What's Wright - Best Of: Nick Wright GOES OFF on Stephen A. x LeBron feud, Bronny drops 39 in G League, JuJu Watkins tears ACL

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "What’s Wright - Best Of: Nick Wright GOES OFF on Stephen A. x LeBron Feud, Bronny Drops 39 in G League, JuJu Watkins Tears ACL"

Release Date: March 29, 2025
Host: Nick Wright
Platform: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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Introduction

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Nick Wright delves into some of the most compelling sports stories of the week. From devastating injuries and breakout performances to high-profile media feuds, Wright provides insightful analysis and passionate commentary. This summary captures the key points, discussions, and notable quotes from the episode, offering a comprehensive overview for those who haven’t tuned in.

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1. JuJu Watkins Tears ACL

Timestamp: [12:16]

Nick Wright opens the episode with heartbreaking news about JuJu Watkins, a standout basketball player at USC, who recently tore her ACL during a game. Wright emphasizes Watkins' exceptional talent and the impact of her injury on both her career and her team's prospects.

• Outstanding Talent: Wright highlights Watkins' potential to be the greatest women's basketball player ever, citing her impressive stats: "38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, eight blocks in a single game" ([12:25]).

• Career Implications: He discusses the likely timeline for her recovery, stating, "ACLs are different in that they used to truly be career-altering and these days they are not. She needs a great NCAA tournament run just to catapult her celebrity the way Caitlyn had" ([12:45]).

• Team Impact: The injury not only affects Watkins but also USC's chances in the upcoming basketball tournaments. Wright speculates, "USC should still get. They should be able to win next round without Juju, but not past that" ([13:10]).

Wright also expresses empathy for Watkins and the broader basketball community, lamenting the loss of what could have been a landmark season for both the player and the team.

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2. Bronny James Drops 39 in G League

Timestamp: [24:00]

Shifting focus to rising stars, Wright discusses Bronny James' stellar performance in the G League, where he scored a career-high 39 points in a recent game. This marks a significant milestone in James' professional career, especially considering his previous health challenges.

• Remarkable Performance: Wright commends James' achievement, noting, "Bronnie James, 39 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals—far and away his best game at the professional level" ([24:10]).

• Overcoming Adversity: He reflects on James' past struggles, including a cardiac arrest that derailed his collegiate season, highlighting his resilience: "20 months ago, this kid suffered cardiac arrest. It totally derailed his collegiate season. And now he's breaking records in the G League" ([24:30]).

• Future Prospects: Wright speculates on James' potential trajectory in the NBA, stating, "Kevin O'Connor tweeted that if they did a redraft today, he thought Bronnie would be a first-round pick" ([24:50]).

This section underscores James' determination and potential to become a legitimate NBA player, despite the setbacks he has faced.

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3. Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James Feud

Timestamp: [27:00]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the ongoing feud between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James. Wright offers a deep dive into the origins, developments, and implications of their public spat.

• Origins of the Feud: Wright narrates how Stephen A. has publicly criticized LeBron, leading to tension between the two figures: "Stephen A. just today said, 'He'll smile in your face, then stab you in the back. That's why I don't like him'" ([27:15]).

• Impact on Media and Fans: He discusses the broader impact of the feud on sports media and fans, remarking, "The toxicity of sports media across all sports is actually about Michael Jordan and that era" ([28:00]).

• Personal Reflections: Wright shares his own experiences with public perception and media scrutiny, stating, "I have a bit of... I am my most honest" ([29:00]).

• Current Standings: Despite the feud, Wright acknowledges LeBron's continued excellence on the court: "LeBron gets to actually go out and play the games, and he's still awesome" ([29:30]).

• Future Implications: Wright speculates on the potential outcomes of this feud, suggesting it may perpetuate negativity rather than leading to a resolution: "It's a war you're not going to win because of your popularity and success" ([30:00]).

This segment provides a nuanced perspective on how personal conflicts between high-profile athletes can influence public discourse and sports journalism.

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Conclusion

Nick Wright's episode delivers a blend of emotional storytelling, statistical analysis, and critical commentary. From JuJu Watkins' unfortunate injury and Bronny James' impressive performance to the heated exchange between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James, Wright encapsulates the highs and lows of the sports world with clarity and passion. His ability to connect individual stories to larger trends in sports media makes this episode a must-listen for enthusiasts seeking depth and insight.

