NBA Draft Preview (Hour 4)

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Stop by the Pepsi Display at your local Walmart to find out how you can win. Alrighty, Zach Yelp shows CBS Sports Radio. A lot to talk about right now in college basketball and the NBA as we gear up for the draft coming up on Thursday night in Brooklyn. So we head out to the guest line right now. Welcome in John Fanta, who does a great job calling college basketball games for Fox.

He does a great job with the Big East and also you can check him out the field of 68 as well. John, appreciate the time as always. How you been? Doing great, Zach. It's great to be with you on a Monday night as NBA draft week begins following a more than dramatic weekend in the sport of college basketball in June.

That wasn't exactly expected. Always good to talk with you, my friend. Yeah, you've covered the sport for a long time. I know you know all these coaches. When you see what has transpired the last month with Bob Huggins and now he's resigned as the head coach of West Virginia. Just how did you react to that? Well, it felt like waking up Saturday morning and reading that Huggins was arrested for a DUI that it was well beyond repair for him.

And I think that one thing that should get brought up here is and I don't know if people realize isn't in fact this is why to me it's so startling. It's so eye opening to see this be the end for Bob Huggins is that I've been told by multiple people that Bob Huggins was strongly considered retiring after this upcoming season, if not the following. And that decision had nothing to do with the things that had gone on in the previous six weeks. This is a guy who didn't have much longer in him. This is the guy who's been around the block. This is the guy who's the Hall of Famer who you don't win 935 career games in the sport of college basketball and be dumb. And what we just watched in the last six weeks was a guy who's going on 70 years of age, 70 years of age, make two absolutely enormous mistakes, two mistakes in a row. One, the first one, the derogatory comments on a Cincinnati radio station. There's 95% of people employed would have lost their job over that and rightfully so. Bob Huggins is a, is a privileged percentile of people who actually lived through that and kept their job. And then to follow that up, follow that up with this on Friday night, be pulled over for drunk driving in Pittsburgh, not knowing where he was.

He thought he was in Columbus, Ohio, not knowing how he even got there. It's an all time downfall for a couple of weeks. It's an all time downfall for a college coach in sports history.

And I have no sympathy for Bob Huggins. If he has a drinking problem, which I don't know if he does, I know in a DUI back in 2004, I hope he gets the help that he needs, but you make all this money, get an Uber. If you're drinking and you need to get in a car to go somewhere, it's so simple now. Get on your phone and get an Uber. An Uber, get an Uber, but have a driver.

Yeah, that too. Have a driver. How, how did he not have a driver? It's a great point. We've heard in the college basketball world have heard the story that, Oh, Bob never has to pay for a tab in West Virginia. And Bob never has to look a finger out there and all that. And obviously this didn't happen in Morgantown.

God only knows, uh, we might have never found out about it. If, if, if this happened locally, it wasn't acceptable there. It's not acceptable in Pittsburgh. It's not acceptable anywhere in the country, his behavior, his behavior and what he did.

You are supposed to be a leader of young men. And, and I'm not, I'm not going to take away where Bob Huggins is in the record books. Not going to take away at all. I mean, he, he's a winning coach in college basketball. He's in, he's in the hall of fame. There are people who are good people, bad people in debt, whatever you, however you feel that are hall of fame coaches.

Yeah. He's a hall of Famer. He's a hall of Famer who will unfortunately be defined by a group of people for how it ended because that's our world and how it ended was an absolute disaster, shocking, startling eyebrow raising, because Zach, I think my thing is look at all the good that that guy did. And also look at the different places he was employed by. Also, how many times that y'all do we see somebody who makes a major mistake, but America of second chances in 2004, Bob Huggins got pulled over for drunk driving. It led to a deficit in Cincinnati. He became one of the most beloved figures in college basketball. He made the same mistake twice.

And he did the one thing that we all, we are, if you live in a divided society, we all know that if there's one thing that this society could agree upon, it's that you can drink and drive, man. And I don't want to ask the blame is himself talking to John Fanta right now, you look at the future for who's going to be the next coach at West Virginia. Do you think they'll have a full-time coach by the start of basketball season that they will say that's the guy moving forward? How attractive is that job? How do you look at the West Virginia job right now?

