Transcript
Speaker: Okay. Welcome back, episode four. I got a little change of scenery. What up, Charlie? What's up? How are we feeling? I'm good. I've got like a... guitar amp stacked on top of my bed and i'm sitting on like a bar stool right now but it looks I think it looks pretty professional I told you I would do this before we started the call. I'm going to give you all a quick Easter egg tour of the Spurs things behind me.
Speaker: I've got... What is this? The 88 -89 team with Shamu on the wall. We got a David Robinson and George Girvin card up there. We've got Spurs candle over here.
Speaker: We got the 2003 Sealed sprite. championship This is actually my grail. A. 1984 -85, Lone Star. Spurs can that has a schedule on the back. Apparently, crazy story, apparently they did this promotion two years in a row. This is the guy who sold it to me.
Speaker: Two years in a row. The first year. It went great. So they did it a second year and at the first game of the season, there was a really bad call. and everyone threw the cans. onto the court. And so apparently that one's a hard one to find. I don't know if he's trying to get a better price. That's really cool.
Speaker: I got the Doug Moe card. I got the David Robinson action figure back here. there's more There's more scattered around. But anyways, that's the that's your treat, your tour of... Oh, I got the... the the but NBA Cup ticket from when I went to Vegas. You went to Vegas? then I did. I said if we were going to if we beat the Thunder, I would fly to Vegas.
Speaker: to watch them play. and That is crazy. That's awesome. Anyways. How are you, Charlie? you got that's That's my tour of the Spurs Easter Eggs behind me. I'm good. I'm... My... only item I got is my 2026 finals hot. you know not mine i was not at the games but i think you were at the games though
Speaker: That's right. Okay. I just brought it on camera. There it is. The final set. Sweet. I got the Red Sox hat on currently getting demolished by the Mariners. It was a bullpen game.
Speaker: random picture, you know, it is what it is. It is what it is. What do you get when you have like a thousand games a season? Yeah, that's true. That's true. Well, speaking of speaking of games, a different game. a different game Today, we're not we don't have quite as... Well, we have a lot. I feel like we're going to have a lot to talk about, but not as many.
Speaker: sections We're going to start with. ah the FIBA games, we did kind of a preview. last time, but now they've happened. We can talk about what we saw. what we liked, what we thought about them. um And then after we do the FIBA games, we're going to talk about the two K ratings that released.
Speaker: I haven't really been on 2K in a while. but Some interesting numbers. I guess if you're a big enough fan of any team, they become some interesting numbers, but we'll talk through kind of the. highest rated Spurs. how they fit among the rest of the league and how they fit. among the team.
Speaker: what we like, what we don't like. Um. But let's jump. right into it with FIBA. So i'll I'll come out. right away and say, I'll admit. i um I didn't watch these games live. I was in fact at work.
Speaker: I... I think I watched. a good chunk of the Sweden game. Um... But. i have since watched clips i've read articles i've watched extended runs. So I promise you I'm still qualified to talk about it. um Fun to watch fun to watch when we play basketball kind of forgot what that was like Yeah, pretty crazy. it's been It's been a minute. Weird in a different uniform, but still yeah true just as exciting. Different number, different uniform.
Speaker: Yeah, i I got to see both. Serbia games. nice okay and so that was that was cool to watch definitely the biggest struggle though for both Wemby and the French team.
Speaker: throughout the all the I think it was four total FIBA games. yeah and um and yeah we can we can get right into it if you want to yeah i would I would say, um so the first game was the game that France lost and both games were super close.
Speaker: like The second game, they won by a single point. The first game, they lost, I think, by one possession as well. Yeah, first first game was a 90 -87 loss, and then second game was a 91 -90 win.
Speaker: Totally. So yeah, and that's and that's to be expected. I mean, Serbia was... totally should have taken out the United States, you know. At the Olympics, they were up by so much with a few minutes left.
Speaker: um Really good team. Obviously, they have Jokic, who's right up there with Wambia's best player in the world. and um I think they also had... the like team build that and like to be able to play more similarly to an NBA team and therefore kind of.
Speaker: pressure like put pressure on like those like weaknesses. of you know Wemby and also like a ah team like a you know competitive fast team that runs through Wemby.
Speaker: And I think like the biggest thing that I noticed was that. That was like a source of. struggle for France is not having really Enough. engine players. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: players that could get things going and you know carry the pace of the game and not let one be or not force one be the like shoulder all of that Right. Yeah, I think the the first game was definitely like... just like a not the greatest French showing.
Speaker: um But it definitely, there were like flashes of really good moments. I felt like. like that first game specifically it just felt like like wimby and rudy honestly rudy and everybody else were just like out of touch a little bit bit like yeah a few errant passes like miss lobs i think i saw like three miss lobs in a row from rudy and um But it was just like it was definitely like a team that needed to kind of get a feeling for who they were again. and you know Yeah. Bye. with each other.
