Loading...
Loading...

All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet.
Nick Wright opens up about the history of ‘First Things First’ on Fox Sports, from its start with Cris Carter, to its near cancelation, to now being nominated for its first Emmy with Nick hosting alongside Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes. Next, Nick reacts to Victor Wembanyama stating that he should be the NBA MVP following the San Antonio Spurs' 136-111 win over the Miami Heat and breaks down where Wemby should stand among the other top candidates. Later, Nick breaks down whether we have become numb to Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic's dominance, and why it is absurd that people aren't taking Luka more seriously as an MVP threat. #Volume
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.
This is Daniel Cormier from the Daniel Cormier Show.
This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless,
the official wireless partner of UFC.
Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it.
You either make the move or you miss the moment.
That's why you need a network that's just as powerful as you are.
With Total Wireless, you get unlimited 5G data
keeping you in the action from the walkouts to the knockouts.
Now that's a Total Power move.
Make your Total Power move today.
Visit TotalWireless.com or stop by your neighborhood Total Wireless Store.
Additional terms apply.
See TotalWireless.com for details.
Support for the show comes from public,
the investing platform for those who take it seriously.
On public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stock,
bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets
which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI.
It all starts with your prompt,
from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow
to semiconductor suppliers,
growing revenue over 20% year over year.
You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work.
It screens thousands of stocks,
builds a one-of-a-kind index,
and lets you backtest it against the S&P 500.
Then you can invest in a few clicks.
Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities,
completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's.
Go to public.com slash podcast,
and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio.
That's public.com slash podcast,
paid for by public investing,
procured services by Open to the Public Investing Inc,
Member Finra and SIPC,
Advisory Services by Public Advisors LLC,
SEC Registered Advisor.
Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool.
Output is for informational purposes only,
and is not an investment recommendation or advice.
Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures.
Oh, could this vintage store be any cuter?
Right? And the best part?
They accept discover.
Accept discover?
In a little place like this?
I don't think so, Jennifer.
Oh, yeah, huh.
Discover's accepted where I like to shop.
Come on, baby. Get with the times.
Right, so we shouldn't get the parachute pants?
These are making a comeback.
I think.
Discover is accepted at 99% of places
that take credit cards nationwide.
Based on the February 2025 Nilsen report,
do you want to find a stress-free way
to buy your next car?
Start at CarMax and shop your way.
If you want to browse with confidence,
get pre-qualified online,
but no impact on your credit score
and shop cars within your budget.
From luxury cars to family rides.
CarMax has options for almost every price range,
including more than 25,000 cars priced under $25,000.
So, hey, wanna get started?
Just head to CarMax.com for details
and get pre-qualified today.
Wanna drive? CarMax.
Welcome to the best of the week
for What's Right With Nick Wright.
The best takes and moments from this week on the show.
Enjoy.
Huge news.
Congratulations to you in your show.
First things first was nominated
for most outstanding sports,
the most outstanding sports studio show, Amy.
Has Wimby inspired you to campaign for the award?
I'm not gonna campaign for the award,
but I am going to be a touch self-indulgent here,
but also I'm gonna spend a bit of time on this
because I think this is instructive
for people in there.
At any, I think there are lessons,
lessons sounds patronizing.
I think there might be some wisdom shared here,
and that sounded pretty patronizing too.
As far as, yeah, the story of the TV show.
And listen, I don't know if we're gonna win the Emmy
but I, and I know the,
maybe the proper thing, certainly the cool thing
is to say, I don't care,
but I care deeply about being nominated for this.
Every year when these nominations came out,
I got upset that we were not included.
And I thought for some time,
maybe not even considered.
Now, to be fair, there was a period of time
where we didn't deserve to be considered.
But for people that are new-ish
to this show or first things first,
I will try as briefly as I can
to kind of give the history of the show
because again, there are some fork in the road moments
that I think are instructive.
So, September, Labor Day 2017, the show launches.
2017, it is me, Chris Carter and Jenna Wolpe.
And in pretty short order,
the show was solid.
And I think, you know,
they had some documented growing ratings success
at a time slot where FS1 had never had a show before.
That show, the show used to start at 6.30 a.m. Eastern.
So 3.30 a.m. Pacific and go three hours, 6.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.
And before the end of our first football season,
we had an episode where we had more than 100,000 viewers,
which I think was way, way beyond what realistic goals
were for not only a new show,
not only a new show involving someone that, me,
that nobody knew, but a show that there
there, nobody ever woke up to FS1,
probably, you know, historically,
because we didn't have light programming on that.
And, but that show was very different.
And people that watched it, you know,
know it, the, I didn't know what I was doing.
I thought my job was every day
to prove to the audience how smart I was.
I thought my job was every day to just be armed
with all of the data, all of the facts, all of the information
to win any potential debate that popped up
while also weighing that with the fact
that my partner and the person
fronting the show, Chris Carter,
who was so good to me personally
and so good to my family and my wife and my kids
and who I had a real deep personal relationship
and friendship with, he was not really trying to argue.
