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Power Two Podcast: Paige Buckets Finally Wins A Title In Her Last Game With UConn!
9 Plays1 month ago
The Women's College Basketball Season has ended with Paige Bueckers and UConn winning a title! Jordan and DJ break down the game + other news around the world of sports!
Recorded: 04/06/2025
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
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Transcript
Introductions and Humor
00:00:02
Speaker
What's good everybody? Welcome in to another episode of the Power 2 Podcast. As always, I'm your host Jordan. I'm here with my co-host DJ. Yes. And if you're on the YouTube, you might be able to see our boogers because these clamors are close as hell. Come on.
00:00:17
Speaker
Relax. You don't got to get to show out like that. You don't always have to have an unhinged thought to begin us, to start us off. At least I'm not talking about cups.
00:00:27
Speaker
I still need those cups. I know, I
Weekend Routines and Cultural Backgrounds
00:00:30
Speaker
know. um It's been a week as you are aware of. So
00:00:36
Speaker
I'm trying to get my life together. you Get this cuts. Anyway, anyway, how are you?
00:00:44
Speaker
I'm tired. I don't know. We need to stop doing the show so late because every time I sit down to do this show, I'm exhausted. And it's because like, I'd be trying to do things on Sunday. You know how a black household is. You you you relax on Saturday.
00:00:58
Speaker
And you do your chores on Sunday. See, It's yours opposite. Yours is opposite. I grew up a very, very Christian, Christian Episcopal. Yeah, you're right, you all right, you're right, you're right. We was resting on Sundays. Yeah, well, we didn't rest ever, personally, but we was in church on Sundays.
00:01:16
Speaker
Rest is an operative term, yeah. but Rest gave, gave mint very much went to three different churches, had a very, very large dinner that usually consisted of some sort of fried protein. Mm-hmm.
00:01:27
Speaker
And then going home and hoping that you could have at least one good hour before it's time to go to bed and go to school the next day. So I don't know anything about doing chores on Sunday. was very much Saturday morning activities.
00:01:38
Speaker
So it's probably low key my fault that we do chores on Sunday, but it also fits in with like meal prepping as well. um I don't know. I don't know if it's her family or if it's my fault, because I don't do anything on Saturdays during football season. So it could very much have been like adapting to that.
00:01:56
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. But don't know. What are you doing with your Saturdays these days? I don't know. um But yeah, this doesn't matter. I don't know. Because when I live by myself, I would wake up and clean as so then I could drink all day.
00:02:12
Speaker
So like I would get up at Saturday and I would clean the house, be done by noon, and I'd drink all day. So I feel like it's a mix of both because I don't do that anymore. I don't know. It doesn't matter. I'm tired. that's the We don't suggest drinking all day, by the way.
00:02:24
Speaker
um I only do it on during football season. I drink a lot less when it's not football season.
Football Season and Chores
00:02:30
Speaker
As he takes a sip of an unidentified liquid. Anyway. this.
00:02:35
Speaker
Specifically. As in this is number two and not number eight. I love this for you. I have not drank a sip of anything. i have been out all day. Because I am going to a conference that is local to the Dallas area. So I have not been home since.
00:02:49
Speaker
I don't know. 1130. So this is my fault. But we'll be all right. I'm also tired. So anyway, true like this, this makeup has been on my face since 10 a.m.
00:03:03
Speaker
I'm so worn out.
00:03:07
Speaker
Okay. So only gospel song he knows. Okay. So anyway, o first of all, my mother is a pastor. it's just like I know, i know. like I have a discography's worth. Yeah. I know a lot just because of my personal decisions.
Gospel Music and Viral Church Incidents
00:03:21
Speaker
I have, I have a lot of knowledge back there. yes yes treating up the child in the way that they should go no don't yeah that's that one that one turned out to be a lot you might be like marvin's that maybe we could just rally up some folks lock some doors get some money please tell me you know about that if you guys are unaware this was going viral on twitter last week amen um he saw the finances in me amen so basically marvin sap
00:03:49
Speaker
was leading a service and was imploring the members of the congregation. Closed them doors. Well, he didn't ask the members of the congregation to do that, but he was asking them to make donations. They were trying to raise $40,000. don't remember what it was necessarily for, but they were trying to raise $40,000.
00:04:04
Speaker
He also was saying that any donations, they had to be at least 20 to a hundred dollars. Like they said, keep your change and keep your $1 bills. And then he said he want them to close them doors. And like just I said, close them doors.
00:04:16
Speaker
And um in all my years and all the churches that I've ever been to, I do not think I've ever seen a pastor go as far as closing the doors. um Although some people on Twitter were saying that that was very common in their churches. And I would like to tell you all that y'all were being bamboozled um and abused.
00:04:33
Speaker
But anyway, moving right along.
00:04:39
Speaker
We can't have a long silence right there. No. We can do whatever we want to. This is our podcast. Period. Never would have paid it. That's all I know. Do you want to do the news? This is your news. um Yes. Oh, my goodness. So, speaking of, this has nothing to do with church. Actually, this the opposite
Inclusivity in Youth Sports
00:04:54
Speaker
a church. So...
00:04:56
Speaker
um there is an nfl star who me and jordan were actually very confused as to whether or not he was a star um named kaylin saunders um who announced this week at the glad awards that he will be launching an lgbtq friendly youth football camp and i am absolutely obsessed with this for multiple reasons number one obviously as a member of the lgbt community i love advocacy period.
00:05:20
Speaker
As a member of three marginalized communities at one time, female, Black, and LGBT, I love when people are like, hey, I want to support your community because it is very difficult out here.
00:05:31
Speaker
um What I really love about this, though, is that, number one, there aren't any camps that are like that. Let's be honest. Football is a very, I'm men, we men, you know, type sport. So,
00:05:45
Speaker
It just, I mean, it is. And I mean, that's what made Michael Scott such a big deal when he came out of the closet in the early 2010s or whenever he came out um being the first openly gay NFL player. And there really hasn't been many more since then because the sport is not very inclusive.
00:06:00
Speaker
And it is what it is. Like, we understand how culture works. We understand how patriarchy works. But I love that there is a need that is being seen because there are plenty of LGBTQ athletes who enjoy football, who want to play football.
00:06:12
Speaker
um but may not feel safe being able to participate given the culture. um And I love that he is like, okay, well, I'm going to make this safe space for you guys. And what I love the most about it is that he himself is not a member of the LGBT community.
00:06:24
Speaker
So when you're talking about advocacy and support and allyship at the highest level, to me, being an ally truly is looking and saying, I have the privilege that some of you guys don't have. So I'm going to create space for y'all.
00:06:37
Speaker
I mean, period. Now, of course, there's a lot of like connections being made because he do he does have a gay brother. His brother's name is Cameron Saunders, and he is one of Taylor Swift's backup dancers. So a lot of people are creating a through line there that he's been very openly supportive of his brother and the fact that he's gay.
00:06:53
Speaker
And so, you know, they're creating through lines. But at the end of the day, the young the young little gays are going to get their own football camp.
00:07:03
Speaker
Speaking of supporting members of the LGBTQ plus community, what is Shorty's name on the links? Courtney what? Is it Williams?
00:07:14
Speaker
and That just sounded too regular, but that is her name. Her name is Courtney Williams, yes. Yeah. Courtney Williams has a new podcast and it's called... Yes. And it's called...
00:07:28
Speaker
her her daddy and her or something like that. Oh, her dad and everything. Or Courtney's dad and her. um it's so It's a play on the fact that he essentially introduces himself as Courtney's dad. like like that's he's like She's like, what's your name? It's Courtney's daddy.
00:07:44
Speaker
So it's like something like Courtney's dad and her is Courtney's daddy and her, something like that. um But I just saw like a clip um And it was just the clip that they posted was how she was just saying how thankful she was for him because she was like, you see a lot of fathers supporting their sons.
00:08:02
Speaker
and when they're athletes and things like that, but you don't see a lot of Black fathers supporting their gay kids. daughters. Yeah. but Their daughters in general, but specifically their gay kids. and Oh, yes. Yeah. She was just talking about how i you' like she's like, you ride for me, LaVar Ball and all of them. He's like like, yeah, my name is Courtney's dad, like whatever. so yeah so um oh my god love that okay i'm like what what is the podcast called like what is i'm looking for it's it's some play on like courtney's dad and her courtney's daddy's daddy and her think there's something like that oh that's that's what it's called daddy and her courtney's daddy and her i because that's how he like introduces himself he's like yeah i'm court he does i love that i love and first of all like she stole his face so i love that like cold face Like when you look at Courtney Williams's dad, you are never going to be like, now who is he here for? Like she looks just like him, especially because she don't have no hair. She looks just like him.
00:08:59
Speaker
I'm obsessed. But that is very true. You don't see a lot of black fathers or really fathers in general, I would say, um supporting their gay children. That was actually the most recent episode. Well, not now, but ah we a week, a week.
00:09:12
Speaker
Before this week, let me put it like that. That was a recent episode of RuPaul's Drag Race. if I don't know if there are any Drag Race fans who listen to the show as well. If not, RuPaul's Drag Race is the football of drag. You really should be listening. It it is gay sports, okay?
00:09:25
Speaker
RuPaul's Drag Race is gay sports. So there was an episode where they brought the ah competitor's dads on to get put into drag. And one of the queens who's left is is black.