Very attractive job. I think it's a top 30 if not top 25 job in college basketball. Here's why their name image and likeness is at a pro level. Why? Because they play their games in Morgantown, West Virginia, Zach.

It's not like the money's going to somebody else. It's going to go to their college football, college basketball programs and the ways that things operate in West Virginia, the state legislation, the sort of openness of that state and the openness of the university and the way that they're doing it. They are as good as anybody in NIL at this moment.

Yes. West Virginia University. I mean, they were, they're giving their transfers. They brought in Jesse Edwards from Syracuse. They brought in Kurt Creason from Arizona. Both guys are getting humongous amounts of money.

I mean, six figures and it's into the six figures. So those guys getting taken care of. West Virginia has got great NIL. They compete in the best basketball conference in the country, the big 12, which by all accounts, the big 12 is going to continue to not only grow, but get better in basketball. They're already bringing in Houston, Kelvin Sampson and his program has been in the top 10 in the country. You're in, you're out Cincinnati can get back on the map.

You won't use the great program. And Oh, by the way, the big 12 is strongly pursuing Colorado, Arizona. It's not more Western Virginia isn't a great basketball league. They have an amazing fan base. They've got tradition.

They wanted a very high level. I personally, this is my opinion. I don't think you should pigeonhole yourself and pursue, pursue, pursue a coach because my opinion is that West Virginia could do better by having an interim for this season, swallowing their lumps and going after a superstar next spring or a guy perceived to be a superstar. Anyway, by having a search in June, let's face it. You're going to have some guys that might be interested in the job this time next year. Who's just can't stop it. There's just some guys who cannot stomach recruiting a team to their respective school and then saying, you know what? I'm out book it.

Goodbye. There are a couple of guys I would look at. Andy Kennedy is a guy at UAB. He's had a lot of success throughout his career. He's got West Virginia ties. Jared Calhoun has done a great job at Youngstown state.

He's a guy that's been rumored, uh, Richie McKay at Liberty. Could we see John B line make a return to the college ranks? I've heard John B lines interested in getting back into college coaching. Could he be a temporary option this season? If you get a John B line, he certainly could keep the team together, but West Virginia assistant coach Ron Everhart is thought to be a guy who could maybe serve as an interim and look out for Northwest Missouri state Ben column, four time national champion at the D two level has very close ties with West Virginia athletic director Ren Baker.

This is going to be a highly desired job, more highly desired than people might understand. It's my opinion though, Zach, don't just go, go, go and get who you think is a permanent option because in my opinion, what can you could do better by swallowing some lumps right now and just waiting the eight months and potentially getting a superstar because guess what you're going to need a superstar in the big 12 where you got to go up against Kelvin Sampson build health through and others. I think that's the worst thing in the world. Now, just cause you have a guy on an interim basis and he has success doesn't mean you have to bring him back, but like look what happened with Texas who would have thought Rodney Terry would have ended up sticking around and being able to keep that job very, very well said by the way, by the way, look at what book or what has happened with Texas and, uh, just saying, but look at the fact that, that Chris Beard is actually employed. It's it's that to me, uh, I don't want to get preachy to you on a Monday night, but if that doesn't sum up our world within months of, of, you know, a domestic dispute, all men tires, Chris Beard, um, that just shows you like Bob Huggins.

I'll be honest with you Zach. Had he just gotten the DUI? Had he just done the DUI? I think he's still the coach of West Virginia tonight. I think they gave him a suspension and he comes back with coaches. He did so much wrong in a matter of six weeks.

Those derogatory comments meant, Hey, any more funny business or anything else out of you and you're gone. John Fanta here with us, get into the draft on Thursday. We all know where the hype is that for Victor one Binyama you're number one. What are your expectations with them for the San Antonio Spurs playoffs contention right away. I expect them to be in the playing tournament next spring. You know, I think they'll be right around there.

I think you can three or four years. We could be talking about him as the most talented player in the league. I'm not going to sit here right now and say he comes in the league and he's the best player in the league.

I think that's unfair. I think there'll be one of the most unique talents. He's a guy that once he figures this stuff out, cause it takes time. You got to figure out the NBA and God's neck. I hope he stays healthy. Uh, we're basketball fans.

