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David Dennis Jr.
So good, so good, so good.
Myron Metcalf
New markdowns up to 70% off are at Nordstrom rack stores now. Stock up and save big on shoes, tops, dresses, accessories and more must haves for summer. Join the nordiclub to unlock exclusive discounts. Shop new arrivals first and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. This is Matt and Myon, the podcast Matt Myron on ESPN Radio. The ESPN app, SiriusXM channel 80. Ash, the smart speaker to play ESPN Radio. David Dennis Jr filling in for Matt Jones. Matt Myron is presented by Progressive insurance. This was SportsCenter, a new interview podcast from Rich Eisen featuring SportsCenter legends, available now on Disney plus, the Rich Eisen Show, YouTube channel and all podcast platforms. This was SportsCenter is presented by Gusto. Here's the thing to me, David. I don't know if you've seen this series. For me, SportsCenter is the reason I'm here. Yeah. You know, like that. I told my parents, there were kids at school, we didn't have cable. We're talking about this thing called SportsCenter. And when I was in the eighth grade, I made a presentation to my parents about why we should get cable because I have to be able to talk about this thing called SportsCenter when I go to school. My parents never bought anything in those situations. They believe me and they got cable because of that pitch. I saw Stuart Scott and all the other greats and legends and it fueled a dream, man. And I hope people pay attention to that series because that, to me, is how ESPN was built.
David Dennis Jr.
That. That's a, That's a cool story. Shout out to your parents, man.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, they bought it to the board.
David Dennis Jr.
It's the dream. I mean, so I'm here in Bristol, and you just walk around Bristol, man, and it's, it's, it's like it doesn't get old. It's the history. It's the booyah on the wall. It's the, the. All the catchphrases, all that stuff, man. This is like, it's a dream to be here and just be around all that. It's just so cool. Every time. Doesn't get old. Like the day that you walk in here and you're like, you know, it's probably, you know, not a good deal.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, go. Yeah, like, I mean, go walk around a little bit and remember. Cause, you know, we're doing something that people dream of doing, and I never take that lightly or take it for granted. And those legends in SportsCenter, they created these opportunities for so many of us. The Knicks created opportunities for Knicks fans to have a fun night, a fun year, a fun decade, a fun life, because this is going to last a lifetime. For the fans who've experienced this, this team probably comes back. You know, the starters are all under contract for the next couple years. I know there's been a lot of Carl Anthony towns chatter, but the Knicks will figure that out and kind of what they're going to do. You win a championship, owners are going to bring you back. James Dolan will bring this group back. They have some spots they have to fill in, but the, the nucleus of this group will return. The one challenge is we, we have not seen a team repeat as champion since 2019. And how many times have we said, oh, that team is going to be a dynasty. You had mid-30s, LeBron, Anthony Davis in the bubble. That team's gonna win a bunch of championship d. Didn't happen. You had Giannis and the Bucks, young Giannis. Didn't happen. Obviously the warriors kind of snuck in there. They didn't win another championship after that run. The Denver Nuggets, we were sure Jokic and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. And Aaron Gordon, that team is definitely winning multiple championships. Mike Malone got fired. They never won another championship. The Celtics, I know for a fact, David, we did shows specifically I about Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum combining to win multiple championships over the next decade. I believe Jaylen Brown did an interview where he said four or five, whatever he was going to win, he might be traded in the next week for all that we know. And then just last year we said, have you seen the Oklahoma City Thunder?
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
Have you seen this team that has sga, the MVP now, two time mvp and the supporting cast full of young guys, the right mix of veterans with Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, built for a run, multiple championships. Didn't even get to the NBA Finals. Can the Knicks be different? Can the Knicks become the dynasty that these last teams were not?
David Dennis Jr.
So I think we're going to be. We're still in that parody era of the NBA. I think that it's, I mean there's so many things. This feels, out of all those teams you mentioned, Thunder, Nuggets, Celtics. This feels like less of a sure thing than all of those, right? Because it feels more. I mean there was every, all of those teams have gotten lucky. All those teams were lucky. Denver never, never played a 50 win team. Everybody was hurt when they, when they played the Celtics. So on and so forth, right. Thunder had, of course, the injury luck in game seven, and everybody had some sort of a break. The Knicks had a similar sort of situation. Didn't have to play probably three teams that a lot of people would have had favored over them in Boston, Detroit and okc, which is, again, not to take anything away from. I know we got, I know Knicks fans get, you know, but it just happens. It happens every year. And now with the way the league is, it's hard to just look at a team and say, yeah, let's pencil them in for two. This is, we're just not there anymore. This Knicks team are all veterans. They're old. Health has to be a big part of that as well. And then, but, but, but here's the, the bigger question to me, though is when I think about the Knicks fans, like I mentioned Saints, Saints won the Super Bowl. It was like we, it was like we stole something, right? Yeah, it was like we stole something. It was like we did. It was like we didn't expect them to ever win. And so the next two years for the Saints were heartbreaking losses, right?
