The Dan Patrick Show – "The Best of The Dan Patrick Show"

Episode Date: April 7, 2026
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show centers on breaking down the aftermath of the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, Michigan’s remarkable title run under coach Dusty May, and the rapidly shifting landscape of college sports. The show features high-profile guests: Michigan head coach Dusty May, former Fab Five star Jalen Rose, and NBA legend Reggie Miller. Discussions delve into Michigan’s team-building strategy, reflections on legendary college hoops figures, the impact of transfers and NIL in modern collegiate sports, as well as touchpoints on NBA rivalry, rookie races, and the evolution of basketball culture—all with Dan Patrick’s trademark humor and camaraderie.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Dusty May: Championship Mindset & Building Michigan (02:57–13:59)

A. Immediate Reactions & Celebration

• Dan opens by congratulating Coach May on his first national title at Michigan (03:10).
• May admits he’s running on an hour of sleep:

  “About an hour. And I think I closed my school out five minutes a little bit ago in between interviews.” (03:31)

• Describes team post-game tradition: walking back to the hotel, then celebrating with hundreds in a “prom-like” atmosphere (03:38–04:09).

B. Transfer Portal Triumph

• May reveals the transfer portal opened just after the championship game, and his staff was already at work recruiting by early morning (04:27–04:52).
• On assembling a team through transfers:

  “Whether you're recruiting somebody who's 22 or somebody 18.” (03:05, DP)
  “We decided to try to keep several of them. And finances, we didn’t have hardly any money…luckily Vlad Golden joined us from FAU,” and how strategic selections and culture-building created Michigan’s new identity (10:17–11:42).

C. Halftime Speech & Game Reflection

• At halftime of the championship:

  “Our message was that things weren’t going great. We weren’t making shots. Yaxel was frustrated…if we found a little bit of offensive rhythm…then we could at least tie or lose by no less than three.” (05:23)

• Depth perception in big arenas and defensive grit played a big role:

  “We shot the heck out of it on Saturday… I think it had more to do with UConn’s defense, the physicality…” (06:11)

D. Sentimental Full Circle

• Growing up attending Final Four clinics in Indiana.
• Colorful Bob Knight stories: being summoned to clean up sawdust after hidden tree removals at Knight’s house while he was away (08:06–09:06).
• Bob Knight’s unique drink combo:

  “Dr. Pepper and chocolate milk. This was chocola before chocolate or Yahoo. It had soda taste with a chocolate milk flavor.” (09:16–09:39)

E. Michigan Culture & the Fab Five

• On whether Michigan is “a football or basketball school”:

  “It’s an everything school…but football is incredibly important at Michigan.” (11:46)

• Praises the Fab Five:

  “Other than Michael Jordan…they’ve changed the culture of our sport more than any team, group or individual.” (12:46)

• Fab Five have been supportive; May’s favorite was Jalen Rose (13:16).

2. Jalen Rose: Fab Five, NIL, and Michigan’s Legacy (17:43–28:22)

A. Wolverines Glory & Historical Impact

• Celebrates Michigan’s championship and Detroit sports:

  “I feel like a national champion…It’s a perfect day to boss up.” (18:03)

• On Michigan’s dual “football school” legacy:

  “There is a level of pride and excellence…not only being great at basketball, but being great at all of what we do.” (18:45)

B. Team-Building in the Transfer/NIL Era

• How Dusty May constructed a contender via the portal and NIL:

  "Turning the team around in two years...a lot of moving parts...the school invest[s] in the team, you put up the NIL money, you create the budget, and all of a sudden Dusty puts his fingertips on it.” (20:01)

C. Fab Five Altcast & Famous Names

• The joy of Fab Five altcast during the tourney—only the third collective in-person gathering since 1993 (21:07).

• On the fame of the “Fab Five” name:

  “The public wins out…It’s the impact you have on people and on the game.” (21:58)

• Reflects on how much NIL/merchandise the Fab Five would have banked in today’s environment (22:37).

D. Personal Brand & Namesake Legacy

• Jalen explains the rise of “Jalen” in popular baby names—an homage to his late mother (27:04)

• “The one thing about the name Jalen is unisex, is universal—it has no color lines or boundaries.” (27:44)

E. Projects & Modern NBA Feats

• Details his new multimedia company, Same Page Entertainment, focusing on Detroit-based content (23:32).
• Responds with humor and humility to being “the guy who let Kobe score 81”—and his thoughts on Bam Adebayo's 83-point game—crediting the persistence needed for greatness and how public memory works (24:12–26:44).

