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I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you to everybody for being tuned in, locked in all over North America. We have had. A busy, busy show. We talked about LeBron James and his potential beef with the Los Angeles Lakers.
We talked about the debut of Cooper Flagg against his son Bronny. We talked about some tennis, a young actual rivalry. Between Yannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. We talked about Djokovic and how much he has left in tennis. I hope not a lot.
Obi disappears. We talked about Gervante Tank Davis. Famous welterweight boxer arrested this morning. Domestic violence. Just some guys never learn.
Speaking of never learning. Najee Harris, this guy had an incident with fireworks. We don't know if he shot him off, but an injury happened to his eye. It it's only superficial. He said it'll be ready for the season.
Okay. We had Jeremy Schapp come on through. Yeah, from ESPN?
Well, he's doing a documentary about Jim Abbott. The picture from the nineties, born without that right hand, was an amazing story. Oh, it'll be on ESBN this Sunday. And we have more to do as we continue on. In about 20 minutes, we're going to have a chat with my main man, Coach Nick.
From B-Ball Breakdown. Yeah, man, he breaks all the film down. I'm gonna ask him. What we can expect from LeBron in the Lakers, if LeBron is even there. We'll talk about Giannis, and there's a lot of things going on right now in the league.
a lot to discuss with Coach Nick, and he'll get his thoughts on what he saw last night. From Cooper Flag. If you want to be a part of the show, you can. 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4.
For ISN. Thank you to our producer in New York City, Ray Jarvis, holding it down on the boards. You need to know. That this portion of the show is brought to you by Wesley Financial. Are you stuck in a Tom Share?
Do you want out? Contact Wesley Financial Group now. And get a free Timeshare Exit Information Kit at Wesley Financial Group. Dot Come. If you missed a minute of the show, Hit Rewind on the Free Odyssey app.
Thank you to everybody listening live. Your local Infinity Sports Network affiliates. You got Sirius Sac Sam? It's channel three hundred seventy five. You got a smart speaker?
Ask the speaker to play. the infinity Sports. Network. Yeah, I'm in Atlanta. It's real busy out here.
Four Beyonce shows at the football stadium We got WWE here all weekend. They got three shows. We got the Major League Baseball All Star weekend. They had an HBCU Classic today. Got an All Star game on Sunday.
Got the Home Run Derby on Monday. Got the big game. On Tuesday, And we talked about this with Jeremy Schapp. Major League Baseball is taking the approach of utilizing The ball strike challenge, the Automatic, automated, what automatic automated. Ray, what is it what are they officially calling this thing?
A Automated Ball Strike System, ABS, right? Yes, it's the A B S system.
Well, I think it's automated balls and strikes, but they probably just you know, they everyone likes Acronyms these days, but I love it. Quite frankly, I was enjoying it during the preseason. I'm not sure why Ninja League Baseball needs to massage the ego of these umpires. If the players are already tapping their helmets in the preseason to challenge balls and strikes, why wait another year? Especially if you're going to roll it out outside of the World Series, it's probably going to be the most watched baseball game of the year.
Why are you tap dancing around it? We know what's going on. Everybody sees it. It's a bunch of little angel Hernandezes all over the league this season. Just get, just roll, roll out the ABS, please.
They, they, well, I give them credit. Because in a lot of cases, Major League Baseball, I never find them. to be thoughtful or innovative. They're they're behind the eight ball. When it comes down to marketing and They're just old and stodgy.
That's Major League Baseball. There's no denying that. And to think about this system, they've tested it in the minors, we saw it in preseason. It's cool, it's eventually going to happen, it's going to take place. I think the umpires can all take a deep breath and a sigh of relief that You know, they're not being replaced.
And I actually think it adds a little bit of intrigue to the game because the guys, the players, they're the ones. who are going to be tasked to go out there and challenge. And so, if you want to be a smart ass, if you want to be the guy who's always yelling and whining and complaining about a ball or a strike. Then y you gotta stand on that. Because if you start developing a reputation of, you know, hey, you're blowing the game for us because you're complaining.
I think it's actually a good thing. And so we're going to see it this upcoming Tuesday. My understanding is each team is going to have two challenges in the All-Star game.
Now, over the past 10 years, past 10 seasons that this game has been played. The American League has won. Nine out of ten times.