Tom Crean
Yeah.
David Dennis Jr.
There was the Seattle Marshawn run, right. And then there was the San Francisco, right. And two touchdowns in the last two minutes or whatever. They stung, but they didn't really sting in a way that you would think that because we stole one, we just. And I wonder if how the Knicks fans are going to be next season, right? Like with that feeling of like, like if the Knicks are not doing well, are they going to be as outrage? Like what? Like, how do you even approach this as a Knicks fan? If your team say, say the Knicks get bounced in the first round next year, like, I don't, I don't expect that to happen, but say they get bounced in the first round. Some happens, there's an injury, Mikhail Bridget sprains a thumb, he's out, whatever. Is it going to be like, are you gonna be upset? You just stole. You just not stolen. You just got the championship. Like, how are you gonna feel as
Myron Metcalf
a Knicks fan in any other city, I would say nobody cares. In New York, there will be fans ready to fire Mike Brown in that situation. I mean, there's going to be fans who, who want this to be 2, 3, 4, 5 championships, right? And in the second apron era, it's just difficult to keep a team together. I think Knicks fans, for the most part, are just going to be excited no matter what happens in, in the years ahead. But make no mistake, I don't think the Knicks want To be viewed as a one and done. Like, I don't think Knicks fans want one championship. And then they say, okay, whatever, we did it. We'll see you all in 20 years. Like, I think if you tell me the Knicks lose to. If Giannis goes to Boston and they lose to the Celtics at some point in the Eastern Conference semifinal, they're going to be furious. Because I feel like if you're a Knicks fan, you don't just feel like this was a championship. You feel like this is your window. You beat the team that beat the champion. You and the Eastern Conference dominated. So I definitely think. I think we're celebrating the Knicks and saying, david, you did it. Congratulations. The parade is on Thursday. Enjoy the moment. I would imagine that Knicks fans are saying, give me more of what I just witnessed last night.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, I mean, I haven't seen it, though. Like, I haven't seen any Knicks be like, all right, let's go get another. You know what I'm saying? Like, time.
Myron Metcalf
Well, they ain't awake yet. They didn't wake up yet. They're still sleep.
David Dennis Jr.
Okc, Boston, Denver, all of them were like, what are we going to look like next year? Right? Give us more, give us more, give us more. Knicks fans.
Myron Metcalf
I don't know. It'd be interesting.
David Dennis Jr.
Like, I'm interested if in April things look rough, what talk radio is going to sound like in New York? Oh, they want to call and be like, mikhail Bridges was a waste of picks. Get him out of here.
Myron Metcalf
You know, like.
David Dennis Jr.
Like, what are we. What is that? How are we gonna talk about the Knicks in April if they're kind of like, regress to the mean?
Myron Metcalf
The danger of being the Knicks right now, in that situation you're describing, the danger is history isn't always kind to the teams that won a championship. Too often, teams in that situation, we come up with excuses. There's the world of, okay, you play the second youngest team in NBA history to make the NBA Finals, a team whose average age was 25 years old. All right, what did you do after that? Like, there's a world where if they run into, let's say the Thunder make the Finals, or they got to face Boston in Eastern Conference finals and they lose four, two or something like that. I think Knicks fans will be upset about that. Now, you can't take away this year. But I don't. This. This doesn't strike me as a fan base that is saying, you know what? 50 years from now, I'll take another one. But until then, who cares? I think they want all that they can get right now, and they want to feel like they are the undeniable team of this generation.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, that's great. You're not, though. I'd be like.
Myron Metcalf
You know what I'm saying?
David Dennis Jr.
Like, this is.
Myron Metcalf
I want to be, though.
David Dennis Jr.
This is an incredible story. It's an incredible story for the Knicks.
Myron Metcalf
See, if that's what. That's the thing, David, what you're. You think the Knicks are a great story.
David Dennis Jr.
Yes.
Myron Metcalf
And I think that's how a lot of people see the Knicks. I think Knicks fans want to be a great franchise.
David Dennis Jr.
Well, look at the Mavericks. Like the Mavericks. Same. I feel like the same people approach the Mavericks the same way. Dirk got his. His win. Everything else was kind of like gravy.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. Yeah. C.J. in Virginia. What was the experience like with the Knicks winning the championship?