And so I, and as much as I believe Chris respected
my intellect and my work ethic,
he certainly did not think
if he and I disagreed on football
or basketball for that matter,
that I had a league to stand on.
He obviously was one of the greatest football players
of all time and also had a hundred division
one college basketball scholarships
his brother coached in the NBA.
And so I was that first year plus always kind of
doing a dance figuring out how to
as strongly as I could make my case for something,
give my opinion while never actually
entering into a debate
which could turn into an argument with Cece
because that's just not what he was trying to do.
And it was his show and so there were a lot of moments
where and I'm not really a fold your hand guy
where I had really no other choice
but to kind of fold my hand.
But it was still great.
It was on TV every day.
The show was growing and we were headed
in a really positive direction along with the network
when undisputed was really starting to hum.
They were on after us.
Collins been great throughout.
The show on after Colin, he at that point in time
he was still a part of, he would do the herd
and then also do speak for yourself.
And the network was really rolling.
And then late October of 2018.
So the show's now been on for 14 months.
I get a phone call that Chris and Fox have parted ways.
And the, you know, I've been eight years
it's something I've never really talked about
but call it a reconcilable differences.
And I show up to work the next day.
I think the first day was Halloween 2018.
And they're like, well, listen, you know,
Chris Canty has been a great guest of ours.
He's gonna do a lot of stuff.
Greg Jennings will still come in.
Coach Manjini, Greg and Coach were there from day one.
Those guys will still be a part of the rotation
and we will just kind of do a rotating co-host
while we figure out, you know, who's gonna be full time?
What's what?
And that went from the rotating co-host thing
from October of 2018 to we are now in February of 2020
and there is still not a full time co-host.
And while that was, you know, Jimmy, obviously not the best thing
for the stability of the show and Chris Canty didn't awesome job
because he was, he was there more than anybody.
We also, during the day, we had a lot of fun.
He was there more than anybody.
We also, during the NBA, Chris Brusard started being a part
of it.
It's how I really got to know Brusard.
And while it wasn't that lack of stability wasn't
what was, you know, really best, I think,
for the show's growth, it certainly allowed me
to put my stamp on it.
And for, you know, almost by default,
a show that was never supposed to be my show became my show.
And then in January, February of 2020,
Kevin Wilde, who was, you know, in the running
and he himself bowed out of being on the show
when it launched, had decided he did want to do it.
And they brought KWN and then of course,
when I say February of 2020, we are approaching COVID,
but right before COVID was the 2019 Super Bowl,
which was in January of 2020, or February of 2020.
KW is now, you know, getting ready to be,
or is already a part of the show.
And the Sunday night of Super Bowl week,
when we are about to do a three hour live show
in basically the middle of the night,
from wherever that Super Bowl was.
It was Miami, I think, so it wasn't really the middle
of the night, but at 6.30 in the morning,
we find out that Kobe Bryant's helicopter is crushed.
And we are going to be doing a three hour show,
the first day of Super Bowl week with a live studio audience,
reacting to this unspeakable tragedy.
And I remember
specifically requesting that Chris Rousard,
who was there in case any basketball stories popped up
during Super Bowl week, could he host the entire show with me?
And with the crew, could he be there for the whole thing?
And Brue to his credit said yes,
and we did those three hours together,
which were just the impossible, in retrospect, to think about.
Kobe had, obviously, Kobe died, but it was also other adults
and a bunch of young girls, including Kobe's daughter.
And I remember when that show ended, hugging Brue,
and telling him, man, I literally could not have done this show
without you out here.
Like thank you.
And it felt like that really bonded us.
And then six weeks later, the world shuts down,
and we still don't have a full-time co-host.
We still don't really know exactly what's what.
And COVID hits, and all of a sudden,
we're doing the show from our house with no live sports on.
And I might get some of this timeline a little wrong,
and I apologize for the length of this,
but there's a, I'm glad I'm finally kind of putting
this full thing out there.
And at one point during the first call it 12 months of COVID,
I'm told by folks who would know not sure
if we're going to continue with the show.
We never landed on the co-host,
there's no sports on that, if you guys remember,
the sports economy and advertiser economy at that time,
like the show was on, not thin ice,
but it was, I was given a heads-up that it was probably
going to be canceled, three years and four years into the show.
Again, I don't remember if this is late 2020 or early 2021.
And I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
I don't know,
and I don't know what changed over the next two months
other than, you know, maybe I had, you know,
the people,
I don't know what changed.
But I know all of a sudden,
it went from me telling my wife and daughters
that I think we're going to probably move Delay
that I think that, you know,
I've established myself well enough with Fox
that, even if they canceled the show,
I think they will have,
they'll want to keep me around.
I'm under contract.
And, you know,
but I think we're going to have to move to Delay.
I was,
I was setting up interviews
for my older daughter
for LA high schools.
I had,
my pal Maverick had,
you know, made,
made some calls for me
where, you know,
his friends' kids went to school.
And like,
this is what was happening.
Like, I had kind of just come to terms with it.
And then something changed in the show didn't get canceled.
And they were,
they were adding a full-time co-host
and it was going to be Brandon Marshall.
And we were still doing the show from our house.
And that was
the 2021, I think, football season.
And we did Brandon,
me, Wilds and Jenna did that show for a year
with through being our basketball guest,
coaching Greg still being on the show as guests.
And it was fine.
Brandon and I had a good relationship,
but it was also weird.
Brandon and Wilds did a show together for a year,
never once met in person.
Brandon was in Florida.
He was still COVID.
We were still doing it from our houses.
Everything was remote.
And then Brandon decided he didn't want to do, you know, Renew.
And we're approaching going back in studio.
And this is, I gave that whole background,
but this is the moral of the story and the reason I'm telling this
and spending half hour on this.
In that moment,
we knew that
Jenna was moving on.
KW's role was going to change a little bit.
And they were discussing with me,
thoughts on who the person opposite me should be.
And out of respect to all these people,
I'm not going to say who they were, all talented,
all people I like or had good relationships with,
and all former athletes.
And I
knew in my
absolute core
that the best person for the show,
the guy who worked the hardest, had the best relationship.
We had the best chemistry with
and who had the best disposition
and was the most reliable
was Bruce.
And I also knew
that I
had, you know, probably one time I could play the card of,
let's not do what you're suggesting.
Trust me.
And it was, I really debated
whether or not
that was even smart to do,
because if you do what,
you know, your bosses or whatever are suggesting,
and you register,
I don't know if it's the best idea,
but yeah, I'll go with it.
And then it doesn't work or something happens.
That's not as much on you.
It's like, well, I, you know, I said,
but if you say, hey,
I know this is right.
I'm not the hit if I'm wrong.
If it doesn't work,
that is on you.
And in that moment,
uh, I knew wilds
thought it should be brew.
I knew in my core
that, because I listened to Bruce radio shows,
like these guys think he's just a basketball guy.
He does a daily radio show every night.
He talks about football every day.
Plus, I also knew from my own history.
I was like,
I am so such an annoying person to argue with
that there is something in my experience
for former athletes,
particularly former football players,
that if every single day they got to argue with me,
something in their brain activates
a few months in and they're like,
man, I used to put guys like him in the damn locker.
He's telling me who the better quarter shot up.
Um, and one of the reasons
I think Greg and Coach have been so great
for eight years on the show
is by around Thursday,
certainly by Friday of a week of dealing with my nonsense.
They know,
all right, I'm about to get a week away from this idiot.
And they can reset.
Um,
and so I just really didn't think
going with another former athlete was gonna work.
And I advocated in the strongest possible terms
along with Wilds.
We all agree,
me Wilds Brew let it run.
Just see.
And even after that happened,
once that was like agreed upon in the 23rd hour,
they, I was presented with, hey,
we got it done with Brew,
he's gonna be on the show,
but we think we are gonna add a fourth person full time,
not Coach or Greg,
they will still be on the show in their current role,
but in every segment full time person,
and we think we know who it is.
And I,
I laid down in traffic on it,
let, let us have this shot.
And that was August of 2020.
What?
Hold on.
Am I, do I have this?
No, that was August of 2022, right?
Two, three, four, five.
Yeah, we've done four football seasons together.
That was August of 2022.
And
I believe by August of 2023,
me Wilds and Brew along with Coach and Greg,
and the amazing folks who work on the show behind the scenes
have the best show on Sports TV.
And that's why being nominated for that award was so gratifying.
I understand there's been a half hour of self-indulgence,
but the lesson that there is a real lesson there,
which is if,
if you feel ownership over something,
and I listen,
I try to be very consistent,
and I'm being very honest,
about this is a collaborative effort,
but I feel real ownership over this show.
We are all equal partners in it,
but it's why when we were moving to the afternoons,
the other thing that I was adamant about is don't change the name.
They were like, yeah, but we named it first things first,
because it's a morning show.
I'm like, don't change the name.
Let us keep it.
Because I felt a real connection to it.
But if you feel real ownership over something,
and in your core, you know what the right call is,
be willing to put some stakes to it.
Going along to get along can be smart in certain instances,
accumulating good coworker, good colleague,
not being a pain in the ass chips along the way,
is super valuable,
because I had never once played a,
let me have this one card,
and I've only played it once really since then.
I mean, that's the only time that I've played it,
I should say since then.
And it's the greatest thing ever happened in the show.
Brew is perfect.
He works as hard as anyone in the business.
He is funny.
He is never in a bad mood.
And he is just the greatest guy to be around.
The greatest guy.
We've never had a real fight ever.