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Notable Quotes

• JuJu Watkins Injury:
  "She needs a great NCAA tournament run just to catapult her celebrity the way Caitlyn had." ([12:45])

• Bronny James Performance:
  "Bronnie is now averaging 22, 5 and 5 on 46, 38, 80 splits. That is a great value for your 55th overall pick." ([24:50])

• Stephen A. Smith Feud:
  "Stephen A. just today said, 'He'll smile in your face, then stab you in the back. That's why I don't like him.'" ([27:15])

• Wright on Feud Impact:
  "The toxicity of sports media across all sports is actually about Michael Jordan and that era." ([28:00])

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This summary aims to provide a comprehensive and engaging overview of the episode, capturing all essential discussions and insights while excluding non-content segments and advertisements.

Transcript

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[A.J. Andrews]

What's up y'all? I'm A.J. andrews, pro softball player, sports analyst and the first woman to win a Rawlings Gold Glove on my new podcast, Dropping Diamonds. We dive headfirst into the world of softball by sharing powerful stories, insights and conversations that inspire and empower. It's time to drop bombs and diamonds. Dropping diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League and Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. We listen to dropping diamonds with AJ Andrews on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

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Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Of iHeart Women's Sports Network. What's up everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energyline with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mel Reid]

This is Mel Reid, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner.

[Kira K. Dixon]

And Kyra K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host.

[Mel Reid]

And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please with Mel and Kira.

[Kira K. Dixon]

We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture. Some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower.

[Mel Reid]

An iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

[Novartis Advertiser]

Welcome to the Best of the Week for what's Right with Nick Wright. The best takes and moments from this week on the show. Enjoy. We have to lead this morning with just a huge bummer, which is a young woman who I truly and I said this Last year, I think, and, well, and I'm not gonna use past tense, but I had, I had said this in the past and I still believe it has a chance to be the greatest women's basketball player ever. I truly believe that. I believe that I, when everyone was talking about, and I obviously was huge part of the talk as well about the phenomenon that is Caitlin Clark. I, I think you guys heard me say a couple times on the show that I thought Juju Watkins at USC might end up being even better than Caitlin and even better than everybody. Her size, her athleticism, her basketball iq. It is elite of the elite and a player that can do everything. A player that recently put up a stat line that had not been put up in men's or women's professional or college basketball this century. When I think she had 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, eight blocks, and again a 40 minute college game. She tore ACL last night. And it's just devastating for a bunch of reasons. It puts it, I would imagine, on the board that she doesn't play college basketball again now. I would think she does. I would think that the plan is for her to miss all of next season and then come back for what would be her senior year, I guess, red shirt junior year and continue to play. And with NIL and the WNBA salary structure, I would have to imagine juju can potentially make far more money at USC than she would at the beginning of her WNBA career unless something drastically changes with the rookie salary scale there. But this is just an ultimate bummer because getting we got in the Final Four last year, Paige versus Caitlyn, and we were basically assured that we were going to get Paige versus juju in the Elite Eight. And it was, I talked about how I, I didn't love that they put USC and UConn in the same region because that felt like it should be a final Four or national championship potential matchup. And it ends up that it's going to be. And USC should still get. They should be able to win next round without Juju, but not past that. They absolutely can't beat UConn without Juju. And you just feel sick for this young lady who is, has the real potential to be a true superstar, a true crossovers, not just great players. She's obviously going to be. Well, she already is a great player and she. And a torn acl, you know, is not career altering the way it once was. But she needs a great NCAA tournament run just to catapult her celebrity the way Caitlyn had and the way honestly, Angel Reese, who no disrespect to Angel Reese, but Angel Reese is not nearly the caliber of player of Caitlyn or of Juju or of Paige for that matter. And they have all had these great tournament runs. Juju. This was going to be that this year and if not this year, next year. And now out for I would imagine all of next season, which is just such an absolute bummer. And here is the thing about acls the way I have seen them over the last decade, ACLs are different in that they used to truly be career altering and these days they are not. Meaning people typically come back 100% to their pre ACL terror, ability, strength, speed, quickness, all of that. But they are not quick injuries. It usually is a minimum of a calendar year that you are out and usually a little more than that until you look like your old self. So a huge bummer. Not really. This is put this in the huge story, not a great topic category and I mean that's kind of what it is. There's not much to say. It's massive news, but it just sucks. There's no real take to have and so juju Watkins out and I have to, you know, Uconns now I'm going to look it up on DraftKings. I just maybe you guys can put in the doc for me. I mean I know they're the favorite, but I just wonder what they are now is UConn women to win that region. I the to win the region I have to imagine they are minus huge money. I'm not able to pull it up right now. If you guys can throw it in the dock whenever you can find it, just put what they are to win the championship and what they are to win the region because I do not see who possibly could stop them. Certainly. Now listen, UCLA, South Carolina, those are legitimate championship level teams. But I UConn's in the Final Four and they're now plus 160 to win the whole thing. We can't find them to win the region, but it's not gonna be. I mean they, it's not gonna be much of a question. I saw, I got the I had the privilege of watching the Yukon women in person from courtside seats thanks to fox. The game was on FOX beginning of the year and I left that game saying I don't know how anyone's beating them now. UCLA and South Carolina is obviously a juggernaut and USC had shown oh no, they're they're of that caliber and UConn lost a few times, but I feel like you can put probably in pen a Yukon UCLA Final Four on your left side of the bracket and you know, Thoughts with Juju? It absolutely sucks, just absolutely sucks that she's done for the year and potentially done for next year. One note and I'm sure this will happen because Paige is such an awesome athlete and awesome person. From all accounts, Paige dealt with an ACL and missed a year and so I would imagine if she has not already, Paige is going to reach out to Juju and try to help her through it, but really, really sucks for basketball fans, for USC fans, for Juju. 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[Mel Reid]

