Game Over with Max Kellerman & Rich Paul

Episode: March Madness, the New Big Three, and Oscars Reaction
Date: March 16, 2026 | Host: The Ringer

Episode Overview

This engaging, freewheeling episode finds Max Kellerman and Rich Paul recapping an epic Oscars night both in Hollywood and in sports, while diving deep into March Madness, NBA trends (including the evolving "Big Three" paradigm), and rapid-fire discussions about MVP races, Lakers drama, and shifting power dynamics across leagues. The hosts mix insider stories, candid analysis, and sharp cultural commentary, making this a must-listen for fans of both sports and broader culture.

Key Highlights & Discussion Points

1. Oscars Weekend: Hollywood Nights & The Gold Party

00:50 – 09:28

• Rich Paul's Oscar Party Marathon: Rich recounts going straight from Oscar festivities to the studio, notably skipping the Vanity Fair event but attending exclusive industry gatherings.
  • "There was no get in. I did a quick wardrobe change and came right here, man." (Rich Paul, 00:50)
• The Gold Party Atmosphere: Only the ultra-elite need apply—phones are out of sight, and Jay-Z, Jazzy Jeff, and Jermaine Dupri man the decks in a setting described as "black excellence with everyone welcome."
  • "If you pull that phone out and take a picture, the next stop for you would be your bed." (Rich Paul, 03:04)
• Music, Memories & Michael B. Jordan:
  • Notable moment when Questlove spun the sample before the full Michael Jackson song.
    "That was Questlove who did that. It was incredible." (Rich Paul, 05:13)
  • Praise for Lil Kim's legacy, with a shout-out to her debut album as one of the genre's best.
    • "Lil Kim might have the greatest female rap features or album front to back. That might be my number one." (Max Kellerman, 05:50)
• Meetings with Legends:
  • Rich meets Kadeem Hardison's mother, Darlene, a pioneering Black model and activist.
  • "You can tell a lot about someone when someone's mother actually likes them. Because mom knows best." (Rich Paul, 08:15)

2. March Madness: Selection Sunday & College Standouts

10:36 – 18:39

• Reviewing #1 seeds (Florida, Arizona, Michigan, UConn), skeptical all four reach the Final Four.
• Darius Acuff as Potential #1 Pick:
  • Max brands Acuff as "the best player" he's seen in college, calling him Derrick Rose 2.0.
    • "To me, easily. Easily. The best player I've seen in college is Acuff." (Max, 11:29)
  • Rich dubs him "Darius A. Tough," highlighting his composure, skill, and two-way play.
  • Discussion about whether NBA GMs should draft best available or based on need.
    • "If I have a pick in this draft and Acuff is available, I don't care who I have at point guard. I'm taking the best player." (Max, 14:48)
  • Rich's counter: "But that is not true. And that's not how GM's think. And that's why you're not a GM." (Rich, 15:03)
  • Top-5 Draft Prospects rundown: Peterson, DeBancer, Wilson, Acuff, Boozer; Rich spotlights Braden Burries as a disruptor.
  • Practical skills discussed—size vs. ability, making the right reads, "dog" factor, development and mentoring.

3. Five Minute Max: Sports are Booming – Are We Not Entertained?

19:01 – 26:21

• Max lays out how supposedly “dead” weeks in sports have become packed with “oh my God, did you see that?” moments, channeling advice from Dana White (UFC):
  • Aaron Judge’s defensive theatrics
  • Pitino’s Big East turnaround
  • Acuff’s huge game
  • Luka Doncic’s 30-point triple-double after a 50-point game
  • LeBron’s ageless hustle
  • NFL and MLB news breaking non-stop
  • "This last weekend in sports was so jam packed. This is the dead spot. It's unbelievable. We're spoiled." (Max, 23:54)
• Rich adds: media and fans too often dwell on negativity despite how good we have it.
  • "The problem I have is when you turn on the TV, people act as if everything is bad... it was all positive." (Rich, 26:11)
• Frustration about streaming & games being hard to find, but overall awe at the current sports landscape.

4. NBA Focus: Lakers, LeBron, and "The Big Three"

29:40 – 41:30

• LeBron’s Reinvention and Legacy:
  • Max and Rich marvel at LeBron’s recent floor-diving heroics (“the glue guy”), and debate whether the Lakers might be better with or without him.
    • "I've never seen a team in my life that would be better without LeBron James." (Rich, 31:21)
    • "If LeBron can play that style of basketball... Lakers are extremely dangerous, Rich." (Max, 31:08)
  • The hosts discuss the difficulty of integrating elite stars—continuity challenged by health/injuries, evolving responsibilities, and team dynamics.
• The Myth of the "Big Three"
  • Rich asserts “big threes” rarely exist: teams usually have two superstars and a strong third who couldn’t be a title centerpiece.
    • "Normally you only really need a big two because it allows you to think less about that third guy..." (Rich, 38:04)
  • Brooklyn's KD-Harden-Kyrie trio as the exception — and how even nature “abhors a naked singularity” (Max’s physics analogy, 41:06).
  • "Big threes don't actually exist because you just can't put those three guys together." (Max, 38:51)

