Book of Basketball 2.0

By The Ringer

What's Book of Basketball 2.0 about?

Bill Simmons’s new podcast breaks down the NBA's most important games, players, and teams, extending and reinventing his New York Times no. 1 bestselling book from 2009. Playing off the NBA’s dramatic changes during the past decade, Bill uses new commentary and fresh interviews with players and top media members to determine how the league has evolved and where it’s headed.Produced by Bill Simmons and Kyle Crichton Music by Jackson Lowe Lyrics and vocals by Tic Tac and Melatonin

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8. Modern Icons | Icons Club

04.12.2022

The faces of the modern NBA take on many shapes, sizes, and brands, but have a few things in common: more money and influence than any of their predecessors. In the face of this increased responsibility, will they continue the ...

Book of Basketball 2.0 episodes:

04.12.2022 8. Modern Icons \| Icons Club The faces of the modern NBA take on many shapes, sizes, and brands, but have a few things in common: more money and influence than any of their predecessors. In the face of this increased responsibility, will they continue the ...
04.08.2022 7. Shaq and Kobe \| Icons Club Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are one of the most successful—and combustible—duos in NBA history. Their contrasting styles led to tension in the locker room, but dominance on the court. And in the end, each of them changed the rules ...
04.05.2022 6. The Enigmas \| Icons Club Some players have unassailable Icons Club resumes–MVPs, championships, iconic playoff moments–but find themselves on the outside, looking in. In this episode, Jackie lays out the criteria for becoming a club member, and examines a few of the most enigmatic stars. ...
04.01.2022 5. The Dream Team \| Icons Club The Dream Team was an unprecedented experiment for the Icons Club—an opportunity for the game’s best players to form bonds and swap notes. It also gave the NBA a chance to show off its best players to the world, and ...
03.29.2022 4. MJ \| Icons Club Michael Jordan built his career—and his billion-dollar brand—by going it alone. But Jordan himself explains how he pulled from Dr. J’s business acumen and Magic’s charisma to chart his flight, and even offered pointers to certain Icons who followed in ...
03.25.2022 3. Magic and Larry \| Icons Club Magic vs. Larry is the rivalry that, for many, defines the NBA. On-court battles between these bitter foes showed a ravenous public just how enticing the NBA could be. But how about Magic and Larry: friends? In this episode, Jackie ...
03.22.2022 2. Dr. J and the ABA \| Icons Club Julius Erving ushered in a new era of the Icons Club. His unique style, on and off the court, brought a jolt to the game and opened doors to new marketing opportunities. And even as punches flew during his era, ...
03.18.2022 1. Wilt & Russ \| Icons Club Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are the founding members of the Icons Club. The big men navigated a completely different NBA than the one we know today and, along with stars like Oscar Robertson, put the league on course for ...
03.18.2022 Prologue \| Icons Club When Jackie started covering the NBA, it was every player for himself. But during Kobe Bryant's final season, he revealed to Jackie a secret mentorship with Michael Jordan, unlocking the door to a club that only the game's greatest players ...
03.15.2022 Introducing: ‘Icons Club’ From The Ringer and Spotify, ‘Icons Club’ will examine how an exclusive group of NBA superstars made the league what it is today. These icons were not just the best of the best on the court, but they also changed ...
07.14.2021 7. “It Just Feels Like Loss” \| What If? The Len Bias Story In the finale, we examine how the passing of time has changed the way we process the memory of Len Bias, what his death meant to the city of Boston and the Celtics franchise, and why his story lingers for ...
07.07.2021 6. “Who Can You Trust?” \| What If? The Len Bias Story By the summer of 1986, America’s relationship with drugs was already at the brink of combustion. And in the highly publicized death of Len Bias, policymakers found a spark to light the flame. The draconian legislation introduced on Capitol Hill ...
06.30.2021 5. “Someone Had to Pay” \| What If? The Len Bias Story Despite the ongoing Brian Tribble investigation, there was still a question the press and public had no answer for: Who was to blame for the tragic cocaine intoxication of Maryland’s star basketball player? The spotlight shifted to Maryland University and ...
06.23.2021 4. “They Weren’t Grown Men” \| What If? The Len Bias Story Before the fallout from Len Bias’s death could ripple through society, the facts surrounding the night of his death had to be established. So why was that so difficult? In this episode, we examine Brian Tribble’s trial on charges of ...
06.16.2021 3. “One Time, I Was Gone” \| What If? The Len Bias Story In this episode, we examine the life and career of Spencer Haywood, a basketball Hall of Famer and one of the sport’s biggest stars of the 1970s. Haywood spent the latter half of his career battling a cocaine addiction at ...
06.09.2021 2. “He’s Gone” \| What If? The Len Bias Story On June 17, 1986, Len Bias was picked second overall in the NBA draft. He was the next chapter in the book that was the 1980s Boston Celtics dynasty. Then, just two days later on June 19, 1986, he was ...
