This week, The Long Shot is incredibly fortunate to sit down with one of the rising stars in sports journalism, Malika Andrews. At just 26 years old, Malika has already become one of the youngest to ever lead sideline reporting for the NBA Finals, the youngest ever to host the NBA Trophy Ceremony, and she now hosts ESPN’s new daily show “NBA Today.” She sits down with the guys to talk about her meteoric rise in the last two years, her background in journalism, how she views her role and responsibility in reporting, and dealing with criticism. She also gives us a breakdown of what we can expect from NBA Today, picks her teams to look out for in the NBA this year (with some pandering), and much more. 

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When he was in high school, Pat Connaughton was offered a couple million dollars from the New York Yankees to forgo college and join their minor league system. He turned it down. Instead, he chose to continue pursuing his dream of playing basketball, went on to play both baseball and basketball at The University of Notre Dame, and now is an NBA Champion. Duncan and Pat grew up together, played for the same AAU program in New England, and are close friends to this day, so Duncan got to witness that entire journey first-hand. 

In this fantastic sit-down, the guys talk about what a new season is like coming off of a championship, Milwaukee battling adversity in the playoffs, the ‘revenge series’ against the Heat, and how the media narrative changes for Giannis after becoming a champion. They then dive into Pat’s impact on winning games, his defensive approach, and favorite in-game dunks. 

The discussion then turns to Pat’s early days as a baseball standout, being a dual-athlete in college, getting drafted in both the MLB and NBA, and wraps up with Pat’s off-court endeavors, including his real estate business and foundation supporting youth sports. 

Before all of that, Duncan and Davis breakdown the Ben Simmons & Kyrie Irving off-season drama, talk about the new Wilson basketball and why it is so different from Spalding, and Duncan shouts out his Boston Red Sox.

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This week the guys are joined by former Arizona Wildcat, former teammate of Duncan’s, and current Atlanta Hawk, Solomon Hill. They talk about what makes the Heat organization so special, Solo’s ability to be a trusted voice in any locker room, and the friendships he has made during his time in the NBA.

Duncan and Solo then reflect on the Orlando bubble, making a run to the Finals, and Solo explains how the Hawks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year helped the young core in Atlanta grow. 

The guys then shift to talk about the pressure that comes with getting a “public payday” and how it changes things for a player when they earn a big contract. They have an incredible, honest conversation about how money is viewed in the NBA by fans, franchises, and between players.

Lastly, the conversation turns to Solo’s activity on Twitter (he might be the best tweeter in the NBA) and his role in pushing social justice initiatives forward. 

Before that conversation, Duncan and Davis discuss the Heat’s first preseason game, tease a new segment, give some advice to fans who want to learn some high-level basketball lingo, and more. 

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It has been a long time coming, but the day has finally arrived that Duncan and Davis sat down with their boss (and NBA legend) JJ Redick. In this amazing conversation, the guys talk about JJ’s decision to step away from the NBA, what he will miss most, his competitive nature, and whether “old school” competitiveness is still alive in the NBA today.

They then discuss Miami’s legendary conditioning test, pre-season shooting struggles that both JJ and Duncan have experienced, and the mental burden of counting makes and misses. Finally, the guys have a candid conversation about NBA Media day this week and the circus surrounding COVID vaccinations around the league. 

Before all of that, Duncan and Davis discuss the start of training camp, dealing with cliche questions from the media, J Cole, and Duncan plays a game of “Who He Play For? ” where Davis quizzes him on guys who recently moved to new teams.

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Life gets pretty busy when you’re about to start a world comedy tour, but somehow Duncan and Davis were fortunate enough to sit down with Hasan Minhaj this week as his tour - “The King’s Jester” - kicks off. Hasan is a comedian, writer, actor, producer, and social/political commentator who also happens to be a hoops fanatic. The guys first discuss his new tour, who & what has inspired his work, and his evolution as an artist. They then delve into how sports and entertainment differ when it comes to evaluating talent, learning to perform and “not give a f**k,” and how much your approach matters. Of course they have to talk hoops as well, including Hasan’s Celebrity All-Star game performance, the beauty of sports and its role in society, and Hasan’s Sacramento Kings fandom. All of that and much more in this amazing conversation.

Before that, Duncan and Davis discuss JJ Redick retiring, reflect on his amazing career and their favorite memories of JJ, talk about the Ben Simmons situation in Philly, and remember the most athletic plays they have ever seen in an NBA game.

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Max Strus has a story that may sound familiar to you. Under-sized and under-recruited, Max made his way from Division II basketball all the way to the NBA. In this awesome conversation, Max joins the guys to talk about his journey, the similarities to Duncan, and compounding confidence over time. Duncan and Max then break down the mental side of being a shooter, how important it is to find mental balance, and what makes Miami so special for undrafted guys. Finally, the guys debate Max’s baseball skills and recount his experience throwing out the first pitch for the Chicago White Sox.

Before all of that, Duncan and Davis question what they could do to get invited to the Met Gala, give credit to Dennis Schröder for his latest Instagram post, debate the best off-season moves, and more!

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We have a very special episode this week. The Long Shot visited Ann Arbor and sat down with Michigan legend and close friend of the pod, Moritz Wagner. Duncan and Moe reflect on their days at Michigan, nearly fighting each other, and how far Moe has come since he first arrived on campus from Germany. They also discuss battling adversity, finding joy in your work, Moe’s “provocative” nature on the court, and how that has led to some on-court altercations… including one with Duncan and the legendary headbutt from Giannis. The guys also talk about all of the incredible veterans that Moe has played for - LeBron, Rondo, Russ, and more - and how that has helped shaped him as a player.

Before all of that, Duncan and Davis discuss whether Michigan is a football or basketball school, start re-working a community name, reflect on Duncan’s career high, and more!

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This week the guys are joined by their co-worker, good friend, and sort-of their boss Tommy Alter. Tommy is the co-founder of ThreeFourTwo Productions, co-host of Old Man & The Three with JJ Redick, and producer of multiple other television shows including “Desus and Mero” on Showtime and “The Shop” on HBO. Tommy discusses his mysterious background, working at Comedy Central and The Ringer, what led him to Old Man & The Three with JJ Redick, and building his network in the industry. The guys also talk Sixers, JJ’s playing future, and how to balance a podcast with an active playing career. Then, Duncan and Davis pay homage to Old Man & The Three with a draft of their own - Best Sidekicks of all time. The draft goes in all sorts of directions with some terrible picks along the way.

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The Long Shot community has more great questions for us and we love to answer them. This week, Duncan and Davis discuss how NBA players get paid, times that Coach Spo has ripped into Duncan during a game, the year Duncan made the biggest jump in shooting, and dealing with the media. 

They also unpack how their friendship has changed during the podcast, whether Duncan is the hardest person Davis has ever had to guard, favorite albums of the summer, a breakdown of Duncan’s 2K ratings, and more!

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Everyone has a unique story, a journey that they can call their own. Very few have one more remarkable than NBA Champion Caron Butler. In this awesome conversation, Caron discusses his upbringing in “survival mode,” how it shaped him as a man, activism today, and staying in touch with his community. He also talks about his time as an NBA star, playing with Kobe, and the transition to coaching and entrepreneurship.

Before the conversation with Caron, Duncan and Davis discuss the momentum of The Long Shot, interviewing fans about Duncan’s contract, smartest players in the league, and more!

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