Speaker: Yeah, I think like... Obviously... I watched most of it through a very like wimpy focused lens, like I was kind of hyper focused on how he was playing um and didn't consider a lot of like the team dynamics.
Speaker: um So I will say, I think it's a good point. We talked about it. I mentioned it last time we talked. This is a new... Coach. for France. um Really the first.
Speaker: Real. competitive setting with a relatively complete team with this new coach. Yeah. um And a coach, like we said, that has a very different offensive identity with how they want to run the team.
Speaker: And so. I mean I think that makes It... Thinking about that now. I was not. Really factoring that in when I initially was watching and thinking about it, but thinking about it now, it makes total sense. I mean, like you, you bring in a new coach, you have a lot of new players. um You want to run a different system. and honestly impressive that.
Speaker: They were able to turn it around so quickly. i think it Proof. their their depth But. i mean okay well first first we can mention before i before i give my like overarching take like From what I saw...
Speaker: Uh... No surprise, but like. I mean, Jokic... it thrives in any basketball setting, but like especially... in the international game when when, like we said, possessions are more important. And.
Speaker: his command of passing lanes and reads and angles and footwork. it's just like He looks so comfortable. um and nothing looks forced. He's a problem solver.
Speaker: on offense. And. i I wrote down when B looked this way, but really I probably should say like all of France kind of looked this way. Things were rushed, rushed and forced.
Speaker: And it reminded me a lot of like. it It happened more often in early season Wemby, but we still get flashes of it now where he just kind of relies on like a basic.
Speaker: presence. a basic impact of his presence. And yeah he goes into situations without a plan. um which he'll still do and sometimes it randomly works out and it looks like he has a plan, but.
Speaker: he can kind of tend to almost put his head down almost in like a kj style way yeah or not predict a double team and he had six turnovers in that first game and i think oh Like.
Speaker: Probably you can credit a lot of that to the France team in general. But... either the The little, like... thing I wrote down for like How Jokic played versus how Wemby played was like... order versus chaos like Jokic was.
Speaker: In. command of everything going on he understood the flow of his offense the positioning And. when we looked like he was just trying to force things. um to get the offense kind of a random jumpstart.
Speaker: and so i would say like before we can talk about the other games too but i think like the overall Arc. of these four games and i do i mean some credit has to be given to the fact that it's a friendly it probably Um, but the arc of this four games I feel like is kind of a, it's like a. tiny microcosm a little sample of like what Wemby's development has looked like so far.
Speaker: is that He gets kind of rusty. And. has this ah instincts to just kind of take over a game and do crazy things and, and handle it himself.
Speaker: And as he becomes more comfortable. as he realizes kind of more of his defensive impact, thinks about timing, efficiency. then... the team plays better. And I think that's kind of what we saw.
Speaker: over the four games. Yeah. And I kind of just speaking on like. your comments about jokic like i so i think i forgot who said this but i i feel like the best description i've ever heard about Jokic is that he's like,
Speaker: If a basketball player always made... the best decision possible. and that's like that's that's what it is it's like that's what you're describing it's like that total just control and awareness.
Speaker: and like just like composure no matter what and like using his size and his gravity that he has on a court and a very Kind of abnormal way for such a superstar like him You know what I mean? to be a who He can get a bucket. he can you know, throw out these.
Speaker: Completely just like... stupid shots like yeah and and like from you know 30 feet out like release behind his head. Like they'll still be looking for like... And the thing is, is like he has.
Speaker: It's red the floor. Yes. Check the scenario and decided that that shot is the best shot. Like sometimes he's a little too hesitant to take the three point shot. And that's the difference is like everyone likes to take like a. 35 footer every once in a while but like some players like you're saying like jokic have Looked at the scenario and said that. probably this is about as good of an outcome as we're going to get.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly. And so, and I think that's honestly, that's That's like that maturity thing and that experiencing that experience thing that everybody talks about when they talk about 1B.
Speaker: and what they want to see from him as he continues to grow. And I think that... Like I agree that this. looked like a little more rushed and a little just like rusty in general and you can like you said a lot of that can be put on the french team the new coach and you know the off season, all those things. But I think that it is.
Speaker: Good to keep. putting one be in these situations and like for him to keep kind of exploring like what's gonna work for him and what are like what kind of composure and kind of like fundamentals can he developed and then lean on when you know when everything's different it's a different team is a different coach is a different right you know country and like what can you just like default to and have as like you know, his go -tos.
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, and I think that's that's kind of a good... I don't have a lot of... like distinguishing notes between the first two games. I mean, I basically wrote down from what I saw in red is that like.