00:09:36
Speaker
And they brought her father. And he was he did like... multiple sentences in prison, like very like hardened black man, but like was there with her crying with her, put, put, put on the drag, like was super, super supportive, like was very open about the fact that he was never like, like he was always been supportive of her always loved her, knew she was gay from a young age, like all of that. And it's like, that's the type of stuff that you just really love to see. Like a father validating his child, no matter girl, boy, whatever in their relationship,
00:10:08
Speaker
gayness because a lot of gay people are never going to get that. um So yeah, it's lit. I love it. I'm excited. i hope that this is a successful venture. And I also hope that like people don't make it weird.
00:10:22
Speaker
Like I hope people are not like, oh, I can't go to the camp because I'm not gay. Shut up. Yes, you can. Shut up. It's because it's to make everybody feel safe. So if you don't feel safe, I mean, don't go. But like, don't don't be weird. I feel like people start making stuff into a thing and be like, oh, you're you're leaving out the straight kids. Shut up. I don't want to hear it.
00:10:40
Speaker
Respectfully. And there you have it. So we're going to take our break here, but I will tell you, we're talking about women's basketball. Surprise, shock, hoo-ah. So if this is not the type of show for you. We'll be back next week and we'll be talking about football. But the championship game happened today. just gave a warning now.
00:10:58
Speaker
but So we will catch you on
Podcast Promotion
00:11:01
Speaker
the other side of the break. This is a also a reminder to please give us a follow on YouTube at Get Defensive Sport Network and follow us on Instagram.
00:11:10
Speaker
at good defensive sports network and follow us on tiktok at gdsports network and follow whatever denae's tiktok is because she's doing sports content on gang and we'll be back after the break
00:11:26
Speaker
welcome to the power to podcast where we are talking about the power of page backers oh that works too we are never on the same page It's the same thing. It's in reference. That was an upset. Technically, UConn was the number two seed. It was an upset.
00:11:43
Speaker
it It wasn't, but I know what
Basketball Critiques
00:11:45
Speaker
you're saying. So was um as as as discussed many times on this podcast, men's basketball, sorry, men's college basketball is the worst iteration of basketball Period. And all of mankind since they were playing basketball with actual baskets. Yes. I won't go that far, but you know. It's pretty bad.
00:12:11
Speaker
Especially when you consider the fact that it's supposed to be good, right? Like if you're watching six-year-olds, that's not supposed to be good. Yeah. It's not supposed to be good. So men's college basketball is awful. We do not watch men's college basketball, but- What a way to introduce this. It is important. I'm saying this because I don't want people to be like, y'all sound stupid. Y'all didn't talk about this. this No, we didn't talk about it because i didn't watch the game.
00:12:34
Speaker
we I couldn't tell you who was in the men's championship game at all. Has it happened? hasn't happened yet, right? No, that's tomorrow. don't even know. this is the final four. Duke has Cooper Flagg, who is the best prospect.
00:12:45
Speaker
The best prospect life, apparently. Relax. the best That's what they're saying. In a while. And and like he's actually a good prospect. like like Yeah. like Zion wasn't a good prospect. Zion was big and black, and they was ready to call him the next LeBron. Let's be fucking for real. Hold on, because I just have a moment. No. Zion was big and black.
00:13:04
Speaker
And that is why they were obsessed with him. And they were like, he's next LeBron. And now in his, what, eighth season in the NBA, he still has not managed to make it through one entire season of the NBA.
00:13:17
Speaker
Take the jersey off. Go ahead. To be fair, and I'm only saying this to annoy you, he's made it through one. His first one. No. Okay. Then he's made it through two.
00:13:29
Speaker
He made it like two years ago. He didn't make it through the second one. Yes, he did. Yes, he did. No, he not. No. I'm saying, if you're saying his rookie year, he finished the season. I believe so.
00:13:41
Speaker
Then he's completed two seasons because two years ago, he was healthy. Or three years ago. Two or three years ago. Ain't way. I promise you, because he got honored at the end of the season. and I'm like, how? How?
00:13:55
Speaker
Well, that's let you know how much I follow Zion Williamson. I just was like, wow, a big black dude who can dunk. I knew they were going to start throwing the L word around. LeBron. The next LeBron. Please. Well.
00:14:07
Speaker
Even Bronny is not the next LeBron. No shade. Cooper Flag is not the next LeBron. And I'm probably going to miss someone. So again, i don't care. But he is one of the best prospects recently yeah because the last couple of drafts have been made.
00:14:22
Speaker
Or they've just been like, like, of course, you have like Wimby, right? But like, Wimby's an alien. Did Wimby play college ball? No, no, no. So specifically coming out of college, because that's the other thing. The dude who went first last year didn't come out college either.
00:14:35
Speaker
Zach Eadie did not go first. Yes, he did. No, he didn't. that's Y'all see how much I don't watch the NBA? I don't even know why you know that name. Because they were obsessed with him last year. They Cooper flagged him.
00:14:48
Speaker
no they didn't. they were The people were obsessed with Zach Eadie last year. And then they tried to make it like, oh, he's going to come in the NBA. He's going to posterize everybody. I have not heard his name since.
00:14:59
Speaker
Because he was never he he wasn't that good. I don't know him. I don't know anything about him. I just know he's a really tall white dude. When did he get drafted? He was selected in Iowa.
00:15:10
Speaker
Oh, wow. who So who was the first? Y'all, I haven't watched NBA draft in over a decade. if they were where we we we wait we Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. wait wait wait wait That's not the problem.
00:15:20
Speaker
The problem is the first pick last year, Cheeks. That's why you know his name. He's cheeks. He's ass. He's sorry. He's horrible. He's bad.
00:15:31
Speaker
He's not I mean, many, do you want me to continue? But who he? I still just want to know who he is. His name is Alex Sar or something like that. He came from France. the point The reason why I was bringing him up is I was going to say, also the first pick last year did not come from college. That's how bad college has been recently.
00:15:47
Speaker
Yeah. Well, and I also just think the culture around, and we have discussed this, but the culture around college on the main side. No, no. Okay. We don't have the time for that. It's not. We can't do that right now. Oh, my God.
00:15:59
Speaker
I'm just saying. He's averaging 13.6 rebounds, two assists, and under 40% shooting. And I'm pretty sure he was the number one pick.
00:16:10
Speaker
But we have time for this. No, you're going to continue. I know how you get in I was not. I was not. I was saying. I going to say something. All I was going to say is the postseason is not great. This one and done stuff, I'm bored. i don't know who any of these people are now. Look at us.
00:16:23
Speaker
We don't even know who with who the picks were last year. I know him because he's cheeks. Okay. That is not. So. Anyway, there was a very big upset that occurred.
00:16:36
Speaker
Yes. Which is funny because it was number one seed versus number one seed, but it's Cooper flag. So like everyone like, ah, Duke is going to win. He got upset. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Here's the thing. Oh, yes. It was the first time in what, like 20 years that they had all number one seeds that made it through the four? Something like that. Yeah, something crazy. was crazy. Now, that's cool.
00:16:51
Speaker
The reason why it was the upset, though, is like Duke was up like 13 or something in the fourth. Yeah, comeback. the second half. and then And then they like scored like one bucket in like the last five or so minutes or something like that. Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:02
Speaker
I would just personally say, selfishly, in the year of our Lord 2025, I'm glad that they didn't win because they were starting to talk about comparing his season to Carmelo's at Syracuse. And here's the thing.
00:17:18
Speaker
It would have made sense as in the rookie who comes in, wins all the awards, and takes his team to a championship. It's still different because it's... I know.
00:17:30
Speaker
Stop making that face. I'm saying they were they were preparing the talk. They were preparing the if. It was the if talk. It was the if he wins, if he wins. And so I'm glad that he didn't win because now we don't have to have that conversation.
00:17:42
Speaker
I know. And that we shouldn't have even been having that conversation in the first place. He should have made it to the damn title game first before we even started having this conversation. That's what I'm getting at is how are we going to compare anything to anything when he hasn't even gotten to that point?
00:17:55
Speaker
You know, they like the hypotheticals. And they do. And I love a hypothetical as well, but there's, there are plenty of hypotheticals, especially with Duke Duke, the storied program of America. There are so many other stories that we could pull out of our butts for Duke. We don't need to compare him to freshman Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse.
00:18:14
Speaker
Like, All right. So here's the thing. I don't feel as strongly about this as you do because it is comparable if he would have done it. Because they would. they would i But ah the point is, it's not a bad hypothetical to say.
00:18:28
Speaker
Yes, it is. If you're doing this one game early, that's that's the commentator curse. That's why you don't talk about this stuff before it actually happens. Well, I'm glad that they talked about because it didn't happen.
00:18:39
Speaker
You're just acting like it's just like the craziest thing in the world to do. And it's like, that's how sports work. We did it with Patrick. If Patrick Mahomes wins a third straight, if like the if in sports right is the whole thing. I understand, but they could have at least waited until he actually made it to the title game.
00:18:54
Speaker
To me, we knew that meant know that old boy was going to be in the Super Bowl. So then we started talking about it. That's what I'm saying. but But didn't age. I need you to remember one thing. Please don't say my name.
00:19:07
Speaker
No, no. i will See, you go we're going to be on here fighting. Because when I called you... Oh, wait. Hold on. My name is DJ. That's right. That's right. I'm saying it wrong.
