The Control Room with Esrael Yohannes
Welcome to The Control Room! This show breaks down NBA basketball using stats researched by graphics producer, Esrael Yohannes, providing a fresh take on the league through objective data and analysis. Special guests include fellow sports broadcasters, former professional athletes, and members of the Hall of Fame, where you will also learn about their careers in the sports broadcasting industry. If you know ball, or you want to know ball, this is the pod for you. This is an independent project and is not associated with the NBA, FanDuel Sports Network, or any other sports network.
Episodes
The 2025 NBA Finals are set between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. Esrael returns to break down how OKC and Indiana reached this point through their successful styles of play. He also gives his prediction of who will be crowned the 2025 NBA Champion.
In this episode, Esrael breaks down Luka's historic return to Dallas and why he thinks ESPN missed out on a massive statistical opportunity. He also talks about how Luka's presence has helped the Lakers with their 3-PT shooting and overall offense. Then, he dives deep into the Indiana Pacers' surge since mid-December involving Tyrese Haliburton's improved play, as well as lays the Chicago Bulls to rest with a recap of their run in ...
In the mad month that is March, the NBA had massive performance after massive performance. In this episode, Esrael breaks down the numbers for the high-scoring backcourt duo on the Los Angeles Lakers. Later, he looks to solve the mystery of why the New York Knicks are heavily relying on their starters, and he then embraces the arrival of the Detroit Pistons, led by newly-named All-Star Cade Cunningham.
The loss of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers still stings, and Esrael breaks down how Luka has come into form in his most recent outings with LA. Then, he talks about what the Mavericks need to do to stay in the playoff race, if the legend of Ramadan Kyrie is real, and what Anthony Davis brings to the table.
After what is considered to be the worst trade in NBA history, Esrael briefly gives his two cents on Nico Harrison, the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, and why he believes Harrison was wrong to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Dallas Mavericks have had a month to remember, and Esrael has the stats to back it up. He breaks down how the Mavs are balancing both their paint and perimeter offensive attacks and how their defense has held up to get them wins. He will also recap the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup, highlighting the resurgence of the Milwaukee Bucks and the dipping efficiency of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Then, he'll give a standings update and the NBA...
The Mavs are on a hot streak despite being without Luka Dončić, and Esrael has all the stats to break down their winning ways. He dissects how Dallas is breaking from the new NBA norm of shooting threes and is carving out their own identity in the paint. Plus, he ponders the question...do the Boston Celtics really need Kristaps Porziņģis?
The Mavericks responded to their 4-game losing streak with a 4-game winning streak, and Esrael has the stats to break down why Dallas has been more successful despite losing Luka Dončić. He'll also look at new teams to watch as they start to build identities, and he'll provide an update on the NBA Cup standings in group play.
After Dallas lost consecutive games in the clutch, Esrael breaks down the stats showing where the Mavs are having the most trouble. He'll also give his assessment on the Oklahoma City Thunder and how they will fare without Chet Holmgren. Then, he'll look at the standings and the return of the Emirates NBA Cup.
With the first week of the NBA completed, Esrael has some notes about a couple games from the Dallas Mavericks and where he's noticed some struggles. Later, he breaks down Klay Thompson's historic achievement and gives 3 other teams to watch for as they've impressed early on in the season.
The Control Room returns for Season 2! Esrael is back to break down plenty of stats and milestones from the Dallas Mavericks' incredible season, culminating in the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. He will also talk about some high-profile players who have moved on to new teams, as well as give his take on who is the frontrunner to win the 2025 NBA championship.
*Recorded May 21, 2024*
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Nancy Lieberman joins Esrael to talk about her basketball career, both as a player and a coach, and how she translates her skills to broadcast television. She also breaks down the evolution of the point guard and the state of the women's game.
In this episode, Esrael is joined by Mavs Live Host Dana Larson, who has covered the Mavericks for 22 seasons in its 44-year existence! She talks about her sports TV career, how she stays prepared, her favorite memories of the Mavericks, and she and Esrael recap Dallas's 2023-24 NBA Season after falling short in the NBA Finals.
On the 13th anniversary of the Dallas Mavericks winning their first and only NBA championship, Esrael is joined by colleague Michaela Lewis, the Mavericks Basketball Graphics Producer. Michaela runs graphics for Mavs games on their local broadcasts and has an even closer perspective on the Mavs over the last 3 seasons. She goes over her broadcasting career, her time covering the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks, and she a...
The 2024 NBA Finals are set between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics! First, Esrael puts a bow on the Conference Finals, then he breaks down stats pertaining to both teams' strengths and weaknesses. He gives his official Finals prediction at the end of the episode. Here's to the Finals!
We've reached the Conference Finals, and the Dallas Mavericks are still dancing! Esrael breaks down how they've succeeded against the Minnesota Timberwolves to take a 2-0 series lead by laying the foundation with their success against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He'll also share his Conference Finals predictions and celebrate the All-NBA selections for this season.
The Dallas Mavericks & the Oklahoma City Thunder will face off in the Western Conference Semifinals! Esrael breaks down how the Mavs took down the Clippers, as well as his main concern for the upcoming series against the Thunder. He'll also recap his picks from the 1st round and give predictions for the 2nd round.
Mavs-Thunder Series Preview: S01E20 - Apple Podcasts
The one and only Erin Hartigan joins Esrael to talk about their experiences in athletics and broadcasting and how they use their skillsets to create a compelling show for the basketball fan. They also break down what went wrong for the New Orleans Pelicans in their first two games in Oklahoma City and what they need to do to bounce back and avoid elimination.
The first interview of The Control Room features Dave Evans, Esrael's former professor of Sports Broadcasting at Baylor University. He was the Coordinating Producer at Fox/Bally Sports Southwest, Oklahoma, and New Orleans. He also served the Dallas Mavericks as their Director of Broadcasting for 14 years. Esrael & Dave discuss Dave's career, including the technology advancements he's seen and the challenges he's overcome from h...
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