Hour 1 - Life After LeBron? Tanking, Star Power, and the NBA’s Popularity Problem

Hour 1 opens with some light banter before turning serious, as LeBron James becomes the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double and sparks a big-picture question: What happens to the league’s popularity when LeBron retires? Chris Russell examines whether the NBA is prepared for life after its biggest star, while also touching on the legacy and looming retirement of Chris Paul. The discussion expands into one of the league’s biggest self-inflicted issues; tanking following recent fines and what Russell calls a watered-down on-court product. A-MAC suggests Victor Wembanyama as the next global face of the NBA, but Russell counters with concerns about the league’s global growth coming at the expense of U.S. popularity. The hour wraps with listeners weighing in on whether tanking and star uncertainty are pushing the NBA toward irrelevance.