Tom Crean
Hey, guys, listen, let me preface this by saying I'm not a Knick fan, but this is not hate. I'm 53 years old. I've been a longtime sports fan. Objectivity is part of what I like to do. So I'll make a couple comments here where the Knicks are concerned. I have not looked. I promise you, I have not looked. But I would assume probably for the first time in several years, there'll be an NBA champion who's not favored to win next year. And I think that is because they are a great story, not a great team. I think that, you know, I've heard people saying, you know, I thought the west was so strong, if the Knicks had to go through that gauntlet, who knows if they'd even won a title? So it might have got them more rest and stuff where they weren't really beat up going into the playoffs, where the. Aaron Fox, for instance, who's being criticized, was on. On the ankle. And that's no excuse. He played. So if he played, he should have played well. But I'm just saying, if you look at Dodds for next year, they probably won't be a top three or four favorite to win a title. So whether Knick fans want them to be a great franchise or not, I just don't see that. I see them.
Myron Metcalf
Well, that's a fair. I mean, that's. That's interesting. I think James Steele has the odds going into next year. I'm.
Caller/Guest
I'm on DraftKings. The Knicks are the. So the spurs are favored plus 250. OKC is at plus 260. The Celtics are at plus 550. And then it's the Knicks at plus 650. So they're fourth.
Myron Metcalf
Spurs, Thunder, Celtics, which, which are. We're assuming they get Giannis, probably in those odds. And then the Knicks are fourth. That, that, that's a conversation I want to have on the other side of this. We're going to take more of your calls. 8, 8, say ESPN 8, 8 8-729-3776. The Knicks the fourth best odds to win the championship. We'll talk about it. Matt and Myron the Podcast.
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David Dennis Jr.
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Myron Metcalf
He's David Dennis Jr. I am Myron Metcalf here on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, SiriusXM Channel 80. Sugar Hill Gang is coming to the Minnesota State Fair. I'm going. This is the group that's rapping right now. The Sugar Hill Gang is still somewhere. I'm going to the Sugar Hill Gang concert like that. That it's gonna be fun.
David Dennis Jr.
Like I don't shout out to Sugar Hill Gang.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I think Melly Mel's gonna be there. There's gonna be a lot of old school hip hop artists. You know, I wish I could break dance cause I bet there's gonna be some of that happening there, but I don't know if I can do it.
David Dennis Jr.
Bring a little cardboard out there and get a little break dancing.
Myron Metcalf
See what happens. You can do it. I agree. See what happen.
David Dennis Jr.
You've pop locked before out in the club.
Myron Metcalf
But I'm worried now about locking. The locking. I just don't know if I can unlock anymore.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, some might pop too, while you're doing that.
Myron Metcalf
That's the whole problem.
David Dennis Jr.
That's a problem.
Myron Metcalf
You know, you gotta. If I go into club at this stage, I gotta stretch beforehand.
David Dennis Jr.
You gotta.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I gotta make sure. Like, I'm loose and you can't. At the. Once you get past 40, you can't just start dancing, you know? Not those dances, right? Well, one, you gotta do the dances that are modest so you don't put yourself in a position to hurt something. Like, my dancing now is like a lot of shoulder movement.
David Dennis Jr.
A lot of shoulders. Okay?
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, it's a lot of shoulders. A little bit of swaying. It's not too much at this stage of my life.
David Dennis Jr.
What was your go to? What was your go to? I'm at the club move. Like, were you prime? Were you lean and rock with it era? Were you. You know what I'm saying? Were you heel, toe? Were you. You know, what was the move?
Myron Metcalf
Not a lean with it. Rock with it.
David Dennis Jr.
Lean, rock with it.
Myron Metcalf
I was a big, hands in the air guy.
David Dennis Jr.
Okay?
Myron Metcalf
Like, I was a big. You know, when the song started, like,
David Dennis Jr.
you were raising the roof.
Myron Metcalf
No, like, just like, hands in the. You see my hands in the air? A lot. Like, that was a lot of. Okay, that was a lot of that. Not necessarily razor.
David Dennis Jr.
Were you, like, waving around as if you didn't care?
Myron Metcalf
Almost like, you know the dude who, like, when a song comes on, you're surprised that the song even exists, even though you've heard it 50 times? That's me. Like, you play my song. One hair is hand is going in the air.
David Dennis Jr.
Gotcha.
Myron Metcalf
And I'm looking at everybody going and pointing at people I don't know, to just see if they feel what I'm feeling.
David Dennis Jr.
Okay, so you're mixy. You're being mixy in the club. Hey, everybody, look, this is my.
Myron Metcalf
I'm helping the dj. Like, I feel like I'm working for the DJ and they just don't know it.
David Dennis Jr.
Okay?
Myron Metcalf
And I'm trying to, you know, keep the energy high.
David Dennis Jr.
Okay, in the room.
Tom Crean
What.
David Dennis Jr.
What was the. What would be the song that would make you raise your hands to the highest and lean back, lean back. That was it.
Myron Metcalf
I was. I was living in New York when Lean Back Fat Joe came out. I was young in the clubs, like, having a great time. That song was the song of the summer in the world.
David Dennis Jr.
There you go.
Myron Metcalf
That was. We went to clubs all over New
David Dennis Jr.
York City, people can't seem. You know, his hands are up in the air and just waving all day, pointing. I don't know if anybody's in the house with him right now, but he's pointing at people, right?
Myron Metcalf
Listen, this song, when it came on, I was definitely pointing at people. If you were sitting down, you gotta get up. If you're with me.
David Dennis Jr.
Okay, gotcha.
Myron Metcalf
Because I thought it was that. It was that amazing to me. Lean back, drop. You know what else is amazing to me? David Dennis Jr. And I know we talked about throughout the show, are Knicks fans going to be happy? Yeah, because there's a part of me that, you know, Knicks fans are happy. They're. But it's easy to make Knicks fans upset, too.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
It doesn't take a lot for Knicks fans to go from elated, happy to. Wait a minute. You all are trying to pull one on us. I'd like to read the odds for the 2027 NBA championship from DraftKings, if I can do that. Knicks fans, you just won the championship. You have the core of your team coming back. All five starters are under contract for the next two years. You've got some pieces to figure out as an option for Jose Alvarado, Mitchell Robinson, what do you do there? There's some things you gotta figure out if you're the Knicks, but here are the odds based on what we just witnessed last night. The core of your team is returning the favorite to win the 2027 NBA championship. The San Antonio spurs at plus 250. Slightly behind them at plus 260. The Oklahoma City Thunder far behind them, plus 550. The Boston Celtics, who I assume could get Giannis. Maybe that's a part of what's happening there. And in fourth place, not even on the podium right Now, David Dennis Jr. Not even getting a participation trophy. The New York Knicks at plus 250. Help me understand this, David Dennis Jr. How the Knicks have the fourth best odds in the NBA right now going into the 2026, 2027 NBA championship race.
David Dennis Jr.
Well, so I, I get it. If you squint, I get. I get spurs and Thunder one and two. Right. I would actually put Thunder above the spurs, actually, because you just think about if they're healthy and things like that.
Tom Crean
But.
David Dennis Jr.
But they're going to be interchangeable for the next, like five years at 1 and 2. And Boston, I'm guessing, like you said, it's because of the Giannis thing, because as currently constructed, I don't see, like, I don't see why, if you're a Knicks fan, you shouldn't be at least confident that you can come out the east, you know, the east is kind of up in the air, so I'm assuming that's about a Giannis thing. But I just think overall OKC and San Antonio are going to be 1 and 1 and 1 and 2 on the odds at the beginning of pretty much every season for the next five years.
Myron Metcalf
But the disrespect though, David, I mean this is, this is a team that just won the championship.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got, this is a team that
Myron Metcalf
I got beat the spurs team that beat that Thunder team.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
This is a team that made sure that Wimby didn't show up in the fourth quarter. Like that's the, that's the series. The comebacks will be the story.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
The fact that Wendy couldn't do anything in the fourth quarter in this series because the Knicks executed so perfectly on defense, that's what decided the series. And yet they're at plus 250 and the Knicks are at plus six fifty with basically the same team.
David Dennis Jr.
Yo, I, well, I get, I get it.
Myron Metcalf
I get.
David Dennis Jr.
Here's the other thing I get for San Antonio. I'm assuming that there's also expectation that you're going to get so much more better, so much better than the Knicks are going to get. Like the Knicks guys are all kind of in their prime. Maybe some are post past their prime, but they're kind of in their prime. Like I don't think as great as OG and Anobi is, he's not going to have the same leap that Dylan Harper is like theoretically. Right. You think that Dylan Harper was going to leap from whatever he was, I think 13 points or something like that to maybe 20, 22 points like these. Like you're going to see a leap from all of these guys in a way that you want. So I'm assuming that's why. But this is, this is probably since The warriors in 22, the first team that's not, not favored the next year.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. I think the spurs had a double digit lead in all five games.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
So I understand the energy around that. Having the youth, maybe even the Thunder, but the, the Knicks being that far behind him in the odds is still surprising to me considering that the Knicks won in five games.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
And didn't have a lot of trouble when it came down to it. Getting rid of the spurs in this race. Coming up, 8 at 8 say ESPN 888-729-3776. We're going to take more of your calls. Knicks win the championship in five. Matt and Myron the podcast. O'Reilly Auto parts can help take the guesswork out of your vehicle's check engine, ABS or maintenance light with O'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE certified master technicians. Ask for O'Reilly Veriscan today.
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Myron Metcalf
He's David Dennis Jr. I'm Iron Metcalf here on Matt Minor on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app SiriusXM Channel 80. Now we're joined by the great Tom Cream, ESPN college basketball analyst, former Indiana Marquette and Georgia head coach. Coach OG Anunoby at Indiana obviously has a lot of experience with star players. Coach When I saw Jalen Brunson score 45 last night, one of the players I thought about who did something similar in terms of how he carried a team to a title was Dwyane Wade in the first championship with the Miami Heat, three years after he led Marquette, your Marquette team, to the Final Four. Where does Jalen Brunson's performance stand among the clutch performances that you've seen?
Tom Crean
Oh, that's right there. And when you mentioned Dwight, you start thinking about game three of that Dallas series and how he just played in the second half and that's really what Jalen Brunson did. The game eased up as time went on and it was so much of a fight, a physical fight, and it was so hard to get any type of space to get open. And San Antonio was doing such a good job of keeping the Knicks at bay. The switching was good, all those types of things, but Jalen just kept probing, he kept attack, kept attacking. He was phenomenal in the paint. He was excellent at getting to the layup. I mean, it was both sides. He was excellent there. Three point shots. I think it was incredible because there were so many clutch plays at different times, but he never stopped being on the attack. Even when they were down and fighting, there weren't forces. I thought it was incredible. I thought the whole team allowed that to happen. Their rebounding was so good, they were aggressive, they made up for mistakes quickly. But there's no question to put a game away like that on that stage for the New York Knicks, that'll go down as one of the absolute best performances for an NBA player.
David Dennis Jr.
Tom, one of the interesting things about this is the character of these players, right? The leadership of Brunson, the resolve of og. Of course, you coach, when you're sort of recruiting, when you're recruiting and you're seeing these, these kids, like, what do you look for that says that these guys can be somebody like that when they're in a pro?
Tom Crean
Well, I think it's once you start to get to know them, because there definitely has to be something in them that, that is that everybody wants to make the NBA. But like in OG's case, he was. He wanted to absolutely know the plan and he wanted to know basically that you believed in him the way that he believed in himself. And a lot of that was because he was so under recruited. I think Jalen Brunson is a lot of that, I think, because he was always a great player, always a known player, but there was just something about him, there was an edge. You know, we talked about Dwayne. Dwayne had always been doubted. And I think that those doubts that people have just drive you to different places. So I think it's the personality, I think it's the competitiveness, but there's something about having that proverbial chip on your shoulder where people have either said, in Jalen's case, you're not big enough, you're not fast enough, or no, geez, case, he wasn't being recruited as high enough, or he might not have been skilled enough. And it's always those guys that there's always been something that people thought held them back, which they didn't believe held them back and they just needed somebody or group of people or a school that would be behind them that same way. But the other thing that is this, there are no true off days when you want to be great. Even if you didn't get in the gym, you're doing something right for your body. You're doing something maybe with film, especially after they learn it. In the case of og, he is a twice a day type of workout guy in the off season. And I think the only time that doesn't happen if he's on a cross country flight somewhere, I mean it is going to be twice a day. When you look at Jalen Brunson, when you look at the way he was raised, that footwork, you could put his footwork up with anybody, I mean with absolutely anybody, with his ability to nudge you, bump you, create contact, create space, create separation, fake. And his dad did an incredible job with that. Jay Wright and the staff of Villanova did a great job with that. The Knicks have, and I think Dallas before that, but Jalen is the common denominator. Just like, oh geez, the common denominator. You can push them all you want. If they don't have an inner drive to work and be something way more than people can think that they can become, they're never going to be quite as good.
Myron Metcalf
We're joined by Tom Crane, ESPN college basketball analyst here on Matt Myron, former Indiana Marquette and Georgia head coach. Coach, you have coached the greats at so many levels. Victor Oladipo, obviously, Dwyane Wade, we talked about Anthony Edwards. I want to put you in coach mode and I want to give you an opportunity to have an off season session with Wimby, who obviously we saw the skill, the promise, the generational talent and we also saw a guy who had some missteps, couldn't get to the basket in the fourth quarter throughout the playoffs. What do you do with Wimby? What would be your message to him to make take that next step in his progression?
Tom Crean
Well, the first thing has got to be the games where he came out. The Minnesota series, had won the first game in the New York series where he gets out of character, where he's trying to show or prove how good he is rather than just be that good. You know, when a player stops trying to prove how good they are and they truly believe that they are, their mindset changes. And in his case he was out there trying to show skills, maybe Rather than trying to show force and will and just, you know, just knock the ball right down your throat. Right. And I think with him, you show him the film, you really try. You don't need to overthink it. And I don't know, Wemby, but there seems to be too much overthinking at times with him. And. And I don't mean that's coaching, I mean that's him. And I think what you've got to do with him, certainly the strength part, he's got to be able to deal with people that get into his lower body better. And it's gotten a lot better with San Antonio. It was always something that you could see smaller people, they couldn't necessarily keep him from catching the ball because he was so big, but they could keep him from being comfortable with the ball because he never likes people sitting in his legs. And I think he's got to do more with his footwork. I think there's got to be more sessions where he has some patience at times to. To read the double team, to make the play, to like and then flash and get open. But then there's. Sometimes he just got to go quicker and I think I would. There would be really good combinations of that. I think another big thing with him is going to be to play with his eyes up more, Catch the ball with his eyes up, drive the ball with his eyes up at 7 5. It's really hard to maybe tighten your handle, but I think that lower body strength and core strength is going to help with that. He's got to get lower with the ball and then again, continuing to look for ways offensively for him on the perimeter not to just have to look for his jump shot, more cutting, more handoff and roll, more misdirection type of stuff where he can use his quickness and speed, some added strength, and again, be better playing through his lower body, whether he's taking the contact, whether he's exploding through, because, man, when he gets the ball and he's moving quickly with his shoulder to rim quickness, with how big he is and with his touch, there's so much there. But he's got to have a really, really tough summer. Not that he's not tough, but he's got to build a bigger toughness in his game, and I think he'll get more confidence in this game.
Myron Metcalf
The great Tom Crane, ESPN college basketball analyst. Thanks as always, Tom.
Tom Crean
Anytime. Thanks for having me, David.
David Dennis Jr.
I thought.
Myron Metcalf
I thought Coach Crean said something that I think this is the spurs approach And I know some folks with the Spurs, I do think there's maybe the attitude of you don't have to do a lot, you kind of just have to let Wimby continue to grow. And I do think there were certainly stretches where A, you said, okay, does he have the stamina for this? And B, he's trying to do too much, which is what happens when you're a young player. But I don't think you have to do a whole lot to necessarily change Wimby other than get him to play to his strengths.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, I think Wemby's just naturally going to get better. Like this was a part of even the stamina thing. I think part of the stamina thing is you got to remember the spurs were a play in team projection going into the season. I think 34 wins last season. Like this was not a team that was starting the season gearing up for a deep playoff run. So they were not starting off the season thinking, hey, we're going to need WEMBY 40 minutes a game every two days. Like they were still slowly building this thing. And so I think if there's a couple of things that they're going to do, one thing in the off season is just like, hey, get his conditioning up. Like, just get the guy to learn how to play. And now he knows what these playoff games look like. Like, I'm not going to hold it against the spurs that they didn't prepare Victor Wimanyama at the age that he's at for a finals run. Like, nobody thought they were going to be here. So I think now though, that you have that expectation. I think part of it is, hey, let's get this dude ready to know what it's like to play this intense basketball for every 48 hours and go to seven. And I think that is probably the biggest responsibility that they have.
Myron Metcalf
I think Wimby's talent made us forget that the NBA is an experience based league. Like, those are the guys who win championships. Okay, you can go back to Kareem, I think, won his first championship, his second year in the league, but. And Magic Johnson and what he did. But for the most part, Michael Jordan got beat up in the 80s, scoring 35 plus a game. It didn't matter. He couldn't get his team to the mountaintop. You look at Shaq, everyone cheering and smiling after they beat Michael Jordan, the bulls in 95 just to go get swept by the Houston Rockets. Kobe Bryant shooting airballs against Utah in the playoffs. LeBron James in 2007. I think he had 14 points. I believe in game one, like the greats have always kind of been in this stage. Steph Curry and the challenges they had before they became those warriors. So this is kind of what happens to young players in the NBA and usually this is actually something that helps them prepare for what's ahead. And I think that'll be the case for Wimby. This will just, to your point, David, build him up for what he knows is ahead in his career.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, but it is a different. It's going to be a little different because I mean, LeBron is probably the only person who could kind of relate to this. But it was still. We still kind of gave him a Mulligan for 2007.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah.
David Dennis Jr.
Victor Womenyama. The spotlight is on this dude. He's becoming a little bit more unlikable. There's this talk about the dirty phrase, like if you do not win the, like they're going to be, you lose. There's not going to be the same sort of grace that some of us gave LeBron of like, hey man, you're still ahead of schedule. You got this dude is 8ft tall and the noise for every failure is going to be louder than probably any other superstar at his age.
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I think what changed for Wimby, what's different from those guys, to your point, is the spurs were favored coming into this series.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Myron Metcalf
They beat the defending champion. They had a double digit lead in all five games and they lost four to one. So I do think the circumstances are different, the pressure, obviously their favorite to win next year. We'll see how Wimby handles all of that. But you're right, he can't run from the spotlight. And you know what, if anything I think we saw in these playoffs, outside of him skipping media after that one game, I don't think Wemby will run from the spotlight. I think he kind of realizes he's the face of the league now along with obviously a lot of other young stars including Jalen Brunson. But he gets that the pressure is here and it's not going away anytime soon. Tune in for baseball action this Sunday as the Red Sox host the Rangers. Coverage begins at 6:30 Eastern on ESPN radio and the ESPN app. Coming up, take your pick. Matt and Myron. The podcast.
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Myron Metcalf
He's David Dennis Jr. Myron Metcalf here on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN App Series XM Channel 80. Thank you for joining us on this wild ride. Knicks fans enjoying the bliss, the aftermath of euphoria, the incredible emotion attached to winning their first championship in 53 years. Enjoy it, have fun. And we're going to end the show as we always do with something we like to call take your pick.
Tom Crean
Take your pick. You take your pick.
Myron Metcalf
It's time to take your pick with Matt and Myron. All right, what do we got? First up.
Caller/Guest
Hi guys. Let's go with the Stanley cup final. Game six is tonight between the Hurricanes and the Golden Knights. Carolina leads a series three games to two. You watch it at 8pm Eastern on ABC Television. Hurricanes are a slight favorite. They're on the road against the Golden Knights. Myron, who you got here?
Myron Metcalf
I mean, you know we've been talking about like Disney stories. Yeah, right. In terms of what the Knicks just did and that becoming a Disney movie. Brandon Bussey, the goaltender for Carolina, it feels like he's in that mix. If Carolina wins the Stanley Cup. His first action was in the Stanley cup finals. Played well. If he has an incredible game tonight in Game 6 and Carolina wins the Stanley Cup, I think you're talking about who plays him in some movie about this run. The ultimate underdog. I think he'll show up big, and I think the Hurricanes will get the win.
David Dennis Jr.
I think it's going seven. I think it's going seven, and I think it's going seven. We're in the midst of one of the great Stanley cup finals. Who plays him? Who plays him in the movie, though? Myron.
Myron Metcalf
Brandon Bussey. He looks like a Keanu Reeves type. I don't know if you've seen him. Okay. I think Keanu Reeves plays him. All right, Keanu Reeves is older than we think.
David Dennis Jr.
A little bit of age. Age gap there.
Myron Metcalf
Keanu Reeves looks young, but he's older. Isn't he really older than we think.
Caller/Guest
You want 1990 Keanu Reeves.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, 19. Which would be. It could be like, Teemu. Keanu Reeves, which is Adam Driver. Isn't that his name?
Myron Metcalf
Adam Driver would be a good one.
Tom Crean
Just get one of the guys from off campus. That's fine.
David Dennis Jr.
They already play hockey.
Caller/Guest
Goalies are tall. And Adam Driver's pretty tall, right?
David Dennis Jr.
Pretty tall.
Myron Metcalf
Adam Driver. Adam Driver.
David Dennis Jr.
He's.
Myron Metcalf
That's a good one.
David Dennis Jr.
He's. When you order can of Reeves on,
Myron Metcalf
wish you had him driving, you get Adam Driver. I respect that. Yeah. All right, what's next?
Caller/Guest
All right, we have the Phillies at your Brewers. The Phillies are favored in this one. They have Christopher Sanchez, who's having a great season. He's 8 and 2 with a 1. Brewers have Kyle Harrison on the mountain. He's having a pretty good season, too. 7:1 with a 2.72 ERA. Who you got here, Myron?
Myron Metcalf
Did you see Jacob Misarowski through 104 miles an hour? I mean, what are we talking? I hear all these old school people who love to say things were better back then. No, they weren't. Nothing was better back then. Yeah, like in any sport. And that's okay. But we literally have a human being on a Major League baseball field throwing 104 miles an hour. I know he's not starting tonight, but it's like, what are we talking about?
David Dennis Jr.
You trying to tell me Babe Ruth went throwing gas like that?
Myron Metcalf
Well, someone will tell you he was. You know, you could. You could make up. You could make up everything about sports until about 1978.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
You know, when people got TV across the, like, a lot of stuff, people would just exaggerating a little bit. What's not an exaggeration is the brewers should be viewed as one of the great teams in Major League Baseball. This is our year to Win the World Series. I know people have doubted us for ages, but Jake Bowers has become an incredible young star as a first baseman. Brewers not only win this, brewers are winning it all. Give them the ring now.
David Dennis Jr.
Oh, lock it in.
Myron Metcalf
Lock it in.
David Dennis Jr.
Okay, I'm going. Well, I guess I got to go to the brewers to win tonight for sure. They're locking them in for the World Series. I think if somebody threw 104 mph 1930, they would burn him at the state because they thought they were, which.
