The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 2 - NBA Draft tonight

Episode Date: June 22, 2023

How impactful is the NBA Draft? Have the Celtics improved after trading for Kristaps Porzingis?   Guest: Eddie House  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. It's our number two. We're live in Los Angeles. It's the hurt. So, you know, it's interesting sometimes. You'll see some cultural changes and people can't figure out why stuff is happening. Like country music is surging right now. It's been a big hit on TikTok and country music is surging.

And I think if you listen to me, you've worked with me now for six months. I like the theories and the pivots of sports. The game, I'm not going to sit home and watch eight baseball games a night. Like the games sometimes are interesting, most of the time don't really matter, but I do like the shifts and the pivots and the cultural moves of music, sports, politics. Like we talked about earlier, the NBA's

becoming more of a big guy league, more European, more skilled, so Porzengas to the Celtics is, you know, a scoop of that. And I was reading a story yesterday about how country music surging and nobody can figure out the answers. And it's like the answers aren't difficult. The reason country music is surging is because listen to the lyrics. It's soothing. It's

your dog, it's love, it's a guitar, it's a good old hometown, your friends, it's a whiskey. It's all soothing. And when COVID hit, and there was so much anxiety and violence and strife and these social media outlets have all these violence all over. People are looking for soothing. They're looking for home. They're looking for comfort. That's why when we're out of war, people, adventures go up, bungee jumping and skydiving numbers go up. When we're in war, people eat more ice cream.

Ash potatoes, people are seeking comfort. So I was reading this story yesterday, and it's like, yes, there's a reason country music is surging. People are seeking comfort. People are looking for comfort. There's so much anxiety and tribalism and anger and meanness out there that country music makes you feel good. And the more we spend on social media, all it is is anger and bile and just the opposite of country music. And I love my dog and I love my home and I love my truck and I love my wife. and a lot of the other music genres are angry.

Yeah. So can I ask, were you read it? Because I want to look for that piece. That is kind of thought-provoking. Yeah. They didn't give me that answer is from my head. Oh. I read the story about country music surging, and then nobody could quite put their finger on it.

And my head said, well, this is an easy one. That's not a hard one. My wife likes country music, so I listen to it. And the reason she likes it makes her feel good. Music's supposed to make you feel good, not make you agitated and angry. What about people? who listen to music to get pumped up to like lift weights and play sports. Are you doing country music at the...

No, no, I'm not. That's a good point, though. But I think music serves a lot of purposes. Our artists do a lot of amazing things, but country music tends to be soothing. Taylor Swift, it's more soothing and fun and likable and it's not agitated. Are you going to see T Swift as SOFi here in next seven weeks? I would go watch. I'm still working on tickets.

It's a toughest ticket. You call a friend. Somebody knows somebody with Lakers tickets, clip, I have a bizarre connection to Taylor Swift. Well, if you can pull it off, I will owe you. I just, I'll say two, but if you can get four, I'll owe you like. You're asking me to get you four good seats for Taylor Swift. No, they don't have to be good.

I'm looking to get one for me. You're going to go solo? You're a Swifty now? That's what they call them, Swifty. Yeah, I definitely am. All right. So there's a lot of talk about the Blazers have shut down Damian Lillard trade inquiries. And I think it's funny because,

The minute Portland hands in that number three card, and if they draft Scoot Henderson, well, one minute later, Damien Littor knows they've drafted his replacement. This is not the Packers getting Jordan Love, a prospect with time needed to grow. Scoot Henderson is going to average 18 to 22 points year one and going to be wildly explosive. Like Derek Rose and John Morant, he's going to lead Sports Center three nights a week. This is Justin Herbert being drafted by the Packers, bigger, stronger, more dynamic than the old guys. So I think Portland's going to listen. I think there's a story this morning that people are lining up

and if the NBA teams are lining up preparing offers for Damien Lillard if they draft Scoot Henderson. Now there are reports, as JMAX said earlier, that Charlotte is considering they're going back and forth, drafting Scoot Henderson at two, even though he's a guard, La Mello Ball, they don't really fit, but he's more of a lock to be a showstopper.

Well, for that easily, better player. I think Victor Wenimah is a slam dunk, A plus prospect. I think Scoot Henderson has very little possibility to not be dynamic and fun. I don't know if he's going to be a playoff guy. And then after that, the draft, it's murky because it's just a bunch of kids. So in the NFL, you draft older people. And any parent will tell you this. The difference in my kids, I've got two biologicals and four-step kids, but the difference in their personalities between 15 and 17, 17 and 19. Once you get to be 40 years old, you are what you are.

