The Ringer NBA Show

Logan Murdock is joined by Raja Bell as they break down the start of the NBA season. They discuss the kind of play they are seeing inside the bubble (11:30), which teams to keep an eye on (39:15), and Bell's transition to the media side of the industry. Then they choose the "Real One of the Week," a segment that highlights a player of the week who they believe stood out from the rest (1:01:10). Ho...

Verno and KOC discuss the thrilling kickoff of seeding games in Orlando: Clippers-Lakers (0:42) and Jazz-Pelicans (32:51). Then, they preview the weekend’s upcoming games (59:18). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Verno and KOC discuss the New York Knicks hiring Tom Thibodeau (0:12), Lou Williams visiting Magic City while on leave from the Orlando campus (21:30), and the imminent start of seeding games (43:01). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Verno and KOC react to the first NBA scrimmages in Orlando and potential new game operations (4:28) before answering a few questions from you, the listeners (36:35). Hosts: Chris Vernon, Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We discuss the most recent NBA COVID-19 testing results, which revealed no new positive tests of players in the Orlando bubble (2:08). Then, we break down whether the four months of training could benefit a team like the Sixers, who are talented but were dysfunctional in the first half of the season (17:06). Finally, we share our choices for the NBA regular-season awards—MVP, Coach of the Year, Ro...

We discuss the news that Victor Oladipo is now considering returning to play this season after previously stating he’d be out for the year (4:16). Then, we discuss Kemba Walker’s nagging knee injury, the Bucks’ challengers in the East, and Jakob Poeltl’s role with the Spurs (38:36). Finally, we open the mailbag and answer your questions about why the Lakers and Clippers are favored over the Bucks,...

Russell Westbrook announced on Instagram that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms while away from the team. What will this mean for the Rockets? And is the NBA’s bubble going according to plan? Plus: multiple NBA players have accidentally broken quarantine since arriving in Orlando. Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast...

Steve and Pete provide updates on the upcoming NBA and NFL seasons before welcoming Senator Cory Booker to discuss player exploitation in the NCAA, his fight for criminal justice reform, expanding economic opportunity, and environmental reform. Later he talks about what it was like speaking as a Black man on the Senate floor, his experiences in politics, the complicity of America, and how individu...

We discuss the NBA bubble food photos that leaked on social media and the most recent roster additions for fringe playoff teams (2:11). Then, we open up the 'Mismatch' mailbag to answer your questions on which NBA players deserve a Pat Mahomes deal, which players are the most intriguing X factors during the playoffs, and whether the 'Mismatch' crew could beat Zion in a 3-1 matchup (28:31). Hosts:...

Bakari is joined by former NBA players Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison to talk about their respective NBA careers (8:15), Black fatherhood (22:29), Vince’s recent retirement (35:06), and player activism (46:07). This podcast ran originally as an episode of 'The Bakari Sellers Podcast.' Subscribe on Spotify or wherever you hear podcasts. Host: Bakari Sellers Guests: Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison...

We discuss the breaking news that Brad Beal will sit out the rest of the season to manage a shoulder injury he’s been dealing with this season. What does that mean for the Wizards’ chances of making the playoffs or even the play-in tournament? Plus: Beal’s injury raises questions about why the NBA decided to go with 22 teams in Orlando instead of the initially proposed 20-team plan.  Hosts: Chris...

We discuss how some of the lower seeds might get shuffled in the final eight games of the regular season before locking in the playoff matchups (10:30). Then, with no show scheduled for Friday, we dive back into the mailbag early this week, answering your questions about players from the last four drafts who we haven’t given up hope on, biggest underachievers in NBA history, what games we’re best...

After the first wave of news about which NBA players are opting out of the Orlando bubble plan for the season’s restart, we discuss whether our view of the competitive landscape of the league has changed at all (1:20). Then, we open back up the mailbag to answer your questions on Vince Carter, the NBA teams left out of the bubble plan, tampering in Orlando, and more (27:50). Hosts: Chris Vernon an...

A lot can change in an unprecedented, three-month interruption of the NBA season. After not seeing much of anything from players on social media since the NBA shut down, Chris and Kevin each list the three players they’re most excited to see when basketball returns. Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We run through some of the details of the NBA’s 100-page booklet of health guidelines for when the league returns in Orlando (2:00), before revisiting the Memphis Grizzlies' choice to taken Hasheem Thabeet second overall in 2009 (22:36). Then we answer your questions about which rookies are in the best and worst situations, which teams have the brightest decades ahead of them, and which two teams...

A group of players reportedly led by Kyrie Irving held a phone call to discuss whether returning to play—amid the COVID-19 pandemic and continued social unrest surrounding police brutality—is the best course of action. Is this a representative sample of what NBA players want to do, and will this mean we won’t see some players make the trip to Orlando when the ramp-up begins at the end of June? Hos...

As the restart of the NBA season gets closer and closer, there are rumblings among some players about how comfortable they will be about staying in the campus environment of Disney World without the freedom to leave for two months (0:33). Plus, we answer your questions about which underdog could win the title when basketball comes back, fixing the Knicks, ‘The Bachelor,’ and more (35:12). Hosts: C...

Now that we have a date for when the NBA will be playing games again, the focus has narrowed to what happens in the interim. We discuss the NBA’s evolving thought process on COVID-19 testing, how many players will be with their teams in Orlando, and more (0:34). Then, we briefly discuss the wing prospects in the coming NBA draft that Kevin is most excited about (49:58). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kev...

After Thursday’s board of governors call with Adam Silver, the NBA has almost unanimously approved the league’s plan to return with eight regular-season games followed by a play-in tournament for the 8th seed in each conference. Now all that’s left is for the players union to approve the plan and for each team to get to Orlando and ramp up to play. We discuss potential challenges the teams will fa...

We discuss the sweeping condemnation of police brutality from NBA players and the NBA community—in line with nationwide protests over the last week—and what it means to even think or talk about the return of basketball in this moment (0:39). Then we go over reports about the league’s plan to return in late July and the board of governors meeting tomorrow that will dictate the terms of that return...

Steve and Pete are joined by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich to have a conversation about the state of our nation, how we got here as a country, our absence of leadership, and how we can take action to grow and bring about change following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Host: Steve Kerr and Pete Carroll Guest: Gregg Popovich This show is raising money for...

We discuss Kevin’s report that the NBA GMs voted overwhelmingly against the group stage format floated by the league earlier this week (1:56). Then, we open the mailbag back up to answer your questions about the best and worst statistics in the NBA, players whose legacies would be most improved with a title, and our favorite type of player to create in NBA2K (23:06). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin...

As the NBA nears its return, we explore the benefits and drawbacks of adopting a World Cup–style group stage for the 2020 playoffs. Could this draw new fans? Could it be a precursor to future midseason tournaments or even playoffs? Does this shift the competitive balance in any way?  Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Longtime Utah Jazz coach and NBA Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan died Tuesday morning. We remember his playing and coaching career and the legacy he leaves behind in the modern NBA (1:20). Then, we get into the nitty-gritty of Kevin’s reporting on the NBA’s COVID-19 testing plans in the event of a return this year (10:50), before answering more of your mailbag questions (27:19). Hosts: Chris Vernon and...

We run through the latest news around the NBA, including Tillman Fertitta’s comments to Donald Trump about the return of the NBA, Jazz wing Bojan Bogdanovic’s wrist surgery, and the Knicks’ new assistant GM, Frank Zanin (1:49). Then, we give our closing thoughts on ESPN’s Michael Jordan documentary ‘The Last Dance’ (35:30). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Learn more about your ad choices. V...