00:19:17
Speaker
Okay, but that's your name. I'm sorry. not it is Either way. It is. Either way. I'm sorry. We're stuck. Anyways. there isnt Yeah, yeah. What I was going to say is they didn't have any choice but to do the the the thing because men's college basketball is boring. So they had to talk about something.
00:19:32
Speaker
There was nothing else to talk about. only thing you could talk about and is, is he going to be like the second freshman ever to lead his team to a title? Because there's nothing else to talk about. And they lied and said that he was the first freshman to ever win nas ah ever win player of the year. I would like to say that he is the first male freshman to do that because Paige Beckers is the first freshman to do it. Thank you so much.
00:19:50
Speaker
You better talk about it. All right. Anyways, back to the game that neither one of us watched. um don't even want talk about it no more. Duke got upset. That was the point. The point was Duke got upset.
00:20:02
Speaker
Duke got upset. But here's the thing. Do we think... Do we think now that the season has ended in this way, which I don't think anybody was prepared for, which is insane to hang your hat on a freshman.
00:20:14
Speaker
I'm being honest. The reason why Carmelo's story is so crazy is because he was a freshman. I don't want that to be lost upon anyone. Yes, he's a really, really great player. Also, congratulations to him on getting his bid to the Hall of Fame.
00:20:25
Speaker
But... Nevermind. That's not in the show plan. Nevermind. Nevermind. I'm expecting you not to do something that you didn't know that i was going bring up because it's not in the show plan. That's me. Go ahead. Damn. Okay. Sorry. But it was a big deal because he was a freshman and freshmen are not reliable. Sorry. They're not.
00:20:41
Speaker
So the fact that we even were like, Duke is going to go to a championship with this kid is a little crazy, but now that it hasn't happened, but to the point, we think it's going to year two. No, he's he's easily the best and NBA prospect in like the last five years.
00:20:54
Speaker
Outside of Wemby, but whatever, okay? Outside of Wemby, and he is the best, let's just say this, he is the best player to come out of college yeah in the last five years.
00:21:07
Speaker
And it may be longer than that. I agree because the biggest college prospect I do believe before him was Zion. So with the same amount of like media attention and the everything that was going on, I feel like it was Zion.
00:21:21
Speaker
But also i am the laugh I'm the wrong person to ask because I i don't. It doesn't matter. Yeah. That's was just like, i'm I'm speaking from like casual. Yeah. Nobody had the Zion hype, but there a lot of people did like Anthony Edwards and he, and he, he, he went to college. Yeah.
00:21:35
Speaker
Yeah. Everyone goes to college. We have to go to college. He played at Georgia. What college? Georgia. See, i didn't discover Anthony Edwards until like late last year. I didn't discover him until the Timberwolves playoff run. Timberwolves? Yeah. Timberwolves playoff run.
00:21:49
Speaker
Really? because so no Anyways. I don't watch men's basketball. It's just not what I do. And then I became a fan and then I instantly stopped being a fan because I'm sure you know why. We'll talk about that off air.
00:22:01
Speaker
Yeah. All right. So what should have been on the news, but was not on the news is the Hall of Fame class of 2025 has been announced for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame Inductions
00:22:11
Speaker
And I just like to say, because the Basketball Hall of Fame is legitimately awful and lets anybody in, this is one of the best classes and and in a while.
00:22:22
Speaker
Because they just let anybody in. Like, you can call it twice. Yes, they do. I want people to. Yes, they do. They let everyone. Fair enough. But this is a great class.
00:22:34
Speaker
It is. It's a fantastic class, both on the women's side and on the men's side. yes um Fantastic class. I was like, are you going to. First ballot, Carmelo Anthony. First ballot, period, as it should be. It's been a while. First ballot, Dwight Howard. Period.
00:22:47
Speaker
Period. the white howard period And I would just like to say, y'all tried to say Dwight shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame. And I know y'all did. i heard it. I synced it with my eyes.
00:22:58
Speaker
And just because you don't like him, doesn't mean that is know and just because there was rumors that got you a little your little, to the trend of the show, that got you little homophobic ears perking up,
00:23:10
Speaker
does not mean the impact that he had is not real. He was a Hall of Famer before the championship with the Lakers, and he was definitely a Hall of Famer afterwards. So first ballot, put some respect on his name, Dwight Howard. Dwight Howard, we we forget about it, that Dwight Howard was the most dominant center since Shaq.
00:23:29
Speaker
Thank you. We forget that we forget what Dwight was doing. They called that man Superman for a reason. like We forget what Dwight Howard looked like. Like, don't play around.
00:23:40
Speaker
He's an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA team honoree, five-time All-Defensive team member, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He played basketball for 17 seasons.
00:23:54
Speaker
That's the Hall of Famer. Thank you so much. You know who else is a Hall of Famer?
00:24:01
Speaker
UConn legend Sue Burry. Sue Bird, I love this. Her first year out of retirement. and she's they were like we just They were just waiting on her to retire. They were like, go ahead and put that ball down, girl, so we can put you in the Hall of Fame.
00:24:14
Speaker
You know who else is? This isn't her first year. You have to do three. ah She's been out of the WNBA for a year. Because she retired after... She retired in 2023. Yeah. three Like after the 2023 season.
00:24:29
Speaker
So it's two years, technically. Two calendar years, but she's only been one off one season. She's only been out of the WNBA for one season. whatever, dog. I don't know. that that The NBA, nobody knows what the Basketball Hall of Fame rules are.
00:24:39
Speaker
ah yeah you always break yeah You know who else is a Hall of Famer? UConn legend, Maya Moore. Period. Took him long enough. I still hate that she retired for that man.
00:24:52
Speaker
I know. it's fine. It's not fine, but it happens. love each other. guess. Whatever. you know They're doing prison reform or whatever the case is Not whatever the prison reform. That's something that's very important to me. but i They are doing prison reform.
00:25:05
Speaker
That is actually happening. That's why she quits. Yeah. Yeah. but That's a real black woman right there. That's a real black woman. To say, I'm going to quit playing basketball at the highest level. It is.
00:25:17
Speaker
It is a real black woman because black women love to date down because black men don't meet the standard. And this is not on black women. This is on black men for not meeting the standard.
00:25:28
Speaker
But I know a lot of educated black women. Okay, so next on the ballot. I'm not doing this. Sylvia Fowles.
00:25:39
Speaker
Sylvia Fowles. Legend. I'm not reading no one else because i don't care about referees. I don't care about nobody else. Oh, there's referees? LOL. There's other people. We just don't care about them. Oh, is it that one who kissed, ah what's his name?
00:25:51
Speaker
Charles Barkley? I don't know. I don't care. Don't worry about it. So the Hall of Fame half fame class. I do have a thing, though. You know who else is a Hall of Famer?
00:26:04
Speaker
LeBron James. LeBron James. You want to know how he's a Hall of Famer? Because he's on the team. I don't understand. What does the Basketball Hall of Fame do? How does a team get in the Hall of Fame? This feels like UFC. Like UFC, you can get in the Hall of Fame as a player, but also like a fight could get into the Hall of Fame. So if you have like a really crazy like fight, like this this fight, like Jordan versus Danasia in 2025 is in the Hall of Fame.
00:26:35
Speaker
like like but And this is what this feels like. And maybe they've done this before. i don't Again, the Basketball Hall of fame is stupid, so I don't pay attention to it. That's crazy. So, like, Carmelo is a two-time Hall of Famer.
00:26:47
Speaker
Technically, yes. Because yeah because he's getting it and he's getting in at the same time. And Dwight was on the do ah was on the Redeemed team as well, I think. So he's also two-time Hall of Famer. And maybe he's not, maybe he's not.
00:26:58
Speaker
But Dwayne Wade's a two-time Hall of Famer. Kobe Bryant's a two-time Hall of Famer. LeBron's going to a two-time Hall of Famer. And I'm just like, I didn't know they put teams in.
00:27:11
Speaker
I'm going to have to look that up because I was very um interested in that as well because basically that means that they are inducting Kobe, Jason, Dwayne Wade, which I think Jason K, Dwayne Wade, which I think they're already in.
00:27:23
Speaker
LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Chris Bosh, and Mike, and Coach K, which I believe most of everybody is already in the Hall of Fame except for LeBron and maybe Chris Paul because they're still playing. Right.
00:27:36
Speaker
And then you have players who are not going to get in the hall of fame, like Michael Carlos Boozer, Darren Williams, and Tashaun Prince.
00:27:45
Speaker
I don't, I don't, this is the first time I've personally seen them do a team, but that, I mean, this is me personally. I, it's been a while since I've seen them do a team. I also thought,
00:27:58
Speaker
Like, yes, the Redeem team was like a big deal, but I didn't know it was like a we need to put everybody involved in the Hall of Fame big deal. um I didn't even know you could do that. so I also didn't know you could do that.
00:28:11
Speaker
Yeah. right. So let's talk about what we're here to talk about.
UConn's Women's Basketball Triumph
00:28:16
Speaker
UConn, Paige Beckers, Sarah Strong, AZ Fudd put belt to ass on Don's Daycare. Sorry to Don.
00:28:27
Speaker
Sorry to stop. I know. Love them, but they'll be back. This is the, this is, this is one of the few, this is one of the few ah players who could get me to root against Don Staley.
00:28:38
Speaker
And it was only for one game. Don, please forgive me. Plies, please forgive me. I was listening. I was listening to you when I was in middle school and I shouldn't have been like, please, you know, but I had to, Paige needed one. So it looks like they have done it before.
00:28:50
Speaker
They did it with the 1966 Texas Western basketball team, the dream team from 1992 and the immaculate college women's team of 1972 and 1974, which I do believe was the first collegiate women's basketball team. So they have done it before.
00:29:04
Speaker
I figured, I figured they couldn't put this team in and not put the dream. Have a precedent. Yeah. Yeah. Like, cause if they, like if it was the first, the dream team would have been first, but like, I just didn't, it's weird.
00:29:15
Speaker
Um, So yeah, so UConn, belt to ass on South Carolina. I do hope Don Staley will forgive me. I also think that this needed to happen.
00:29:27
Speaker
I also think that this was destined to happen. Paige was not going to lose. But more importantly, I think the thing that is most important, and we talked about ah this in our text message, is that I think...
00:29:41
Speaker
UConn wanted this for Paige. yeah and and and and And it's things, it's it's just like, right, like you have seniors and you have people who mean a lot to basketball and and all these things, right?
00:29:53
Speaker
But like certain players just mean more to a team. And it's literally like Paige is Paige Beckers, is at all these events, all these award shows, first pick in the draft, super famous, she's Paige Beckers.
00:30:09
Speaker
gary And she was cooking. She was getting up at five o'clock in the morning and cooking for her fresh mean freshman, freshman team during Ramadan.
00:30:21
Speaker
Like, like not just doing it in general, right. It's nice to do that for a freshman. Like, like, like people like, Oh, why are you, why are you focused on freshmen? Cause know a lot of upperclassmen who don't talk about freshmen. We talk about, you talk about like,
00:30:33
Speaker
team hazing, like like the the star of the team, the future number one pick, already a millionaire, already got all these deals, all of this stuff, the face of women's basketball in college right now with with with Juju and a couple other people.
00:30:49
Speaker
is getting up at 5 o'clock in the morning and cooking for her freshman teammate. like like So it's things like that where I just feel like once they got close, it wasn't just that Paige wasn't going to lose because she wanted this for herself.
00:31:02
Speaker
But that team was not going to let her lose. They were not they wanted that for Paige, I think, more than they wanted it for themselves. And so I feel like it was best happen.
00:31:14
Speaker
But I did not think it was going to happen like this. And what I mean by like this is 82 to 59. Built to ask.
00:31:24
Speaker
It's difficult to watch because you're just so used to seeing South Carolina in the driver's seat of those types of games. And because of the example that was set on ah in February when UConn beat them by 29, it's just so like like, what is it about UConn that just scrambles South Carolina in this way? like I don't know if it's like...
00:31:48
Speaker
The team, it's like, i don't know if it's just now. and ah Well, let me actually, let me back up. I do think that the UConn team as it is, as it was today is the type of team that just creates such a suffocating amount of offense that it is very hard to guard.
00:32:02
Speaker
So I will give South Carolina grace in the sense that like Sarah Strong is shooting threes. Sarah Strong is the five and she's shooting threes. like Sarah Strong is the five and she is shooting threes.
00:32:14
Speaker
Ashlyn Shade can also shoot threes. AZ Fudd can also shoot threes. And Paige can shoot threes. That means four out of five people on the floor at any given moment can pop a three.
00:32:27
Speaker
What do we do defensively? And also... they're so great in transition. They're great in transition. And that's the thing that is usually the, usually South Carolina's bread and butter.
00:32:39
Speaker
But if UConn is always making their shots, that is to give South Carolina the opportunity to get out in transition because they got to set something up. That's how basketball works. So There was just so many opportunities taken away from them. I will say, and I don't want to be this person, but I'm also one of those people.
00:32:55
Speaker
I just firmly believe that officials and officiating are not these untouchable figures that we're not allowed to criticize and comment on. I do know that the foul calls were fairly even, but the way that UConn was clogging up the paint in certain situations, they were fouling.
00:33:12
Speaker
I am so sorry, including Sarah. They were fouling. Paige also fouled and they did not call it. Like there were certain situations where I was like, UConn's whistle is crazy.
00:33:23
Speaker
i don't like i don't fully agree with that, but I'm going to leave it because I know as a former official, you have to talk about officials. I don't think, I think. I'm not former. I'm just currently not doing it.
00:33:38
Speaker
I may pick up stripes again. i may pick them back up. Either way, I don't think that I fully agree with that. but I mean, it was, like I said, the calling was fair enough. It wasn't super, super bad, but it was also like, and so in certain situations, I was like, this doesn't make sense.
00:33:56
Speaker
But also anyway. that's it that's and that I think that's a bad time to bring that up, too, because like it didn't change the outcome of the game. No, it did not. But I would i will say...
00:34:10
Speaker
Like Dawn Staley was very, very warranted in how upset she got towards the end of the third quarter with the officiating because it was getting to a point where it was like, we're literally game planning for you people.
00:34:22
Speaker
Like, I hate to put it like that, but like when the officiating is that terrible, not terrible, when it was that like, inconsistent, you start to game plan for it. You know what i'm saying? So it does affect the game.
00:34:33
Speaker
But, no, it doesn't bring – it doesn't give them 30 points. Like, obviously. Yeah, I also just, like – again, but part the reason i disagree with it is, like, UConn shot 21 free throws.
00:34:44
Speaker
South Carolina shot 18. like that was it where it wasn't a ah a big disparity. And honestly, it's the championship game. And I think we've talked about this before and you disagree.
00:34:55
Speaker
I believe in swallowing your whistle in the championship game. I do too. So like, I just don't care about that. I believe in swallowing your whistle, but I also believe in calling obvious things. It's to swallow your whistle sense of like, don't try to overdo it. Like don't try to over control the game, but it's also a matter of like swallowing your whistle is also knowing when to blow it.
00:35:15
Speaker
Right, but I don't, I guess we just disagree on them missing obvious things. Yes, probably. Like, I don't, especially related to Sarah Strong, unless you're going to talk about, like, unless you want to say maybe she was, like, blocking or, like, hip checking or something, she was not fouling when she was going up.
00:35:32
Speaker
And they almost never call that, so I don't care about that. Yes, they do, but it depends. But she wasn't she wasn't, like, hitting on the arm and the elbow and and that stuff they were missing.
00:35:46
Speaker
Not as much as you're making it seem like to bring it up this early in the conversation. um We are 35 minutes into the episode. we're we're not we're We're two minutes into the game. It's like the first thing you said.
00:35:57
Speaker
said UConn won, but the refs. You basically said UConn won, but the refs. Well, yes. That's too early. it didn't have an effect on the game. feel like I could talk about what I want to talk about on my platform. and Yeah, and I can tell you too early.
00:36:10
Speaker
And I can say that I don't think so. We're not here to argue. Go ahead with your next point.
00:36:16
Speaker
I'm just letting you talk.
00:36:22
Speaker
We can stare at each other. It's real. ah It's real awkward on an audio platform, but you know what saying? I'm just saying since I'm talking about shit too early, go ahead. Hey, I'm just, Hey, you know, I was giving my thoughts.
00:36:35
Speaker
Those are my thoughts. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. When we're celebrating Paige Beckers, you got to rearrange your thoughts. Actually, I'm just kidding. I don't care that much. DJ, question. Yes. Because you love to talk. Don't, don't, don't, don't do that.
00:36:48
Speaker
I just said yes. I don't like the way you said it. All right. So, so hear me out. Okay. As someone one who firmly believes in the Candace Parker curse,
00:37:02
Speaker
I saw this on TikTok today. It is Candace Parker, right? The fact that, you're the one that told me about it. The fact that UConn hadn't won since Gina left her off the USA team.
00:37:13
Speaker
Yes, that curse. Yes, yes, yes. Right, so as a firm believer- I like, there's a couple. Oh, lot I didn't know there was a couple. all right, Candace. you You be putting them out there. I've heard a couple of them. That's why I'm like, wait, which curse we talking about? day Don't cross Candace. didn't know she was doing them like that.
00:37:28
Speaker
um Okay, so as ah as a purveyor of the UConn Candace Parker curse, I saw this thing, right, on TikTok, and it was very interesting.
Retirement in Sports
00:37:38
Speaker
UConn won a championship today, is that correct?
00:37:42
Speaker
Yes. That is correct. UConn hasn't won a championship since 2016, is that correct? Yes. Guess who just retired? And Candice, obviously.
00:37:52
Speaker
so I just thought that was real interesting that like they didn't win until Candice retired. The same year that Candice retired. Like she immediately retired. She immediately retired and they won. And I thought she would find that funny.
00:38:04
Speaker
like Like she was like, she was like, you know what? I'm out the game. You can win again. Like the curse, like the curse lost power when she was no longer dribbling. When she wasn't playing anymore. That was when the curse. Yeah, I thought that was funny. Like it was just like, she retired, he wins. Like, all right.
00:38:19
Speaker
cool i mean he shouldn't have left her off the team but anyway the amount of disrespect that candace parker endured and then for her to just unceremoniously retire on instagram like we couldn't even like get a full-blown like retirement tour it just it sickens me the fact that diana terossi elena deladon and candace parker all retired and we did not get to celebrate them I mean, Diana Taurasi a little bit towards the end, but like.
00:38:45
Speaker
So my thing is, i I agree with you, but I think they all decided to do that. And I know that BT talked about it because Kobe was like, and i like LeBron has hinted.
