Race for the NBA's MVP Award

LeBron surpasses 40,000 points and Wembanyama exceeds the hype

The gang marvels at the absurdity of LeBron James passing 40,000 regular season points scored in his illustrious career. Erik, Anu, and A.C. examine how LeBron scores, why he isn't widely considered a "pure" scorer, and how remarkably consistent he has been in his career. They also debate whether anyone will catch LeBron in career scoring and ponder just how many points LeBron will wind up with by the time he retires. And then the boys turn to French rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama and discuss just how unique his game is. They discuss his defensive dominance and offensive versatility. They also lament the lack of adequate talent around him and the unwillingness of his Spurs teammates to let him shine. And when asked to hypothesize about just how great Wemby could be, Erik has a hot take while A.C. compares him to...Taylor Swift?! Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers * 0:58 - Reactions to LeBron surpassing 40,000 career points * 3:13 - Why isn't LeBron regarded as "pure" scorer by some? * 6:28 - What has made him such an efficient scorer for over two decades? How has his method of scoring changed over time? * 10:50 - LeBron's consistency as a scorer * 13:38 - Will anyone ever catch LeBron in career points? * 15:16 - How many points will LeBron have by the end of his career? Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs * 16:45 - Wemby's defensive dominance * 22:33 - Wemby's Spurs teammates have prevented him from playing to his potential * 26:03 - Wemby's versatile offensive game * 27:54 - Favorite Wembanyama plays so far * 30:41 - What is Wemby's ceiling as a basketball player? Edited by A.C.

Race for the NBA's MVP Award

In a season of spectacular individual performances, Anu and A.C. examine this year's race for the coveted Most Valuable Player award. They discuss the five leading candidates and what makes them special as basketball players. But they also look at some of the weaknesses in these players' MVP cases such as Luka Doncic's poor defensive effort and penchant for complaining. And as the gang's resident Knicks fan, A.C. couldn't resist making a (totally unbiased) dark horse case for Jalen Brunson as MVP. 2:02 - Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets 14:40 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder 21:36 - Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers 26:23 - Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks 34:51 - Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks 38:51 - Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks Edited by: A.C.

NBA History Meets U.S. Presidential History

In honor of President's Day, Aswi and Erik get together for a special episode comparing the legacies of some of the NBA's greatest players of all time with the legacies of some of the United States' most notable (and infamous) presidents. For instance, who is the Abraham Lincoln of NBA players? And which historically great NBA player is most reminiscent of John F. Kennedy? To prepare for the episode, Aswi and Erik each came up with their own lists of presidents and NBA player comparisons - they then shared their comps with each other live on the podcast. 1:38 - George Washington, the 1st President 9:44 - Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President 14:22 - Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President 25:44 - Jimmy Carter, the 39th President 29:14 - Ronald Reagan, the 40th President 36:07 - Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President 44:02 - John F. Kennedy, the 35th President 51:07 - Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President 58:53 - Andrew Jackson, the 7th President 1:01:28 - James Buchanan, Jr., the 15th President 1:02:26 - Donald J. Trump, the 45th President 1:04:00 - Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President 1:06:50 - Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President Edited by Aswi and A.C.

2024 NBA All Star Weekend

As the NBA gets ready to host this year's All Star weekend, Erik and Aswi preview the many events that are scheduled. They cover everything from the dunk contest to the much-hyped three-point shooting challenge between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu. 4:30 - Celebrity game 8:48 - Rising stars tournament 13:36 - Three-point shooting contest 20:36 - Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu challenge 24:48 - Dunk contest 36:58 - NBA All Star game Edited by: A.C.

Adam Silver's Legacy: The Good, the Bad, and the 76ers

In the wake of Adam Silver signing an extension to remain the Commissioner of the NBA through 2030, the gang decided to reflect on his tenure so far. They commend the Commissioner's many innovative initiatives and the skill with which he implemented the Covid bubble and handled the Donald Sterling situation. But the gang also pulls no punches in criticizing Silver for some of the problems that have arisen during his reign including his handling of Draymond Green and player discipline, the unchecked rise in offense, and the lack of real accountability for officials. Things get especially heated when Aswi vents about the ways that Silver has seemingly targeted his Philadelphia 76ers. 1:00 - Adam Silver gets a contract extension 2:43 - Flattening the draft lottery odds to combat tanking 4:42 - Play-in tournament 10:02 - In-season tournament 15:36 - Changes to the NBA All Star Game 20:18 - 2020 bubble in Orlando in response to Covid-19 pandemic 22:32 - Global initiatives to grow the game abroad 24:15 - Rule change to eliminate transition take foul 25:03 - Donald Sterling situation 28:16 - Silver's actions against the Philadelphia 76ers 40:52 - Draymond Green and player discipline 48:53 - Unchecked rise of offense in Silver's tenure 54:08 - Lack of accountability for officials Edited by: A.C.