Speaker: He was a little bit more efficient um Fewer turnovers. in france one But it was a little bit more to the credit of like the rest of the French team.
Speaker: kind of the depth coming in into play. um that won the game more so than any heroic. individual effort or even just like a impressive. presence. It was just like, okay, cleaned up a little bit of of the mistakes. Rest of the team played well.
Speaker: able to get a win. That one, I guess I wish I would have. been able to watch more of. being so close towards the end your thoughts on the sweden game the sweden game was the most i think the next two games like they're the most the sweden was the most interesting so i'll say like the next two games how i said at the beginning like It felt like.
Speaker: we kind of saw. a development. Like, and so the the Slovenia game. first Um, you had 22 points in 21 minutes. Five for five on twos.
Speaker: One for five from three. and 9 for 10 at the line. So. Like kind of a... ah <unk> the The points thing is... kind of inconsequential because of the timing of fiba but like the shot profile and what was successful, it was like he figured out what was working, was still a little greedy.
Speaker: um from the three -point line although five three -pointers in a game i I kind of like that. I think that's... probably fine. um for him. But... starting to get more efficient, like winning in the interior nine for 10 from the line. drawing fouls, forcing Slovenia to foul.
Speaker: And then in the Sweden game. I think this this is the most interesting one to talk about. Slovenia probably would have been more interesting if Luka was playing. um but sweden Hello, Larson. Shout out. He looks great. um I remember i heard saying like they don't really have high -end talent, and I still don't really consider Pella Larson high -end talent. but Um,
Speaker: I mean, like it was fun. It was like an amped up crowd for the whole team. and So this game, I wrote it down, they had... There were 15 lead changes and seven ties. so it was a It was a 15 -point win.
Speaker: But really, the game was a lot closer. Sweden had the lead. with five minutes remaining. France was down. One. Um, 65, 64.
Speaker: Wemby hits a three. Play some good defense. And it sparks a 20 to 4 run. and France ah to to close the game. In France. completely shuts down.
Speaker: um Sweden. And this was where. It's like. You see in real time the product of making the right reads and being a little bit smarter.
Speaker: um with your decision making that three -pointer that Vic made. was his only three pointer. in the game and his other 18 points he was had six or seven shooting Eight rebounds. He blocked three shots.
Speaker: he kind of went to his. bread and butter and his bread and butter. was this high value. getting in the paint, rim finishing, getting to the free throw line and taking a three.
Speaker: when it is presented. or when it would be helpful. um And so... I would say like... I mean, it made sense that France won. And at the end of the day, like you look at the box score.
Speaker: France win by 15. Wemby has. like 20 or whatever 18 points like it's like Okay. Like. Played by the script But. The flow of the game, obviously, is an interesting game, but I think...
Speaker: like is even more encouraging. Honestly. I don't know how much it translates to how encouraged like a Spurs fan should be because. realistically, we already know he can dominate. I think it's just more so maybe if you're like a French national team fan and you're excited about that team's future, it's like.
Speaker: Oh, you see things starting to kind of click. with this team there's no longer the instinct for him to just like. control it because it's a new team. i I blabbed for a little bit, but that's that's that was my impression of probably the most interesting game of those four.
Speaker: Yeah, no, I mean I think that For specifically the Sweden game like that that run at the end. yeah I think that... points to like what we should be striving for in terms of like what a like a conditioned wemby can lead for a team at the end of the game you know what i mean and that's that's That's kind of like the biggest thing I think about is. you know especially thinking back to all the struggles like during the playoffs, like in every round. Yeah. Like
Speaker: I think such a Big. piece of that like obviously was 1b but not just 1b but 1b being Like... able to get to his spots able to you know be conditioned enough to finish out the game strong And I think that that is something. that like as a Spurs fan.
Speaker: you can look at and be like, okay, like. That is the blueprint. That is what we're looking for. like that experience right there of closing games and having the like the head and like the conditioning and kind of the yep foresight to be able to like like sharpen that skill of like closing a game Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, I think Yes, absolutely. like the The Spurs want... to... Figure out a way. for Vic to be comfortable enough and conditioned well enough to where that's that's what you're saying. That's that's the version we see. He's seeking out matchups.
Speaker: punishing these switches. He's trying to get in the paint. um And passing out when the defensive defense defenses. Defense collapses. There were still the the one thing I'll say, like I only saw it a couple of times, but like this is the thing that.
Speaker: Honestly, probably the biggest thing, because I don't get too upset at the threes, honestly. The biggest thing that frustrates me watching Vic play is. um like Like I said earlier, like it almost looks a little like KJ at times where he can kind of.
Speaker: get out in transition but it's like a one -on -two And he'll just kind of try to work an angle, but there's just enough. like room for the defender to slide their feet and kind of push him out. And he'll just kind of turn and throw the ball.
Speaker: And yeah that happened that happened a couple of times and a couple of times, like one time I think it worked the other time it didn't. But like. That I think is case in point of him just like.
Speaker: relying on presence to try. and make an impact. and I get - that You know, he wants to be unique and not boxed in. but Like. Making the right read is the version that the Spurs...
Speaker: want to seek out there's another point i want to make about that but i i'll wait there for a second Yeah, I mean, I completely agree and I feel like... like even a part of that could be just like That's probably worked his entire career except for the past right Exactly, exactly. And that's that's been enough. And like he hasn't faced...
Speaker: Like the size or the skill level. Yeah to to deal with that. And I think that like, that's another kind of interesting thing to think about his career is like. Like he's really played two full years. in that Yeah. Right. and and like a big scary like kind of mentally difficult gap in between those.
Speaker: and so on. And so I'm sure that like a part of it is like. like playing hard and like executing at the highest level and like playing in big games for his entire life. has been that like you know, driving super hard kind of that chaotic sort of yeah movements that just like tend to work out for him, but I think it is Definitely a learning experience.
Speaker: Totally. to like develop. What that version is like against the and NBA caliber players So speaking of developing version, like the thing that I wrote. in all caps on my notes because we talked about it.
Speaker: Last time. um And I feel like I didn't really see anyone talking about it or any articles and anything about it. It's just this idea of like a signature move. like we mentioned it before and Obviously, it's not going to like reveal itself in four games. um But I feel like we would have seen like a few trial runs.
Speaker: if there was something that he was focused on. And like, I'm thinking about like Jokic. And like Jokic's. like what ah they call like the sambar shuffle where he's like has incredible pivot and then can like fade away and shoot from behind his head And there's there is something, there is a move.
Speaker: Um... that works. That's kind of like a go to, you know, he can shoot that um when things get rough and. When...
Speaker: Like. that That didn't reveal itself. It's not an overall bad thing because like we're saying. I think. When we looked. a little bit more collected um and made the right reads in the Sweden game.
Speaker: Hmm. But... there was no evidence of like. Let's say you have that instinct that you want to take over the game and you want to score because sometimes it is the right instinct to be like, I'm going to put the ball in the basket. life. Give me the ball. I'm going to be the one scoring the points right now. um And there wasn't necessarily.
Speaker: Uh... Like a... Just a... Perfect. Go to... move for that anytime you know a lot of that is like his perfect go -to move is He's like seven, five now, maybe seven, six. And like, I saw a play in the Sweden game where he. his feet were kind of on the baseline.
Speaker: like And he jumped and spun around like a donkey. yeah Yeah. Ridiculous. So some like some things like that, if you have the ball. within like a Seven foot.
Speaker: you know, radius of with near the rim. You can just jump up. and that's fine But. I would still like to see going forward likes. starting to at least because he can trial this he's good enough that he can trial this and like he's he's Probably going to be the best player in the world starting next year.
Speaker: Hmm. going forward. he has He has the ability to try these moves out. Like to to put test some things out in real time. um during the season. That's completely fine. But I kind of like to see that soon.
Speaker: Okay. I agree, and I think it would it would be kind of like a... like a parallel relationship with like in terms of thinking about like the broader team like Spurs team like not like having that lockdown or you know that move or that you know shot, whatever it is.
Speaker: Like it kind of... With the amount of talent that we have on the Spurs and like developing talent, what they're probably going to be this year. and Yeah. the Next year. is like having that like it helps both sides of that it helps other guys kind of get to their spots and have room to go you know do what they want to do develop their own you know.
Speaker: entry points and movements but it also that helps Wembe develop. like that position of like, I can just do this thing. and take that pressure off my other guys too and so That being said, I hope that like the skill level of our our team... and They can't. veteran experience of them like it's it's more of a a together, like more of a team. than probably this France team is right now or it was in the past week.
Speaker: Um... I think that hopefully will inspire more of that and inspire more of like that. kind of freedom and space i'll have to be able to Do exactly what you said of just like getting to a spot.
Speaker: and you know making it yours and yeah that'll that'll take care of a lot of like You mean just like... like the execution like down the down the stretch at the end of the game like the mental exhaustion of having to like size someone up and decide something. and you're thinking about something else you have to change the last second is like that's part of.
Speaker: the exhausting part of the game. and like you don't even have to think about it like it'll help everything else Yes. Yeah, absolutely. and i think like I mean, you're you're you're setting up a good segue for our next our next talking point, but but to but a put a bow... on these four games.
Speaker: Like I think. Zooming out from just the 1B perspective. like At the end of the day... listen we're making a podcast about it so there's got to be something to talk about but like If you zoom out, it's like... He played good and his team won.