KW is one of the smartest television,
sports television creators ever.
He created really good shows,
was behind the scenes,
has all these amazing instincts,
and then like we've had this awesome group of people
behind the scenes.
Matt Katanic was our original executive producer.
He then moved on to breakfast ball.
He then moved on to other stuff a couple of years ago.
Sam Pepper was the brains behind the show for years.
He then left,
and now is the brains behind the manning cast.
And two guys who have been with the show,
the only people who have been with the show from day one,
as far as producers,
not like Christine and Wardrobe and Danielle.
My wife and Wardrobe have been there from day one.
But the people who put the TV show together
have been there from day one.
Me,
guy named Stephen Hubbard and Dustin Wade.
Dusty started as my researcher,
and now is the producer of the show,
and Hub started as,
I don't know, an AP,
like a low-level producer,
and now is an executive at the company,
and the executive producer
of the whole afternoon block.
We've been working together for eight and a half years,
the three of us.
And,
and so I,
again, maybe this is a bad use of time,
and maybe people have skipped ahead or they've tuned out.
However,
I don't know if we're going to win.
I do know
that nominated for that best sports studio show, Emmy,
is ESPN's flagship NBA show,
ESPN's flagship NFL show,
ESPN's flagship,
this is where all the biggest guests in the world go.
Radio slash YouTube slash TV show and McAfee,
and sports center,
the defining sports highlight show
of, you know,
in television history,
those four shows
and us.
And I am,
I'm really, really, really proud of it.
And it is a gratifying thing every day
to work on something
where so many people work so hard,
and I didn't mention all the behind-the-scenes folks
because I've terrified that I will, you know,
mention nine of ten and leave someone out.
And,
but people work really hard
and people care,
and it's just really gratifying to work on something
that you feel like is good,
and I feel like it's good.
And,
I don't think we,
not I don't think.
I know the only way first things first
is ever nominated for anything
is if it's me,
wilds, and brew out there doing it.
And,
I'm really, really, really grateful
to all of you guys or my partners.
Deeply grateful.
Today's show is brought to you by our
presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet,
Florida's Sportsbook.
If your bracket's already busted,
you're not alone,
but don't worry.
You can still call the next big upset
and turn your picks into payday
on Hard Rock Bet.
All tournament long,
Hard Rock Bet is rolling out
daily dance and boosts,
featuring a live profit boost
and a parlay profit boost every single day.
That's more ways to shoot your shot
and cash in with boosted odds.
And, you know those heart-stopping
zero on the clock moments?
Now they pay.
Hard Rock Bet is giving out $25 bonus bets
throughout the tournament
if a team you bet to win or cover
hits a buzzer beater.
If you haven't joined Hard Rock Bet yet,
now's the time to check in the game.
New signups can double their winnings
on their first 10 bets max $50.
That means if you would have won
$100 on your bet,
now it's $200.
So, sit on the bench,
download the Hard Rock Bet app today
and let's get the party started.
Payable and bonus bets.
Not a cash offer.
Offered by the Seminal Tribe of Florida in Florida,
offered by Seminal Hard Rock Digital LLC
and all other states must be 21 plus
and physically present in Arizona,
Colorado, Florida, Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio,
Tennessee, or Virginia to play.
Terms and conditions apply.
Concerned about gambling in Florida,
call 1-8-3-3-play-wise
in Indiana if you or someone you know
is gambling problem and wants help,
call 1-8-109 with it,
gambling problem,
call 1-8-100 gambler,
Arizona, Colorado,
Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio,
Tennessee, Virginia.
All right, two truths in the lie.
Here we go.
I went to college
with college football coach Jim McElwain.
I began my broadcasting career
doing play by play for the Las Vegas stars
and I've been a Verizon customer for 15 years.
Okay, I lied.
All three are true.
A Verizon isn't as expensive as you think.
In fact, if you bring in your AT&T or T-Mobile bill
to a Verizon store,
they'll give you a better deal.
That's right,
a better deal on the best network
with the most ways to save on plans,
streaming and phone deals.
So take that AT&T or T-Mobile bill
to your local Verizon store today.
Get a better deal and start saving.
Based on route metrics,
best overall mobile network performance,
US second half, 2025.
All right, it's reserved.
Must provide a recent consumer mobile bill
in the name of the person redeeming the deal.
Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.
Support for the show comes from public.
The investing platform for those who take it seriously.
On public,
you can build a multi-asset portfolio
of stock,
bonds, options, crypto,
and now generated assets,
which allow you to turn any idea
into an investable index with AI.
It all starts with your prompt.
From renewable energy companies
with high free cash flow
to semiconductor suppliers
growing revenue over 20% year over year,
you can literally type any prompt
and put the AI to work.
It screens thousands of stocks,
builds a one-of-a-kind index,
and lets you backtest it against the S&P 500.
Then, you can invest in a few clicks.
Generated assets are like ETFs
with infinite possibilities,
completely customizable,
and based on your thesis,
not someone else's.