You and I are sports fans. I want to see some guy at seven foot four with an eight foot wings and go through what Chet Holmgren went through this time last year. And there are some concerns about how does a bot, we have never seen a body like this in the NBA, sustain, endure, go through the 82 game marathon. Not that we're seeing superstars go through the 82 game marathon and the give with nowadays, but I'll be very interested to see that. And I, I do think being in San Antonio helps him because Greg Popovich is as good as they come. I think that this will reenergize pop in his career.

I thought, I think he was giving thoughts to retirement and the not too distant future. Now his, his window just opened up to do what I believe is possible with Victor and that is, and then three to four years of this organization is run correctly. I'll say three, I think after two seasons heading into year three, I think heading into his third year, we will legitimately talk about the San Antonio Spurs as a team that can conceivably be a Western Conference Championship type of team. Think about their core.

They've been setting up for this. Kelton Johnson, 23, Devin Vissell, 22, Trey Jones, 23, Malakai Brandon, who I think's only scratched the surface, 20, Jeremy Sohan, who's a super freak athletically. His length and versatility is what stands out to me. He's 19 years old.

He's 19. They've got all this core. They've got a supporting cast.

It's only going to get better. They just got a centerpiece to their organization who is generational. And that's why Thursday night at the top, it's going to be a historic moment in NBA history. Who do you think ends up being the second pick a month ago? I would have said Brandon Miller. Now I look at mock drafts and I see a few different names there.

Yeah. So I put out my mock draft here tonight over at foxsports.com and in it, I have Scoot Henderson at number two. I think the fact that he is at the age of 19 to score the basketball the way that he did in G league at night. And if you're out there and you say, Oh, I don't know about G league at night. You know, I I'm more familiar with the college game.

I've watched these guys. I understand what you're saying, but I can tell you right now that ignite program, the NBA knows what it's doing and you're going to see Jalen green has success in Houston. As time goes along, you're going to see Scoot Henderson be able to, to be the alpha guard for a team who can score the basketball at three levels. He is quick. He is explosive in his abilities and he has major upside that I don't think has a, any sort of definition to what that upside is to average 16, five assists, five rebounds in two years with ignited 18 and 19 years of age to have a six foot nine wingspan and unbelievable hops. And we did face one, but he wasn't afraid of the moment.

No, he took on the stage and put up 28 points, nine assistance, five rebounds in that national TV spotlight and being around him. And I've spent time around both of them. I spent about an hour with students, Chicago during timeline week. And I actually did two of his games the year before that was ignite. And does that go? Anderson has matured beyond belief the way that the kid has come along in just 18 months is fantastic. This is the guy who he runs a training facility in Georgia. He is a community guy.

Um, this matters to me. I mean, it's a guy who does local food drives in Georgia for his community, uh, gives out different things to different underprivileged family, read, read their letters around the holiday season and picks a select group of families that he feels are the most deserving of those things. So he is a world-class individual. I think it's, he's a really, really special talent. And I think he's only scratched the surface with a terrific upside. I think that the Hornets it's in their best interest to pick him. Uh, and I say that because Brendan Miller, I like, but I am genuinely concerned about a guy who really struggled in the final month of, of this past season.

And it is one season of college basketball. I'm not going to overreact, but he really struggled to be a shot maker and to be a perimeter player. He, his jumper really struggled.

And I, I would say, well, it was like two or three games back, but it turned into really that last month of the season where he, he really didn't have much feel out there. And in the NBA, you could be of great positional size and that's the biggest need. And that's the argument for why Charlotte's to do it.

I don't want to hear the whole thing. I don't like about this tonight and I hope Charlotte doesn't take this approach. Don't pick Brandon Miller because he's a better fit.

Um, and it fits with lamello ball better. And I think that's, that's what, that's what Charlotte is battling, battling heading into Thursday is do we pick the best fit or do we pick the best talent? There's no way the Hornets can lose Thursday night with who they pick, but make no mistake about it. If you found the number two pick in the NBA draft, if you're a talent evaluator, don't sacrifice up because you think that lamello ball and it's going to play better together with Brandon Miller. If Scoot Henderson's the best overall talent, which in my opinion, he is, you pick him at number two and build your future around him.

Not because lamello ball can play better with Miller. John Fanta, if you're Charlotte or if you are Portland and the pelicans call you up and they say, we'll give you a Zion for the two or three pick. Do either those teams end up doing that?