Speaker: The end. So there's I think that the like takeaway from those four games for international basketball is like. The U .S. better get their shit together because, like...
Speaker: The next Olympics. and Like, it's going to be difficult. to get through a France team that is led by a fully formed version of Vic. Like, what the, the closest thing.
Speaker: they have to a stopper is like chet i guess on the team usa Like it. that's We know that's not going to do it. Not going to do it. It's going to be fun to watch. like highly competitive um, the, even on the FIBA, like the, the, not just the qualifiers, but like FIBA world cup basketball. um And then Olympic basketball. I cannot wait.
Speaker: to watch more of French team. international basketball hopefully luca playing again jokic still playing like yannis playing international basketball gets fun.
Speaker: It's going to be you better now. Yeah. Bye. Like I said, I think you set up a great segue into our next talking point. of the 2k ratings like i said i haven't really been plugged in to 2k readings for a while Um...
Speaker: but i will say like ah you you mentioned it to me and i was like okay like i'll check and i saw some things on twitter and stuff and i like saw players like reacting and i was like okay Mm -hmm.
Speaker: But, i you know, I looked into it, Charlie, and I get it. Like, I saw the number, and I, like, saw where it was, and I was like, what? are you serious like yeah exactly so the like the clickbait got to me the rage bait got to me um and so i'm glad you brought it up i think i think i'm excited I wish.
Speaker: Well... comment what you think leave a and please comment what you think because i'm i'm curious like what the i have no idea what the like Mm hmm.
Speaker: discourses like what the general populace thinks about these numbers i'm seeing i'm seeing a lot of jokes about uh Chet Holmgren's strength. I believe he was given a 49 strength and asked about it in person. ah and So that was a viral moment.
Speaker: We have the top three. rated players in the world are It's Shay, 97, then Vic, 97, then Jokic, 97. So they're all 97s, but... technically Shay.
Speaker: Is the highest rated followed by one. Okay. Yeah. I was going to, so, so it's, what is the, do you know what the technicality is? Like, how is it? broken down if they're all 97s. yeah it's like so basically for a rating you have all these different categories like strength For example, we're shooting defense.
Speaker: hands there's kind of it gets a little arbitrary and like you kind of talked about it yeah i did see the clip of wemby talking to i think ronnie 2k and he was like your hands are this like you're yes open court mobility or whatever the hell yeah and so like like another like a Good. But in that same video. like he was kind of confronting ronnie 2k he's like why
Speaker: like standing dunk is only a 90 just curious who could who can who has a better standing dunk like how do you get better than you know being 7 '6 and be able to just you know stand right on it like it's and so there's a lot of I... I believe like...
Speaker: The specifics are kind of... arbitrary like there's not like a they didn't release like a specifically like oh like Shea is a 97 point whatever. and vick is you know just slightly under that but i that's kind of how when it comes on to like the specific number.
Speaker: they'll just if two players are ranked the same they'll put one above the other one if they are like slightly above them but still fall under the same number okay um Yeah, so notable.
Speaker: Yeah. that Vic is the second highest rated player. in the entire league and essentially tied for first which yeah I feel like is a...
Speaker: huge leap you know for I don't I don't think, again, it's it's funny to... see all these like you know after our finals run everybody's like kind of expects everything now but like ah to think back to like a year ago and how Like...
Speaker: how much lower the expectations were for just thought oh yeah as i'm like at the scrimmage that they do in september or whatever i was there and i remember like i distinctly remember seeing someone with a sign that says like MVP.
Speaker: and thinking like like maybe in a couple years like i don't i don't really know And to like, I mean, the the rating makes total sense. Like, I don't really know what else you could. really do shea is the two -time mvp yeah can't be above shea um But there was real chatter about whether...
Speaker: He could. actually be the MVP and then we get to define the playoffs and clearly He is one of the, if not the most dominant players.
Speaker: on the court. mm -hmm it makes It makes total sense. as to where he he fits. And I think this is kind of like a separate topic, but it'll be interesting to see like.
Speaker: this is we're going to see it first with like mvp voting and i don't really like i just feel like the the general conversation around like mvp voting i'm sure is like the general nba conversation which i'm sure bleeds into like 2k ratings it's definitely not immune to like yeah And so like it three -time MVP, like back to that.
Speaker: Back, three -peat. It doesn't really happen. um voter fatigue is extremely real and for whatever reason like That. realistically. unless there are injuries or like it's a very runaway case.
Speaker: Shea's probably not going to win MVP this year. Yeah, um I would I would take the field. For sure. um And so. Like. this This kind of feels like the the teeing up of that, of like, well...
