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  • Episode #41: Tracking the NBA's "Best Player in the World" Since 1991 | ft. Sam Quinn, NBA Reporter at CBS Sports
    2026/03/09

    Who was the best player in the world each year in the NBA?

    In this episode of Once Upon a Dribble, Josh is joined by CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn to explore a fun historical thought experiment: the unofficial “Best Player in the World Championship Belt.”

    Instead of ranking players all-time, we track the league’s true crown year-by-year asking when the belt clearly belonged to one superstar and when it was up for grabs.

    We discuss:

    • Michael Jordan’s dominance in the 90s

    • Shaq vs. Duncan in the early 2000s

    • Kobe’s peak years

    • When LeBron truly took the crown

    • Steph, Kawhi, Giannis, Jokic and the modern era debate

    Along the way we dig into the messiest transition seasons, controversial belt holders, and the players who came closest without ever holding the title.


    Once Upon a Dribble is a basketball history & ideas podcast focused on context over hot takes.

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    1 時間 24 分
  • OUD Notebook #2: The 2011 NBA MVP Race Revisited
    2026/02/17

    Once Upon a Dribble — 2011 NBA MVP Revisited

    (Notebook episodes are short 15-30 minute solo entries where I give quick hitter context, insight and narrative to various NBA topics)

    Was Derrick Rose the right MVP in 2011?

    In this episode, we revisit one of the most debated MVP races of the modern era, looking at the full top 10 and the context that shaped the vote.

    From Chicago’s resurgence to the backlash against LeBron after “The Decision,” this season was about narrative, team success, fatigue, and timing.

    We walk through:

    • The biggest storylines of the 2010–11 season

    • A brief look at spots 10–6

    • Deep dives into Rose, Dwight, LeBron, Kobe, and KD

    • And whether history still agrees with the final vote

    Let's dive in!

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    19 分
  • OUD Notebook #1 - The Rise, Fall, and Refinement of Heliocentric Offense - From Wilt to Magic to LeBron to Jokic... and Everyone In Between
    2026/01/09

    Once Upon a Dribble — What does “heliocentric” actually mean?

    (Notebook episodes are short 15-30 minute solo entries where I give quick hitter context, insight and narrative to various NBA topics)

    It’s not just ball dominance. It’s not just usage.
    And it’s definitely not new.

    In this Once Upon a Dribble: Notebook episode, Josh traces how heliocentrism evolved. From Wilt and Kareem, to Magic and Jordan, to LeBron, Harden, Luka, and Jokic... and why the league may actually be refining it, not abandoning it.

    (01:37) The Pre-Heliocentric Era - '50s-70s

    (07:59) The First True Heliocentric Prototypes - MJ and Magic

    (13:15) Modern Heliocentrism = Creation Load - LeBron, Harden, Luka, Jokic

    (19:13) The Current State of Heliocentrism

    (21:30) 3 Misconceptions about Heliocentric Basketball

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    25 分
  • Bonus Series! Conference Finals MVPs: Part 10 - Western Conference 2010-21, the Warriors Dynastic Run, San Antonio's Brilliance, OKC's Dynamos Fall Short, Kobe's Last Run, LeBron Out West and MORE!
    2025/11/14

    Today we finish with part 10 of a 10-part series at Once Upon a Dribble!

    During the 2022 playoffs the NBA began awarding MVP awards to the best performing player of each conference finals: the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award, named for the two players credited for building the league up to greater popularity in the 1980s.

    This begs the question, with the award just being handed out for the first time last season, who are the deserving winners from the previous 50+ years of NBA history? Find out today as Josh tackles the Western Conference in the 2010s!


    2010: Los Angeles Lakers vs Phoenix Suns - Kobe Bryant (02:49)

    2011: Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder - Dirk Nowitzki (09:13)

    2012: Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs - Kevin Durant (14:22)

    2013: Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs - Tony Parker (20:01)

    2014: Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs - Tim Duncan (25:12)

    2015: Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets - Stephen Curry (30:51)

    2016: Golden State Warriors vs Oklahoma City Thunder - Stephen Curry (36:34)

    2017: Golden State Warriors vs San Antoni Spurs - Stephen Curry (41:54)

    2018: Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets - Kevin Durant (48:16)

    2019: Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers - Stephen Curry (54:16)

    2020: Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers - LeBron James (01:00:01)

    2021: Los Angeles Clippers vs Phoenix Suns - Chris Paul (01:09:53)

    Recap/Outro: (01:16:27)


    Thank you all who enjoyed and listened to this series!

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    1 時間 19 分
  • Episode #40: Mr. 51st, the Human Highlight Film, Dominique WIlkins
    2025/08/31

    When you really break it down, the whole history of the NBA is still a relatively short amount of time. At 79 years old, there are still many people around who have a living memory of the first NBA season.


    The league celebrated 50 years in 1996, with a special reveal of the top 50 players of all-time up to that point, as voted on by media, former player, general managers, and other notable figures.