Sometimes you can get a little happier, a little sadder, but you are what you are. Between the ages of 17 and 22, there are real variations, big jumps in maturity. So the NBA draft is all kids. That's why there's so many whiffs. There's so many misses. You don't know what you're getting. Outside of Victor Wimmynama, I know what I'm getting. and I think I know what I'm getting with Scoot Henderson,

John Moran. Hopefully more mature, but John Moran. So Eddie House played in the NBA for 11 years. He was a champ with the Celtics. You know, Eddie, when you came into the league with the heat, because you played in college a couple years, but I want to talk about the maturity thing, because the NBA is getting younger.

It just is. It's getting more European, but it's also getting younger. And so you're getting kids that are talented, but you're not only trying to mold their game. You're trying to mold them from young people to pros. Like, it's hard. And they're famous now. Instagram. They're getting shoe deals.

I think it's a lot. Our NFL guys come in at 24 years old. They often have families. They've been in a college environment for years. And by the way, most college, even great college football players don't have to carry the franchise unless they're a quarterback. You just be a good pass rush or you're fine. These guys have to be stars, the biggest star in a city. Go back to when you came into the league.

Did you have a maturity battle? Of course. You know, young with money for the first time, you know, some financial freedom. And, you know, I had some fella in Miami. Yes, I had some maturity problems. You know, I did. I was out a lot. And the thing is that I had great leadership.

And the team that I was on was full of veterans. was the youngest guy on the team. You talk about my veterans were Alonzo Morning, Tim Hardaway, Dan Marley, Don McLean, Dwayne Couswell, Cedric Sabalos, Eddie Jones, Brian Grant. So these are all older, Anthony Mason, God rest of so. These are all older guys, right? So I'm coming in and I'm getting the tutelage of guys who've been in the league. Nowadays, when you look at the teams, when you draft these young players, their OGs or their vets are might be in the league. six years, but they're still 25, they're still young.

Yeah. And it's different from when you're 22, 23 come into the league and your veterans are 32, 33, really, really mature. So I think that's the difference. There's not that many because the league is so young. It's not that many OGs in there to lean on. That's when you are able to get one on your roster. You want to hold on to it.

That's why Al Horford is so valuable. Not only the things that he does, not only the thing he does on the court, but the leadership he brings in and the maturity level that he brings in to that locker room. Again, when I talk about leadership, not only my vets, but Pat Riley called me in his office and told me as a rookie. He said, hey, listen, and I didn't know what I was in there for. He just said, hey, listen, you don't want to be known as a runner. And I'm like, well, what do you mean? He said, I know everything that goes on in this city and you're out all the time.

You don't want to get that jacket on you. Now, I love him to death for that because he could have let me run myself out the league. But instead, he's seen something. He pulled me to the side. And from that point, I was able to understand what being a pro is. And a lot of, you know, when you come to the league, you don't know what there's, is to be approached to how to work. Your work ethic has to be professional.

Taking care of your body has to be professional. The way you move in public has to be professional. The way you approach being a professional basketball player is a different mindset. So all of those things, I think it does come into culture, you know, what culture you get drafted in. And some kids get lost because if I got drafted into, let's say at that time with the clippers, full of young players, it is very similar to what it is now, where the young players we're policing the young players.

And I don't know how much the owner or the GM really would step in and talk to guys. I know when I was with the Clippers, there was not much of that at all. So it does matter on where you go culturally that will help you become a professional faster and be able to stay in the league longer. Okay. So listen, we had a big trade yesterday in the NBA. And I think all the teams got something to elevate them. I think Tyos Jones is one of the more underrated guards in the whole league.

I think Marcus Smart is the kind of maturity that Memphis needs. And I also think Porzingis is a third get a bucket guy for the Celtics. And I think he'll be very impactful. Porzingus, Tatum Brown, those are three elite offensive players. But they still don't have a facilitator. Tatum and Brown still are not an ideal fit. They can be clunky. And Porzingis gets hurt.

I like it, but I don't think to you, does it change their trajectory with Porzingis? How do you view it? Well, I think Porzingis could now go to being the third option, which he doesn't have to be the main guy or the second guy. He could be the third option. And as far as a facilitator, is Derek White still there. Brogden is still there. Payton Pritchard is still there. I'm not sure what they're going to end up doing with him.