Myron Metcalf
I mean, amazing, right?
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
What's next?
Caller/Guest
We have the Cubs at the Giants. That's on ABC today, 3pm Eastern. Giants are favored here. Byron, who you have.
Myron Metcalf
The Cubs have had one of the weirdest seasons that we've ever seen. I mean, incredible winning streaks. I think still the first team we've ever seen the first two months of a year with a 10 game winning streak and also a 10 game losing streak. I think they just lost 18 to 3 to the Giants, which is like the Cubs. Bad is terrible. And on the road, I'm not, I'm not picking against the Giants. Give me the Giants to win that.
David Dennis Jr.
I'm taking the Cubs because they're unpredictable. As you said, ups and downs. I think they had their down. I would say that they're down. Just happened. I think they, they bounced back.
Myron Metcalf
Okay, I like it. What's next?
Caller/Guest
Sunday night baseball. You can hear it right here on ESPN radio coverage starts at 6:30pm Eastern. Rangers at Red Sox. The Red Sox are a slight favorite. Martin, who do you have here?
Myron Metcalf
The Rangers are a good example of a team that's just starting to really hit its stride now. They're getting a little healthy. Corey Seager is back. Josh John has been hitting a couple bombs for them in the last few games. I gotta go with the Rangers here on the road. Even though the Red Sox are favorite.
David Dennis Jr.
I'm going Red Sox. They're going to sweep. Give me the Red Sox.
Myron Metcalf
Okay.
Caller/Guest
All right. That was baseball. Let's go to ufc. Tonight, the main event. Ilya Toporia against Justin Gaethje. Toporia is favored. He's minus 470 to win. This is UFC Freedom 250 in Washington D.C. byron, who you got here?
Myron Metcalf
I've never seen a forecast that said mosquitoes and gnats could be a problem. Lightning in the area could shut this whole thing down. There are. There's a 60% chance of a thunderstorm. The Weather Channel just put this all out. They're basically saying that even though there's this canopy that's supposed to keep the octagon dry. Nobody else is safe. Like I said, I'm going to watch it for the spectacle of it, not for the UFC of it. Just to see what happens because it just seems so chaotic. It's just a wild event. Elliot to Poirier is really good, though. Justin Gaethje is kind of the guy you put in there if you want an exciting fight, but he's also a dude who uses his face too often to block punches, and that's not a good idea against someone like Ilya Toporia. I think Toporia knocks him out in the first round.
David Dennis Jr.
And this is a ufc. They're in octagon. Right.
Myron Metcalf
All that stuff on the outside. So there's a chance that giant mosquito comes in and changes everything.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah. It's just ironic that it's a freedom card and everybody's in a cage.
Tom Crean
But.
David Dennis Jr.
But I would say who. I think here.
Myron Metcalf
Not American either.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah. I would say we're going with Mother Nature is going to win this one. Mother Nature. I don't know what the odds of Mother Nature here or God are on the betting odds, but I think we're going to go with Mother Nature to win here.
Caller/Guest
I think that's a good.
David Dennis Jr.
Striking down with furious anger.
Myron Metcalf
A bad mosquito bite can change your whole weekend.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah, yeah.
Myron Metcalf
I mean, I'm talking about, like, when they get you good.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
Like one of those mosquito bites. Who. Those greedy mosquitoes who. Who are just, you know, they're doing Thanksgiving on your shoulder.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah.
Myron Metcalf
That can change your whole weekend. And that could happen tonight.
David Dennis Jr.
Yeah. Trying to swallow and get knocked out while you're swatting a mosquito.
Myron Metcalf
It could definitely happen. David Dennis Jr. Thanks as always. Incredible work coming up. Not sure. Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app, and on Sirius XM channel 80. Matt and Myron, the podcast.
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Hour 3: On to a Dynasty
Hosts: Myron Medcalf, David Dennis Jr. (guest hosting for Matt Jones)
Air Date: June 14, 2026
This episode dives deep into the aftermath of the New York Knicks’ long-awaited NBA championship and contemplates if the Knicks have the ingredients for a true dynasty in today’s NBA. The hosts compare the Knicks’ situation to other recent "almost dynasties," discuss the nature and legacy of sports championships, and examine the psychology and future expectations of a newly crowned fanbase. ESPN college basketball analyst and former coach Tom Crean joins to break down Jalen Brunson’s historic performance and discuss Victor Wembanyama's offseason growth. The show wraps with the energetic "Take Your Pick" segment, spanning everything from the Stanley Cup Finals to Major League Baseball and UFC.
[02:22–04:40]
[06:12–10:12]
[10:21–12:23; 16:45–20:29]
[13:28–16:27]
[22:40–30:32]
[37:27–44:50]
You’ll come away from this episode understanding: