Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 3: John Starks & Pat O'Keefe

Date: October 22, 2025
Podcast: ESPN New York | Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

Overview

This episode, recorded live from Stout NYC ahead of the Knicks’ season opener, features spirited pregame discussion and insightful interviews with Knicks legend John Starks and play-by-play broadcaster Pat O’Keefe. The hosts break down the anticipation surrounding this Knicks season, debates over load management and roster changes, the shifting NBA landscape, and the ever-present speculation around possible major trades—especially the looming Giannis Antetokounmpo storyline. With anecdotes, inside perspective, and fan calls, the show delivers a lively, authentic slice of New York basketball culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Night Anticipation & The State of the Knicks

[00:43–04:57]

• Hosts’ Excitement for Season Opener: The show sets the scene with palpable excitement at Stout NYC, describing the increased energy and the unique buzz around the Knicks to start this highly anticipated season.
• Roster and Matchup Analysis: Alan Hahn highlights the Knicks’ strengthened wings (Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby), the impact of Jalen Brunson, and the resulting increased expectations, even with health questions about Karl-Anthony Towns. Both teams face injuries—Cavaliers are missing key players, but still have Donovan Mitchell and others.
• Underdog versus Spotlight Narrative:
  • Rosenberg points out, “The rest of the NBA took notice… something's buzzing here. Everybody's picking [the Knicks] to come out of the East. So all these Eastern teams… circle on the Knicks and go, let's prove to the world that the Knicks aren't gonna have it just a dance to the final.” (03:25)
• Madison Square Garden Factor: Discussion on how teams bring added intensity to MSG, treating it as a stage for statement wins, not just for the Knicks, but for opponents, too.

2. Eastern Conference Competitiveness & Load Management

[05:08–08:54]

• Motivations of Contending Teams: The hosts discuss how franchises like the Celtics and Pacers are embracing a “no respect” mentality, seeking to be spoilers amid New York’s resurgence.
  • Peter: “The Celtics… minus Tatum, that's minus a classic superstar. He doesn't get enough credit… but he is 25 or 30 points every single night.” (06:52)
• Player Rest Strategies: They address the evolving NBA trend of star “comeback” teases, likening Jayson Tatum and Aaron Rodgers’ comments about returning late in the season as motivational carrots for their teams.

3. Knicks’ Unifying Force & Fan Perspective

[09:43–12:34]

• Fan Call — The Knicks Bring New York Together: Caller Lou underscores the Knicks’ role as NYC’s “great unifier,” more so than any other sports team in the city.
  • Lou: “Nothing gets the city together like New York Knicks. ...I do think that Deuce’s success this year will catapult the Knicks to, to hopefully a championship season.” (09:43)
• Host Reflections:
  • Rosenberg affirms, “It is true, no team brings the city together like the Knicks... more than any other sport, there's the biggest gap between the basketball [interest].” (10:57)

4. Knicks Win Projections & The Reality of Championship Windows

[15:30–18:00]

• Win Totals and Eastern Seeding:
  • Don Hahn: “53 [wins].”
  • Rosenberg: “That's nothing wrong with 53. ...So that would be an improvement.” (15:46–15:56)
• Playoff Positioning & East Competition: A consensus emerges that 53 wins could land the Knicks as a 2 or 3 seed, unless teams like Philadelphia make unexpected jumps.

5. Giannis Trade Speculation & NBA Team-Building Challenges

[21:56–30:32]

• Giannis Watch Remains at the Forefront: The hosts explain how the Knicks’ success (or lack thereof) could determine if they re-engage the pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo next summer.
  • Hahn: “This season could decide whether or not the Knicks re-engage the idea of Giannis... It's a real thing that's going to hang over this team.” (21:58)
  • Peter: “If you look out-manned again in the conference finals, not great… it would get very loud.” (23:54)
• Superstar Trades Not Like They Used To Be:
  • Hahn: “It’s so difficult to do, so it's easy to say, ‘Oh, they should have traded for him...’ But if I showed you what would be left, you'd say, ‘I don't know how the hell you win with that.’” (26:57)
• NBA's Second Apron Hard Cap: The difficulty of trading for a transcendent talent like Giannis under new cap rules; referencing Phoenix’s “big three” as a cautionary tale.

6. Interview: John Starks

[31:07–38:32]

Vibe Check & Expectations

• Starks’ Season Outlook:
  • “No, I feel great. ...I'm excited about the players that we brought in during the offseason. I'm excited about the offense that we're going to be running to take a little pressure off of Jalen. So it should be good.” (31:52, Starks)
• On Being Favorites:
  • “I feel like these guys understand that they're one of the favorites to come out the east, if not the favorite, in my opinion. So they should have a lot of confidence going into the season that they are the team to beat.” (34:43, Starks)

Nostalgia — Riley’s Midnight Madness

• On Pat Riley’s Training Camps:
  • “No, it was a real thing. …Coach Riley just kind of, you know, get some excitement going into the season. …Kind of took you back to your college days, you know, like Midnight Madness.” (33:28–33:52, Starks)

How to Manage Jalen Brunson & Key to Success

• On Brunson’s Usage:
  • “Probably on average 34, 35 minutes at the most. A lot of nights the load is going to be on him…but you want to take a lot of that off of him… When he's fresh, he's the best in the league for closing out games…” (35:04–35:57, Starks)
• On Indiana Rivalry:
  • “It always harken back to… our days playing against Indiana. …They always seem like they're in the mix and we seem like we always go up against them.” (36:20–36:59, Starks)
• On Team-Wide Effort:
  • “I think everybody [needs to step up]… That's what it's going to take in order to win it all.” (37:12, Starks)
• On Mike Brown:
  • “His philosophy… Ball movement is key. …You watch the team [he had] in Sacramento, that's all they was doing, moving the ball.” (37:46, Starks)

7. Interview: Pat O’Keefe

[39:21–46:24]

Season Outlook

• On Anticipation:
  • “This is the most highly anticipated Knicks season of the century.” (39:29, O'Keefe)

Management’s New Approach & Rest

• On Resting Players:
  • “I think what we're seeing is what we kind of expected, that things overall are going to be different this year. The offense is supposed to be different. Use the bench more. Don’t rely so heavily on the starters. ...I think this is all part of that.” (41:06–41:53, O’Keefe)

Star Responsibility & Ball Movement

• On Brunson and Ball Movement:
  • Rosenberg: “Is the only play we have… give the ball to Jalen was kind of everything? …Do you expect to see… a rejuvenated Jalen Brunson without having to have that much of the load?” (43:01–43:21)
  • O’Keefe: “Maybe we'll see some growing pains… but… the Knicks do have some wiggle room in the regular season to have some growing pains to ease off the gas a little bit.” (43:21–43:41)

Supporting Cast Must Step Up

• On Bridges & Anunoby:
  • “If the Knicks are going to win a championship… it’s going to come from OG Anunoby… being available. …And also, Mikal Bridges has to be Mikal Bridges… during the regular season last year, offensively, he wasn’t the player you thought you were going to get.” (44:34–45:34, Peter)
• On Bridges' Bounce-Back Need:
  • O’Keefe: “I think one A for Mike Brown to take this team to the next level is to get Bridges back to who the guy was that the Knicks brought in 15 months ago.” (45:35–46:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The rest of the NBA… let's prove to the world that the Knicks aren’t gonna have it just a dance to the final.” —Rosenberg (03:25)
• “Nothing gets the city together like New York Knicks.” —Caller Lou (09:43)
• “This season could decide whether or not the Knicks re-engage the idea of Giannis... It's a real thing that's going to hang over this team.” —Alan Hahn (21:58)
• “Transcendent is can this player make you immediately a contender? [Giannis] is in a category… of legitimately you can win a championship because you, you can.” —Peter (25:15)
• “If I showed you what would be left [after a superstar trade], you’d say, ‘I don't know how the hell you win with that.’” —Alan Hahn (26:57)
• “No, it was a real thing. ...Coach Riley just kind of, you know, get some excitement going into the season.” —John Starks (33:28–33:52)
• “When he's fresh, he's the best in the league for closing out games.” —John Starks on Jalen Brunson (35:57)
• “This is the most highly anticipated Knicks season of the century.” —Pat O’Keefe (39:29)

Segment Timestamps

• [00:43] — Show opens at Stout NYC; Knicks-Cavs preview, player availability talk
• [03:15] — Cavs’ motivation and the “Knicks spotlight” effect
• [06:42] — Discussion of Pacers, Celtics, and their injury impacts
• [09:43] — Fan call from Lou about Knicks' unifying force
• [15:30] — Hosts predict Knicks’ win total, discuss playoff seeding
• [21:56] — Giannis talk: team-building and existential pressure on the Knicks
• [31:07] — John Starks joins: Expectations, Riley stories, Brunson’s workload
• [39:21] — Pat O’Keefe joins: Changes in coaching, rest, and ball movement
• [44:34] — Final thoughts on Anunoby, Bridges, and the Knicks’ championship path

Tone & Energy

The episode is energetic, authentic, and irreverently insightful—blending hard basketball analysis with classic NYC sports radio warmth and wit. The hosts and guests don’t sugarcoat expectations, but the hope and excitement for a special Knicks season radiate throughout.

Summary prepared for listeners who missed the live show and want an in-depth, timestamped recap of the key conversations, insights, and personalities.