    For the first 50 years of the league, there were several individuals who were obvious locks to make the top-50. Michael, Kareem, Larry, Dr. J and many others easily made the list... but what if we told you that a 9-time All-Star, who at the time sat on 8th on the NBA’s all time scoring list did not make the top 50?


    In today’s episode, we take the NBA time machine back to the 80s and 90s, and explore the life and times of one of basketball’s most underrated players of all time, the one and only Dominique Wilkins.

    00:00 Introduction

    03:43 Early Life, College Years and the Draft

    13:41 Superstar Rising - 1982-90

    24:50 Achilles Tear and The Trade

    35:40 The Twilight Years - Gone Overseas?

    45:10 The Legacy of Mr. 51st

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    50 分
  • Episode #39: No Country for Old Jazzmen - The Highs and Lows of the Stockton and Malone Utah Jazz
    2025/07/18

    On April 19, 2020, ESPN and Netflix released a landmark documentary series that was over two decades in the making, chronicling a behind the scenes look at the supremacy of Michael Jordan’s last years in Chicago. As Americans and people all across the globe were settling into an entirely new life of pandemic quarantine madness, The Last Dance was a much needed escape, and a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of the most popular figures in the history of sports.


    But lost in the spectacle of MJ’s unprecedented greatness, and ultimately reduced to something little more than a footnote in the pages of NBA history, the Utah Jazz came away emptied handed again and again, despite fielding a team that likely could have hoisted a championship banner, had they played in any other era.


    Led by a dynamic duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone, two players who still stand among the top 10 of all time at their respective positions, the Jazz had spent much of the late 80s and 90s just on the cusp of taking those final steps into championship glory. But always for one reason or another, the stars never perfectly aligned for the team from Utah, and Stockton and Malone would find themselves forever on another and far less desirable all-time list: as some of the best players to never win a ring.


    In today’s episode, we take the NBA time machine back to the 1990s, and explore the rise and fall of the team that tried and failed to steal the last dance, and find out just what went wrong for the Utah Jazz.

    This is Once Upon a Dribble!


    (04:30) The Foundation - Background on the '80s Jazz

    (18:14) The Slow Climb - The Ups and Downs of the Early and Mid '90s

    (41:29) The 1996-97 Utah Jazz season

    (01:08:56) The 1997-98 Utah Jazz


    Copyright Disclaimer: - Under section 107 of the copyright Act 1976, allowance is mad for FAIR USE for purpose such a as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statues that might otherwise be infringing. Non- Profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of FAIR USE.

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    1 時間 32 分
  • Bonus Series! Conference Finals MVPs: Part 9 - Eastern Conference 2010-21, King James Reigns From South Beach to Cleveland, Kawhi's Terminator Run, PG 13's Pacers, the Boston Jay's Breakout and MORE!
    2025/06/25

    Today we continue in part 9 of a 10-part series at Once Upon a Dribble!

    During the 2022 playoffs the NBA began awarding MVP awards to the best performing player of each conference finals: the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award, named for the two players credited for building the league up to greater popularity in the 1980s.

    This begs the question, with the award just being handed out for the first time last season, who are the deserving winners from the previous 50+ years of NBA history? Find out today as Josh tackles the Eastern Conference in the 2010s!


    2010: Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic - Paul Pierce (03:10)

    2011: Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls - LeBron James (11:35)

    2012: Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics - LeBron James (20:03)

    2013: Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers- LeBron James (28:33)

    2014: Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers- LeBron James (36:04)

    2015: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks- LeBron James (42:35)

    2016: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors- LeBron James (49:28)

    2017: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics- LeBron James (54:39)

    2018: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics- LeBron James (01:00:22)

    2019: Toronto Raptors vs Milwaukee Bucks- Kawhi Leonard (01:11:11)

    2020: Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics- Bam Adebayo (01:19:35)

    2021: Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks- Khris Middleton (01:28:16)

    Recap/Outro: (01:37:04)

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    1 時間 39 分
  • Episode #38: "I'm Going To Take My Talents To South Beach", the LeBron Heat Years
    2025/05/29

    (04:48) What led to the Decision? The Breaking Point in Cleveland

    (26:00) The Villain Season - 2010-11

    (53:48) Redemption, "It's About Damn Time" - 2011-12(01:10:54) Supernova, Back-To-Back - 2012-13

    (01:32:00) The Burnout - 2013-14


    July 8th, 2010. A 25-year-old phenom sat across from Jim Gray… and set the basketball world on fire.
    "'I’m going to take my talents to South Beach.'"

    Seven words that shattered Cleveland... united superstars... and turned a beloved MVP into the NBA's greatest villain overnight.
    This is the story of The Heatles. Of dominance. Of legacy. And of how one decision changed the course of basketball history.
    But before the championships, before the 27-game win streak, before the redemption...
    There was heartbreak.
    There was pressure.
    And there was a reason he had to leave.

    From Cleveland’s collapse… to South Beach’s rise… to the fall in 2014—this is the LeBron Miami saga, as you've never heard it before.

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    1 時間 49 分