Okay, so I don't know if we're gonna see a challenge. We know that the players will most certainly I think we will, most definitely. But it may not be worthwhile. American League might be whooping on the National League 10 to 1. And somebody will do it just because to kind of educate the public.
So we'll definitely see it in use. And I think it's a good forum to let everybody know, hey, this is something we've tried out. you know, if you're just a casual baseball watcher, if you only watch the All Star game. I think this is a good chance to uh To educate the people. And I like it.
Right. When they initially talked about this. I thought that they were going to automate everything. I think this is a good balance. It's a fair balance because, at the end of the day, baseball, the umpire is just as essential to the game as the players.
It's all part of the ambiance and the aesthetic that is watching baseball at every level.
So you can't just get rid of everyone, but to have some kind of challenge. challenge system in place to where We're not wasting time arguing about balls and strikes, and to a certain degree, Holding the umpires accountable without necessarily embarrassing them, I think this is a fair balance. For everybody, right? Absolutely. Yeah, this is cool.
I like it. I like it. I well, somebody who won't like it. He's gonna have to watch him at home. And it's been a big story, particularly in New York, I've seen, is the fact that Juan Soto.
The All Star T. As it stands right now, the seven hundred and sixty five million dollar man. has a batting average of two sixty four, He has twenty one home runs and fifty three R B I's. He's ninth in baseball. When it comes to OPS, to me, That sounds like somebody.
Who's an All Star? Why didn't he make it?
Well, I don't know. Maybe the fans didn't care. Maybe the players didn't want to vote for him. I just. You think about some of the numbers that players are putting up, I'm like, This guy ain't an All-Star.
I mean, unless you're a catcher, what type of All Star got a batting average of two thirty? Like, you suck. Unless you got a batting average of 230 and you got... Forty home runs, you ain't no damn All Star. But Juan Soto's not in?
This is what his teammate Francisco Lindor had to say about him not getting into the game. I hope he he ends up making it. I hope he he he He gets the recognition that he deserves. He has one of the best June, and he has one of the best numbers in the league, and he's one of the best players in the league for a reason. He's an all-star, and he should be there.
He belongs in the All-Star game. Hopefully. He can go out there. Hopefully, he makes it. Hopefully, there's an opportunity for him to be in it.
So the four of us can go there and get boot. Oh he's a New York Matt? And New York mads him and Alonzo. And come down here and get booed, why not? What did Juan Soto have to say about not making an all-star game?
You don't have to think about it. Listen to him. Would you have liked to make the L'Servin? What do you think? Yeah, some people want to take the patient.
I think it's a lot of money on the table if I make it. Aw, damn, come on, bruh. Michael K already beat him up. I'm not going to beat him up. He's just matter of fact saying it, come on.
He's already making seven hundred and sixty five million dollars. What's another half million dollars if he makes the all-star game? I don't think he was. Those New York taxes now, J.R. Come on now.
Oh, that oh that yeah, there you go.
Well, he's making half of that in New York money.
Well, then he has to pay taxes on the road, too. He's still making a lot of money, Ray, okay. You know, listen, every cent counts. You know, you have your colleagues play hay and not voting you in because of $765 million. You got to count every cent.
You think the other players looked at this guy and said He doesn't need no extra accolade. Screw this guy. I'm not voting for him. Yes, I'm playing that card. There were a lot of haters around the league.
He's in New York. He underperformed for a couple of months. He doesn't deserve it. Get him out of here. Wow.
Damn. But if I you know what, if I'm on Soto, I'm not necessarily worried about the money. It'd be nice. It'd be nice to have another check that just shows up on a weekly basis that says here's five hundred thousand dollars. That's nice.
But I would think he would want and also miss the the camaraderie. hanging out with the other All Stars, just You know, being able to you know, shoot the you know what, shoot the breeze and Hang out, and you know, and Atlanta's nice. He'd have a good time down here.
Well, they don't let those guys outside, but he'd have a good time.
Well, I'm sure he'd love to have a good time, but you know. He doesn't control his destiny. I think a lot of people are waiting to see if Acuna's going to back out. He's still kind of coming back from an injury and he's resting his back for the home run derby. But I doubt that Acuna in his home stadium is going to set out the all-star game to allow Ahmed to take his place.
So there'll just be no one soda this year.
