Ryen Russillo

The Milwaukee Bucks should not play Giannis Antetokounmpo for the rest of the season

I don't even think Milwaukee would want Giannis to come back and play... They should want to do whatever they can with this pick 'cause they don't have many of 'em. And Giannis probably shouldn't even wanna play and risk health and risk this contract extension that he can get before next fall. So the tanking is gonna get egregious.

The Clippers made a smart pivot trading James Harden for Darius Garland

I like what the Clippers did... I don't think Darius Garland is this bad. He's a two-time all star. He's 26 years old... when he was right, he was terrific. And Harden... fourth trade request in six years. So the Clippers very quickly on the fly... you'll look at the Garland thing and go, man, they were able to land a player like that for Harden.

The Knicks' usage of Karl-Anthony Towns is becoming a real issue

The Knicks, as much fun as they are... the imperfections with them. The cat [KAT] stuff here... He's now sixth in minutes in the fourth quarter for the Knicks... since January 1st. So you're seeing his minutes decline... Mitchell Robinson's so good... I wonder if [Thibodeau] like bails on Kat in specific matchups? 'Cause he's already starting to do it in the regular season.

LeBron James won't retire because he's addicted to the attention of basketball

I don't think he is [retiring]. I think he's gonna have a really, really hard time being away from the attention of basketball... He's still incredibly productive offensively... I still think there's far more positive about him, the player, but it just depends like what are you looking for next year?

Stop comparing your boat to others and just appreciate your own boat

There's a lot of guys looking at your boat... that'd be enough boat for me. I think not to make this about life, but it's, it's just something to remember. There's probably somebody looking at your boat going that's that's good enough for me. I should stop looking at the other boats.

Getting mad at the NBA All-Star Game is as boring as the game itself

I hate the All Star game a lot... It's just, I don't get mad at it though. Like, it's for kids, it's kind of fun... Why would you get mad about I wish the Allstar game were competitive... I actually think getting mad at the Allstar game is, is as boring as the game itself.

Ohio State's current team is better than last year's team

[Big Cat: Are you ready to say this team is better than last year's team?] Yeah. I think [Will] Howard's even better. [Big Cat: You mean Will Howard?] Yeah... Sayin's even better. He just—you know, they don't even need him.

Indiana winning at Oregon is the best college football win of the season

The Indiana win at Oregon I think is the single best win of the entire college football season. And I also think Oregon's getting dropped down too far in the polls after the fact, 'cause I think Indiana really is that good this year.

I like Tennessee more than Georgia as a playoff threat

I probably like Tennessee more than I like Georgia, to be honest with you. [Big Cat: Their defense though, man.] Yeah, but that Georgia defense isn't—this Georgia team is not even close to those [previous] teams. The defense isn't as good.

The Denver Nuggets will win the NBA title this year

I'm picking the Denver Nuggets. There's no reason to pick against OKC... they're just going to be better... I just wanted—I picked him last year, I wanna do something a little different this year. So I'm picking the Denver Nuggets.

Houston is a great fit for Kevin Durant

I think it's a great fit for him. [Kevin Durant]... Stone is on an absolute heater now. I mean every single move this guy makes, it seems like usually you're just gonna get run wrong because of the way sports work... they desperately what they needed on offense. Like go get us those closing playoff moment buckets.

Bradley Beal has the least competitive pride relative to talent in the NBA

I mean 'cause [Bradley Beal] is just so checked out. He's totally, I think the scary thing about him is that, you know, I think anybody you think like if you're this good then there has to be some competitive pride in you. And he may have the least, there may be the biggest gap between just talent and how much he doesn't care. Yeah. Of any [player].

The Duke trio of Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach are all special NBA prospects

I like all three guys a lot. [Cooper] Flagg... anticipation, the defense, I mean it just, his passing all this stuff is that he's a, he's a real competitor... [Kon] Knueppel iss like he's, he's gonna be very good pro... [Khaman] Maluach... he stays in front of [guards] by moving his feet... Those three guys are really special prospects.

