Meritocracy vs Popularity: 2024 USA Women's Basketball Team & Other News

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Greetings my peeps and welcome to the All Things Basketball Podcast with Boy GD.

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In this episode I will be talking about some coaching news to the NBA.

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Looks like Dan Hurley turned down all that money to coach the Lakers so we'll break that

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down.

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He finds a soft spot so we'll talk about that.

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We'll give Kudos to Tyronn Lue who just got a lucrative contract from the Clippers.

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Then I will talk about Olympic basketball.

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I'll talk about the 3 on 3 who made that and then also of course the actual team there

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that's competing in Paris.

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We'll talk about it and you know the Caitlin Clark effect.

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So just sit back and relax and enjoy the show.

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Okay guys this is your boy GD back with the All Things Basketball with GD Podcast.

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And guys we're in the midst of the NBA finals so of course I'll report on that when everything

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is said and done.

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You know how I do my breakdown.

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You know how I do it.

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And then you have WNBA action.

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Commissioner Scott that's coming up soon so of course I'll get into that.

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But today I wanted to get into some coaching news in the NBA and then transition to the

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women's game because you now have the Olympic rosters that has been announced.

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So I will talk about that the 3 on 3 as well as the 12 women roster.

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I will talk about all of that in this episode.

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So just hang in there and we'll get to all of it.

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With that said let me not delay any further.

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Let's talk about this coaching news in the NBA.

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It looked like last Friday on June 2nd.

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It looks like what happened was that the way it shook out was no it wasn't the 2nd.

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I apologize.

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It was the 7th June 7th.

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So Dan Hurley and his family goes to LA.

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Of course they meet with Cheney Bus, Rob Pelinka the general manager over there about the Lakers

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coaching job head coaching job.

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And they offer him 6 years at 70 million.

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So that's some big money there.

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But that still would have put him in like the upper 5 or 6 top coaches echelon there.

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So pretty substantial money to say the least.

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It will be under people like Eric Spoestra.

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It will be under people like also Tyronn Lue I will talk about.

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And it will be under even coach like Monty Williams.

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So all that seemed well and good with Danny Hurley but he said you know what let me go

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back and do something historic at UConn.

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If I could get that 3Peat I'd only be in the conversation with a John Wooden if I were able to do that.

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So that seemed to be the more important goal than taking the Laker job.

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So Dan Hurley decides.

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Thank you Jeannie Bus and Rob Pelinka but I'll pass.

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And you guys remember two guys he's on the contract already with UConn for 6 years at

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32 over 32 million.

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But according to the governor of Connecticut Ned Lamont sounds like you know they're even

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trying to renegotiate that contract and make him one if not the top paid college coach

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in the NCAAs.

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So with that said he turns down the Laker job.

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So guys and you know a lot of the pundits you know talked about it.

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It said they're surprised.

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And they were surprised that he did it.

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He basically said whatever you do you make well I think Kendrick Perkins said it too

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whatever you do you make sure that man doesn't get back on that plane without blowing him

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away with an offer he can't refuse.

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I mean the 70 million for six years that's enough in the sneeze that but it seemed like

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they had the up to Annie to try and get him to sign on the dotted line.

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The Lakers job is a toxic job guys.

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It's a toxic job for a seasoned coach to take.

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That is a toxic job.

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Look at the coaches that's coming gone in the past.

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You even look during LeBron stay there.

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Luke Walton out.

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Also Frank Vogel.

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He at least got the bubble championship but he was sent packing and then Darwin Ham.

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Mind you he got to the Western Conference finals only to get vanquished by the Denver

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Nuggets.

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Then what he did last year he ran it to the Nuggets again and was ousted out of the playoffs.

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So I gotta say it man this job is very hazardous to a coaches health a seasoned coaches health.

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Now that's not saying that somebody off the street like me I would take the job in a heartbeat.

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And you would have to give me 70 million but I digress.

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What I'm saying is a coach worth his salt is very hesitant to take that Laker job because

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look what it it compass.

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You have to coach LeBron James who I think is going to opt out but I think he's going

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to re up for probably a nine figure contract.

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I think you know he'll play a couple more years and then he'll ride off into the sunset.

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And then you know you have Anthony Davis who's going to be the cornerstone of this franchise.

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And then you got you got to get his blessing because the last coach didn't get his blessing

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that means he's out the door.

