The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: "Pick Three: Spring Sports News"

Date: April 7, 2026
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Louisa Thomas (The New Yorker Sporting Scene columnist)

Episode Overview

This episode takes the form of a lively, insightful conversation between host David Remnick and writer Louisa Thomas, diving into the latest developments in basketball and baseball. The pair provide sharp analysis of key NBA and college basketball storylines, offer bold predictions, and reflect on how international dynamics and league policies are reshaping American sports. Their discussion, rich with anecdotes and memorable moments, explores legends like LeBron James, emergent teams and stars, and examines the evolving character of fandom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

LeBron James: Age, Role, and Reinvention

• LeBron at 41:
  Remnick opens by marveling at LeBron's longevity in his 23rd NBA season (04:26). Thomas describes LeBron as "precisely the player that the Lakers need"—not just a role player, "he is the role player" (04:48).
• Team Dynamics:
  Thomas explains that LeBron has moved from main star to ultimate supporting playmaker, unlocking the Lakers’ potential:
  • "He is flying around, he's cutting, he is moving in transition. He is getting the ball when he is in the perfect spot." (04:48)
  • Acknowledges LeBron’s experiences with injuries and age: "He has arthritis. He has nerve pain in his leg. He has all the things, all the things that you have maybe a little tinnitus." (05:37)
  • LeBron now embraces this role: "He's actually come to embrace this role." (05:37)
• Lakers’ Trajectory & Playoff Prospects:
  Despite LA’s improvements, Thomas doesn't see them as title favorites (06:45).
• LeBron’s Future:
  On retirement speculation: "I suspect that next year is his last season... but it may be that he doesn’t know." (06:33)

NBA Playoff Contenders and Future Stars

• Oklahoma City Thunder
  Remnick remarks on the Thunder’s meteoric rise: "So fast, so big, so versatile, so much talent on the team, and really young." (06:45)
  Thomas notes the Thunder were "not built to win last year. They were built to win this year and next year and the year after that, too." (07:10)

• San Antonio Spurs & Victor Wembanyama
  Thomas highlights the Spurs as a serious challenger, led by Victor Wembanyama:

  • "The future best player in the world." (07:31)
  • On Wembanyama's uniqueness: "He moves with such liquidity and he has this unbelievable competitive instincts." (07:35)
  • "He can play all five positions... he's certainly and by far the best defensive player in the world." (07:46)
  • "Other team's best players like don't even drive to the basket. You know the amazing thing is you look at just shot selection around him. There's like a void." (07:46)

• Boston Celtics’ Renaissance
  Remnick highlights his hopes and the return of Jayson Tatum (08:08).
  Thomas credits the Celtics’ surprising success to:

  • Front office salary clear-out perceived as a rebuild
  • "Everyone except apparently their coach and Jaylen Brown who is having a MVP candidate season." (08:39)
  • "I think that Joe Mazul is a genius... He has figured out how to maximize their strengths." (08:59)

• New York Knicks Reality Check
  "The Knicks are top five in offense, top five in defense. Except that they like lose really badly sometimes including to the aforementioned Detroit Pistons..." (09:43)

Baseball: Internationalization & New Power Structures

• Globalization of Baseball
  Thomas: "We saw that during the World Baseball Classic… you not only have an American team that has legitimate superstars, you also have a Japanese team that has a claim to being the best team in the world… Venezuela… Italy." (14:12)
  Humorous aside: "It was like New Jersey playing under [the] Italian flag." (14:52)

• Dodgers’ Spending and Structure
  Remnick notes: "I don’t see how they lose with the team they’ve assembled." (14:52)
  Thomas points out:

  • "They are not only a very wealthy team, they are a spectacularly well run team." (15:33)
  • Dodgers spend revenue unlike other owners who "have money that they could spend and are not spending it." (15:46)
  • "I'm less sympathetic to certain owners arguments that they just can't possibly keep up." (15:46)