I, I think the phone hang up the phone. If, if one of those two teams does that, I think it'd be idiotic. Just to be honest, I, I don't trust the future for Zion Williamson. Uh, I don't think that, that he, uh, presents the same kind of upside that those guys that I just mentioned could, I wouldn't do it that I think that there's major concerns around science. Uh, I, I just don't think that he's a guy that is going to be the number one option, uh, on a team that can win a championship. I do believe that Scoot Henderson could be that. And I think that with some mold and Brandon Miller could be that for me.

Uh, I, I don't trust it. There's a reason there's reason why you're shopping Zion Williamson. It's the number two or number three in the draft.

Why are you buying that when someone's selling it? Not in this draft class, I wouldn't do it. When you take a look, John Fanta, we know the three most talked about players when Binyama Henderson and Miller, like we've been talking about, who are the next two players that you liked the most? I love on and Thompson, uh, of, of overtime elite.

I know that the common fan hasn't watched on men play. His first step is absolutely ridiculous. Zach, uh, I'm in Thompson is most explosive, pure athlete in this class. The pathway to the NBA might be unorthodox, but to have the ball handling ability to make almost 80% of his shots at the this past year when he was with OT, the defense capabilities are terrific because he is super athletic at around six foot seven with a wingspan that is crazy. Uh, and I think that if he falls to four and it's not a guarantee he falls to four, we could see some drama in this draft at the top of it. Okay. I'm in Thompson's winning a lot of people over because he's got mine. He's a point guard.

Yeah. He could play the point guard position if you want it to. And he's shown some potential to be a shot maker, but it needs work.

It does. But we've seen guys like this be able to work with somebody and have all that shot. So I'm, I'm firmly set on element constant. I'm going to give you two other guys to look out for Payson Wallace of Kentucky. It's just, he's just a Hooper. He is, he's a floor general.

He's got a great a fuzz, I thought of system. He's got terrific strength and, and I think that he could be a guy that actually falls into the double digits in this trap, but he shouldn't. He's a guy that you should trust because he plays his tail off and he is, he is ready to go as a defender.

He might be a little bit undersized, but he makes up for it with how hard he plays. Another guy that I think played college basketball at a high level is getting totally discounted because of his age, but should not is Jaime hot guys out of UCLA. That guy has made every single winning play for Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins over the last four years. Look at what UCLA was before hockey has got to campus.

Look at what Mick Cronin says about hot. Cronin called hockey as the best fundamental all around player that he's ever had. Nick Cronin has coached countless big time players.

UCLA doesn't get to a final four and three sweet 16th without timing over the last four years. He was invaluable to UCLA. I think he's going to be invaluable to an NBA team because he understands what it takes to play team basketball and a third guy to watch out for Thursday night, Derek lively, the Duke product.

Where does he land? There's not a ton of great digs in this class. I think lively could go as high as number 10 to a team that potentially frayed with the Mavericks. I think you can go low as, as low as 20, whoever gets them is getting a guy that by the end of this past season was the best shop locker in college hoops. Let me just ask you this, a guy like Jaime Hawkins, you hear nothing about leading into this draft. Do you think that could change a little bit with what Jalen Brunson was able to do? Cause you heard nothing about Brunson leading into that draft. I hope it does.

I hope it does. But we sometimes with the draft, we get so enamored with, Oh, the upside. Um, Oh, the explosiveness, the athleticism like Zach, sometimes there are guys and there's a couple of it.

I I'm a little bit skeptical on like, you know, I'll be honest with you. As we get close to the draft, I'm not exactly sure about, about Jed Howard, uh, out of Michigan. Uh, I don't know exactly how he's going to pan out.

I don't know how Nick thought of Arkansas is going to pan out. He surged late this past year, but he was out for the majority of the season. He dealt with injuries, you know, he's getting more talked about than, than a Jaime Hawkins or even than a Chris Murray out of Iowa because people just say, Oh, he stayed in college. And you know, I don't like that he's 21 or 22. So why when a good NBA player's career ends, do we say, Oh, you know, he only played 13 years. He didn't play 15. I, the age argument to me is a dumb one.

I just, I don't like it. If you know how to hope and you know how to win and you can be really good for an organization over 10 years, that's not very common anymore. And also there's a very select number of guys who could do that. So sometimes we look at it, it's like, well, you know, if I'm a team in the lottery, I got to get a guy who I think could be the next star. And that leads to, I'd like a Brunson, uh, guys like a, uh, Josh Hart, you know, was like it, Mike guys that ended up falling in the draft and it's like they, Christian Brown won a ton of games to Kansas and help them win a national championship.

And look what he just did in the NBA finals. It doesn't take you more than one hand to identify the rookies who made an impact on winning teams this past year, Keegan Murray being another, you know what the time the trade is between Christian Brown and Keegan Murray. They won a crap ton of college basketball games, but apparently sometimes that goes unnoticed over the guy who, well, um, might just be an explosive athlete or have this unlimited upside. If you follow the winning as much as we follow the money in the NBA draft, follow the winning. And that's why there's some winning organizations who will winning college fires. And guess what? In a shocking turn of events, those guys will contribute to winning at the NBA level. The great John Fanta make sure you check him out.

College basketball on Fox, big East, and also the field of 68 at John underscore Fanta on Twitter. I can talk to you for about three more hours, John, but then my producers will probably fire me. That can't help. You're the bad thing. There you go. John Fanta with us will take a timeout.

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Stop by the Pepsi display at your local Walmart to find out how you can win. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Time for your daily news brief. We get you caught up on the rumors, reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports. And this portion of the show is brought to you by our friends at Wesley Financial stuck in a timeshare and one out contact Wesley Financial Group now and get a free timeshare exit information kit at Wesley Financial Group dot com. We start things off on the news brief with Shams Sharaniya, who says Damian Lillard's future is in the hands of the team.

Currently, this on the Pat McAfee show. It's really up to Portland. Damian Lillard has really left it up to Portland. He wants to be there. He wants that team to get better. So they have the number three pick in the draft. They have the number at the twenty third pick in the draft.

They have Anthony Simons. What can you go get in the marketplace to make this team better? If they do make the team better between now and Thursday, then I think you'll see Damian Lillard beat it. I would make the pick at three and then I would trade Dame.

I love Dave. Dave's one of my favorite players in the league, but I don't think you're going to do enough where Dame is then also going to look at it and say, OK, now I think we could go win a championship. And if he does, I think he's delusional and just being loyal at really now a level of insanity where it just doesn't make sense, because if they go trade the number three overall pick for Zion Williamson, I know what the upside is, but the guy's never healthy. So who are you going out there to trade the number three overall pick for to make Dame happy? And here's the part where if it's being reported that way, that it's up to Portland.

How do you define that? Because if you just make a deal, is that going to be a deal that Dame likes or is Dame going to look at it and say, OK, at least they tried? Because Dame is really loyal to a fault here where it's not good at this point. So I wonder if they just make a trade where they trade the number three overall pick and they get a guy like Zion, if that's enough for Dame to say, OK, or if Dame looks at that and says, OK, you got Zion, but the guy's never healthy.

And that's also the tough part is there's not a lot of options. It's like, oh, there's Zion and there's Bradley Beal and there's Jimmy, like you throw out five names and OK, the who was the last name you threw there? Jay Butler. Oh, I think you say Jimmy Garoppolo for a second.

I go, what are we doing here? No. Well, if you want to throw him too. Hey, there's not a lot of options for the blazers. It's basically Zion or bust. Him and Zion have a lot in common.

Jimmy, Jimmy Garoppolo, both injured and both had to do well with the ladies. That they do. At least Jimmy G can keep it under wraps for the most part. Chris Paul gives his reaction to being traded for Bradley Beal. This courtesy of Good Morning America. I was surprised, too. I found out on the plane yesterday flying here for this.

You know, in this league, anything can happen. So you just figure out what's next. You literally found out on the plane. Absolutely. Wow. Well, don't don't push him any further. He's trying to be nice. Yeah, he is right.

What's happening? I actually believe that he was surprised by this deal. Now, I know that we had the report that he made a few weeks like a week ago that he was on the verge of just getting released. But then it was, oh, they're open to maybe bringing him back and things along those lines. I think he had an idea that he could be on his way out. But for this trade to just come about where I on Thursday, I would have thought that Bradley Beal was going to wind up with the Miami Heat. That's what I really did believe with the uncertainty with Damian Lillard. So I'm not saying he's stunned by this, but I could see him being caught off guard a little bit by it.

