The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode Summary: NBA Opening Night Reactions, KD's Evolving Role, Luka’s New Shape, and Rodgers vs. Love

Date: October 22, 2025
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Hour 1)

Overview

Colin Cowherd recaps the top NBA storylines from opening night, with pointed commentary on Kevin Durant’s new role with Houston, Luka Doncic’s physical transformation, and the status of the Lakers. The show then pivots to NFL talk, focusing on Aaron Rodgers’ legacy, his matchup with his former team, and how Jordan Love compares to Rodgers at the same stage. Colin also critiques the NBA’s struggle to market young domestic talent, advocating for more focus on emerging stars over nostalgia. The episode is rich in sharp takes, thoughtful comparisons, and storytelling to set up both the NBA and NFL narratives for the week.

Key Topics & Discussions

1. Kevin Durant: “Mercenary” Era in Houston

[02:58 – 07:49]

• KD’s Performance & Fit

  • Colin noted that Kevin Durant looked “lost,” especially late in the game, and that Houston as a whole is “a collection of really talented musicians with no conductor or lead singer” ([03:41]).
  • The team’s point guard, Fred VanVleet, is out, leaving the Rockets rudderless in crunch time.
  • “KD was lost. They were disorganized. He called a timeout. They didn’t have one...He looked like he was a hired mercenary.” ([05:15])

• Durant’s Evolving Role

  • “At this point, Kevin Durant’s not a culture guy. He’s not a two-way player. He’s not a grind-through-82-game guy. He is a mercenary. In fact, his Twitter handle is easy money sniper.” ([05:37])
  • Alperen Sengun is now the Rockets’ best player: “Sengun’s basically about 90, 80% of Jokic—he can pass, hit threes, he’s not as big, but he’s got the touch, the finesse. Kevin doesn’t need to be their best player and he’s not going to be.” ([06:12])

• Team Analogy

  • The situation reminded Colin of the Clippers during the Paul George/Kawhi era—tons of talent but lacking a true point guard.

Notable Quote:

“He’s paid to hit buckets, and he’ll hit a lot of them. But I watched him last night—my takeaway on Houston… reminded me of the Clippers…A lot of good receivers, no quarterback.” – Colin Cowherd ([06:38])

2. Luka Doncic’s Transformation & Lakers’ Outlook

[07:49 – 14:52]

• Luka’s New Shape & Usage

  • Luka Doncic scored 43 points: “Skinny Luka, as we told you, he's going to lead the NBA in usage rate. I think he has a chance to win the scoring title.” ([07:51])
  • Now quicker and plays more downhill: “I’m sorry, he lost 20... He’s going to attack the rim, attack the basket. He beats guys quicker off the dribble.” ([08:09])

• Lakers’ Flaws

  • Lakers’ same issues as last year: lack of wing athleticism, poor rim protection, overreliance on star power (Luka, old LeBron, and Austin Reaves), and poor third-quarter performances ([08:57]).
  • “They’re a top heavy roster… Essentially the Lakers are Luka, plus old LeBron, plus lack of athleticism, plus really lousy defending the rim. And that is not good enough in the west.” ([09:28])

• Lakers’ Future is About Flexibility, Not LeBron

  • “For the first time in LeBron’s career, they’re not going for a ring. The ownership is not afraid of LeBron and they're not building a team for LeBron. The Lakers are Luka, JJ Redick, and the future and flexibility next year and the year after.” ([10:49])
  • Emphasized the team's new, longer-term mindset focused on the next few years and upcoming drafts.

Notable Quote:

“In the east you could get to a conference final. In the west, it’s going to be hard to win a series. So LeBron’s not happy, but for the first time, he’s not driving this bus.” – Colin Cowherd ([11:47])

• Luka’s Postgame:
  • “Yeah, I feel it. Like I say, you know, less tiring, better shape. So just trying to get a win.” – Luka Doncic ([12:34])

3. NBA Marketing: International vs. Domestic Stars

[32:41 – 42:17]

• NBA's Nostalgia Trap

  • Critiques heavy reliance on nostalgia (MJ, LeBron, Steph) for TV draws: “Last night, the NBA had 62-year-old MJ in the pregame…was hoping for 40-year-old LeBron and 37-year-old Steph to get TV viewers. Baseball has done a great job speeding up and promoting young talent instead of grumpy veterans.” ([32:41, 33:50])

• International Stars & Marketing Challenge

  • “Most of the best players are international, and they’re not wildly dynamic personalities…They don’t want to do commercials. They don’t have big shoe deals... Not everything has to be globalized to the max. You can say our domestic.” ([34:16])
  • Urges the NBA to embrace and market domestic college stars—Cooper Flagg, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards—more aggressively.