Go to public.com slash podcast,
and earn an uncapped 1% bonus
when you transfer your portfolio.
That's public.com slash podcast,
paid for by public investing,
brokerage services by open
to the public investing ink,
member Finra and SIPC.
Advisory services by public advisors LLC,
SEC registered advisor.
Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool.
Output is for informational purposes only,
and is not an investment recommendation or advice.
Complete disclosures available
at public.com slash disclosures.
Wasn't that delicious?
So good.
Your bill, ladies?
I got it.
No, I got it.
Seriously, I insist.
I insist at first.
I don't be silly.
You don't be silly.
People with the Wells Fargo Active Cash
credit card prefer to pay
because they earn unlimited 2% cash
rewards on purchases.
Okay, Rock Paper Scissors for it.
Rock Paper Scissors shoot.
No!
The Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card.
Visit Wells Fargo.com slash Active Cash,
terms apply.
So when we made his case for MVP
after the game in a presser,
and here's what he had to say.
My first one would be that
defense is 50% of the game
and that is undervalued.
So far in the MVP race,
second argument would be
that we almost swept
OKC in the season,
and we dominated him.
My third argument would be that
offense impact is not just points.
Okay.
So before I even get to
the actual merits of his point,
what do you like,
dislike, or your ambivalent
demands a, on him,
stumping for, I know he
was asked the question.
He was asked what are your three point,
but that he is stumping for himself
to win MVP.
I, I actually like it
because I feel like some guys
probably go the opposite way
and they might feel on the met
and themselves that they should be
MVP and might not be saying it.
And I think Wimvy deserves it.
I like it.
Oh, so you think he is the MVP?
Oh, yeah, I'd say that's pretty fair to say.
And I also just like Wimvy.
Yeah.
And you don't like,
you don't like the thunder.
Okay.
So let me go through his points
because
Brue and I got into a more heated
than is typical for our show,
argument discussion,
whatever, yesterday about
kind of Luca versus Wimvy.
And
the first point people make
is the one he made,
which is defense is half the game.
And that sounds smart
and that sounds correct,
except for the fact that
when it comes to winning MVP of the league,
defense is not
and has never been half the game.
And when it comes to
individual impact,
a player can have,
it has never been
and should not be
50% defense, 50% offense.
This is evidenced by
the entire history of awards voting
up to an including,
the awards we have to give out.
We have the All-MBA team,
the 15 best players in the league,
and then a supplemental
all defense team.
You know what we don't have?
The All-Off defense team.
You know why?
Because they're like,
yeah, that pretty much
just be the All-MBA team.
We have the
most valuable player award,
and then a supplemental award,
called defensive player of the year.
You know what we don't have?
Offensive player of the year,
because that would be redundant
to MVP almost every season.
Furthermore, just this century,
we have had
damn near 10
MVP seasons
by objectively
bad defensive players.
Yeah.
Both Steve Nash years.
Dirk's year.
Some would argue
Russell Westbrook's year.
Certainly James Hardin's year.
Steph's years.
At least one or two of
Joker's years.
Certainly the first one.
So now, those are all again,
varying levels of bad defenders.
Yeah.
But they are at best.
Me, Joker's gotten way better defensively.
I should say, by the way,
somewhere from mediocre
to a Nash's case,
downright damaging.
Steph's first year.
He was, they were a great defense
despite him.
His first year winning MVP.
Now, let me go ahead and ask folks
this question.
This century or any century.
How many league MVP's have we had
where they're downright bad offensive players?
The answer is none.
It is not how we,
now, when he's saying he thinks
that's a flaw in the system.
Yeah.
And when he's defense is so sensational
that maybe it bends the rules a bit
on impact.
And individual defensive player
can have on the offense.
He also affects the offensive side
pretty well too though.
Right?
Does he not?
So, so that's what I want to discuss here
because this is where brew and I
got into it a bit.
Okay.
But let me stay on the defense just for a second
and then I'll get there.
Okay.
So I do agree when it comes to a team
winning the championship.
Defense is as important as offense.
And history backs that up.
And in fact,
a truly elite,
elite defense has been as big
if not slightly bigger historical
signifier of championship chances
than an elite offense.
And so, team wise,
I agree with that take.
The distinction is one singular talent.
Can impact a team's offense
more than one singular talent
can impact a team's defense.
And again,
Wimby might actually be changing
those rules in real time.
Like his ability,
he might be an unprecedented defensive performer
with defensive impact.
And then we get to Wimby's offense.
Which is where
I am not comfortable
for someone we have never seen
do it.
Assign them the ability
or the credit for doing things
they don't do.
It's one thing
when Kevin Durant goes to Golden State.
People like, well,
he could be averaging 30 plus.
It's like, well, yeah,
we've seen him do it a bunch.
Wimby averages 24 points
and 3 assists again.
