The Herd with Colin Cowherd: "What's Wright" with Nick Wright

Episode Date: November 21, 2025
Main Topics: LeBron’s Return to the Lakers | Chiefs’ Playoff Hopes | Joe Burrow Injury Update | NFL & NBA Sliding Door Moments

Episode Overview

This episode of "What's Wright" with Nick Wright focuses on three major sports stories of the week:

• LeBron James’ anticipated return and role adjustment with the Los Angeles Lakers,
• The Kansas City Chiefs facing a must-win situation against the Colts,
• Joe Burrow’s unexpected return to Bengals practice and implications for the AFC North.
  Nick also dives into NBA history and debates, and closes with quick analysis on recent league developments and listener questions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. LeBron James’ Return and the Never-Ending Discourse

Segment Timestamps: 03:59 – 22:31

• Nick Wright laments the constant recycled debates about LeBron, highlighting how no athlete has generated "more idiotic and immediately self-refuting opinions" (05:12) than LeBron James.
• The discourse before LeBron’s season debut centered on whether he'd somehow make the Lakers “worse,” to which Nick responds incredulously, citing LeBron’s “malleability” and unprecedented ability to fill any role.
  • Quote: "No athlete in my lifetime has generated more idiotic and immediately self-refuting opinions than LeBron." (06:08)
• Context around LeBron’s debut: Played the lowest number of shots in any game he didn’t leave due to injury, but continued his double-digit point streak.
  • Anecdote: Nick recalls LeBron preserving his double-digit streak even after a serious injury by “pretend[ing] he’s not hurt badly, stays in the game, gets the ball, takes a corner three, hits it, keeps the double figure point streak alive.” (11:20)
• Emphasizes LeBron’s all-time positional flexibility, noting he's been All-NBA at all five positions during his career.
• States that LeBron's real value this season may be in adapting to whatever the team needs—facilitator, cutter, screener—more than scorer, and that even at 40, he’s still a top 10–15 NBA player.
  • Quote: "Is he the best player in the league anymore? Of course not... But is he still a top 15 guy in the league? Yes." (15:46)
• Discusses the lack of appreciation and “numbness” to LeBron’s continued excellence at his age and stage—contrasts with Kobe Bryant (final playoff game at age 32; LeBron joined the Lakers at 34).
  • Quote: “He’ll simply never be bad…Barring catastrophic injury, he could easily play at a high level throughout his 40s.” (19:28)
• On LeBron’s longevity records: predicts that, in retrospect, they’ll appear “Chamberlain-esque, untouchable and farcical” to future generations. (21:01)

2. NBA Sliding Doors: Debunking LeBron Conspiracies

Segment Timestamps: 26:22 – 37:05

• Critiques Bill Simmons’ recent “Sliding Doors” podcast segment that advanced the theory: the NBA suspended Draymond Green in 2016 to help the Cavs and LeBron.
  • Quote: “The idea that it is widely thought in NBA circles that the Draymond suspension was going to lead to the Cavs winning the championship... That was not a thing.” (28:43)
• Details LeBron’s Game 5 and 6 Finals performances—both with and without Draymond—providing stats to refute the “revisionist history” that the win was only possible because of the suspension.
  • Quote: “[In] Game 5 of the finals, no Draymond, 41, 16, and 7 on 53/50 splits in a 15 point win. Game 6 of the finals, with Draymond, 41, 8, 11 on 59/50 splits in a 14 point win. It’s just revisionist history.” (32:00)
• Reflects on the extraordinary parallel of NBA fans living through the careers of LeBron and Tom Brady—both redefining longevity and excellence in their sports.

3. Chiefs' "Season on the Line" vs. Colts

Segment Timestamps: 41:21 – 48:09

• The Chiefs’ playoff future hinges on beating the Colts at Arrowhead after an inexplicable loss to the Broncos. Nick offers a brutally honest assessment:
  • “Run the table and you might win the division… Go 5-2 and you’re probably out. Go 4-3 and you’re definitely out.” (41:33)
• Acknowledges the Chiefs’ vulnerabilities:
  • Defensive struggles on third down,
  • Offense failing to punish defenses for ignoring the run,
  • Patrick Mahomes needing to be more precise, especially deep.
  • Quote: "The biggest systemic issue... is teams basically play the pass at all times against Kansas City, and Kansas City doesn't make them pay for it by running the ball." (44:48)
• Notes the Colts' own playoff stakes and challenging remaining schedule.
• If the Chiefs take care of business, Nick outlooks a path to a dangerous seven seed—otherwise, a “true disaster of a year.”

