The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2: Aaron Torres Previews the NCAA Tournament (March 17, 2026)

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This episode of The Herd puts the spotlight squarely on college basketball and the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Host Jason McIntyre (in for Colin Cowherd), alongside Rachel Nichols and guest Aaron Torres (Fox Sports Radio), dive into major tournament narratives, key players, injury updates, and bracket predictions, blending rapid-fire analysis with strong opinions and insider info. The latter part of the hour loops back to NBA offseason speculation—particularly about LeBron James’s future—and chimes in on evolving debates in basketball culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Miami of Ohio’s Undefeated Season & Tournament Inclusion

• Miami of Ohio's Undefeated Run: Jason, Colin, and Rachel debate Miami of Ohio's legitimacy as a tournament team. If going undefeated was easy, “everyone would do it” (Colin Cowherd, 04:12).
• Underdog Respect: The hosts agree Miami deserves credit, even if detractors say, "They haven't played anybody." Few teams have achieved perfection before entering the tournament.

"If it was easy to go undefeated, we’d have one every year… Give them their due." — Colin Cowherd, (04:12–04:31)

The LeBron James Dilemma: Lakers, Free Agency, and Fit

Rich Paul's Comments

• Narrative Pushback: LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, stated, "I've never seen a team in my life that would be better without LeBron James..." (quoting, 05:12)
• Impending Free Agency & Market: LeBron nears 41, and serious questions arise about his fit, preferred location (West Coast), and willingness to take a pay cut.
• Lakers’ Future: Is it possible for the Lakers to part with a legend still producing, and could LeBron ever accept a league-minimum salary?

"He's not gonna have much of a market, guys. ... How do you dump one of the best players in the history of the sport?" — Jason McIntyre, (07:00)

NCAA Tournament Deep Dive with Aaron Torres

The Cam Boozer Debate

• Best Player in College Basketball?
  • Howie Mandel provocatively compares Duke's Cam Boozer to a young Nikola Jokic: "Right now, he's ahead of the pace Jokic was…" (09:05)
  • Aaron Torres: Boozer is “probably the best player in this tournament right now in this moment… and it’s deserved” (09:41). But questions loom about Duke’s health.
• Duke’s Injury Uncertainty: Key starters Caleb Foster and Pat Gongba’s statuses heavily impact Duke’s prospects.
  • Expected: Gongba likely back, possibly not for the opener; Foster unlikely soon. (10:47–11:44)

Arizona as the Favorite?

• Aaron & JMac lean toward Arizona: Consistent all season, “Arizona to me is the best team… the deserved favorite.” (12:06)
• Path to the Final Four: Arizona’s backcourt depth could be a tournament-deciding edge, and their region is relatively favorable unless they face a perfect game from an underdog.
• Bracket-wide Parity: “All the best teams have good front courts… Arizona probably has the best backcourt.” (12:35)

Final Four Picks & Bubble Teams

• JMac’s Final Four: Arizona, Michigan, Duke, Illinois (13:36)
• Aaron’s Analysis: He’s skeptical about Illinois, noting no team to lose their conference tournament opener has won the NCAA since the bracket expanded. “When a team shows you who they are all year, listen to them.” (13:58)
• Dark Horse Watch: AJ DebonSA (BYU) singled out as the possible #1 pick and a player to watch after a monster Big 12 tournament performance (19:22–20:36)

Other Key Teams, Players, & Injuries

• Acuff-hype: “He had the best regular season of any Calipari guard ever.” (15:26) But tournament performance will define his legacy.
• UCLA Health: Torres relays optimism that UCLA’s top injured players, Billido and Donovan Dent, will be back (16:48).
• Louisville & NBA Prospects: Mikhail Brown’s draft prospects weigh on whether he’ll risk injury to play (18:30).
• Purdue Warning: Don't overrate them despite a Big Ten tourney win—“They’re not losing to Queens, but slow your roll.” (18:48)
• Kansas & Darren Peterson: Fit and reintegration issues as the star guard returns; skepticism on a deep Kansas run (22:24)

Coaching Pressure: Who's on the Hot Seat?

