June 29, 2024 • 37 mins
Chris Broussard and his crew of fill-in co-hosts (Martin Weiss and Shaun King) debate whether the upcoming NBA Draft is a microcosm for the ‘international takeover’ currently going on in the NBA, share their thoughts on JJ Redick publicly shooting down allegations that he called a woman the N-word back in college and explain why they have no issue with Rich Paul pulling the strings to ensure that Bronny James gets drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusha and Ron Harker.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
On this show a lot, Rob and I have talked
about how the NBA is being taken over by international players.
The last six MVPs have been international. Four of the
(00:51):
five players on the first team All NBA were international,
and it likely, I think, almost certainly would have been
all five had Joe Lnb not gotten hurt.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Uh, he would have replaced Jason Tatum.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
And the best player in the NBA Finals was an
international player.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I'm talking about Luka Doncic, of course.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
And then today and I knew this, uh, But now
as the NBA Draft is coming closer, Martin, it'll be
here on Wednesday, and and this year I think you
may know, you know, they're going to two days, So
I guess they're trying to copy football and and I
have something to say about that. But the first round
(01:34):
is on Wednesday, second round is on Thursday. Well, and
and we're gonna get into that further detail.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
But round right.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
I was looking at so hoopshype dot com, which is
a great basketball website NBA in particular, they did a
and they've been doing this, but they kind of put
together they come piled all the mock drafts, or most
of them, the significant ones out there. Uh the there
(02:07):
were eleven of them, ESPN, The Athletic Bleacher Report, The Ringer, Yahoo,
CBS Sports Illustrated, SB Nation, and a few more USA Today,
et cetera. And in looking at these eleven draft mock drafts,
they put together their own mock draft based on all
(02:28):
of those. Okay, and the first two players and I'm
I may destroy their names, but Zakari ris the car.
It's not risk the car because I've watched highlights of
him and it's k yeah something like that.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Yeah, but you hear when the highlights.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
A lot of them are international announcers, so they're saying
it with an accent and all that. So Zakari uh,
and then Alex Saar is second. So the first two
are international players.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Three of the top five.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Are international players and five of the top ten are
international players.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
And so Martin, I want to ask you.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
One is you what are your thoughts on kind of
what we're seeing as maybe an international takeover of the league.
But secondly, this could hurt, like ironically, as the NBA
is going and let's stay here for a second, as
the NBA is going to a two day draft, and
(03:43):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
With you, the second round is a snooze fest.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Why because most people don't know who's who the players
are drafted in the second round.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
But I got news for you.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Most Americans aren't going to know who even the top
players are.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Now, there are some college players in.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
There that they'll know, but even the top players because
they're from international you know, nations.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Now I'm wondering, Martin.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Is this going to turn the entire draft, even the
first ten picks the lottery, which usually is the highlight.
Is it gonna turn that into a snooze fest? It's
gonna be Alex Saar and everybody.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Okay, who's this And so what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Well, first of all, my first initial thought is I
wish the draft would It's it's a business meeting that
could have been an email. Quite honestly, I don't see
that the value of watching the NBA Draft or the
NFL Draft honestly for that matter, on television at this point.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
To me, they're huge.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
I mean I get it if I was, and if
I was, you know, if I was, you know, a
Pistons fan, for example, a team that has been you know,
lot in mediocrity or if not worse for the last
few years, hell yeah, I'd be locked into the draft
because they're.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Down to five that which just sad they had the
worst record in the league.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Even still, I mean even still, you know, who knows,
because maybe maybe I'm drafting the next Jason Tatum or
Jalen Brown at five, right the next guy who could
be that be that spot could.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Either one of those guys or number one Bo.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Bousellis is who they're supposed to be picking according to
hoopsyche Although I will say this, I watched the highlights
of these guys, and I got to be honest, these
Internet they balling, well, they are balling, and you know
the Internet. They're playing in these pro leagues overseas and
(05:44):
and and some of them played in the G League too,
but they're playing and Bussellis is one that played in
the G League, but they're playing against competition that, to
be honest, is better than Division one basketball.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
And these dudes are balling now. I'm seeing the high lights,
I'll admit that. But the moves, the handle, the jump shot,
the three point shooting. I gotta be honest, they look
pretty good. And I know this is a weak draft,
but I'm just saying that.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
If you're looking at if you're only looking at the highlights,
that's sure. But that's what all we had of Luca,
and that's what people were saying.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Is you know, you see the highlights. Of course he
looked good. Yeah, well it's translated.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Okay, but that's one of them. That's one situation and
I'm sure like it.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Translated all right, but you can if you can now
Jannis and Jokish word.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Chris it Low developed.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
The point is, if you can name them off in
the list, they're outliers, right, because they're not outliers, Yes
they are not.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
The international dudes are coming over balling. Is that not
you shitt goon? I mean, how many more do we
have to see? The Wagners now they played, you know
they plays.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Are international players.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
I'm just saying, yeah, who played in the ohso weak
Division one college basketball that you keep pooh pooing.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
It is week It's not weak Division one basketball. The
best players College a's players ain't the NBA.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
But the fact that the matter is, if there was
a Zion Williamson in this draft, or Apollo Bancaro in
this draft, or hell even a Chet Holmgren or uh
Scottie Barnes Anthony Edwards, these guys will be the number
one overall pick. Like, these guys will still be the
number one overall pick, they just don't have one.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
This is going to be a.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Draft that's more likely going to have a lot of
rotational guys, a lot of role players who come in
and fill spots on certain teams. Now, if you're in
a spot like that where you're betting on trying to
find the next what was the kid from Indiana bench Shephard?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Uh, the guy who started the rookie read Shepard? No no, no,
no no no.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
The kid from Indiana who was starting in the plostseason
after Hall and got hurt. If you're looking for those guys,
who's his last name. We shut him out of TJ McConnell. No,
I'm talking Rob Yeah. Anyway, the rookie who was starting
in the conference final. Like, if you're looking for the
next Ben Sheppard see Christmas I line your basketball anyway. No,
(08:19):
if you're looking for guys like that, then sure I
will take what seems to be the quote unquote safer risk,
which is getting a guy who is draft who's been
playing in professional leagues for so long because he's used
to the just being a pro, right, just the aspect
of what being a pro is day in day out, Right,
it's a little different than he didn't have to. Like
Alex Star didn't go to math class, right he did.
(08:42):
He wasn't on the quad, he wasn't going to house
parties his freshman year of college is going.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
You're actually saying that the international players are only role players.
Speaker 5 (08:53):
No, My point is that if all the American players
in this draft didn't seem to project his only role players,
if there was a clear cut number one overall pick,
he would be the number one overall pick from America.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
That's like, I don't believe in that.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
I don't believe that there's this big international takeover especially
when you look at the history. Now, if you want
to talk about the leagues being dominated by them at
this moment, sure, but the draft history doesn't show that
last five.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
No, But what I'm talking about is the draft. This
the last five drafts are different. But this is just
another example of an international takeover. The first example is
actually the NBA that like, are you denying that dat?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Now?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
If you want to say who are the top fifty
players in basketball? Sure, the majority of him overwhelmingly Americans.