Kevin Durant might be traded by the Suns this offseason.

I don't know, I feel like the seeds have been planted... I thought last year he was, there was a lot of stuff right. A lot of stuff around the draft. There was like rumors about Houston... I feel like the seeds have been planted.

Nikola Jokic is on an unobtainable level compared to the rest of the NBA.

To me [Jokic] is unobtainable. Like you cannot get to his level right now. And there's gonna be a lot of people arguing [SGA] just because it's better... But I don't think a sane person, a real basketball person should look at this and be like, okay, SGA is now the best in the world.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will win the NBA Finals in five games.

Thunder in five. I played, I think it was plus six 80 Thunder Games one and two, Pacers Game three, thunder game four and five.

Mark Twain was fundamentally a 'bummed out guy'.

Almost done with Chernow's latest opus thousand pages on Mark Twain... Bummed out guy though, man... That's not your takeaway. Mark Twain not so happy. Bummed out guy.

The Mavericks' process in the fictional Luka Doncic trade was indefensible

Having said all those things, you still will never be able to defend the process. The execution of this is indefensible. But then I think about Luca like is this this wake up call for him... you still will never be able to defend the process.

The Denver Nuggets are the fourth-best championship contender when healthy

I think Denver's the fourth team when Denver has Aaron Gordon and this version of Jamal Murray. Even with a diminished bench, it's like you can't rule, especially, you know, you look at the depth, the extra days off depth isn't as big of an issue.

The Milwaukee Bucks' championship window is likely already closed

The Giannis thing is is terrific... But I I think the reality is the NBA stories, the way they go, like their, their window's probably already closed.

Paul George is essentially just Tobias Harris with better branding

Paul George is Tobias Harris with better branding. Whoa. Yeah. I mean they're all back tonight... Paul George, Paul George, I know he had a better January, but like off key, he, he needs to be a dude while MB is out through all of this. And instead he's totally comfortable getting his ISO 17 footer up.

The Philadelphia 76ers will lose in the NBA play-in tournament

How do you think the sixth or season ends this year bad... They're gonna losing the plan, losing the plan prediction.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will defeat the Boston Celtics in seven games to win the NBA Finals

Thunder over Boston in... would be seven thunder. Get it at home.

Current political polling is useless because voters cannot maintain a consistent opinion for more than three days

I think a snapshot of any polling number right now is the dumbest... the swings in a very short amount of time. It's because no one, no one side can keep their shit together for more than three days. I don't understand like, the polling of one phenomenon that we have. I don't know that the tides are turning nearly as fast as everybody's pretending as it does day to day.

College football realignment has killed the cultural and visual identity of the sport

What I loved about the sport was that a PAC-12 game looked like a PAC-12 game. And then culturally, when you would visit all of these different places, the fan bases were lined in a very conference... It just made sense. Now it feels off. It feels weird. The death of the PAC-12 is sad. It's sad. It is sad.

The Denver Nuggets will win the 2025 NBA Championship

I think it's really, really tough to repeat. So I'll just say Nuggets.

The 12-team Playoff expansion will only move the goalposts for ranking arguments without solving them

I just can't wait for the 12, 13, 14 team arguments. Maybe Tulane. And there's gonna be a 14 Colorado, like a team ranked 14th. You're gonna be like, you stink. You haven't beaten anyone. And you won a chance for the national championship. I don't know that the projection of the 12 teams is like... it's not that fucking hard.

The Celtics will beat the Mavericks in the NBA Finals

I like Boston. I'm scared to death of Luca... but I feel like Boston has the two versus the one... their primary lineup of Pingus back is going to be five people that you have to worry about.

Kristaps Porzingis is the most important player for the Celtics in the Finals

Pingus really does feel like the most important player... matchup wise, changing what Dallas has done and making their bigs do something they haven't done before, not that they're incapable of doing it, but pulling that rim protection away, he feels the most important for me.