3. Reggie Miller: College, NBA, and the Spirit of Basketball (32:23–48:42)

A. UCLA Women’s Title & Senior Leadership

• Opens by insisting he discuss UCLA women’s basketball, his alma mater:

  “Let’s give my lady Bruins...experience matters, seniors matter. And them having those six seniors, they scored every single point.” (33:35)

B. Michigan’s Tourney Dominance

• Impressed by Michigan men’s size, defense, and the key transfer contributors:

  “That was like low key an NBA type team right there...Elliot Cadeau...when you’ve got a guy that can run the offense, experience…that’s what stood out.” (34:18–35:12)

C. NBA Coaching, Legacies, and Star Power

• On Michael Malone moving from NBA to UNC:

  “He’s one of the best [coaches]…now he gets the chance to kind of slow down a little bit as opposed to going 100 miles a minute in the NBA.” (35:19–36:15)

• On Michael Jordan’s continued influence at UNC (36:15–37:07)
• Shoe culture:

  “Yes, absolutely [Jordan resonates with players]. The kids are out there buying Jordans...Kobe's has a huge following as well. LeBron has a nice following. But in terms of shoe deals? Come on now.” (36:35–37:30)

D. NBA Season, Awards, and Throwback Ideas

• Analytical breakdowns of Nikola Jokić vs. Victor Wembanyama (Wemby), SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) as MVP favorite, and the value of big games late in the regular season (38:00–41:18).

• Rookie of the Year debate:

  “[Khan] broke the rookie record with 265 and counting made threes...He has added a lot of stability for this Hornets team.” (43:50) “But Cooper Flag...imagine being 19 and everybody knows you're the guy..." (43:04)

• Proposes (with Dan) celebrating the 50th ABA-NBA merger anniversary with "ABA Night"—retro jerseys, red-white-blue ball, Pacers-Spurs, Nuggets-Nets, and even tight shorts:

  “We want ABA Night, Spurs, Pacers...bring the cheerleaders, the red, white and blue ball.” (45:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Dusty May

• “Our staff kind of has a semi tradition where if we have any big moments, we walk back from the arena to the hotel. That's just kind of our Rat Pack entourage moment.” (03:38)
• “As a young kid, my mom would bring me up to these clinics at the Final Four…the college coaches back then were actually working stations and teaching us how to shoot and dribble the ball when we’re in elementary school.” (06:49)
• On recruiting: “Don’t make any rash decisions, just give us some time and let’s get on the court together…because these college years are…informative years for any of us…” (10:23)

Jalen Rose

• “It's a great day to be a Michigan Wolverine. As a Detroit kid…the Pistons had a number one seed. We're going to get Cade Cunningham back…Just won the national championship in football a couple of years ago. Now we win it in basketball this year. I'm so happy for Dusty, man the squad. It's a perfect day to boss up.” (18:03)
• “The public wins out. …That's the impact you have on people and on the game.” (21:58)
• “The one thing about the name Jalen is unisex, is universal—it has no color lines or boundaries.” (27:44)

Reggie Miller

• “Let's give the ladies some love. I know you want to talk about Michigan in the middle of the...Let's give my lady Bruins...Because I want to tell people, experience matters, seniors matter.” (33:35)
• On Michigan’s men: “That was like low key an NBA type team right there...their size was unbelievable...Elliot Cadeau…when you've got a guy who can control the tempo…that’s what stood out…their size, their defense.” (34:18)
• On ABA Night: “We want ABA Night, Spurs, Pacers...bring the cheerleaders, and the red, white and blue ball.” (45:13)
• “[Jokic is] averaging a triple double as a center. He's leading the league in assists, rebounds, he's a top-five scorer…and he won't win MVP.” (40:21)

Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |------------------------------------------|--------------| | Dusty May Interview | 02:57–13:59 | | Jalen Rose Interview | 17:43–28:22 | | Reggie Miller Interview | 32:23–48:42 | | Women’s NCAAW & UCLA Congrats | 32:23–34:09 | | NBA MVP/Rookie Discussion | 38:00–44:38 | | ABA Night/Throwback Segment | 44:38–47:36 |

Tone and Style

Dan Patrick sets an informal, celebratory, and sometimes nostalgic tone, encouraging candid anecdotes and friendly debate. Guests match Dan’s humor and energy, yielding segments rich with personal history, storytelling, and both serious and playful takes on basketball’s present and future. The interplay between the host and guests, especially Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose, brims with camaraderie, insider references, and a sense of shared history.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode delivers a full-circle look at Michigan basketball’s milestone title, modern team-building via NIL and transfers, and the legends—past and present—who shape the game. It’s both a celebration of the sport’s evolving culture and a platform for cherished inside stories and sharp analysis. The trio of May, Rose, and Miller provide not only knowledge and laughs, but illuminate the heart and changing face of college and pro basketball.