Alright, and that's me. try to get JR back on. I think that the idea that Acunya Playing in the all-star game, even though it's probably in his best interest to sit out, is a genius play because it kind of feeds into the Mets and Braves rivalry. Do remember last year, the Mets came down to the wire in Atlanta. They had to play that doubleheader in order to make the playoffs, and that was that legendary game where Lindor hits the go-ahead home run and they make the playoffs.
As you heard Lindor speaking about getting booed, that's the reason they're gonna get booed. The Mets won that game celebrated on their field.
So, any kind of way you can needle the New York Mets, your division rival, and keep the $765 million man, potential $800 million man, out of a position to be an all-star and reach those incentives. Again, every cent counts. Pretty genius. But at the same time, I think this is an issue across Major League Baseball because you want to have. The stars of your league front-facing.
You can't have a situation where your best guys are not in the all-star game. In the NBA, in the NHL, even in the NFL, even though it's a flag game. The best players, the most skilled players, the players that people talk about are represented in these all-star games. Then you have a situation where a report came out today that Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto are number five and number six across Major League Baseball and Jersey sales. And one of those guys is not in the all-star game.
Utterly ridiculous. There needs to be a situation where. There's some I would say Not I don't want to call it Climate control, there's another phrase for it, but it's a situation where quality control, where someone steps in and says, Okay, players you can pick, fans you can pick, but be clear: there's about three to four guys, regardless of situation, as long as their numbers are there, they need to be in this all-star game. If we're gonna promote the league and do this league the right way, and the all-star game is already not what it used to be. War Soto has to be there.
We know Otan is going to be their god.
So basically. in a five-year window including now Juan Soto, Shohei Otani, Aaron Judge, Lindor, Wit. Gunner Henderson, just to name a few guys. They need to be in every single all-star game. You see, you looked at the cover.
of the the MOB show. the young guys that they're positioning. to be that guy. Oh oh d La Cruz out in uh Cincinnati. As an example.
You have to be. Damn, Ray, you kicked me off the board. Like, what happened? I broke the triangle, worked the Kobe, man. I called the ISO while you were getting yourself situated there, you know, so I decided to take all the shots, went for 24 and a quarter, you know.
greatly as you should. That's what Kobe does. What did I miss? We were talking about a Kunya. And Soto, right?
Yeah, so I was just saying that Major League Baseball needs to be a little bit more responsible about making sure that their star players, the faces of their league, are front-facing in these all-star games. There shouldn't be situations where the top names in the game are not participating in the all-star game when they have to-they want every team, even the miserable ones, to have an all-star. See, that participation trophy energy, I don't like that. If you're not good enough to be an all-star, if your team is not good enough to be represented in the all-star game, then have a seat. Watch it like the rest of us.
But this is also very, it's odd.
So You w like Ocuna has a bad back. The man is still going to participate in the home run derby because he's the star attraction. He's the home player, on Monday night, If I'm the Atlanta Braves, I can't we just send Matt Olsen out there instead? Like, why we gotta send a Cunha? El Cunha's the biggest name they have.
He's the drawer. Yeah, he is, but I I'm what the braves suck. They've underachieved for the entire season, Like I think at minimum. Like, we can hold our star who's had a history of issues, especially related to his knees.
Now his back hurts, and now we're going to just save him for the home run derby. And so, what are you saying? That Juan Soto has a chance and an opportunity to play on Monday? Not Monday, but actual the game on Tuesday? There was some talk that if Acuna decided to rest his back.
And take those extra days off that Soto will be a person that they would slide into that position, considering they play both in the outfield. At this point, and we heard him say it's about the money. Would he just show up and collect his, I don't know, half a million dollars? Or would he just say, Screw y'all. I'm staying home.
I'm not even coming. I think he would show up. He. Juan Soto does a terrible job at times of speaking and misrepresenting himself. He loves to play the game, especially if you look at years past in the All-Star Games.
He gets around his Dominican brethren, and they're the life of the party.
So I think he wants he likes being at those events and getting with his countrymen and having a blast over the two to three years that they're in that city. Yeah. Listen, Atlanta known for its party.
So we'll see if Juan Soto ends up making it down here. It's good to be back. I fell off the face of the earth for a second, and now I'm here. It's the JR Sport Brief Show on the Infinity Sports Network. Shout out to Ray for holding it down.