And folks seem to want
to say, yeah,
but he could average 30.
It's just not how the spurs do things.
Okay, I'm not,
I am not going to say
that you get to have everything
when it comes to your MVP argument.
And by that, I mean this.
Folks seem to believe
that the spurs
as brew puts an egalitarian style
of basketball
is what's best for their ability
to win games.
Okay,
so if Wimby took more shots,
maybe they would have a slightly worse record.
He shouldn't get the MVP boost
from the better record
that is caused by the style they play.
And then also a boost of
but hypothetically,
he could be averaging more points.
Unless in that hypothetical,
we're also going to draw away
a few of the wins.
That's first point.
Second point is this.
I don't know
if Wimby would be
quite as impactful defensively
if they added to his offensive workload.
So what I'm not comfortable with is saying,
we know if he were
taking way more shots
and playing more minutes,
he would be played a play
as dominant defensively
because what we have seen from every player
across league history
as their offensive workload increases,
their defensive impact
tends to decrease a bit.
Quylinner is a great example.
Quylinner's best defensive seasons
were before he became
the team's number one offensive option.
And it is,
now Tim Duncan would be the argument
as to a guy who won MVP's
without gaudy offensive numbers.
I would argue MVP Duncan
was a better offensive player
than Wimby is at the moment.
But I don't think right now
Victor Wimby Nyama
as great as he is.
And again,
I'm not trying to be the anti Wimby guy.
But it does seem like
there is a bit of a
long way to go.
There is a touch.
Just a touch.
It feels like it is an ongoing
contest for Wimby hyperbole
at the moment.
And so here is the question
that I would have.
And this is where
one of the arguments
grew when I got in yesterday.
I don't think Wimby
is a better offensive player.
I don't think he is one
of the ten best offensive players
in the sport yet.
Doesn't mean he won't be.
But I think,
and I'm going to do this off top
my head,
I think Shay is a better offensive player.
I think Joker is a better offensive player.
I think Lucas is a better offensive player.
I think Steph Curry is a better offensive player.
I think Devon Booker
is a better offensive player.
I think Donovan Mitchell
is a better offensive player.
I think if we're going to give him
a sum he gets back to himself,
I think Jason Tatum
is a better offensive player.
I think Kate Cunningham
is a better offensive player.
The one I threw out yesterday
that Bruce lost his mind on,
but I thought it was like
I was shocked it was so much pushback.
I think Tyrese Halliburton
is a better offensive player.
And I think we're seeing
how much of that offensive
was relying on him.
But even if you want to take Tyrese out,
who am I?
Oh, Jalen Brunson.
I think is a better offensive player.
And I am not saying
Wimby won't get there.
I am not saying Wimby
maybe he is already there
and we're just not seeing it.
But what I'm not comfortable with is saying,
he gets credit for things he has not done.
He is not doing
and he has not yet done.
And so,
I think that if I were right now voting
for League MVP,
my ballot would go.
Number one, Shay.
Number two, Luca.
Number three, Wimby.
Number four, Joker.
Number five, Cade.
But Cade's going to fall off
for eligibility.
So Jalen Brown would take his spot.
That's what my...
And again, if we want...
So I guess right now technically,
I've Cade five, Jalen Brown six,
Jalen Brunson seven
is how I would stack it
and he's going to lose out on the spot.
Um...
But...
there are...
people are so fascinated
by what Wimby is already doing
that we're doing some weird
psych...
psychological things on.
So...
Go ahead.
It is...it is most valuable player,
like you say,
Wimby's averaging 24
and 3, 23 and 3 right now.
SGA's averaging 31 and 6.
I think it is most valuable player.
I think that with Witt,
Wimby does on offense
and the amount of shots that he affects
on defense, I think together,
it makes him the most valuable player.
Like, in my opinion.
I think that's how I think of it.
So I get that.
And I...
No, no.
I totally understand that.
What I'm saying is,
I think we have...
Wimby is...
but statistically,
the exact same guy he was last year.
Last year is 24, 11 and 3.
This year is 24, 11 and 3.
Efficiency is the same.
I guess you can argue
he got better defensively
but it feels like he has been
basically the best defender
in the league since the moment
he walked into the league.
Um...
And...
To me, the big difference
is the Spurs team
around him
has gotten so much better.
Now we can...
Now...
The Spurs defense,
he is the sun, the moon, and the stars for that.
I don't feel that way about their offense.
I don't think like Wimby's presence
dramatically makes
Deer and Fox a better offensive player.
Or the...
Harper and Castle
are blue chip guys.
And so...
And I think it is
noteworthy that they're 10 and 5
in the 15 games he hasn't played.
It's not...
Again, I'm not negging his case
but it's not as if
they fall apart entirely
without him.
And so if we are...
I...
The...
The guy who...
by eye test
the team is...
team is absolutely most reliant on
to be anything
is Joker.
Now they actually went on...
I think they did decent the time he missed.
Um...
