Wemby MVP Is Real?! KD Would Dominate Any Era + Harden vs Wade Debate

In this episode of the Real Hoopers Show, we dive into some of the biggest debates in basketball right now.

Is Victor Wembanyama already making a real MVP case this season? We break down his impact, numbers, and what separates him from the rest of the league.

We also react to Isiah Thomas saying Kevin Durant would have won 6 championships if he played in his era. Is that respect or a stretch?

Then we get into one of the most controversial debates… is James Harden actually better than Dwyane Wade? This one gets real.

We also tap into top NBA draft picks, future stars, and what teams are getting right and wrong when building for the next level.

Real Hoopers understand.

Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know where you stand on these debates.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Wemby's the MVP this year, and I'm gonna tell you why. Nicole Jokic says today's basketball is better than yesterday's basketball. Pat Bev said D Wade isn't better than James Harden, but I beg to differ. Isaiah Thomas told us if Kevin Durant was playing in his era, he would have won six championships too. Now, before we go there, I gotta introduce my guy. My guy E was good with you, my boy. What's good, bro? And I'm your boy Sean Sug Amos, and this is the real Hooper show. Now, E, I got Wemby as the MVP. You like that? Nah, I don't like that.

SPEAKER_02 0:40

Oh, wow, bro. So who the MVP? Luca, Luca, but I got Luca as my MVP, bro.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

So first off, Luca is top five MVP. I will say that. He's top five, but he's like four. I'd say he's fourth.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

You put Luca fourth in MVP.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Yep, I have Wemby first, SGA second, Nicole. See, that's a part right now. Yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right. I I put Luca third. But here's the thing, right? Here's the thing. Here's why Luca, he's doing great. He's dropping 60 point games, 60 point games. He's played 62 games this season. He's his team is third. He's averaging 33 points a game. Over the last, I believe, four or five games, he's averaging about 39 points a game. Uh he's doing great, but the issue is this. He wasn't doing this all year. Was he scoring points? Absolutely. But was his team flourishing the way they're flourishing now? Was he playing defense the way he's playing defense right now? Was he playing it all year like that? Nah, you MVP is not part-time, my boy. Is not part-time. Do they win without him? No. Has he improved in areas? Yes. That's what development is. But he's not the MVP for that reason. You gotta do it the entire time. No, that's fair to say. That's all I'm saying. Is he good? Is he great? Is my entertainment? Am I impressed? Heck yeah, I'm impressed. I'm impressed. I'm impressed with Lucas doing, man. I'm I actually became a Luca fan, man. I find myself playing 2K sometimes and going, you know, let me get the Lakers, man. Luca go to work.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

Yeah, that's actually insane.

SPEAKER_01 2:35

Let's go to work.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

That's actually insane, bro.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

You know? But then I put SGA ahead of him. SGA for obvious reasons, right? Team number one. He's averaging 31 points. He's played 62 out of 74 games. Um out of the nine, but here's the thing. Here's my thing with SGA being number two. He missed nine games in February, right? The OKC lost to the Spurs, Rockets, and Milwaukee in February. But they lost to these teams with less than 10, less than 10 points a game. So what that says to me is they have a great system in place. Now that system doesn't thrive without SGA. But when he's not in the game, when he's not on the court, when he's not playing, they still can ball. He's still the MVP. He's still the he's still the second for MVP, but I believe Wimby creates more. Wemby creates more. SGA, he's doing great things, though. He's shooting about 72%. He only gives his team about two turnovers a game, so he's not hurting his team. Um, you know, I like him, but he's just not better than Wimby right now.

SPEAKER_02 3:46

See, my thing with SGA, he hasn't had his co-star, Jalen Williams, for the majority of the season. Fair. And Chet isn't, he hasn't stepped up or developed to the level that's Chet averaging like 17 points. Which one do? Yeah, but I mean, I would I would imagine he'll be doing more for the team.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