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So you have to take all those things into consideration guys.

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That's all I'm saying with that but the Laker job is not the glamorous job.

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Everybody makes it out to be.

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Is it a story franchise.

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Your lifespan on that job.

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If you make it to three seasons on being a Lakers coach that's saying something these

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days.

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That's how bad a job it is.

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Where do they go from here.

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I guess JJ Redick is still in the mix and you know they threw that money at Hurley because

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I don't think they wanted to double back to a JJ Redick now which they might have to do

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also like you have coaches out there looking for a chance like a Sam Coussell.

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Do you go that route.

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I don't know if I'm saying Cassell well Sam Cassell been trying to get a head coaching

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job for so long.

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I don't understand but Jeff Van Gundy who's out there.

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You can do that.

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Mark Jackson I won't even bring up because I think right now he's radioactive for reasons

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unbeknownst to me.

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But yeah so I think now that the Lakers has in essence been stood up at the altar.

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I think desperate times is going to call for desperate measures.

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Who the next Laker coach is.

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I have no idea.

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I don't think it will be JJ Redick to be honest with you.

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With all that went on with Hurley I don't think their eyes are pointed towards JJ Redick.

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I don't think so.

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So we'll see what happens there.

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But he turns down the Laker job.

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Speaking of Darwin Ham he lands on his feet guys.

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He joins the Milwaukee Bucks as Doc Rivers top assistant coach.

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And remember two guys he was an assistant coach there for four years under Mike Bodenholzer

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In fact it was Phoenix who offered him an assistant coaching job coached by Mike Bodenholzer

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So you have that.

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But he turns it down.

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He turns down the assistant job with Phoenix to take the assistant job with Milwaukee.

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I think this is the better move for him in all honesty.

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That's what I think.

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I think this is the better move for a number of reasons.

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How Doc Rivers kind of fizzled out last season.

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I think him being in that position there really holds well for him in that regard.

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So yeah.

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So I see.

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Yeah, I see Darwin Ham in a much better position as an assistant with this team.

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So kudos to Darwin Ham and we'll see what happens there.

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And then we'll give a shout out to Tyronn Lue.

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He signs a five year seventy million dollar deal guys with the LA Clippers.

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And this takes him through 2028-29 season.

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Tyron Lou's record.

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It is 184 and 134.

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Four seasons and then those four seasons he made three playoff appearances.

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So Tyronn Lue, one of the top coaches in the league.

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They want to give it another go.

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You still got Kawhi.

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They are in the contract.

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They still probably want to maintain a Paul George.

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What happens with James Harden?

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I think Steve Ballmer, the owner over there did the prudent thing in keeping Tyronn Lue

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in the fold because he had a lot of teams that were knocking at the door.

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The Lakers are in one of those teams, but you secure a guy like Tyron Lou and that's

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important for stability in your franchise.

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So kudos there.

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All right, so that is your coaching news in the NBA guys.

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Now let's turn our attention to women's basketball.

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You have some surprise teams in the WNBA, Connecticut Sun being one of them with their

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stellar record of 10-1 under Stephanie White who's doing an amazing job.

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She was coaching the year last year.

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She's doing a terrific job this season.

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Getting major contributions from of course the engine, Alyssa Thomas, who's looking

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very good this season.

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Averaging nearly a triple double.

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DeWanna Bonner at the age of 37, just balling right now, leading that team and scoring.

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And then you have Brionna Jones who looks like her old self guys.

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I saw the game the other night with the Indiana Fever.

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She was doing just about everything.

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Block and shot.

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She was posting and toasting inside.

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She threw a nice bounce pass.

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She looks like the old Brionna Jones and very efficient around the cup.

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She's able to finish.

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So definitely the big three is back for Connecticut Sun.

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And then DiJonai Carrington, a person who I think is the leader in the clubhouse for

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most improved player.

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I think she's right there along with a few other candidates.

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Maddie Segris is another one I'm thinking of for the Dallas Wings, but DeGeney Carrington,

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she's doing it both ways, guys.

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She's been a staunch defender.

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I think with all the said and done, she'll probably make all defense.

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Perhaps first team, that's how well she's playing.

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And then you have people on your bench as well, Rachel Banham, Olivia Nelson-Adoda,

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Tyasia Harris who actually starts.

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And then you have Moriah Jefferson.