Maybe draft night, he might be somewhere else because he wants to play. and deservingly so. He should want to play. He's young. But I think that it gives a lot of versatility and it gives Al opportunity not to have to play as much. He already was on a back-to-back restriction. But this is a guy that Porzinger's could play.

He could put the ball on the deck. He's a three-level score. You could post him up if you need to. He always usually has a height advantage on his man. Solid around the rim, protecting the rim, not a great rim protector. But I like that pick. Also, I like the fact that we moved up to 25, and then we got another protected, I think, top four pick as well.

So that was good for the Celtics. I think the team that really won at the end of it all, I think the Grizzly did by getting Marcus Smart. They lost a defender in Dillon Brooks. They get Marcus Smart, who was a much better offensive player and just as good, if not, a better defensive player than Dillon Brooks because he can guard multiple positions. but I think he can score better than Dylan Brooks. And the fact that not only what he does on the court, but I believe what he's going to bring into that locker room, he'll bring some stability, some veteran leadership,

a level of maturity as well. And I think it's a perfect fit for John Morant. If John Morant really and truly is changing like he says and wants to consider being a better person and put this stuff behind him and move forward, I think Markets Smart is the perfect bridge for that. Yeah. So listen, as great as Tom Brady was,

when the Patriots drafted Garoppolo, after about a year, he wanted him out of town. Okay? So I understand, you know, I get pro athletes. And part of what made Brady great is this relentlessness. He wanted every snap. So if the Blazers went out tonight and drafted Scoot Henderson, you can pretend he's just a kid. But he is younger than Dame. He is his replacement eventually.

So I think it's, I think Scoot. I do think Charlotte eventually takes the forward. Brandon Miller from Alabama, I think he's a better fit, and Scoot drops to three. But the minute they turn in that card for Scoot Henderson, the kid's young dynamic. It's not like he's a prospect. He's going to score immediately in this league and be a fascinating sports center highlight machine. Don't you think that's a little bit of an issue? I don't think so.

I think it's at this fact. Dame has earned the respect and deserves to be able to call his own shots. You know, he's done everything for the city of Portland, not only on the basketball court, but outside the court for the community as well. So I look at it is it's by what Dame wants to do. And if I'm the organization, I'm taking, if Scoot is there, I feel like he's the best available player. I'm going to take him. You've got to look at what's best for your franchise moving forward.

And also, he can learn a lot from Dane coming into this league. and that could be a dynamic backcourt right there. Like, they could put up a lot of points. It'll be super exciting. They'll put people in the stands. People will come to see that show. Now, is it going to be a winning show? I doubt if it'll be a winning show.

You've got a lot to get through in the West. But at the same time, I think that that experiment could work. And then by trade deadline, if Dame wants to go somewhere else and you could get offers for Dame, then I think that's when you make that move. But you allow him to soak up some of that game that Damien Liller has. You know, you see how good Anthony Simons has gotten being around Damian Lillard. So I think you have to just, you have to ride that wave and see what happens and see where it takes you. But you also have to have that contingency plan of, okay, if Dame leaves, we do have somebody that we could build around.

Finally, Victor Wembe and Yama, I said earlier that actually Porzingis eight years ago was pre-Wembe. 7-3 runs the floor, can get his own shot, not necessarily can block shots, not a great, We don't know if he's a great rim protector yet in the NBA, but that Wembe's a better talent and a better player. But we've seen a little bit of him. It's called Porzingis. A little bit. He's not as skilled.

But what do you make of Wembe? What do you think he becomes? And how quickly? I'll tell you, I think his floor is 20 and 10, right? I think he could come into the league right now and average 20 points and get close to 10 rebounds a game and maybe one and a half blocks. And the sky is the limit for him. And as far as the poor Zingisner,

I think the only comparison you could say for him in Port Zingis is their frame, you know, their size, they're a little frail, a little skinny. But this guy got a bag. I mean, he gets into his bag. I mean, he really does. He can do everything. He can post up. He can take you out on the perimeter.

He has handles like a guard. He has the one foot stepbacks, the one foot threes. I mean, he has the whole package. So the sky's a limit for him. It's just a matter of, to me, is staying healthy. We've seen so many guys coming in a league with that same. similar frame that have issues, whether it be feet issues, whether it be knee issues, but it's always some sort of issue. But I think that the San Antonio Spurs culture,

that organization over there are going to do everything they can to have this kid ready. And from all the interviews and everything that I've heard him say, and he's mature beyond his years. So I believe he went to the perfect organization. And don't be surprised the Spurs make a lot, a lot of noise this year. By the way, I love that story on Pat Riley that Eddie talked about. He says, I know everybody in town. When you walked out of that meeting, were you like, because we didn't have iPhones back then.