06.09.2021 1. "Just About Superman” \| What If? The Len Bias Story By his senior year at the University of Maryland, Len Bias was thriving. He was perhaps the best college basketball player in the country, earning burgeoning Michael Jordan comparisons, and going second overall to the Boston Celtics in the 1986 ...
06.02.2021 Introducing ‘What If? The Len Bias Story’ From The Ringer and Spotify, this is the story of Len Bias: University of Maryland phenom, second pick of the 1986 draft to the Celtics, and just two days later, one of the most tragic and shocking deaths in sports ...
12.17.2020 Chris Webber: The Star-Crossed Superstar In the sixth episode of Season 3, Bill Simmons and Joe House explain why Chris Webber should have been one of the best power forwards of all time had bad luck, bad timing, and bad decisions not conspired against him. ...
12.10.2020 Rick Barry: The Disagreeable Superstar (With Malcolm Gladwell and Tony Kornheiser) In the fifth episode of Season 3, Bill Simmons, Malcolm Gladwell, and Tony Kornheiser explain why Rick Barry was one of the 35 greatest players ever, as well as one of the most influential stars of the league’s first 40 ...
12.03.2020 Chris Paul: The Almost Point God (With Ryen Russillo) In the fourth episode of Season 3, Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo explain why future Hall of Famer Chris Paul is so hard to evaluate historically. They compare him to Isiah Thomas and other smaller stars, break down his biggest ...
11.25.2020 Kevin Garnett: The Stealth Superstar (With Jackie MacMullan) In the third episode of Season 3, Bill Simmons and Jackie MacMullan explain why Kevin Garnett’s career should have been even greater than it was, compare and contrast him to Tim Duncan, break down what it was like to cover ...
11.17.2020 Julius Erving: MJ Before MJ (With Brian Koppelman) In the second episode of Season 3, Bill Simmons and Brian Koppelman explain why Julius Erving kept basketball fun before Bird and Magic arrived, why his barely seen ABA seasons added to his legend, why he eventually became an underrated ...
11.12.2020 Allen Iverson: You Had To Be There (with J.A. Adande) In the first episode of Season 3, Bill Simmons and J.A. Adande break down Allen Iverson’s incredible career, the surreal experience of seeing him in person, why he belatedly became one of the league’s most beloved superstars, and where he ...
07.01.2020 2010 Redraftables: PG-13, Wall, Hayward, and the Snakebit 2010 Draft With Ryen Russillo The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2010 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
06.29.2020 2009 Redraftables: Curry, Harden, and Kahhhhhhhhhn With Zach Lowe The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and ESPN’s Zach Lowe revisit the 2009 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
06.24.2020 2008 Redraftables: A Genius Westbrook Pick and Rose vs. Love With Ryen Russillo The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2008 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
06.17.2020 2007 Redraftables: Oden vs. Durant With Ryen Russillo The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2007 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, comedy, and legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
06.15.2020 2006 Redraftables: The Unluckiest, Goofiest, Most Incompetent Draft of the 2000s, With Chris Ryan and Joe House The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan and Joe House to revisit the 2006 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, comedy, and legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
06.11.2020 2005 Redraftables: The Revenge of CP3 With Ryen Russillo The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2005 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
05.29.2020 2004 Redraftables: A Series of Unfortunate Events With Joe House The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House to revisit the 2004 NBA draft and discuss some of the subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends from that class before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ...
04.21.2020 2003 Redraftables: LeBron Arrives, Darko vs. Melo, Wade The Sleeper + the First “Modern” NBA Draft with Chad Ford \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Chad Ford to revisit the 2003 NBA draft and discuss some of the subplots and legends from that draft class before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
04.14.2020 2002 Redraftables: The Ultimate Bad Luck Draft With Chris Ryan and Joe House \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan and Joe House to revisit the bizarre 2002 NBA draft and discuss some of the subplots and legends from that draft class before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more ...
04.08.2020 2001 Redraftables With Zach Lowe: Parker or Pau? Arenas or Iso Joe? Elgin, MJ, and Wallace Doing Stuff! \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by ESPN’s Zach Lowe to revisit the 2001 draft and discuss some of the NBA subplots and legends from that draft class before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad ...
04.08.2020 2000 Redraftables: The NBA Draft WOAT. With Ryen Russillo \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2000 NBA draft, talk through some of the NBA subplots and what made this draft the worst in NBA history, and then break down the first 14 lottery ...
