Thoughtless entertainment permeates and often dominates the culture, but viewers are getting exactly what it wants. That's why in the world of reality television, especially sports, so many empty calories are served by podcasts billed as “live” and “unfiltered” that highlight former NBA players sought out from obscurity. It has been. But tensions arise when prominent former pros keep NBA discussions at the most basic and understandable level.
The NBA conversation, driven by former NBA players, can sometimes feel like the thinnest thing in sports. It's not like the NFL. This league has a thinker in Ryan Clark leading the conversation. In addition to his football analysis on ESPN, Clark joins other former pros on his podcast, “The Pivot,” where you can explore the mind and humanity beyond the X's and O's. Also, Barstool's sports affiliate “Bushin' With the Boys” seems to target a specific peer demographic, while Will's Compton and Taylor's Louwan shows discuss the finer points of football. also provides interesting background. Even Pat McAfee's show has more content than you might imagine. McAfee doesn't let his buddy Aaron Rodgers get too excited about his platform, so he puts on a show with smart football insiders.
Former NFL pros seem to talk more about their league than the NBA. Back in 2021, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma expressed this very sentiment on social media.
“The maturity of NFL players turned analysts is far greater than NBA players in their ability to talk about and analyze the sport they respect. Too many clowns are thirsty. They understand the sport. “It helps to do that,” he said. tweeted.
While the OGs of the NBA on TNT crew made Thursday night doubleheaders more entertaining, they also inspired far too many imitators to emulate the show's casual candor. became. We can all laugh together when Charles Barkley gets all the guesses right in the season opener, “Who Are You Playing For?” segment. he is joking. Barkley has the self-deprecating humility of a clumsy uncle but also the dignity of a Hall of Famer. He is still respected. But many of today's professional-turned-podcasters abandon their dignity while reaching for a viral punchline.
I'm sure that's exactly what viewers watching NBA conversations want. Jeff Teague harnessed the power of behind-the-scenes storytelling to create his popular podcast. But it's hard to judge whether he actually peppers the show with content since the only topics that get attention are those related to when he was a benchwarmer or his professional misfortunes. It's difficult to do. “I hate” my team. Gilbert Arenas, who was known as the class clown during his playing days, has a podcast. Sometimes it stays on the rail. Other times, not so much. Recently, Arenas shared his own idea to fix NBA defenses, but to everyone's surprise, it sparked controversy.
“Eliminate all Europeans,” he said. “Go to college and learn defense. Where do Europeans go to college? They don't go to college at all. They don't have the athleticism. They don't have the speed or the jumping ability. . They're a defensive liability.”
There are other NBA-focused podcasts, including one by JJ Redick, who hates hot takes. Current players such as Draymond Green and Paul George will give talk shows. But it's the podcasts that feature the loosest lips and loudest gags that NBA fans admire most. This is the landscape Wall is entering, and the landscape he can help grow.
Although Wall has recorded only a few episodes, he has relied on his history to carry the format forward. Interviewer CJ Toledano provides the conversation, and the show begins with the hottest basketball stories of the week. Wall can speak as an authority because not only has he played the game at the highest level, but he enjoys it like a master's student. When I covered Wall, he was a nightmare to transcribe – the words came pouring out of his mouth at warp speed – but he was fun to talk to. teeth An avid observer of all things basketball. High school, college, girls — if it's TV, the walls are watching.
So, on the March 5th episode, when Toledano asked the 2010 No. 1 NBA Draft pick, Caitlin Clark, the presumptive No. 1 pick in this year's WNBA Draft, how she would adapt to the professional game, Wall You should listen to what she said you think she is. She'll be more ready than she was at 19.
Later in the show, as John Calipari talked about his time coaching Wall at Kentucky, a light lit up the point guard's face. They talked about how Wildcats teammate DeMarcus Cousins was a handful (shocking!), how the players needed a police escort to leave the arena, and the University of Kentucky. During his first few days there, Wall talked about how he wanted to quit because the conditioning was too tough.
Wall looks more at ease in this segment. So if NBA audiences really want stories from former stars rather than pure analysis, Wall could succeed by peeling back the layers of his own experience. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear the details of the night that marked the beginning of the end, when he slipped on the bathroom floor and ruptured his Achilles tendon? Who wouldn't want to know his take on Twitter's theory that he played better than Wall?
But the measure of his life is not just sordid. My colleague Michael Lee covered the Wizards from the 2004-05 season and 2009-2014, so he told us the story behind this guy, including Wall's scouting for Reebok and Allen Iverson's exploits. I know the details. Eventually, the partnership with Reebok was dissolved. Wall was able to share the truth about what happened on his podcast.
Lee was around when Wall started his career with Arenas, Nick Young, JaVale McGee and Andrei Blatche. The wall could probably be filled with stories from that time for hours. Around the same time, when his beloved mother Frances Pulley was still his biggest source of inspiration, Lee covered The Wall. In 2019, Pulley passed away from cancer. Wall has already revealed how much her death affected him, and he had a chance to open up even more on this show.
“Points Games” may vary, as can hosts. John Wall was a flashy ballplayer who loved being a star, but he also showed his big heart. And although he is a flawed man, he is genuine enough that people can empathize with him and root for him. While one show may not be able to force all of his NBA-focused podcasts to grow, Wall's show could heighten discussion.