But if you gonna say who's the best five, the majority.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Of them are international. And now we're getting beat.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
It is not now it's been happening, getting beat in
international competition by nations. It's not like we're getting beat
by a international team that has Luke and.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Jannis and Joki and all these guys.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
We're getting beat by individual nations that don't have guys.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Like the United States is in trouble for the gold medal.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I think we know. I think we're the favorites, and
we should be. I just don't think it's a lock exactly.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think, and I.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Also think this is the last time we'll be able
to big boy the world and say, oh oh, Okay, y'all,
y'all got us in fee, but we were about.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
To send the big guns over. This will be the
last time we can do that. I just don't buy it.
I don't buy what how you not buy it?
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I don't think that there's some I don't think that
there's a big international takeover in the draft. Like if
you want to talk about I'm not just talking about
the draft because the draft is only a precursor to
the NBA.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
What about the NBA.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
This is just one draft, I agree, But I'm saying
this draft in particular, there.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Is an international takeover, at least at the top.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
I think there are a handful of guys in the
international from who coming from different countries, who yes, rise
to the top.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
But until we see a level of like.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
Sixth, like consistently sixth, seventh man coming off the bench
being international players, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
So you're saying, wait, I don't get that.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
So you're saying you're saying the top six players on
the team be international.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
No, I'm saying, like, I mean, you look at.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
The conference, We're impressed by a sixth man who's international
than a superstar Internet.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
I'm pushing back on the idea that there has been
this takeover. I'm pushing back on the idea that until
you see outside of these outliers, until you see a
consistent flowing stats.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
For Zingis was essentially a sixth man in the playoffs
because he was hurt.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
What do you Because he couldn't tell you got hurt,
you would have been more impressed that he been a
sixth man than the starting starter averaging twenty points the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
No, the point want to talk about? It's no slow
about won't be an international takeoff?
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Christas Worzingi's the same guy who came over here, was
slated to be the Unicorns, supposed to take over the league,
Who's been on four separate teams and playing a toll
on what five playoff games on this title run? Six
playoff games on this title run. I'm sorry it never happened.
Where was the Unicorn? Where was he was supposed to change?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
You know what it is? He gets hurt too much?
But what do you want me to say? I don't
know what that's like.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
No, I mean that that's not about his ability. His
ability is he's a really good player when he's healthy.
He's twenty and nine when he's healthy.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Sure, everywhere he's been sure, and he's not a number
one guy, and he's not like he's a border laser.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
But you're using you.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Why are you using him as the example and not
Luca or Jokic or Embad or.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Yannis because even shen Goon because she.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
Look, I know, pick up shit, got the only shen
Goon fan in America on the national stage.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
No, I'm not saying that, I think playing.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Be sure to catch line editions of The Odd Couple
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Speaker 1 (13:52):
This is interesting, Martin Weiss's next topic and are we
going to take some time with it. Some of you
may know, some of you may not, But a woman
named Haleema Nash claims that when she was once on
the campus of Duke University that JJ Reddick called her
(14:14):
the N word.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Here's what she tweeted this morning.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
I've only been called the IN word to my face
by a white man once in my life, and it
was on the campus of Duke University while I was
doing work with the basketball team. And today he was
named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
What a world.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
She obviously is talking about JJ Reddick and JJ Reddick's camp.
Martin just within the last hour told tmz dot com.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
That there is no truth to her story.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
I read the headline reads JJ Reddick denies calling woman inWORD.
Now TMZ reached out to JJ's camp and here's what
they were told. So direct quote in the story, it reads, no,
it never happened.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
That's it. It was short and sweet. The way TMZ
described it, They said we reached out to.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Reddick's camp for a response to the claim and they
completely shut it down. Now, I did a little digging.
I did not talk to this woman, but I did
do some digging. I was, as Rob g knows, I
was trying to get her on the show because I
do want to kind of, you know, this is obviously
a huge claim and want to get her on the
show to talk about it, verify if it's true and
(15:49):
her account wasn't hacked, and things like that. From what
I understand, she does not want to do any media.
We'll see if she keeps that that going. But and
what I understand Martin, she was surprised at how this
thing kind of snowball. And the reason we didn't even
(16:10):
lead the show with it was because we just wanted
to kind of make sure this thing, you know, that
was really accurate.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Before we dealt with it.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
But now JJ Reddick's camp answers it and they deny it.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
And here's here's what I'll say to that, Martin.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I don't know if Haleema Nash will come out and
speak to it, but what I will say is that
JJ Reddick better not be lying or whoever spoke for
him better not be lying. Yeah, because if you I mean,
it'd be bad enough if you did it, and but
(16:47):
you can you know it was if it had happened.
I will say that because he's denied it. It would
have been twenty years ago something like that. You could
you know, I would you could you know, maybe survive that, right, right,
that was so long ago. Obviously he's developed good relationships
(17:08):
with African Americans now. The one thing is not like
he didn't know any African Americans that Duke, not like
he hadn't been playing with black players much of his life,
you know, as a top great high school and college player.
But I agree with you that you know it's twenty
years ago.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
If it wasn't a pattern in something, you you.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Know, your behavior at Duke and after that would have
to line up with somebody that is not racist and
somebody who was remorseful if indeed they did that, and
you could perhaps survive. The one thing that would possibly
nail him if he had done it and apologize for it, Martin,
(17:47):
would be if players just weren't feeling you because of it,
you know, and obviously you need black players and if
they weren't feeling you. How they reacted to you would
be an issue or could be an issue. But if
if it comes out and I you know, I mean, look,
you got two people making claims.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I don't know who's right or who's telling the truth, but.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
I'm just saying it better not JJ better not be
lying because if it comes out like I said, it
would have been bad enough. But then you deny it
that that very well might cost him his job if
it comes out that this was actually true. So I
(18:32):
don't know if they were one on one, if it
was people or whatever. If indeed, again he says it
didn't happen, or his people say it didn't happen, So
we will see.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
But he better not be lying. That's my main thing.
He better not be lying.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
And I think you're the point you met earlier is
why we didn't leave the show with it without him responding,
because I mean, I had seen this tweet going around.
People have sent it to my phone, and I was like, look,
we'll find out soon or later. Because the internet never
forgets right. The Internet lasts forever, especially when you look
at some of these you know, repositories and bloggers sites,
(19:10):
and especially early internet. Right, So, if in fact it
had happened, right, And I'm not saying, I'm not denying,
I'm not taking either side of it.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I'm just laying it out.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
If it did happen and he had set some level
of contrition and then said, well, look show me the
other instance in life in which this occurred, then we
could have I think a different level of conversation. I
think to you would out there with allot of it,
a lot of contingencies about players and how they feel
and so on, and how the general consensus feels about
it after the fact. If but I just maybe I'm
(19:46):
maybe I'm naive, Maybe I'm just I just have trouble
believing that one part, Like if you're the type of
person that will call somebody the end word, I have
trouble believing that it's you would only one time. I
feel like that's one of those damn breakings where it
would just continually happen, and maybe not happen all the time,
(20:07):
but happen enough to where we will hear somebody else
come out from this, right, somebody else come out and say, oh,
this also happened to me. This all like very much
like when we hear one allegation of sexual assault by somebody,
and then all of a sudden we hear multiple and
then boom boom, boo boom, and then the next day,
and then the next day and then the next day,
and now it's like, all right, well, hey, there's a
lot of smoke around this.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Maybe fire here right right, No, look, you're right, and
this is interesting.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Well, and also I think when they acknowledge that it
never happened, I think, you know, if in fact it
never did, like I probably would have just left this
to you.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Saying, well that it would have been and we don't know, Martin,
would media have jumped on this because I was surprised
it wasn't trending like you said, I received you know,
people send it to me. Well, and it wasn't trending
somewhat surprisingly because it got and I'm about to look
(21:07):
up the number now, rob G. You may have it
that it got something like ten million. When the TMZ
story came out, it was ten million views.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
It's probably more than that now, robb G.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
See if you can get a number on how many
views this is. But yeah, you're I don't know. It
may have gotten so big. It's twelve million views, so
it may have gotten so big that they would have
had to respond to it. But you you know, it's interesting.
(21:41):
Would would the route of just denying it not then
like it wasn't there have you know?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Worked? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I mean I think somebody somewhere next time he was
in front of a microphone. I would hope that somebody
would have asked him, JJ, there an allegation on Twitter,
You're not accused anym of it?
Speaker 3 (22:03):
An allegation on.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Twitter that you called this woman the N word?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Is it true? And give him an opportunity to respond? Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, somebody would have asked him that, I'm sure, but
they you know, they responded to it. And like, I mean,
that's all I can say. Mark, Now, what do you think?
Do you agree with me if he's lying? I mean,
it's bad enough if he did it. But if he's lying,
do you think he can survive that?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
No? I probably not. No, I don't think he should
can survive it.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
I think that he would have had to if, in fact,
again this happened, he would have had to have been
forthcoming in the moment as soon as this kind of
came out, like right now, he would have had to
have been forthcoming and then speak to the twenty odd
years of his life from that moment to now and show,
you know, look at my track record. This this was
(22:55):
something that happened to one off.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
It was a mistake.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
It was this was that I'm terribly sorry for all
the people defended, so on and so forth. But now
you got people screenshot and now they're old blogs like
I don't think that Boston dot com necessarily has the
same journalistic standards as CNN, you know, but there's headlines
here leaked email shows white NBA baller JJ Reddick called
(23:18):
ex groupie girlfriend a dirty N word and stupid S
word and that was public.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Now where's that? I know it's in bossip, but where
was that? Just where was the source of that information?
Speaker 5 (23:30):
So the source of it was they're saying, and again,
this article was published February eleventh, twenty fourteen, so over
ten years ago. Okay, But they are saying, we first
reported a legal document that was drawn up in two
thousand and seven by lawyers representing NBA player JJ Reddick
and his then pregnant blue model groupie Vanessa Lopez. So
(23:50):
they obviously are taking some editorial you know leeway here,
but it's saying it's reported from a legal document that
was drawn up in two thousand and seven.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
And so but my point to that is.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
We will I think we will get to the bottom
of this or if it really had, like if there
was a history of this, well, no by this time tomorrow,
because the Internet never sleeps.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Yeah, you're right about that. We're gonna throw this out
to you guys again, We're not We're not saying JJ's line.
We're not saying Helima's line.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
We don't know. You got two people.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
It's a he said, she said thing in the very
definition of that term. One of them is lying, and
like I said, if it's JJ Reddick, it's not gonna
be good.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
The News of the Day really the most exciting thing,
certainly in the second round to the Draft and Robb
G's gonna bring us up to speed. Brownie James to
the Lakers to play with his dad.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Robb G set the.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
With the fifty to fifth pick in the twenty twenty
four NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Bronnie James
from the University of Southern California.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
That's right, the shocker of all shockers in the world
of NBA. Bronnie James going fifty to fifth to the
Los Angeles Lakers. Why and if you do following the
news updates all day long like I have, then you
know that this pick is not without controversy because early
in the second round, ESPN reported that Rich Paul was
(25:43):
calling and texting gms around the league saying, if you
draft Bronni before the Lakers do, we are sending him
to Australia. You are not gonna be taking Bronnie James.
And obviously that caused the big firestorm, both on real
media and on social media. Which is interesting because three
years ago, the Lakers got Austin Reeves in the exact
(26:04):
same fashion he was falling in the draft. His agent
called people, say, hey, don't take Austin Reeves. We wanted
to be an undrafted free agent because we have a
team lined up ready to sign him. That's what happened
here with Bronnie James, only this time they took him
with the fifty fifth pick.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Well, there you have it sewn. And look, I'm gonna
say this, I'm not mad at Rich Paul. If you've
got the power, if you've got the juice, use it.
And I'm gonna be honest off the court. It has
been rare that African Americans have had this kind of juice.
(26:43):
It's nepotism for show. I mean, I don't know that
Bronnie James gets drafted if his dad isn't Lebron James.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
I don't know that the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I mean, I'm leading in no that the Lakers draft
him if his dad isn't Lebron James. But ever heard
of David Adelman, hot young name now on the coaching market,
assistant coach. Guess who his dad is Rick Adelman? Ever
heard of Michael Malone who led the Denver Nuggets to
the championship last year?
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Guess who his dad was? A longtime NBA coach, Michael
or Brendan Malone. And that's just to name a few.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Donnie Nelson Junior, remember you used to coach the Mavericks.
His dad was Donny Nelson Senior, the NBA Hall of Famer,
Like This is all throughout the NBA.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Even on the court.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
You see Giannis's brother playing with the Bucks, JR.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Smith, who was not a star.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
His brother had a cup of coffee with the Knicks
for a little while when Jr.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Was there. It happens. And as Rob g pointed out, Austin.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Reeves and his agent did it three years ago, and
Rich Paul looked. There was talk Sean that some team
might draft Bronnie and try to hold up the Lakers
and say, look, we'll give you the Bronni for two
second round picks or something like that. And I was saying,
on the first things, first look, wouldn't be wise because
(28:13):
Rich Paul's got thirty five players in the league, a
lot of them top players, and he's not the only
agent with that type of power. But you can wield.
You don't want to get on the bad side of
some of these agents. Jeff Schwartz is a powerful one,
you know, Aaron Minz, Austin Brown, Bill Duffy, So there
are some powerful agents out there.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
And he used his power in his juice to.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Really make a dream come true for lebron And I
think a dream come true for Bronni to just get
into the NBA and now it is up to Bronnie
to make the most of it.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
You know, it's interesting because it's a fascinating topic because
it's so many different dynamics. Like you brought up the
power vacuum that Rich Paul has created because not just
of the amount of players that he has, but the
caliber and how he controls destinations and where marquee guys
end up going. You talked about lebron having stated his
(29:18):
goal ultimately was to play with his son before he
left the game of basketball. I don't think it's any
of those things, Chris. I think it's just envy, jealousy,
and hate. Like people are up in arms. Who did
Bronny go in front of that? People are so mad about, Like, no,
who in the second round was such a great player
that even if Bronnie would have went first pick of
(29:38):
the second round. The NBA drafts unknown talent every year.
I remember the lottery yesterday. I'm listening to it and
it seemed almost every player, the dialogue and evaluation was
the same. Probably someone that's not going to contribute immediately,
come off the bench, maybe a G league developed might mean,
come on, that's what the NBA has turned into people
(29:58):
just want to you either love or hate Lebron, but
they have a strong opinion either way. I'm happy that
Brianni got a chance to realize his dream of being drafted.
I'm glad it's with his dad, and I think Brianni's
gonna be a damn good player.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
I'm in a group two. What do you mean damn
good player? What does that mean?
Speaker 8 (30:15):
I would take Brinnie right now one on one versus
Gabe Vincent, who the Lakers signed last year in free
agency to a three year, thirty three million dollar deal.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
It's not like what it's about. I don't care who
the best one on one player.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
You you think right now Bronnie James is better than
Gave Vincent.
Speaker 8 (30:33):
I take Brinnie right now. I think bne' I think
Brinnie's a good player.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Christ can't say he's not a good player to say, right,
I don't know what evidence other than his jeans that
you have and I get.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
I will give him grace on his first year rookie.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
You know, freshman year at USC where he averaged less
than five points a game shot I believe below.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Forty percent from the floor.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
I'll give him grace on that because we all know
he went through you know, the cardiac or the help.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
I definitely think that had an impact.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
But still, yeah, he shot thirty six percent from the floor,
twenty six percent from three. I there's no way right
now I would say he's better than a Gabe Vincent.
Now I pick I picked Gabe. I pick I picked
Gay because heightwise they're similar. It's hard to put him
up against something. You mean, if he does have one
deficiency that he probably can't over overcome, it's his hype.
(31:31):
But I mean, look how you shot the ball at
the NBA combine. I think he has handled. I think
he has elite athleticism for a guy's side. I think
the one thing that Bronnie has not developed, and it's
interesting because I think it's what held his dad back.
I don't think he's really turned into a true alpha dog.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
Yet, Hey give me the ball, I'm gonna take shots.
I'm gonna score, which really mimics lebron in a lot
of ways. So I think Bronnie tried so hard to
fit in and be liked it. He really hadn't developed it.
But I think is there, it'll come out. I'm gonna
be on the other side of this, I think the
body is gonna develop into a pretty good player, like
an All Star caliber player, maybe fringe. Only reason I
(32:09):
say French is because there's some dynamic guards in front
of him. When you talk All Star team that he'd
have to beat out in the West. So I mean,
I don't know what that looks like. As far as
making an Allso team. He's gonna be a solid I think,
if not starter, first off the bench kind of guy.
It's gonna play defense, give you a good minutes, stay
out of trouble, be good for your locker room, you know.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Teen nineteen, there was an article by Tom Haberstrow, who
we had on the show last week. I worked with
him at the Old Network, Great Reporter, and he talked
about how the Sun's legacies right the Seth Curry. We're
not even talking about Steph and Dell Curry because Steph
obviously was just ultra talented, but Seth Curry who had
(32:51):
to really fight to get in the league. For other
yeah Sons Jalen Brunson, whose dad Rick was a journeyman
in the NBA, as.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Hard as the Yes, the Well.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
The story was that the legacies the kids of NBA players,
they outperform their draft slot. So in this case, Brownie's
drafted fifty fifth, he will be better than the fifty
fifth pick in a draft typically is. And it was
(33:25):
about thirty percent of the time that that happens, but
that was higher than most other situations for players that
aren't legacy. So look, I think he will be a
solid rotation player at some point.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
I don't know how soon he's not. I think he's
a very good athlete.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I don't think he's a freak athlete, which is kind
of what you need to be at that size, maybe
six twoish, because he's not a like I kind of
feel like, I mean, I want to see him be
a true point. I agree, you know, like he's got
I don't know, I'm saying he has it to the
level of his dad. The court vision and the intelligence
and the cerebra. I mean, I remember first time I
(34:06):
saw him playing high school and he was just a
freshman coming off the bench. But I said, man, you
can see he sees the game somewhat like his dad.
He's certainly seeing it on the level that the rest
of these guys, and some of them were high schooled
Americans who were older than him aren't seeing it. So
(34:27):
I kind of would like to see him as a
point guard. That obviously is his size. I think to
be a two at that side, you kind of gotta
be freakish or maybe just a phenomenal shooter, which he's
not at this point.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
But I do think he can.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Be a hard nosed defender who gets after it and
can hit the three relatively well. And that, at least
initially Sean is going to be how he gets on
the court. And then once he solidifies himself as a
rotation player, then you could start adding to other things
(35:02):
to your game that might take you beyond that.
Speaker 8 (35:05):
How much credis do you put into his ability to
shoot the basketball at the NBA Combine because he shot
it at an elite not.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
A ton I mean, it's fine, but you know, I'm
put more credence in his performance throughout the season. And again,
give him some grace because i know he was in
a tough situation, but I'm not gonna just I mean
it was he shot it tremendously without you know, in the.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Drills, And let me ask you a question. There's a
difference there.
Speaker 8 (35:34):
Sometimes we say things and I have to go and
double check what I say to make sure that you
know the data backs up my opinion. People talking about
having to be such an elite athlete at Brownie's height.
I mean, Peyton Pritchard is contributing for the Celtics. They
just won the World championship. He's not an elite athlete.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
He didn't shoot it yet. TJ.
Speaker 8 (35:53):
McConnell. He's not an elite athlete. He can't shoot it off.
But Mike six foot.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
But here's the thing, Mike Conley was a point guard.
That's why I'm saying you don't have to be a
super elite athlete at six two to play point. I
don't think Kyrie Irving is like a super elite athlete.
When I say super elite, I'm talking about playing being
six one sixty two and essentially being.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
A two guard.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Alan Iverson he was freakish athletically, That's why he could
do it. Yeah, can he be a Peyton Pritcher, I
think one day, sure, But.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Player, Yeah, I mean pick in the draft they say, yeah, well.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
We we think he'll overperform the fifty fifth pick. But
I mean, if your bar is Peyton Pritchard, TJ. McConnell. Yeah, okay,
a backup point guard. I mean that's what you could be.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
That, but you you said it like. That's why I
had to see what you're talking about, because you said
special or very good, like.
Speaker 8 (36:58):
I think it's going to be better than those guys.
I used those guys for examples because I think BROWNI
is a better athlete than all three guys ID named
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusha and Ron Harker.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
On this show a lot, Rob and I have talked
about how the NBA is being taken over by international players.
The last six MVPs have been international. Four of the
(00:51):
five players on the first team All NBA were international,
and it likely, I think, almost certainly would have been
all five had Joe Lnb not gotten hurt.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Uh, he would have replaced Jason Tatum.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
And the best player in the NBA Finals was an
international player.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I'm talking about Luka Doncic, of course.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
And then today and I knew this, uh, But now
as the NBA Draft is coming closer, Martin, it'll be
here on Wednesday, and and this year I think you
may know, you know, they're going to two days, So
I guess they're trying to copy football and and I
have something to say about that. But the first round
(01:34):
is on Wednesday, second round is on Thursday. Well, and
and we're gonna get into that further detail.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
But round right.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
I was looking at so hoopshype dot com, which is
a great basketball website NBA in particular, they did a
and they've been doing this, but they kind of put
together they come piled all the mock drafts, or most
of them, the significant ones out there. Uh the there
(02:07):
were eleven of them, ESPN, The Athletic Bleacher Report, The Ringer, Yahoo,
CBS Sports Illustrated, SB Nation, and a few more USA Today,
et cetera. And in looking at these eleven draft mock drafts,
they put together their own mock draft based on all
(02:28):
of those. Okay, and the first two players and I'm
I may destroy their names, but Zakari ris the car.
It's not risk the car because I've watched highlights of
him and it's k yeah something like that.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Yeah, but you hear when the highlights.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
A lot of them are international announcers, so they're saying
it with an accent and all that. So Zakari uh,
and then Alex Saar is second. So the first two
are international players.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Three of the top five.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Are international players and five of the top ten are
international players.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
And so Martin, I want to ask you.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
One is you what are your thoughts on kind of
what we're seeing as maybe an international takeover of the league.
But secondly, this could hurt, like ironically, as the NBA
is going and let's stay here for a second, as
the NBA is going to a two day draft, and
(03:43):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
With you, the second round is a snooze fest.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Why because most people don't know who's who the players
are drafted in the second round.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
But I got news for you.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Most Americans aren't going to know who even the top
players are.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Now, there are some college players in.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
There that they'll know, but even the top players because
they're from international you know, nations.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Now I'm wondering, Martin.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Is this going to turn the entire draft, even the
first ten picks the lottery, which usually is the highlight.
Is it gonna turn that into a snooze fest? It's
gonna be Alex Saar and everybody.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Okay, who's this And so what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Well, first of all, my first initial thought is I
wish the draft would It's it's a business meeting that
could have been an email. Quite honestly, I don't see
that the value of watching the NBA Draft or the
NFL Draft honestly for that matter, on television at this point.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
To me, they're huge.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
I mean I get it if I was, and if
I was, you know, if I was, you know, a
Pistons fan, for example, a team that has been you know,
lot in mediocrity or if not worse for the last
few years, hell yeah, I'd be locked into the draft
because they're.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Down to five that which just sad they had the
worst record in the league.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Even still, I mean even still, you know, who knows,
because maybe maybe I'm drafting the next Jason Tatum or
Jalen Brown at five, right the next guy who could
be that be that spot could.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Either one of those guys or number one Bo.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Bousellis is who they're supposed to be picking according to
hoopsyche Although I will say this, I watched the highlights
of these guys, and I got to be honest, these
Internet they balling, well, they are balling, and you know
the Internet. They're playing in these pro leagues overseas and
(05:44):
and and some of them played in the G League too,
but they're playing and Bussellis is one that played in
the G League, but they're playing against competition that, to
be honest, is better than Division one basketball.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
And these dudes are balling now. I'm seeing the high lights,
I'll admit that. But the moves, the handle, the jump shot,
the three point shooting. I gotta be honest, they look
pretty good. And I know this is a weak draft,
but I'm just saying that.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
If you're looking at if you're only looking at the highlights,
that's sure. But that's what all we had of Luca,
and that's what people were saying.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Is you know, you see the highlights. Of course he
looked good. Yeah, well it's translated.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Okay, but that's one of them. That's one situation and
I'm sure like it.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Translated all right, but you can if you can now
Jannis and Jokish word.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Chris it Low developed.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
The point is, if you can name them off in
the list, they're outliers, right, because they're not outliers, Yes
they are not.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
The international dudes are coming over balling. Is that not
you shitt goon? I mean, how many more do we
have to see? The Wagners now they played, you know
they plays.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Are international players.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
I'm just saying, yeah, who played in the ohso weak
Division one college basketball that you keep pooh pooing.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
It is week It's not weak Division one basketball. The
best players College a's players ain't the NBA.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
But the fact that the matter is, if there was
a Zion Williamson in this draft, or Apollo Bancaro in
this draft, or hell even a Chet Holmgren or uh
Scottie Barnes Anthony Edwards, these guys will be the number
one overall pick. Like, these guys will still be the
number one overall pick, they just don't have one.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
This is going to be a.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Draft that's more likely going to have a lot of
rotational guys, a lot of role players who come in
and fill spots on certain teams. Now, if you're in
a spot like that where you're betting on trying to
find the next what was the kid from Indiana bench Shephard?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Uh, the guy who started the rookie read Shepard? No no, no,
no no no.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
The kid from Indiana who was starting in the plostseason
after Hall and got hurt. If you're looking for those guys,
who's his last name. We shut him out of TJ McConnell. No,
I'm talking Rob Yeah. Anyway, the rookie who was starting
in the conference final. Like, if you're looking for the
next Ben Sheppard see Christmas I line your basketball anyway. No,
(08:19):
if you're looking for guys like that, then sure I
will take what seems to be the quote unquote safer risk,
which is getting a guy who is draft who's been
playing in professional leagues for so long because he's used
to the just being a pro, right, just the aspect
of what being a pro is day in day out, Right,
it's a little different than he didn't have to. Like
Alex Star didn't go to math class, right he did.
(08:42):
He wasn't on the quad, he wasn't going to house
parties his freshman year of college is going.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
You're actually saying that the international players are only role players.
Speaker 5 (08:53):
No, My point is that if all the American players
in this draft didn't seem to project his only role players,
if there was a clear cut number one overall pick,
he would be the number one overall pick from America.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
That's like, I don't believe in that.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
I don't believe that there's this big international takeover especially
when you look at the history. Now, if you want
to talk about the leagues being dominated by them at
this moment, sure, but the draft history doesn't show that
last five.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
No, But what I'm talking about is the draft. This
the last five drafts are different. But this is just
another example of an international takeover. The first example is
actually the NBA that like, are you denying that dat?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Now?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
If you want to say who are the top fifty
players in basketball? Sure, the majority of him overwhelmingly Americans.
