The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Best of The Herd

Date: March 20, 2026
Host: Jason McIntyre (in for Colin Cowherd), joined by Rachel Nichols
Produced by: Fox Sports Radio, iHeartPodcasts & The Volume

Episode Overview

This vibrant Friday edition of The Herd, hosted by Jason McIntyre with guest co-host Rachel Nichols, dives deep into the hottest sports stories of the moment—most notably, Luka Dončić's stunning 60-point performance, the Lakers' resurgence, March Madness upsets, debates about college sports NIL value, and evolving NBA MVP rankings. Packed with data, banter, and original takes, the dialogue swings from NBA dominance to NCAA upsets and features engaging analysis on generational stars like LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, and high-profile college talents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Luka Dončić’s 60-Point Explosion & The Lakers’ Momentum

[04:20 – 07:28; 33:58 – 39:37]

• Luka's jaw-dropping 60 points scored on the second night of a back-to-back (after 40 the night before), carrying the Lakers against the Miami Heat.
• LeBron James' leadership called out, playing despite the travel/back-to-back situation and inspiring both Luka and Austin Reaves to suit up:
  • Austin Reaves on LeBron’s example:

    “When he said he was playing, I was like, I can’t let a 41 year old play and I don’t play. So signed up to play and so did Luka and grinded a win out.”
    – Austin Reaves [07:09]

• McIntyre draws sharp contrast between Dončić’s 60-point “authentic” game and Bam Adebayo’s recent 83, arguing for context in big scoring nights.
  • On the Lakers’ turnaround:

    “They are freaking out on the Laker bench when Luka goes to the free throw line to get his 60th point. An authentic 60, not a Fugazi 60.” – Jason McIntyre [07:28]

• LeBron’s triple-double at age 41 and historic greatness:
  • Only players over 40 with NBA triple-doubles: LeBron has four, entire rest of league has one (Karl Malone).

2. Comparing Luka's 60 vs. Bam’s 83

[07:28; 33:58 – 39:37]

• McIntyre contends Luka’s 60 is more impressive than Bam's 83 due to the context—road back-to-back, meaningful game, and lack of “gimmicks.”
• Bam’s 83 referenced as coming against a tanking Wizards team; hints that high-scoring games depend on context, opponent, and genuine team need.
• Rachel Nichols weighs in on “one-upmanship” among NBA elite, noting it’s fun for fans but underscores Dončić’s team-first mentality.

3. NCAA Tournament & NIL Spending Debate: The AJ Dybantsa Case

[11:05 – 15:38]

• BYU’s one-and-done tournament run despite signing #1 recruit AJ Dybantsa to a $7M NIL deal.
• McIntyre questions whether it’s worth investing so much in one star versus spreading NIL funds across multiple high-level recruits:

  “Are teams seeing this and being like, hey, we all know no man is an island. You cannot do it yourself.”
  – Jason McIntyre [11:05]

• Sean Miller’s candid comments on defending Dybantsa:

  “He puts so many fouls on the opponent that he wears out the other team… We knew he was going to score. We just wanted to make sure… we did as good of a job as we can guarding the rest of the group.”
  – Sean Miller, Texas Head Coach [13:47]

• Takeaway: Roster construction via NIL is still in its infancy; star power is great, but basketball remains a team sport.

4. Victor Wembanyama & The Spurs’ Rebirth

[20:29 – 22:30]

• Spurs clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2017, driven by “unicorn” Victor Wembanyama.
• McIntyre defends tanking as an effective franchise strategy (“the Spurs are like very obviously the blueprint for how to do it”) and highlights Wembanyama’s transformative impact:

  “If you take Wembanyama away from the Spurs, they don’t scare a damn soul… The Spurs are essentially Wembanyama. And then you’ve got Castle and all role players…”
  – Jason McIntyre [22:30]

• Wembanyama’s attitude on playoff berth:

  “The key for me is to try to not care because we want to attack 82 games. I’m scared to become complacent. So I’ll be on the other end of the spectrum and try to not care at all.”
  – Victor Wembanyama [22:10]

