Happy Juneteenth! As we know, freedom doesn’t come freely. Today, we celebrate athletes who put it all on the line and sacrificed in the struggle for equality and justice for all. We have a very special guest, Mr. Craig Hodges, with us to not only describe how he was blackballed by the league in the early ‘90’s for taking a righteous stand, but more importantly talk about the heroic figures throughout his lifetime who molded and shaped him to be courageous of spirit and of sound mind and conscience. You won’t want to miss some of these never told before stories that serve to inform, educate, and inspire! Oh, and tune in to find out who REALLY taught the Bulls the triangle offense…

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Today on the pod we’re breaking new ground — tapping into the 1980’s!! A physical era that played ball inside out. A time when the NBA went from its Finals being preempted to transitioning into prime time live television - thanks to some of the players we’re discussing today. To delve into this wild era, we relied on an expert to be our guide. A walking library. A small forward with BIG game. Showtime’s own, the Hall of Fame 1982 #1 draft pick out of North Carolina, James Worthy, joins our show today to break down the era and the talent it was littered with. You don’t want to miss this!

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In today’s episode we highlight the players who grind the hardest and make the most of their moments on the court. Every championship contending team has one of these- a formidable sixth man. A hungry player who gets on the floor and immediately impacts the pace and complexion of a game through his style of play. A noteworthy sixth man is a trusted player who can lead the second unit and give the starters a much needed breather while continuing to execute the game plan. See who Tray and Seth think got it out the mud and did it best throughout the 2000’s.

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We’ve all heard this term thrown around — “clutch” — but what does that really mean? Is it a trait that’s teachable? Is it innate? Does making the right “basketball play” disqualify one from being considered such? Depending on who you ask you will hear different qualifications, and how that ability stacks up against other attributes. Today, we intend to set the record straight by highlighting the closers who delivered with a go-ahead bucket, free throw, or finish at the basket when the stakes are the highest and the game is on the line. Special shout out to the players with ice in their veins. Find out who tops our list for the 2000’s.

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Ladies and gentleman, we have a special episode upon our hands — highlighted by the most noteworthy guest. For us to break down the best shooting guards of the 90’s, it is only right that we bring on the progenitor of the Curry Brand, one of the original Leaders of the Long Range, Mr. Dell Curry himself! Now he’s known as Stephen and Seth’s dad, but in the 90’s Dell was known as that man with the arm cannon who you selected on NBA Jam — a deadly sniper who not only exploited the three-point line, but who also workshopped its origins in college. That’s right, we caught up with one of the true OG’s to not only break down the finer points of the Shooting Guard position throughout the 90’s era but also speak to the ongoing evolution of the nuanced position…and the league in general. You won’t want to miss all the jewels dropped in this enlightening trip down Memory Lane!

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As the NBA continued to evolve, we began to witness what was once a rarity become more commonplace: the positionless player. Rather than fitting into a neat box and performing specific duties on the floor, this new type of player had more versatility and range. Mentally, they were agnostic to playing within a limited job description. They wanted all the smoke all over the floor and had the varied skillsets, attributes & athletic build of a 1 through 5 – offensively and defensively. Today, we pay homage to those special players who did it all on both sides of the court with finesse, grace, and sheer grit.

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Dynamic guard play comes in many forms. But during an era when the backcourt king of the hill was a 6’9” guard from Lansing, MI, ”small” guards had to really bring it. While some believe the lack of height is a deficit, others can imagine how being lower to the ground as a primary ball handler and defender can become a strength for the right savvy player. Now mind you, “small” is all relative when we’re speaking of NBA players. In most cases they’d still tower over most at a high school reunion, at a regular job…anywhere really. But on occasion, there were those outlier players who were truly small by anyone’s standards yet left big impressions on the hardwood and in our hearts. Tune in as we give our flowers to some of the most determined players this league has ever seen.

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Today we pay homage to the bucket-getters who perfected the art of scoring at the cup. The players who brought their hard hats to work and put their backs to the basket to bang and bump on the low block, and to assert their wills physically and mentally. The baseline ballerinas who dizzied and confused defenders with their immaculate footwork and timing. And the skilled technicians who frustrated opponents with indefensible jump hook & fadeaway packages. Don’t be confused, we’re not just speaking of big men. Tune in to hear who performed best in the paint during an era where high percentage two’s still had a dominant role in the NBA game of basketball.

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