We're going to take a break. When we come back on the other side, we're going to talk some hoops. We're going to have a chat with Coach Nick Houseman from B-Ball Breakdown. We're going to talk about what he saw last night from Cooper Flag. We'll talk about these issues between, well, not Luca and LeBron, but LeBron and the Lakers.
What things look like for Giannis, the best fit for Bradley Beal when he gets bought out. There's a lot to discuss. We'll have that chat with Coach Nick on the other side. It's the JR Sport Brief Show, Coast to Coast on the Infinity Sports Network. Hi, I'm Dorena, co-founder of OpenPhone.
My dad is a business owner, and growing up, he always kept his ringtone super loud so he'd never miss a customer call. OpenPhone gives your team business phone numbers to call and text all in one shared workspace. And our AI agent answers 24/7 so you never miss a customer. Over 60,000 businesses use Open Phone. Get 20% off at openphone.com/slash Odyssey.
Open phone. No missed calls. No missed customers. It is the JR Sport Re Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. NBA Summer League is underway.
We got angry superstars. We have players we've never seen. We have players who want to move. We have players who have moved. And there's only one man that I know who can talk about it all in depth because he does it online, he's been doing it for Years.
It's time to have a chat with someone who has built one of the biggest basketball brands on YouTube, breaking all the action down. Freeze frame and freeze this and arrow that. He's Coach Nick Houselman from B-Ball Breakdown. Coach, how are you doing, man? I'm good, JR.
It's great to talk to you a little bit. It's been a little bit of a few minutes. It's been a, we got more catching up to do. We got coach Nick here on the JR Sport Ratio coast to coast. There's so many things that I want to get into with you.
But I guess right off the bat that there's Cooper flag mania, especially given what we saw last night. Cooper flag making his professional debut. Ten points, five of twenty-one. Of course, not a perfect night. We saw a lot of him at Duke.
What are your initial thoughts on what we saw and how he played yesterday? You know, I think he's going to be a really good player. He's got really great feel. I think as a passer, it might end up being something that's going to. given the most impact on the court.
But I'm not surprised that he might struggle and the field goal percentage will be low in the first year as he continues to adjust to the speed and the strength of the other players. And he'll have a bullseye on him that people are going to go at him and him as the number one pick.
So I think it'll be an interesting I think we're going to have an up and down season for him. And with the way Dallas is going and the fact that they don't have Kyria anyway, it'll probably just be a good situation for him to learn the job and develop that way.
Well, Coach Nick, when you think about the guys who will be surrounding him, we know D'Angelo Russell will be out there at point guard. Who knows how many games Anthony Davis will play. We know that Jason Kidd is a guy who put the ball in the hands of Giannis Tetacumpo. What do you expect from the team from the Mavs and hole? You know, I I don't know.
The West is really, really tough. And D-Lo is a tantalizing player that can, over a course of a few minutes in a game, really get you excited to think, oh, this is going to be it. But then over time, and it's not a hot take. I mean, we've just seen with enough minutes on the court, there tends to be enough issues with decision making, with defense. and things like that, that ultimately make it harder to play him heavy minute.
So I suspect if he's going to be a guy that's going to play heavy minutes, which they're going to need, it'll be a bit ragged, I think. And I wonder how effective that makes A guy like Anthony Davis, who needs the ball to be fed to him in the right spots all the time.
So I think that they could they have enough talent to kind of hang around a little bit until Kyrie can get back, but I don't think that's happening for up until you know way late in the season.
So This is going to be an interesting year. I I suspect it'll be not as exciting some Av stands as they would hope and as they'd had in the past when Luca was there. Your coach Nick is joining us from B-Ball Breakdown.
Well, one guy that we also saw last night, we've seen a bit of him over the past year as well. And that's that's Bronnie James. To me, kinda sorta looks the same. Uh w what's what what's your interpretation of what we've seen up until now? Is there anything different?
I get it. It's three Summer League games, but it's it it's not lighting anything. Right. With Franny, it's one of those things where he left school after one year. And don't forget, in USC, he didn't even play hardly at all with a real serious medical condition to start the season.
So He's been behind the eight ball like from the beginning here. I think that defensively we see enough to think that, okay, he can be physical, he can keep guys in front a little bit, and that could be something he can do well. And then, you know, there was a glimpse or two here and there at the NBA level in certain games that didn't necessarily have importance last year. But I would that it looks to me like we're kind of in the same boat as well. You know, I think maybe he's stronger.