Hey, this is Mel Reid, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Winner and Kira K. Dixon, NBC Sports Reporter and host.

[Mel Reid]

You forgot to say warm and miss America, by the way. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please with Mel and Kira.

[Kira K. Dixon]

We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some golf haps, and interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf.

[Mel Reid]

They're super, superpower or just people we like, plus tales from the road and everything in between. By the way, golf isn't just for the dads, Brads and chads.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Yeah, it's actually life's cheat code. And we're not going to be quiet about it on or off the course. We're bringing on some of our friends like Michelle Lee, Heather McMahon, Amanda Baliotis.

[Mel Reid]

So if you want to keep up with us, and here is yap, tune into our new podcast, listen to Quiet.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Please with Mel and Kira, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports, it's Julie Stewart Banks.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League, and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have plenty to say, and not just about hockey.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Believe me, he does. Energy Line with Nate. And JSB is the name of the podcast and it's gonna be, well, it's gonna be quite the ride. We're officially linemates, Nate. We're the Energy Line.

[Nate Thompson]

We'll have plenty of folks join us, current players, some of my former teammates, hall of Famers, and wait till you see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Okay, we'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what energy lines are supposed to do, provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate?

[Nate Thompson]

I'm vibing, Julie. I'm ready to roll.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Novartis Advertiser]