• On Sengun vs. Durant:

  • “KD is not the player Alpert Sengun is…by the end of this year Sengun could be like third-best player in the league. I’m serious. He’s that good.” ([41:44])

Notable Quote:

“Embrace college basketball. College basketball’s best players are now staying in college longer because of NIL. Embrace March Madness. Put your arms around March Madness. Get Ant on TV, Cooper Flagg on TV, and get Tyrese Haliburton on every network.” – Colin Cowherd ([36:52])

4. NFL Segment: Rodgers vs. Love – A Generational Shift

[18:31 – 23:59]

• Rodgers Returns vs. Green Bay

  • “Former Packer great Aaron Rodgers, now a Steeler…will host Green Bay. Aaron tends to have a long memory…he’s going to face the team he built his legacy on.” ([18:31])

• Statistical Comparison: Rodgers in 2010 vs. Love in 2025

  • “Jordan [Love] was way better—passer rating, fewer picks, team was scoring more, much better completion percentage, one more game. So Jordan Love this year…was better than Aaron in the year he won his first Super bowl. And both were 27.” ([19:22])
  • Context: The league has more young QB talent now. “Back then, Rodgers was the young star among a bunch of old guys. Now, Love has stiffer competition—all sorts of great young quarterbacks.” ([20:07])

• Rodgers’ Outlook

  • “I actually think Aaron is going to do very well Sunday night. When you’re older, you can’t grind like you used to, but your best game is still great.” ([21:34])

Notable Quote:

“It’s just interesting is when Aaron was Jordan’s current age…he felt he was the young star that was going to carry the next generation. And as good as Jordan Love is—better numbers than Aaron at his age—right? There are just so many good young quarterbacks.” – Colin Cowherd ([23:02])

5. Fast Takes & Roundtable: Cowboys, 49ers, Ravens, and More

[24:04 – 32:35]

• Cowboys Offensive Leap

  • Credit to coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and the receiving corps depth with George Pickens; “The run game for the Cowboys, with a so-so offensive line, has been surprisingly good, thanks to Pickens and Lamb.” ([25:34])

• Brock Purdy & 49ers’ QB Depth

  • “Brock Purdy’s ability to move is better, but Mac Jones is healthier, throws as good a ball and is sneaky athletic… Mac Jones has been one of the revelations of the season.” ([28:06–29:45])

• Ravens Remove “Fun” from Locker Room

  • Removal of ping pong tables and video games signals “all business” mode. Colin jokes: “What is this, Google football? It’s called work.” ([30:42])
  • Jason McIntyre teases Colin about being “the fun police,” highlighting generational differences in approaching workplace/team culture ([31:38]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kevin Durant:

  "He looked like he was a hired mercenary. Oh, wait, that's what Kevin Durant is at this point." — Colin Cowherd ([05:15])

• On Sengun vs. KD:

  “Alperen Sengun’s their best player. He’s basically about 90, 80% of Jokic… Kevin doesn’t need to be their best player and he’s not going to be.” — Colin ([06:12])

• Luka’s New Physique:

  “I’m sorry, he lost 20. I can actually see his shoulders now. He’s going to attack the rim, attack the basket. He beats guys quicker off the dribble.” — Colin ([08:09])

• On Lakers’ Ownership:

  “For the first time in LeBron’s career they’re not going for a ring…this is a Luka, JJ Redick, long-term build.” — Colin ([10:49])

• NBA Marketing:

  “Embrace college basketball. Get Ant on TV, Cooper Flagg on TV, and get Tyrese Haliburton on every network.” — Colin ([36:52])

• International Stars:

  “Best players in the NBA right now are Euros, international guys…They tend to be more loyal. They come over here and it’s all business.” — Colin ([42:14])

• Rodgers vs. Love Comparison:

  “So Jordan Love this year, through the first six, was better than Aaron in the year he won his first Super bowl. And both were 27 years old.” — Colin ([19:22])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• NBA Opening Night / KD the Mercenary: [02:58 – 07:49]
• Luka Doncic’s Shape, Lakers’ Outlook: [07:49 – 14:52]
• NFL: Rodgers vs. Love: [18:31 – 23:59]
• Cowboys & NFL Roundtable: [24:04 – 29:45]
• Ravens Locker Room Culture: [30:42 – 32:35]
• NBA Marketing & Young Star Focus: [32:41 – 42:17]

Episode Tone & Style

• Direct, opinionated, and conversational.
• Colin weaves analogies and sports history with current analysis. Jason McIntyre often offers measured pushback, keeping discussions lively and balanced.

Takeaways for Listeners

• NBA: Durant is now a role player in Houston, not a foundational star. Luka is primed for a scoring title thanks to his renewed athleticism, but the Lakers are in reset mode—with LeBron no longer the franchise’s north star.
• NFL: Jordan Love is statistically outperforming where Rodgers was in 2010. The modern NFL landscape is flush with QB talent, altering what it means to be “the Next Guy.”
• Macro Sports Media: Sports leagues must continually innovate marketing to turn emerging talent into household names, instead of leaning too hard on nostalgia.
• Colin’s Big Picture: Talent, youth, and adaptability—not just tradition—drive sports forward. Whether it’s the Rockets running out of steam without a conductor, or the NBA’s need to make Cooper Flagg and Tyrese Haliburton stars off the court, the future is all about flexibility and developing new storylines.