I think he's developed more physically. But I still have yet to see any kind of major skill development, things that's going to take him to another level in terms of just handling the ball or passing and then certainly shooting. I don't see it yet, and I don't know exactly what the pressure is going to be on him this year, what they're going to need from him.
So he might be able to sort of still be in the shadows and develop quietly until I next year is probably the make or break year. If he can't sort of make an impact into the rotation by next year, then I think that's going to be our answer. Yeah, LeBron is going to have to get him another job somewhere else, not in the NBA, possibly.
Well, Nick, speaking of LeBron James, we've heard so many stories and So many reports now about whether or not he's going to stick around with the Lakers or go elsewhere. When you think about him playing with Luca, that's fine. But to be a champion you need so much more depth around you. Do you think the Lakers are an ideal fit for LeBron James at this stage of his career? And if not, or just conversely, what team would he be a great fit in if he wanted to win a title?
Oh, wow. That's a great question. And as far as the Lakers go, the one thing we can't overlook. is that they lost Dorian Finney Smith, who doesn't score a ton of points but was one of their most impactful players plus minus wise after they got him. And you can see he can shoot the three, he can play defense.
And he just whenever he was in, they played a lot better than when he was out. And so that's going to really hurt them. And then the redundancy of having Luca and him on the same team defensively was a real problem having gotten rid of AD. And by the way, with AD, before Luca got there, they were a terrible defensive team anyway. And so that's going to be a problem where, if he's going to be able to play on a championship level team, they're going to need multiple, multiple terrific defenders with size around him to cover for that.
He's just, you know, not. He's past the point of his career where we could even expect him to be able to close out 25 feet to a three-point shooter and then cut off a drive. It's just not going to happen. And so the question then is where could he go Well, you know, Houston wouldn't have been a bad place, but that just got taken up with Caleb Pete. And they talk about maybe the Warriors would be kind of funny alongside Seth, but they don't necessarily have the defensive tools around him either.
So that's a real tough one. I mean, I don't know if there's anywhere he could really go because, remember, they had to give up stuff to get him. that instantly puts them in that conversation. I don't know. What do you think, Jay?
Is there a team that's going to that could do that and absorb him and still play great defense? Yeah, well, I think the the the Cavs I think if they were able to move uh Jared Allen as a start, a couple of other pieces, you know, I could see them kind of fitting them in. They would still have Mobley. Jared Allen would go to the Los Angeles Lakers. Not that they need him right now, given that they got eight and so it it's a it's a tough fit.
It is. Yeah, and then and Aiden coming in, remember, at his height, he could anchor a top ten defense when the Suns got to the finals. He's not great necessarily on the ball, but he did get pretty good in picking the roll and being able to drop, which is obviously a huge thing to be able to do at the NBA, which happens all the time.
So he'll be able to help a little bit of that. And plus, defense or offensively, he's got a really nice mid-range game and he can put the ball in the basket a little bit as well.
So the Lakers might ultimately be the best spot for LeBron at this moment with what they did. But again, without a guy like Dorian Penny Smith, they're going to have to figure out where to get a little bit more defense and more three point shooting. And that's not always easy to come by. And they have some guys that could maybe like Connect who could plug into that offensively. But again, the defense is always going to be the issue with the Lakers going forward.
And if they can't get into the top ten in defensive rating, then they're not going to be considered a title contender. And coach Nick Hausselman is joining us, the the creator and host of Beball Breakdown. There's another superstar who apparently uh might leave or he's not sure if he'll leave, and that's Giannis Sateracumpa. Uh when I take a look at Giannis on that team, it just it's just a bunch of big dudes. I know they just added Miles Turner.
I th there's nothing I I feel like the meat is off the bone in Milwaukee. What do you think about their current roster? Is it time for Giannis to move on? Yeah. And I I think if you asked him directly, he probably would agree.
I know he's certainly the kind of guy who values a fan base and and would never want to be on the other side of that and wouldn't probably wouldn't publicly put himself in that position. But I suspect if you talk to him privately, he'd say, Yes, I'd like to go To a different situation, you know, like I was thinking AD Houston would try and get him, and then they got KD instead.
