Um... Oh... But... And... However...

Kashif and Umar run through their fantasy football teams, including the family & friends league that Ahmer organized but Kashif has basically quit. They dive into the Hall of Fame inductions of Dwight and Melo — both deserved, though Kashif argues Dwight remains underappreciated while Melo’s legacy has been somewhat inflated, with his Denver years overstated and his playoff failures often ignored. Umar then breaks down whatever is happening with Kawhi, Ballmer, and the Clippers.

In this episode, we size up two key groups for the 2025–26 NBA Player Tiers.

The Elite Forwards are mostly two-way, jack-of-all-trades players—versatile enough to guard multiple positions and complete a lineup, with one flashing the upside of a potential T1 star.

The Elite Bigs bring rim protection and/or operate as secondary offensive hubs, impacting the game on both ends—for better or worse—and providing the backbone for winning basketball… or not.

Our Elite Guards contenders: LaMelo Ball, Desmond Bane, De’Aaron Fox, Darius Garland, James Harden, Tyler Herro, Jrue Holiday, Zach LaVine, Tyrese Maxey, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, Derrick White, and Trae Young.

Who made the final cut?

These are the guys who might not be the primary stars, but have the skill and playmaking to be vital complementary pieces on championship teams.

In the modern NBA, elite lead guards aren’t just scorers—they’re the offensive engines driving playoff and championship runs. Alongside them, seasoned veterans and versatile bigs and forwards play vital roles in shaping the title race.

In this episode of the 2025–26 NBA Player Tiers, we break down:

• Tier 1 Lead Guards — dynamic playmakers powering contenders.

• Tier 1 & Tier 2 Old Timers — proven elites whose experience and skill still impact the game.

• Tier 2 Bigs & Forwards — the complementary stars who fill crucial roles on championship rosters.

Every ecosystem has its apex predator—the one force of nature that rules without rival. The NBA is no different. From past legends who hunted the league at will to the present day, we ask: Who have been the NBA’s past Apex Predators? Does there always have to be one? And if there is… who wears that crown now?

Our 2025–26 NBA Player Tiers tip off with:

• The Apex Predator – the undisputed best player in the league... but does one stalk the league today?

• Tier 1 Megastars – you have one, you get to contend; historically, one of their teams wins the title.

• The Singularity – the one who bends the game’s rules of reality.

Free Agency Fallout.

We couldn’t actually stream the draft because Umar’s sports service only works on his TV and not his laptop, Kashif’s streams are all delayed and borderline unwatchable, Ahmer has YouTube TV but somehow can’t figure out how to screenshare it with the podcast platform, so we’re reacting to different things at different times and no one knows who’s on the clock, Ahmer leaves mid-draft and comes back, Kashif starts arguing with his phone’s AI because it keeps trying to schedule something during the recording, then his mom calls him and they start arguing...