Kyrie Irving is one of the most skilled yet disappointing players in NBA history

When people start coming at you with like, he's the most talented player of all time, it's like, okay, so then you're admitting that he's one of the most disappointing players ever... for multiple seasons that the guy looked like he didn't really even care about playing basketball anymore.

Joel Embiid is no longer a top-five NBA player

That fifth spot is not reserved for Embiid for me anymore in the way that it was prior to this season. I mean, at some point man, at some point... I'm sick of seeing playoff games where I need him to figure out a way to unlock the possession and get him into his stuff on his own in a way that I don't think he's capable of doing the way other guys are.

James Harden winning a title as a third option doesn't invalidate a decade of criticism against him

Does it mean I was wrong about Harden for 10 years if he wins it this year? No... he's the third option now. So I'm still in the clear for a decade worth of takes... If somebody can play bad on purpose to get their way, like what are you gonna be like in a really tight spot in the playoffs?

LeBron James no longer does the little things like boxing out or transition defense

LeBron is the best player I've ever seen... But he doesn't do the little things that I think are really important in basketball anymore. He doesn't do those things anymore... you lose your guy boxing out all the time. You don't get back in transition. You lose guys on these baseline cuts.

The Boston Celtics are the NBA championship favorites if Kristaps Porzingis remains healthy

Boston... if Pingus is healthy, they have probably, they're probably still the favorite... Their one through rate is ridiculous.

The heliocentric style of offense led by Luka Doncic is difficult to win with in the playoffs

The history of the heliocentric offenses are really bad in the playoffs. You basically had one NBA finals guy for a top 20 usage rate in the NBA history... It sucks watching somebody else have the ball all the time... whenever they shut off your drive in the playoffs, now I have to shoot.

Victor Wembanyama is already a massive success and will meet every expectation

He's incredible. Everything about him this year individually for him is a massive success... His personality just seems so genuine in that he's been mentally built to take on the responsibility that he's gonna have to take on for a franchise at a young age.

I hate expanded playoffs in any sport and prefer leaving teams out

I don't like that there's this many NFL teams in the playoffs. I think it's stupid. I'm big on—I know it's gonna shock you—I like leaving people out of things. I hate expanded anything.

Only Jokic, Luka, and Giannis are untradeable for the Wembanyama pick

Jokic, you'd hang up. Luka, you'd hang up. Giannis, you'd hang up. Embiid, you'd trade him. Tatum probably [trade him]. Booker... the list is probably like three guys. ... Normally I'd go, well wait, I don't wanna trade a guy who I know has already done it for somebody that I've never seen actually do it. But that's how special Victor is.

Wembanyama is not as good a prospect as LeBron was because of injury risk

Anybody who says [Wembanyama] is the best, like he's better than LeBron as a prospect, I would completely disagree just because LeBron body-wise was NBA ready. ... He's going to get hurt. It would be shocking if he doesn't have somebody roll into his legs at some point. ... I just don't think the human body is supposed to move like a created player in an NBA video game.

Scoot Henderson is the 'dog' version of Chris Paul

I know you guys are gonna love my Scoot Chris Paul comp. Because, you know, we're talking about all first team all dog guys. ... Scoot was like one of the few guys that was like, I'm gonna go at [Wembanyama]. Like he had that mentality and it worked a few times.

Cam Whitmore is the #1 'dog' in the draft class

Cam Whitmore is definitely on that list. Maybe number one overall the Villanova freshman. Watching him play is like every time he gets the ball he is going left and he beats everybody every single time. ... He went hit him so strong. ... This guy's at level 11 energy this early into the game.

Brandon Miller's involvement in the Alabama shooting won't affect his draft stock

I think there's concern up until they watch the tape, you know, to be realistic about it. ... I just haven't heard anybody say because not that many teams are even in the mix. ... I think we all know with sports... it felt like it kind of went away a little bit too. ... His shot making at that size and what you think you'd be able to do defensively... he's exactly what you want in today's NBA.