I mean, he's the 17 to 21 point score. Okay, that's right. But he's always been a 17-21 point score. I don't expect him to jump out there to score 30. But he got he listen, I'm looking at these stats. He has SGA has almost eight guys on his team averaging over 10 points. Like some guys like 9.8, 9.5, but he got roughly about eight. So what that means, what that says to me is that guys can score nine one night and they might score 15 another night. And they all have they all have the freedom to shoot the basketball. So anybody can get hot any given night. Is SJ still the guy? Yes, but does he have a great team? Absolutely. In fact, all of them got good teams. I think all of all the guys who's in the in the running for the MVP, it's not old school. It's not Alan Iverson putting his team on his back and everybody getting awards because Allen Iverson brought him to the limelight. No, this is a good team. These are good teams, but for me, I like Wimby. I like Wimby. Wimby averaging 24 points right now, 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. His team is number two. His team is number two, but they're about two games away from uh OKC. He played about 59 games out of the out of the 74 so far. When Wimby's when Wimby's out, they're 10 and 4. When Wimby's in the lineup, they're about 46 and 13. So they carry a 78 winning percentage with them. Out of all the teams, uh, when I look at the teams that they play, right? When I look at the teams who matter, right? The Rockets, they beat that series 3-1. OKC, they beat that series four to one. Boston, 2-0. Denver, one and one. The Pistons, 2-0. The Knicks, one and one. The Lakers, 3-1. When Wemby's on the court, it's he has so he brings so much gravity. So even if he doesn't have the ball, guys need to double him. People need to double around him. So what happens is because everyone's sinking in and making sure he does not get the ball, it leaves the shooters open. It leaves all these guys open to create shots for themselves. He's 22 years old. The upside is tremendous. If he wins MVP, he'll be the second 22-year-old to win the MVP. And the number one of the first person is Derrick Rose. But he's actually younger than Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose was 22 in 196 days. And Wemby is 22, 82 days. That's what I'm saying. Listen, bro. I mean, when you think about this kid's upside, it's amazing. And he changed a couple of things in his game. That's what bought the team from not making the playoffs to making the playoffs this year. Last year, he was shooting almost nine threes a game. This year, he's shooting five. He's shooting five threes a game, man.

SPEAKER_02 7:07

You see his comments on why he he should be the MVP this season? No, I didn't. What would he say? One of the things he mentioned was basketball's a two-sided court and defense is part of basketball. Right. And it sparked the conversation. Is should defense be can under consideration in deciding MVPs? Because previous MVPs, they haven't been defensive-oriented players. You know what I'm saying? The defensive side wasn't a main focus. So should that be taken under consideration for Wemby's case and being MVP?

SPEAKER_01 7:38

Absolutely. That makes all the difference in this game. But here's the pro here's the here's the issue you're gonna have with Wemby. He's 7'5. 7'5? 7'4, 7'5, something around there. But people, so people are gonna devalue his defense abilities because of that. But see, I I watch him off the ball. His ability to get from one side of the court to the next off the ball is tremendous for a guy his size. He's gonna be in the defensive player of the year award conversation for many years. It's gonna be it's gonna get to a point where people get exhausted of seeing him with the defensive player of the year. You know? So I think that that comes, I think that definitely comes into play. Um, but what he's doing on the court right now for the points that he has, I mean, he's doing that under 30 minutes, under 30 minutes a game. So when he gets to the playoffs, he's definitely gonna be reserved. He's definitely gonna be ready to go. Uh another, you know, a cut. So we talked about SGA, we talked about Luca. Let's talk about Jokic, man. Jokic, I'll say, you know, I might wake up tomorrow morning and be like, you know, I will put Jokic ahead of Luca. I mean, he listen, I like Denver. Denver plays good basketball. I love teams that play good basketball. Jokic is uh averaging 27, 12, and 10. He his last two games, he has 36 assists with two turnovers. 36 assists, two turnovers. I'm a center. That's amazing. I watched a Mavericks game where he had 23 points, 21 rebounds, and 19 assists. That's like you so you talk about a center doing this. If he leaves the if he finished this year leading the league and points, excuse me, rebounds and assists, he'd be the first person to do it since uh Will Chamberlain. Will Chamberlain did it in 67, 68. Wilt Chamberlain averaged 23 rebounds and eight assists. 23 rebounds and eight assists. I don't think we give Wilt enough credit. Like what that like 23 rebounds and eight assists. And people will say, oh, he was one of his kind, he was the only seven-footer back then. That's how they're gonna feel about Wimby. When Wimby walks away from this, right? Let's say Wimby walks away, he gets like seven championships, right? He gets like seven championships over his career. They're gonna be like, oh, he was seven five though.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

You see, the thing is with Wimby, we're actually seeing it. So we're seeing people are gonna live to see the impact of Wimby. People are gonna be able to go back and watch his highlights. True. Ain't nobody saw Wilt, bro.