Yeah, I'm sure he didn't have going to the Wizards getting traded on his bingo card. That's for sure. Especially when you're getting set to do this big media tour for this book. Timing is interesting.

Hey, you'll be able to sell books. Let's get Wyndham Clark and his emotions after winning the U.S. Open. It's now my second win on the PGA Tour. First one was surreal and this one's surreal. So, you know, it hasn't quite hit me yet. Walking up 18 was pretty emotional and then finishing. But yeah, it's it's been a whirlwind of the last five, six weeks.

It's been I'm just so blessed and humbled to be here. And the positive story for the U.S. Open is Wyndham Clark winning it all. But the negative story, the disappointing story is that Rory McIlroy was right there and has not won a major since 2014. He loses the U.S. Open by one stroke, one stroke away from getting to a playoff. If he would have just had one birdie on the back nine, he would have got that playoff.

But that's not the way that the cookie did crumble. Rory McIlroy and what went wrong during the final round? There's a couple of things that I probably would have done differently. But, you know, all in all, I played a solid round of golf. I, you know, that one wedge shot on 14. Missed birdie putt on eight.

Really, apart from that, I did everything else, you know, the way I wanted to. But, yeah, fine, fine, fine margins at this at this level and at this tournament especially. He was even. On the last day, he was even. Shot a 70. Gotta get one birdie on that back nine. Ricky Fowler says he just didn't have it on Sunday. He was five over par on Sunday after having a historical start to this tournament, shooting a 62 on Thursday. I just didn't have it today. Iron play was was very below average and didn't make anything. So that's that's a big thing in majors, especially on a Sunday.

Making pots and then kind of keeping it fairly stress free. But it was it was kind of the opposite. And Jair Alexander says Jordan Love is the best QB in the league. QB one man.

The best QB in the league right now. So John money don't stop trying, you know. Appreciate it, John. That's a nice thing to say. That's the best way that I could say. But we all know there's no way Jair Alexander actually believes that.

Yeah, but hey, you know, publicly, you put on a good face. You put support behind your quarterback and you hope that your words come true eventually. You're the best producer here. The best producer here.

In no context, I would clip that and play it everywhere. And Emmanuel Babari. Well, we actually shared the same agent, so I like Emmanuel.

But Emmanuel Barri, best update anchor we've ever had here on CBS Sports Radio. Wow. Yeah, I'm like Jair Alexander. I'm playing the role.

Just hype it up. I mean, he's dissing us. Exactly. Yeah.

Seriously, when you're just going hyperbole for everybody, Emmanuel attended Fordham. So I think he gets sarcasm. I'm just going to say there's a different level of intellect there. Well, he said, wow.

And I'm like, oh, Emmanuel, let's put the break to this. I appreciate it either way. I can fit my own narrative here.

I was being serious. He's just a big bad jerk here at CBS Sports Radio. Remember, he thought he was above everybody and did not want to go to the Bob's Bar show on Friday. Also thought he was above everybody to go to the company holiday party. I see Emmanuel Barri put in the work here. Hey, can't you see him showing up and going through the motions if we could be there? Interesting.

Yeah, this is this is deep here. Taking vacation Thursday, Friday. Wow.

That's an extended wow. You know, when Bill Ryder was in this time slot, I don't think he ever took one day vacation. I get here all the sudden vacation galore for hot cake.

You got to clamp down. He told me before the start of the year, he had unlimited vacation and then halfway through the year he goes, oh, yeah, I actually was told by management that I don't have unlimited vacation. So our subject. So we're very, very sore subject. The company handbook was a little bit outdated for him or he misinterpreted it.

It has to update it. Yeah. Ryan Hickey clause. Patrick Mahone says he hopes the Chiefs sign Chris Jones soon extension real soon.

It's part of the business. I think Chris knows that we love him here. He's a he's been a part of this team for a long time. He's one of the main reasons that we've had the success that we've had. He's been that leader on the defense.