I enjoy being bummed out because it provides an excuse to do nothing

I started realizing that I kind of enjoyed being bummed out because then it gave me an excuse to do nothing, right? Like, Hey, maybe you should start working. Nah, can't dude. Like, I'm just not there. And I started being so comfortable with it that I'm at least glad that I, I I was like, okay, wait a minute. Like, you may not be super happy and get through this, this phase, but this isn't an excuse for everything.

The NFL cares less about its fans than any other major professional sport

There's no major sport that its owner group gives less of a fuck about fans than the nfl. Yeah. ... I get maximizing every dollar that you can make. But I think the NFL usually takes it to a level where you start going like, dude, is it, is it this important?

The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the NBA right now

I probably like Memphis even more than Denver... Memphis just has, has some shit to it where I'm like, man, I like these guys... Memphis is the hottest right now.

The Pelicans are the deepest team in basketball

New Orleans has the deepest team in basketball and if Zion's there and ready to go in the playoffs, he's still that hard of a matchup.

The Boston Celtics are the best 'health bet' to win the NBA title

I think Boston's so much. Cause I feel like they're the best health bet. You feel like all of their guys are going to play. And the one person that's the biggest question mark is, is Rob Williams who, you know, they can still probably be really good without him.

LeBron James has never understood how to be a true partner with an organization

I love LeBron as a player... However, he has had it in his head that like he can't be a partner with a team. It's very weird... The way it was explained to me was that LeBron always wants ownership to know that there is pressure that they can never take a day off... it's not necessarily like having a great partner.

Victor Wembanyama is the best draft prospect I've ever seen, but he's not a better prospect than LeBron was

When people say [Victor Wembanyama] is the best prospect they've ever seen, it's not bullshit, it's not hyperbole, but if somebody says he's a better prospect coming into LeBron, it's they're, they're full of shit, right? Because LeBron had the perfect body type immediately.

The NBA Finals will be Boston over Memphis

Boston over Memphis. There it is. Okay. That'd be a fun series.

Sam Hinkie was too unapologetic about tanking and didn't play the media game well enough

Because [Hinkie] didn't play the game with us, we got more mad at him. Yeah. Like he definitely could have done it and done it a different way. Been better with the media been more open pretended he wasn't really doing it even though everybody like teams are tanking, but we don't wanna be told it. It's fucking crazy. Right? And that's why like it to me is a, is a clear relation to how politicians talk to us.

The Golden State Warriors are going to be even better this season

I think the warriors are gonna be even better. Ooh.

I have zero sympathy for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving because they don't play in enough games

Sean Marks is the guy when you, you basically were like, Hey sign Deandre Jordan... You're getting everything you want and then you still want everybody fired... Just play in the fucking basketball games. And maybe things will work out... I have no sympathy for any of those guys. Whenever I see anybody on TV being like, well, you know, they could have done a better job with their buy level exception and I'm like, stop fucking talking. It's about one thing the guys don't play in enough games.

European food is healthier than American food because it is less processed

But because it's non-processed yeah. Is that what's going on? Cuz they're they don't the cigarette thing over there is out of control... I think it's less processed food. I think whenever it, I was, I was teeing you up there. I think the research would tell you is just the service is not what it is here.

The Phoenix Suns will win the 2023 NBA title in six games

I know the truth. I've been able to—the Chris Paul thing. I'm good to go. I can't wait. Suns in six next season.

Chris Paul will not be a successful head coach because he lacks patience

I actually don't know if [Chris Paul] would have the patience for it. You can keep holding these guys to a standard that they're never ever going to meet, because they don't even comprehend that that's possible. I don't know if those guys [like Chris Paul] are the best coaches.

Paolo Banchero is the best player in the 2022 draft class right now

I don't think there's any debate that Paolo [Banchero] is the best player of the three of [Jabari Smith Jr.] and Chet [Holmgren] right now. The job is to go star hunting. Paolo just took over as a 6'10" playmaker dribbling off a high ball screens. To me that's what the game is.

