The Ringer NBA Show — Group Chat

One-Month Awards: Best Player, Biggest Disappointment, and More

Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, J. Kyle Mann
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This rich episode dives into the NBA’s opening month with a tongue-in-cheek, insight-heavy roundtable by the Ringer NBA Group Chat team. They hand out "one-month awards"—discussing the best and worst players and teams, biggest surprises, most improved, team stock picks, and more. The conversation bounces easily between stats, advanced metrics, vibes checks, and outright jokes, with the trio riffing in classic Ringer style while dishing out serious hoops analysis.

Major Topics & Key Insights

Opening Banter & Coffee Microdosing

• Hosts riff about "coffee microdosing" and washed adult life, setting the show’s playful tone.
• Notable quote:
  “What you’re describing is just getting old and washed and needing more coffee.” — Rob Mahoney (01:44)

One-Month Player Awards

Best Player — Nikola Jokic

• Unanimous choice: Jokic is leading in rebounds and assists, scoring over 30 ppg with a 72.8 true shooting percentage—an all-time mark.
• Jokic’s efficiency and versatility are highlighted—his usage, touch, and ability to “see the code” of the game set him far apart historically.
• Notable quote:
  “I have no idea how he was the best player in the league last season and he’s significantly better right now than he was last year.” — Rob Mahoney (06:53)
• The group runs through Jokic’s outlier stats and usage (05:41–08:44).
• Additional MVP Ballot:
  • 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • 3: Luka Doncic
  • 4: Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • 5: Victor Wembanyama
  • After that, significant drop-off.

Rising Stars & Defensive Disruptors

• Victor Wembanyama’s vast defensive impact is described as difficult to quantify—he "changes the mindset" of all offensive players.
• Analogy made to Steph Curry’s intangible offensive impact.
• “He just prevents things so much... I don’t know that we have an adequate statistical vocabulary to capture [it].” — J. Kyle Mann (15:44)

Team Awards

Best Team — Oklahoma City Thunder

• Consensus pick: Their depth, defense, and SGA’s MVP-level leap put them ahead of the pack.
• The Thunder “take all possessions seriously” and play “proactive” defense. Their 16–1 record is contextualized by the group’s analysis of rotations, injuries, and statistical dominance.
• SGA now shoots 51.5% on pull-up threes in pick-and-roll—“that’s the velociraptor learning a new skill” (21:46).
• Notable quote:
  “The difference between them and the number two defense in the league is the same as the difference between number two and number twenty... miles and miles apart.” — Rob Mahoney (23:48)
• Other Top Teams:
  • 2. Denver Nuggets (injuries permitting)
  • 3. Houston Rockets
  • 4. Detroit Pistons

Biggest Surprise / Leap Players

• Julius Randle & Jaden McDaniels (Wolves): Both are called out for their crucial impact; Randle especially “bailing out” the Wolves’ offense during struggles (31:15).

• Colin Gillespie (Suns): A surprise “favorite thing” so far; offers substantial backcourt stability and shooting (33:07–34:12).

• Tar Eason (Rockets): Leading the league in three-point percentage—“fucking wild and certainly welcome” (36:13).

• Reed Shephard (Rockets): “Not a full-blown leap” but exceeding draft expectations (37:03).

• Ryan Rollins (Bucks): Emerged from a stopper to a 2nd option scorer, allowing roster reimagination (40:49–42:28).

• Keonte George (Jazz): Remade his game toward intelligent, patient paint play—“course correction... that could extend this guys career” (43:22–44:33).

• Tyrese Maxey (Sixers): NOT a single “leap” but “giant, bounding steps forward” to top-tier status (47:19).

Still-got-it Group ("Still Got" Subgroup)

• Lauri Markkanen: 7th-leading scorer, thriving after tough seasons, injury, and trade rumors (46:41).
• Notable quote:
  “He just needs to be in a winning environment.” — Justin Verrier (46:45)

Additional Notable Breakouts & Leaps

• Jalen Duren, AJ Mitchell, Scotty Barnes, Denny Avdija—all praised for new skillsets or increased responsibility (50:50–52:04).

Biggest Disappointment (Team/Player)

1. LA Clippers

• From a 50-win team to a 5–11 start; off-season moves backfired (Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez), and Norm Powell’s thriving play in Miami underlines the Clippers’ regret.
• "Every possession is a slog," says Rob Mahoney (55:08).

2. Memphis Grizzlies — Ja Morant & Jaren Jackson Jr.

• Ja: On-court and off-court malaise, defensiveness, lack of leadership, becoming a "joke" in league discourse (55:47–60:00).
• Jaren: Lethargic numbers, no silver lining despite the opportunity.
• Notable Quote:
  “[Ja’s] ultimate gotcha is like, you are just not a high functioning, star-level NBA player anymore.” — Rob Mahoney (60:45).

3. Indiana Pacers, Jerrace Walker

• Not living up to projections, instability from injuries, and disappointing young talent development (60:51–61:18).

The "Big Boy" of the Month Award

Working definition: A big guy who dominates physically or someone ‘big-boying’ others by spirit

• Alperen Sengun (Rockets): “Has just forced his will and propelled them in a way that I think has been incredible” (62:13).
• Steven Adams (Rockets): Pure physical big-boying, “bouncer” strength.
• Nikola Vucevic: “Spiritually big-boyed” his own locker room by calling out teammates in victory—new layer of Big Boying (64:21).

Preseason Mulligans & Buy Low Stock Picks

Wrongest Preseason Takes

• Clippers, Grizzlies, Pacers, and Suns all misranked badly by the crew.
• Raptors’ surprise offense and Suns’ stability prompt a public L (66:43).
• Derrick Queen (Pelicans): Kyle Mann admits underrating; now sees unexpected versatile playmaking, having fun with Zion and Trey Murphy (67:35–69:10).

Buy Low Picks

• Nets Rookies: Despite rough roles and usage, Kyle Mann is “not out on them.”
• Milwaukee Bucks: Rob expects them to return to top-four form once healthy (75:40).
• Celtics: Justin’s “too good to fail” in the East, even if only fine on a true contender scale (76:15).
• Magic: Too late to “buy low” as they may have already risen (70:52).

Notable Quotes & Meme Moments

• On SGA’s shooting: “That’s the velociraptor learning a new skill. I don’t know. It was already going to kill us, and it’s just smarter now.” — J. Kyle Mann (21:46).
• On Colin Gillespie: “He’s blogger sized for sure... He’s the best. I love watching him.” — Justin Verrier (34:12, 34:18).
• On the Clippers: “It is kind of Space Cowboys, you know.” — Rob Mahoney (54:18).
• “Some people pay to be big-boy’d, you know. We don’t have to go down that road.” —J. Kyle Mann (66:01).

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:34 — Best Player discussion (Jokic)
• 13:21 — MVP Ballot rundown, other top performers
• 15:44 — Wembanyama’s defensive impact
• 18:55 — Best Team (Thunder); Thunder deep dive
• 31:15 — Biggest Positive Surprises/Leaps
• 36:13 — Tar Eason / surprise shooters
• 43:22 — Keonte George's "course correction"
• 46:41 — Lauri Markkanen still got it
• 52:36 — Disappointments: Clippers, Memphis
• 61:58 — Big Boy of the Month: Sengun, Adams, Vucevic
• 66:06 — Preseason Mulligan segment
• 75:40 — Buy low picks (Bucks, Nets, etc.)

Conclusion & Episode Tone

This episode is a robust blend of deep hoops commentary and the Group Chat crew’s banter. The show is both knowledgeable and irreverent, offering listeners tons of stats, context, and context-breaking jokes. Perfect for keeping up on the NBA's early season storylines—including rapid player development, unexpected team trajectories, and all the weird vibes you won’t catch in the box score.