SPEAKER_01 10:15

Nobody, nobody, listen, people see Will, they just didn't see the hundred points. They didn't see the hundred points. But here's the thing with Wimby, right? I always say this. I always say people don't want to follow players or not inspire or don't give players enough credit who they can't mimic. If you can't mimic Wimby, it's gonna it's not gonna be not gonna be in everybody's favor. You hear what I'm saying? Like we we could mimic Jordan a little bit. Maybe we couldn't do things at his level, but we all faded away before. We all try to walk around, jump with a tongue out. We we try to do that, you know? Um, but Steph is like guys like Steph Curry. You you you can mimic Steph. We can shoot threes, Dame Little, we can do, we can do this after hitting the three, we can celebrate after hitting the three. But Magic Johnson is kind of challenging at that point.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

No, you think is because all the all the players you name, they got iconic moments or they got iconic signatures. Right. You think if Wemby's able to come up with an iconic signature that that young kids can mimic? Like, for example, he if he has a his own version of a step back, like the like like the LeBron, the LeBron three. Right.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Oh, yeah, the three, okay, yeah. Like I mean, I think I think it'll come over time. I think right now he's so young, he's he's focused on winning. He's focused on getting the championship. You know, Spurs is championship culture, and they and they haven't won a championship in a long time.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

But if he does come up with something like that, is that gonna make help in this case? You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 11:52

That can help. If it's cool, if it's cool, if it has like a thing where like, oh, I'm gonna do the wimby. Yeah, if kids, kids, kids, kids will do it. Kids will do the wimby. That sounds nasty, bro. The wimby. I don't know what he's gonna do. He's just so tall and linky. So it's like I understand it, but at the end of the day, you're looking at it like you gotta be able to, you gotta be marketable for people to carry your name. Jordan was marketable, bro. The style, the flair, the like I thought about this the other day. You think about Jordan sneakers, right? He's the only person who can really get away with turning basketball shoes into low tops. Like the ones, the low top ones, then you throw somebody, then you do like then you throw off-white on him, you throw Travis Scott on him. You know what I mean? He the only ones can get away. I don't want to see the low LeBrons. I don't want to see LeBron's in a low top, you know? So because it's because Jordan was the first of his kind, but he also had the flair, the style to go with everything, you know. Um I don't think we, I don't think we'll ever see something like that again, you know? Uh, but it really depends, man. It depends on where his career goes. But again, he's the MVP this year. I know I had Jalen Brown. Jalen Brown was up there for me. He definitely tugged the Celtics along the way while while Jason Tatum was out. He's averaging 31 points. Um, but you know, his team not better than any of the teams on the West. Like, I don't see the Celtics beating OKC in the in the seven-game series. I I don't think they could be the Spurs in the seven-game series. They'll battle with the Lakers and they'll bat, they may battle with the Nuggets. I think they'll battle with the Nuggets, too.

SPEAKER_02 13:39

But I don't think they beat those top two teams. Now you gotta keep in mind though, the Celtics, that's a team that's been at the top before. That's a team that won the championship. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think that's a good thing. They beat the Mavericks, though.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Yeah, yeah, but they still got there. They beat they they beat Kyrie and Luka Donkic. But they still got there. And Luka Luke, and you're talking about players who didn't play no defense. Nah, but they gonna OKC gonna run them out of the gym, bro.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

Nah, you see, it's it's easy to say now because it's a regular season, but I feel like if they do meet in the if they were to meet in the finals, I feel like it will be because bro, the Pacers took OKC to a game seven. The Pacers took OKC to a game seven. Don't get it messed up, bro. OKC, they could get beat, bro. Denver took them to a game seven, Pacers took it to a game seven. So there's teams out there that could beat them, bro. You know what I'm saying? They're not they're not this like unstoppable.

SPEAKER_01 14:28

I know. I'm I'm not saying they're unstoppable. I'm just saying the Celtics ain't gonna win. Like, I'm not saying that. I just think that I don't care. I think the Celtics can get to the finals. I think the Celtics can get past the Knicks. I do have faith. I I think Jalen, I think Jalen Brown did a good job this year. You know, uh he'll be if he won, if he does win MVP, he'd be the first uh player to win MVP from the Eastern Conference since 2022-23 season, Joel MB. So, but I just don't see him. He's not having a better, he don't he don't have a better case than uh Luca, Luca, the Joker, Wemby.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

All the other guys, yeah, man.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

You guys let me know what you guys think in the comments, man. Let me know, put it in the comments. Do you think Jalen Brown has a case? Who's your MVP? Who's your MVP? Now, Isaiah Thomas came out and said, if Kevin Durant played in his era, shit, he'll win six championships too. What do you think about that? You think you think Isaiah Thomas is accurate with this?

SPEAKER_02 15:34

Of course, bro.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

Yeah, listen, bro. Look, now look, I'm not gonna sit here and devalue six championships. Six championships is hard, bro. That's a challenge. Man, that's a grind. You gotta salute anybody who can win multiple championships. But like Isaiah Thomas said though, if you put the same team around Kevin Durant, he'll win multiple championships. You put Scottie Pippen, a mature Scottie Pippen, someone who says, you know what? You do you, big dog. I'm gonna lock up over here. Hey, look, if you find me somewhere cutting, go ahead and give it to me. I don't want too much. But I'ma do me. You do you, I'ma do me. And that's that. If you got somebody like Dennis Rodman on your team, look, bro, you shoot as much as you want. You shoot as much as you want.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

I got the rebounds.

SPEAKER_01 16:30

In fact, I don't think Dennis Rodman would have been needed as much as he was needed with the Bulls. Let me tell you why. Kevin Durant has passed Michael Jordan in scoring, shooting 2,000 shots less than Michael Jordan. So I don't think Dennis Rodman would have needed to rebound as much. He's shooting that thing at 62%. You put Kevin Durant at the elbow, at the elbow, seven footer, no help side, no help side, everybody, yeah. He going to work. He going to work. You tell me, put it, let me know in the comments from what a series who do you have stopping Kevin Durant? Just let me do who you gotta consider him, Brian Russell? Who you gotta stop with him? Hawkins? Danny Ainge, who you got stopping him? Dan Marley? Who you got? I don't got nobody, I don't I don't have nobody stopping Kevin Durant at the elbow, bro. People can't stop him now. You can't stop him right now. People, he's 17 years in. People like, man, he just ain't getting it done. He's 39 years old. Y'all still want to do the same thing? That's how great he is. That that that this is what I'm saying. This is where greatness speaks. When you got the same expectation. Same expectation. When you listen, it's like this, right? When you go, let's say you go to a high school reunion, right? Use that guy in high school. You got the girls, you was use a man on a court field, whatever you, whatever your choice of sport was, right? And you walk in a room, they like, damn, bro, you still doing your thing, man. I see you. That's greatness right there, bro. They expecting the same thing they saw in high school, you 40. They like, yo, he got the still got the good, he's still doing it. That's great. How many people can do that? How many people from high school, your high school, right, that you can think of, like, yo, he was the man in high school? He the man now. Not too many people can say that, man. So I do agree with Isaiah Thomas. I ain't gonna put a number of championships, but I think he'll have more than two. I think he had multiple championships. If you disagree, let me know. Let me know in the comments. Let me know I'm tripping, bro. What you think? You think you think my boy going, you think uh, you think Isaiah Thomas is just putting dubs on it? Nah, nah, nah. He ain't putting dubs on it. All right, man. Because yeah, I just I just want to make sure. Because you know, people are gonna be like, oh, you know, Isaiah Thomas don't like Jordan, so you gonna say, listen, man, get out of them folks' personal business, bro. Just focus on basketball. You know what I mean? Just focus on basketball, man. So at the end of the day, I do I do think Kevin Durant definitely, I definitely have multiple championships. Nicola Jokic, Nicole Jokic says that today's basketball is better than back then. E, you like Nicole Jokic. So I don't want you to have a biased opinion on it. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

No, no bias takes.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

No bias takes, bro. Do you believe that today's basketball is better than back then? Yes, bro. I agree with you, bro. And I'm from back then. I grew up, I grew up, I was born in the 80s, grew up in the 90s. And I'm gonna tell you that since I've played basketball, since I've played basketball as a youngster, the game has changed, man. The game has changed. The technology is better, the advanced training is better. I mean, look, Nicole Jokic used an analogy. He used the analogy that it's it's crazy to think basketball in the 90s is better now. That's like saying phones back then is better. The phones back then was better than now. Listen, just because you like the razors and the blackberry doesn't mean it's better than the iPhone. It just doesn't. It doesn't have the same features, it doesn't have the same thing, it doesn't have the same capabilities. So it can't be better. You might like it more.

SPEAKER_00 20:46

Oh, I remember I used to put, I remember I had the Next Tail chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp. I remember I had the razor going to slide in your pocket, and these big phones right here. You got man, they getting in the way of my money.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

