A weekly sports podcast with inside information and one-of-a-kind perspective on the hottest topics and behind-the-scenes happenings from veteran NBA insider, author and TV analyst Ric Bucher. Find all his work at RicBucher.com. Support this show at http://supporter.acast.com/bucher-and-friends Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/bucher-and-friends . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Former NBA player and Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields joins Ric Bucher for a special edition of On The Ball to pull back the curtain on Project B , the ambitious new global basketball league aiming to rethink how professional basketball is played, presented and consumed. Fields, now Project B’s head of men’s basketball, confirms that players are already signed , says recognizable names are coming…
The WNBA is generating more attention than ever, but Ric Bucher argues that the controversies dominating the conversation — Caitlin Clark, officiating, physical play, transgender athletes, player conduct and media coverage — are symptoms of a much deeper problem. The real issue? The NBA owners who collectively have a stake in the WNBA don’t care enough about it to demand that it operate with the…
Jalen Brunson is now an NBA champion, a Finals MVP and a New York Knicks legend — and Ric Bucher argues that the decision that helped make it possible reveals an uncomfortable truth about what most NBA players actually value. On this episode of On The Ball , Ric revisits Carmelo Anthony’s admission that he wouldn’t have left $113 million on the table the way Brunson did. Melo’s comments aren’t…
The NBA media has already crowned the Philadelphia 76ers after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown . Ric Bucher isn't buying it. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric explains why championship teams aren't assembled overnight—and why history says Philadelphia still has major questions to answer despite boasting LeBron, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. He breaks down the importance of…
LeBron James may still dominate headlines, but has he lost the leverage that defined the second half of his career? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher explains why the NBA's fascination with LeBron shouldn't be mistaken for front-office demand, why Luka Dončić changed everything for the Lakers, and why Cleveland may be the only destination that truly makes basketball—and emotional—sense.…
Is the NBA entering a new era where winning matters more than max contracts, player empowerment and personal brands? Ric Bucher explains why Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama may be redefining what it means to be an NBA superstar by sacrificing money for championship opportunities. He also examines how recent collective bargaining agreements have shifted power back to…
Has the NBA lost sight of what made it great? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher argues that professional basketball has drifted away from championships, community and competitive integrity—and toward gambling, profits and personal brands. Against that backdrop, one player stands apart: Jalen Brunson , whose willingness to sacrifice more than $100 million to give the New York Knicks their…
Did the Boston Celtics really make a franchise-defining mistake by trading Jaylen Brown —or was it an inevitable business decision years in the making? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher separates emotion from reality by breaking down why Boston moved on from Brown despite his championship pedigree, why the NBA's salary cap—not personality or politics—was the driving force, and what…
The NBA Draft delivered far more than new faces—it reshaped the league. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher explains why the Charlotte Hornets may have quietly assembled one of the smartest rosters in basketball while the Minnesota Timberwolves may have doubled down on talent without solving their biggest problem. Ric also breaks down the blockbuster trade sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to…
The Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks finally delivered New York's first NBA championship in 53 years, but Ric Bucher believes the rush to rank Brunson among the all-time greats misses the real story. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric explains why Brunson's greatness has less to do with historical comparisons and more to do with maximizing every ounce of ability, leadership, resilience and…