Jabari Smith Jr. will be a better shooter in the NBA than in college

I still think [Jabari Smith Jr.] took a lot of bad shots because Auburn's guards were terrible. I think he'll be even a better shooter in the NBA.

The high-end talent in the 2022 NBA Draft ends after Jaden Ivey

Everyone's talked up—does it end after those three guys [Banchero, Holmgren, Smith]? I think it ends after [Jaden] Ivey. I do think he's that good. There's just something to be said about a guy that moves unlike everybody else. They don't make a lot of people that move on a basketball court like Jaden Ivey.

Jeremy Sochan will be a winning player that every NBA team wants

I just think that [Jeremy] Sochan's got some way that he's wired, that he's going to impact games in a very unique [way]. I think he's the kind of guy, if it goes right, that every team's like, shit, we need somebody like that. He gets out there with his edge, his athleticism, and he just impacts basketball games.

Benedict Mathurin has the most 'dog' in him of any player in the draft

If you're just traveling on dog alone, dog alone, it would be [Benedict] Mathurin. He's got some juice to him too.

Chris Paul might not care as much about winning as his die-hard fans do

I've been seeing this guy [Chris Paul] and it's, I mean, this is long-term and you know, like in every relationship there's always somebody, the relationship seems to matter a lot more to... It's getting to the point where like, I don't want to say, like, I'm not, I'm not trying to be a victim in this, but like, you can care about somebody for so long. And then you wonder, I don't think this person could care as much as I do.

The gap between regular season NBA teams and playoff teams has never been wider

The regular season can be very misleading. And I've been kind of on this for the last couple of years where I feel like there's never been more of a separation between what playoff teams look like and regular season teams look like.

Jayson Tatum is now capable of going punch-for-punch with Kevin Durant

Tatum has added that part to his game and can still go off for 40 in a playoff game. So you're right to expect the Tatum maybe hangs punch-for-punch with Durant. I think he's still a sliver below Durant, but that's not saying much to say you're just behind who I think is still the best offensive option in the NBA.

James Harden is a quitter whose personality can't be trusted when playoff situations get tense

I have a problem with anyone who's a professional athlete who is okay deciding that they're just not going to be competitive twice in a year because they don't like their situation... if you're okay sucking on purpose and having it happen that many times in a very short span, then why would I bet on your personality when everything's tense and it matters.

The NBA Finals will be a Suns-Bucks rematch with Phoenix winning the title

Phoenix, Milwaukee. I think it's a rematch. Phoenix wins.

Ty Lue is the Bill Belichick of the NBA

I'll take Ty Lue... someone called Ty Lue the Belichick of the NBA last night.

Brian Kelly is a winner and will have an awesome staff at LSU

Brian Kelly wins everywhere he goes... I think Kelly's a winner. And I think he's going to have an awesome staff. I think there's always a little hesitancy when you're from there [the South]... but he's a winner.

The NBA should get rid of the three-point line

I think they should get rid of the three really... I think much like the shot clock, where they were like enough of this... I think he should get rid of the three really.

The 'Hangover Theory': Regret and life-change desires disappear by Tuesday

When you're hungover... it fucking goes away. It goes away. It doesn't feel like it's going to go away... and you're like, should I take a foreign language? Maybe I finally learn an instrument... And then by Tuesday, you're like, what a fucking weirdo I was for 36 hours.

Kobe Bryant has the strongest connection to his city of any modern athlete

I guess you could say Jeter, but that doesn't feel as tight as the Kobe thing. It feels like 1990 degree Mickey Mantle shit... There's not five people in modern sports that are more connected to the way a city loves them than Kobe and LA.