No, man, the phones is different, bro. The phones, the phones is different, times is different. You gotta think of it like this, right? When you was a center back in the day, you might get benched for the whole season if you shoot a three. There wasn't too many guys in the 90s shooting a three. Sam Perkins was a center power forward, and he made four, he made 444 threes. Nas Reed made 175 last year alone. Last year alone. Sam Perkins, Sam Perkins attempted three threes a game. Three threes. Wemby attempted eight last year. So the way players are training is completely different and is only going to improve and advance as we move forward. You think of a player like Nicole Jogic, when you look at him, you don't think he's going with, you don't think he's a 23, 19, and 21 guy. You don't think he's a walking triple double. You don't think that. Oh man, he's gonna get some rebounds or something. He's gonna be a little bully down low. That's it. He starts pushing that basketball, give you a no-look pass, and ain't throwing no, and ain't giving you no turnovers. You ain't thinking that. So guess what's gonna happen? They're gonna mold other players like him. Other players gonna mold themselves like him. You a tall kid, got a wide body, I'm Nicole Jokic now. I'm playing like Nicole. When you was a wide body and you was a tall kid, when I was growing up, you was baby Shaq. Shaq didn't shoot no threes, barely went for barely went or barely went further than 10 feet. Oh, you dunking and bullying guys. It's just advanced. You just can't do just that no more. So here's the thing where people are suffering from nostalgia. Nostalgia is is is is hurting the basketball community, man. We live in a place of feelings and emotion. I never forget when I saw Tim Hardaway do that between the legs crossover. I was watching Inside Stuff. Saturday morning, Inside Stuff, watching the Mile Rashad. I didn't get no Miami Heat games in Philly. I just keep hearing about Tim Hardaway, Tim Hardaway. I go to the court, they hear Timmy, Timmy, they trying to cross me. That ain't gonna happen though. Right? Now you got other guys. You got now after Tim Hardaway, who you get? Alan Iverson. Right? Jordan, excuse me. You see right there. Then you go Stefan Marbury. Oh, we're gonna throw Jamal Crawford in there too. Baron Davis? Oh that Kyrie Irving. Russell Westbrook, James Harden. Now look, all the people I named, Steve Francis, like list goes on. All the people I named had a handle. But if you watch Tim Hardaway back then, that emotion you saw that Tim Hardaway, Tim Hardaway still gotta be in your top. But he's not. He was limited. You go watch his game, everything else was basic. Kyrie Irving, he putting on the show. When JJ Ruddic said if James Harden, not James Harden, if Kyrie Irvin played back in the 70s or 80s or something like that, he would have been considered a wizard. That's what he meant. Because we would have never seen something like that. The feeling of emotion that he would have given back then, with everyone playing like bland, like a Mark Jackson type. We would have been like Kyrie Irvin is the greatest ball handler of all time. No questions about it. We still say that right now, but we still got questions though. Is he better than James Harden? I think Jamal Crawford can handle a little better. Nah, you know, I like Alan Iverson a little better. Like we still got to question the handles because we've seen so much. So we've seen so much talent over these years, we devalue all the other talent. So when he says that, I I agree. I I don't think I don't think uh yesterday's basketball is better than today's basketball. I think the style of play is different. I do want them to call travel more. I do want them to call travel more. I'm not gonna lie. But here's the thing about that, right? Today's travel is tomorrow's. Oh, that's a good move. That's a good move. Good move. I listen, I'm with y'all.

SPEAKER_02 25:37

Nah, low-key. Low-key. What? That's a good move.

SPEAKER_01 25:40

Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 25:42

Nah, I see what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

Like, with with what you call, like my producer here, E, he's 24, right? I'm 40. The stuff he calls a good move, I'm calling travel. He's sitting there, he pump fake. Look, he jumpstop, pump fake, then take two more steps. What are you doing? What are you doing? It's a travel. That's a good move. You can either we could now we gotta stop the game and pop open our phone and Google it. Look, look, look right here. Look right here. Come on, bro. Shoot for it, bro. Shoot for it. So when we talk about the game that we saw in the 90s versus now, it's gonna be a little different, bro. It's gonna be a little different, but it's definitely gonna advance. I think today's basketball is for basketball lovers, real hoopers. There's real hoopers who want to love today's basketball because the way you win is playing good basketball. Boston Celtics play good basketball. Detroit Pistons play good basketball. The Spurs, OKC, the Lakers now is playing good basketball. Denver Nuggets, good basketball. If you want to win in today's um basketball, and that's on all levels, you gotta play good basketball. Gotta play good basketball. Patrick Beverly, can you believe this? Patrick Beverly says James Harden is better than D. Wade. James Harden is better than D. Do you agree with that, bro? Is James Harden better than D. Wade? But I feel like that's something.

SPEAKER_02 27:18

I don't know, bro. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

You don't know?

SPEAKER_02 27:20

I don't know. Listen, I say this.

