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00:003.3% of all brackets remained perfect.
00:06No.
00:1196.7% of you have at least one loss.
00:15Right.
00:16So what's the point anymore?
00:17Rip it up.
00:19Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip.
00:20There would have been some people ripping it up if Duke had lost.
00:24Duke got scared.
00:25They were down, man.
00:26They were down with five minutes to go.
00:29Sienna?
00:29Yeah.
00:30So whether it's college, bro, we're talking it all out.
00:33And we're going to do that now with our friend Mark Spears.
00:36Out to the River Islands guest line.
00:38Mark Spears is joining us courtesy of Kendall Jackson Wines,
00:41an official wine partner of the Golden State Warriors.
00:45Hello, Mr. Spears.
00:47How's your bracket?
00:49Well, I mean, I figure that 4% you're talking about all graduated from High Point, right?
00:55Probably.
00:56I have High Point, Mark.
00:57The way I kind of figured it is like, you know, and I have several brackets.
01:01I have like three.
01:03But like, how many of your boys picked High Point, right?
01:05Like, we all lost.
01:06So I don't really like worry about that in my bracket when there's a major upset like that.
01:12What you got to look at is how does it go down the line?
01:16Like, I picked Wisconsin, I think, to make it to the Elite Eight.
01:21So that's where you get hit.
01:23It's not High Point winning.
01:25It's like, how far did you have to got the team they're beating going?
01:28That's like getting a parking ticket, and you also get written up for having no registration.
01:33So you get like the two tickets on the window, and then you don't get back there in time.
01:37And so then they slap you with a third one.
01:39It's like, come on, man.
01:41It happens.
01:42It does, yeah.
01:44While we're talking about High Point, some people are thinking about this as a low point
01:49for the Golden State Warriors until Steph Curry gets back.
01:53There was an encouraging update yesterday, but we want to know, Mark Spears, what do you know?
01:57What are you hearing?
01:59What do you think the plan is for Steph's return?
02:02Yeah, I'm hearing probably not this weekend.
02:05Definitely not tomorrow.
02:08I think Porzingis plays tomorrow.
02:11But, you know, if you want to see Stephen Curry tonight, check out the Charlotte Hornets.
02:16He'll be there with his brother, supporting his dad, who's getting his number 30 jersey, retired tonight.
02:23Got a big story on it on the handscape.
02:25Check it out.
02:26And one thing I thought was interesting, I asked Dale Curry, I'm like, how did you come up with the
02:31number 30?
02:32Because if you think about it, like, 30 is a worldwide number now, obviously, because of his son, Steph.
02:40And he said he made varsity as a freshman playing high school basketball in Virginia.
02:46And his coach just gave it to him.
02:48So it was.
02:49There it is.
02:50So 30 was just, like, dumb luck from a coach giving it to him.
02:55And he said that after he played the McDonald's All-Star game, or when he did, he wore the number
02:5915.
03:00So he thought about, when he got to Virginia Tech, wearing number 15, because he played good wearing it in
03:07the McDonald's.
03:08And a lot of people don't know that Steph didn't make McDonald's, obviously, and Seth didn't.
03:14But their dad did.
03:17But he said when he became a freshman, there was a five-year senior at Virginia Tech who was wearing
03:2215.
03:23So he didn't feel right, even though the coach said you could have that number since you're our new big
03:28star.
03:29So he went back to 30.
03:30So that's how Steph is wearing 30.
03:32And to answer your question, it's, you know, sounds like it's like day-to-day with Steph, but perhaps not
03:39this weekend.
03:40Yeah, hopefully at some point before the play-in.
03:43And I guess that is the direction I'll go, Mark, is how important is it to, quote, rush him back
03:49now as opposed to take a little bit of extra time.
03:52You know he's going to work with Chris Stapps.
03:54Just get him healthy for the last five before the play-in.
03:58Yeah, you know, I think the Warriors, and you guys tell me if I'm wrong, they have a reputation for
04:02Aaron on the side of caution.
04:04I mean, if there's one player you're not going to rush back, you're not going to rush back Steph Curry.
04:10And certainly not for this situation.
04:13You know, when I talked to him a couple weeks ago, his whole thing was planned.
04:19His mentality was there.
04:20He knew that it wasn't going to be six.
04:25I think he was hoping for seven or eight, right?
04:28And his loss certainly is not helping that.
04:33But his whole thing was like, I want to play in the postseason to help the young guys get experience.
04:39But I don't have Jimmy to do it with me.
04:41So I think Steph and the Warriors are very realistic about what this is.
04:48At best, maybe it gets him a first-round berth.
04:53But the worst-case scenario might be the best-case scenario because right now they have the 11th pick in
05:03the draft before the draft lottery.
05:05And to me, that's like better odds than what Dallas had when they got Cooper Flagg.