5. NBA MVP Race: Shakeup and Rankings

[25:27 – 29:09]

• McIntyre challenges consensus that SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) is a lock for MVP, ranks his top five:
  • #5: SGA
  • #4: Nikola Jokic
  • #3: Jaylen Brown
  • #2: Victor Wembanyama
  • #1: Luka Dončić
• SGA’s numbers are “down a little” from last year; MVP field is more open than the straw polls suggest.
• Rachel Nichols discusses her MVP voting process:
  • Importance of team success as a tiebreaker.
  • Example from last season:

    “When the votes actually were tallied, even though it was so close for a lot of people… I am picking SGA last year and so did so many other people. Okay, it was close in people’s minds, but the vote was like 70-30.”
    – Rachel Nichols [39:53]

6. March Madness Shockers and McIntyre’s Bracket Wisdom

[04:46 – 05:04]

• Early NCAA upsets: High Point shocks Wisconsin, Duke survives Sienna.
• McIntyre touts his bracket-picking prowess, having picked High Point as a first-round upset.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• LeBron’s Unprecedented Longevity:

  “LeBron has four [triple-doubles over age 40]. The entire rest of the league has one. Karl Malone.”
  – Jason McIntyre [07:28]

• On Luka’s 60 vs. Bam’s 83:

  “Bam last week, 83 points, there was some gimmicks involved…60 (from Luka) earned, a little more impressive than 83 given.”
  – Jason McIntyre [07:28]

• AJ Dybantsa’s college impact:

  “If you could get the number one recruit, top five recruit, you take him, obviously. But…did they get the value that they spent on Dybantsa?”
  – Jason McIntyre [11:05]

• Sean Miller on defending a top NBA prospect:

  “What we talked about is a jump shot by him is a victory for us… puts so many fouls on the opponent that he wears out the other team.”
  – Sean Miller [13:47]

• Wembanyama’s attitude after playoff berth:

  “I know it sounds arrogant, but he just sounds authentic… I don’t want to get complacent.”
  – Victor Wembanyama [22:10]

• Rachel Nichols on NBA scoring feats:

  “If it was easy, everyone would do it. You know how you know it’s hard? People don’t do it.”
  – Rachel Nichols [36:27]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Luka’s 60-point night and Lakers uplift: [04:20 – 07:28]
• Austin Reaves on LeBron’s leadership: [07:09]
• Discussion: Luka’s 60 vs. Bam’s 83: [07:28; 33:58 – 39:37]
• NCAA tournament & NIL spending, Dybantsa’s one-and-done: [11:05 – 15:38]
• Coach Sean Miller on A.J. Dybantsa: [13:47]
• Victor Wembanyama’s playoff-clinching night & interview: [20:29 – 22:30]
• MVP race reshuffled, top five rankings debate: [25:27 – 29:09]
• Rachel Nichols details MVP voting process: [39:53]

Style & Tone

The episode is high-energy, opinionated, and blends stats-driven sports talk with playful banter. Jason McIntyre (standing in for Cowherd) brings data and irreverence, Rachel Nichols adds nuance and clarity, and guest voices contribute expertise. The discussion oscillates between light-hearted and hard-edged, maintaining the show’s tradition of bold sports commentary.

Summary Takeaways

• Luka Dončić is having “pure” historic scoring games and leading the Lakers’ post-season momentum.
• NBA MVP race is more competitive than current odds suggest; Luka, Wembanyama, and Jaylen Brown are legitimate top-tier candidates.
• Scoring feats must be weighed in context—opponent, circumstance, and method matter (as in Luka vs. Bam debates).
• NIL-driven roster construction in college basketball is still a wild experiment; huge spends on single stars may not be worth sacrificing depth.
• Victor Wembanyama is the transformative force for the resurgent Spurs, and his mentality signals sustained relevance for San Antonio.

For anyone who missed the episode, this breakdown captures all the sharp analysis, surprising stats, and candid player/coach commentary that keep The Herd essential listening for sports fans.