College Basketball & Women’s Game

• Transience in Men’s College Basketball Remnick laments: “As soon as I learned somebody's name, they'd gone to another school or they'd gone to the pros after a year.” (16:17)
• Longevity in Women’s College Basketball
  Thomas: "That actually does help explain part of the rising interest in the women’s game where those players do stick around for longer.” (16:35)
• Future NBA Prospects
  • Duke: "One of the Boozers, the sons of Carlos Boozer." (17:09)
  • Kansas: "A guard, Darren Peterson, that a lot of people are really high on." (17:14)
• Tank Watch
  Remnick jokes: “Name names.” (17:36)
  Thomas: "The Washington Wizards, The Brooklyn Nets, the Utah Jazz..." (17:37)
  • League’s response: Utah Jazz fined $500,000 for tanking (17:53)
• Reforming Draft System:
  "They're looking at reconfiguring the draft lottery to try to discourage teams..." (18:20)

Closing Predictions

• Bold Picks
  Thomas: "The NBA. I'm gonna go with the San Antonio Spurs." (19:01)
  Remnick: "God, you're really sweet on the San Antonio Spurs..." (19:07)
  • For WNBA: "I'm gonna go with your defending champion Las Vegas Aces." (19:14)
  • On the New York Liberty: "You could make a case for the Liberty." (19:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:48 | Louisa Thomas | "He is a role player, but he is not just a role player. He is the role player." | | 05:37 | Louisa Thomas | “He's actually come to embrace this role... He has arthritis. He has nerve pain in his leg. He has all the things, all the things that you have maybe a little tinnitus…this is a sacrifice." | | 07:31 | Louisa Thomas | "[Victor Wembanyama is] the future best player in the world." | | 08:39 | Louisa Thomas | "Everyone except apparently their coach and Jaylen Brown who is having a MVP candidate season." | | 09:43 | Louisa Thomas | "The Knicks are top five in offense, top five in defense. Except that they like lose really badly sometimes..." | | 14:52 | Louisa Thomas | "It was like New Jersey playing under [the] Italian flag." | | 15:33 | Louisa Thomas | "They are not only a very wealthy team, they are a spectacularly well run team." | | 17:37 | Louisa Thomas | "The Washington Wizards, The Brooklyn Nets, the Utah Jazz..." | | 19:01 | Louisa Thomas | "The NBA. I'm gonna go with the San Antonio Spurs." | | 19:14 | Louisa Thomas | "The wnba. I'm gonna go with your defending champion Las Vegas Aces." |

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [03:21] – Start of basketball discussion: LeBron James at 41, Lakers’ current status
• [07:10] – Discussion on Oklahoma City Thunder & San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama
• [08:08] – Celtics’ rebound with Tatum and Jaylen Brown
• [09:43] – Knicks’ analysis
• [13:46] – Switch to Baseball: Changing global landscape and Dodgers critique
• [16:17] – Men's and Women’s college basketball, player movement
• [17:30] – NBA teams “tanking” and league’s response
• [19:01] – Bold NBA and WNBA championship predictions

Tone & Style

The conversation is warm, witty, and conversational—Remnick’s gentle self-deprecation (“I haven't seen a championship since 1973”) balances Thomas’s incisive expertise. The tone blends humor and analysis, making complex sports trends accessible and engaging.

Summary

This episode delivers a spirited mix of deep basketball analysis and reflections on the global evolution of baseball, spotlighting the interplay of talent, team-building, and league structure. Louisa Thomas’s nuanced takes—on LeBron’s adaptation, the emergence of new NBA dynasties, and the increasing prominence and attachment in women’s basketball—make the conversation both informative and highly enjoyable, even for non-sports fans. The show closes with bold championship predictions and an honest (if gentle) dose of realism for long-suffering New York fans.

Remnick’s sign-off:

“Louisa Thomas writes the Sporting Scene for the New Yorker and you can find her on Basketball with recent pieces on LeBron James, Luke Cornette, the Pistons, and much more@new yorker.com.”

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