• Tommy Lloyd, Arizona: “I think he’s under the most pressure” given Arizona’s bracket and drought since 2001 (24:40).
• John Shire, Duke: Less pressure than Lloyd, but a non-Final Four would disappoint, especially with Boozer on the roster (43:17).
• Fans’ Expectations: JMac notes the tide of high coaching expectations (“You need a plan. You can’t just fire coaches. Dump quarterbacks. What's the game plan?” — 44:51)

NIL, Transfer Portal, and Changing College Hoops

• Yautz Yachts' Lucrative Transfer: “The player says Kentucky offered him 7 to 9 million dollars. Other reports say he settled on Michigan for 5 mil.” (27:42)
• Portal Realities: Aaron Torres says teams were “lining up for months before he actually entered the portal.” (28:00)
• Big Picture: Is this exaggeration? Maybe, but “he was the prize of the portal last year big time.” (28:29)

NBA Modernization, LeBron, & the GOAT Debate

Jokic on Past vs. Present

• Nikola Jokic Quote: “It would be stupid if basketball weren’t better now than 30 years ago. It’s like saying phones were better 30 years ago…” (45:33)
• Modernization in Sport: Colin and Jason echo Jokic’s view: things evolve, the game advances. The endless Jordan vs. LeBron debate (and generational arguments) are framed as passé.

“Things improve... That is why, frankly, I have never engaged in the Jordan vs. LeBron debate. I don't think it's comparable. They played in different leagues with different rules at different times.” — Colin Cowherd (46:27)

LeBron's Lakers Role: Money, Fit, & Future

• Money or Role? Rachel Nichols and Colin agree: "If he's not going to take a significant pay cut, the conversation will last 20 seconds." (36:12)
• The Fit Issue: "LeBron hasn't turned into a bad basketball player. All of a sudden, it's fit." (38:07)
• Possible Bench Role: Would LeBron accept 'Sixth Man' status, a la Carmelo Anthony's struggle? “Do you want me to come off the bench?” (39:02)
• Cleveland Option: “If you can't get Giannis and keep LeBron, is that the deodorant that masks the potential stage? Hey, we're 20 and 4, who cares if you're not thrilled with the fit?” (41:10)
• Future Unclear: “He is no longer just so omnipresently good that he is the fit. It is now about fit.” (42:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Miami of Ohio Undefeated:
  "Give them their due. Let them have a shot here." — Colin Cowherd, (04:12)

• On LeBron's Market:
  "I love LeBron. He's a joy to watch. Ultimate competitor. He's not gonna have much of a market, guys." — Jason McIntyre, (07:00)

• Comparing Cam Boozer & Jokic:
  "Right now, (Boozer’s) ahead of the pace Jokic was when he was a teenager." — Howie Mandel, (09:05)

• On NCAA Tournament Surprises:
  "When a team shows you who they are all year, listen to them." — Aaron Torres, (13:58)

• On NIL Realities:
  "He was the prize of the portal last year big time. And there were teams lining up… for months before he actually entered the portal." — Aaron Torres, (28:00)

• On the Evolution of Basketball:
  "It would be stupid if basketball weren’t better now than 30 years ago… Everything modernizes. Basketball modernizes too." — Nikola Jokic (via translation), (45:33)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Miami of Ohio Undefeated Debate: 04:12–04:31
• LeBron’s Market & Lakers Future: 05:35–07:55, 34:47–42:34
• Aaron Torres Joins, College Hoops Talk Begins: 08:30
• Cam Boozer & Duke Injury Status: 09:05–11:44
• Arizona Analysis: 12:06–13:36
• Final Four Picks / Tournament Trends: 13:36–16:38
• UCLA, Louisville Injury Updates: 16:48–18:48
• AJ DebonSA as a Dark Horse: 19:22–20:36
• Portal/NIL Stories (Yautz Yachts/Kentucky & Michigan): 27:40–29:31
• Coaching Pressure Segment: 24:40–25:51
• Jokic's Modernization Quote / Old School vs New School Hoops: 45:33–47:22
• LeBron’s Role With Lakers (Deep Dive): 34:47–42:34

Tone & Style

The episode maintains The Herd's hallmark blend of high-energy debate, statistical reasoning, and unfiltered commentary, with Jason and Aaron volleying sharp insights and Rachel/Colin offering measured, sometimes wry, context. Strong opinions, playful ribbing, and the occasional hot take keep it engaging for hoops junkies and casuals alike.

For Listeners Who Missed It

Expect a turbocharged preview of March Madness with deep dives on star players, pivotal injuries, and bracket dynamics, spiced with LeBron/Lakers future talk and thoughtful basketball philosophy. This hour will give both college hoops enthusiasts and NBA followers plenty to debate—and some near-expert info to prep for their own brackets.