00:38:56
Speaker
and I don't know if this is true because as much power as LeBron has, I think someone is going to talk him out of it. But LeBron has hinted at wanting to do the same thing.
00:39:08
Speaker
Like just like doing it and not staying beforehand. Yeah, I know. And I hope he does not. It's pros and cons. There's pros and cons to both. Because I would also... so Go ahead.
00:39:20
Speaker
No. Oh, was going to say, I think I would also be irritated if I was like, it was known that I was retiring. So then like every away game is like this big deal and they're doing tribute videos and all of that. Like that would be too much.
00:39:32
Speaker
So I get it. And that's, that's what they've said because they've seen other people and it's like, Ooh, yes. yes Yeah. like we too heard i was i like Yeah. meet Me personally, if I was LeBron, I would announce it after all-star break.
00:39:46
Speaker
So you don't have to do it the full season. Yeah. But you get the last couple months. Yeah. I don't know if I want to do it Because then, like, if I'm trying to, like, make a postseason run, ain't got time for everybody to be crying. Yeah. but then But then in that case, you're just not going to do it at all.
00:40:02
Speaker
ah Well, I would do like... like
00:40:07
Speaker
who So it's either, that's the thing. don't It's hard, right? Because it's either full season or it's middle of the season. Or it's like you wait until you make it to the postseason and then put that out But if you don't make it to the postseason.
00:40:19
Speaker
Well then, yeah it was fine. But this is LeBron James we're talking about. How many times has he missed the postseason? Like twice in his 22-year career? This is LeBron James who's playing with Luka Doncic. He's not missing the goddamn postseason. Be fucking for real.
00:40:31
Speaker
Excuse me. Unless everybody on the Lakers breaks their legs except for them two and I still think they can make it. I don't want to hear it. but respectfully and they got austin reeves just shooting the leather off that ball yes i am watching the lakers right now um i have been watching lakers i have been watching the warriors and yes i did watch lebron and steph go band for band the other night both of them dropping over 33 points i don't remember who ended up with more at the end of that i think steph did but 56 times those men have played each other crazy 56 times yes so the legends oh
00:41:06
Speaker
another legend in the making, Sarah Strong. Sarah Strong yeah is one of the best basketball players I've seen. And it's just, it's crazy. It is so crazy how like this just keeps happening. Like for multiple reasons that we can't get into, we're in this boom of women's basketball.
00:41:26
Speaker
But I also just think like there is, A level. And I want to be careful how i say this because I don't want to accidentally fuel the fire of like the women weren't good at basketball thing because that's just not true.
00:41:38
Speaker
It's not. So let's not even start. but But there is this kind of like thing where it's like this, the last four five years.
00:41:52
Speaker
Why have they been so good? Because they've been so good. No, no. no We're talking about like the level of generational players. Because they're not generational players on the men's side, and they're being promoted. That's separate.
00:42:06
Speaker
like we're talking about Because they're men. But, okay. You live in a patriarchal society. Oh, my gosh. I get the point. I want you to listen to me. I'm listening. I want you to listen to what I'm actually saying. I'm disagreeing with what you're saying already. Go ahead. know, but don't think you're listening.
00:42:21
Speaker
Okay, hold on. I'm going to let you make the point for me.
00:42:26
Speaker
In the last, let's say, eight years, has there been better prospects back-to-back than Juju and Sarah Strong back-to-back?
00:42:39
Speaker
Like, I mean, literally, not even that. Just last year alone, we're talking about the like how good the freshmen were. like there Like there are eras of sports where there's just like a lot of good players. Like LeBron and Carmelo Anthony came at the same time. They were the same draft.
00:42:57
Speaker
There has not been drafts with like those level of players at the same time. Like that's what I'm saying. I'm just saying there has been and the last couple of years a influx of generational players with ebbs and flows in every sport.
00:43:15
Speaker
And it's coming at a good time as well. Because like Asia is going to be the greatest basketball player of all time, but she wasn't the prospect that Juju was.
00:43:26
Speaker
You know saying? That's what I'm saying. I'm saying we're also in a time where there are back to, and I don't use the word generational often. but there are legitimately like Juju. then like, we're not going to see nobody like that. And then Sarah comes in and breaks all these freshman records and does all these things. And it's just like yeah stacked on top of each other. Cause even like, if you want to say Paige was that player, which she was, there was a gap between Paige and Juju.
00:43:53
Speaker
And there were good players in between. Like, don't get me wrong. There were good players in between that, but like, That was a four year gap. And then we got Juju and we got a whole really good freshman class. And then immediately after Juju, it's like, that's the greatest freshman we've seen.
00:44:06
Speaker
We have freaking. and There's multiple freshmen in that class that are really good too. That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm like. I'm trying to like, like, I'm not, that's what like, I'm not saying that women weren't good at basketball. That's dumb. I'm saying there's been an influx of like low key generational talent in the last two classes.
Women's Basketball Talent Surge
00:44:25
Speaker
And I don't know how to wrap my mind around that because I didn't think we would have a freshman like Juju. And then we got Juju, but a center. And that's unfair. Like, like that doesn't make any sense. Like, that like we have there, there's three more years of Sarah strong.
00:44:41
Speaker
I'm trying to look it up while we're talking. Cause yes, I think there's, um,
00:44:50
Speaker
i think it's I think it's twofold because i think that there have been a lot of players who have been super, super good. The thing about it is though, we had no parody in women's basketball.
00:45:02
Speaker
So a lot of the top prospects were going to the same four programs. You know what i'm saying? So there wasn't like, we would see these top prospects come out of college, excuse me, high school and be like, wow, she's really good. And then she goes sit on the bench at Tennessee for three years.
00:45:15
Speaker
You know what i'm saying? So I feel like we're doing, there's a lot more like spreading conversation. of the love, like a prospect like Juju realistically should have gone to a Yukon, should have gone to a Tennessee, should have gone to a South Carolina, should have gone to a school that was more of a quote unquote dynasty.
00:45:29
Speaker
She decided to go to the school that she always wanted to go to since she was a kid, which is South Carolina, South Carolina, Southern Cal. Now granted Southern Cal was good at one point, but that was when Sharon Miller was still playing basketball and the WNBA did not exist.
00:45:42
Speaker
Right. So she didn't pick. She didn't pick one of those blue butot blood programs where she was goingnna sit on the bench. She picked one where she was going to be a star. I think that's a lot of what's going on too. Like you have a Flaugé Johnson playing at an LSU. Now granted LSU stock went up when Kim Mulkey became their head coach.
00:45:57
Speaker
But before that, who? Child, don't know what was going on down there. Like, yeah, they had Simone Augustus, but Simone Augustus has gone to the WNBA, played in the WNBA, retired, been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and now is back as an assistant coach since then. You know what i'm saying?
00:46:12
Speaker
So I'd have to actually look up ah the classes, but I do think a lot of it comes from these recruits actually just being spread out. um But I will say, yes, it does feel like, oh my gosh, there's so many good women coming into the game now, but I would argue it's because more we're just paying attention.
00:46:32
Speaker
So i would I hear that, and I think that's a good counter. I disagree, and i will give you an example of why i disagree. So the 2020 class.
00:46:44
Speaker
That's one of the best classes we've ever seen, Yes. Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Kaitlyn Clark, Camila Cardoso. Amazing class. huh None of those players are Juju.
00:46:56
Speaker
And they're all stars. Like, they're all good. None of them are Juju. Like, that's what I'm saying. Are we over-inflating Juju a little bit? Are we? ah We might be. Maybe. maybe We might be.
00:47:06
Speaker
We might be. Because the thing about Juju, and I want to be very, very clear. I want to be very, very clear. I have watched hundreds upon thousands of hours of basketball.
00:47:17
Speaker
It is my favorite sport. I played it for many years. I'm probably still playing it today if my knees would allow me.
00:47:24
Speaker
Juju is amazing, but she's also amazing because the entire offense is built around her. Not every player gets to have that particular experience. She would be good as a wing guard as well. She would be good as a as a small forward. She would be good in a lot of areas because she's just she handles the ball well. She does what she needs to do.
00:47:43
Speaker
But I do think the way that she is positioned at times can make her look so much better than like she actually is because she does have a level of clumsiness to her game. She also has a level of she can get a little sped up sometimes.
00:47:56
Speaker
She has like there's things that it's like she's really good for where she's at. I'll put it like that. Kind like Cooper Flagg. Like he's good for an 18 year old. But I'm sure he'll be better when he's 30. You know what i'm saying? Like he's she's good for where she's at. Now I'm not going sit here and trash the girl because that's not what I'm saying. What I'm getting at is I think
00:48:17
Speaker
like But so- Kind of the same thing with Caitlin Clark. Like Caitlin Clark was able to score as much as she did because the ball was always in her hand. I disagree with that. The comparison, not what you're saying about Caitlin Clark. Oh, okay.
00:48:31
Speaker
Like Juju's actually good basketball player. No, juju Juju scores at more levels than Caitlin does. Juju has ah has a deeper bag for sure. Juju came into the game with a lot deeper bag than a lot of freshmen do. I will give her that.
00:48:43
Speaker
And and that's that's the point. that So if we can agree on that, like we'll take generational, we'll take all the other kind of things If we can agree on that, I'm just saying, after watching Juju as a freshman, I was not then expecting to have another one The next.
00:48:59
Speaker
Immediately. Where literally I watched the... I watched the Bird and ah tra the Sue and Taurasi show. Bird and Taurasi.
00:49:11
Speaker
As to Yukon Legends, they were going through Yukon Legends and both of them said, yeah, Sarah's probably going on that list when she's done. DT doesn't dt doesn't congra that doesn't talk positively about anybody.
00:49:25
Speaker
So there is a level there is a level of difference in how Gigi came in and how Sarah came in. As like Sarah, as an 18 year old on a team with Paige Beckers playing against Don's daycare full of 10, like McDonald's all Americans, the 18 year old was the best player on the court.
00:49:50
Speaker
So
00:49:55
Speaker
the thing about it is, On the women's side, I feel like a lot of the times those number one prospects actually just turn out to be what exactly they are, the number one prospect. Because I just looked at 2023, the number one prospect in 2023 was obviously Juju. 2024 was, I'm sorry, hold on. I can't talk. I can't get my life together.
00:50:16
Speaker
Let me go back. 2021, the top prospect was Fudd.
00:50:20
Speaker
Hello. In 2020, we just named all these people. AZ Fudd is not Juju or Sarah Strong. AZ Fudd is a very, very, very great basketball player. We just don't really have a recent memory of because she got injured. She was injured for most of her time.
00:50:35
Speaker
But she was on the same – they were talking about her the same way. The same way that they talked about Juju, they talked about AZ. The next class, 2022, Lauren Betts. They call Lauren – Lauren Betts is the best center in college women's basketball. 2023, the top prospect was, like I said, Juju. And then 2024, now we have Sarah Strong.
00:50:51
Speaker
the last four years of recruiting classes, the top recruits have absolutely turned out to be who we thought they were going to be.
00:51:00
Speaker
i don't disagree. Now are all of them, do now are all of them generational? No, but on the women's side of basketball, when you're a top recruit that they, they live up to it a lot more often than the top recruits coming in from,
00:51:12
Speaker
other sports i'll just be like that but they live up to it a lot more often so that's why i was like that's why i was looking at you funny because like wait no because right but i think we're years and years and years of strong freshmen coming in now granted do they all cut pop off their freshman year probably not but ac fudd did lauren betts did and i don't believe i mean obviously juju had a great year sarah had a great year i don't and page page came in it was great her freshman year too i know i literally said that so that's i'm like Because there's a there's a difference. like like There's a difference between Paige freshman year, all the other people you mentioned, and then Juju, and then Sarah.
00:51:51
Speaker
like There's a level of difference. There's a difference between good and great. I didn't say none of them weren't good. I said, you and you said, are all of them generational? No. and No, I don't think all of them are generational, but they're all very great. Right.
00:52:06
Speaker
But the last two are arguably generational. So getting two generational players back to back is not what I was expecting. That's what I said. I expect greatness from the top prospects.
00:52:19
Speaker
but Because but that's what happens in women's basketball. Do you think Juju's generational?
00:52:26
Speaker
Right now, yes. Do you think Lauren Bess is generational? No. So that's the difference. Do you think- so I don't think more invested in generational because of how I feel about UCLA. But but but but the my thing is like, I think, and it's it's funny that this is being this is being recorded and we have to get off of this.
00:52:43
Speaker
We get in these arguments all the time and you don't disagree with me. You just nitpick things and it's fine. But you literally are saying the same thing that I'm saying. You said, I disagree with you, but I don't think all of them are generational. Well, I don't think it's fair to say like, oh my gosh.
00:52:58
Speaker
But I don't think it's fair to say that- It was literally just the last two were generational. Okay. Your point was generational. Go ahead.
00:53:08
Speaker
Was that not one my point? That's not what it sounded like. Go ahead. Because the way that you set it up, no. The way that you set it up was like, wow, these two players are so great. What happened with the other classes? And it's like, whoa That's not what I said.
00:53:22
Speaker
I'm saying the way you set it up. No, I set it up that way because men are going to listen to this and be like, I knew women's basketball wasn't good until the last two years. don't care what a man thinks. Right.
00:53:34
Speaker
But that was the disclaimer. I'm sorry. didn't know we cared what men thought on this podcast it except for you. no Yeah. Here's the thing. I don't want my words to be taken out of context by idiots, which is where the disclaimer came from.
00:53:50
Speaker
Heard. The point I was getting at is that there have been Very, very great. Because, ah again, I would argue, I'm not going to sit here and call every single player that I mentioned generational, but I'm also not going to sit and say, oh, yeah, they were just regular. Yeah, of course. You know what I mean? like ah Because AZ Fudd, to me, I think that we would be talking about her the same way had she played all four of her years at UConn.
00:54:10
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? like She came in and they everybody was like, oh, my gosh, this girl is it. Then right after that was Juju, then AZ was injured and nobody was paying attention. And then now we have Sarah. That's all I'm saying is like,
00:54:21
Speaker
I understand your point, but I'm also just kind of like, i don't like, i don't like the way it was set up. Go ahead. understand your point. I agree. Go ahead.
00:54:33
Speaker
remember what was saying. You basically were saying that there were two generational players back to back and you were shocked that. I wasn't shocked. I will. I wasn't shocked. just don't expect it because I don't expect in any sport to be players that good back to back.
00:54:46
Speaker
Like that just doesn't happen. Yeah. Yeah, but my thing is, look at the look at the class of 2020, right? The class of 2020, the top five, Camilla, Caitlyn, Angel, Cam, and Paige.
00:54:57
Speaker
yeah And they all turned out to be amazing within their own right. And they were all in one class. Then the next class, forgive me. They're not all generational. Which is the only point that I'm making.
00:55:09
Speaker
The only point that I'm making is the generational piece. I am not taking away from anybody else's skill or level or anything like that, which is why I specifically use that word, generational.
00:55:23
Speaker
Because I understand that they're hoopers and they're all good. And half of them that we are talking about have already made major impacts in the W and Paige just helped. ah ah Oh my gosh. Angel just help oh i was like her this helped lead her team ah to a championship. An unrivaled. And Angel and Camilla are going to be problem.
00:55:49
Speaker
I understand all of that. Like, that's not like the only point that I was making was the fact that we have two players who in their freshman year, immediately you could argue were the best players in the sport.
00:56:04
Speaker
And that hasn't happened since Paige. Granted, that's only four years, but like, that's how that stuff happens. It typically happens every four or five years. It doesn't happen back to back.
00:56:15
Speaker
Mm-hmm. The girls good. And they've been good. I guess what I'm getting at is like, maybe this is more, it's more of like a wow to you, whereas like, this is like a duh to me, maybe. That's probably what the, where it's coming from. get disagreement. I get the disagreement. What I'm telling is it's not a wow to me. I'm talking about something specific.
00:56:37
Speaker
Like you're telling me the girls are good. And I'm like, yeah get that. You're not listening to my level of what I'm saying. I know what you're saying. You're you're putting them in a different category than everybody else. I understand what you're saying.
00:56:48
Speaker
And what I'm saying is I am used to this level of basketball from young women. I am. I'm not going to sit here and say every single freshman that came in is generational, but the girls are getting more and more mature in the game, younger and younger.
00:57:01
Speaker
This is something that is trending in women's basketball is that the maturity is happening at early and earlier ages. And I don't know if it's because there's more camps available, there's more resources, there's more whatever. I'm not really sure. I'm sure that there's a lot of research that could be backed within the last 10 years of how much more resources has been put into women's basketball since previously.
00:57:20
Speaker
But yes, a lot more of the girls are coming into the game a lot more mature. than they were previously. Plus they are spreading their talents to other schools. They're not all going to the same four schools that seem like we're the only schools that cared about women's basketball.
00:57:34
Speaker
So now we're really getting to see the, cause imagine just the freshman class that Juju, the class that Juju's in, like their stars, they are the stars of their teams. Mylasia for Wiley is in the same class. She is the star of the South Carolina Gamecocks and she's coming off the fricking bench. That's the part that makes it fricking wild. So I'm like, the girls are coming into the game a lot more mature. So, and I don't know, maybe I'm going to actually, I'm going to investigate that. Cause I'm sure there's a reason as to why this is happening now.
00:58:03
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. That is crazy that, um, It's amazing. It's fantastic. It's everything you said. And then we immediately followed Sarah Strong, who just scored the most points by a freshman ever in the tournament.
Generational Talent Debate
00:58:20
Speaker
When you had Juju and you had Paige, who also made it to the championship game, and you had all these other players. You had DT and you had Brianna Stewart, who won four straight. And you had all of these people.
00:58:34
Speaker
And then Sarah Strong scores the most points. You have all of these greats. You have Maya Moore. You have... all of these people, you have Angel Reese who won a championship and has a million rebounds and all this stuff.
00:58:46
Speaker
And the 18-year-old is the first person ever, ever, not the first person, the first person ever to have 20 plus 15 rebounds and five assists in a championship game. And yeah.
00:58:58
Speaker
So like, i get the point, but I feel like sometimes... you'd be like talking me like, duh, you're a man, you don't get it. And I'm like, get it. not what I I'm talking about something very specific. That is not what I I'm talking about generational.
00:59:12
Speaker
I know what you meant. ah But I get that. But I feel like sometimes you don't because you'd be arguing with me and then you'd be making the same point as me. You'd be like, I disagree. But I also think that Well, because I just don't like when it sounds like we're discounting other like people. I don't like when it sounds like that.
