Detroit Pistons coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, joins Woj to discuss the dynamics of team building, power structures in the NBA, and the principles that drive a healthy, winning organization.

Coach vs. Management vs. Ownership: Bickerstaff discusses the critical importance of a true partnership between the head coach, the general manager (Trajan Langdon), and ownership, highlighting the supportive, hands-off approach of Tom Gores in Detroit.

The Player-Coach Relationship: He emphasizes that success is built on a foundation of trust and respect with a team's best player, allowing for open, honest conversations and preventing manipulation of the locker room.

Communication Style: J.B. shares his commitment to "touching base" with every player on the 1-15 roster every single day, fostering communication to solve problems before they escalate.

Lessons from a Basketball Family: As one half of the winningest father-son coaching combo in league history, Bickerstaff reflects on the unchanging constants of coaching passed down from his father, Bernie Bickerstaff, emphasizing the importance of telling the truth and treating everyone with the same respect.

League Life: J.B. introduces "League Life," the resource app he and his wife, Nikki, created to help professional sports families navigate the constant moves and find vetted services in new cities.

We’ll see you next week for episode six of The Program.

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Woj sits down with his former ESPN colleague, current NFL Front Office Insider at ESPN, and founder of The 33rd Team, Mike Tannenbaum, to discuss the dramatic blurring lines between the NFL and major college football.

College Football & The Cap

How NIL, revenue sharing, and the lack of a true salary cap are forcing college GMs and coaches to adopt NFL-style decision-making.

The essential difference between a "binary" scholarship decision and a rigorous salary cap approach.

Is the dynasty dead? Mike's take on whether the Nick Saban-era of dominance is possible in the new landscape where players like Carson Beck can earn millions.

Lessons from Bill Parcells 

The most important principles Tannenbaum learned about team-building and player evaluation from his mentor, Bill Parcells.

How Parcells was using data and analytics 30 years ago with his "typing system" for player prototypes (e.g., the "big men" philosophy).

The Steve Kerr & David Blatt Saga

A fascinating look inside Tannenbaum's time as an agent, detailing the final, dramatic hours of the Steve Kerr coaching sweepstakes between the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors.

The race to hire David Blatt for the Cleveland Cavaliers right before LeBron James' return.

The Future of the NFL

Mike's prediction on what will drive the NFL forward in the next 5-10 years: sports science, player wellness, and data-driven decision-making to win on the edges.

We’ll see you next week for episode six of The Program.

A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, Novig, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, where you can make picks on the NBA, NFL, and more at the best odds in over 35 states! Learn more at ⁠https://novig.us/woj and use code THEPROGRAM for a match up to $100 on your first purchase.

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In this week's edition of The Program with Woj, Woj sits down with Michigan Basketball Head Coach Dusty May.

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On the latest episode of The Program, Woj sits down with Grant Hill, the Managing Director of USA Basketball.

Some of the topics covered:

The Weight of Gold: Hill shares what no one could have prepared him for regarding the pressure and expectation of winning the Olympics.

Connecting with the New Generation: How the league and players have changed in the last decade, and the evolving approach to leadership and communication.

The World Cup vs. The Olympics: Analyzing the different challenges and roster-building strategies for each international tournament.

The Spoelstra Hire: Why Coach Spo's program culture and ability to connect with players made him the perfect fit for the next cycle, including the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Balancing Director and Coach: The delicate art of empowering a coach while serving as a supportive, accountable managing director for the players.

The Future Model: How USA Basketball must adapt its strategy and marketing to stay relevant in a changing global and domestic basketball landscape.

We’ll see you next week for episode five of The Program.

A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, Novig, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, where you can make picks on the NBA, NFL, and more at the best odds in over 35 states! Learn more at ⁠https://novig.us/woj and use code THEPROGRAM for a match up to $100 on your first purchase.

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On the third episode of The Program, Woj sits down with Tulane Football Head Coach Jon Sumrall to discuss his approach to roster building in the NIL era—balancing the transfer portal, constant roster churn, and the pursuit of a winning culture. Coach Sumrall shares why he separates coaching players from coaching dollar amounts, how he rewards good players who are good people, and why he’s comfortable operating in the chaos of modern college football.

Some of the topics covered:

High School Recruiting as a Foundation: How traditional recruiting remains central while the portal supplements it.

Balancing Winning and Culture: The tension between winning now and building a lasting culture

Rewarding Good People: Why character still drives his roster decisions.

Separating Money and Performance: Why Sumrall prefers not to know what players earn.

Timestamps:

2:00 – Sumrall’s formula for roster building at Tulane

4:50 – Balancing competitiveness with culture

7:44 – Rewarding good players who are good people

12:33 – Limiting a coach’s exposure to player earnings

16:23 – The future of non–Power Four college football

We’ll see you next week for episode four of The Program.

A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, Novig, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, where you can make picks on the NBA, NFL, and more at the best odds in over 35 states! Learn more at ⁠https://novig.us/woj and use code THEPROGRAM for a match up to $100 on your first purchase.

Must be 21+. No purchase necessary to play. Void where prohibited. New users receive 1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash automatically. See terms of use for eligibility.

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On the second episode of The Program, Woj sits down with USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb — the former NBA assistant who returned to college to build one of the sport’s most exciting programs. Gottlieb shares why she saw USC — and Los Angeles — as the next great sports hub, and how she’s building a perennial national contender around phenom JuJu Watkins. 

Some of the topics covered:

Building Around a Star: Gottlieb explains what makes JuJu Watkins unique — and how you build a sustainable program around a generational player.

The NBA Effect: Hear how her time on the Cleveland Cavaliers staff prepared her for team-building in the NIL era of college basketball

Recruiting the Right Fit: Why even elite talent sometimes isn’t the right match — and how Gottlieb identifies players who elevate the whole system.

LA Rising: Why Gottlieb believed Los Angeles was poised to become the epicenter of women’s sports — and what that means for the next wave of athletes considering USC.

We’ll see you next week for episode three of The Program.

A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, Novig, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, where you can make picks on the NBA, NFL, and more at the best odds in over 35 states! Learn more at ⁠https://novig.us/woj and use code THEPROGRAM for a match up to $100 on your first purchase.

Must be 21+. No purchase necessary to play. Void where prohibited. New users receive 1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash automatically. See terms of use for eligibility.

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On the debut episode of The Program, Woj visits with Jonathan Givony, founder of DraftExpress. They discuss the accelerated pattern of college’s recruiting international basketball talent — strategy that’s transforming roster construction in the age of paying players and the transfer portal.

Some of the topics covered:

    •    The Global GM Mindset: Givony reveals the one crucial evaluation method schools must adopt to succeed in international recruiting, arguing that only offering the most money is an often a losing strategy.

    •    Woj's Reporter Edge: Hear Woj explain how he leaned on his past life as a reporter to land top European talent like Achille Lonati.

    •    How the NCAA's reluctance to fight lawsuits is flooding the college market with older, professional players and what that means for high school recruitment.

    •    Playing Time vs. The Paycheck: Is a big NIL/Rev share deal at a Power Five school worth sitting on the bench? Woj and Givony detail how agents are increasingly steering clients on a different path that maximizes long-term earnings.

    •    The Future of College Staffs: Givony gives his bold prediction on the next major structural change in the sport.

We’ll see you next week for episode two with USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb

A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, Novig, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, where you can make picks on the NBA, NFL, and more at the best odds in over 35 states! Learn more at ⁠https://novig.us/woj and use code THEPROGRAM for a match up to $100 on your first purchase.

Must be 21+. No purchase necessary to play. Void where prohibited. New users receive 1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash automatically. See terms of use for eligibility.

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Welcome to The Program with Woj. 

I’m Adrian Wojnarowski. You may remember me from my days as the Senior NBA Insider at ESPN, but now I’m back at my alma mater, St. Bonaventure, navigating a whole new world as GM of their men's college basketball team.

On The Program with Woj, I’ll sit down with some of the most accomplished and innovative leaders and minds across all levels of the sporting community--my personal exploration of front office work and modern team building.

From college to pro, men and women, The Program with Woj will dig into it all.

The Program with Woj is a creation and production of In the Arena Studios. The series will be presented by our title sponsor, Novig. New episodes will drop every Wednesday and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See you soon, on The Program with Woj.

A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, Novig, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, where you can make picks on the NBA, NFL, and more at the best odds in over 35 states! Learn more at novig.us/woj and use code THEPROGRAM for a match up to $100 on your first purchase.

Must be 21+. No purchase necessary to play. Void where prohibited. New users receive 1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash automatically. See terms of use for eligibility. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices