June 26, 2025 • 37 mins
Former NBA veteran Olden Polynice is in for Rob, and he and Kelvin tell us if Cooper Flagg's good-at-everything-but-great-at-nothing style will translate to the next level, explain why it's so hard to project college players to the NBA, and tell us if the Houston Rockets are now the biggest threats to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. Plus, former NBA scout and Babcock Hoops NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock swings by to discuss Flagg's long-term future, the inexact science that is the NBA Draft, and much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from four to
seven pm Pacific seven to ten pm Eastern on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
Let's get this, Putties, you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
That is right in for brother. It is the Odd
Coober kelvin Washington. Thoseen polonies, as you heard, who is
in for Rob.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Rob is on his extended dak traveling across America and
letting us all know old and as you know, he's
gonna send us the pictures everywhere he goes.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
He does.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
You talk about somebody who is gonna give you the
details of everything that.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Stuff from forty years ago. I don't need to see
all that.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
You're gonna tell them about the group chat Alex and Roger.
Trust me, we get it every day. Hey guys, I
just found this you just randomly. I was cleaning out.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
We get young eminem Oh, we get we get refrigerator
pictures with literally wow, nothing in refrigerator And I'm not
you know how people exaggerated but they got spread, they
got some jam, they got no I mean nothing in
the refrigerator.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
And he pays for cold air and doesn't use it.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
He is paying for cold air in his refrigerator either way.
He's alious and enjoyed. VAKA love you, Rob. Hopefully you're
having a great time again. It is the odd couple,
and we have a really, really great show. Obviously, we
have the draft coming up in about an hour or so,
so a lot too when it comes to that's glad
to have you here, Olden, because that fits perfectly. We
can talk about some of the stuff that's gonna be happening.
We got Matt Babcock, former NBA scout, NBA draft analysts
(01:41):
and to join us here in a little bit as well.
We have Eddie House guess about an hour hour and
a half or so will have him. And then we
shot Phillips Yoda, owner of Prestige Management Group, author of
basketball and he played at you with d so looking
forward to hearing all of them as well.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Let's welcome to they couple. Couldn't do the show without him.
Rob G producer extraordinaire, looking slim. What was that sound?
Speaker 6 (02:05):
This?
Speaker 1 (02:05):
He's the goat it's the goats, the goat, Okay, don't
know that he is the goat of producers. We got
Alex on the ones and choos over there.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
What was that one.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
For, I'm your horsehold in chill listen, joon't asking where
he is on Mondays Olden, he never hear becomes sons
are out, buns is out.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
We'll leave that alone right there.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Mantello is gonna be getting you your updates as well.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Olden obviously didn't call it the Cooper Flag Day because
we all know what's gonna happen with that number one pick,
and then the rest it gets a little tricky. We
don't know what's gonna happen there. Things can move, guys
can get traded, and it seems like the Celtics might
mess around and do something the way this is going
right now. But interesting couple of conversations around Cooper Flag.
A lot of people say he is a chewing number
(02:50):
one pick, can't miss. He's gonna be a Hall of Famer,
He's that type of guy. Others say, man a few
All Star Games? What is he gonna be? Carmelo Anthony
on his podcast seven PM and Brooklyn had something to
say a few weeks back about Cooper Flagg. I thought
was interesting. I want you to hear this to me.
He doesn't do anything great. He just do a lot
of very good.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
He offensive rebound very good. He in the passing lanes
very good. He's a weak side defender, very good on
ball defender. He got a lot better. I want to
see him against you. I want to see him against Kad.
I want to see him against Luca. I want to
see him against Ann Edwards because you coming in as
that guy. If he gotta develop the right way, he
got to get a skill set. You can't be in
(03:34):
the pros and don't have a skill set. So you
have to have a skill set, like your skill set
have to be something the wonder pull up, like something
float like. You have to have something that's your go
to right now. He don't have a go to, which
is why when they put all of those games at
the end of the game in five seconds and a
lesson the ball is in your hands, you offer in
those situations because you don't have a go to, you
(03:55):
thinking about a million things to do instead of just
I know I'm.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Getting to this spot. And if you defended more powerwich
a lot to impact there. Old and I want to
start with this one.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
If you tell me the guy you named about five
things in a row and said he's very good, I'm
okay with that. Considering he's eighteen years old, he's not
twenty five, then I will have concerns. By now you
don't have something that you're really that okay, I'm concerned.
And by your twenty four you're twenty six.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
That will be concerning a kid who turned eighteen during
the season, who is hungry, who has elite athleticism, who
I said this yesterday, his best skill set, in my opinion,
and is the fact that he is going to work
incredibly hard and play incredibly hard, which sounds well dull,
everybody does, it's not the case. And a guy who
constantly wants to get better, and anytime he was supposed
(04:43):
to show up, well, you're only playing in Maine.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
You ain't playing nobody in Man. Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Well we'll show me where the other tournament is with
the other players. He goes and he dominates. All right,
Well you're only doing that because of this, all right,
have me play with the pros in the USA team.
Let watch me play very well against him, all right,
we'll wait till you get to college. Got to the
college and played well, was the best player on duke
in most games.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So to me, each way.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Along along the way, each time he proved where he
was and why he was that guy. So I look
at him as to me, I'm ecstatic if you're telling
me he's very good at all of these because if
you go to a team and you know this, sometimes
I might just need you to be the best rebounder
for some time because we got a couple scores.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
We don't need you to necessarily get a bucket like that.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
And I look at a guy like a Pascal Siakam
always dominating in a multitude of ways. Tonight it's fast
break points tonight. Just get the ball to me five
seconds on the shock like I'll get a buck You
don't have to run plays through me.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
And to me, Cooper Flagg has that ability where night
in night.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Out, he's gonna outwork, he's gonna outplay, elite athleticism, nice
mint range, and it's only going to get better. I
like that for the first few years because I can
plug and play and I can place you here tonight.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
You can do this tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You can do that while you're still growing into your
body and still growing.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Into who you're gonna be in your capability.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
So for me, an eighteen year old, and you're telling
me very good, very good, very very good, very good,
I'll take make those things while we continue to get
him better and find out what he is amazing at.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yeah, I guess with me. With the draft, it's always this,
you know, there's so much potential, that's the key word
that they use, and hopes and dreams. We don't know
what's going to happen. You know, he has a skill set. Yes,
I get it, but we've seen and I said this
(06:25):
last year by women Yama. We've seen this movie before.
I've seen players like him before, so it's nothing to me.
He's eighteen, so yes, there's room to grow. But at
the same time, one key play stood out for me
more than anything that told me a lot about Cooper
Flag and it was the shot he missed in the tournament,
(06:46):
that turn around, and that said a lot to me
because he basically kind of like, you know, it's like
if you're the man, you're the number one draft pick.
You have to make that shot. In my opinion, you
have to make that shot and carry your team. And
again through our college we've seen Shaquille O'Neal didn't win
(07:07):
a title. He had Stanley Roberts with him and so
and make mood was about, I mean Chris Jackson at
the time, and so you can put up numbers in
college and everything else, but how is your game going
to be defined once you get to the NBA. Another
perfect example was Grady Dick. You know, in college, he's
killing in college. Everybody's like, oh, he's the next this,
(07:28):
he's the next that. I think we heard about Grade
Dick once or twice, and part of it had to
do with his name, and so to me, it's like, dude, stop.
The NBA is a totally different animal than when you
are in high school and in college. Because the same
people Cooper Flag were watching the highlights that he's dunking
(07:50):
on at six three now they're seven feet. They Rudy Gober,
you know, they call Anthony Todde, they Yiannis, they those guys.
So it's a way different thing.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
But somebody gotta be good holding somebody coming out of college.
It's always gonna It's always came out and he was good.
Larry Bird, Michael Jordan. Don't disrespect these men.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Also respect that he took the shot. You know what
I mean, some guys, I don't want to get nervous.
I liked that he took the shot and say, hey,
saw me. I'm the best player of the team. Everybody
in the building knows its gonna go to me. I
missed the shot. It's okay. I can live from that.
I can grow from that. Kobe Bryant shooting airballs in
the NBA in the playoffs with the Utah Jazz airballar
(08:35):
and kept going and became Now when people think of clutch,
Lebron ain't clutch, Kobe's clutch. Now he became the embodiment
of clutch. So to me, I don't mind if the
young man took that missed it. I've taken on the
chin and let's keep moving. And I just think, to me,
I see a lot of people come in with hype,
especially nowadays, because they come in with miss but mixtapees
at thirteen. Oh, they look at his kve and I
(08:57):
liked that he came in and he kept working. He
came in and he kept going we don't hear any issues,
we don't hear any drama. He's not trying to worry
about this, not worried about that. All he cares about
is hoop and getting better in his team. And to me,
I like that. And you mentioned it looks it's a
crap shoot in any sport, right, everybody tells us this
number one quarterback would be the next damn marine or
next and then we don't ever hear from again. So
it is Ryan Lee, Ryan leif you ain't learning about that,
(09:19):
so to me. But at least I look at him
as unlike Carmelo Anthony who said he has to have
a thing.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
I like the very good at multiple things.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Because if you have a thing and the thing ain't
working no more, then now to me, you're not doing anything.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
If Ben Simmons came in.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Oh he's a great point guard, he's a good pass, well,
he ain't really doing that no more. And you forgot
Ben Simmons within the NBA, Martelle Folts, he forgot how
to shoot a shot.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Wein't heard from him since. Yeah, And that's what I'm saying.
So it is a crap shoot, this whole thing. And
one of the things I was talking about yesterday with
my son, was this, Can you imagine if Adam Silva
gets up there and he said, with the number one pick,
the Dallas Mavericks select and they named somebody else like
the movie Draft Day.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Man, the whole where everybody, I don't know Vegas will
be happy or sad.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
So and I say that to say this. We know
he's consensus number one, and I get it, but there's
a lot of pressure that comes with that. Fine, you
mentioned Markel Fultz and Ben Simmons. These guys don't work hard. Okay,
So that's what I'm saying. I'm not knocking Cooper flag.
I'm just saying I have to wait and see. I
can't that for everybody meeting.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
It was everybody.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
I've said it for Polo, I've said it for Anthony Adawards,
I've said it for Webin Yama. I because I try
to be as objective as possible. I'm not looking for clickbait.
I'm giving you the real deal. I can't do the
coronation of someone that hasn't even touched the basketball in
the NBA. I just can't do it. So I'm not
willing to do it.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
But if you're a general manager polonies and we need you.
You know, that's part of the job. I gotta grab somebody, like,
how are you then viewing? Because if I have to
pick somebodast on my team needs and.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
That's to me.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
We talked about this a little bit yesterday. Why I
like Cooper Flag because he can fill some other holes.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
If I need somebody like right now, to me, j
edge Combe, to me, I think that's a better player.
I think he has a longer shelf life. Also, the
kid no not Bairey fears fear.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, I like him. That's what I was just telling
rob Giebo.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
I'm telling you there's there's guys and then there's always
gonna be that the diamond and the rough guy that's
hidden somewhere, because we've had a ton of those over
the years. So those are the guys I'm looking for. Yeah,
I'm gonna do my due diligence, and I'm not saying
that I'm I wouldn't take Cooper Flag, you know, but
based on the question, it's like, hey, I have to
wait and see, but he's gonna be good, you know,
(11:47):
based on his work ethic. But again, I always asked
this question like you mentioned Markael Fulls and Ben Simmons.
Is he gonna be a Ben Simmons that gets paid
and all of a sudden, I don't need to work
no more? No, you know it was he gonna be
that guy. Okay, I don't think someone he's got an upside.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I think I think some of these guys, and I've
been saying this for you, I haven't quite said as
much since I've been on this show. I think a
lot of these guys looked up. Pops played, right, yeah,
you know, I gotta pay play. You know, Pops played
overseas and be and Ben Simmons played. You're just like,
all right, I'm playing and the boom you're six two
in sixth grade. Everybody's like, oh, we see it now,
we see it. And I think they do love the game.
(12:26):
But I think at a certain point they don't love
the game enough to your point what it takes to
be a pro pro pro. And that's when I'm hurting.
When I'm not a little little Kim has a recital.
I can't go you know things, those decisions you have
to make. Come on, babe. I thought we were going
to Turks and Kko's turks and no, no, I can't.
I gotta go to the jumper. The things that it
(12:47):
takes Manzi Huss, the things that it takes to be
a pro, as you know, is on another level. And
I don't know if a lot of guys are really
committed to that as much. I gotta look at Andrew Bindham.
I think he was walking around seven foot and everybody's like,
you gotta whop.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
He's like, I got a hoop.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And I just think I do think there's a contingency
of kids who and they talk about this all the time.
American kids burn out in sports more than anybody else
because we're making them specialize at three, not as if
other countries don't, but we're like, all right, five years old,
you can only play tennis. You're going to be a
tennis player. And they get sixteen, they're burned out and
I want to play a little soccer. My friends, my
friends are hooping. I wanted to play football, And they've
(13:22):
done a study on this. This would be my last point quickly.
HBO Real Sports didn't think some years ago, and I
want to say was Sweden, but it was a small
European country that's not supposed to be winning all these
medals during the Olympics, and all of a sudden, they
just each year, every four years, every Olympic, to keep
medalingtle more. Why is this country? And a lot of
folks sent people to go study them. What they found was,
(13:43):
they said, oh, y'all specifically talking about some Americans. Oh,
y'all got kids who specialize in at five. We don't
even let our kids specialize who eight ninth grade? They
have to play everything. They said, we let them play everything.
You can't play if practice is an hour, that's it.
We don't make them. They didn't have to do four hours.
And they said what we is they're healthier, they last longer,
they're not burned out because they come to you at
(14:04):
fourteen they say, all right, this is what I want
to do, and they lock in and they love it.
They love the joy of it. The work ethic is there.
And they said, we found so many y'alls. And I
started thinking about this. I'll say this all the time
on this show. Look at how many number one picks,
two number top five picks and the NBA end up
being hurt Linzo Ball, LaMelo Ball, Zion, joelmb All. These
(14:25):
got to be my point, they get back because they've
been playing nothing but basketball since they were three.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
That's it. Nor to say two thousand AU games. It's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I remember playing AU from Riverside Church. We travel like
pick Phoenix. We go to Phoenix for a tournament. We
get that Thursday, we play, Friday, we win, we play Saturday,
we win, we play Sunday, semi finals, and we play
the finals.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
That's it. Go home. That's one day. That's it. Now
they're doing four games a day. It's too much.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
They get in on Thursday, they play Thursday night. Team dreams.
They played Thursday night. We would land and we would
have a game at eight thirty. They're played. They're doing
way too so it's crazy. It's crazy to me whose
phone is at So there's just too many games. And
now they're trying to say, oh, it's because the NBA
season that these guys are having Achilles tears. No, it's
(15:20):
to your point, specialized training. They're all using the same trainers,
same crappy dudes that work for these agents. Okay, they
do the same exact stuff, and they wonder, like I'm
looking right now with Lillard on the ground, pull see
they talking about everybody's talking about the achilles we played.
I remember playing converse. The old dudes wore canvas conver
(15:44):
They did eighty two games flying commercial middle seat, five
AM flights, six AM flights. Nobody tore their achilles. We
went fifty years with maybe five achilles. Said like when
Dominique got it, I think he was like the first one,
and then all of a sudden, now Achilles is happening
five a year.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I tell people, your body ain't got but that many
jumps in it, and you're using them up playing through
your right high school team, AAU team, this team, a
trivel team, other team, my training team, and it's like, dude,
you're wasting some of your latter years right now?
Speaker 3 (16:16):
All right?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. You want to
get in on this Cooper Flag to keep saying. Some
folks say it's great that he doesn't have a particular
skill set. Carmelo says that's a bad thing, that he
doesn't have anything, that he's elite. Eight Where do you
come off when you watch Cooper Flag? Eight seven seven
ninety nine on Fox? Also, is you gonna land in
the right spot? We'll tell you it is the Occoble
(16:36):
Kevin Washington, Olden Polonies and for Rob Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
App Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It's the I Cobble, Kelvin Washington, Olden Polonese and for
Rob on a worship Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Louis hallin Lujo. That's right.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Hopefully you're having a good one as well, Olden Polonies
one for Olden ktob live for myself I Couple FSR
as well. Reach out to us on social media. They're
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(17:19):
dot com. We're talking about Cooper Flag about thirty five
minutes or so, give or take, his life is gonna change.
He'll be the number one pick in the NBA draft, which,
as you mentioned, it will blow everybody's mind. If all
of a sudden he wouldn't number one. Ace Bailey were
Internet would explode. We'd have to scrap our whole show.
Jay edge Cone, we'd have to be there. The whole
thing would change, The whole show would change. But we're
(17:42):
talking about him in that. Camarlo Anthony a few weeks
back in the podcast on his podcast said he believes
he doesn't do anything great or excellent and that that
could be problematic. He needs to find kind of find
that thing we had Brian Scalabrin. He talk about the
fact that that's what makes some great is that he
does a multitude of things. A seven seven ninety nine
on Fox taking a couple calls on this as well.
Let's go to Drew and New Jersey. Drew, you're on
(18:04):
with the ot couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (18:06):
Hey, guys, I think that he's like a Jason Tatum.
But I have a question for old and So I
was watching, Uh Sports Secretary is on len Bias. I
saw that you played against him.
Speaker 9 (18:17):
The one thing I hear is he.
Speaker 8 (18:18):
He could have been him and Mike in the acc
where neck and neck. What do you think he would
have been in the NBA had he got tied.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
Uh, First of all, it would not have been neck
and neck. He was above like heads and shoulders above
Mike and that's the guy's honest true six eight. He
was basically the best way to describe it, he was
Lebron before Lebron, he was. He was a physical specimen.
He was he would have dominated, and he was going
to the Celtics. Oh yeah, that's the crazy part. Playing
(18:48):
with Bird it was it would have been insane.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Red Arabucks somehow continuously was getting making moves. Okay, you
get Bird, but then you get uh, Michale and Parish
and the same see Okay, then you get this, oh
and then you get Limby's but he passed that, okay,
and then we get Reggie Lewis. I mean they were
just he was pulling move for like obviously for decades.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
But that that the.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Eighties and early nineties run was incredible. Let's go to
Antonio and Miami. Antonio, you're on with theat couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Hey guys, real quick, just real quick to Olden. I
just wanted to let her or know he showed up.
This is a long time ago nineteen through it with
Detroit nineteen ninety three four. But it was a Buddies pizzeria.
I believe it was twelve and twelve and Vandyke and Warren,
(19:37):
but he was. You were very gracious you signed my
weedies box. I might have been ten years old. I
don't know, but I just want to thank you for that.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Oh you will and.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
What it calls to the flag. I think he's gonna
fall somewhere in the middle. I want to know if
he can play on the ground, because his game, I
could easily see him. I mean, hopefully nothing serious, but
I could see him getting hurt, maybe like a Marry Johnson.
And you know, I don't know if he can play
on the ground, But I think Olden was right about
that assessment and how we handled the end, and don't
(20:08):
I don't care if he's sixteen, eighteen, twenty two. Eventually
we're going to see the cut version of him in
terms of like the refined version of him in four
or five years. Sadly we got to wait this long.
But I don't think you know, he's going to come
in and I think he's going to help the team.
He's gonna help Dallas here and there. But I don't
(20:28):
think it's anything to get giddy about.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Well, we'll see that's not at all, and that you
know what's so funny about that? To call the funny
thing is this, Only one guy's ever come in ready
to go at eighteen, and that's Lebron James. Physically, he
was a specimen. He was ready to play NBA basketball,
But everybody else took time. Kobe struggled, Gonnet struggled, Germaine
O'Neil struggled. They all struggled, all of them. Everybody has
(20:55):
struggles at eighteen and nineteen. So what's just He's it's
gonna be the same. He's gonna struggle. And if you're
not big and strong, it's the NBA becomes a lot harder.
Lebron probably could have played a junior in high school.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Lebron was forty in high school.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
The best part about it is I can't say you're
wrong him and Greg Old and I'm convinced we don't
have BURSTA tickets.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I don't want to see birth certificates, man, I want
to see bone density.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Right especially nowadays with AI, we can make up some
great versat tickets for sure. All Right On the other side,
Matt Babcock form NBA Scout, NBA Draft analyst for Babcock
Hoops talk some more of draft with him and just
admit Montye Blanios right now, she's locked in.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
She just put her headphones on. She ready for you. Yeah,
ready to go.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
A couple kelvin Washington, Olden Polonies on a worship Wednesday.
We got Olden in for Rob Rob Gone on VAK.
Right now we are joined by Matt Babcock, former NBA scout,
NBA Draft analyst for Babcock who's you can follow him
on x Matt Babcock eleven.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Matt, what's going on? How you feeling?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Feeling great?
Speaker 9 (22:13):
We we got a lot of actions behind the scenes
right now, but it's it's almost go time.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Yes, sir, what okay? Give me?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Even if it's point zero zero zero zero and a
million zeros, that we get to one chance that Cooper
Flag all of a sudden, randomly something happens. He's not
the number one pick. What are the possibility is that?
Is that absolutely not happening?
Speaker 9 (22:31):
You know, there's a lot of crazy rumors flying that
that is certainly not one of them. I think if
you're if you're betting man that that's probably the one
safe bet you have tonight.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
All right, Olden, Olden and Manzi keep bringing that body
and maybe there's you know, something crazy can happen and
I changed our whole night. Well, obviously he's gonna be
the number one pick there, So when you're looking at him,
you think the mass view him as a star immediately,
a guy that he can just kind of slowly roll
in because they have they have Anthony Davis, or are
(23:02):
they expecting big things from him from the jump.
Speaker 9 (23:05):
I think one thing that's interesting with Cooper for being
such a high rated prospect, He's not your typical sort
of like go to score. He's more of just like
a well rounded prospect that does a little bit of everything.
I actually think his biggest impact right off the bat
is probably gonna be on the defensive end of just
being so switchable and uh, you know when one underrated
skill civity. He just plays so dang hard. I mean
(23:26):
every single second of every single possession. So but I
think with with that skill set takes a little little
bit of pressure on him because I don't see him
being a guy where a ton of players are going
to be needed to be run for him.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Hey, Matt, how you doing old in here? So I
got to ask this question, man, because, and it's maybe
a little obvious, what is it about, you know, the
potential aspect of the NBA draft that you know, we
make decisions and guys have picked but they don't pan out.
Is anything you can like maybe put your finger on say, Okay,
(24:01):
it's because of this, It's because of that.
Speaker 9 (24:05):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing. And things have changed
quite a bit within il and then all that of
guys going back to school. The one thing that stays
the same is if you look at our lottery, our
projected lottery, it's all a bunch of one and done guys.
These guys are all eighteen nineteen years old. And so
for NBA scouts and guys like myself were identifying who
has talent, who has the potential. But as you know,
(24:26):
I mean, you know, it takes time and it takes
a lot of focus and discipline to actually you have
a guy reached his potential so that there's always going
to be some riskit with guys at this age.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
I'm looking at this, I want to ask you about
Ace Bailey.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
There's been a lot about made about his agent and
how they're doing things, and is he taking on purpose
so he can land where he can be the guy
versus being a guy on a team. What do you
make of just the last few weeks from him and
skipping out on visits. Do you maybe like to move
low key to get where you want to go? Or
is this kind of crazy?
Speaker 9 (24:58):
You know, I mean it's been done before. I think
that the one thing that's really kind of put a
magnifying glass is he's with us smaller agencies. I think
they have a target on their back from that standpoint.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
You know, they.
Speaker 9 (25:09):
Obviously have a destination or multiple destinations outside of those
for a few picks, and they're trying to manipulate it.
And this has been this is a tactic that's been
done by agents for years. So I really don't have
a problem with that too much. And honestly, I don't
think he slips a ton. I think there are a
number of teams looking to move up there to get him.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Yeah, I can understand that he's it's a weird thing
that he said he's not working out with anybody at all,
But My question to you is this, and it it
goes back to the first question and to your answer
by nil, because this year is the lowest number of
draft eligible players one hundred and six, and the year
(25:53):
before it was like three point fifty three. So my point,
my question to you is this, is this the new
trend for us right now?
Speaker 6 (26:01):
Oh?
Speaker 9 (26:01):
Absolutely, I think for for second round picks. I mean,
as it stands now, Uh, it's too risky for these
guys that enter the draft, and uh you have to
fully negotiate their contract when they've got multiple millions of
dollars on the table for them to return to school. Uh.
And so yeah, I think this is a trend what
we'll be seeing moving forward.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
The one thing though, is keep in mind at a
certain point, Uh, the cycle is going to catch up,
and we're gonna have a number of players, uh that
that that have a lot of talent, that have exhausted
all of their college eligibility and so you know, maybe
a few years from now, we're gonna have a very
deep draft.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
All Right.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
We have Matt Babcock, former NBA scout NBA draft analysts
for Babcock Hoops on with the odd couple Olden in
for Rob kelvin Washington. Let me ask you this, Uh,
we're looking at a draft right now where we kind
of have some really good players, some good talent up front.
But other side of that, as you know, is teams
making some moves maneuver and draft, maybe trading players, current
(26:57):
players or maybe wanting to move and move back in draft.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
What are you thinking right now?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Are you hearing any rumors right now who might jump
in this draft, who maybe is lower but wants to
jump up, or somebody who wants to jump back.
Speaker 9 (27:08):
You know, I've been doing this for a long time
and there's always rumors. This this year feels very extra.
And I just did my my final mock draft, you know,
projecting the picks, and it's sort of the analysis of
each pick is that, hey, this this pick can be
on the move, and so I think I'm prepared for
it to be a very wild night. I'm probably gonna
rip up my mock draft quickly into into the draft. It's, uh,
(27:30):
you know, it just it feels like there are so
many different potential moves and it starts really as high
as number three with Philly. I mean, I think if
they stay stampats I expect them to take VJ. Edgecombe,
but they can move that pick, and it's kind of
the same storyline for every pick there on out.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
So, Matt, do you think a lot of this?
Speaker 4 (27:53):
And you're right, I mean, I'm hearing Jalen Brown is
about to be on move because Boston is definitely saying
we they getting ready for the new ownership. They're not
leaving all this money on the books for them. So
is it so because of this apron first ape and
second apron? Do you think that's what's going to cause
more action in this year's draft?
Speaker 9 (28:14):
You know, I think it's a combination of that, you know,
of some some veteran guys being on the table, but
then also just be the Bailey's stuff is really throwing
things off as well, you know, or you know, teams
know who they want to, you know, have their priority
list sets. Now they're just trying to figure out, you know,
how do we navigate this and get guys at the
right spots. And I think there's just a lot of
(28:35):
movers and shakers right now.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
And who's going to be the winner of the draft
of your mind? Is it simply the Mavericks because you
get rid of Luca fan base hate you. Now you
get Cooper Flagg and kind of go at least we
got somebody, and maybe we can get some fans back.
Is there anything else you can kind of predict? Who
could be the winner if they land this player?
Speaker 9 (28:53):
You know, I mean I think that. I mean Dallas
for sure, I mean, get getting the top prospect. I
mean that's just a huge home run. I mean Santonio,
I mean these are sort of obvious answers. Button getting
second pick and likely taking Dylan Harper. Uh, even though
I don't see him as a you know, a seamless
fit with what they have in place already, but considering
that they're still in rebuild mode, it just gives them
(29:14):
another really talented young player as they look to build
this roster while Wemby moving forward.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Okay, Matt, I'm a big conspiracy guy, So I'm gonna
put it on you.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
You know, you grew up.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
You grew up in a basketball household, your dad, your
two uncles, everybody. You You're a basketball ahead. Dallas getting
with a Luca and then getting the number one pick.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
What conspiracy?
Speaker 6 (29:41):
No, I know I know where this is going.
Speaker 9 (29:46):
I don't want to get blackball there.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
What'd you say, frozen frozen envelopes? What do you say, I'm.
Speaker 9 (29:54):
Gonna I'm gonna plead the fifth?
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Yeah yeah, you pleaded that fifth. Uh yeah, all right,
well we'll let it slide there, Matt. Appreciate your mad
Babcock for NBA. Scott makes sure you give a follow
Matt Babcock eleven and check out the Babcock hoops as well.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
Appreciate your maybe map. There's been some moments.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
There was this little I don't know if you know,
there's this kid coming out of Akron, I don't know
if you ever heard of him, and Cleveland just happens
to get the number one pick.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
He plays thirty forty minutes away, but not James.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Yeah that dude, Yeah yeah, there was James. Is that
as possible? And make sure you know, oh oh oh oh,
Chicago has.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
The number one pick. They've been suffering since Jordan. There's
this kid.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
We go to the original conspiracy, the Knicks, the Frozen
Come on, man, the Knicks going again.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
There's this kid coming out of Georgetown.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
We got Cleveland number one, not the Lebron draft. All
that stuff happened. Yeah, y'all missing Lebron here you go.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
There's about six seven instances we're all right, yeah, come on.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I'm good. Yeah. But I like this answer. But he
gave basically answer to that. For me, sometimes a non
answer is an answer, you know, plead the fifth. All right,
we got play other day on the way.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Plus, I want to ask Old in my theory of
how a trade has happened and made this team maybe
the second best team in their conference.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
I tell you what we're talking about. It's the odd Couple.
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Fox Sports Radio. It is the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Kelvin Washington, Olden Polynese here for Robin at worship Wednesday.
Appreciate you playing with us, hanging with us into little
Kirk Franklin. Did you hear Chris Kevin Hart joking him
at the BT Awards.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
You hear that.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
They couldn't air it on TV, but it's behind basically,
just stop dancing the way you dancing for Genus by
Kirk Franklin or something something like that. Can't keep you know, throwing.
You know, you can't do something. Dance with Jesus is
actually funny. All right, we'll get to play a day
in just a second. I want to throw this at
you here now that Kevin Durant is a rocket. And
then for weeks I had said to me that was
(32:08):
the perfect fit. I just thought what they sometimes in life,
it's just sitting there, there's a puzzle piece and you're
a puzzle and you're missing a piece.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Man, where's the piece?
Speaker 6 (32:16):
There?
Speaker 3 (32:16):
It is? It fits perfectly. I thought that was Kevin
Durant there.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
They have all the athleticism, they have, all the defense,
all the hustle, all those types of guys. They got
the post presence with Shongoon, they got the kind of
veteran floor leader guy who's gonna make big shots at
Frevan Vliet, so on and so forth. But like man,
they just need a bucket getter. They need a guy
who can get eight straight. They need a guy can
close the game. And Kevin Durant fits perfectly. Kevin Durant
is not a guy you can come say, change our team.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
He's not that. He's just a hitman for hire.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
I'm coming in, I'm putting in twenty five at night,
shooting fifty percent forty from three ninety for free throw.
What more do you want for me? This is what
I do, and I thought it fit perfectly. Booming happens,
and now I'm starting to look at it as things
are changing. We're starting to see people move in and
in the Western Conference. We don't know when Kyle he's
gonna be BacT so I think Dallas is gonna be,
you know, not quite there.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
We don't know if the Lakers are gonna make a move.
They don't.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
I don't think they have enough with just what they
have right now. The Warriors, I don't think they have enough.
They're only gonna get older. Jimmy Butler and Stephen Draymond.
I think the Rockets have positioned themselves where they can
look at the Thunder and say, hey, you know, why
not us?
Speaker 3 (33:19):
And fine, maybe you.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Win sixty four games, you're the one seed, but we're
right there winning fifty eight, fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
I think the Rockets to me, just jumped above a
couple of people. They jumped. I think they jumped above
the Nuggets.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
I think they jumped above Minnesota As far as to me,
I'm looking at them as the second best team right
now in the Western Conference with KD mixed in with
you still got I mentioned frev Evliet, you still got Shangoon,
You still got im and Thompson, who is just I
think gonna be insane in a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
So and a great coach. Am I wrong?
Speaker 4 (33:53):
You're not wrong, but you're not right because my high
school test this other thing, right, there's other things that
going to play k doub. Kevin Durant is pretty much
set in his ways. Like you said, he's a high
gun right now, but he's still Kevin Durant. He still
(34:14):
has that mentality that I'm like, one of the best ever.
Perfect example is what happened with OKC. Those guys they
get along, you know what I mean? Yeah almost much, Yeah,
almost too much. But it's a perfect storm of guys
just getting along, sacrificing for one another. It's Durant willing
(34:34):
to sacrifice. Is he gonna be okay when Van Fleet
shoots the three or if Amon does something, or if
you know, Tabari shoots instead of him? So I don't know,
because he's, you know what, year eighteen. A lot of
these guys, That's why I say like a Paul George
and Kawhile they set in their ways. The game if
(34:55):
you haven't noticed, the game is becoming a big college.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
I've been say one hundred percent of the thunder or
college fraternity teams.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
It shifted, you know. And I don't want to use AAU,
but I'll say a big college. And so that's where
we're at right now. The camaraderie, you know, the friendships
and all of that, Yeah, that's gonna come into play.
And so the veterans that are setting their ways, they're
gonna make it difficult because I think KD and it
(35:24):
I don't believe. I don't know what the dynamic. I
know that they quote unquote got along at some point.
I don't know what it's going to be now with
KD and Udoka you know, as his coach. So it's
gonna be stuff like that that I'm gonna watch for
early on the first road trip will tell me a
lot about Houston.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
I think being a great coach who also kind of
sets the tone. Sometimes you need your leader to be
the best player. I think in this case, your leader
is going to be frev evliet Emai Adoka. You kind
of have it in different places, because I don't think
at this point any of us look at Kevin Durant
pretty much anywhere ever went where he was the leader.
It might have been the best player, a might have
been this, but he wasn't the leader at all in
(36:02):
my opinion. So I but I like what I like
with men. I'm and Thompson only gets better. You mentioned
Jamarsmith Junior only getting better hitting shots and uh, and
some other pieces they still have on Easton.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
They gotta I like what they're doing. And you mentioned
the college too. You better have some depth in the NBA. Now,
just a guy to guy Luke and Lebron. You're gonna
need five, six to seven other guys.
Speaker 4 (36:21):
You need a bunch of players. You need players. You
can't have two people and think you're gonna beat eleven.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Nope, it's a different it's a different day than you know,
maybe the twenty tens where you can kind of have
that one guy on the bench and we could be
all right.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
All right, let's get to the tire rack play of
the day.
Speaker 10 (36:39):
And this one driven the left and deep, this Paul
heading back and it's gone a home run. Per Oltani
an opposite field shot home run number twenty seven, and
it is showtime here in Lodo.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
I don't know if you knew this, but Shoe hal
Tani is good at baseball. You know what I heard?
He's okay. You know I've seen him a couple so no,
I don't know you heard.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
He's all right. Oh my god, I got a great
show here. Tiny story.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Oh hold on, you gott tell me. I gotta tell
you about tire Rack. But then I want to hear
that I'm tire rack. First, No, I got we run.
I gotta read this real quick. But then all right,
on the other side, and of course tire rack is.
For over forty years, tirek has been helping customers find
the right tires for how, what and where they drive.
Ship fast and free back by free Wild has a
protection with convenient insulation options like mobile tire installation, tirerack
(37:27):
dot com. It is the way tire buying should be.
That was, of course, Dodger Radio there a and five seventy.
All right, so here's what we're gonna do, because I
want to hear this show hay story. So on the
other side, all we's gonna tell us this show hay story.