Anthony Davis has bulked up too much and it has negatively affected his mobility and shooting

I feel like everybody called [Anthony Davis] a pussy last year... and I just feel like, all right, well now I'm definitely lifting more. And I think he came back and I think the bulk has actually slowed him down and it just didn't work. Anthony Davis, when he played, was arguably the worst jump shooter in the league based on how many shots he was taking.

Russell Westbrook's style of play does not lead to winning and he will never change

How many fucking years do you have to watch [Russell Westbrook] do the exact same thing that never leads to winning and think that it's just magic and it's going to work out at some point? Like most of us don't change and a basketball player that's as stubborn as he is isn't going to change... in the playoffs, it doesn't make any sense. He doesn't offer up any spacing for AD and LeBron, he's never set a screen in his fucking life.

Klay Thompson is a more dependable and valuable addition than Kyrie Irving

[Clay] is a better player and Clay's more dependable and Clay's available for all games. And he's not banned for half of them.

Kyrie Irving is one of the most gifted basketball skill players of all time

When you really put all the talent parts of Kyrie together—his handle, his shot making, the difficult shot-making that is an acceptable shot for Kyrie... it's actually not crazy to talk about him being actually one of the most gifted basketball skill people that we've ever seen.

The Bulls ceiling is the Eastern Conference Finals and they aren't a championship team

I'll go golden state and I'm going to say Milwaukee again. And it's kind of a bet against the newness of Chicago, not loving Chicago's options defensively for the size of Middleton and Giannis... maybe an Eastern Conference finals [ceiling for Bulls].

Following your shot in the NBA is a strategic mistake

The funniest thing is, is following your shot in the NBA is like the dumbest thing you could do... you get a transition on your face every single time.

Georgia will beat Alabama in the National Championship rematch

I'm doing it. I'm going to do it and make a huge mistake. I'm picking Georgia and the rematch... I'm scared to death that I'm falling forward again. I think [Big Cat is] right, because I think every Georgia fan looks at Kirby and goes, 'Are we going to have that moment where you just can't hang with the guy across the sideline from you?'

There is no conclusive evidence that the shortened NBA turnaround caused the recent surge in injuries

I'm just not sure based on everything I've read that we have some conclusive evidence that these injuries have happened just because of what we had in the past year... Silver definitely pushed back on it, which I was just at least I guess I was even surprised because he's been so pro player as a commissioner.

The Suns will win the NBA Finals in six games

No, Suns in six.

The 2020 NBA Draft might be historically bad at the top

It's a bad draft at the top, and it may be historically bad. I know the closer we get to this, it happens every year where it'll be a bad draft... But at the top, you always hope every year there's maybe one or two guys that can really impact a franchise... And this one has a chance to have zero.

James Wiseman is the best player in the 2020 NBA Draft

I like Wiseman... I like him this much in comparison to everybody else... The thing I like about him is yes the size and all that stuff he catches everything... Wiseman also has another level that I don't know if he's going to get to, but he'll show it with his handle. He'll show a really soft touch where he almost has some of these offensive small forward skills that you start to get really, really excited about.

The Bucks trading multiple unprotected first-round picks for Jrue Holiday is irresponsible

When you look at the Bucs and say, wait, in 2027, part of that Drew Holiday deal is a 2027 unprotected pick? That, to me, is insane slash irresponsible... To think here we are seven drafts from now, there's this pick that's completely unprotected... I don't understand why people think this is like normal.

I benched 315 pounds for three reps today just messing around

Fucking put the microphone down. I put up 315 three times today fucking around. Get back to me in a couple years.

James Harden's production is inflated by about 25% due to the Rockets' system

I also think Houston's style is almost like the best Instagram filter... where when you go play in Houston's system when it's Harden... you're 25% better... it's very clear, at least to me, and I don't know why more people don't say this, that you almost have to shave off like 25% of it [Harden's production].

Kyrie Irving might not want James Harden on the Brooklyn Nets

I'm wondering if Kyrie is signing off on this. Because you would – I mean, look, I can never forget trying to figure out Kyrie, but I could actually see him not loving it at all because now all of a sudden he's going to be off the ball a lot more.