4. NFL Quarterback Drama: Shador Debut & Joe Burrow Update

Shador’s Career-Defining Start

Segment Timestamps: 48:12 – 56:53

• Explains the implications of Shador’s first NFL start with Cleveland—possibly his only NFL start if it goes poorly due to draft status and team concerns.
  • Quote: "If he's terrible...this game is the only game he starts in his career." (52:52)
• Draws a tough conclusion: unfair but real, “The league’s going to keep moving. This is Shador’s moment.” (54:10)

Joe Burrow’s (Possible) Early Comeback

Segment Timestamps: 60:45 – 65:00

• Surprised Burrow was a full participant in practice, but sees Thanksgiving as the likeliest game for his return—not before.
• Realistically, even Burrow's return won’t hurt the Steelers but could complicate the Ravens’ push for the AFC North title.
  • Quote: "I think the Bengals had Joe Burrow not been hurt, they'd be in the mix for the playoffs. But… the problem's been the defense, which they never fixed.” (63:12)
• Regrets Bengals’ earlier collapses against the Jets and Bears, saying they cost the team its margin for error.

5. Quick Hits: Other NFL Storylines

Segment Timestamps: 65:00 – 71:14

• Texans: Not a playoff contender, despite their identical record to the Chiefs—lack of offensive consistency and a hard remaining schedule.
• Bills: This week’s game is a “throttle down” test for Josh Allen—limit mistakes and depend on the running game.
• Listener Questions:
  • Favorite LeBron play Nick would change: “Finishing the dunk over Draymond in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals.” (67:46)
  • If the Chiefs’ Broncos loss could turn out to be their catalyst for another Super Bowl run.
  • If Chiefs miss the playoffs, Bills and Josh Allen face maximum scrutiny.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "No athlete in my lifetime has generated more idiotic and immediately self-refuting opinions than LeBron." (06:08)
• “He’ll simply never be bad…Barring catastrophic injury, he could easily play at a high level throughout his 40s.” (19:28)
• “[In] Game 5 of the finals, no Draymond, 41, 16, and 7... Game 6 of the finals, with Draymond, 41, 8, 11... It’s just revisionist history.” (32:00)
• “The biggest systemic issue... is teams basically play the pass at all times against Kansas City, and Kansas City doesn't make them pay for it by running the ball." (44:48)
• "If he's terrible...this game is the only game he starts in his career." (52:52)
• “I think the Bengals had Joe Burrow not been hurt, they'd be in the mix for the playoffs. But… the problem's been the defense, which they never fixed.” (63:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:59–22:31 | LeBron Returns/Lakers Role & Longevity | | 26:22–37:05 | NBA Sliding Doors: Draymond Suspension & Finals Revisionism| | 41:21–48:09 | Chiefs Season on the Line vs. Colts | | 48:12–56:53 | Shador’s First NFL Start & Implications | | 60:45–65:00 | Joe Burrow Injury/Return Timeline and Implications | | 65:00–71:14 | Quick NFL Notes: Texans, Bills, Listener Q&A |

Summary Takeaways

• Nick Wright uses sharp wit and deep stats to defend LeBron, highlight the pitfalls in sports media discourse, and contextualize history in real time.
• The Chiefs face a crossroads, the NFL playoff picture is shifting weekly, and player narratives (both established and emerging) are fragile and always under the microscope.
• The episode blends lively NBA debate with pressing NFL drama, punctuated by Nick’s trademark candor and deep sense of sports history.

For listeners seeking a smart, entertaining breakdown of the week’s NBA and NFL biggest storylines—especially anything LeBron, Chiefs, or Burrow-related—this episode is a must.