00:59:26
Speaker
Yeah, but saying that people are generational is not discounting all the other good women. It's just generational. The classes that have come through, though, are like some of the best kind like in general, like since 2020 on. So I would say, I guess the point I'm getting at is like you're probably going to see this a lot more. You're probably going to see a lot more.
00:59:45
Speaker
Because also Sarah Strong is the best freshman, but like the freshmen in general were balling out of their freaking minds. Mikayla Blakes already broke Juju's record for the most 50-point games in a season, right? Because Juju had the record with one. She now has two, and she did it within two nights.
01:00:01
Speaker
She dropped 52 one night and then turned around and dropped 55, and that's a freshman. And then took freaking – it was Vanderbilt. She did this at Vanderbilt. Like she's not doing this at – She's going to get an engineering degree. That's what I'm just saying. But I'm saying like she's not doing ah this at like insert, you know, blue blood basketball program here. She's doing it at Vanderbilt. Like it's kind of the same thing with how great Hannah Hidalgo is. Also same class as Juju Watkins. Like it's I don't know, like maybe.
01:00:26
Speaker
Like, yes, also don't like when we call people generational too early. And I feel like, yes, what Sarah's trying to do. I think that's your problem. like she is. And she is. I'm not saying, I'm not talking about Sarah technically. Like she is, what she did is amazing, but she also has two parents who played professional sports and a lot of.
01:00:47
Speaker
You know what the problem is? You have a problem giving people compliments. It's cool. You'd be getting, you'd be getting in there. You be you do, you do. You'd be in this, like, you'd be in this, like, hold on. We, we moving too fast sort of thing.
01:00:59
Speaker
And that's where our arguments be coming in. And I'm like, you could just say she's a generation. She's great. that I wasn't talking about sarah I didn't actually didn't bring up Sarah at all. I was actually talking about Juju. but Which is insane, but it's okay. We'll talk about some of them.
01:01:11
Speaker
I'm not saying that you're just not generational. I'm just saying there's a lot of really, really great women's basketball players that have come through in the last five recruiting classes. So to me, no, I'm not going to be like, oh, wow, two generational players back to back. Because in my opinion, and I would argue there's more.
01:01:27
Speaker
I would argue that there's more. But I know that you have stronger definition generation of generational than me. That's I'm like, I would argue that a few of these girls in a few of these classes have the – i i'm not I'm not arguing with you. That's what I'm saying. AZ Fudd, Malaysia Full Wiley, Hannah Hidalgo. like These last five recruiting classes have been amazing. Yes, there have been, obviously, the cream that is rosen to the top, but there's also, like, these they're all really, really good. I guess that's the thing I'm getting at. I'm like, we can't just him and be like oh, my gosh, these two players are so great when it's like,
01:01:58
Speaker
But look at who they're up against. Like, they're still in the cream of the crop. Like, these girls are really, really good. And they're just a little bit better. Yeah, but that's like saying the whole NBA is good, but LeBron's a little bit better.
01:02:10
Speaker
Like, and I'm not comparing it LeBron. That's not even. That's not what I'm saying. But you can watch all these people and recognize that there are some people that are better than others while they're being good. That's what I said. That is what I said. I'm just saying, like, I'm just saying, like, I think that there's more than just Juju and Sarah.
01:02:29
Speaker
That's what I'm saying. And that's why I was going through the classes because I'm like, what? The top recruit in the last few classes have all been arguably, or at least they've been made in the media as generational players, which that's what the media is doing with Juju and Sarah.
01:02:43
Speaker
Now, Sarah, I think actually has the stats to back it up. Juju does too. But like, again, I think that they were trying to call her generational before she even touched the ball in college. I think she backed that up immediately.
01:02:55
Speaker
Juju is fantastic.
01:02:58
Speaker
I don't like this argument is making it look like I'm not saying Juju was good. Cause that's not that's what it was. I'm just saying like, of course there's generational players back to back. Women are good at basketball.
01:03:11
Speaker
I said that just get on your nerves. Okay, let's go. Let's move let's move on.
01:03:19
Speaker
So now we're being silent.
01:03:22
Speaker
Am I being silent or was I silenced? Okay, we're at an hour. We don't have my god but won't have anything else to talk about. I don't have- I'm just saying there are lots of great recruits. That's all i'm saying.
01:03:35
Speaker
I know. We do this all the time where you use words that mean different things and can but there's a difference between great and generational. That's all I'm saying. And calling one generational does not make the other great.
01:03:48
Speaker
Malaysia Fawali is great. She's also not Juju. Like, that you know, like Hannah Hidalgo is great, but she's also not Sarah Strong. Like Madison Booker is great, but she's also not Paige Beckers. Like there's a, there's a level of separation between that. Like Angel is great, but she's not paid. Like there's a, there's a level of separation and then, and it can be as small as you want it to be, but there is a level and calling one generational does not diminish the greatness of others.
01:04:18
Speaker
That's fine. But what was the reason why you even brought that up? Because I was just trying to compliment the fact that like we have two players and no other sport.
01:04:29
Speaker
And like and no like Paul generational pitching prospect. This draft that just happened, there wasn't another Paul Schemes, right? like Like Cooper Flagg is going to be, I don't know i'm i don't know that he's generational, but at whatever level that Cooper is, there hasn't been a Cooper in men's college basketball seven, eight years.
01:04:57
Speaker
In football, right? There hasn't been a generational quarterback in football since Andrew Luck. And they keep trying to say it, but none of them as a prospect were as good as Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck is been has been retired for like five or six years. like The level that this is, it happens very rarely. You could argue that it happened, what like LeBron is LeBron, but you could argue that it happened with LeBron's class because somehow you got LeBron, Carmelo, Andy Wade.
01:05:24
Speaker
But then like the very next class, it was like nobody. And in the class after that, it was some random person got drafted and then it was Kevin Durant. And it's just like... There's a level of like, this is what I'm saying is, and we can argue about what is generational, but to my definition of generational, it is rare that in any sport ever, you get two players back to back like Juju and, and, um,
01:05:47
Speaker
And Sarah. yeah And my my thing with that is the last player that I felt like was at that level was Paige. There was four years between Juju and Paige.
01:05:58
Speaker
And then immediately you see all the things that Juju did and then you get this fucking phenom who can dribble and who can play defense and who can shoot threes and can be the best player on the court when you have Paige and you have AZ Fudd and you have Malaysia Fawali and you have...
01:06:17
Speaker
you have all of these good players. You have Joyce Edwards. like You have all of these names, and you have a freaking 18-year-old who outplays all of them in the biggest game of her career, breaking all of these records, being the first to do that after you had Juju did that. and And the difference between Sarah and Juju is that Sarah, I mean, but again, she has a better team, especially last versus Juju last year.
01:06:40
Speaker
But She won them that championship. She's the only player to drop 20 points and so with over 60% field goal percentage and three back-to-back games being specifically the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and the championship game.
01:06:58
Speaker
You don't have to make an argument for Sarah. I agree with you. So, like, that's that's what i that's what I'm saying. Like, i I understand that the women are great and they're hooping and they're amazing and all of these things. and I would just say, like, the back-to-back thing might be a little arguable, but it's also, like, if you're talking about generational, I mean, sure. Like, if you're using the term generational, because I'm like...
01:07:20
Speaker
I just don't, I think we'd be discussing AZ Fudd differently if she didn't lose two years. Like I really do because AZ Fudd was the MOP, not Sarah. And I don't think we need to diminish what AZ Fudd brought to this team. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's the thing. It's like, yes, I understand what Sarah did was great.
01:07:35
Speaker
And it's general and she's generational. I'm not arguing whether or not she's not. I'm just saying like, also,
01:07:44
Speaker
Let me not even start. Because was going like, she's also at UConn. Like, Gino's not recruiting a freshman at UConn that's not probably going to be the best freshman in the country. Unless that freshman has a previous connection to a school such as Juju.
01:08:01
Speaker
i think that's... You're supposed to have the best freshman in the country. It's UConn. Right. And that's, this is why I joke that you don't like giving compliments because you say that she's generational. And then immediately after you're like, but it's UConn and it's Gino. And that's taking away from you saying that she's generational.
01:08:15
Speaker
No, it's not taking away from it. is it's exactlying It No, it's expected. It's the same reason why they're freaking out about UConn not winning a championship in nine years, because that's what we expect from UConn. We expect them to win championships. But good and generational are not the same thing.
01:08:29
Speaker
I didn't say they were.
01:08:39
Speaker
Anyways, the UConn team is stacked, and Gino is a greedy motherfucker, and I love her. So is Don. Well, first of all, also, because they really tried to play that little narrative all throughout the season. Son is all Americans.
01:08:53
Speaker
So do you, Lindsey Gottlieb. So do you, Corey Close. So do you, Kim Mulkey. So do you. Yeah, and y'all getting them from the transfer portal. What? Excuse Where did Lauren come from? Like, come on now. you didn't Lauren was at Stanford.
01:09:10
Speaker
ah Wait, can we talk about the fact that Stanford had Cam Brink, Lauren Betts, and Kiki Iriafin all at one time? Greedy. Greedy. What did you mean? That is biblical levels of gluttony.
01:09:24
Speaker
That is what that is. but And that that's why they didn't win nothing. Greedy. Gluttonous. like That's what you get. You got too much on your plate. Because cause at least UConn, they had to do some trials. Their players got injured. And it just happened that they had one healthy season.
