Best of The Herd | April 1, 2026 | Summary

Episode Overview

On this episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," Colin dives into several of the day’s top sports stories with his signature opinionated and analytical style. Core topics include breaking reports about Jalen Hurts’ standing with the Eagles, the Lakers’ late-season dominance and playoff prospects, NBA coaching value, MLB umpiring controversies, record NCAA basketball ratings, and the Knicks’ window for contention. Nick Wright, JJ Redick, and other analysts join Colin for in-depth discussions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles Locker Room Drama

• Breaking News: Colin reveals insider info he’s had since the previous summer about Jalen Hurts being considered tough to coach, not well-liked, and stubborn—a narrative now confirmed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
• Parallels to Russell Wilson Situation:
  • Hurts receives excessive credit when the team wins but little blame when they lose; the rest of the roster gets scapegoated.
  • Statistical decline: Despite a loaded roster, Philly’s offensive metrics last year were surprisingly poor.
• Supporting Evidence:
  • Derek Gunn Quote (07:26): “Yet when they transition to a field on a football game, he plays his game, not the game the coaches want him to play...I don't think at this point, they can't get him out of [that habit].”
• Colin’s Take (08:00):
  • "It really does have a Russell Wilson, Seattle feel...when they lose, it's not really his fault. The truth always comes out."
  • Philadelphia’s aggressive approach with coaches/QBs and recent coordinator turnover means more leaks and candid stories are emerging.
  • The upcoming season is pivotal for Hurts and Head Coach Nick Sirianni.
• Panel Debate (14:41):
  • Debate on Hurts’ future. One analyst (“Undisclosed Sports Analyst,” likely J. Mac) speculates on a possible robust market for Hurts if the Eagles move on, listing up to 13 teams who might be interested.
  • Nick Wright: Observes the similarities between Hurts and Lamar Jackson scrutiny, points out local reporting patterns during coaching transitions.

2. Lakers’ March Run and Playoff Scenarios

• Lakers’ Momentum (03:00):
  • The Lakers have gone 15-2 in March; Colin credits a rare run of team health and points to “source inside the building” chatter dating back to August.
• Best and Worst Playoff Matchups:
  • Perfect Matchup: Houston Rockets—lack of refined scoring guards means Lakers’ playmakers are free to focus on offense.
    • “Houston is the perfect team for the Lakers to play,” Colin says (09:20).
    • Lakers are elite at clutch scoring and initiating offense; the Rockets are among the league’s worst in those areas.
  • Problem Matchup: Minnesota Timberwolves—dynamic guard play and better coaching could exploit Lakers’ defensive weaknesses.
    • “T-Wolves' strength goes right at the Lakers' weakness,” Colin notes (11:39).
• JJ Redick on Lakers’ Health (13:02):
  • “It was a confluence of things starting with health. I think it's much easier when you have a consistent stretch of health to...settle in to roles and minutes and rotations. We never found that throughout the season.”
• Colin’s Broader Point (13:25):
  • “Great styles make great fights...Lakers are a perfect matchup to beat the Rockets. Yet the T. Wolves could give them huge, huge problems.”

3. MLB Umpiring Controversy & ABS Technology

• Colin on New Tech in MLB (20:48):
  • The adoption of the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) system is “utterly fascinating.” One umpire, CB Buckner, has been notably exposed for poor performance.
• Milwaukee Game Incident:
  • Both managers laughed at a call by Buckner, with multiple commentators expressing disbelief.
  • JJ Redick (22:23): “CB Buckner was not even looking at the play…that's ridiculous.”
  • Nick Wright (22:20): “A horrendous call. Where is CB Buckner looking?”
• Colin’s Take (23:07):
  • “CB Buckner cannot be a Major League umpire. In the last five years, CB Buckner has been the worst in the sport. It's not fair to the players, it's not fair to the managers. It's not fair to the fans.”
  • Notes the online daily grading of umpires and says Buckner missed 26 calls in one game—“This weekend, CB Buckner had 26 missed calls. Six because of the ABS system. Thank God we're overturned. That's still 20 missed calls in Saturday's game.”

4. The NBA: Coaching Value, Player Greatness & MVP Debate

NBA Coaching—How Much Does It Matter? (33:10)

• Colin’s Question: Is coaching overvalued in the NBA compared to the NFL, since player talent dominates NBA outcomes?
• Nick Wright (34:19):
  • “It is certainly not what coaching is in the NFL…it's more often that a coach’s weaknesses kneecap a team than his strengths elevate a team in the NBA.”
  • All-time greats (Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Popovich) can set themselves apart, but even the best are more limited than in football.

Luka Doncic & Lakers’ Success

• Nick Wright (36:59):
  • “When it comes up on this show, [Luka's] either a poor man's Carmelo Anthony or just the modern James Harden. All Luka's done is win player of the month...He is that transcendently great of an offensive player...he is a once-in-a-lifetime offensive force of nature, Colin.”
• Highlights Lakers winning with key players (Reeves, Bron) missing significant time—largely due to Luka’s impact.

