does Aaron say about this? Well, Aaron was asked about it because obviously his chug was pretty weak. And here he is. You'd like to defend yourself at all, considering all the other guys, have now stepped up and try to do it theirs as well. You know, if you want to go scotch, I feel pretty good about it. As far as those other guys, you know, for some of them,

there's finally a talent where they can, you know, they can say they're better than me at. That's funny I love it Chugging Scotch seems like something out of a nightmare I'm not a huge scotch person

I'm not either It's basically the necker of Hades But I don't think it's suggested Usually to chug scotch I think he's just saying he's a scotch person So is that the cockier Aaron Rogers is back From the nicer and Rogers

Yeah but I think that's appropriate He can kind of make that job there Especially since fear chugging is probably not great for your offseason training Yeah Good stuff Joy with the news. That's funny. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. How did Aaron, his body language wasn't great. He's leaning into the chug. You can't chug beer leaning forward. Listen, you can either chug a beer or you can't chug a beer. It's just, it's pretty simple. I think if you drink over time, if you want to chug a beer, maybe you can learn how to do it.

I can not chug a beer. I'm sure you can't chug a beer because you drink one beer. As do I. I have never finished a beer. but I think beer's great. I don't know if I would go so far as great. I like one beer if I'm in the mood. My wife and I'm not, you know, if I go to a backyard barbecue,

I always prefer, you know, give me a vodka, you know. What, do you drink half of it and then dump it out? No, I'm not, no, no, no, no. It fills me up. Yeah, no, I'm the same way. I'm not a soda drinker. I'm not a, I'm kind of water and that's what I drink. I don't know.

It's not better or worse. I'm not a volume drinker. Coming up, in honor of Sam Darnold's 22nd birthday today, I'm going to name the top 10 rising superstars in sports, in America. These people, 22 or younger, these aren't like Patrick Mahomes is too old for my list. Carson Wentz is too old for my list. The next 10 great dominant athletes in America, 22 or younger, that's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

I've been waiting for this all day. I love to help young people. I love to spot new talent. I love recruiting services. I love the NFL draft. Part of it is I think it's really cool to kind of, you know, you find the garage band before everybody knows they're going to be the Eagles, U2, whatever they are, right? Like you find, you kind of find something and go, hey, watch this. I can remember where I was when I listen to YouTube for the first time.

I can remember where I was when I saw Sam Darnold for the first time. And he was like 17, 18 years old. And I remember telling somebody, that's the closest I've seen to Andrew Luck. So today is Sam Darnold's 22nd birthday. So first of all, let's all celebrate this. It should be a national holiday. We get a little ahead of ourselves. Okay.

I thought in honor of this, my list of the 10 rising superstars, in North America, the athletes to watch who are 22 or younger. So Patrick Mahomes has been around too long. These are people, some you will have never heard of. These are the superstars going forward. Some are probably a year or two from popping that are going to be for the next 15 years, the stars and the names of note in their respective sports. So let's start.

Let's start. No particular order of greatness, just the 10. Let's start with Sam Darnold. I've told you before. Youngest quarterback to post a passer rating higher than 110, and he did it last time, last year three different times, which is remarkable because unlike Baker Mayfield, he had a terrible low line,

the second lowest-readed running back group, and the third lowest-readed quarterback group in the NFL. He had nothing to work with in a defensive head coach. No quarterback, his young, has ever posted a quarterback rating, a passer rating higher than 110. He did it last year three times. Let me throw in a kid named Trevor Lawrence, 19 years old. Never lost a game in college 11 and 0.

I think he is the greatest quarterback coming out of college since Andrew Luck. And I actually think he's a better armed talent than Andrew Luck. I was told he would have been the number one pick in the NFL draft this year as a freshman had he been available. He dissected Alabama in the national championship game. I saw him two years ago in high school at a camp in San Diego, and I text several friends saying, I just found the next superstar quarterback in America, Trevor Lawrence. How about Connor McDavid? He's already led the NHL in scoring twice.

He's 22. Yeah. He was the youngest captain in NHL history. His teammates named him captain at 19 years old. He was the 2017 MVP, the number one pick in the 2015 draft. He is the next great hockey superstar, and he's already on his way. How about we go to Christian Pulisic? This is the kid I love who I said he feels like the Magic Johnson of American Soccer.

He's the most expensive American player all time, $73 million. He transferred to Chelsea earlier this year. He's the youngest U.S. captain ever. He's the youngest non-German to ever score in Bundesli. Liga, which is that top German league. He just ended up being transferred and purchased by the English Premier League. I believe he's our greatest American soccer talent ever, Christian Poulissick. How about Mallory Pugh?

Pulisic's equivalent in women's soccer. She made the United States women's team at 17 years old. Okay? Now she's 21. Youngest U.S. player to ever score an Olympic goal. she will be one of the featured players starting this weekend for the United States Women's National Team. Now this next one is going to be a little crazy. He's Canadian.

He's 18 years old. The youngest ranked tennis player within the AP Top 100, Felix Uja Elysium. Now, a lot of you haven't heard of him, but I am now playing a lot of tennis. And he won the 2016 junior U.S. U.S. Open. Roger Federer recently compared Felix to a young Rafael Nadal, who, by the way, is going to win the French Open. He is the next great global tennis talent. How about Luca Donzsche, Dallas Mavericks? You know, we should have saw this coming.

He was the MVP of the Euro League last year. Okay, he was a kid, and he was the youngest MVP of the Euro League. he is an absolutely natural score for the Dallas Mavericks. Youngest player in the NBA history with 30-point triple-double. That broke LeBron's record. He'll win this year's rookie of the year. He's a scoring machine. With Mark Cuban, he's going to get all sorts of promotion.

Third pick. By the way, Michael Jordan was a third pick. It's amazing in the NBA. The best player in the league is not always the number one pick. He's 20 years old, Luca Donchich, and he's just going to be one of these guys in 10 years is going to be a top 10 NBA score. He's going to give you 27 points.

Dallas between Dirk Novitsky and Luca, you're going to have two of the top ten scores of all time. How about Deerrin Fox? I love this kid. 21-year-old, most improved player in the NBA. Sacramento had their best record, and Sacramento's had talent before. Their best record in 10 years.

Super high IQ. Remember, this is the kid that faced off against Lonzo Ball in college basketball and just ate him alive. Wild quickness. Super bright. Can use either hand? If you watch Sacramento at all this year, and I don't watch a lot of Kings basketball regularly,

but I said on more than one occasion, this was the best watch in the NBA that wasn't going to win a playoff series. Sacramento is a ball to watch thanks to De Aaron Fox. How about Zion Williamson? I think everybody knows I like Zion. I think he has Magic Johnson magnetism. I do worry that he plays so strong with so much speed and torque. I hope his body can withstand it. His first Nike shoes could not.

I don't remember a college player that drove me to a television set. His personality, his strength, his game, it's dynamic, his magnetism. I find him to be coachable, likable, relatable. He was a sensation on YouTube about two years ago, and I must have watched 20 Duke games this year. Don't buy it. He can score the NBA's built for him. The lane is free.

I think by the end of next year, he's going to be scoring 20 a night. And finally, Bronny James, also known as LeBron James Jr. 14 years old, youngest guy in the list. His dad is getting some good basketball DNA. Probably team up. LeBron has said he'd like to play with his son before he retires. He is going to now, Sierra Canyon, I think, is where he's transferring to, to play with Dwayne Wade's son, Zaire. That is my top 10 list.

That's a good list. I would add Naomi Osaka to the list. she is number one in the world. She's 21. She's the one that beat Serena at the Miami Open. And I would add lamello ball to this list. What? You heard of your first.

I'm telling you. Lamello ball. Lamello ball. So today I learned the word janky. And lamello ball. Yes. I love Pugh, though. Yeah, great.

We're going to see her in the World Cup. Yeah. She is our young star. We have a veteran team. She's our young star. Serena, by the way, that's interesting a name you put out there because Serena, you can sense she has, I mean, she's the goat. Like, she's the greatest ever.

There is a sense now. And I've sense it sometimes when Federer plays Nadal on clay or Jokovic in a hard court. Like Federer, we've seen the best of Federer. That's okay. We've seen the best of him. He's probably the best of all time. I'm talking tennis here. What's happening to me?

By the way, Steve Fisher, Kauai Leonard's former college coach will join us tomorrow. Rick Bueker, Kendrick Perkins. Thanks so much for watching today. Packed. Speak for yourself around the corner. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on.

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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 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.

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 big. 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.