The Ringer NBA Show — “The NBA World Reacts to the Tragedy in Minnesota”

Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: Logan Murdock, Howard Beck, Raja Bell (with mailbag segment featuring Cliff)

Overview

This episode addresses a somber and urgent topic: the NBA’s reaction to recent tragedies in Minneapolis, where, within weeks, federal agents killed two residents, Alex Preddy and Renee Goode. The hosts grapple with how such events permeate every aspect of life—including the seemingly insular world of professional basketball. Howard Beck, fresh from Minneapolis, shares firsthand observations, and the group discusses the strain on the Timberwolves, the city’s atmosphere, and the shift in how the NBA and its players engage with social issues. The second half of the episode shifts to a lighter tone with the usual mailbag segment, including fans’ trade speculations and an all-time roster fantasy draft.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage — Tragedy and Its Context

(01:03–03:17)

• Logan Murdoch opens by acknowledging the severity of the moment, noting the deaths of Alex Preddy and Renee Goode at the hands of federal agents. He frames the discussion as unavoidable: “We’d be remiss if we did not acknowledge what’s transpiring in our country right now.”
• The hosts stress the challenge in discussing basketball amid social unrest.

2. Howard Beck’s Firsthand Experience in Minneapolis

(03:17–08:22)

• Howard Beck recounts his recent trip, noting the surreal contrast between arriving to cover a Warriors-Timberwolves matchup and entering a city in crisis.
• “I’ve only had a couple of times in nearly three decades of covering the NBA where events around us made me feel like what we do— the game, the league, my job—is just fucking trivial.” (06:13)
• He draws an analogy to post-9/11 sportswriting: sports can feel trivial when true crisis erupts.
• Describes the arena atmosphere: abnormal energy, visible grief on Timberwolves’ faces, and fans’ public protest (moment of silence disruptions, “Fuck ICE” chants, protest signs).

3. Community and Emotional Fallout

(08:22–13:33)

• Referencing John Krasinski’s piece in The Athletic, Logan underscores the dread permeating Minneapolis—businesses suffer, parents are scared to take kids to school.
• He challenges the notion of keeping politics out of sports, stating: “I think you’re taking away the humanity of a person’s feelings...” (09:02)
• “I just don’t know how you do that…compartmentalize in a situation like this.” (10:18)

4. The Player Perspective: On Compartmentalization

(13:33–16:34)

• Raja Bell: “There’s no compartmentalizing that. Like that’s life. You’re driving through it…Every human being has that network…and when those people are hurting and scared…that’s going to affect you.” (10:50)
• Notes that while playing provided temporary escape during his career, off the court “thoughts wander back” to real-life events.

5. In the Arena: Protest, Attempted Normalcy, and the City’s Pain

(14:25–19:55)

• Howard offers vivid scenes from inside the arena:
  • Fans’ excitement to see Steph Curry contrasted with passionate demonstration.
  • Protest signs on camera, especially for the nationally televised game.
  • Shared conversations with people—taxi drivers, hotel staff, local residents—revealing anxiety and fear, especially among immigrants and marginalized communities.

6. The Omnipresent Threat for Black Athletes

(19:55–21:53)

• Raja Bell shares personal pain: “Since so many of us in the NBA are young black men…sad to say, but this is not not a reality for us on the regular.” (19:55)
• Offers a powerful perspective on how the Black community’s lived experience shapes response to these crises, both in and out of sports.

7. Critiquing the NBA and Players’ Public Response (or Silence)

(21:53–30:41)

• Logan expresses surprise at the relatively muted statements from star players and the league, contrasting it with the activism surge in 2020: “If you are purporting that as a thing that you are trying to be, you have to stand on that not only when it’s easy to speak out, but also when it’s harder to speak out.” (26:36)
• He notes a shift:
  • MBPA (Players Association) and individual players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brown issued statements, but often with measured language.
  • “Adam Silver has been silent on this…the same person that, you know, when he got pressure put on him by the players, put Black Lives Matter on the floor. And…he was the first person to take that off.” (27:58)
• Raja: It’s not everyone’s role to be an activist, but “if that’s your lane, we should be hearing from you.” (28:39)
• Howard reflects: there’s a fatigue and fear now, versus the surge of activism in 2020. He reads from the MBPA’s statement, arguing it’s “unequivocal”—but acknowledges critics “wanted it to be stronger.” (34:14)

8. Will This Be a Turning Point for the League?

(35:00–37:56)

• Logan asks if recent events will reshape the league’s culture or policies.
• Howard: Doubts it will be a “catalyzing event”—“the world moves on,” unless there are even more repeated tragedies. Locker room conversations may heat up, but big change is unlikely without further crisis. (35:16, 36:23)
• Raja: “If what we have…already happened is all that really happens, it will not change a single thing moving forward in the NBA…Too big a business.” (37:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Howard Beck: “Our jobs in this game and this league seem incredibly trivial and it’s hard to focus. That leads us to Sunday’s game where really, you could see it in the Timberwolves, like they were carrying the burdens of that city.” (06:37)
• Logan Murdoch: “When people say, ‘keep my politics out of sports,’ I think you’re taking away the humanity of a person’s feelings and how they live their life.” (09:02)
• Raja Bell: “If you can’t feel for some of the people that these things are happening to and you can’t feel their pain, then, you know, I don’t know what to say about that.” (13:19)
• Howard Beck: “Their [MBPA] statement says, ‘Now more than ever, we must defend the right of freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.’ That is unequivocal.” (34:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment/Discussion | Start | |------------------------------------------------------------|---------| | Addressing the Tragedy, Howard’s Experience | 01:03 | | The Arena Atmosphere & Community Grief | 06:37 | | Compartmentalization for Players | 10:31 | | Protest at the Games, Minneapolis Tensions | 14:25 | | Black Athletes & Omnipresent Threats | 19:55 | | League & Player Responses, Then vs. Now | 21:53 | | On Whether This Changes the NBA | 35:00 |

Mailbag Segment (Transition to Lighter Topics)

(39:48–End)

Warriors Trade Speculation

• Listener proposes “Draymond for Jordan Poole” trade.
• General consensus: unlikely, with both Beck and Murdoch insisting Poole’s time in Golden State is over and Draymond’s trade value has eroded given his baggage. (44:04–46:15)

The All-Time “Save the World from Aliens” Team

• Listeners ask for a 12-man all-time NBA team to defeat aliens in a hypothetical Earth-or-nothing series—chemistry counts, not just talent.
• Ultimate Starting Five: Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, Magic Johnson, LeBron James.
• Key Bench: Kevin Durant, Shaq, Tim Duncan, Scottie Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jason Kidd, Larry Bird, Grant Hill.
• Coaches: Don Nelson, Chuck Daly, Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, Mike D’Antoni all as “the staff.”
• The segment is playful, with the group riffing on both chemistry and pure skill.

Memorable banter:

• “With Nelly, they’re smoking everything...They’ll be the most chill superstar team trying to save the world ever assembled.” (58:08)

Final Thoughts

The early part of this episode is a serious, empathetic exploration of how tragedy spills into the NBA’s “bubble.” There is widespread agreement among the hosts: sports, players, and fans cannot ignore the world outside, even as the league tries to press on. The episode’s back half is a return to sports as distraction, both for hosts and listeners—reminding us why sports offer both community and escape.