But if you gonna say who's the best five, the majority.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Of them are international. And now we're getting beat.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
It is not now it's been happening, getting beat in
international competition by nations. It's not like we're getting beat
by a international team that has Luke and.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Jannis and Joki and all these guys.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
We're getting beat by individual nations that don't have guys.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Like the United States is in trouble for the gold medal.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I think we know. I think we're the favorites, and
we should be. I just don't think it's a lock exactly.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think, and I.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Also think this is the last time we'll be able
to big boy the world and say, oh oh, Okay, y'all,
y'all got us in fee, but we were about.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
To send the big guns over. This will be the
last time we can do that. I just don't buy it.
I don't buy what how you not buy it?
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I don't think that there's some I don't think that
there's a big international takeover in the draft. Like if
you want to talk about I'm not just talking about
the draft because the draft is only a precursor to
the NBA.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
What about the NBA.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
This is just one draft, I agree, But I'm saying
this draft in particular, there.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Is an international takeover, at least at the top.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
I think there are a handful of guys in the
international from who coming from different countries, who yes, rise
to the top.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
But until we see a level of like.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
Sixth, like consistently sixth, seventh man coming off the bench
being international players, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
So you're saying, wait, I don't get that.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
So you're saying you're saying the top six players on
the team be international.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
No, I'm saying, like, I mean, you look at.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
The conference, We're impressed by a sixth man who's international
than a superstar Internet.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
I'm pushing back on the idea that there has been
this takeover. I'm pushing back on the idea that until
you see outside of these outliers, until you see a
consistent flowing stats.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
For Zingis was essentially a sixth man in the playoffs
because he was hurt.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
What do you Because he couldn't tell you got hurt,
you would have been more impressed that he been a
sixth man than the starting starter averaging twenty points the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
No, the point want to talk about? It's no slow
about won't be an international takeoff?
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Christas Worzingi's the same guy who came over here, was
slated to be the Unicorns, supposed to take over the league,
Who's been on four separate teams and playing a toll
on what five playoff games on this title run? Six
playoff games on this title run. I'm sorry it never happened.
Where was the Unicorn? Where was he was supposed to change?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
You know what it is? He gets hurt too much?
But what do you want me to say? I don't
know what that's like.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
No, I mean that that's not about his ability. His
ability is he's a really good player when he's healthy.
He's twenty and nine when he's healthy.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Sure, everywhere he's been sure, and he's not a number
one guy, and he's not like he's a border laser.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
But you're using you.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Why are you using him as the example and not
Luca or Jokic or Embad or.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Yannis because even shen Goon because she.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
Look, I know, pick up shit, got the only shen
Goon fan in America on the national stage.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
No, I'm not saying that, I think playing.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Be sure to catch line editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Hey what's up everybody?
Speaker 6 (13:11):
It's me three time pro bowler LeVar Arrington, and I
couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up
on Game?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
What is Up on Game?
Speaker 6 (13:20):
You asked, along with my fellow pro bowler TJ. Hutschman,
Zada and Super Bowl champion Yup. That's right, Plexico Burus.
You can only name a show with that type of
talent on it.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Up on Game.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded
with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me
LeVar Arrington, TJ. Huschman Zada, and Plexico Burrs on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast from.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
This is interesting, Martin Weiss's next topic and are we
going to take some time with it. Some of you
may know, some of you may not, But a woman
named Haleema Nash claims that when she was once on
the campus of Duke University that JJ Reddick called her
(14:14):
the N word.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Here's what she tweeted this morning.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
I've only been called the IN word to my face
by a white man once in my life, and it
was on the campus of Duke University while I was
doing work with the basketball team. And today he was
named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
What a world.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
She obviously is talking about JJ Reddick and JJ Reddick's camp.
Martin just within the last hour told tmz dot com.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
That there is no truth to her story.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
I read the headline reads JJ Reddick denies calling woman inWORD.
Now TMZ reached out to JJ's camp and here's what
they were told. So direct quote in the story, it reads, no,
it never happened.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
That's it. It was short and sweet. The way TMZ
described it, They said we reached out to.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Reddick's camp for a response to the claim and they
completely shut it down. Now, I did a little digging.
I did not talk to this woman, but I did
do some digging. I was, as Rob g knows, I
was trying to get her on the show because I
do want to kind of, you know, this is obviously
a huge claim and want to get her on the
show to talk about it, verify if it's true and
(15:49):
her account wasn't hacked, and things like that. From what
I understand, she does not want to do any media.
We'll see if she keeps that that going. But and
what I understand Martin, she was surprised at how this
thing kind of snowball. And the reason we didn't even
(16:10):
lead the show with it was because we just wanted
to kind of make sure this thing, you know, that
was really accurate.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Before we dealt with it.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
But now JJ Reddick's camp answers it and they deny it.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
And here's here's what I'll say to that, Martin.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I don't know if Haleema Nash will come out and
speak to it, but what I will say is that
JJ Reddick better not be lying or whoever spoke for
him better not be lying. Yeah, because if you I mean,
it'd be bad enough if you did it, and but
(16:47):
you can you know it was if it had happened.
I will say that because he's denied it. It would
have been twenty years ago something like that. You could
you know, I would you could you know, maybe survive that, right, right,
that was so long ago. Obviously he's developed good relationships
(17:08):
with African Americans now. The one thing is not like
he didn't know any African Americans that Duke, not like
he hadn't been playing with black players much of his life,
you know, as a top great high school and college player.
But I agree with you that you know it's twenty
years ago.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
If it wasn't a pattern in something, you you.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Know, your behavior at Duke and after that would have
to line up with somebody that is not racist and
somebody who was remorseful if indeed they did that, and
you could perhaps survive. The one thing that would possibly
nail him if he had done it and apologize for it, Martin,
(17:47):
would be if players just weren't feeling you because of it,
you know, and obviously you need black players and if
they weren't feeling you. How they reacted to you would
be an issue or could be an issue. But if
if it comes out and I you know, I mean, look,
you got two people making claims.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I don't know who's right or who's telling the truth, but.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
I'm just saying it better not JJ better not be
lying because if it comes out like I said, it
would have been bad enough. But then you deny it
that that very well might cost him his job if
it comes out that this was actually true. So I
(18:32):
don't know if they were one on one, if it
was people or whatever. If indeed, again he says it
didn't happen, or his people say it didn't happen, So
we will see.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
But he better not be lying. That's my main thing.
He better not be lying.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
And I think you're the point you met earlier is
why we didn't leave the show with it without him responding,
because I mean, I had seen this tweet going around.
People have sent it to my phone, and I was like, look,
we'll find out soon or later. Because the internet never
forgets right. The Internet lasts forever, especially when you look
at some of these you know, repositories and bloggers sites,
(19:10):
and especially early internet. Right, So, if in fact it
had happened, right, And I'm not saying, I'm not denying,
I'm not taking either side of it.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I'm just laying it out.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
If it did happen and he had set some level
of contrition and then said, well, look show me the
other instance in life in which this occurred, then we
could have I think a different level of conversation. I
think to you would out there with allot of it,
a lot of contingencies about players and how they feel
and so on, and how the general consensus feels about
it after the fact. If but I just maybe I'm
(19:46):
maybe I'm naive, Maybe I'm just I just have trouble
believing that one part, Like if you're the type of
person that will call somebody the end word, I have
trouble believing that it's you would only one time. I
feel like that's one of those damn breakings where it
would just continually happen, and maybe not happen all the time,
(20:07):
but happen enough to where we will hear somebody else
come out from this, right, somebody else come out and say, oh,
this also happened to me. This all like very much
like when we hear one allegation of sexual assault by somebody,
and then all of a sudden we hear multiple and
then boom boom, boo boom, and then the next day,
and then the next day and then the next day,
and now it's like, all right, well, hey, there's a
lot of smoke around this.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Maybe fire here right right, No, look, you're right, and
this is interesting.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Well, and also I think when they acknowledge that it
never happened, I think, you know, if in fact it
never did, like I probably would have just left this
to you.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Saying, well that it would have been and we don't know, Martin,
would media have jumped on this because I was surprised
it wasn't trending like you said, I received you know,
people send it to me. Well, and it wasn't trending
somewhat surprisingly because it got and I'm about to look
(21:07):
up the number now, rob G. You may have it
that it got something like ten million. When the TMZ
story came out, it was ten million views.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
It's probably more than that now, robb G.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
See if you can get a number on how many
views this is. But yeah, you're I don't know. It
may have gotten so big. It's twelve million views, so
it may have gotten so big that they would have
had to respond to it. But you you know, it's interesting.
(21:41):
Would would the route of just denying it not then
like it wasn't there have you know?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Worked? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I mean I think somebody somewhere next time he was
in front of a microphone. I would hope that somebody
would have asked him, JJ, there an allegation on Twitter,
You're not accused anym of it?
Speaker 3 (22:03):
An allegation on.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Twitter that you called this woman the N word?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Is it true? And give him an opportunity to respond? Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, somebody would have asked him that, I'm sure, but
they you know, they responded to it. And like, I mean,
that's all I can say. Mark, Now, what do you think?
Do you agree with me if he's lying? I mean,
it's bad enough if he did it. But if he's lying,
do you think he can survive that?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
No? I probably not. No, I don't think he should
can survive it.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
I think that he would have had to if, in fact,
again this happened, he would have had to have been
forthcoming in the moment as soon as this kind of
came out, like right now, he would have had to
have been forthcoming and then speak to the twenty odd
years of his life from that moment to now and show,
you know, look at my track record. This this was
(22:55):
something that happened to one off.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
It was a mistake.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
It was this was that I'm terribly sorry for all
the people defended, so on and so forth. But now
you got people screenshot and now they're old blogs like
I don't think that Boston dot com necessarily has the
same journalistic standards as CNN, you know, but there's headlines
here leaked email shows white NBA baller JJ Reddick called
(23:18):
ex groupie girlfriend a dirty N word and stupid S
word and that was public.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Now where's that? I know it's in bossip, but where
was that? Just where was the source of that information?
Speaker 5 (23:30):
So the source of it was they're saying, and again,
this article was published February eleventh, twenty fourteen, so over
ten years ago. Okay, But they are saying, we first
reported a legal document that was drawn up in two
thousand and seven by lawyers representing NBA player JJ Reddick
and his then pregnant blue model groupie Vanessa Lopez. So
(23:50):
they obviously are taking some editorial you know leeway here,
but it's saying it's reported from a legal document that
was drawn up in two thousand and seven.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
And so but my point to that is.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
We will I think we will get to the bottom
of this or if it really had, like if there
was a history of this, well, no by this time tomorrow,
because the Internet never sleeps.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Yeah, you're right about that. We're gonna throw this out
to you guys again, We're not We're not saying JJ's line.
We're not saying Helima's line.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
We don't know. You got two people.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
It's a he said, she said thing in the very
definition of that term. One of them is lying, and
like I said, if it's JJ Reddick, it's not gonna
be good.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
The News of the Day really the most exciting thing,
certainly in the second round to the Draft and Robb
G's gonna bring us up to speed. Brownie James to
the Lakers to play with his dad.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Robb G set the.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
With the fifty to fifth pick in the twenty twenty
four NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Bronnie James
from the University of Southern California.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
That's right, the shocker of all shockers in the world
of NBA. Bronnie James going fifty to fifth to the
Los Angeles Lakers. Why and if you do following the
news updates all day long like I have, then you
know that this pick is not without controversy because early
in the second round, ESPN reported that Rich Paul was
(25:43):
calling and texting gms around the league saying, if you
draft Bronni before the Lakers do, we are sending him
to Australia. You are not gonna be taking Bronnie James.
And obviously that caused the big firestorm, both on real
media and on social media. Which is interesting because three
years ago, the Lakers got Austin Reeves in the exact
(26:04):
same fashion he was falling in the draft. His agent
called people, say, hey, don't take Austin Reeves. We wanted
to be an undrafted free agent because we have a
team lined up ready to sign him. That's what happened
here with Bronnie James, only this time they took him
with the fifty fifth pick.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Well, there you have it sewn. And look, I'm gonna
say this, I'm not mad at Rich Paul. If you've
got the power, if you've got the juice, use it.
And I'm gonna be honest off the court. It has
been rare that African Americans have had this kind of juice.
(26:43):
It's nepotism for show. I mean, I don't know that
Bronnie James gets drafted if his dad isn't Lebron James.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
I don't know that the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I mean, I'm leading in no that the Lakers draft
him if his dad isn't Lebron James. But ever heard
of David Adelman, hot young name now on the coaching market,
assistant coach. Guess who his dad is Rick Adelman? Ever
heard of Michael Malone who led the Denver Nuggets to
the championship last year?
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Guess who his dad was? A longtime NBA coach, Michael
or Brendan Malone. And that's just to name a few.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Donnie Nelson Junior, remember you used to coach the Mavericks.
His dad was Donny Nelson Senior, the NBA Hall of Famer,
Like This is all throughout the NBA.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Even on the court.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
You see Giannis's brother playing with the Bucks, JR.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Smith, who was not a star.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
His brother had a cup of coffee with the Knicks
for a little while when Jr.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Was there. It happens. And as Rob g pointed out, Austin.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Reeves and his agent did it three years ago, and
Rich Paul looked. There was talk Sean that some team
might draft Bronnie and try to hold up the Lakers
and say, look, we'll give you the Bronni for two
second round picks or something like that. And I was saying,
on the first things, first look, wouldn't be wise because
(28:13):
Rich Paul's got thirty five players in the league, a
lot of them top players, and he's not the only
agent with that type of power. But you can wield.