Bronnie James, 39, 7, 4 and 4 for the South Bay Lakers last night against Santa Cruz. He was a plus 19 in his 38 minutes. It was far and away his best game at the professional level. And this is where I will, as I have, remind everyone that 20 months ago, la, July 25th or 24th of 2023, this kid suffered Cardiac arrest. It totally derailed his collegiate season. And that is evidenced by the fact that he has now had 10 professional games, one at the NBA level and nine at the G League level that are better than anything he ever did it cut in college. And so when people pointed out like, oh my God, look at his college stat line and that's a player that you're drafting it there had to be some math done on yes, his collegiate numbers were that of a player that typically would not be drafted even late in the second round. But if you throw the season away and say those numbers were due to the fact that he never got his legs or his wind underneath him because of the months he had to stay away from the court because they thought he might not be able to play basketball ever again due to a congenital heart defect, then maybe, just maybe, you saw some traits that could be a successful player. And Kevin O'Connor, who knows a hell of a lot more about the draft and about college basketball than I do, tweeted to me this morning that if they did a redraft today, he thought Bronnie would be a first round pick and that if Bronnie can keep up this shooting, then he's a legitimate NBA player. And again, I, I am not trying to make too much of the G League, which is something we never talked about previously. However, because Bronnie is a star and because he has been the subject of scrutiny, we have to be fair in that the expectation was that in the G League with grown men, with a lot of guys who were former first round picks trying to make a career for themselves, with a lot of guys who had a lot more experience than him, with a lot of guys who were much more highly drafted than him, that he was going to certainly in his first year in the G League really have his work cut out for him and more than his work cut out for him, potentially really struggle and instead he now, after not playing well in summer league and not playing well in the G League's kind of preseason, I, I don't even tip off tournament or whatever they call it in the G League regular season, he is now averaging 22, 5 and 5 on 46, 38, 80 splits. That is a great value for your 55th overall pick and shout out and credit to Bronnie and so we're not going to spend more time on that. But that was in what missed the cut. But he didn't actually miss the cut. We did a nice few minutes on it. Also SVP my guy after Maryland finally gets on the right side of a buzzer beater tweets, you know he's a die hard Terrapin fan and he tweets out never a doubt. As a wise man says shout out. Scott Van Pelt, Ernie Johnson, Kevin wilds. The only three people in sports media with 100% approval ratings. And very nice of Scott to include. You know obviously my trademark tattooed came up with first person ever use it phrase never a doubt. Very nice of him to use that in celebrating an all time Maryland moment. More on the tournament in a second. And I guess that is one way to put it. I did invite myself on the Kelsey's pod. The Kelsey's tweeted should we have an NFL salary cap expert on the show? And I just responded I got you. I'm you know that way it can be because obviously I'm a salary cap expert. But also we could talk other things and it would be interesting because you know Eagles fans tend not to like me that much. But Jason I would imagine does. I don't know. But if we could get a what's right with Nick Wright New Heights crossover, that would have to be good for the burgeoning what's right brand which by the way YouTube's like rate subscribe review on all platforms. YouTube just crossed 190,000 so we appreciate you guys for that. We are the slow climb towards 200,000 continues but also we'd really like you guys to subscribe on either itunes or Spotify wherever you guys get your podcast. All right, some quick listener questions. Noah says, do you see Dan Hurley as the rich man's Nick Sirianni? That listen, I think that's on the board. Yeah, I mean I think that's a good a good potential comp and Syrian is champion now too. But Siri doesn't seem to think the media treats him unfairly. Oh the our producers say maybe they're changing parts and pit stops. That's maybe that's it. Maybe the cars are good pre race. Then during the race there are some shenanigans. Taylor asks why is Achilles or an ACL sometimes considered a two year injuries consistently but a literal heart attack isn't taking the same understanding that's about Bronnie. I I think it's because we look at things that aren't like physical injuries is like binary like is he okay? Is he allowed to play again? Okay, then he should be the same when in reality it's the time off that I think really hurts these guys at times. Sixness says what would it take for you to get into hockey, how much skew would you need to see in the Vegas books for betting to be a thing for you during the NHL season? I for the sake of my marriage, I don't think I can pick up another sport that I'm into right now. Maybe at some point in life, but I just know so little about hockey. Kansas City didn't have a team. I've never been into it. So I nothing against the sport, I just, I it's very, very it'd be very, very tough for me to tell my wife now by the way, also watching hockey especially because I've kind of re fallen in love with baseball thanks to Bobby Witt Jr. And the Royals being legit again. All right, Alex, is there a single anything the Rockets can do over lasting games make you believe they can win a single round? Yeah, to win a single round for sure there is stuff they can do. So the because the Rockets have a tough schedule. Tough ish schedule I should say. Down the stretch. So the Atlanta Utah is their next two but then it's Phoenix who's on a four game winning streak. Lakers, Utah again, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Clippers, Lakers, Denver. The Rockets play well during that stretch and hold their positioning. I certainly could see them winning around. My fear for them is they're going to drop from the 2 to like the 4 and unless they are playing an injured Memphis team, I don't think they could again. I think the Rockets had an unbelievable season as is. They're going to win around 50 games but for me to believe in them to win around in the playoffs, they have to show me more. And Scott says what would it take for Tomlin on the hot seat? They haven't been a true contender since they lost to Jacksonville in 2017. Listen, you just got a contract extension. I think the Steelers have had three coaches in 50 years. I, I actually think what could be best for the Steelers and for Tomlin would be a fresh start for both of them. But it doesn't. He's obviously an excellent coach. I just don't know that you can. I think he if he could have gotten a job like the one Jim Harbaugh got where the quarterback is taken care of and you build the rest of it up, that might be the best and he just hasn't been able to figure out the offensive side of the ball post Big Ben or even with Big Ben near the end. When it comes to college basketball march mania, one thing's for sure, nothing's for sure gonna be upsets. There's gonna be buzzer beaters. We haven't had as many upsets, we just had a sick buzzer beater and theoretically Cinderella should be advancing top seeds going home early. It all could happen. Bet the unexpected Every upset, Every day with DraftKings sportsbook with live betting, exclusive content, promos and parlays, DraftKings is the ultimate college basketball destination for March. Ready to make your first bet? Check out the matchups and pick a team to win. It's that simple. You guys know, right? I'm on Tennessee. Tennessee is now plus 2:15 to win the Midwest and they're minus four and a half against Kentucky on Friday. Those lines and odds are of course subject to change. First time customers here's something special just for you. New DraftKings customers bet $5 get $200 in bonus best bets instantly bet the unexpected DraftKings sportsbook download DraftKings sportsbook app use code right W R I G H T that's code right for new customers to get $200 in bonus bets when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem call 1-800- gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny, which is 467369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas 21+. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario, bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources C DKNG co bball you can count.