He made a lot of big plays, and it seems like the biggest moments and you want those guys on your team. And so, like you said, it's part of the business. It's the all season, even though you're getting better. I'm sure Chris is working and he knows the defense that he needs to do. And the hope is that everything's good, good by training camp and we're able to come in and just roll. And that's just part of it. That's what makes this team so great is whenever guys like that have to go handle their business, we let them handle it.

When they jump back in the building, we get back to right where we left off. So that means expect Chris Jones to get a contract extension soon because basketball homes wants to get the deal done. Hey, is this Nick Saban clip from the Joe Klatch show about him still bitching about the college football playoff and how they choose the four teams that was that from the other day? I was from recently.

Yep, not recently. All right, let's hear a cup 13. All we do is take the teams that win the most games at the end of the year and put them at the in the playoffs. But do you really get the best teams?

When they told me that we would be favored against three out of the four teams that got in the playoffs, I'm like, well, why aren't we in the playoffs? Sure. Does that mean they have a better team? Or does it mean that those people don't know what they're talking about?

I really don't know that. But and I'm not being critical of anybody. But if you're going to have parity, you have to have a better way of figuring out who has the best teams, not just because you lose two games on the last play of the game that knocks you out. When you may be better than somebody else who didn't have the same circumstances that they had to play. You had every opportunity to make the college football playoff after losing to Tennessee. And then you lose to LSU. And I like the direction that Brian Kelly is moving that program in.

And I think for the next five years, I've said this before, Kirby Smart, Nick Saban and Brian Kelly will be the three best coaches in college football. But the favorite argument to me, Hickey makes no sense because he was a favorite against Tennessee. He's a favorite against LSU.

And then he lost. I can understand if you think Alabama is a better team, but you also have to have the resume. And last year, Alabama did not have the resume that said that they belonged in the college football playoff. And it's also you got to look at, OK, you know, I thought the losses happened. Who'd they beat? They didn't beat anyone of substance. And even some of the wins, it was up and down and shaky. So it's not like this was a dominant Alabama team to begin with. Their best wins last year were what, Arkansas and Ole Miss? Yeah. Not good. Not good. And I can't tell you that. And I like Sam Pittman, right? Lane Kiffin's done a good job at Ole Miss.

I can't tell you I'm jumping for joy over those two wins last year. Do you hear that? That is the sound of BMW performance without a single piston or cylinder. A generation of all electric vehicles designed and built like no other. The BMW iX, i7 and i4 revolutionize every drive into a thrilling opportunity to feel the pure rush of BMW 100 percent electric.

But isn't that what you'd expect from the ultimate electric driving machine? Take advantage of exceptional lease and finance offers today. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. So I attended the highly anticipated Bob's Bar show on Friday, which was just phenomenal. Big credit to D.A., Mraz, Bogusz, Pete the Body, Baladi, Andrew Kaplan doing another phenomenal job. And the listeners who came from everywhere, we had someone drive 15 hours from Alabama, someone, Gordon, who's 69 years old, flew in from Vancouver. It was crazy. It was really an impressive event. And I enjoyed myself thoroughly at the event and had a lot of time mixing up with listeners and also the guys here that we obviously work with, two different time slots. You throw jabs at each other all throughout the year.

So it's nice for us to come together and break some bread. But the listeners asked me the most about three people and they were wondering where they were. Hickey, who just, you know, dropped the ball, agreed just that he wasn't there. A lot of people, I don't think this was done in a positive way, but they wanted to know if Jack Stern was going to show up. And then after your performance last year, when Peter Schwartz showed up, a lot of people were wondering if Shep was going to show up to Bob's Bar.

But there was no appearance from David Shepper. And I will say, because I don't know how many more loyal and dedicated people there are here that work here than you. Like, you're nuts. You love this place. You're kind of like Damian Lillard in Portland. You never want to leave, even though you have left before and then you came back. You were teaching people for years and you were doing good and then you came back. But people were stunned that you never showed up Shep.

So the reality is twofold. One, I'd never got an invite. You don't need an invite.

No, no, no. Like last year there was a general email that D.A. sent out to all of us.

I understand he has AJ, so he's got his hands full. But there was an email inviting and ingratiating all of us to come to Bob's Bar. I didn't get that. So I thought it might have been a little presumptuous if I just show up. Oh, you could easily show up.

I also know that D.A. tweeted a bunch of people out. I was not one of those people. Were you insulted? No, no, no. I'm not saying I'm insulted.

What I am saying is, so in all seriousness, like I don't know if I was honestly invited. I think those guys like me. I know D.A. likes me.

I like D.A. a lot. I just don't know if all of them necessarily wanted to be there. I know I did not make the best impression on the family last year, so I didn't want to overstay my welcome for a second second.

And secondly, also, you know, like the hours that we work, my body was not going to be able to show up and really actually be done is what you were saying. I'm not going to say that. No, no, no, no. I'm not one and done. But I do believe I could be a Michael Jordan. In other words, I did not play my sophomore campaign, but I come back strong and lead the NBA in scoring in the third year. Can I just make this promise?

You had a great moment. I wouldn't compare yourself to MJ. That's fair.

I will be a better husband and father. But with that being said, sorry, I had to get a shot. I have to listen.

Charlotte has. I got to get this in there, too. I will be at Bob's Bar at some point again. I just knew my body, given the fact that I am closer to 40 than I am 30 these days, it would not have been good showing up there on no sleep again. OK. Is that fair?

I think you should have showed up. OK. I think if you're at the network and you're on the air. Right.

And let's say not full time on the air. Right. I think it's a good event to show up to. So my apologies to you if that's how you feel.

My apologies to the show. They felt they should have showed up. If they invite me next year, I will go. So you need an invite.

I need an invite. Yeah, I'm not travel maintenance. I'm not traveling to high maintenance. You're high. He gets it. Oh, he gets this. He and I and you do get this to show because you do marathons on Sunday.

I mean, you don't see me playing a small violin when I walk out of here. You have to do 11 hours of radio. Did you not? Did you not get a personal invite from either morass or D.A.? I lost the bet. So you knew you had to be there. I had to be there.

OK. If you did not lose that bet, would you have been there? Yes, I would have showed up. OK. OK. Well, if I'm a company guy, I would have showed up.

If they invite me next year, I'm going. Gotcha. All right. Real quickly. Yes or no? Just give me a yes or no. Yes. Damian will be traded by the end of this week. No. Will Zion Williamson be traded by the end of this week? Um, by another woman or by his team? No. By his team, you knucklehead.

No, no, he will not be. Man, I don't know how J.R. puts up with you for four hours. Well, we have fun together.

You know what? I don't know how J.R. puts up with you. At least it's not Jack Stern. Oh, come on. We love you. You like Jack on some level, right? You have respect for him. Sure.

I like everyone here at CBS. Did you hear the Benigno thing? Oh, yeah. That's bad.

Please, please, please. OK. Yeah. Some people out where they're welcome. Yeah. Jack Jack is definitely one of those people.

I hope I never do that. And then finally, yes. Do you approve of the Bradley Beale trade to the Suns? No, because they messed up in the first place by Matt Ishby elected to go with Kevin Durant being the guy as opposed to Monty Williams.

Monty Williams was the culture set. You're telling me that you'd rather. And don't get me wrong. Yeah. I'm not the biggest fan of Kevin Durant these days. Right. Much rather than Kevin Durant than Monty Williams. Monty.

Well, really? He brought even before Durant got there two years ago. What the heck happened to his team in that no show? Well, DeAndre and quits on everything. And Chris Paul gets hurt every single playoff run. You can't put that on Monty Williams. Monty Williams was the guy that won to make games in the bubble.

We know that straight. And then he also got into Game 6, the finals. If he doesn't go for a 50 point spot and misses just two free throws, 17 of 19 in Game 6, they don't win that series. I didn't advocate for Monty Williams to be fired and think he should have been fired. But if it came down to like the way that you're laying it out, Durant or Monty Williams, you go with the player over the coach.

Not when the player is going on year 15 and has the kind of ankles and knees that he has. But Monty Williams is not this all time great coach. He's had a nice little run. He's a very good run. I would not say that he's a guarantee to be this all time great. OK, Katie's not a top 10 player anymore. Oh, and they bet the farm in the house on this guy. He is.

All right. Shep dropping bombs at the end of this show. That's what he does.

You can hear him with J.R. coming up next. I made the same CBS Sports Radio affiliates. Remember, the views of David Sheppard do not reflect the views of the Zach Gelb show right here on CBS Sports Radio. We out. Bye bye. Peace.