04.03.2020 1999 Redraftables: Francis in Purgatory! Odom in Hell! Weis Over Artest! Remembering an Unusually Hilarious Draft With Chris Ryan and Joe House \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House and Chris Ryan to revisit the 1999 NBA draft, talk through some of the NBA subplots and legends in that draft class, and redraft the first 14 lottery picks. Learn more ...
04.01.2020 1998 Redraftables: Sleeping Dirk, Free-Falling Pierce, and the Craziest NBA Draft Ever With Chris Ryan and Ryen Russillo \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo and Chris Ryan to revisit the 1998 NBA draft and some of the legends in that draft class, before redrafting the first 15 picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
03.31.2020 1997 Redraftables: Duncan the Sure Thing, T-Mac the Sleeper, and Rick Pitino the Ruiner With Joe House \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House to revisit the 1997 NBA draft and discuss the gravitas of NCAA basketball, the lack of info on most draft prospects, the "Duncan Lottery," and more before redrafting the top 15 ...
03.31.2020 1996 Redraftables: Kobe, Iverson, Nash, Allen, and the Draft That Changed Everything With Ryen Russillo \| Book of Basketball 2.0 The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 1996 NBA draft and discuss mid-'90s NBA subplots and legends of the '96 draft class before redrafting the top-14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
03.03.2020 The Genius of Bill Russell \| Book of Basketball 2.0 What made Bill Russell so great? Was Russell a pioneer, a genius, or both? Why did he mean so much to the 1960s? Why did he walk away after his 11th title and never look back? And why wouldn’t he ...
02.25.2020 Duncan’s Revenge: 2003’s Lakers-Spurs Game 5 With Shea Serrano \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Remember the night when Tim Duncan’s Spurs basically ended Shaq and Kobe’s quest for a four-peat, only they blew a huge lead and got saved because Robert Horry MISSED the game-winning shot? Remember when Duncan won a series against Shaq ...
02.18.2020 A Magic Collapse: 2009's L.A.-Orlando Game 4 With Kevin Clark and Joe House \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Everyone remembers Kobe’s Lakers finally winning a title without Shaq in 2009. But why don’t they remember Orlando’s epic Game 4 collapse? Was this one of the biggest Finals meltdowns ever? Should the Magic have won the the series? How ...
02.11.2020 Dwight Howard and the Pyramid (With Ryen Russillo and Joe House) \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Dwight Howard was the league’s best center for five straight seasons. He even toppled LeBron in a conference finals to make the 2009 Finals. So what derailed him from being an all-time great? Was it injuries? Was he just kind ...
02.04.2020 The Night Kobe Called Me Out of the Blue \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Chapter 18: In December 2012, Kobe Bryant wasn’t even halfway through his last elite Lakers season, but he was putting more thought into the bigger picture than ever before. What was leadership all about, anyway? How could he use social ...
01.30.2020 Kobe Bryant, Jalen Rose, and Bill Simmons Talk Hoops on the Grantland Basketball Hour (Recorded Feb. 2015) \| Book of Basketball 2.0 In 2015, Kobe Bryant joined Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose on the Grantland Basketball Hour to discuss the tail end of his NBA career, his partnership with Shaquille O’Neal, the state of basketball in 2015, and his upcoming basketball documentary, ...
01.23.2020 The Last Fun Knicks Team: Indy-NY Game 3, 1999 (w/ Sean Fennessey & Jason Concepcion) \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Was Larry Johnson’s 4-point shot the last truly great Knicks moment? Was he fouled in the first place? Why was basketball so BAD back then? Why did we still love it so much? And was it a coincidence that James ...
01.14.2020 Reggie Miller and the Pyramid (With Shea Serrano) \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Chapter 7: Was Reggie Miller a superstar? Is he the best example of a player who was way ahead of his time? Did he save pro basketball in Indiana? What would he have been like during the advanced metrics era? ...
01.07.2020 Steve Nash on “the Horry Shove,” 2007’s Heartbreak, and the Critically Acclaimed 2004-10 Suns \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Chapter 6: What’s the second-best thing you can win if you never win a title? Critical acclaim! Bill made Hall of Famer Steve Nash rewatch Game 4 of the infamous 2007 Spurs-Suns series—when the Suns were derailed by suspensions, bad ...
12.24.2019 Kawhi Shoots Philly: 2019’s Most Important Game (a BoB Rewatchables With Ryen Russillo and Chris Ryan) \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Remembering the Game 7 when Kawhi Leonard became immortal, the Jimmy Butler era ended in Philly, Joel Embiid cried, the 2019 playoffs shifted gears, and Kawhi sank the greatest (and craziest) series-winning shot of all time. Would the NBA ever ...
12.19.2019 LeBron Wins a Cleveland Title: The Game of the Decade (a BoB Rewatchables With Brian Windhorst) \| Book of Basketball 2.0 Cleveland won a championship? The Cavs rallied back from 3-1? LeBron delivered on his promise to Ohio? The Warriors blew a chance to become the greatest team ever? How did one dramatic Game 7 yield The Shot, The Block, AND ...

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