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So this team is rock solid top to bottom.

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So Connecticut's son getting it done.

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They were undefeated, but the New York Liberty and a game that I went to over there in the

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Egan Sun, beautiful arena, by the way.

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But the Liberty went in there and stole a victory and got the win over there.

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But yeah, so Connecticut Sun, definitely a problem in the East and then in the West.

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Minnesota Lynx are looking very good guys.

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Cheryl Reeve is doing a fantastic job over there.

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We'd like to see more of Alissa Pili, but that's a story for another day.

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Nonetheless, they're led by Napheesha Collier, their sensational player along with Kayla

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McBride.

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I call her Kayla McBuckets, who's been great.

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Alanna Smith, an excellent pickup for them.

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Also Courtney Williams.

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It seems like wherever she goes, she produces, she's the floor general that they desperately

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needed.

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So that team is looking real good right now.

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Also you're getting somebody like a Dorca Juhasz back and she's looking good.

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Diamond Miller, you hope to get her back sometime soon.

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She's out indefinitely with that knee.

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So we'll see what happens there.

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The team is looking good and Cheryl Reeve so far looking like coach of the year thus

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far.

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We'll see.

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So that's a little snapshot at the WNBA.

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Now, Olympic wise, we have our rosters guys, first to three on three.

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You have the team being coached by Jennifer Rizzotti, who we know is a legend playing out

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of UConn.

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She's the coach there and on that team, you have Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks.

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Hailey Van Lilh, who was with LSU, but she transferred over.

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So she's on the squad.

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Also on the squad is Rhyne Howard, who has three on three experience.

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So she's made the roster and also Cierra Burdick, who is a veteran of three on three play.

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And she's kind of like the coach of the team on the floor.

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So Cierra Burdick, a very solid vet for this three on three squad.

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So kudos to these ladies.

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And hopefully they'll bring home the goal over there in Paris.

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But Brink and Van Lith, they've been playing with you.

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They've been playing as teammates for a while.

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So they know each other well.

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Rhyne Howard, I think will assimilate into this roster very nicely, and then you got Burdick,

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the veteran who knows what to do.

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So solid roster.

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Then we have the Olympic women's team.

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I'll tell you the roster, guys.

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Napheesa Collier for the Minnesota Lynx.

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She made the club.

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Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury, she's on the squad.

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Chelsea Gray made it, guys.

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She hasn't played the game yet.

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She's still dealing with that ankle.

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So we'll see what happens with her, whether she gets to play at all.

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That's still shrouded in mystery.

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Brittany Griner, who just recently came back, she had that toe injury, and she's got a couple

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of games under her belt.

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Sabrina Ionescu, and oh, by the way, Kahleah Copper, this is her first time in Olympic

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play.

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Sabrina Ionescu, the same first time in Olympic play for Sabrina Ionescu.

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Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm, she makes the roster.

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Kelsey Plum, another first-timer making the squad for the Olympics.

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So she'll be on there.

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Breanna Stewart, Stewie, an old veteran.

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Diana Taurasi, of course.

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This will be her sixth appearance, guys.

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So a wealth of experience there.

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00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:59,400
And Diana Taurasi, who still has game, guys, don't get it twisted.

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Of the Phoenix Mercury.

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Alyssa Thomas, this is her first time playing in the Olympics.

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And you know that's the engine.

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I just talked about her for the Connecticut Sun.

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She's the one who makes things go.

246
00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:15,840
She can de-you up.

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00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:19,360
She's got that little push shot that she has.

248
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Terror on the boards.

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Can pass the ball with the best of them.

250
00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,400
So she's a valuable piece of the squad.

251
00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:34,000
A'ja Wilson, need I say more, the best player in the WNBA, bar none.

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Of course, another captain for the squad.

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And then Jackie Young making the squad as well.

254
00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,240
So that's your 12, guys.

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00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,680
Left off the squad.

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00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,200
The WNBA's leading scorer, guys.

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00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,080
Arike Ogumbawale.

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00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,120
She's left off the Olympic team there.

259
00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:56,560
So that bears some watching.

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00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:02,720
Nneka Ogwumike, who's enjoying a resurgence over there in Seattle.

261
00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,360
She's left off the squad.

262
00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:09,840
You can make a case for Skylar Diggins-Smith, who looks like her old self now.

263
00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,040
She's playing with Seattle as well.

264
00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:15,400
And Ogumbawale with the Dallas Wings.

265
00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,200
DeWanna Bonner, you could make a case for her as well.

266
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,080
She's balling for the Connecticut Sun.

267
00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:24,160
You can make a case for her making this club.

268
00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:31,040
And then the one that everybody's in tears about, just about.

269
00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:41,080
There's enough controversy around it, and that's Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.

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00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:45,400
Christine Brennan, I heard her interview.

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00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:51,000
She was on the Rich Eisen podcast.

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00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,480
And, or it was Dan Patrick.

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00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,640
I think it was Dan Patrick.

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00:20:55,640 --> 00:21:01,960
And so she was on there and she basically called it a missed opportunity.

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00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:10,840
A missed opportunity, obviously, because of the eyeballs you get on watching women's basketball

276
00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:14,440
because of Caitlin Clark, the Caitlin Clark effect in that regard.

277
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:16,560
And then of course Jersey sales.

278
00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:22,360
Of course, if you have her on the squad, jerseys will fly off the racks.

279
00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:29,040
But she said the sources she heard from says that if Caitlin would have been selected,

280
00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,600
it got limited minutes.

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00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:39,720
The selection committee, you know, the governing body there didn't want to hear the outrage

282
00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:46,760
from them not playing Caitlin Clark much because you got to remember guys,

283
00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,680
she didn't really get an opportunity to practice with the club.

284
00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:56,200
There was opportunities in November, but obviously she was playing for Iowa.

285
00:21:56,200 --> 00:22:03,360
And then in April, there was opportunity there, but she was deep into the NCAA tournament.

286
00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:09,280
So she really didn't get an opportunity to practice and learn the system.

287
00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,560
A lot of people lean towards the popularity route.

288
00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,160
I'll talk about these folks in a minute.

289
00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:24,280
But that was Christine Brennan's breakdown of why Caitlin didn't make it.

290
00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:35,440
And then Jen Rizzotti, one of the people in charge of selecting ladies for the Olympics.

291
00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:46,120
She made a statement and said her lack of experience is in essence is what kept her off the club.

292
00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:51,280
So that's what they're putting out there.

293
00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,000
I heard a number of shows.

294
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:59,840
I actually listened to Joy Taylor's show.

295
00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:01,840
I forget the name of it right now.

296
00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:06,880
Joy Taylor, she spoke and she hit some excellent points in regard to all of this.

297
00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:18,160
She basically said the governing body is not mandated to make selections based on popularity

298
00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:20,160
and based off of ratings.

299
00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:21,680
That's not their place.

300
00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:31,280
Their place is to win the gold medal with the most experienced players, the most ready

301
00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,920
players that you can find.

302
00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:39,200
And that's what was done with the 12 here.

303
00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,880
LeSean McCoy, this is what he said.

304
00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,520
I couldn't believe it.

305
00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,680
The dumbest move the WNBA has made.

306
00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:53,240
Note to LeSean McCoy, the WNBA doesn't make this choice.

307
00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,000
There's a governing body, a select committee.

308
00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,720
It's not the WNBA, LeSean.

309
00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,200
It's the governing body.

310
00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:07,800
So that's who makes this decision, not the WNBA.

311
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:11,000
And basically they won seven gold medals straight.

312
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,000
They're going to win anyway.

313
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,040
I've heard that take a number of places.

314
00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:22,160
James Jones, who was also on that panel there, said they actually went about this the right

315
00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:23,400
way.

316
00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:28,360
She's not the 12th best player.

317
00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:31,080
And who can argue that?

318
00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,040
Who are you going to take off?

319
00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:37,520
And then the thing is too, I think the X factor is Chelsea Gray.

320
00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:43,400
We don't know if she's healthy enough to play in the Olympics or not.

321
00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:47,080
Come July, maybe she is.

322
00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:54,600
And then we got another situation, but you're not taking Chelsea Gray off the squad.

323
00:24:54,600 --> 00:25:00,640
She's the best point guard in the world, period.

324
00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,760
End of question.

325
00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:08,040
So she belongs.

326
00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,920
Make no mistake about that, guys.

327
00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,360
Chelsea Gray belongs there.

328
00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:20,280
But of course, health is going to be key, so we'll see what happens there.

329
00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:24,120
Rob Parker, we're actually on the same page.

330
00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:25,960
Rob Parker and I.

331
00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:31,480
He said to get a roster spot, one should earn it.

332
00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:33,360
And I'm in full agreeance.

333
00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,000
This should not be given.

334
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,080
It should be earned.

335
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,360
I'm in full agreeance with that.

336
00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:41,440
It should be an earned spot.

337
00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:50,240
It should be given to those that know the system, knows what's expected of them by Coach

338
00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:53,640
Reeve, Cheryl Reeve, she'll be coaching.

339
00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,720
So yeah, it should be earned.

340
00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:05,560
But Chris Broussard, who he says the same thing as Christine Brenner is of a missed opportunity.

341
00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:10,600
Of course, because of the eyeballs, of course.

342
00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,800
So you have that take.

343
00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:20,080
Excuse me.

344
00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:24,880
So, of course, they talked about it.

345
00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,720
They had on this, Stephen A, obviously.

346
00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,960
Shannon Sharp, he talked about it on his show as well.

347
00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:37,680
And then later he had Chiney Ogwumike, who's doing a fantastic job, by the way, guys, talking

348
00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,720
about men's and women's basketball.

349
00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,400
And Andraya Carter, who I can't rave enough about.

350
00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,280
She's smart.

351
00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:47,960
She knows what she's doing.

352
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:52,440
She knows the women's game in and out.

353
00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,960
Both of them former players, by the way.

354
00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:06,320
Andraya Carter in college and Ogwumike in college and in the WNBA playing alongside a

355
00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,880
sister among other things.

356
00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,840
So they talked about it.

357
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:19,480
And they basically said, hey, look, you know, they took the belt 12 bests.

358
00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:27,280
And the committee relies a lot on experience, a lot on camaraderie, a lot on, you know,

359
00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:29,080
players that know each other.

360
00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:34,440
So you see a lot of aces on this Olympic team.

361
00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,560
You see a few Liberty players on this team.

362
00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:43,360
You see a bit of Phoenix Mercury players on this team.

363
00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:49,600
So you have familiarity in that regard.

364
00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:56,680
And then you have Stephen A. Smith.

365
00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:58,400
He's been on something lately.

366
00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:02,920
He think he's riding so high that only Kryptonite can take him down.

367
00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:09,000
That's how full of himself he's been these days from the situation with him and Monica

368
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:15,280
McNutt when they went at it and she told him about, you know, he should have been talking

369
00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:16,640
about this three years ago.

370
00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,160
Then he goes on this podcast.

371
00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:25,320
Not only does he disagree with her on it, he makes it seem like nobody knew who Monica

372
00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:31,440
McNutt was until she came on first take.

373
00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,200
That is utterly ridiculous.

374
00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:44,120
She was the voice of the New York Knicks on radio before she became kind of a regular

375
00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,280
on his first take.

376
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,200
So slow your roll, man.

377
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:56,960
He called Team USA's decision stupid and idiotic.

378
00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:57,960
Why?

379
00:28:57,960 --> 00:28:59,920
Because of the marketing part of it.

380
00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:03,280
See, he's always thinking about making a dollar.

381
00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:08,920
Oh, you know, as American capitalism, what can you do?

382
00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:13,160
But his mindset is about making a dollar, squeezing the dollar.

383
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:14,600
She's the golden goose.

384
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:15,600
Take advantage.

385
00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,000
This and that, what have you.

386
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:24,240
And you call it idiotic.

387
00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:31,840
This governing body has produced seven straight, go winning teams.

388
00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:33,720
They put them together.

389
00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,880
How can you call them idiotic?

390
00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,920
How can you call these people stupid?

391
00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:47,000
Just because they don't agree with what you're saying makes them stupid and idiotic.

392
00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:48,760
Come on, man.

393
00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,080
You wild in these days.

394
00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,360
You wild in these days.

395
00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:57,920
But yeah, so Shannon kind of agrees with them that, you know, they should have put Caitlin

396
00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,000
Clark on and that they'll win anyway.

397
00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:02,600
Here's another note to them.

398
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,200
The world is catching up.

399
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:09,840
They're not going to do like the men where they're playing around with this thing.

400
00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:13,160
The governing body for the women, they don't play around.

401
00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:18,520
They get the best players who can produce, who have camaraderie.

402
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:20,120
That's what they do.