Victor Wembanyama Hype & MVP Chatter (37:37–43:54)

• Colin's Praise: Wemby does things "LeBron couldn't do...Defensively, LeBron can't genetically, physically, he can't do it."
• Nick Wright on Wemby’s Place:
  • “Wemby…is third in the MVP race…I think the Spurs might be able to win the title.”
  • Pushes back: “Now what you just told me is when he already can do things offensively that peak LeBron James couldn't do, I don't know what a single one of those things is…Wemby's not yet a better offensive player than Devin Booker, much less than prime LeBron James.”
• Debate on Minutes Played:
  • Colin argues Wemby's per-minute stats are “insane” but minutes are kept low by design.
  • Nick: “If people want to say, this is why I think Wemby’s going to be the greatest player of all time, because think about when he plays 34–35 minutes — that’s fair. What’s not fair is to use his lack of minutes as an argument for him to be MVP…MVP is not a hypothetical award.”

5. NCAA Basketball: The Draw of Big Brands vs. Underdogs

• Colin on Ratings (28:44–31:48):
  • Announces Duke–UConn semifinal set record viewership (peak 19 million)—most watched since 1993.
  • “Despite no Cinderella team...I want big brands. I want Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs...You say you like underdogs. You say you do, but you like favorites. You go to watch Tom Cruise in the movie theater, not film noir.”
  • “I think it'll be the highest rated Final Four in a decade.”

6. Knicks’ Limitations & Future Moves (45:41)

• Colin’s Take:
  • “Jalen Brunson...He's small. He gets attacked on the defensive end. He is completely high ball-centric. He's aging fast. He doesn't feel as good as last year.”
  • Advocates for targeting Giannis or another superstar, as high-usage guards historically wear down quickly.
• Nick Wright’s Response:
  • Knicks now feel like a “third-tier contender,” whereas expectations were higher.
  • Suggests another route: LeBron to the Knicks as a low-cost playmaker/Swiss army knife.
• Colin agrees: The Knicks would need another key piece to sustain their window of contention.

7. Revisiting the Jalen Hurts Story (49:04)

• Colin restates insider knowledge about Hurts’ locker room presence and recent leaks.
• Nick Wright (50:26):
  • “There are questions about being able to pass every quadrant of the field...But there were similarities [with Wilson]: both, you know, went to multiple colleges. Nobody questioned their leadership or unique talents as a scrambler, or their ability to win everywhere they went...But you need a specific type of team to have peak success...I also think this is a critically important moment in Jalen’s career.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Colin Cowherd (03:00): “It’s starting to feel very Russell Wilson in Seattle, where the quarterback who has critics is getting all the credit and the roster’s stacked and when they do infrequently lose, the roster gets to blame and the quarterback doesn’t.”
• Derek Gunn (07:26): “Yet when they transition to a field on a football game, he plays his game, not the game the coaches want him to play...I don't think at this point, they can't get him out of.”
• JJ Redick (13:02): “It was a confluence of things starting with health. ... We never found that throughout the season.”
• Colin Cowherd (23:07): “CB Buckner cannot be a Major League umpire...That is just...when the managers and the players are laughing, that’s sad. Let’s make a move, baseball.”
• Nick Wright (34:19): “It's more often that a coach’s weaknesses kneecap a team than his strengths elevate a team in the NBA.”
• Nick Wright (36:59): “He is that transcendently great of an offensive player...a once-in-a-lifetime offensive force of nature, Colin.”
• Colin Cowherd (31:48): “Stop telling me you love Cinderella. You don’t. It’s cute. ... Big brands sell tickets.”
• Nick Wright (50:26): “One of the reasons A.J. Brown in consecutive seasons could light that locker room on fire and remain popular among teammates is because guys are like, ‘Well, somebody’s gotta say it. I’m glad A.J. will take the hit for us.’”
• Nick Wright (43:54): “There’s this odd media double standard with the 7'6" French kid [Wemby], that's all I'm saying.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Jalen Hurts Locker Room & Coordinator Issues: 03:00 – 12:00, 14:41 – 15:59, 49:04 – 53:10
• Lakers’ Playoff Matchups & Western Conference Dynamics: 09:20 – 13:25
• MLB Umpiring/ABS System, CB Buckner Incident: 20:48 – 24:53
• NBA Coaching & Lakers’ Success Discussion w/ Nick Wright: 33:10 – 37:37
• Wemby Hype & MVP Debate: 37:37 – 43:54
• NCAA Tournament, Big Brands vs. Underdogs: 28:44 – 31:51
• Knicks’ Future/Brunson Aging/Giannis & LeBron Possibilities: 45:41 – 49:04

Tone & Style

The tone is classic "The Herd": opinionated, confident, frequently humorous, yet grounded in analysis and sources. Colin peppers the discussion with memorable analogies and draws parallels between current and past sports figures. Guest analysts bring depth and challenge each other’s opinions, keeping the dialogue lively and thought-provoking.

This summary covers all essential discussions and attendee perspectives, providing a comprehensive resource for listeners who missed the episode.