Hello and Welcome

Will Lou is joined by Libaan Osman of The Canadian Basketball Show to review what various mock drafts have picked for the Toronto Raptors at #9. They discuss Derik Queen, Khaman Maluach, Carter Bryant, Kon Knueppel, Ace Bailey and Noa Essengue.

#raptors #torontoraptors #nbadraft #nbamockdraft

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Will, Alex, and Jerome recap Indiana’s Game 3 win over the Thunder, rate Reggie Miller’s courtside fit, put an end to Giannis Watch (?), debate who will end up being the next Knicks head coach, celebrate the one-year anniversary of Hello & Welcome, and preview their outfits for this weekend’s Holt Renfrew event.

Timestamps:

Game 3 reaction: 0:37

Is Giannis Watch over? 31:37

Who will coach the Knicks? 49:40

#raptors #toro...

Will is joined by theScore’s Joe Wolfond to break down OKC’s Game 2 win and what it means for the series. Later, Will, Alex, and Jerome dive into the Kevin Durant-to-Toronto rumors, rank where the Pacers’ playoff run stands in NBA history, chat about the NBA’s half-hearted attempt at adding a Finals decal to the court, try to figure out when we started caring about NBA ratings, and look into Victor Wembanyama’s latest side quest.

Will and Alex recap Indiana’s Game 1 comeback win against OKC in the Finals, discuss Tom Thibodeau’s firing, get to know the Pacers better, and answer listener questions. 

Thank you to Saul Brown for your mega city gift box. Check them out here: https://www.itsaulgood.com/collections/gift-baskets-toronto

Live show with Bobby Webster: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/in-conversation-with-bobby-webster-hello-and-welcome-tickets...

Will, Alex, and Jerome break down Toronto’s Game 6 win over the Bucks, relive the unforgettable 26–3 run, and share personal memories from one of the most iconic nights in Raptors history.

Three stars: Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam

DJ Augustin award: Ersan Ilyasova

#raptors #torontoraptors #nbaplayoffs #nbafinals

Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome...

Will and Alex break down reports of mutual interest between Giannis and the Raptors, and examine Masai Ujiri’s ambition to reel in a “big fish” this summer. They serve up a generous slice of blame pie for the Knicks’ playoff exit, dissecting Tom Thibodeau’s rigid coaching, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ shortcomings, Timothée Chalamet’s dream life, and Michael Imperioli (??). Then, they preview the unlikely NBA Finals matchu...

Will Lou speaks with Anthony Milton, author of this month's Toronto Life feature story on former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter and how he ended up placing illicit bets on his own performance. Milton shares details from court filings that show a pattern of how Porter worked with co-conspirators that ultimately resulted in his expulsion from the NBA and potential criminal sentencing down the line.

Link to the full story at ...

Will and Alex break down Indiana’s Game 4 win and what’s missing from the Knicks’ starting lineup, before diving into Pascal Siakam’s Hall of Fame case, the debate over banning the foul-up-three strategy, and a fix for excessive coach’s challenge requests. They also speculate: are we heading toward the wildest offseason ever? Later, Will, Alex, and Jerome close out Asian Heritage Month with a deep dive into the origins of Chinese f...

Will and Alex break down OKC’s nail-biting Game 4 win over Minnesota and debate whether Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the most over-hated star in the league. They revisit the Knicks’ gutsy Game 3 comeback against Indiana and ask: is Rick Carlisle trolling New York’s bench? Later, they explore RJ Barrett’s trade value this summer and how MLSE’s ownership shakeup could have ripple effects on the Raptors. Plus, thoughts on the All-Defens...

Will and Alex are joined by Vivek Jacob for a Friday Six-Pack, diving into: Indiana’s stunning Game 1 comeback, whether John Haliburton should be allowed back in the arena, their favorite playoff games of the 2020s, how the 2019 Raptors should be honored across Toronto, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP thank-you baskets, the odds of an American winning MVP in the next three years, whether NBA parity is actually good, Tottenham’s histo...

It’s the All-Giannis Episode! Will and Alex dive deep into the idea of a Giannis-to-Toronto trade, exploring it from every angle: Masai Ujiri’s long-standing pursuit, what a realistic starting offer looks like, the Raptors’ best possible package, and how the roster would shake out post-trade. They also survey the landscape of other potential destinations—including Houston, OKC, San Antonio, and… Brooklyn? Plus, highlights and takea...

Will and Alex dish out blame pies for the Nuggets’ and Celtics’ season-ending losses, breaking down OKC’s Game 7 performance, whether the Nuggets are heading down a Giannis-Bucks path, and what Tatum’s injury means for Boston’s future. They also question the overuse of the term “emergency pod,” make their conference finals picks, and cap things off with a Leafs blame pie to close the show’s playoff hockey arc (1:44:00).

#nbaplay...

Will, Alex, and Jerome break down OKC’s impressive Game 5 win, debate whether the Celtics can survive the Knicks without Jayson Tatum, and serve up blame pies for the Warriors’ and Cavs’ season-ending exits. They also weigh in on Atlanta’s reported interest in Masai Ujiri and answer listener questions.

#nbaplayoffs #warriors #raptors

Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowel...

Will Lou shares the results of a poll of who Toronto Raptors fans want at the 9th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. He then discusses broadly the 10 names involved: Khaman Maluach, Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, Carter Bryant, Collin Murray-Boyles, Noa Essengue, Kasparas Jakuciounas, Rasheer Fleming, Thomas Sorber, Egor Demin.

#nba #raptors #nbadraft

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Will Lou and Alex Wong go live after the result of the 2025 NBA draft, where the Toronto Raptors slid to the ninth pick. They go through the live emotions of not winning the lottery, and settle with the strange feelings of the Dallas Mavericks winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes with 1.8 percent odds. They also discuss where Giannis Antetokounmpo could potentially end up.

Then, Libaan Osman of The Canadian Basketball Show calls...

Will and Alex are joined by theScore’s Joseph Casciaro for a playoff six-pack, debating which team — the Cavs or Celtics — is in more trouble, whether Golden State has a path to an upset, and the top playoff risers and fallers so far. They also pick who they’d bring to a 100 men vs. 1 gorilla battle. Later, Will and Alex dive into James Harden vs. Russell Westbrook, the most intriguing off-season teams, and more absurd animal battl...

Will and Alex debate which second-round team concerns them most, then break down the Wolves’ puzzling Game 1 performance, the impact of Steph Curry’s injury, Boston’s streaky three-point shooting, OKC’s late-game fouling strategy, and Indiana’s surprising playoff run. Later, Will introduces "The Pat Spencer All-Stars" for two-sport white NBA hoopers, and gives a review of his first Leafs playoff game (Sam Bennett is a RAT).

#nba...

Will, Alex, and Jerome hand out blame pies after the Clippers and Rockets crash out in Game 7, breaking down James Harden’s latest playoff no-show, whether Kawhi Leonard can still be a postseason difference-maker, Steve Ballmer’s bold move to fly fans to Denver, and what’s next for Jalen Green in Houston. Later, they make their second-round predictions and reflect on Gregg Popovich’s legendary coaching career, plus Team Canada’s hi...

Will Lou catches up with Chris Boucher to discuss his involvement with the Make-A-Wish foundation, being a finalist for the 2025 NBA Social Justice Champion Award, his upbringing in Montreal, and his future with the Raptors.

Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.show

Check out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.

Original Music by DI...