You don't want to get on the bad side of
some of these agents. Jeff Schwartz is a powerful one,
you know, Aaron Minz, Austin Brown, Bill Duffy, So there
are some powerful agents out there.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
And he used his power in his juice to.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Really make a dream come true for lebron And I
think a dream come true for Bronni to just get
into the NBA and now it is up to Bronnie
to make the most of it.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
You know, it's interesting because it's a fascinating topic because
it's so many different dynamics. Like you brought up the
power vacuum that Rich Paul has created because not just
of the amount of players that he has, but the
caliber and how he controls destinations and where marquee guys
end up going. You talked about lebron having stated his
(29:18):
goal ultimately was to play with his son before he
left the game of basketball. I don't think it's any
of those things, Chris. I think it's just envy, jealousy,
and hate. Like people are up in arms. Who did
Bronny go in front of that? People are so mad about, Like, no,
who in the second round was such a great player
that even if Bronnie would have went first pick of
(29:38):
the second round. The NBA drafts unknown talent every year.
I remember the lottery yesterday. I'm listening to it and
it seemed almost every player, the dialogue and evaluation was
the same. Probably someone that's not going to contribute immediately,
come off the bench, maybe a G league developed might mean,
come on, that's what the NBA has turned into people
(29:58):
just want to you either love or hate Lebron, but
they have a strong opinion either way. I'm happy that
Brianni got a chance to realize his dream of being drafted.
I'm glad it's with his dad, and I think Brianni's
gonna be a damn good player.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
I'm in a group two. What do you mean damn
good player? What does that mean?
Speaker 8 (30:15):
I would take Brinnie right now one on one versus
Gabe Vincent, who the Lakers signed last year in free
agency to a three year, thirty three million dollar deal.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
It's not like what it's about. I don't care who
the best one on one player.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
You you think right now Bronnie James is better than
Gave Vincent.
Speaker 8 (30:33):
I take Brinnie right now. I think bne' I think
Brinnie's a good player.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Christ can't say he's not a good player to say, right,
I don't know what evidence other than his jeans that
you have and I get.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
I will give him grace on his first year rookie.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
You know, freshman year at USC where he averaged less
than five points a game shot I believe below.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Forty percent from the floor.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
I'll give him grace on that because we all know
he went through you know, the cardiac or the help.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
I definitely think that had an impact.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
But still, yeah, he shot thirty six percent from the floor,
twenty six percent from three. I there's no way right
now I would say he's better than a Gabe Vincent.
Now I pick I picked Gabe. I pick I picked
Gay because heightwise they're similar. It's hard to put him
up against something. You mean, if he does have one
deficiency that he probably can't over overcome, it's his hype.
(31:31):
But I mean, look how you shot the ball at
the NBA combine. I think he has handled. I think
he has elite athleticism for a guy's side. I think
the one thing that Bronnie has not developed, and it's
interesting because I think it's what held his dad back.
I don't think he's really turned into a true alpha dog.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
Yet, Hey give me the ball, I'm gonna take shots.
I'm gonna score, which really mimics lebron in a lot
of ways. So I think Bronnie tried so hard to
fit in and be liked it. He really hadn't developed it.
But I think is there, it'll come out. I'm gonna
be on the other side of this, I think the
body is gonna develop into a pretty good player, like
an All Star caliber player, maybe fringe. Only reason I
(32:09):
say French is because there's some dynamic guards in front
of him. When you talk All Star team that he'd
have to beat out in the West. So I mean,
I don't know what that looks like. As far as
making an Allso team. He's gonna be a solid I think,
if not starter, first off the bench kind of guy.
It's gonna play defense, give you a good minutes, stay
out of trouble, be good for your locker room, you know.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Teen nineteen, there was an article by Tom Haberstrow, who
we had on the show last week. I worked with
him at the Old Network, Great Reporter, and he talked
about how the Sun's legacies right the Seth Curry. We're
not even talking about Steph and Dell Curry because Steph
obviously was just ultra talented, but Seth Curry who had
(32:51):
to really fight to get in the league. For other
yeah Sons Jalen Brunson, whose dad Rick was a journeyman
in the NBA, as.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Hard as the Yes, the Well.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
The story was that the legacies the kids of NBA players,
they outperform their draft slot. So in this case, Brownie's
drafted fifty fifth, he will be better than the fifty
fifth pick in a draft typically is. And it was
(33:25):
about thirty percent of the time that that happens, but
that was higher than most other situations for players that
aren't legacy. So look, I think he will be a
solid rotation player at some point.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
I don't know how soon he's not. I think he's
a very good athlete.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I don't think he's a freak athlete, which is kind
of what you need to be at that size, maybe
six twoish, because he's not a like I kind of
feel like, I mean, I want to see him be
a true point. I agree, you know, like he's got
I don't know, I'm saying he has it to the
level of his dad. The court vision and the intelligence
and the cerebra. I mean, I remember first time I
(34:06):
saw him playing high school and he was just a
freshman coming off the bench. But I said, man, you
can see he sees the game somewhat like his dad.
He's certainly seeing it on the level that the rest
of these guys, and some of them were high schooled
Americans who were older than him aren't seeing it. So
(34:27):
I kind of would like to see him as a
point guard. That obviously is his size. I think to
be a two at that side, you kind of gotta
be freakish or maybe just a phenomenal shooter, which he's
not at this point.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
But I do think he can.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Be a hard nosed defender who gets after it and
can hit the three relatively well. And that, at least
initially Sean is going to be how he gets on
the court. And then once he solidifies himself as a
rotation player, then you could start adding to other things
(35:02):
to your game that might take you beyond that.
Speaker 8 (35:05):
How much credis do you put into his ability to
shoot the basketball at the NBA Combine because he shot
it at an elite not.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
A ton I mean, it's fine, but you know, I'm
put more credence in his performance throughout the season. And again,
give him some grace because i know he was in
a tough situation, but I'm not gonna just I mean
it was he shot it tremendously without you know, in the.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Drills, And let me ask you a question. There's a
difference there.
Speaker 8 (35:34):
Sometimes we say things and I have to go and
double check what I say to make sure that you
know the data backs up my opinion. People talking about
having to be such an elite athlete at Brownie's height.
I mean, Peyton Pritchard is contributing for the Celtics. They
just won the World championship. He's not an elite athlete.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
He didn't shoot it yet. TJ.
Speaker 8 (35:53):
McConnell. He's not an elite athlete. He can't shoot it off.
But Mike six foot.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
But here's the thing, Mike Conley was a point guard.
That's why I'm saying you don't have to be a
super elite athlete at six two to play point. I
don't think Kyrie Irving is like a super elite athlete.
When I say super elite, I'm talking about playing being
six one sixty two and essentially being.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
A two guard.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Alan Iverson he was freakish athletically, That's why he could
do it. Yeah, can he be a Peyton Pritcher, I
think one day, sure, But.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Player, Yeah, I mean pick in the draft they say, yeah, well.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
We we think he'll overperform the fifty fifth pick. But
I mean, if your bar is Peyton Pritchard, TJ. McConnell. Yeah, okay,
a backup point guard. I mean that's what you could be.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
That, but you you said it like. That's why I
had to see what you're talking about, because you said
special or very good, like.
Speaker 8 (36:58):
I think it's going to be better than those guys.
I used those guys for examples because I think BROWNI
is a better athlete than all three guys ID named
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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