01:09:39
Speaker
They smooshed together, right? You just had all of them at the same time? On the bench, just rotating them out. Well, really, Cam was the starter. and That's great. And this is no shade to Cam because Cam, I mean, hello, had she played her entire WNBA season, I do believe she would have led the league in blocks. She already she led the league in blocks for like a month after she tore her ACL. So I'm not coming for Cam, but like i'm imagine your backup is Lauren Betts.
01:10:05
Speaker
And then Lauren Betts' backup is Kiki Iria-Fenn. All right. Well, we you know, like if we want to if we want to do that, we can also talk about how like freaking ah ah South Carolina went from, went from, um who was the first one?
01:10:19
Speaker
Not the first, first Who was before Camilla? Oh. oh Oh, it was, a it's Shorty. It's, a you went you went from Aaliyah Boston. Oh, Aaliyah Boston to Camilla. And then you went to... To Camilla Cardocio.
01:10:32
Speaker
No, there was someone in between. No, it went from Aaliyah to Camilla. No, it went from Aaliyah to Camilla. Because Aaliyah got drafted in 2022. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Aaliyah, then Camilla. Then you have the only girl to dunk in the All-American game, Ashlyn Watkins. Like, that's well that is greedy. Like, are you serious?
01:10:49
Speaker
And then they have some of the best shooting guards. And then you have fucking AI reincarnated. Like, are you fucking playing? Are you kidding? Are you serious? No, she's so like AI. I love the way.
01:11:01
Speaker
I love Malaysia for Wiley. Y'all can never make me hate her. i felt so bad. It was the first time I've ever seen her cry today. And I really did. I was distraught. I did not know what to do. I just started crying with her. I was like, oh my God. It was such a weird experience. I do want to talk about this.
01:11:15
Speaker
It was so weird to watch... a championship game where I was like, there's got to be a way for both of them and to win. Like we like, there's got to be a way. We're like, it's a tie. And we just call it a tie. And we just, we give one team the trophy now. And we make another one later. Like I was just like, I do not know what I'm going to do now. Did I scream on my Tik TOK at D E underscore J a A Y Y that I, that I felt like UConn was going to win. Yes. Cause I did feel like UConn was going to win, but like,
01:11:42
Speaker
damn, I wanted them to be anybody but South Carolina to do it. I love so South Carolina so much, and I love Dawn Staley so much that and just was like, oh, God. But this is this is just a great learning experience. I feel bad for who has to play South Carolina next year. What? Because that's the thing. like Their best players are young. like They're two best players. They're still there, yeah ah yeah. Coming off the bench, right? And Joyce Edwards. Yeah.
01:12:10
Speaker
please They went from Camila Cardoso to Ashlyn Watkins. She tore our ACL. Now we got Joyce Edwards. Like, greedy. They still got Chloe Kitts. But at least Don staggered them.
01:12:23
Speaker
Unlike Stanford. What are you talking about? So, yeah, they're greedy. They're all greedy. You know, I just think i think that we are where, and by we, I mean the Women's Basketball Collective is where we've always been meant as where we always were meant to be.
01:12:40
Speaker
yeah And that is um really exciting because, yes, it was boring when it was just Tennessee and UConn passing championships back and forth. It's kind of the same thing with like the Duke and North Carolina thing on the men's side. Like we've seen it. We've heard it. We love it. OK, so I love that. Like now there's parody. Now we've got recruits doing whole ESPN specials just to go to OU.
01:12:58
Speaker
Yeah. and and even and And even if you write like what you want to argue about what is or isn't generational, what is true is that for the last 10, 15 years, there have been Angel Reese's, there has been Madison Booker's, there has been, well, I mean, not really, no, H4 Wiley's but like there has been stars that were never yeah but like she's a she has a generational talent she's not a generational player like as a full player but she has something that like nobody else she does she's got aura and that's something that a lot of players do not have like there was like a Hannah Hidalgo there was these players that never got the chance to be this so whether you want to argue who is or who isn't generational
01:13:44
Speaker
the fact that to wrap it all up in a bow that we will agree on and i love that you all got to hear our text out loud first of all this is literally what a text conversation would be thats well you see how how quick we flip like people were like do they hate each other it was like no we're fine no because show kind started off like we was beefing no we're not i promise uh but although oh my god it's late we about to be beefing uh i'm gonna shut up after this um Regardless of generational who is or who isn't or whatever, there are players who should have and could have reached these heights if they were given a chance, if they were promoted, if the money was putting in, if they were given the same weight room and food and gear, which literally was like five years ago that that came out with TV time. I mean, there's still there is a conversation of why is the game still happening at three, two o'clock in the afternoon.
01:14:34
Speaker
Right, you know what mean? Well, 3 Eastern time, 2 Central. like like what what it like Not 7 p.m. Which is noon, noon on the West Coast. The game was at noon on the West Coast. People just now getting back from brunch.
01:14:45
Speaker
People are going to brunch. Yeah, like you're still in traffic. like And so it's just like, yeah you know, yes, we we have these great classes and things, but we've always had players that,
01:14:58
Speaker
who could have reached these heights if they were given the chance.
NBA Season Critique and Future Talent
01:15:01
Speaker
And now they're being given the chance. And I just hope that the powers that be don't mess it up. I hope that the WNBA doesn't mess it up as they're looking to build and grow and provide room for these players. I hope that the NCAA doesn't keep messing it up. I love that Gino and Don will not take their foot off their necks and, and, and talking about these things. And I hope that other people do.
01:15:26
Speaker
um And I think that, I mean, ultimately, we are just in a and a great spot for women's basketball. And hopefully the MNBA and the MCBB catch up.
01:15:41
Speaker
Well, i mean, the NBA is still great. But, like, ah hopefully men's college basketball catches it's boring. The and NBA is only great now because there's actual like stakes associated with each game. I am on the train. Please shave 15 games off this freaking schedule. Right.
01:15:57
Speaker
Shave some games off because people aren't winning awards now because they're injured and they're out for too many games. situation Stuff is getting silly. Why do we have 18 NBA games on in a week? We don't need that many. I'm sorry. Yeah.
01:16:11
Speaker
We can cut this schedule down. We can have the same thing we've been having, the TNT Tuesdays or Thursdays, whatever the hell it is, and get through a good maybe five to seven games a week and call it a day until it's time to get to the postseason. The players will be healthier. You'll get more sponsorship dollars. The sponsors will pay more money for less spots.
01:16:28
Speaker
Come on. It shouldn't take me, random person on the podcast, to explain the business of shortening the season to the NBA. yeah Because you can keep the postseason just as long as it is. If y'all want them to play upwards of 21 games to get you a championship, which I think is crazy, by all means.
01:16:43
Speaker
But an 82-game season on top of that, that is just not realistic anymore. Yes. It is just not realistic anymore. that all these These athletes are not Kevin Durant's, Chris Paul's, and LeBron James's and Steph Curry's who can take such great care of their body that they are they come back most of the time and that they are only injured for short periods of time.
01:17:01
Speaker
These young guys are not like that. They are fragile as hell. I'm not trying to be funny. They are fragile as hell. Please. Kawhi Leonard hasn't played a full season of basketball since he's won the championship. That brother needs to be tired.
01:17:13
Speaker
Pandemic Paul George hasn't played a full season of basketball since I don't even know when. Joel Embiid has not played a full season of basketball. Oh, boy. Like, I can keep going. I can keep going. Like, we don't need 82 games. So, yes, the NBA is interesting now, and you might hear me talk about it more now because I'm actually watching it because – basketball the men's basketball is just not fun unless there's they still got about another month before i watch it but anyways well you know i'm not 40 days until the wmba so i gotta fill it with something
01:17:45
Speaker
yes anyways paige has her championship the candace parker curse is over jenna has 12. the world has to deal with an angry don's daycare a second year sarah strong uh uh a third year malaysia for wiley a fully healthy and and for a champion az fudd z fud ah third year malaysia for wiley who was put to tears on national tv she's not gonna let that rock second year at Second year Janet. janet Joyce Edwards. Last year for Raven Johnson. this is going to be her senior year.
01:18:25
Speaker
She's a junior. No, no, no. She's eligible to leave. I don't think she's declared a project. Yeah, I don't think. And the reason why I don't think is because she's a she has won at every single level ever since she picked up a basketball. I think she wants to get another championship. And I think this team that's who cares.
01:18:44
Speaker
She has two. um This team that's coming up, I think. she could they could win a championship with this team. So I think she's going to let it have one more year. Also, I implore, I really do implore every young woman in college basketball right now, if you have another year of eligibility, use it keep it.
01:19:03
Speaker
Keep and use
Teaser for Next Episode
01:19:05
Speaker
it. And we'll leave it at that. Yeah. That's all. i'm just what talk about Well, no, there's a reason for that, but we'll talk about that next week. little teaser for anyone who actually likes women's basketball. And if you're at this show an hour and 20 minutes in, either you like to hear us argue or you like women's basketball.
01:19:21
Speaker
We didn't argue that long. we will catch you next week thank you for listening next week football will be back we are going to talk about our top five sec conference games but we are also going to be talking about we are also going to be talking about why so many women cough cough fauze johnson big foe why so many women potentially raven johnson why so many women insert the other ones we'll say olivia miles Olivia Miles, which is a huge one.
01:19:54
Speaker
Projected. Little spoiler. Little teaser. She was projected number two pick, and she's not going to the draft. We'll talk about that next week. As always, thank you for listening.