Speaker: Shay's a little bit better, but they're tied. But they're tied, exactly. yeah I completely agree. um Some other notable spurs. figures and this is this is kind of interesting and also Again, it gives you a look into what plays into these ratings because there's definitely like a media Sort of. like popularity thing that plays in as well.
Speaker: um Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper. both above Deere and Fox. Yeah. Yeah, I mean like that is where the meat and potatoes of this rake comes in. That is where I was like, wow.
Speaker: Yes, Fox wow is one point. lower pivot boxes at an 84. Harper at an 85, and then Castle at an 87. 87 and I saw the that's the 34th. He's the 34th.
Speaker: best player in the game. according to 2K. mm -hmm I love Stephon Castle. What the fuck does he know about cameras? No, I mean, I'm a Spurs fan. I love that guy. That's probably the next jersey I'm going to get.
Speaker: What? that that's a That's a big vote of confidence for a guy that has a lot. a lot to develop. i mean Like...
Speaker: he doesn't really have that much of an outside shot Mm hmm. At all? In the in the and NBA, that... like values a ton three -point shooting. um And then like...
Speaker: Dylan Harper. We saw moments and then like, I think we had this conversation, like he doesn't really understand how to run. an offense completely And Darren Fox. When playing well.
Speaker: Bye. does all of those things. Yes. He can be the character Ed liked. was doing them. Was doing that. Even in the finals too. Even in the finals, like there is just ah there's a lot of recency bias, I feel like, going on.
Speaker: because realistically fox was an all -star fringe all -star i get it but of an all -star And he got him. I'm still going to like say a bad injury. And I think there's just like, you, you just kind of get, you take them. There's, there's. detailed conversation about a player where people like present facts and you see gameplay And as some time moves on, you just like are left with a general vibe.
Speaker: of from that what that conversation was left like i just kind of feeling and so there's a kind of a there's ah a pretty bad general feeling like that like something like all -star he's an all -star but people like should he have been kind of a weird feeling and then there's this huge contract and it's like he's playing well but i'm a little concerned right and i don't know we'll see and then the finals happened and like the injury happens but realistically you know proof is in the pudding my but Everyone's like...
Speaker: Hot take is like. Darren Fox sucks. And so there's just like this kind of bad mojo gets mixed together. yeah And I feel like even even if you present like... hard stats and like advanced metrics and stuff like There's just it just kind of gets colored, I think, by.
Speaker: the vibes around you and Fox right now the vibes are low around you and Fox definitely and like the strangest thing about that is that sometimes just that like this kind of like non -physical more just like theoretical like emotional thing can then affect like the actual player You know what I yeah mean? and Yeah, don't absolutely. i I hope and I also don't think that Fox is like that.
Speaker: Because yeah I think he actually has a bit of like a... a lot of confidence and he is a good enough player to where he's he's dealt with that pressure before and he's dealt with like the weight of being the best player on a team and falling short.
Speaker: and the weight of being the best player on a team and you know succeeding. And so... yeah i I... I... Still... stand by the fact that he will you know be able to overcome this.
Speaker: At least, you know, the slump the final slump. ah Yeah. But yeah, definitely very interesting. how Like you said, Castle. who like seems to be getting this. really great rating. based on things that are not you know necessarily his shooting or his offense it's like a lot of like
Speaker: kind of like defensive tendencies. which is cool that it's such a big factor like i guess i do appreciate that like it's okay nice we're taking into account that this guy probably could have been first team all yeah totally and he but it's it's also funny how like it is so much of like a like the landscape of the media because like yes oh yeah there's recency bias to all of this but like this 87 overall like doesn't really
Speaker: I feel like taking into account like the 20 turnovers, like in like two games. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Like I think these things snowball, like, like someone like Bill Simmons is like. I love.
Speaker: stefan castle and then like someone else says it too and then you get a clip of it and then you're like wait stefan castle is pretty good like Wow, like, look at that dunk. and then and then all of a sudden like the the like the discourse kind of multiplies yeah i like i'm i'm playing the extreme pessimist in this view right now because like ah He can guard anyone.
Speaker: he is incredible at getting downhill his passing and creation have improved. Like it's pretty easy to argue the other side.
Speaker: But... the Hmm. The case in point, like the the the surprising thing about this is that like the outside shot. and the self creation. Not completely their self -creation more so but definitely not the outside shot Um,
Speaker: and And the fox comparison too. Like the the fox being below. i think that's the kind of the biggest thing for me because like i'm like you i'm i'm so high on stefan castle and we're talking about this before but there's like the ESPN insiders.
Speaker: you know, all the analysts and reporters kind of take. votes on different predictions for the next season. And one of the polls that just came out was player. Mos. likely for his breakout year.
Speaker: Um... And. Stephon Castle was... number one on that so there's there's Very reasonable high expectations for him. And I... feel like we are just the luckiest team ever to have him. Oh, yeah. um But it's just, it's crazy how, you know. foxes.
Speaker: Fox's overall rating gets affected by these things. and Yeah. i got This is the Fawn Castle article. I'm curious about like, <unk> I'm thinking about like the most improved player award. And how like.
Speaker: sometimes your your floor is just too high for you to like meet a criteria of being like a breakout year Totally. um i don't know that's interesting that that could be something we we talk about more later but like I want a Stefan Castle too good to be considered like breakout and like how much of this like.
Speaker: I guess it's there's there's there's got to be some like future betting here. in these and built into these ratings because realistically like Dylan Harper at 85. Don't Harbor has played one season.
Speaker: and really has had like. Uh, half to two thirds of like really good season. And then had some really good playoff games. And so like, because of that, like it makes sense to make a bet on him. Like, it's like, I'm putting my money on Dylan Harper. He's going to be fantastic.
Speaker: It's not a, not a, like, doesn't take a lot of basketball smarts to say that. But... It must be like the Stefan Castle thing, too. Like it must be baked into the ratings because. Alice would like, honestly, to me, I can.
Speaker: i can understand the the the numbers like i think are kind of skewing this too Because like... realist like we're talking about stefan castle 87 dylan harper 85 near and fox 84 And then Wemby is a 97.
Speaker: yeah like exactly the scale matters here and then also like realistically like you sent me the picture of all of the spurs we can talk about which we can talk about in a sec but like the the numbers kind of start getting crunched.
Speaker: Um, so in a way, maybe it is more important to talk about the scale, but like, it's not a like one to 100 because that NBA player. is automatically.
Speaker: Sorry. We had an ad break, but the sponsor dropped out last night. um Hopefully they'll be back for next time. However. To get back on track the idea of the scale between the bottom tier of players like it's it just it's kind of confusing because and And it does make sense. Like you come in at the and NBA, you're going to be. uh Like, uh...
Speaker: at least a 60, a basketball, you know, like you can't really go below that and make the NBA. so Like. the If you factor back in Wemby being a 97.
Speaker: to like the 87, 84, 83, I think is what it was. we said um Like it it makes it a little bit more palatable. but I don't know. Oh. I don't know. I'm a little i'm a little confused.
Speaker: one thing to to because I also then just started looking up other players. That. are above Fox. Okay. And that just, just to kind of just for fun and see if there are any ones that stand out.
Speaker: One that just kind of Just blew me away was ah Tyler hero ah Wow. has is and ra um That But yes, Tyler, a hero.
Speaker: Um... just like Definitely not better than Deion Fox. like Exactly. Definitely not. No Spurs bias involved. Not a better player. I completely agree. And it's it's kind of, it reminds me. i i forget like what where i heard this but it's it's almost like sometimes a like For some reason, the the like landscape of...
Speaker: The NBA is like a... loss in the finals is like worse than not making the playoffs or something yeah like that. It's like there's this weird like kind of... dichotomy of what is Like.
Speaker: achieving success and what and how that like pairs up against like Failure. in the playoffs and in the finals. but um But yeah, and also it's like Fox did have like a game winning moment in the finals, like right on ah on ah on an injury.
Speaker: Yeah. um I saw... um Let's see Zion Williamson Um... Yeah. is what what is zion williams he's he's 85 of our farts okay all right i almost feel like i'm mad that we talked about this for so long because that's ridiculous that's rage bait i love I mean, Dion, you know.
Speaker: Cool. I love this mixtape. It's high school mixtape. Yeah. I like some of that Gaga songs. Um... Yeah. Let me see. I think there was one more.
Speaker: Uh... I need to confirm this. Just to make sure. Let's see. Jimmy Butler. Yeah. um That one I hate less. i'm i've I'm high on Jimmy Butler.
Speaker: I mean, he hasn't played. that's What has he done? He's old and has a torn ACL. yeah Exactly. get he So I don't know. But yeah, interesting I guess if you're taking if you can factor in like future bets on a player, it doesn't make sense that Jimmy Butler.
Speaker: at that high of a rating i agree i definitely the most egregious one is tyler hero but um Zion Woods is really crazy too. I guess you can. I don't know. like In the 2K universe, like...
Speaker: Like realistically, Zion is really good when he's not injured or out of shape. and so it's like yeah but it's like when is when has that ever been the case like i don't know has except for his like season is like like career debut where he dropped like six threes in a row on us that was horrible horrible it was like karma so you you also sent me the other Spurs players. um The ones that like, I think realistically, once you get below 80.
Speaker: Like... it kind of makes sense and like the like with the numbers get compressed and so it's like you know, k KJ, 79. Champagne, 79. Cornette, 76. Harrison Barden, 76. Carter Bryant, 76.