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[Mel Reid]

Hey this is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Winner and Kyra K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host.

[Mel Reid]

You forgot to say Warmer Miss America by the way, and we've got a new podcast Quiet Please with Mel and Kira.

[Kira K. Dixon]

We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some golf haps and interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their.

[Mel Reid]

Superpower or just people we like, plus tales from the road and everything in between. By the way, golf isn't just for the dads, Brads and chads.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Yeah, it's actually life's cheat code. And we're not going to be quiet about it on or off the course. We're bringing on some of our friends like Michelle, we, Heather McMahon, Amanda Baliotis.

[Mel Reid]

So if you want to keep up with us and here is your app, tune into our new podcast, Listen to.

[Kira K. Dixon]

Quiet Please with Mel and Kira, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports, it's Julie Stewart Banks.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League, and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

I wore nine NHL sweaters, and I have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have plenty to say, and not just about hockey.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Believe me, he does Energy Line with Nate, and JSB is the name of the podcast, and it's going to be, well, it's going to be quite the ride. We're officially line mates, Nate. We're the energy line.

[Nate Thompson]

We'll have plenty of folks join us, current players, some of my former teammates, hall of Famers. And wait till you see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Okay, we'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what energy lines are supposed to do, provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate?

[Nate Thompson]

I'm vibing, Julie. I'm ready to roll.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Novartis Advertiser]