05:10Like you said earlier, I heard you, you don't know sports.
05:14You don't know what's going to happen.
05:15That's the beauty of sports is the unknown.
05:18And so you go to the draft lottery and you just see what happens.
05:23And so to me, that's more important for the Warriors than whether Steph could play against Portland on the road
05:31in a playing game.
05:32With ESPN, the great Mark Spears is with us here on Withered and Dibs, courtesy of Kendall Jackson Wines.
05:40Hey, Mark, I don't know if they are there yet, but I wonder what you know.
05:45What do you think the Warriors' thought is right now?
05:48He's starting to stack some games.
05:49What do you think their thought is on Kristaps Porzingis next year?
05:55I think there's some good optimism because they're very confident in their medical staff.
06:03The Warriors feel like their medical staff is as good, not better than anybody's in the league.
06:09And right now, you know, you're getting an opportunity to see Kristaps every day.
06:15You're getting an opportunity to get under the hood.
06:19He's played a couple games in a row.
06:21He looks to be much healthier.
06:23He's expected to play against Detroit.
06:26And so I think that's a great thing for Dunleavy when he, you know, gets to evaluate what, you know,
06:33his future is in Golden State.
06:35And I can see Kristaps liking it here, wanting to be here.
06:39The question is, is like, what number?
06:42It's kind of tough because, you know, you don't want to lose Kaminga for nothing, right?
06:49And Kristaps is showing to be the player that I think the Warriors need.
06:53Rent protectors, three-point shooter, can block shots, and perhaps more time with this franchise.
07:01With each passing day, I think they're learning more and more about the puzzle that could potentially keep him healthy
07:07and determine it on whether he's worth resigning or not.
07:10Do you think that no matter where he winds up, that it's most likely a one-year deal for Porzingis?
07:17Probably.
07:18Probably.
07:19I mean, and if you're him, it probably behooves you to have a one-year deal, right?
07:23Like, because if he does come back healthy, I don't think you could question him as a player, right?
07:32I mean, if, let's say he plays with the Warriors next year and he plays 60 games, right?
07:39Like, would you be surprised if he averaged 17 and 7?
07:45No, no, not at all.
07:47No.
07:47That's, if that's your number three guy or number four guy, that's a pretty good addition.
07:55You know, but does he get Kaminga money?
07:57Does he get something less?
07:58Like, what's the number?
08:00I think that's the thing that I think will certainly play a role on whether he's back or not.
08:07Or, you know, but like, I don't, I don't know that teams are going to be just really beating down
08:11the door for him,
08:12but at least the Warriors can have an option to bring him back and know whether it's worth it or
08:19not.
08:19But they've wanted to keep all of their, to whatever level they can, all of their contracts aligned with Steph
08:26and Jimmy.
08:27In other words, expiring next year.
08:29What do you think their willingness will be this offseason to talk to players about something beyond next year?
08:35And I'm mainly, for example, thinking of someone like DeAnthony Melton,
08:38who I've got to think right now is on track for a multi-year offer somewhere.
08:43Yeah, but I think Melton still needs to prove that he's healthy, right?
08:47I mean, how many games has he played this year?
08:49So I think that's the knock on him.
08:52That's the knock on, on Chris Tapps.
08:54Like we saw from that dunk from Melton the other day, that nasty, ferocious dunk,
08:59that he certainly is healthy and, and back, but you still need to see it for, you know, a bigger,
09:07bigger, a period of time.
09:09So he's, both of those guys are intriguing because ultimately in free agency, it takes one team to really love
09:17you and throw some money in front of you.
09:20So that's, that's certainly the risk for the Warriors.
09:25But if the Warriors are smart, I think that you kind of start the negotiating now.
09:29I've seen Chris Tapps' agent, you know, at the arena a little bit.
09:33So if he's around, that means I'm sure there's been some conversations.
09:37So, but with either guy, it doesn't make or break the organization if they leave, right?
09:44Like, but I do think if they can both prove they're healthy, it certainly would be, make sense to bring
09:52them back.
09:53And, you know, who knows if they could garner something longer than, than a year anyways.
09:59Yeah, we had D'Anthony Melton on a couple of days ago and he talked about the training staff and
10:04the medical staff.
10:04How much of that do you think is a factor for some of these NBA players, especially those who've had,
10:10you know, previous issues with health and injury?
10:14Yeah, I'm trying to think of, um, golly, help me out.
10:20My guy that plays for Minnesota right now, shooting guard, came from New York, played for the Warriors.
10:25Adivin Genzo, yeah.
10:26Yeah, Dante.
10:27Dante, um, and, and I've talked to Dante about how basically the Warriors told him to bet on himself on
10:34a one-year deal.
10:35And that, you know, if he, if he played the way he was capable of playing healthy, that he would
10:41be rewarded.