Now, There's some weird, bizarre theory that you know. I was looking at this thinking, you know, could Houston still get Giannis? You know, maybe the numbers could add up there, and then now all of a sudden you got Giannis and KV, which would be really interesting. But um I I would suspect, yes, that they're that the the Bucks are gonna end up getting a quick handle on this and realizing that even though Miles Turner is joining them, I don't know if they have what it takes, even though we should note that the Easter Conference will be vulnerable this year because the The Pacers are going to end up having a punt this year, and probably sore the Celtics. And so, as a result, there is an opening.
at the East level, but certainly not to get a title. I don't think anyone is able to come out and win win over the West. Coach Nick is here with us on the JR Sport Brief show. You talk about the East. We know the Celtics are taking a little bit of a gap year here.
The Pacers dealing with an injury and Miles Turner gone. You talked about the Bucks. The New York Knicks just hired a new head coach in Mike Brown. I feel like this is more of a lateral move. I think it's more important that the Knicks added some depth pieces on the bench like Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson.
Does it really matter all that much that they swapped coaches besides the fact they probably didn't like Thibodeau? You know, it's funny because if you're looking at why they fired Thibodeau, and I'm not necessarily disagreeing with that decision. Um the the the the theory has to be that he doesn't quite get them to the n the championship level, right? And if you're going to find another coach who has that same reputation, It could very well be Mike Brown as well.
Now, if Mike Brown's selling point, I'm sure, was. Having seen the deoffense that Tibbs ended up running with Jalen Brunson and how it became so heliocentric, the ball was not moving, the shots were really difficult, of which they were still making at a pretty decent cliff, but I think they recognize that to get to the next level, they need an offense that runs better.
Well, Mike Brown came in and with the Kings and put in Just fantastic movements basing Princeton offense. concepts where you're working out of the high post And so that is an easy sell when you come in there. I'm sure he started the diagramming plays of how Brunson will be able to get handoffs more, get going downhill more. Certainly, how they can incorporate both Cat and Brunson together, which was not happening nearly enough. And I I could easily see the brass in New York saying, Oh, we love that, that's great.
But they're still going to have to worry about the defensive side of the ball, and that that's a really big hole for them as well. And as long as you have Cap playing the five, that will be the issue. Whether or not you want to try and outscore your opponents or not is still doesn't quite get you to that NBA Finals level.
So Lateral move's probably a pretty good way to describe this, but it's certainly the offense will work a lot better. Coach Nick is here with us on the JR Sport Reshow. You talk about championship level. We've seen the Oklahoma City Thunder. Just dole out approximately $800 million in contracts over the past several days to Shea Gilgas Alexander and Jalen Williams and even Chet Holmgram.
When you sit down and watch this Thunder team with these three guys as the core pieces, what has impressed you the most and where could they continue to grow? Yeah, I I mean, it's funny 'cause you and I are old enough to remember like the the Detroit bad boy pistons, right? And you know, the reaction that a lot of non-OKC fans had to their defense was not great, right? They thought that they were cheating, they thought they were holding and skin clawing. And uh and and you know Taking advantage of referees not blowing the whistle defensively, but All I can tell you is that having known what they could be doing and they're not in terms of playing they're playing clean defense.
They're really harassing teams, forcing them way out to the half court. I mean, that's really, really impressive. And it's just the desk. Like you said, they've signed their top three guys a whole lot of money, but what's going to end up happening with them, and this is the problem with the CBA. The CBA allows their top players to have too high a percentage of the total salary cap, which, again, the players, when they're negotiating, should get as much as they possibly can.
I have no problem with that. But what it ends up doing is you get a really good team, you got to start paying these guys, and that means that Caruso is going to be gone, that means Hardenstein is going to be gone. Doard is probably going to be gone as well.
Now, here's what's interesting about that: they can replace those guys. They could plug in the other Jalen Williams, they can plug in Isaiah Joe, they can Kaysen Wallace.
So, I think what's most impressive is what Presti had been doing all these years in terms of matching draft picks and then making really good picks with those draft picks. in a way that this thing can keep going on for a long time with that Core three, especially because of the defensive foundations that they have. When you take a look at the team right behind them, at least in the standings last year, the Houston Rockets, you mentioned that they added Kevin Durant. What are your thoughts on how he'll fit in on the roster? I mean, that guy's going to fit in on anyone's roster.