This is where I think Stephen A. Has made a grievous error. He just today he said, quote, he'll smile in your face, then stab you in the back. That's why I don't like him. He's bringing up Wade's hall of Fame induction, Kobe's memorial. He's saying, quote, he literally circumvented meritocracy in the NBA. Here's the problem, man. And this is where by continuing to talk about this and not allowing yourself to take the L, you are really putting yourself in a bad spot. You always claimed you had no problem with LeBron. You always claimed he only had a problem with you. Up until six weeks ago, the stance was, oh, nothing but love for LeBron James. I, you know, a. A great, a great person in the community. A great this, a great that. I just, I just think he's not the. I, the greatest basketball player ever. I just think he's only the second greatest player ever. And because of that, he has a problem with me. That's been the public stance. And now the guy makes fun of you on Instagram and takes a couple jokes at your expense on McAfee and you're letting everyone know, actually, no, never liked him. And so if the, if, if we are going to do a full, real telling of the A, the honest answer is, so why? What's been the problem? Was there something personal before? And the answer's no. LeBron wouldn't talk to him. That was the problem. LeBron wouldn't talk to him or acknowledge him. And Michael Jordan texts with him. That's it. That's the whole thing. That's the start of it. And so I. Edie's people ask me all the time, man, do you believe what you say? And my answer always is 100%. Now do I say it louder or more emphatically or add some spice to it or whatever? Do I dress it up? Sure, of course. But the reason, and this is not my quote, but this quote is correct. If you never lie, you don't ever have to remember anything when you do as. And I'm not acting like I'm someone that never lies. I probably have a bit of a I'm probably true character flaw of mine is I am my most honest. Talking to you guys, friends and family, I might, you know what I mean? I might be like, you know what? I can dance through the raindrops here a bit and clean this up later. Um, and that's not. Be honestly. It's self serving. It's not out of some Woodrow and Bernstein Woodward. Woodrow Jesus Woodward and Bernstein journalism ethic. It's because I don't want to have to. It is too difficult to do this much content if you're having to remember, oh, I said that. And if your stance forever, forever has been, I have no problem with that person. He has a problem with me. And then the first time you get pressed, you. You empty the clip about everything you always had a problem with. People are gonna say, you're fucking lying to us. You were lying to us. And I don't. And here is the problem with people in general, who don't have the ability to take an L and who are very online and who are public figures. This applies to, I guess, some of our actual politicians and some of our potentially would be or wannabe politicians. All you can do is keep doubling, tripling, and quadrupling down because you don't have the ability to be like, I was wrong. You constantly are reminded of the incident at hand, and you are constantly reading people make fun of you or rip you. So again, I am not trying to act like I am some. I have, you know, the silver bullet on this stuff. However, I do have one kind of just natural superpower, I guess. And another decision I've made, the natural superpower is this. I am totally fine being wrong. Like, oh, shit, got that one wrong. My bad. Not a problem. And the other one is, I don't read my mentions. So people are like, I'm. I am not finding my. And I'll add a third thing I'm very good at. I'm. I'm on the right side of the great athletes conversation. Like, the other thing is like, I, you know, I, I in the. Hey, LeBron James, good or overrated? I had the foresight to be like, I'll go with good. You know what I mean? I think I'll. I'll plant my flag on good and see how it plays out over the next 15 years. Um, and so that's been help. That's been helpful. But I, I can't believe that this is how these last few weeks have gone. And the fact that. So here's the other piece of it that's important to Monze on one. One party in this is fighting a war of war work. I can never say that. War of words. Okay, reminder, reminder to new people in the audience and young people. I, as someone who my only skill is speaking and arguing, had a really bad speech impediment growing up and couldn't say my R's or my L's. And now I do it for a living. So I. This is kind of a sidebar, but just for, you know, young people out there or whatever. Like, nah, you. You can get over anything. I shouldn't say anything, but you can work on stuff and it won't hold you back. Go ahead. No, I was just flexing on you. No. Well, yeah. And world and girl, anything that has the R L next to each other like that, I still struggle with a bit. And I've told this story. Nothing worse than not being able to say your R's and your last name. Starts with a hard R, and when it's not an R, it sounds like a different word. You don't know how many times I went to basketball camp as a kid. They're like, what's your name? Nick White. They're like, no, white. White. No, white. It was brutal. Maybe that only happened once, but it started seared me. It scarred me. The guy wrote down on my jersey, right? I'm like, it's not white. It's white. Brutal. Doesn't matter. I'm good now. Brutal. Here's the point I was making. In a war. Stephen A. Is fighting a war of words. LeBron gets to actually go out and play the games, and he's still awesome. So think about it. In the couple weeks since this all happened, Lakers had a winning streak. Bronnie drops 39, drops a career high in the NBA, has another good game the other night. Braun last night, hits a game winner. And you have positioned yourself. I can't imagine being this boxed in. You have now positioned yourself where anytime you give fair analysis about a good Laker game or Bronnie or whatever, you're gonna get ripped for that too. Like, you are all. You are so boxed in. And the guy, honest to God, so much of this, as I've said before, so much of the toxicity of sports media across all sports and all our debates is actually about Michael Jordan and that era and that. That era of people who came up in that era being like, man, my childhood was the best, I promise. Like, and not seeing that every single human being ever, it's like, hey, what's your favorite type of music? And for everyone, it just happens to be the exact type of music they were listening to when they first got their car and first were able to drive. Who are the best athletes? And it's like, oh, that. It just happens to be for everyone, myself included. The. The athletes, like, we watched in our formative years and then into adulthood, and not being able to see that, it's not special. It's just how human beings brains are constructed. But point is, this whole thing really generates from MJ's. My buddy, this guy won't talk to me. I must, against all odds, support MJ's legacy. But MJ ain't playing anymore. You're never gonna be able to go on the show and be like, ah, look what Michael did. But this other guy won't fucking quit. He's. He's. He. He is. We are. In a span of 10 days, his son almost drops 40 in the G League and scores a career leads the Lakers in points in the NBA and he has a buzzer beater. And so it's just a war you're not going to win. And it's a war you're not going to win because I think because of your popularity and success and talent, people have want enough. People have watched you for long enough that we know what the record says and we know you have always claimed you have no problem with LeBron. He has a problem with you. And then today you say he will smile in your face, then stab you in the back. That's why I don't like him is that just in the last two weeks. Literally circumvented the meritocracy in the NBA that in the last two weeks.

[A.J. Andrews]

What's up y'all? I'm A.J. andrews, pro softball player, sports analyst and the first woman to win a Rawlings Gold Glove. On my new podcast, Dropping Diamonds. We dive headfirst into the world of softball by sharing powerful stories, insights and conversations that inspire and empower. It's time to drop bombs and diamonds. Dropping diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League and Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to dropping diamonds with AJ Andrews on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

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Of iHeart Women's Sports Network. What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

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We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

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Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

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Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

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Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Podcasts.

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This is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner.

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And Kira K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host.

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And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please with Mel and Kira.

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We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture. Some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their.

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Superpower and I Heart Wins Sports Production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us an iHeartrade iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

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