5. NBA Contenders: West Power Rankings & Playoff Forecast

41:30 – 56:45

• Lakers vs. Nuggets:
  • Applause for LA’s effort, especially LeBron and Austin Reaves, but skepticism about narratives (“hate-based life forms” and media clickbait).
    • "When we have this good brand of basketball being played, why go for the clickbait when you can actually give the flowers?" (Rich, 44:21)
  • Denver’s standing—still a contender, though Max currently has them third in the West, behind the Spurs and OKC.
• Thunder & Spurs:
  • Both are praised for culture, youth, development, and “playing the right way.”
  • "When I watch that OKC team play, I'm changing their name... OKC is OKC IQ." (Rich, 51:40)
  • Spacing, ball movement, and the impact of coaching and GM moves highlighted.
  • Debate on “best team in the West” remains open—health and playoff matchups matter most.

6. The “New” Big Three: President, Coach & Star (Rich Paul’s Get Rich Quick)

51:31 – 56:45

• Rich introduces a fresh take: the modern Big Three isn’t 3 superstar players but the trio of team president, coach, and franchise player.
  • "The Big three has evolved... Today's Big three is president, GM/coach, star player in the NBA." (Rich, 51:40)
  • Financial flexibility is greater with this setup: "Because it doesn't affect your cap to the point to where you can't have flexibility to continue to make the team better." (Rich, 55:46)
  • Max muses on how power structures differ by league: GM runs baseball, coach rules football, star players tip NBA scales—until now?
  • "If you are star heavy, it has to come with structure." (Rich, 57:20)

7. Oscars Recap & Cultural Critique

59:32 – 66:40

• Rich watched the Oscars, celebrating Michael B. Jordan’s win ("now there’s two GOATs named Michael Jordan").
  • "He could win for anything he's in... Michael B. Jordan from Hardball..." (Max & Rich, 59:49–60:06)
• Max critiques the self-congratulatory nature of the ceremony and the subjectivity of awards.
  • "Film is a medium, right? So it's a form of media... and they give an award to themselves and then the media reacts to an award..." (Max, 61:47)
  • Example: Why Eddie Murphy’s tour de force in “Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps” would never win, and cultural biases in awards.
  • Nontraditional classics (Die Hard) undervalued by the Academy.
    • "Die Hard is a perfect movie. Shot for shot." (Max, 64:22)
• Rich closes with a nod to the growing representation of Black actors in Oscar history.

8. Audience Q&A: Money, GOATs, and Power Forwards

67:03 – 71:26

• Sports Salaries & the TV Bubble:
  • Rich doubts the salary explosion will plateau soon, unless restricted by TV deals/expansion.
    • "We could be at a place where we see one year, $100 million deal." (Rich, 69:59)
• GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Debates:
  • Max loves them; Rich finds them overblown—prefers intra-era comps.
  • Max: "MJ" (basketball), "Tom Brady" (football), "Babe Ruth" (baseball), "Sugar Ray Robinson" (boxing).
• Dirk Nowitzki vs. Tim Duncan:
  • Both agree Duncan is top (defense, versatility), Dirk a worthy runner-up.
  • "I think Dirk would even say Tim." (Rich, 70:36)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "If you pull that phone out and take a picture, the next stop for you would be your bed." – Rich Paul on The Gold Party (03:04)
• "To me, easily. Easily. The best player I've seen in college is Acuff." – Max Kellerman (11:29)
• "That is not true. And that's not how GM's think. And that's why you're not a GM." – Rich Paul (15:03)
• "This last weekend in sports was so jam packed. This is the dead spot. We're spoiled." – Max Kellerman (23:54)
• "Big threes don't actually exist because you just can't put those three guys together." – Max Kellerman (38:51)
• "The Big three has evolved... Today's Big three is president, GM/coach, star player." – Rich Paul (51:40)
• "Film is a medium... and they give an award to themselves... it's all this content created out of whole cloth." – Max Kellerman (61:47)
• "There’s goats in each era, but stop debating if you’re not in the conversation." – Rich Paul (68:14)
• "We could be at a place where we see one year, $100 million deal." – Rich Paul (69:59)

Timestamps for Core Topics

• Oscars/Gold Party recap: 00:50 – 09:28
• March Madness/Acuff & College hoops: 10:36 – 18:39
• "Five Minute Max"/Sports Weekend: 19:01 – 26:21
• NBA/Lakers/LeBron/Big Three: 29:40 – 41:30
• NBA Power Rankings/West: 41:30 – 56:45
• Get Rich Quick – The “New” Big Three: 51:31 – 56:45
• Oscars Recap & Cultural Critique: 59:32 – 66:40
• Audience Q&A (money, GOATs, power forwards): 67:03 – 71:26

Conclusion

This episode masterfully blends exclusive, behind-the-scenes cultural anecdotes with incisive sports talk—challenging myths, reframing debates, and dropping original frameworks for how to understand winning teams. For those who missed it, this summary covers all the passionate debates, witty banter, and sharp analysis that make "Game Over" essential listening.

[End of Summary]