Green With Envy: A Boston Celtics Podcast

Episode: Special Guest Shea Serrano — Expensive Basketball
Date: November 7, 2025
Hosts: Will & Greg
Guest: Shea Serrano (author, CEO of Halfway Books)

Episode Overview

In this lively and wide-ranging conversation, Will and Greg welcome acclaimed writer Shea Serrano to discuss his new book, Expensive Basketball. The episode mixes playful banter, Celtics nostalgia, and insights into the nature of "expensive" basketball moments—those plays and players that simply feel elevated, poetic, and uniquely memorable. Along the way, the trio dives into NBA storylines, Shea’s writing process, and even crafts a tongue-in-cheek pitch for a follow-up book on the opposite: “inexpensive” basketball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Shea Serrano ([01:04–05:53])

• Will opens with high praise for Shea, calling him a “five-time New York Times bestselling author, CEO of Halfway Books, avid Spurs fan, and... the 16th most famous Mexican American in 2025 according to ChatGPT” ([01:48-02:35]).
• Fun banter about the relative fame of Mexican Americans:
  • “[On ranking] That’s ridiculous. I should not admit.” – Shea ([04:20])
  • “I’m just trying to give you new goals here, Shea. New goal: You coming for Selena’s neck.” — Will ([04:32])
• Light-hearted anecdote about Shea’s recognizability:
  • Will’s fiancée, not a basketball fan, recognizes Shea Serrano among only ten basketball figures she knows ([05:21-05:46]).

2. Early NBA Season Thoughts ([05:53–15:14])

The Spurs & Luke Kornet

• Shea expresses Spurs fandom, high on Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”), and saddened by an early Harper injury ([06:09]).
• On new Spur (and ex-Celtic) Luke Kornet:

  “He’s just a guy who does the right thing… I know he’s gonna go out there and he’s not gonna f*** up... I really appreciate that about Luke Kornet.” — Shea ([06:42])

Celtics & Derrick White Trade Rumors

• Discussion about Derrick White’s early-season struggles and trade speculation:
  • “[Bill Simmons] thinks it’s time for the Celtics to trade Derrick White... Any world Derrick White makes his way back to San Antonio?” — Mike Gorman/Will ([08:16])
  • Shea unsure but open: “I don’t know... Maybe this will be like the test case...” ([08:36])

Other NBA Storylines

• Milwaukee Bucks’ hopeful championship push:
  • “I think this season started and Giannis looked around and said, hey, we can go to the Finals... Who’s in front of us? The Cavaliers. I’m not afraid of the Cavaliers...” — Shea ([09:24])
• Thunder championship trajectory compared to the 2015-16 Warriors:

  “When they win it again this year, then next year everybody’s gonna be like, f***, f***, what do we do?...” — Shea ([10:40-11:37])

• Memphis Grizzlies’ instability (specifically Ja Morant’s future):

  “He has, like, a Russell Westbrook reputation about him... as electric as this guy is, I don’t know if he’s gonna help my team win a thing.” — Shea ([11:47])

  • Playfully hopes he goes to Houston “strictly because I want him to go there and ruin the Rockets... just out of pettiness.” ([12:45])

Random League Pass Allure

• Shea on the Kings:

  “They’re not even terrible. They’re like ... e. They’re just existing. I don’t know. They’re very weird.” ([13:47])

Bucks’ Unexpected Surprises

• Will’s surprise at the Bucks’ new talent:

  “Didn’t know about Ryan Rollins at all. Really big fan. Giannis seems to already trust him…” ([14:18])

3. Wembanyama’s Ceiling & Transcendent Talents ([15:14–21:53])

• “Is there a ceiling on Wemby?”:

  “At this particular moment, there is no ceiling... There’s no thing you could say about him on a basketball court that would make you go, ‘He didn’t really do it.’” — Shea ([16:23])

• Historical comps for “no-ceiling” players:
  • “LeBron for sure… Magic and Larry… Jordan surprisingly didn’t have it until he was scoring 60 points in the Garden...” — Shea ([20:29])

4. The Concept of Expensive Basketball ([21:53–25:13])

• Defining “Expensive Basketball”:

  “Expensive basketball is an idea that nobody has to explain... Sometimes a thing happens on a court that just feels important… elegant... poetic... Every chapter is a different one of those things.” — Shea ([23:03])

  • Example: Ray Allen’s jumper versus Joakim Noah’s — no contest which “feels expensive.”

5. Revelations & Research from the Book ([25:13–29:05])

• Shea recounts stats that shocked him:
  • James Harden:

    “One time in 149 playoff games he made a shot to put his team into the lead in the final minute...” ([25:24])

  • Damian Lillard passed Harden for go-ahead playoff shots in his first playoff series.
  • Steph Curry:

    “The greatest shooter of all time only has one game-winning buzzer beater... and it was against the Boston Celtics.” ([28:25])

6. Writing, Details, and the Humanity of Hoops ([29:05–35:18])

• Shea’s writing comes alive because he writes only about things he loves:

  “I only like to write about stuff that I really care about and... have a long history of loving.” ([30:09])

• Favorite unexpected detail: Including little, visceral moments (Lillard’s “clap” for the ball, etc.).
• Greg notes the human moments:
  • “Your writing taps into the visceral part of being a human,” citing the Tim Duncan anecdote and observations like “Allen Iverson is handsome.” ([34:03])

7. Celtics Nostalgia ([35:18–42:29])

Antoine Walker & The Walker Wiggle

• How did the “Walker Wiggle” make Shea’s radar?