Now it's not that long ago. We remember that Draymond Green face to face confrontation that he they had with KD, which I think was emblematic of why KD ended up leaving after only a couple of championships and then he got hurt. And so that is that he's going to want to take over and like be the man. And I suspect that the team, the way it's constructed, won't have as much of a problem with that as maybe the Warriors did who were already established and already wanted title with that group.
So that's good as good for them.
So they'll have a guy that they can go to to get a bucket whenever they want. They have a guy that can still play defense. fine alongside a whole number of really great defensive players. And probably the the most talented big man he's had around him. I I think Shengwin has probably got certainly more talented than Steven Adams and players like that.
So I'm interested to see how EMA is going to get these guys to work together. And I'm glad that they're going to have a full offseason to kind of integrate that, and we'll see. But the bottom line is they will be better, and I think OKC is going to have their hands absolutely full with them. Hey, sign me up if that's the Western Conference Finals. Hey, Nick, thank you so much for taking the time to join us.
Please tell everybody how they can follow you and your great channel, B-Ball Breakdown.
Well, no problem. Thanks, Jar, for having me. And obviously, the hub for me is the YouTube channel. You just type in Dball and it'll autofill Dball breakdown for you. And then if you want to talk to me directly, Twitter is still out there for me.
It's still a really great place to have a conversation as long as we are respectful and come correct, that'd be nice. And either way, we'll still have it out. And those are the two places I get the most. Although, you know, Instagram and TikTok is coming up, JR. Stay tuned for some real bunch of TikTok content from Dvall Breakman.
It sounds awesome. Coach Nick Houselman from B-ball breakdown. Nick, I'm going to catch you on down the line. You have a great weekend, okay? Thanks, VR.
Talk to you soon. No doubt about it. It's the JR Sport Ree Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infinity Sports Network. 888-710-4ISN is the number. We're going to take a break when we come back.
We'll talk some more basketball. I want to get into a couple of other folks who have some upcoming, let's just say, issues. We'll get into that on the other side of the break. But right now, it's time for a news flash with Rich Ackerman. Business owners know every missed call is money left on the table.
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Apply now to start in the fall. Visit brian.uncg.edu. It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast on the Infiniti Sports Network. Thank you so much to Coach Nick from B-Ball Breakdown for joining us in the last break to take a look. At everything, really, from Cooper Flag to Giannis to the Knicks' new head coach, to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Certainly appreciate him and his expertise in basketball pretty much from all levels.
So make sure you go ahead and check out Coach Nick and just type in B-ball breakdown and he will pop right on up, whether it be on Google or YouTube. Uh Ray, it already happened. Major League Baseball and the Braves have announced that Matt Olson. is officially replacing Ronald Da Cunha Jr. in this Monday's home run derby because of that tight back.
See? How about that? You know, maybe there's still some hope for Soto after all.
Now. As a result, Ronda da Cunha. will still maintain his spot. In the All-Star game. But you never know.
It's back tightness. He may wake up on Tuesday morning and just go. I can't do it. I'm not going to do it. Listen, you can't play with backs.
Once your back falls off, you can't glue it back on. That's it. Yeah, well, yeah, I know. Trust me, I know. And it's not well, his back is tight as it stands right now.
We already know about the ACL that he tore his in his knee. He's had some uh some knee issues, and so Matt Olson. Is going to replace Ronald Decunha Jr. in the home run derby. He has 17 home runs in 92 games so far for the season.
So he ain't no. He ain't no slouch when it comes to home runs. He hit 54 home runs two seasons ago.
So Matt Olson here in Atlanta can absolutely rake as well. Not the personality. Of a Ronald Decuna Jr. And that's certainly something that Major League Baseball would have loved to exploit. But, hey, he's got a bad back.
And what's more important? Going out there and trying to hit 50 home runs, 60 home runs in a Monday night? Or is it more important for him to just. maybe get one or two at Bat's Inn, on Tuesday here in Atlanta. I think the Braves would like to see him get some rest and some hits, especially given how bad the Braves have been this season.
Just a massive disappointment. Also, speaking of disappointments, I know there are a lot of Pacer fans who are disappointed with Miles Turner. I decided to leave the Indiana Pacers for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Well, this afternoon, not too long ago. He was introduced. as the newest member of the Milwaukee Bucks, and he says he wanted to go somewhere where he could continue on. Winning. And I'm like, well, I guess he looked at what the hell was going on with Tyrese Halliburton and he said.