No matter how smart you think you are at 20 years old, you are actually an idiot

No matter how smart you think you are, you're an idiot... This is why everyone older than you hates you, because they all went through the exact same thing where it's like I got everything figured out, and then you just realize you don't. And it doesn't mean you're not smart. It doesn't mean you're not creative... [but] you can't have any of this perspective that you're going to need.

Creative people usually peak in their 20s

When I think about creative people, usually those peak years are in those 20s. You know, you're seeing things for the first time, you're experiencing them in new ways and you're reacting.

When you turn 30, you will realize you were an idiot in your 20s

The safest bet in the world is that when you turn 30, you're going to go – Can't believe I thought the way I did about everything. It's not like your political beliefs change or your morals change. It's just... another third of life experience makes you realize like all the shit that I thought was so important [isn't].

Blue suits will be out of style in two years

I think in two years, everybody's been looking at their closet going, why do I have seven different blue suits? So I would get out of the blue suit game right now.

The Odell Beckham Jr. hair trend is already over

How do we feel about Odell Beckham hair? Is that going to be around two years? No way. That's over. Zac Efron has it now.

Steph Curry is the most disrespected superstar in the NBA by his own peers

I think [Steph Curry] is the most disrespected by his peers superstar, which is weird... I feel like a lot of the athletes hate Steph. In some way, it's some bad thing because he had this awesome upbringing... it felt like all five of these guys had ad campaigns built on addressing the haters.

LeBron James will never win another NBA championship

The easiest thing to do in these shows is you just sit out there and you go, I'm guaranteeing it right now LeBron's never winning a championship. It's actually the better bet to make because these are really hard... People at the end of [Kobe's] run don't want to go play with him now. And that was real... I can see where it could go that way [for LeBron].

DeMarcus Cousins will be the downfall of the Warriors' chemistry

Last night was the beginning of the end for DeMarcus Cousins fitting in. He was so bad in that game... Afterwards, a reporter actually said, like, hey, what do you think about your defense? He's like, what do you think? ... I just think that the Boogie thing's going to get worse and worse.

I could beat up Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in a fight

I don't think Klay would care. Klay would be like, dude, I'm just going to tap out. Is that cool? ... Steph, the thing is, is what if Steph beats me? ... I don't think Steph would beat you. I think you could use your dialing... I'm going to give you two and a half out of five [starters].

The Netflix Fyre Fest documentary is more entertaining than the Hulu version

The Hulu one has the advantage because the whole mastermind of the Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland, is in it... I find the Netflix one, though, more entertaining. I think it's because it may have been the footage or the editing which really tells you something because they don't even have the guy in it.

If you rebranded Fyre Fest and put it back out there in two years, people would buy tickets again

I think you could just basically take all the marketing material from Fyre Fest and in two or three years rebrand it and put it back out there and people would buy again. I would, I want to go right now.

Most sports media coverage of NFL contracts is based on lies because they don't look at the real numbers

I can't believe how bad everybody still is with contracts. NFL contracts, the first headline's a lie. and then it's the guaranteed money, and then it's what's paid out in the first three years. So if Odell's asking for a certain number, what he's really doing is manipulating the media because the media doesn't seem to want to put in the time to figure out what's really being asked for in the contract.

Media personalities should get things wrong on purpose once every few months to move the needle

I had somebody to pull me aside. I was like, you take it too seriously when I was younger. And he said, get something wrong on purpose. Just be so wrong once every few months that it kind of registers with people.

LeBron James will win exactly one more NBA championship in his career

I'll go under [1.5]. I think he has one more. But usually these guys, this means they're done. Remember the Kobe stuff? We're like, oh, nobody wants him more than Kobe. You want it all you want. This is over.

Kawhi Leonard might stay in Toronto long-term because he'll realize how great the city is

Kawhi could be sitting here going, I'm not staying in Toronto. And then you're there. Toronto's awesome. Currency. Exactly.