You probably had one of those big old, one of those big old bar stool size cell phones. Did you get on your big old bar stool size cell phone and like call anybody and say, man, he knows where I'm at every, what was your reaction to that? My reaction was I better get my stuff together, man, because it sounds like if I keep just going, I'm going. I'm going to be out the league. So like I say, man, I love Pat Riley to death. A guy who definitely steer me in the right direction as far as professionalism.

And I owe, you know, so much to him, taking a chance on me at 37 with their only pick they had. Their highest pick was 37. So I was like their number one pick for them. And to take the chance on me. And then, you know, when I was slipping a little bit to come in and check me the way he did, I wouldn't have 11 years behind me if it wasn't for the tutelage of Pat Riley and Stan Van Gundy at that. Good seeing you, Eddie is always. Great stories. Yep, thank you. I've seen you too, bro.

Eddie House. Wemby got the bag. He's the start. We said yesterday, if you go to the last 10 drafts, there's three bus at number one. But I think if you go back to Magic 1979, there's only 10 consensus number one

picks with no red flags. Now, John Wall was talented, but could not shoot as a guard and was played out of control. And he that's his NBA career. Couldn't shoot, kind of played out of control, super talented. Ben Simmons, aloof, couldn't get into the tournament, could not shoot. Nobody liked him at LSU. They didn't like him on the Aussie team. So, I mean, those guys were really, really good in high prospects. But, you know, Ben, usually if you're a point guard, you're verbal. Like, Ben's just aloof. He is now.

So, like, I think Wembe is one of the only 10 that I remember, and it's Duncan, David Robinson, Akeem, Magic, that there's no red flags. That doesn't mean you're perfect. Like Andrew Luck, when Andrew Luck came out, I said at the time he was the best, safest, number one quarterback pick since John Elway. Elway went to Stanford, size, arm, mobility, toughness. Stanford had bad teams and, you know, he got beat up. Andrew Luck was to me like, oh. And then I think Trevor Lawrence, to me, was that.

I think Caleb Williams could be that. But I'm talking, even with Andrew Luck, people said, well, his arm strength is okay. And that's what it was. It was okay. It was fine. But that's not a red flag. It was good enough. Joe Burroughs arm strength.

That wasn't a red flag. You know, Joe Burrow, you could say in hindsight, didn't have a lot of red flags, right? But I, there's not many. But we went to 1979 until today. And, you know, that's like 60 years. Every six to seven years, you get a no red flags. Anthony Davis, to me was no red flags. The knock on Anthony Davis was he was kind of skinny with a small waist,

but so was M. B. Diannis. A big guy being skinny is not a red flag. It's the reality of their physical development. So, and this number lines up with how many number ones there are in the league. We talk about how many guys are there in the league that can lead a team to a title, a true number one. And over the last 40 years, going back to about 1979, you're looking at probably 10 guys a year who are number ones.

No, 10 guys. What do you mean 10 guys? Well, number ones. Like in the league. Like right now, you look at those guys. Any time in the league. Yes. Right now there's about 10 guys who are number ones on a team that can lead you to a title.

Steph Curry's a one. I think we thought Zion was going to be a one, but he's not. Kevin Durant was. I don't know if he is anymore. Yoch it's Janus. Yokeet Janice. There just aren't that many, even though there's been a million number one picks. And do you notice with all those guys, even Magic, it's size.

Magic's the biggest point guard when he, you know, for about the entirety of the NBA until like a Ben Simmons showed up. He was the biggest point guard ever. So size matters. The last small guard was Isaiah Thomas, right? To lead a team. I mean, Chauncey Billups, he was, didn't he win a title with, uh, well, but he didn't really. That's the thing.

He wasn't like. Isaiah Thomas is, Isaiah Thomas and Steph Curry are historic outliers. A little guy on a, on a great team of the great coach, they didn't do it alone, but a little guy led you to titles. Which is another reason Alan Iverson has thought in such high regard, he as a tiny, tiny guy led a team to the finals. They got smoked by Kobe and Shaq, but like, when he was able to pull off with that supporting cast?

Yeah. Well, I mean, Arverson was great. He was, that was an awesome. But he aged pretty quickly. It happens. Little guys just don't, it's, you know,

like Scoot Henderson. Here's my question to you. In fact, no, I'll ask it now. No, I'll ask it after the break. Okay.