  “I’ve always been pulled toward players who possess a cool gravity... Antoine Walker always presented as that — just obscenely confident...” ([36:52])

• The league pass era and fascination with certain players across distance.
• Greg and Will share personal Celtics memories:
  • The 2002 26-point comeback vs. the Nets ([40:50]), “You don’t remember the series, you remember that game.” — Shea ([41:21])

Kobe, the 2008 Finals, and Celtics Trauma

• Shea shares the story of Kobe listening to “Don’t Stop Believin’” daily for two years after the Celtics used it to celebrate their 2008 title win:

  “He listened [to it] until he beat the Celtics... an absolute maniac.” — Will ([41:35])

• The Kobe “lore” and obsessive competitor stories ([43:00]).

8. Pitch for “Inexpensive Basketball” ([44:29–47:32])

• Greg proposes a counter-book; Shea riffs on what would qualify:

  “If I saw George Murasan dribbling the ball up I would go like, well, something has gone wrong. This is inexpensive... A very tall guy dribbling always looks inexpensive — with the exception of Wemby.” ([45:10])

• Chris Paul’s foul-baiting, Ben Wallace free throws, Carlos Boozer’s “fake hair” ([46:14–47:29]).
• Shea: “I like to celebrate stuff. I don’t want to denigrate. You guys write that one!” ([47:32])

9. Green With Envy 60-Second Firing Line ([48:01–49:43])

Rapid-fire Q&A:

• Q: Wemby will be a better all-time player than Tim Duncan. Fact or fiction?

  “Fiction.” — Shea ([48:45])

• Q: Best signature NBA celebration?

  “LeBron’s whatever this thing was, doesn’t have a name.” — Shea ([49:12])

• Q: Best Boston movie?

  “The Town.” ([49:19])

• Q: Will we get a season 2 of Primo?

  “No, they all, the characters died in a car crash. That’s how season one ended.” — Shea ([49:43])

10. Final Thoughts & Farewells ([51:04–52:41])

• Shea on where to buy Expensive Basketball:

  “It is available in every single bookstore... if you buy it, I get some money, and that’s always good for me.”

• Greg reminisces about random-player shoutouts from Shea’s previous podcasts (Michael Redd, Scoonie Penn).
• Shea: “What a name. What a name that was.” ([52:37])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Luke Kornet:
  “He’s just a guy who does the right thing... you don’t have to worry about him. I really appreciate that.” — Shea ([06:42])
• On Wemby’s ceiling:
  “There is no ceiling... you could say he had 21 blocks last night and you wouldn’t immediately doubt it.” — Shea ([16:23])
• On “Expensive Basketball”:
  “Sometimes a thing happens on a court that just feels important. It feels expensive. It feels elegant... poetic.” — Shea ([23:03])
• On James Harden:
  “One time in 149 playoff games he made a go-ahead shot in the final minute. That's crazy.” — Shea ([25:24])
• On Kobe’s obsession:
  “He listened [to Don’t Stop Believin’] every day for two years until he beat the Celtics. He’s an absolute maniac.” — Will ([42:28])
• On inexpensive basketball:
  “Chris Paul’s foul-baiting... that’s a smart play, but it kinda sucks, and that’s why it’s inexpensive.” — Shea ([46:22])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Shea ranks as “16th most famous Mexican American” — [03:14–04:32]
• Luke Kornet appreciation & Spurs early thoughts — [06:09–08:16]
• Wemby’s ceiling, NBA comp discussion — [15:14–21:53]
• Expensive basketball hypothesis explained — [23:03–25:13]
• Stunning stats: Harden, Lillard, Curry — [25:13–29:05]
• Celtics/Nets 2002 comeback memories — [39:40–41:35]
• Kobe’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” obsession — [41:35–42:29]
• Riff on “inexpensive basketball” — [44:29–47:32]
• 60-second rapid fire with Shea — [48:01–49:43]
• Scoonie Penn: Legendary name — [52:37–52:41]

Tone & Language

The hosts and Shea Serrano maintain a fast, conversational, irreverent, and warmly nostalgic tone—full of deep basketball respect, self-deprecating jokes, and sincere affection both for the game and for each other's insights.

Conclusion

This episode is a rich, entertaining journey through basketball nostalgia and philosophy, punctuated by Shea Serrano’s sharp wit and the hosts’ sincere Celtics fandom. The discussion around Expensive Basketball powerfully conveys why certain basketball moments transcend stats and highlights, and become part of the game’s poetry. The chemistry between hosts and guest makes the stories and debate both accessible and insightful, inviting listeners—Hardcore Celtics fans or not—to rethink what makes basketball beautiful.