Plus we're gonna talk about the depth of the NBA.
We were just discussing that why to me, tonight is
big for teams in a different way, and I'll explain
what that is.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
This The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from four to
seven pm Pacific seven to ten pm Eastern on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
on Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us every
day on the iHeartRadio by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Let's get this, Putties, you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
That is right in for brother. It is the Odd
Coober kelvin Washington. Thoseen polonies, as you heard, who is
in for Rob.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Rob is on his extended dak traveling across America and
letting us all know old and as you know, he's
gonna send us the pictures everywhere he goes.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
He does.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
You talk about somebody who is gonna give you the
details of everything that.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Stuff from forty years ago. I don't need to see
all that.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
You're gonna tell them about the group chat Alex and Roger.
Trust me, we get it every day. Hey guys, I
just found this you just randomly. I was cleaning out.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
We get young eminem Oh, we get we get refrigerator
pictures with literally wow, nothing in refrigerator And I'm not
you know how people exaggerated but they got spread, they
got some jam, they got no I mean nothing in
the refrigerator.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
And he pays for cold air and doesn't use it.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
He is paying for cold air in his refrigerator either way.
He's alious and enjoyed. VAKA love you, Rob. Hopefully you're
having a great time again. It is the odd couple,
and we have a really, really great show. Obviously, we
have the draft coming up in about an hour or so,
so a lot too when it comes to that's glad
to have you here, Olden, because that fits perfectly. We
can talk about some of the stuff that's gonna be happening.
We got Matt Babcock, former NBA scout, NBA draft analysts
(01:41):
and to join us here in a little bit as well.
We have Eddie House guess about an hour hour and
a half or so will have him. And then we
shot Phillips Yoda, owner of Prestige Management Group, author of
basketball and he played at you with d so looking
forward to hearing all of them as well.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Let's welcome to they couple. Couldn't do the show without him.
Rob G producer extraordinaire, looking slim. What was that sound?
Speaker 6 (02:05):
This?
Speaker 1 (02:05):
He's the goat it's the goats, the goat, Okay, don't
know that he is the goat of producers. We got
Alex on the ones and choos over there.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
What was that one.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
For, I'm your horsehold in chill listen, joon't asking where
he is on Mondays Olden, he never hear becomes sons
are out, buns is out.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
We'll leave that alone right there.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Mantello is gonna be getting you your updates as well.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Olden obviously didn't call it the Cooper Flag Day because
we all know what's gonna happen with that number one pick,
and then the rest it gets a little tricky. We
don't know what's gonna happen there. Things can move, guys
can get traded, and it seems like the Celtics might
mess around and do something the way this is going
right now. But interesting couple of conversations around Cooper Flag.
A lot of people say he is a chewing number
(02:50):
one pick, can't miss. He's gonna be a Hall of Famer,
He's that type of guy. Others say, man a few
All Star Games? What is he gonna be? Carmelo Anthony
on his podcast seven PM and Brooklyn had something to
say a few weeks back about Cooper Flagg. I thought
was interesting. I want you to hear this to me.
He doesn't do anything great. He just do a lot
of very good.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
He offensive rebound very good. He in the passing lanes
very good. He's a weak side defender, very good on
ball defender. He got a lot better. I want to
see him against you. I want to see him against Kad.
I want to see him against Luca. I want to
see him against Ann Edwards because you coming in as
that guy. If he gotta develop the right way, he
got to get a skill set. You can't be in
(03:34):
the pros and don't have a skill set. So you
have to have a skill set, like your skill set
have to be something the wonder pull up, like something
float like. You have to have something that's your go
to right now. He don't have a go to, which
is why when they put all of those games at
the end of the game in five seconds and a
lesson the ball is in your hands, you offer in
those situations because you don't have a go to, you
(03:55):
thinking about a million things to do instead of just
I know I'm.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Getting to this spot. And if you defended more powerwich
a lot to impact there. Old and I want to
start with this one.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
If you tell me the guy you named about five
things in a row and said he's very good, I'm
okay with that. Considering he's eighteen years old, he's not
twenty five, then I will have concerns. By now you
don't have something that you're really that okay, I'm concerned.
And by your twenty four you're twenty six.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
That will be concerning a kid who turned eighteen during
the season, who is hungry, who has elite athleticism, who
I said this yesterday, his best skill set, in my opinion,
and is the fact that he is going to work
incredibly hard and play incredibly hard, which sounds well dull,
everybody does, it's not the case. And a guy who
constantly wants to get better, and anytime he was supposed
(04:43):
to show up, well, you're only playing in Maine.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
You ain't playing nobody in Man. Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Well we'll show me where the other tournament is with
the other players. He goes and he dominates. All right,
Well you're only doing that because of this, all right,
have me play with the pros in the USA team.
Let watch me play very well against him, all right,
we'll wait till you get to college. Got to the
college and played well, was the best player on duke
in most games.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So to me, each way.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Along along the way, each time he proved where he
was and why he was that guy. So I look
at him as to me, I'm ecstatic if you're telling
me he's very good at all of these because if
you go to a team and you know this, sometimes
I might just need you to be the best rebounder
for some time because we got a couple scores.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
We don't need you to necessarily get a bucket like that.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
And I look at a guy like a Pascal Siakam
always dominating in a multitude of ways. Tonight it's fast
break points tonight. Just get the ball to me five
seconds on the shock like I'll get a buck You
don't have to run plays through me.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
And to me, Cooper Flagg has that ability where night
in night.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Out, he's gonna outwork, he's gonna outplay, elite athleticism, nice
mint range, and it's only going to get better. I
like that for the first few years because I can
plug and play and I can place you here tonight.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
You can do this tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You can do that while you're still growing into your
body and still growing.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Into who you're gonna be in your capability.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
So for me, an eighteen year old, and you're telling
me very good, very good, very very good, very good,
I'll take make those things while we continue to get
him better and find out what he is amazing at.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yeah, I guess with me. With the draft, it's always this,
you know, there's so much potential, that's the key word
that they use, and hopes and dreams. We don't know
what's going to happen. You know, he has a skill set. Yes,
I get it, but we've seen and I said this
(06:25):
last year by women Yama. We've seen this movie before.
I've seen players like him before, so it's nothing to me.
He's eighteen, so yes, there's room to grow. But at
the same time, one key play stood out for me
more than anything that told me a lot about Cooper
Flag and it was the shot he missed in the tournament,
(06:46):
that turn around, and that said a lot to me
because he basically kind of like, you know, it's like
if you're the man, you're the number one draft pick.
You have to make that shot. In my opinion, you
have to make that shot and carry your team. And
again through our college we've seen Shaquille O'Neal didn't win
(07:07):
a title. He had Stanley Roberts with him and so
and make mood was about, I mean Chris Jackson at
the time, and so you can put up numbers in
college and everything else, but how is your game going
to be defined once you get to the NBA. Another
perfect example was Grady Dick. You know, in college, he's
killing in college. Everybody's like, oh, he's the next this,
(07:28):
he's the next that. I think we heard about Grade
Dick once or twice, and part of it had to
do with his name, and so to me, it's like, dude, stop.
The NBA is a totally different animal than when you
are in high school and in college. Because the same
people Cooper Flag were watching the highlights that he's dunking
(07:50):
on at six three now they're seven feet. They Rudy Gober,
you know, they call Anthony Todde, they Yiannis, they those guys.
So it's a way different thing.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
But somebody gotta be good holding somebody coming out of college.
It's always gonna It's always came out and he was good.
Larry Bird, Michael Jordan. Don't disrespect these men.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Also respect that he took the shot. You know what
I mean, some guys, I don't want to get nervous.
I liked that he took the shot and say, hey,
saw me. I'm the best player of the team. Everybody
in the building knows its gonna go to me. I
missed the shot. It's okay. I can live from that.
I can grow from that. Kobe Bryant shooting airballs in
the NBA in the playoffs with the Utah Jazz airballar
(08:35):
and kept going and became Now when people think of clutch,
Lebron ain't clutch, Kobe's clutch. Now he became the embodiment
of clutch. So to me, I don't mind if the
young man took that missed it. I've taken on the
chin and let's keep moving. And I just think, to me,
I see a lot of people come in with hype,
especially nowadays, because they come in with miss but mixtapees
at thirteen. Oh, they look at his kve and I
(08:57):
liked that he came in and he kept working. He
came in and he kept going we don't hear any issues,
we don't hear any drama. He's not trying to worry
about this, not worried about that. All he cares about
is hoop and getting better in his team. And to me,
I like that. And you mentioned it looks it's a
crap shoot in any sport, right, everybody tells us this
number one quarterback would be the next damn marine or
next and then we don't ever hear from again. So
it is Ryan Lee, Ryan leif you ain't learning about that,
(09:19):
so to me. But at least I look at him
as unlike Carmelo Anthony who said he has to have
a thing.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
I like the very good at multiple things.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Because if you have a thing and the thing ain't
working no more, then now to me, you're not doing anything.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
If Ben Simmons came in.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Oh he's a great point guard, he's a good pass, well,
he ain't really doing that no more. And you forgot
Ben Simmons within the NBA, Martelle Folts, he forgot how
to shoot a shot.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Wein't heard from him since. Yeah, And that's what I'm saying.
So it is a crap shoot, this whole thing. And
one of the things I was talking about yesterday with
my son, was this, Can you imagine if Adam Silva
gets up there and he said, with the number one pick,
the Dallas Mavericks select and they named somebody else like
the movie Draft Day.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Man, the whole where everybody, I don't know Vegas will
be happy or sad.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
So and I say that to say this. We know
he's consensus number one, and I get it, but there's
a lot of pressure that comes with that. Fine, you
mentioned Markel Fultz and Ben Simmons. These guys don't work hard. Okay,
So that's what I'm saying. I'm not knocking Cooper flag.
I'm just saying I have to wait and see. I
can't that for everybody meeting.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
It was everybody.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
I've said it for Polo, I've said it for Anthony Adawards,
I've said it for Webin Yama. I because I try
to be as objective as possible. I'm not looking for clickbait.
I'm giving you the real deal. I can't do the
coronation of someone that hasn't even touched the basketball in
the NBA. I just can't do it. So I'm not
willing to do it.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
But if you're a general manager polonies and we need you.
You know, that's part of the job. I gotta grab somebody, like,
how are you then viewing? Because if I have to
pick somebodast on my team needs and.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
That's to me.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
We talked about this a little bit yesterday. Why I
like Cooper Flag because he can fill some other holes.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
If I need somebody like right now, to me, j
edge Combe, to me, I think that's a better player.
I think he has a longer shelf life. Also, the
kid no not Bairey fears fear.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, I like him. That's what I was just telling
rob Giebo.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
I'm telling you there's there's guys and then there's always
gonna be that the diamond and the rough guy that's
hidden somewhere, because we've had a ton of those over
the years. So those are the guys I'm looking for. Yeah,
I'm gonna do my due diligence, and I'm not saying
that I'm I wouldn't take Cooper Flag, you know, but
based on the question, it's like, hey, I have to
wait and see, but he's gonna be good, you know,
(11:47):
based on his work ethic. But again, I always asked
this question like you mentioned Markael Fulls and Ben Simmons.
Is he gonna be a Ben Simmons that gets paid
and all of a sudden, I don't need to work
no more? No, you know it was he gonna be
that guy. Okay, I don't think someone he's got an upside.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I think I think some of these guys, and I've
been saying this for you, I haven't quite said as
much since I've been on this show. I think a
lot of these guys looked up. Pops played, right, yeah,
you know, I gotta pay play. You know, Pops played
overseas and be and Ben Simmons played. You're just like,
all right, I'm playing and the boom you're six two
in sixth grade. Everybody's like, oh, we see it now,
we see it. And I think they do love the game.
(12:26):
But I think at a certain point they don't love
the game enough to your point what it takes to
be a pro pro pro. And that's when I'm hurting.
When I'm not a little little Kim has a recital.
I can't go you know things, those decisions you have
to make. Come on, babe. I thought we were going
to Turks and Kko's turks and no, no, I can't.
I gotta go to the jumper. The things that it
(12:47):
takes Manzi Huss, the things that it takes to be
a pro, as you know, is on another level. And
I don't know if a lot of guys are really
committed to that as much. I gotta look at Andrew Bindham.
I think he was walking around seven foot and everybody's like,
you gotta whop.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
He's like, I got a hoop.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And I just think I do think there's a contingency
of kids who and they talk about this all the time.
American kids burn out in sports more than anybody else
because we're making them specialize at three, not as if
other countries don't, but we're like, all right, five years old,
you can only play tennis. You're going to be a
tennis player. And they get sixteen, they're burned out and
I want to play a little soccer. My friends, my
friends are hooping. I wanted to play football, And they've
(13:22):
done a study on this. This would be my last point quickly.
HBO Real Sports didn't think some years ago, and I
want to say was Sweden, but it was a small
European country that's not supposed to be winning all these
medals during the Olympics, and all of a sudden, they
just each year, every four years, every Olympic, to keep
medalingtle more. Why is this country? And a lot of
folks sent people to go study them. What they found was,
(13:43):
they said, oh, y'all specifically talking about some Americans. Oh,
y'all got kids who specialize in at five. We don't
even let our kids specialize who eight ninth grade? They
have to play everything. They said, we let them play everything.
You can't play if practice is an hour, that's it.
We don't make them. They didn't have to do four hours.
And they said what we is they're healthier, they last longer,
they're not burned out because they come to you at
(14:04):
fourteen they say, all right, this is what I want
to do, and they lock in and they love it.
They love the joy of it. The work ethic is there.
And they said, we found so many y'alls. And I
started thinking about this. I'll say this all the time
on this show. Look at how many number one picks,
two number top five picks and the NBA end up
being hurt Linzo Ball, LaMelo Ball, Zion, joelmb All. These
(14:25):
got to be my point, they get back because they've
been playing nothing but basketball since they were three.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
That's it. Nor to say two thousand AU games. It's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I remember playing AU from Riverside Church. We travel like
pick Phoenix. We go to Phoenix for a tournament. We
get that Thursday, we play, Friday, we win, we play Saturday,
we win, we play Sunday, semi finals, and we play
the finals.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
That's it. Go home. That's one day. That's it. Now
they're doing four games a day. It's too much.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
They get in on Thursday, they play Thursday night. Team dreams.
They played Thursday night. We would land and we would
have a game at eight thirty. They're played. They're doing
way too so it's crazy. It's crazy to me whose
phone is at So there's just too many games. And
now they're trying to say, oh, it's because the NBA
season that these guys are having Achilles tears. No, it's
(15:20):
to your point, specialized training. They're all using the same trainers,
same crappy dudes that work for these agents. Okay, they
do the same exact stuff, and they wonder, like I'm
looking right now with Lillard on the ground, pull see
they talking about everybody's talking about the achilles we played.
I remember playing converse. The old dudes wore canvas conver
(15:44):
They did eighty two games flying commercial middle seat, five
AM flights, six AM flights. Nobody tore their achilles. We
went fifty years with maybe five achilles. Said like when
Dominique got it, I think he was like the first one,
and then all of a sudden, now Achilles is happening
five a year.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I tell people, your body ain't got but that many
jumps in it, and you're using them up playing through
your right high school team, AAU team, this team, a
trivel team, other team, my training team, and it's like, dude,
you're wasting some of your latter years right now?
Speaker 3 (16:16):
All right?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. You want to
get in on this Cooper Flag to keep saying. Some
folks say it's great that he doesn't have a particular
skill set. Carmelo says that's a bad thing, that he
doesn't have anything, that he's elite. Eight Where do you
come off when you watch Cooper Flag? Eight seven seven
ninety nine on Fox? Also, is you gonna land in
the right spot? We'll tell you it is the Occoble
(16:36):
Kevin Washington, Olden Polonies and for Rob Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
App Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It's the I Cobble, Kelvin Washington, Olden Polonese and for
Rob on a worship Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Louis hallin Lujo. That's right.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Hopefully you're having a good one as well, Olden Polonies
one for Olden ktob live for myself I Couple FSR
as well. Reach out to us on social media. They're
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While Express helps people in all industries find work, their
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(17:19):
dot com. We're talking about Cooper Flag about thirty five
minutes or so, give or take, his life is gonna change.
He'll be the number one pick in the NBA draft, which,
as you mentioned, it will blow everybody's mind. If all
of a sudden he wouldn't number one. Ace Bailey were
Internet would explode. We'd have to scrap our whole show.
Jay edge Cone, we'd have to be there. The whole
thing would change, The whole show would change. But we're
(17:42):
talking about him in that. Camarlo Anthony a few weeks
back in the podcast on his podcast said he believes
he doesn't do anything great or excellent and that that
could be problematic. He needs to find kind of find
that thing we had Brian Scalabrin. He talk about the
fact that that's what makes some great is that he
does a multitude of things. A seven seven ninety nine
on Fox taking a couple calls on this as well.
Let's go to Drew and New Jersey. Drew, you're on
(18:04):
with the ot couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (18:06):
Hey, guys, I think that he's like a Jason Tatum.
But I have a question for old and So I
was watching, Uh Sports Secretary is on len Bias. I
saw that you played against him.
Speaker 9 (18:17):
The one thing I hear is he.
Speaker 8 (18:18):
He could have been him and Mike in the acc
where neck and neck. What do you think he would
have been in the NBA had he got tied.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
Uh, First of all, it would not have been neck
and neck. He was above like heads and shoulders above
Mike and that's the guy's honest true six eight. He
was basically the best way to describe it, he was
Lebron before Lebron, he was. He was a physical specimen.
He was he would have dominated, and he was going
to the Celtics. Oh yeah, that's the crazy part. Playing
(18:48):
with Bird it was it would have been insane.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Red Arabucks somehow continuously was getting making moves. Okay, you
get Bird, but then you get uh, Michale and Parish
and the same see Okay, then you get this, oh
and then you get Limby's but he passed that, okay,
and then we get Reggie Lewis. I mean they were
just he was pulling move for like obviously for decades.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
But that that the.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Eighties and early nineties run was incredible. Let's go to
Antonio and Miami. Antonio, you're on with theat couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Hey guys, real quick, just real quick to Olden. I
just wanted to let her or know he showed up.
This is a long time ago nineteen through it with
Detroit nineteen ninety three four. But it was a Buddies pizzeria.
I believe it was twelve and twelve and Vandyke and Warren,
(19:37):
but he was. You were very gracious you signed my
weedies box. I might have been ten years old. I
don't know, but I just want to thank you for that.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Oh you will and.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
What it calls to the flag. I think he's gonna
fall somewhere in the middle. I want to know if
he can play on the ground, because his game, I
could easily see him. I mean, hopefully nothing serious, but
I could see him getting hurt, maybe like a Marry Johnson.
And you know, I don't know if he can play
on the ground, But I think Olden was right about
that assessment and how we handled the end, and don't
(20:08):
I don't care if he's sixteen, eighteen, twenty two. Eventually
we're going to see the cut version of him in
terms of like the refined version of him in four
or five years. Sadly we got to wait this long.
But I don't think you know, he's going to come
in and I think he's going to help the team.
He's gonna help Dallas here and there. But I don't
(20:28):
think it's anything to get giddy about.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Well, we'll see that's not at all, and that you
know what's so funny about that? To call the funny
thing is this, Only one guy's ever come in ready
to go at eighteen, and that's Lebron James. Physically, he
was a specimen. He was ready to play NBA basketball,
But everybody else took time. Kobe struggled, Gonnet struggled, Germaine
O'Neil struggled. They all struggled, all of them. Everybody has
(20:55):
struggles at eighteen and nineteen. So what's just He's it's
gonna be the same. He's gonna struggle. And if you're
not big and strong, it's the NBA becomes a lot harder.
Lebron probably could have played a junior in high school.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Lebron was forty in high school.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
The best part about it is I can't say you're
wrong him and Greg Old and I'm convinced we don't
have BURSTA tickets.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I don't want to see birth certificates, man, I want
to see bone density.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Right especially nowadays with AI, we can make up some
great versat tickets for sure. All Right On the other side,
Matt Babcock form NBA Scout, NBA Draft analyst for Babcock
Hoops talk some more of draft with him and just
admit Montye Blanios right now, she's locked in.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
She just put her headphones on. She ready for you. Yeah,
ready to go.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
A couple kelvin Washington, Olden Polonies on a worship Wednesday.
We got Olden in for Rob Rob Gone on VAK.
Right now we are joined by Matt Babcock, former NBA scout,
NBA Draft analyst for Babcock who's you can follow him
on x Matt Babcock eleven.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Matt, what's going on? How you feeling?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Feeling great?
Speaker 9 (22:13):
We we got a lot of actions behind the scenes
right now, but it's it's almost go time.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Yes, sir, what okay? Give me?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Even if it's point zero zero zero zero and a
million zeros, that we get to one chance that Cooper
Flag all of a sudden, randomly something happens. He's not
the number one pick. What are the possibility is that?
Is that absolutely not happening?
Speaker 9 (22:31):
You know, there's a lot of crazy rumors flying that
that is certainly not one of them. I think if
you're if you're betting man that that's probably the one
safe bet you have tonight.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
All right, Olden, Olden and Manzi keep bringing that body
and maybe there's you know, something crazy can happen and
I changed our whole night. Well, obviously he's gonna be
the number one pick there, So when you're looking at him,
you think the mass view him as a star immediately,
a guy that he can just kind of slowly roll
in because they have they have Anthony Davis, or are
(23:02):
they expecting big things from him from the jump.
Speaker 9 (23:05):
I think one thing that's interesting with Cooper for being
such a high rated prospect, He's not your typical sort
of like go to score. He's more of just like
a well rounded prospect that does a little bit of everything.
I actually think his biggest impact right off the bat
is probably gonna be on the defensive end of just
being so switchable and uh, you know when one underrated
skill civity. He just plays so dang hard. I mean
(23:26):
every single second of every single possession. So but I
think with with that skill set takes a little little
bit of pressure on him because I don't see him
being a guy where a ton of players are going
to be needed to be run for him.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Hey, Matt, how you doing old in here? So I
got to ask this question, man, because, and it's maybe
a little obvious, what is it about, you know, the
potential aspect of the NBA draft that you know, we
make decisions and guys have picked but they don't pan out.
Is anything you can like maybe put your finger on say, Okay,
(24:01):
it's because of this, It's because of that.
Speaker 9 (24:05):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing. And things have changed
quite a bit within il and then all that of
guys going back to school. The one thing that stays
the same is if you look at our lottery, our
projected lottery, it's all a bunch of one and done guys.
These guys are all eighteen nineteen years old. And so
for NBA scouts and guys like myself were identifying who
has talent, who has the potential. But as you know,
(24:26):
I mean, you know, it takes time and it takes
a lot of focus and discipline to actually you have
a guy reached his potential so that there's always going
to be some riskit with guys at this age.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
I'm looking at this, I want to ask you about
Ace Bailey.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
There's been a lot about made about his agent and
how they're doing things, and is he taking on purpose
so he can land where he can be the guy
versus being a guy on a team. What do you
make of just the last few weeks from him and
skipping out on visits. Do you maybe like to move
low key to get where you want to go? Or
is this kind of crazy?
Speaker 9 (24:58):
You know, I mean it's been done before. I think
that the one thing that's really kind of put a
magnifying glass is he's with us smaller agencies. I think
they have a target on their back from that standpoint.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
You know, they.
Speaker 9 (25:09):
Obviously have a destination or multiple destinations outside of those
for a few picks, and they're trying to manipulate it.
And this has been this is a tactic that's been
done by agents for years. So I really don't have
a problem with that too much. And honestly, I don't
think he slips a ton. I think there are a
number of teams looking to move up there to get him.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Yeah, I can understand that he's it's a weird thing
that he said he's not working out with anybody at all,
But My question to you is this, and it it
goes back to the first question and to your answer
by nil, because this year is the lowest number of
draft eligible players one hundred and six, and the year
(25:53):
before it was like three point fifty three. So my point,
my question to you is this, is this the new
trend for us right now?
Speaker 6 (26:01):
Oh?
Speaker 9 (26:01):
Absolutely, I think for for second round picks. I mean,
as it stands now, Uh, it's too risky for these
guys that enter the draft, and uh you have to
fully negotiate their contract when they've got multiple millions of
dollars on the table for them to return to school. Uh.
And so yeah, I think this is a trend what
we'll be seeing moving forward.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
The one thing though, is keep in mind at a
certain point, Uh, the cycle is going to catch up,
and we're gonna have a number of players, uh that
that that have a lot of talent, that have exhausted
all of their college eligibility and so you know, maybe
a few years from now, we're gonna have a very
deep draft.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
All Right.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
We have Matt Babcock, former NBA scout NBA draft analysts
for Babcock Hoops on with the odd couple Olden in
for Rob kelvin Washington. Let me ask you this, Uh,
we're looking at a draft right now where we kind
of have some really good players, some good talent up front.
But other side of that, as you know, is teams
making some moves maneuver and draft, maybe trading players, current
(26:57):
players or maybe wanting to move and move back in draft.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
What are you thinking right now?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Are you hearing any rumors right now who might jump
in this draft, who maybe is lower but wants to
jump up, or somebody who wants to jump back.
Speaker 9 (27:08):
You know, I've been doing this for a long time
and there's always rumors. This this year feels very extra.
And I just did my my final mock draft, you know,
projecting the picks, and it's sort of the analysis of
each pick is that, hey, this this pick can be
on the move, and so I think I'm prepared for
it to be a very wild night. I'm probably gonna
rip up my mock draft quickly into into the draft. It's, uh,
(27:30):
you know, it just it feels like there are so
many different potential moves and it starts really as high
as number three with Philly. I mean, I think if
they stay stampats I expect them to take VJ. Edgecombe,
but they can move that pick, and it's kind of
the same storyline for every pick there on out.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
So, Matt, do you think a lot of this?
Speaker 4 (27:53):
And you're right, I mean, I'm hearing Jalen Brown is
about to be on move because Boston is definitely saying
we they getting ready for the new ownership. They're not
leaving all this money on the books for them. So
is it so because of this apron first ape and
second apron? Do you think that's what's going to cause
more action in this year's draft?
Speaker 9 (28:14):
You know, I think it's a combination of that, you know,
of some some veteran guys being on the table, but
then also just be the Bailey's stuff is really throwing
things off as well, you know, or you know, teams
know who they want to, you know, have their priority
list sets. Now they're just trying to figure out, you know,
how do we navigate this and get guys at the
right spots. And I think there's just a lot of
(28:35):
movers and shakers right now.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
And who's going to be the winner of the draft
of your mind? Is it simply the Mavericks because you
get rid of Luca fan base hate you. Now you
get Cooper Flagg and kind of go at least we
got somebody, and maybe we can get some fans back.
Is there anything else you can kind of predict? Who
could be the winner if they land this player?
Speaker 9 (28:53):
You know, I mean I think that. I mean Dallas
for sure, I mean, get getting the top prospect. I
mean that's just a huge home run. I mean Santonio,
I mean these are sort of obvious answers. Button getting
second pick and likely taking Dylan Harper. Uh, even though
I don't see him as a you know, a seamless
fit with what they have in place already, but considering
that they're still in rebuild mode, it just gives them
(29:14):
another really talented young player as they look to build
this roster while Wemby moving forward.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Okay, Matt, I'm a big conspiracy guy, So I'm gonna
put it on you.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
You know, you grew up.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
You grew up in a basketball household, your dad, your
two uncles, everybody. You You're a basketball ahead. Dallas getting
with a Luca and then getting the number one pick.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
What conspiracy?
Speaker 6 (29:41):
No, I know I know where this is going.
Speaker 9 (29:46):
I don't want to get blackball there.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
What'd you say, frozen frozen envelopes? What do you say, I'm.
Speaker 9 (29:54):
Gonna I'm gonna plead the fifth?
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Yeah yeah, you pleaded that fifth. Uh yeah, all right,
well we'll let it slide there, Matt. Appreciate your mad
Babcock for NBA. Scott makes sure you give a follow
Matt Babcock eleven and check out the Babcock hoops as well.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
Appreciate your maybe map. There's been some moments.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
There was this little I don't know if you know,
there's this kid coming out of Akron, I don't know
if you ever heard of him, and Cleveland just happens
to get the number one pick.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
He plays thirty forty minutes away, but not James.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Yeah that dude, Yeah yeah, there was James. Is that
as possible? And make sure you know, oh oh oh oh,
Chicago has.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
The number one pick. They've been suffering since Jordan. There's
this kid.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
We go to the original conspiracy, the Knicks, the Frozen
Come on, man, the Knicks going again.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
There's this kid coming out of Georgetown.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
We got Cleveland number one, not the Lebron draft. All
that stuff happened. Yeah, y'all missing Lebron here you go.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
There's about six seven instances we're all right, yeah, come on.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I'm good. Yeah. But I like this answer. But he
gave basically answer to that. For me, sometimes a non
answer is an answer, you know, plead the fifth. All right,
we got play other day on the way.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Plus, I want to ask Old in my theory of
how a trade has happened and made this team maybe
the second best team in their conference.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
I tell you what we're talking about. It's the odd Couple.
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Fox Sports Radio. It is the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Kelvin Washington, Olden Polynese here for Robin at worship Wednesday.
Appreciate you playing with us, hanging with us into little
Kirk Franklin. Did you hear Chris Kevin Hart joking him
at the BT Awards.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
You hear that.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
They couldn't air it on TV, but it's behind basically,
just stop dancing the way you dancing for Genus by
Kirk Franklin or something something like that. Can't keep you know, throwing.
You know, you can't do something. Dance with Jesus is
actually funny. All right, we'll get to play a day
in just a second. I want to throw this at
you here now that Kevin Durant is a rocket. And
then for weeks I had said to me that was
(32:08):
the perfect fit. I just thought what they sometimes in life,
it's just sitting there, there's a puzzle piece and you're
a puzzle and you're missing a piece.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Man, where's the piece?
Speaker 6 (32:16):
There?
Speaker 3 (32:16):
It is? It fits perfectly. I thought that was Kevin
Durant there.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
They have all the athleticism, they have, all the defense,
all the hustle, all those types of guys. They got
the post presence with Shongoon, they got the kind of
veteran floor leader guy who's gonna make big shots at
Frevan Vliet, so on and so forth. But like man,
they just need a bucket getter. They need a guy
who can get eight straight. They need a guy can
close the game. And Kevin Durant fits perfectly. Kevin Durant
is not a guy you can come say, change our team.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
He's not that. He's just a hitman for hire.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
I'm coming in, I'm putting in twenty five at night,
shooting fifty percent forty from three ninety for free throw.
What more do you want for me? This is what
I do, and I thought it fit perfectly. Booming happens,
and now I'm starting to look at it as things
are changing. We're starting to see people move in and
in the Western Conference. We don't know when Kyle he's
gonna be BacT so I think Dallas is gonna be,
you know, not quite there.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
We don't know if the Lakers are gonna make a move.
They don't.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
I don't think they have enough with just what they
have right now. The Warriors, I don't think they have enough.
They're only gonna get older. Jimmy Butler and Stephen Draymond.
I think the Rockets have positioned themselves where they can
look at the Thunder and say, hey, you know, why
not us?
Speaker 3 (33:19):
And fine, maybe you.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Win sixty four games, you're the one seed, but we're
right there winning fifty eight, fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
I think the Rockets to me, just jumped above a
couple of people. They jumped. I think they jumped above
the Nuggets.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
I think they jumped above Minnesota As far as to me,
I'm looking at them as the second best team right
now in the Western Conference with KD mixed in with
you still got I mentioned frev Evliet, you still got Shangoon,
You still got im and Thompson, who is just I
think gonna be insane in a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
So and a great coach. Am I wrong?
Speaker 4 (33:53):
You're not wrong, but you're not right because my high
school test this other thing, right, there's other things that
going to play k doub. Kevin Durant is pretty much
set in his ways. Like you said, he's a high
gun right now, but he's still Kevin Durant. He still
(34:14):
has that mentality that I'm like, one of the best ever.
Perfect example is what happened with OKC. Those guys they
get along, you know what I mean? Yeah almost much, Yeah,
almost too much. But it's a perfect storm of guys
just getting along, sacrificing for one another. It's Durant willing
(34:34):
to sacrifice. Is he gonna be okay when Van Fleet
shoots the three or if Amon does something, or if
you know, Tabari shoots instead of him? So I don't know,
because he's, you know what, year eighteen. A lot of
these guys, That's why I say like a Paul George
and Kawhile they set in their ways. The game if
(34:55):
you haven't noticed, the game is becoming a big college.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
I've been say one hundred percent of the thunder or
college fraternity teams.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
It shifted, you know. And I don't want to use AAU,
but I'll say a big college. And so that's where
we're at right now. The camaraderie, you know, the friendships
and all of that, Yeah, that's gonna come into play.
And so the veterans that are setting their ways, they're
gonna make it difficult because I think KD and it
(35:24):
I don't believe. I don't know what the dynamic. I
know that they quote unquote got along at some point.
I don't know what it's going to be now with
KD and Udoka you know, as his coach. So it's
gonna be stuff like that that I'm gonna watch for
early on the first road trip will tell me a
lot about Houston.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
I think being a great coach who also kind of
sets the tone. Sometimes you need your leader to be
the best player. I think in this case, your leader
is going to be frev evliet Emai Adoka. You kind
of have it in different places, because I don't think
at this point any of us look at Kevin Durant
pretty much anywhere ever went where he was the leader.
It might have been the best player, a might have
been this, but he wasn't the leader at all in
(36:02):
my opinion. So I but I like what I like
with men. I'm and Thompson only gets better. You mentioned
Jamarsmith Junior only getting better hitting shots and uh, and
some other pieces they still have on Easton.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
They gotta I like what they're doing. And you mentioned
the college too. You better have some depth in the NBA. Now,
just a guy to guy Luke and Lebron. You're gonna
need five, six to seven other guys.
Speaker 4 (36:21):
You need a bunch of players. You need players. You
can't have two people and think you're gonna beat eleven.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Nope, it's a different it's a different day than you know,
maybe the twenty tens where you can kind of have
that one guy on the bench and we could be
all right.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
All right, let's get to the tire rack play of
the day.
Speaker 10 (36:39):
And this one driven the left and deep, this Paul
heading back and it's gone a home run. Per Oltani
an opposite field shot home run number twenty seven, and
it is showtime here in Lodo.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
I don't know if you knew this, but Shoe hal
Tani is good at baseball. You know what I heard?
He's okay. You know I've seen him a couple so no,
I don't know you heard.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
He's all right. Oh my god, I got a great
show here. Tiny story.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Oh hold on, you gott tell me. I gotta tell
you about tire Rack. But then I want to hear
that I'm tire rack. First, No, I got we run.
I gotta read this real quick. But then all right,
on the other side, and of course tire rack is.
For over forty years, tirek has been helping customers find
the right tires for how, what and where they drive.
Ship fast and free back by free Wild has a
protection with convenient insulation options like mobile tire installation, tirerack
(37:27):
dot com. It is the way tire buying should be.
That was, of course, Dodger Radio there a and five seventy.
All right, so here's what we're gonna do, because I
want to hear this show hay story. So on the
other side, all we's gonna tell us this show hay story.
Plus we're gonna talk about the depth of the NBA.
We were just discussing that why to me, tonight is
big for teams in a different way, and I'll explain
what that is.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
This The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio
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