Speaker: Jordan McLaughlin. you know Okay, that checks out. The two that I was like, oh, wow, interesting. Tobias Harrison, Devin Vassell. Both at an 81. Mm -hmm. I think Devin Vassell.
Speaker: is definitely a better player than tobias harris i don't think 100 it's that is like a Also a common thread of this season is like... And looking back on it now, like Devin Vassell, the hero of this team, like the steadying force, I guess you don't get a lot of like airtime for being a steadying force, but.
Speaker: Like. they're um they're They're kind of like similar in a sense of their scoring capabilities, but... Yeah, I don't i think. i don't I don't think that's a fair comparison at all.
Speaker: I completely agree. I think Devin Vassell should be higher. And I'm starting to like just now see the chatter of like. you know, highlights from the Western Conference finals. yeah and from the finals about the impact of the cell and how he's exactly like you said just like this guy who just consistently showed up and was there when you needed him. And I would say probably the most consistent Spurs player in the entire. Oh yeah.
Speaker: Oh, absolutely. Like very surely. yeah I think another guy who... Like maybe it's a good rating, but I just like I love him and I think he could be bumped up maybe into the 80s He's a 79 champagne II i yeah heing I think he had some great...
Speaker: Again, you know he was not as consistent as Vassell. but that's and that's this is me He wasn't even a starter for a good checking season. exactly and so but he really had some amazing moments in the playoffs in the regular season Um,
Speaker: Yeah, I would agree with that. I think the biggest one is... um is, is the sell for me. And like, just like, The League. and you know media slowly understanding who's you know, what his worth is to our team and what he did for us in our playoff run. Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah. Absolutely. yeah um I mean, you know, clearly the 2K prompts, it worked for me. At first I was like, you know, I don't know. I don't really care, but... They got me good. They got me amped up. i thought um I can't believe that, like...
Speaker: Hmm. Now, like... 15 year olds or 13 year olds across the country will think that De 'Aaron Fox is like far and away worse than Stefan Castle.
Speaker: It's horrible. We're going to have to educate these kids to tell them to listen to Spurs Journal. You got to get him over here and hear about the the Carter Bryant and Harrison Barnes. and the luke cornett same rating triple 76 overall yes Yeah, makes totally i that that works for me. I'm cool with that.
Speaker: I believe that. Yeah. What else? You got anything else on the 2K ratings? I was looking up some other people that are above.
Speaker: Devin Vassell. Okay. I would say... Like, there's... ah a lot of these are you know i will Donovan Klingon? Wow. Yeah. No, that's that's absolutely not.
Speaker: um He's good, but... No. just Yeah. um I would say... AJ Mitchell. is rank ti than I would say they're like... that's like That's a tough one. but but that's like that's I feel like that's a good call. for Vassell of like role and ability and potential yeah on the team.
Speaker: Um, Yeah, I think. dude some of these are insane um I don't know, like, DeMar DeRozan, I don't think he's a better player. Oh, man. I'll never speak a bad word about DeMar DeRozan. Yeah, I know. that's you know this This is, like, a good, like...
Speaker: but honestly transition out. I was listening to the Zach Lowe show. Shout out to Zach Lowe, my favorite NBA podcast. Um. Talking about like.
Speaker: Western Conference landscape and different signings and stuff. There are so many new people. in new places this has got to be like one of the most disorienting off seasons In a long time.
Speaker: Thank you. I am, you know, I'm listening to the Zach Lowe show in August. Like I'm tapped into the and NBA. i'm I'm staying up to date as much as I can. And I am still like.
Speaker: Head is spinning a little bit. and trying to get a sense of like what teams are going to look like, who went where, just like who went out and who came in. we might have to do a little like... at least Western Conference.
Speaker: recap a dev um on on what we're thinking and stuff. Like I heard Zach Lowe, they were doing um what team is most likely to move into the top. Six. seeds of the West.
Speaker: this This year, like there there's a lot of new faces new faces in new places. Um. total tangent from the, from the 2k ratings, but We've got a lot of we got a lot of stuff we're going to have to talk through. because This is, it's September 1st right now, it is the last month.
Speaker: of the calendar Without. Spurs basketball. October 20th. We've got about... ah We're less than two months away. this is I like to think about it as last month without.
Speaker: We're going to have training camp. We're going to have a scrimmage. We're going to have preseason. There's going to be some more drama on Twitter. We're going to have lots to talk about. It's very exciting stuff. It's only going to get better. It's only getting better from here. Talk about 2K ratings. Hopefully that ad break didn't completely screw this up.
Speaker: And you're still listening to. in both parts of this. Hopefully. We'll see. But that's that's all we got. Thanks for listening y 'all. Episode four in the books. um And we'll see you all soon.
Speaker: Peace.