I got a question for you. Because what you would do, it's interesting. Tonight at 815, what would you do? I'm going to ask you a question next on this. about Portland and Dame. Want 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

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

to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life,

mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

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

IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. How do you own the day in sports? You make incredible plays. How do you own the day for the rest of us with Irish Spring? Look for Irish Spring your local retailer today. When the spring hits you, you're ready to own the day. All right, J-Mack, I want to play a game with you really quick. You are the Portland Trailblazer General Manager. Okay. We are in the draft.

First team Spurs take Victor Wemagnama. Okay. Charlotte takes a while. Takes a while. Takes a while. Because reports this morning they're going back and forth. And they choose Alabama forward. Oh, that's huge. Okay. We're doing

we're doing car wheels in Portland. I am now. I am the GM for the Clippers. I call you, you're on the clock. I'll give you Paul George. We need a point guard bad. Chris Paul's a one-year deal.

We're opening a new arena. I can't open it with Kauai and Paul George. I need an ascending superstar. You give us the number three pick. It'll get you out of the dame scoot Henderson. You don't need them. Your other two best prospects are also young guards. You don't need a guard.

You're guard heavy. We'll give you Paul George. You get our draft pick. Would you take it? I would listen. I would say thank you. I'll call you right back. I would pick up the phone and call the New Orleans Pelicans.

You have time. What do you mean? I don't have time. I got 10 seconds? Hey, they're on their phone trying to trade Zion. It's busy. Do I want Zion or Paul George? I'm asking you directly.

Paul George and our draft pick if you're Portland. Because you've got your two young players you like are guards. Dame's a guard. Scoot your four. Your guard heavy again. So how do I have to give up besides Scoot? Like just you got to make the salaries have to match. Right.

I'd give up Nerkich. and Anthony Simons. Okay, there's a great question. One of the guards I let go of. Anfrey Simons. I'm not giving up sharp. Number three pick and Nurkich for Paul George and a pick. Would you as the GM of the Blazers do that?

Because the clippers cannot wobble into that new arena, Steve Ballmer, with old hurt guys. This is not going to sound good to Portland, and I know you're big in Portland. I would sooner give away Damien Lillard than I would try to bring on Paul George. because I'm not winning a title with Damian Lillard and Paul George. Am I even cont-am my top four in the West? No. Yes. No, I'm not.

Denver, Phoenix, for sure. I think the Warriors and the Lakers are ahead of Dame and Paul George. So I would sooner say, Dame, we love you. You're an icon here. We'll hang your jersey in the rafters. Well, that's your hand. I want to send you somewhere, and I want to rebuild around Scoot Henderson, around Shaden Sharp, and then I'd fill it in it.

So I would sooner trade Dame than bring on Paul George. That's your answer. What would you do? I think I would hopefully have it wrapped up before that moment, but I think it's interesting because I like Paul George. All I know, if I'm the Clippers, I am not going into that new arena. The Dodgers are going to have Otani.

USC Lincoln Riley battling for a national title. Rams are going to rebound. Justin Herbert's finally got an offensive coordinator. You've got the soccer team sellout, beats. And the Lakers, by the way, are a bigger brand. I'm not going into a new arena. with two old guys that are never healthy. By the way, and I say that, and you say, well, why would Portland want that?

Because Dames still the star of the franchise. Paul George would be the long coveted wing. They're both in their, they're both in their twilight, but they're both very, very good players when it matters. You get two good years out of those. Okay. Are you better than the Minnesota Timberwolves with Kat and Anthony Edwards? Yes. You're sure?

You're sure. You trust Kat in a big spot? Are they better than Jerry Jackson, John Morant, and Marcus Mark. Yes. They were the second seat in the West. They're not better than the Kings. Fox, Sabonis, Malik Monk, Kegan Murray. So now you're like, oh, Damon.

I don't know. Let's say best case scenario, you're a six seed. I say you could dodge the playing. Where are you going with that? You're going to be middle class for two more years. You know the move in America. Strike gold. Be an entrepreneur.

Make a lot of money. Go shoot for the moon. That's why I would reboot around Scoot Hed Henderson and Shaden Sharp. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. That phone call will be very intense.

Don't you live for those moments? I love them. So fun and exciting. Speaking of fun and exciting, how about this bromance between Josh Allen and Aaron Rogers? Who knew? Kevin Clark, who's been on this show before, interviewed Josh Allen on his slow newsday podcast

and revealed Josh Allen and Aaron Rogers will FaceTime each other on occasion. Here's Josh Allen talking about getting to face his idol Aaron Rogers twice this year. I've been such a fan of him, you know, as a little kid, you know, having Aaron Rogers jerseys and trying to emulate what he does on the football field. And, you know, he's such a special player. I think he's the most gifted throwover of the football of all time.

And to now be going against him twice a year. And, you know, it's going to be battle. Yeah, Dan Marino and Aaron Rogers are arguably the prettiest throwers of a football ever. And I think that's very fair. Brady wasn't pretty. I don't think Mahomes is far behind. Yeah, Mahomes is arguably three. Just an easy, it's just an easy thrower, pretty throw.

We don't give him a lot of respect. Matt Stafford, beautiful throw. Oh, he's got a great arm. And he had the no look for passing Super Bowl. Matt's got a huge arm. Love watching Matt Stafford. But yeah, interesting. Jets Phil's is going to be fun.

Opening night. That's a good opening game. Monday night football. Tuesday show. Circul it on the calendar, people. If the Jets win that, I am coming in, maybe I'll go with the sleeveless look. Are you going to do that? Let's not talk about it.

I said, Cal heard the picture of the outfit. He's like, you got to do that. Was that the person that wore it? That was the picture that I saw on the internet. I'm never going to wear a shirtless, a sleeveless shirt, but... I could pull it off. I got bigger arms in that guy. Well, you're a bigger...

You know, you're short and stumpy and you got big arms. I'm rocked up is what they like to call it. Okay. Yeah. Next up, NBA draft Frenchman Victor Wembeniama is going to go first over. Overall, the 19-year-old giant walking around New York City this week. He's the most anticipated NBA prospects since LeBron 20 years ago. Here was Wembeiyama's response when asked if the hype has gone too far.

I don't let all this stuff get into my head because I got such high expectations for myself that I'm immune to all this stuff. So, no, I really don't care. You know, it's a really big deal. I think one of the things that makes him so attractive to me, he's just smart. He's mature. I've seen maturity ruin Zion and ruin John Moran.

You cannot, there's something about the European school system. They play against older players. Yokic is just more mature. Yonis is more mature. Victor's more mature than our young guys. You see the Brandon Miller stuff this week? That's immaturity. Like making fun of Michael Jordan.

My goat is Paul George. Webbingyama's like ready. The European. kids are more mature. By the way, they drink wine with their families. I mean, like the European culture is, they don't have these little silly stigmas that we do. They just don't. It's just a different culture.

So, yeah, I mean, I just, it's really an attractive part of him. It's a very attractive part to me of Janice and Yokic, humble, not as much ego, not as much testosterone. Can I use boring without making it sound bad? I don't think it's boring at all. I mean, he sounds pretty smart and mature, but he's not going to say any of it. inflammatory to generate headlines. That's pure on brand. European players give me less ego.

Yeah. That's on brand for the Spurs. Yeah. You know, it's also, you know, if you go look at the history of music, is that Europe gave us bands. They gave us the Beatles and the Clash and you too. America gives you rock stars. We gave you Elvis. You know, we give you rock stars. They gave you bands. There's more of a collective feel. You're part of a community in Europe. You're on the train system. You're around everybody. You know, I mean, you have to know different languages.

They teach you different languages. You're part of a big community. Here it's like, I'm a Southerner. I'm a New Yorker. You just get, it's more tribal here, I think. And I think you get more ego and more defiance. And it creates, you know, our capitalistic ways create some rock stars. But I just, I find these European players, not only highly skilled, but they really want

to be part of a collective. They want to be part of a group. I love it. I love it. They want to stay in their town. He'll never leave San Antonio. You know, Janice has never leaving Milwaukee. You know, maybe when they get old and old and old and they get moved.

But I thought you liked the idea of going out and a call to adventure and I'm going to go see what's out there. I am very pro-mobility. But I had to be mobile because I grew up in rural America. I had to go where the jobs were. If I'd have grown up in New York, I probably would have never left. If I'd have grown up in Los Angeles, I probably would have never left. My circumstances forced mobility. I grew up in a tiny town with 300 people.

So I had to move around the country. But I just, there's something about the European player, and they're just, Wemignama sounds smart and grateful and humble, and he just doesn't care about all the nonsense that a lot of our young kids get involved in. Well said. Final story, Chris Middleton, this was kind of buried last night. It came out during the trade, but Middleton has declined his $40 million player option for next season.

That's not a huge surprise. he's going to become a free agent. I guess he thinks he can get like a three or four year deal. Is he 120 mil? Whatever the number is. I don't know. Can he? He's only been a three-time all-star.

I don't think he's ever been all-N-B-A. And can we say this? I feel like he was never a wildly recruited athlete. He's worked very, very hard at it, but I think he's peaked. It almost feels like he's starting to break down a little, but he's turning 32 this summer, coming off knee surgery. We have the stats for him. it was a pretty precipitous drop-off.

I just don't, I think from this point forward, he's going to be under 20 a game. I don't see him. By the way, I never, I always liked him. I thought he was a B player. He had a really good playoff run. They won a title. But when he opted out yesterday, I'm like, I don't know. Well, again, would you take 40 million now, or would you take a three plus one that's going to pay you 90 million?

Some more, so you're taking a little less in the short term. I'd like to. I know one thing. I like playing with Janice and Drew Holiday. I like playing with those guys. Takes the pressure off me. What's the market like for Middleton? That's my question.

I don't know what it is. It doesn't feel big. The Spurs have Cap room. They're not getting them. The Rockets have Capru. I don't think the Spurs is terrible. He's mature. He's a veteran.

He's won a title. I don't think he's a terrible fit. Because they can have a lot of money. They got money to spend. Middleton's, you know, you can say. There's a world where Popovich is like, listen, guys, I'm in my 70s. I don't have 10 years with Wambaynama. Let's try to speed up the process.

I think San Antonio is an interesting place. What if they got Middleton and Fred Van Vleet, and now you've got Wembenyama. That could be a play-in team in the West. Why not? I don't think you're wrong. We'll see Wambiama. I don't think you're wrong.

Great coach, Van Vleet, Wembe, Middleton. Kelton Johnson is still there. That's interesting. I mean, there's a world where they can get to the play-in, maybe the six. I don't know. But, yeah, Middleton's kind of falling off. Last year was a tough year for him.

Yeah. And I think physically, it feels like he gets hurt more often, right? J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. To gain visibility and control over your financials, your inventory, your HR, your e-commerce, and more, take advantage. Special financing offer today.

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MLB Network and Sports Illustrated. And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games, and what may have occurred in the dugout, maybe in the 1980s. I can't wait for this, Joe. We're going to dive into what goes on in the dugout and behind the scenes in Major League Baseball. Cars, whined, whatever else we want to talk about. Listen to the Booker Joe podcast on the Iheart radio app, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced game.

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor. the fourth. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because. of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack.

So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This weekend, the USFL playoffs take over prime time. Saturday at 8 Eastern on NBC, Michigan battles Pittsburgh for the Northern Division Crown. Then Sunday at 7 on Fox, Birmingham will be rocking as the stallions take on New Orleans in the Southern Championship game. It's all this weekend on NBC and Fox. I texted an executive in the industry of television about something last night. And I said, if Trey Lance could play in the USFL under a nine-er contract, would you watch

the games? I would. At some point, the NFL should pay for the USFL's quarterbacks and allow their number three quarterback if they want to play in the USFL.

Live action for a young quarterback. Now, you worry about injuries, so you don't have to. But if you've got a young quarterback like Trey Lance, couldn't use like seven starts, eight starts in the USFL? At some point, I do wonder if the NFL is going to look at the USFL like its farm system and say with quarterbacks, and maybe it's more than that, but because if you watch the league, the running backs, the receivers, the corners, the speed positions are all pretty good. O line, not great. D line. If you're any good in the O line, you're in the NFL.

But I do wonder watching that league at some point, the NFL, we're going to let our number three quarterbacks you get one year in the USFO. I don't know, a thought. So years and years ago, and I've been doing this a long time, but when I got into this radio thing, probably, you know, 25-ish years ago, 20 years ago, local radio. I remember having a discussion with an executive, and I said, we were talking about hiring somebody. And I said, get out of the trades. Just hire somebody that's smart.

and somebody, I'll teach him radio. I don't need to have a radio people. I don't need radio people. Get me somebody smart and aggressive, young, and I'll teach him radio. It's not that complicated. I figured it out. It's not that complicated. And we went back and forth.

Well, he doesn't know this and he doesn't know that. And I'm like, okay, so you're going to get me somebody less talented and less intelligent. But hey, he knows how to run a board. Well, I can teach him that. I can teach him skills. but I can't teach quick and clever and funny and he can build topics. I can't teach that stuff. Like he got it or you don't, right?

Like Ryan, my man over here can write, he can create topics, he's funny. He gets in. So I look at the draft tonight and it's the similar thing. So Charlotte has the number two pick. Portland has the number three pick. They don't need a guard. They don't need a dynamic point guard. They got a lamello ball and Damien Lillard.

What they need is a scoring forward. which is what Brandon Miller, the number two pick out of Alabama, projects to be. But Scoot Henderson's more dynamic. So my takeaway is, what do you do if you're Charlotte or you're Portland? You don't really need Scoot Henderson. You've got a star point. My takeaway is I draft the star point.

Go get players. Figure out the fit later. Just get the most talented player you can get and figure it out later. and that goes, when the Phoenix Suns went and got Bradley Beal, all I heard about was fit. Well, Bradley Beal at this point is a more dynamic offensive player than Chris Paul and we'll play more games.

I'll figure out the fit later. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are three elite scores. I'll figure it out. Porzingis, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown, are three elite scores. I'll figure the fit out later. So when I look at this whole thing with Scoot Henderson,

you can tell from all the video you're watching. He's ready to drop 18 a game as a rookie. He's very dynamic. I don't think he's going to end up leading teams to championships. I think he's a Derek Rose, John Morant. He'll get wildly rich. He'll be so much fun. He'll come on to the league and make a massive fireworks show splash day one.

Can't wait to watch him play. But the fit thing to me is, and I am not. saying Denver didn't work because of its fit. But I remember reading a quote this year during the playoff run from a Denver GM. And he said, we didn't know Aaron Gordon was this good. You know what? It's like, so he went there and the fit, he got better within the fit. But if I look at if I'm Portland and I'm Charlotte, just this draft only gives you about

three or four impactful players a draft. Just get me a dude. Give me a baller. Get me a guy. I'll figure the fit out later probably. Now, I do think in Portland, because of Dame's age, it could be problematic very early and, you know, there could be feelings hurt and I get it. That's why the Paul George thing would be very, very interesting to me.

I would be okay with Portland going and getting a veteran all-star level player instead of Scoot Henderson. That I would understand. That I could be behind if the package was enough. But if you're asking me to pick a college guy who's 19 years old, just give me the more talented guy I'll figure out everything else after. You can learn an industry. But you can't make somebody

that's not that smart, smart. You can figure out an industry. So just give me the smart guy and we'll teach him how to sell a car and fix a watch and produce a TV show. Give me that. So that's my takeaway on Scoot. It just looks like every highlight I watch, I'm like, that guy's the second best player in this draft. I don't give a rip of a point guard.

I think I just go get him. Do you remember a guy by the name of Marvin Williams out of the U.N. He was supposed to be awesome. Everybody loved the prospect. He was taken second overall. Third was Duran Williams who went to the jazz

and fourth was Chris Paul. In the same draft. Everybody loved Marvin Williams size, 6-9. Oh, he can dominate inside. But everybody loved Chris Paul too. Oh, my gosh. Chris Paul was an All-American. But like again, I think they were drafting a fit. Marvin Williams fits at the time

in the era. Like he fits. us, but I'm with you. You've got to take the best player. And to me, there's no debate. Scoot over Brandon Miller. You have to do that. Yeah, those two guys are like, when Benyama's guaranteed, if healthy, to be a superstar. Scoot is guaranteed to be wildly productive. The whole rest of the draft is murky. But those two, I'm, those two I'll be like, yeah. I don't know that Miller would be murky. We like him a lot. Like he dominated the SEC, which was the best, arguably the best conference in America. No, I think he's a, I think he's going to be a very good NBA player. He's not going to sell Jersey.

He's not going to be on leading sports center. His game's not going to lead sports center. I mean, this kid's going to walk into the league and be Derek Rose. We're going to be, like, going crazy. And there's value in that. You own it and you run it. There's value. Players want to play with people and there's value.

Yeah, largely agree. I do think Miller, like Miller can be an all-star in this league. By the way, Chris Middleton, all he's been in an all-star a couple, three times All-Star. Yeah, I'm not doubting there. There's nothing wrong with that. It's very interesting. Very interesting, Jay Mack.

Jay Mack, if you missed yesterday's show, oh, I had another discovery yesterday. Oh, wow. I don't like avocados. I just figured it out. I don't like avocado. My entire life, people put them on my plate. I noticed yesterday.

I never finish them. It was a revelation. I don't like, I don't like avocados. Studying development. I literally looked myself in the mirror and came correct on it. I don't like you guys. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comments. Comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics

from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Yes. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.