It feels like everything revolves
around him entirely.
And I'm not...
It just feels like people
are pressing fast forward
and have been throughout Wimby's career.
I, in the, you know,
my pal Bill Simmons
yesterday on his pod
for a reason I still don't
totally understand
did a...
Wimby's in year three.
But I want to compare him to all of the best
year two's ever.
And part of...
Now I understood
why he wanted to do that
um...
when it came to
Duncan and Karim, guys who played
four years in college.
But...
like LeBron was younger than Wimby
when he came out of school.
And LeBron in year three
was second in the MVP race
and averaged 31 points a game.
Younger than Wimby is right now
took a team to the NBA Finals.
And so
the
Jordan in his rookie year
rookie year
Michael Jordan was 28
again.
Jordan's year two, he got hurt.
Jordan's year three, averaged 37.
So like...
I do think...
So you feel silly about like Josh Allen
you think similar thing is being done
but...
This is actually very different than Allen
because Allen was not this
phenom like this
this start for Wimby before he was drafted.
Um...
This was you know
Woj saying people think
by his third year
he can be the best offensive
and defensive player in the league.
And again
offensively
I think he's a real...
He's a great offensive player
I don't.
I think he's a really good offensive player
far and away the best defensive
player in the league.
And if that is enough to make him
league in VP on a two-seed
so be it. Like I don't think it's outrageous
to say his league in VP.
What I am saying is
this
because a lot of this has come up
in the Luca
MVP discussion.
The defense has half the game
and for the MVP award
no it is not
and it never has been
and the last five guys
to win defensive
player of the year
did not you know
got a combined
the five guys one defensive player of the year
got a combined
one
fifth place
MVP vote between the five guys
if defense were half the game
when it comes to voting
for MVP then
they be so I just
I don't think that is how
it's been done
and so there's my
30 minutes on
Wimbee and the MVP award
boost mobile
proving you don't have to overpay for great wireless
unlock the savings
with $25 a month forever
unlimited plan.
You can keep the price
with no contracts
and no price
you can keep your phone
in your number
but you save up to $600
a year compared to the major carrier.
Stop overpaying
and switch to a fair price
at boostmobile.com today
based on average
annual single line payment
of AT&T rising and
T-bone world customers
all right
two truths in the
lie here we go.
I went to college
with college football coach Jim
McElwain. I began my
broadcasting career doing play by play
for the Las Vegas stars
and I've been a Verizon customer
for 15 years.
Okay I lied all three are
true. A Verizon isn't as expensive as
you think. In fact, if you bring
in your AT&T or T-Mobile
and phone deals
so take that AT&T or T-Mobile
build your local Verizon store
today get a better deal
and start saving.
Based on route metrics
best overall mobile network
performance US second half
2025 all right reserve must provide
recent consumer mobile bill
and the name of the person
redeeming the deal.
Additional terms, conditions, and
restrictions apply.
Support for the show comes from public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stock
spots, options, crypto, and now
generated assets which allow you to turn
any idea into an investable index
with AI. It all starts with your prompt
from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers
growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt
and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index
and lets you backtest it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks.
Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities
completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com
slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio.
That's public.com slash podcast. Paid for by public investing, brokerage services
by open to the public investing ink, member Finra and SIPC. Advisory services by public advisors
LLC, SEC registered advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only
and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures.
Wasn't that delicious? So good.
I got it. No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I insist at first.
Oh, don't be silly. You don't be silly.
People with the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card prefer to pay because they
earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Okay. Rock pay per scissors for it.
Rock pay per scissors shoot. No!
The Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.com slash
Active Cash. Terms apply.
So, Yokech had a near 2020 in 20 game. Murray went over 50.
Where would you rank these guys on the list of duos over the NBA?
So, here's the thing. I mean, we're talking about like contemporary right now.
They're obviously as good as anybody.
Historically, here's what I'll say about Yokech and Murray.
It's hard to rank them anywhere historically because Murray is simply not
consistently that caliber of player to where he, all of the great,
the truly great duos that we talk about.
We have a legend and an all time great.
And whether that's Magic and Worthy, Burnham and Kale, Jordan and Pippin,
Shack and Kobe, that's two legends there.
Duncan and Tony or Duncan and Manu.
Bronn and Wade, Bronn and Kyrie, Stefan Clay, Katie and Stefan.
Jamal Murray, when Jamal Murray is rolling like he was last night,
they are, they look as good as anybody ever.
He's just not consistently that guy.
And it's a testament to Joker's greatness.
And I'm not, listen, Jamal Murray scored 50 last night against the tanking maps.
I'm not taking anything away from the guy.
But I don't, I don't look at them as anything close to an all time great duo.
Now, maybe they peeled the title this year from the four of the five line.
Maybe we look at them differently.
But right now, I don't look at them like that.
I know you have another Joker question.
Oh, yes. So he's gone 60, 50 and 50 over his last three games.