SPEAKER_01 27:24

He's wrong. James Harden ain't better than no D. Wade, bro. Now, when you go look at the career averages, if you a stat geek and you like, look at the average, look at the point. Let's be clear, right? D Wade, 22,5-5, three-time uh NBA champion, a finals MVP, 13-time All-Star, eight-time all NBA, right? When D Wade flamed you, it wasn't at 22 points, bro. He averaged 31 points at one point. At one point, he did lead the league and score. When he flamed you, it was different. Now, if James Harden is comparable, 24, 6, and 7, right? MVP. He's been MVP. He's been a 10-time All-Star. He's also been on seven all NBA teams. Now, it's a difference in style of play. Maybe Pat Bev meant, yo, his style of play is better. Maybe Pat Bev said James Harden is better than D Wade because that and one three he did that one year when he played with the Rockets. When he was hacking them and he hit that three. Maybe he was like, yo, I ain't never seen that like that. He's better than everybody ever played. Maybe he meant that. But James Harden didn't play championship basketball. James Harden had a one-dimensional game. He's going to give you the flashiness, he's going to give you the skills, but he's only going to play in front of the defense. He's not going to be on the fast breaks sometimes, but he's not all the time. He wasn't somebody you depend on in the fast breaks. Tell me your postgame. Tell me a James Harden postgame. He's sure he scored in the post, but that's what you're known for. Is he going to score on the baseline? I don't think so. D Wade gave you all that. D Way is going to flame you in the baseline. He's going to flame you in the open court. He's going to post up. He's going to get to the basket in front of you and go dunk on your big man. Then he played defense. D Wade also played defense. He's been on three all defensive teams. He's one of the only players to score 2,000 points, 500 assists, 150 steals, and 100 blocks all in one season. You would depend on D. Wade to play great on ball defense. James Harden, everybody got to sink over. Everybody got to step over, bro. So when he says this, when Pat Bev says this, I don't know. Maybe Pat Bev got a little beef or something with everybody. Because he he he went on a limb and said Dame Lillard wasn't a Hall of Famer. And we won't get into that. Dame Lillard, not a Hall of Famer. Where'd you get that from? How'd you get there? Like, here's the thing. I'm not going, I'll get to that on a Wednesday show. But the fact that you think like Dame Lillard is not a Hall of Famer, that's kind of that. See, this is why I'm saying about that whole loyalty thing. Because when you're sitting there losing for 10 years and you're struggling and you trying to get you trying to get past the Western Conference finals your whole goddamn life, people discredit you. People discredit you. People forget that you changed the game. You had to guard you from after right after half court. People forget that you hit the biggest shots and closeout series games. People forget about that. People forget you scored 71. You dropped 50 in the playoffs. People forget about that stuff. So when y'all say, oh, you made me loyal. This is the results. You get guys like Patrick Beverly saying crazy stuff. Patrick Beverly thinks James Harden wasn't better than D. Wade. You know why? Because D Wade spent the last several years of his career injured. That's why. So that's the that's what you remember, that's what you recollect. But you you forgot about D. Wade in 06, bro. You forgot about D. Wade on 08-09 season game. So let's be clear, D. Wade is definitely better than James Harden.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

But shouldn't we take that under consideration though? What do you want to take it under? If player A was able to play longer, more consistent than player B, especially in the in the prime years, doesn't that mean that they're better? No.

SPEAKER_01 31:32

Um here's the here's the reason why, right? Because if James Harden is playing healthy, but not winning the championship, not finals MVP, then there's some series. Listen, by the way, by the way, James Harden is not too far behind D Wade. But when it comes to who I want playing on both sides of the ball, I gotta go with D Wade. James Harden has let a lot of teams down with his defensive efforts. So it could mean that. We could say that. We could say, oh yeah, well, he played longer, he did this. But at the end of the day, we gotta look at when you say a better player, not skill, because guys can be more skilled than you, but not a better player. I've played with guys who were more skilled than me, but they weren't better players. They couldn't play defense, they wasn't tough, they couldn't talk on defense. They couldn't, they they couldn't get to the basket like me. They couldn't read the defense like me, but they might be more skilled. They might get to the they might be able to do some footwork stuff, they might be able to shoot, uh shoot the shot off the off the screen better than me. Sure. They might have more skills in those regards, but just because you're skilled doesn't mean you're a better player. NCAA is almost to an end. We're now to the final four, and your top prospects are out of the tournament. Your top NBA prospects is out of the tournament, man. E, did you get a chance to watch any of these uh guys play?

SPEAKER_02 33:02

No, I didn't.