403
00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:27,280
So this whole notion that it's an idiotic decision is stupid because they're not filming

404
00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,160
their coffers.

405
00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,160
They're not worried about that.

406
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,920
Their main objective is to win gold.

407
00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,200
That's their objective.

408
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,640
And the world, again, the world is catching up.

409
00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:47,280
We've seen it in the men's where they've lost a fair with it and it's cost them.

410
00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:54,440
It cost them in the World Cup because Canada beat them and they end up losing to Germany.

411
00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:56,920
But the world is catching up guys.

412
00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:58,200
That's just the way it is.

413
00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:05,760
So this whole notion that you should put the popular player on over the player that knows

414
00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:11,040
the system and knows what's expected of them is lunacy.

415
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:12,200
Just plain lunacy.

416
00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:13,400
That's, yeah.

417
00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:17,160
So that's all I'm going to say for that.

418
00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:23,320
But I think the committee did the smart and prudent thing.

419
00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:31,720
I think if Chelsea Gray can't go, I think it will come down to pick an Arike

420
00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,840
Ogumbawale, or Caitlin Clark.

421
00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:36,520
So we'll see what happens.

422
00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:40,640
Let's say Caitlin Clark gets the 12th spot.

423
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,160
You know she's not going to play a lot guys.

424
00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:47,760
She's a new flash, she's not going to get a lot of minutes guys.

425
00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:50,600
And you know what's going to happen?

426
00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:58,280
The rabid delusional Caitlin Clark fans are going to rail against the Olympics.

427
00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:05,200
Talk about, oh, they're picking on our this and that.

428
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:10,320
And I think the governing body thought about that and said, do we need this headache?

429
00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:11,800
Do we really need this?

430
00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:13,160
We want this team to win gold.

431
00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:14,760
We don't need the distractions.

432
00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:16,560
We don't need all this.

433
00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:24,920
And then furthermore, she'll be the rookie on the squad.

434
00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:29,440
And she doesn't know these players like they know each other now.

435
00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:33,960
So that's why those practices and stuff is so important.

436
00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:41,680
So you get to know each other, get to know certain aspects of what Cheryl Reeves wants

437
00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,360
and you build a rapport.

438
00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:50,040
That has to account for something guys, seriously.

439
00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:55,200
And then people are talking about Christian Laettner taking the last spot for the Dream

440
00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,800
Team.

441
00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:03,040
When the Dream Team was first announced, they mandated that they take a college player.

442
00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,120
That was the mandate.

443
00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,480
Then after that, they changed that.

444
00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:15,320
So it was a choice between Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, and Christian Laettner.

445
00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:20,960
Christian Laettner, who was a fantastic college player, that's who they ended up picking.

446
00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:26,960
So it wasn't this choice where the Isiah thing, that's more of Isiah versus Stockton

447
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:27,960
thing.

448
00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:34,000
Honestly, you can't compare the men's select committee to the women's select committee.

449
00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,840
I know you would think they're thinking unison, but they do not.

450
00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:39,360
As always, I thank you for listening.

451
00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:40,360
Much appreciated.

452
00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:42,600
Of course, we'll get to the NBA finals.

453
00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:44,040
We'll talk about that.

454
00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,000
We'll talk about the Commissioners Cup.

455
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:47,240
We'll do all that.

456
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,480
WNBA All-Star Game is approaching.

457
00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:50,680
All right, guys.

458
00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:56,720
As always, allthingsbasketballwithgd.com is the website.

459
00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,600
Also on YouTube, I'm there.

460
00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:08,160
I'm on all your platforms, as terms of the podcast goals, all the platforms I'm there.

461
00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,720
Apple podcasts, I'm there.

462
00:34:10,720 --> 00:34:12,960
Look out for me there as well.

463
00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:14,680
All the socials I'm there as well.

464
00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:15,680
All right, guys.

465
00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:16,640
So I thank you for listening.

466
00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:21,120
As always, support this podcast on the website.

467
00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:22,640
Several buttons you can do that.

468
00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:27,320
My CashApp, $gdthatsportsdude.

469
00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:30,840
That's my Cash App.

470
00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,440
If you feel compelled, please give to this podcast.

471
00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:34,760
All right, guys.

472
00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:35,760
Thank you for listening.

473
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:37,480
As always, we'll talk soon.

474
00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:57,600
Take care.