Men should never use 2.5-pound plates at the gym

Men shouldn't use the two and a half plates ever. Ever. ... You went up two and a half pounds today. Like, men shouldn't use the two and a half plates ever.

A team outside of the lottery will trade up to draft Luka Doncic

A team outside of the lottery trades up for Doncic. [Big Cat: Ooh, I like that.]

The Golden State Warriors will win the NBA Finals in six games

I'll say Warriors in six. Yeah, I'll say, like, something, you know, a couple of a game there. The Warriors are an incredibly, like, arrogant team, for good reason, but... They will screw around. They will screw around in a game and lose it.

The Celtics can't guard Joel Embiid

You're going to have to continue to get it to Embiid, who has moments in the game where he's like, enough of this crap. Like, none of you guys can guard me. I'm just going to do something stupid and get to the hoop and score.

Brad Stevens is the perfect personality to be a head coach in today's NBA

I think the most important attribute you can have as an NBA coach is your personality. Most of these guys do understand X's and O's. But if the team doesn't listen to you, you have to do it in a way now where the guys don't totally shut you off. And [Stevens] has this unbelievable passive confidence that it's like the perfect combination of personality to be a head coach in today's NBA.

Russell Westbrook's style of play keeps a franchise hostage

The style of play [Westbrook] has kept your franchise hostage. And for the most part, you weren't going to win. And now we've watched this two years in a row. You're lying to yourself if you see the same approach in Game 6 and go, 'yeah, this will work.' One team has a guy that runs isolation, the team passes it the least of any team in the NBA. Which team would you rather play? Of course they're going to pick the first team, and that's who their team is.

Cleveland is still a very likely scenario for LeBron James this summer

I have been probably one of the only people that still thinks Cleveland is a very likely scenario here. If anybody is telling you they know that LeBron's already decided that he's going to leave, then they may get it right, but they're guessing right now. As of now, the way I understand it is that Cleveland is very much still in play.

Nobody around the NBA thinks Kawhi Leonard is returning to the Spurs

No one around the league thinks [Kawhi] is coming back. Nobody. And the belief is that, oh, yeah, Kawhi Spurs away, team first, not having any individual brand. They're tired of this stuff. If those are the real things and the real resentment there, then the Spurs thing does sound like it's over.

The Boston Celtics have regressed defensively compared to their early-season dominance

I think the Celtics have actually regressed a little bit defensively. Some of that is that it was just a shock that they were clearing away the number one defensive team in the league because I didn't really expect that, especially with the overhaul of young players.

Cleveland is not in 'fourth place' for LeBron James; they have a realistic chance to keep him

If I were rating these things, people act like Cleveland is in fourth place for the LeBron pursuit this offseason, and I just don't believe that's true.

Golden State is still significantly better than any other NBA team, regardless of mid-season momentum from Houston or OKC

As good as Houston's looked against them, as good as OKC looked the other night against them, I just know that there's a version of Golden State that I still trust is better than everybody else... Let's not let 'new' get in the way of what Golden State still is. And Golden State is on year four of maybe the best team we've ever seen in the history of this league.

Harry Giles has the potential to be a late first-round All-Star

I could definitely cheat and say Harry Giles, the freshman at Duke, because he's done the ACL thing twice. He's probably going to go in the 20s... But he was the number one high school recruit by some rankings when he went into Duke... From a talent standpoint, [he] is the most likely one.

Jonathan Isaac is the Tyrus Thomas of the 2017 NBA Draft

If you're giving me that comp, it's probably Jonathan Isaac from Florida State. Because on the high side of things, when you watch him and it's good, he's seven feet... he can shoot from three... when he's right, it is so impressive that you're sitting there and you're going, wait a minute, how come this guy's not going number one?

Luke Kennard will be drafted by the Pistons at pick 12

I don't think [Luke Kennard] gets past Detroit at 12.