SPEAKER_01 33:03

Let's talk about these guys, bro. You got De'Aaron Peterson, AJ DeBanta, Cameron Boozer, uh, Khaleb, right? Caleb. Caleb, excuse me. I always do that. Kate, Caleb, Caleb, and Darius Acup, and Kingston Flemings. Um, that's your top six guys that's uh that's the that's picked to be the top in the draft, right? But they're out of the they're out of the uh tournament. Now, after watching the tournament, I had to move my list around a little bit. I had the Aaron Peterson number one, but then I'm like, you know, you know. I think they're gonna move him down because of the stuff off the court. Not because of skill. Not because of skill. But they're gonna move him down. I don't think he'll go number one. I like AJ DeBancer though. Have you had a chance to watch AJ? No, I saw I saw his game. I like his game. I think AJ, he is a player who's ready to play now. He wants to play defense. He's a team player, he runs the court, he's a slasher. His shot may need a little bit of development, um, but nonetheless, he's gonna get enough shots up in the game where he starts to feel confident and comfortable with shooting that three-ball. De'Aaron Peterson, I like his game because it's an explosive and quick game. He gets to the point. He knows how to work off screens, he knows how to use on-ball screens, he gets to the basket, he's explosive. I like his game. I truly do. To me, he is a very polished Malik Monk. He's a Malik, and I know people are like, oh, Malik Monk, because you're thinking of Malik Monk in the NBA. You're thinking of Malik Monk who has to have a role in the NBA. But when you think about Malik Monk who played for Kentucky, different animal. He's a different animal. Same thing for De'Aaron Peterson. Played great for Kansas. But I'm not ready to say, oh, he reminds me of Kobe. Kobe was great. Last I saw Kobe, he did great things. I have to see De'Aaron Peterson in the league say he did great things. Malik Monk, he's had great decent years. Let's say decent years, good years. That's where I see Darren Peterson. He's having good, he'll have good years. Now, his work ethic can get him to great years. That's where he got Kobe. But I'm not ready to compare him to the greats yet. I'm just not. Behind him is Cameron Boozer. Cameron Boozer, his dad is Carlos Boozer. Carlos Boozer was pretty good. I like I like Carlos Boozer. I like Carlos Boozer more for Duke than I did for him. Actually, I liked him for Utah too. You you've see, that was see, that was before your time, eh? Yeah, yeah. That was before your time. You don't remember, you don't remember them Darren Williams and Utah in them Carlos Boozer days. Nah, man. You don't remember them days, bro. They tried to make it seem like they were Stockton and Carl Malone, the next one. Nah, they was nah, they wasn't it though. They they got there, though. I think they got to the Western Conference Finals. Uh but nonetheless, Cameron Boozer. Cameron Boozer averaged 22 points 10 and 4 this year. Here's the thing, right? I'm not taking away from any of the college guys, but college and pro games are completely different. Now, for instance, a guy like Cameron Boozer might not average a 22 and 10 in the NBA. Because the NBA style is different. He's not gonna let you, you ain't, you ain't banging down low pause all game, or you, or you gotta be quick with that shot. You can't make your mind, you gotta make up your mind quick. But it's still time left. It's still time left, man. There's still time left for you to train and work out and get prepared for the season. Uh a guy like AJ DeBans, he can fit right in. I think he's gonna look, I think he probably goes to Utah. I think Darren Peterson will be great for the Wizards.

SPEAKER_02 37:03

The Wizards?

SPEAKER_01 37:04

Yeah, I think he'd be great for the Wizards.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

They got Trey Young over there, though.

SPEAKER_01 37:06

They got Trey Young, but Trey Young, he's a point guard.

SPEAKER_02 37:08

Oh, Darren Peterson, you're a two guard?

SPEAKER_01 37:10

He's a two guard. I don't think they're gonna they're gonna I don't think they're gonna put him out. He's like 6'6. Oh, Darren Peter's. Yeah, he's 6'6.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

I'm thinking he's like 6'3, 6'4. Nah, yeah. That's what I'm saying. That's how good he is. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:20

You know? Okay. Um, but he's like 6'6. I mean, Malik Monk playing, you probably get it from Malik Monk, because Malik Monk was 6'3.

SPEAKER_02 37:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:26

You know, but or is 6'3, not Waz. He is 6'3. Uh, then you got A, you got uh, you got Darius A. Cuff. That's the card I like. You like Darius A. Cuff? I like him, man. See, it's going, I I just I don't know. I want to see what team he goes to. You know, his ability doesn't bother me. His ability doesn't bother me. His his landing of team bothers me. Who's gonna let him do him? You know?

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:53

You know, and so so that's I AI loves him. Alan Iverson, the that's the only AI we know. Alan Iverson. Alan Iverson loves him. He gave him a he helped him get a deal with uh reebop. And he has some great things to say about him. I think so. He probably thinks Darius Acuff can be the next Allen Iverson. He can ball though. I think when he gets in that open court, he's gonna be able to showcase his skills. But you have so many guards like him in the league. What if you go to uh Brooklyn? If you go to Brooklyn, I mean, yeah, that's an opportunity for him. Yeah. I think I don't I don't really, I can't think of another guard that's gonna play like him for the Brooklyn, uh, Brooklyn Nets.

SPEAKER_02 38:34

You think a guard like him, he needs like he needs a ball in his hand to like showcase his skill.

SPEAKER_01 38:39

Yeah, I he's a scorer, right? Like you look at a guy, so Darius A. Cuff and Derek, Derrick Rose both play for John Calapy. John Callipari, um, Derrick Rose averaged 14 points for John Callipai. Darius A. Cuff averaged 23 for John Callipari. I'm not sitting here saying that one score better than the other, but I am saying that John Callipai runs the same system most times. And to have a guard to score 23. A lot most times these guards, his guards score about 14 points, 15 points. It doesn't, it's nothing crazy, but they have NBA talent.