Are we forgetting about him in the MVP race, you think?
Listen, I don't, I think I have him fourth.
I know a lot of people have him third over Luca.
I would like to just, if I may for a moment, make the Luca.
Well, let me talk Joker and then I'm going to pull up this Luca note.
Okay.
Are we a little numb to Joker's consistent offensive excellence?
Sure. I think that's fair.
Has, because he has been.
So it's not like he's short on accolades.
The guy's got three MVP's.
Okay. He's got the same number of MVP's is Larry Bird.
He's one short of LeBron.
So he's not a guy that was like, well, you know, he's disrespect.
He's disrespected far from it.
He is to a point in his career where there is not much to do other than win more.
And that's why, that's why we are somewhat numb to these crazy numbers.
And speaking of being numb to the numbers,
Luca just averaged 40 a game on a road, a six plus game road trip.
That has not been done since Michael Jordan 40 years ago.
40 a game over a six game road trip.
Last guy to do it, Jordan in 1986.
Luca also is going to average 33 plus on a 50 win team.
And this is where I will get a little upset, so to speak.
I'm going to say in the last 60 years.
Here are the guys who averaged 33 or more on a 50 win team and their MVP finish.
Wilt in 1966, he won it.
I want to make sure I'm right about that.
Yeah, of course I am.
Wilt in 66, 33 and a half a game on a 50 win sixers team, he won it.
Kareem in year two, 35 a game on a box team that went on to win the title.
He won the MVP.
Jordan in 88, 35 a game on a 50 win bulls team.
He won the MVP.
Jordan in 90, 33 a game on a 50 plus win bulls team, he came in second.
James Harden, 36 a game on a 50 plus win rockets team in 2019.
He came in second as the defending league MVP.
So Jordan and Harden, when you first said I was like James Harden didn't do it recently.
No, he did it in 2019.
Yeah, he came in second and voting, but he had won it the previous year.
Jordan did it in 90 after doing it in 88 and winning MVP there.
Joellen Bied in 2023, averaged 33 a game for a 50 plus win sixers team, he won it.
So we have in the last 60 years, will Kareem Michael and in B won the MVP for 33 plus on a 50 win team.
Jordan came in second another time when he had already won an MVP.
Harden came in second when he had already won an MVP.
And then Lucodonchich, two years ago, 34 a game on a 50 win team, came in a distant third,
four first place votes out of a hundred, four.
And Lucodonchich this year, who people think is going to finish third or maybe even fourth.
Every other person to do this, this high volume of scoring on this good of a team,
either as won the MVP or coming second and the guys who came in second had already won an MVP's,
except for Luca, who did it once already before.
And that year came in third and MVP voting, but it was 79 votes.
Yochich, 15 Shay, four for Luca.
And Luca this year, who people think is going to finish either a distant third or fourth,
probably with only two or three first place votes for it.
I think that's, I think we are approaching a bit of lunacy when it comes to recognizing his utter and complete dominance as an offensive player.
And I think we've overstated. Here's the thing, is Luca a good defender? No.
Do the Lakers, does the Lakers defense go from an average defense with Luke on the court to a horrific defense with Luke off the court?
115 versus 121? They do.
So I just, I, Luca's going to average 33 a game on a 50 plus win team and nobody cares about me. It's weird.
Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T-Mobile bill to a Verizon store today and will give you a better deal.
So bring us your bill. Walk in, run in, pogo, stick in, teleport if you can.
Right on the back of a roller-blading yacker, fly in on the wings of a majestic Falcon.
Any way you can, bring your AT&T or T-Mobile bill to a Verizon store today and will give you a better deal on the best network.
Based on root metrics, best overall mobile network performance, U.S. 2nd, half 2025.
All right, deserved. Must provide a very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal,
additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.
At CVS, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it.
It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night, and we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded.
It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescriptions and here to fill your craving for a tasty and, yeah, healthy snack.
At CVS, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters.
So visit us at CVS.com or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you.
Store hours buried by location.
With the Venmo debit card, a taco in one hand and ordering a ride in the other means you're stacking your rewards.
Nice. Get up to 5% cash back with Venmo stash on your favorite brands when you pay with your Venmo debit card.
From take out to ride shares, entertainment and more. Pick a bundle with your go-to's and start earning cash back at those brands.
Do more stash, get more cash.
Venmo stash bundle terms and exclusions apply. See terms at Venmo.me slash stash terms max $100 cash back per month.
If you're a maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility and your machinery isn't working right,
Granger knows you need to understand what's wrong as soon as possible.
So when a conveyor motor falters, Granger offers diagnostic tools like calibration kits and multimeters to help you identify and fix the problem.
With Granger, you can be confident you have everything you need to keep your facility running smoothly.
Call 1800 Granger, click ranger.com or just stop by. Granger are the ones who get it done.
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
What's Wright? with Nick Wright