It's time to bail? But then at the same time, if I'm going to Milwaukee, I'm looking at Giannis and I'm saying, is it time to bail? And apparently Giannis was in communications with Miles Turner when he was up for free agency. Miles Turner says, for me, Ultimately it was just about staying competitive. Two years ago?
we got to the conference finals. Obviously last year we, the Pacers, got to the finals. Being a big part of winning basketball just changed my entire perspective on this league. I saw a chance to remain competitive Here.
Now Ray, this makes me think even more. Does this mean, yeah, this is going to stay through the whole year? It has to, right? Maybe.
Okay. I guess so. It all all signs point. towards Giannis sticking around. He was on I Show Speed Stream basically saying he's sticking around.
Did he basically say he was sticking around?
Something like something to that degree. I don't want to misquote him, but he didn't say, he basically said, you know, I guess I got to stay. You know, it wasn't like a rousing approval of Milwaukee, but essentially he was kind of walking back whatever he might or might not have said. He was like, oh, yeah, he thought about it. He's like, oh, yeah, maybe, probably.
Are you going to stay? He's like, yeah, probably. But you know these athletes are storytellers, man. Miles Turner said, Yo, they're giving me a hundred M's. He can't he's not Juan Soto.
He can't just come out and say it's about the money. But who else is giving him 100 M's to play center and be a jump shooting center that doesn't rebound often? Oh Miles Turner? Yeah. Yeah, well, well, he's not going to sit up on the stage and just say, hey, I'm just out here to take the money, right?
Exactly.
So he has to say something. Yeah. He told I show speed when when asked if he's gonna, you know, stay in Milwaukee, he was like, probably. Like uh Oh, well, I I don't know if that's going to uh Change any it just saying probably about staying somewhere just doesn't uh It sounds too good. It's not a browsing approval of a city.
And considering the amount of time he's spent in the tri-state local New York City area, it begs the question how closely he's looking at being maybe a Nick or even a Net. Oh, yeah.
Well, we'll find out. Let's see if the well, the Knicks haven't got well, they got Jalen Brunson now. I just remember. it was just a very odd time. Looking at Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
ignoring the New York Knicks. To join the Nets. And then Kevin Durant saying the Knicks are not cool. Damn. That was.
That was tough. You know, things change over time. Uh the Nets will never be the Knicks at all, ever. Uh but that was certainly That that was a very, very Time. And so, yeah, we'll see what happens with the Milwaukee Bucks.
I expect Giannis to start the season. with the Bucks. Whether or not he ends the season with the Bucks, I think there's a better chance of Giannis moving on at the trade debt line. than Lebron. But we'll we'll we'll see.
The time bears itself And we'll kind of kind of have to go from there. Think about it. Cat is right there. Catfayanis, throw a couple of other pieces in there, just sweeten the pot for the bugs. That's an easy trade to make.
It is. I mean, if you're the Milwaukee Bucks and you want to move Giannis, like, it's slim pickings on big men that you could get in return. And you think about salaries and what not. You see, but the thing is, Giannis would have to force his way out, right? Like, there's no, I mean, unless they all sit in a room and go, you know what, this season stinks.
This is not going the way that we expect it to. Everybody has to walk out and just go, We mutually agree. That's it. 'Cause the last thing that Yannis wants to do, I don't ever expect it, is for Giannis to come out and just go I want out move me. He's not going to pull no James Harden and crap on his teammates, he never will.
He's not gonna, you know, do the Kevin Durant trade me or you know, fire the coach. That's It's not how Giannis gets down. And so I I I do think sooner than later he's definitely going and I also think LeBron is also going to be out sooner. Than later. 888-710-4ISN is the number.
That's 888-710-4. four I S N We're going to take a break when we come back. Oh, yeah, we got one more hour of the show. We're going to talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history. give you a wrap up of all the news that went down in the sports world today.
And we have a lot to do. And then I will go ahead and take your calls because this Friday, it's July eleventh, Am I here for a long time? I'm here for a good time. It's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you on the Infinity Sports Network. More JR Sport Brief Show.
We come back. on the other side of the brake.
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With flexible courses, dedicated faculty, and a strong return on investment, it's a smart choice for your future. Develop the skills employers want and gain the confidence to stand out in today's competitive job market. Apply now to start in the fall. Visit brian.uncg.edu.