SPEAKER_00 39:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:19

For him to score 23, I think once he gets in the NBA, that goes up. And I maybe he doesn't get to 23 or 25 points, but I'm saying he, I think he could keep that because now he can shoot, he can shoot the ball faster, he can get out in the open court, he can be himself. He can be himself. When you play in the pro level, it's like moving the ball fast, but you playing at a high level. You're playing in for you're also playing with a sense of entertainment to the fans.

SPEAKER_02 39:43

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

Uh then Kingston Flemings. Kingston Flemings, uh, I like his game. I actually seen him in high school. Oh, yeah. Um, yeah, yeah. I seen a couple um videos, not in person, but I seen him a couple videos of him in high school. True leader, always talking on the court. Also watched him in Houston. Uh, he averaged 16 points four and five this year. He's a player who I think is gonna need some development. Um, I don't think he get he goes in and just scores the points he's scoring. Uh, I think he gets some time, of course, because he, I mean, he's he's gonna be top. He's gonna be lottery. He's definitely gonna be lottery. I, you know, I I have him, I have him around like six or seven. But uh, but he's a guy who's gonna develop. But I like I like this though. I like this group. I like this group. I'm um I'm very excited to see what they bring to the NBA, what they bring to the fans. I got nothing, I got no more to say about that, man. What do you believe about you?

SPEAKER_02 40:35

No, I think it's a good group. I think this is a it's gonna be a really good, really good draft class.

SPEAKER_01 40:40

Yeah, for sure. Man, before we wrap it up, before we wrap it up, man, I want to talk about what I like about the athletes' mindset, bro. Like, what you know, I was thinking about this the other day. I was like, yo, why do you like, why do you love basketball? Like, why do you love watching basketball? Why do you love watching it on TV? Now, here's what I say. The reason why I love it is because I I'm watching guys who master their craft. I'm watching what it looks like when you have a routine. Most great players have a routine. I wake up at four, I do this, I do that, boo, boo, woo. I'm watching guys who understands what it takes to be great, the discipline that they have. And watching these guys, you can apply it to your own life. Having discipline, having routines. If you listen to the postgame, listen to the postgame. Listen to how they handle problems. Listen to how they handle problems. Ah, you know, it was a bad shooting night for us, but but it's just one game. We'll be back tomorrow, gotta get back to the lab. That's how you should handle a lot of life problems. Look how they celebrate. OKC changed the game. Everybody now, every team does it. Yo, he got an interview, we all got an interview, it's all sitting around. And when they in an interview, they score 50-60 points. Man, my teammates did a good job, gave me the ball, my spots that I needed. That's how you should handle your success. Nobody wins alone. I know they're telling you Jordan won by himself. He didn't win alone, bro. Because if he won alone, he would have won when he averaged 37 points. He would have won that year. Now that's no knock on Jordan. Because y'all might take that as a knock because y'all want to believe that Jordan did it by himself, but that's not a knock. I'm just letting you know, nobody does it alone. So when I watch these, so when I watch these athletes, you know, I don't judge them by the failures. I judge them by how they handle failures, how they bounce back. That's something we all can learn from them, man. And I and I I truly enjoy watching basketball for that reason. If you don't understand, I'm not worried about it. Because real hoopers understand. Make sure you guys leave a like, a comment.

SPEAKER_02 42:59

You got something for me? No, never mind. That's a new huh? That that's a that's a that's a new quote, bro. What, real hoopers understand? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:06

No, you listen, bro. Speaking of real hoopers, make sure you get a real hooper hoodie, man. Make sure you go to goalsactivewear.com. You get 15, you get 15% off if you use code real hoopers at checkout. Real hoopers understand it, man. Yes, it is a it is it should be a new quote. It should be. Real hoopers understand. If you don't like what I'm I'm putting out, probably never play basketball. That's just what it is. You probably never play basketball. And you just want you just want me to sit and read a bunch of stats. I'm speaking from a basketball perspective. Most real hoopers, most real hoopers gonna be like, I see what he's saying. Might disagree. We ain't supposed to agree with everything. No such thing. We ain't dating. We ain't gotta agree with everything. Even when you're dating someone, you don't agree with everything. But we don't suppose to take it offensive. We don't suppose to make it say, oh, you know, no, no, no. Crying and shit, man. But yeah, man, real hoopers understand, man. Make sure y'all lock in, make sure y'all follow us on all platforms. Forms, Score Society. Right now, we're trying to get our Instagram back. We're trying to get our Instagram back. We still have Score Society merch. We still have that page. But if you're an Instagram person, just be patient. For now, follow us on Score Society merch page. Until next time, make sure you guys think elite and together. Welcome to Score Society.