10:42And he got rewarded from the Knicks and now he's with Minnesota.
10:45So I think if I'm Melton and if I'm, you know, poor Zingas, I think doing a shorter deal, betting
10:53on yourself, betting on yourself,
10:54hopefully healthy, will probably be more lucrative than, than signing a two-year deal plus now.
11:02Mark Spears, ESPN with us here on Willard and Dibs, 95.7 The Game.
11:06It was a few weeks ago, Mark, that you sat with us and you said this draft may go 15
11:12deep.
11:13Um, and, and so, okay.
11:17Skip the mic.
11:18Okay.
11:19It will.
11:20So let's, let's hear, I know, because I know you got an article also out about the Boozers.
11:24Like, let's, let's hear what, what have you seen and, and, and what, you know, what are those prospects for
11:32the Warriors and beyond?
11:36Yeah.
11:37You know, um, there are several guys I wish I had to list in front of me, but I do
11:42think that this to me is a draft where you'll see how really good your, uh, scouts are.
11:49Right.
11:50Uh, because to me, like there's now, uh, obvious top five and, you know, that's AJ DeBansa, that's Peterson, Wilson
12:01from North Carolina, Boozer and Acuff.
12:05And, uh, if everything falls right, I think we could see Acuff and DeBansa in San Jose next week.
12:11So fans like keep an eye on that.
12:15Like, I'm really, really excited about seeing that tournament in my hometown next week.
12:20Um, Acuff and Arkansas has to get by a high point first, right?
12:24Like, uh, um, BYU has to win against Texas and win against likely Gonzaga.
12:31But if Arizona and Acuff and DeBansa are there, there's going to be some, a lot of NBA scouts in
12:37the building.
12:38I'm sure the Warriors will have a few people, you know, looking at talent.
12:42Um, so I'm, I'm excited.
12:45Like the, the one guy I like, uh, who could be sitting around right there is Karim Garcia.
12:51I mean, Karim Lopez, I'm sorry.
12:53Uh, going to be the first Mexican player, not only taken in the first round, but likely the lottery.
12:58I could see him falling into that spot.
13:02He's a really, really tall, Pippen-like small forward.
13:08Um, I, I could see somebody like that falling there.
13:12Um, but like I said, I think this, this draft is going to be such where it's going to be
13:19like that draft where Clay gets picked in the early teens.
13:23And, you know, Kawhi gets picked right before 15.
13:26Like, I think it's going to be a draft where you're going to land somebody.
13:31Like, let's just say the Warriors pick at 11.
13:34There's going to be somebody there, uh, that can immediately come in and help.
13:39And then you'll, you'll hear some naysayers be like, well, will Steve play him?
13:44Will they, will he play the young guy?
13:46Would Warriors play the young guy?
13:47Uh, but that being said, like, I don't, I don't think native mint, um, trap drops, but somebody is going
13:56to drop to 11.
13:57If the, if it ends up being like the Warriors at 11 or 12, I think somebody special is going
14:03to kind of fall into their lap.
14:05So this whole, I mean, is it really, I guess the question is like, is it, and I'll ask you
14:10guys this, is it worth it for Steph?
14:13Is it worth it?
14:16Is to me, the reward is, is in, in the youth right now.
14:21That's, uh, coming up in one of the most special drafts in NBA history this summer.
14:25Are these freshmen going to be able to step in and do enough to help?
14:29Cause I, I can't help but think of the big kid from, uh, Michigan, Yaxel Lendenborg, who's a senior, you
14:35know, kind of a stretch for a guy who I think.
14:37Say that name again.
14:38Let's see.
14:38Let me hear what you said.
14:39Yaxel Lendenborg.
14:40I think he's more of a plug and play ready now player than a lot of these freshmen.
14:45Do you think these precocious young freshmen can step in and play with these OGs right away?
14:52They've been amazingly talented.
14:54Like when I, I watch a cup play, he looks like he's bored.
14:59He just, he just looks like he's too talented.
15:01Right.
15:02Um, even like Caden Boozer, I talked to Ken, uh, Carlos Boozer the other day and the way he's playing,
15:11I think he might be playing himself into the late first round.
15:14Um, and now that he's forced to start at point guard, um, that there definitely is some, some intriguing talent,
15:22uh, up and down.
15:24And like, I really think that somebody is going to mess up and, and somebody is going to drop in
15:30that 10 to 12 range that could potentially be there for the warriors.
15:34But another thing is like, when you look at the Spurs getting the number one pick, what were their odds?
15:42When you look at Dallas getting the number one pick, what were their odds?
15:471%.
15:47Yes, these odds are small, but what if man, what if tell Steph to show up in Chicago for the
15:54draft lottery, bring his lucky charm and, and, and see what happens.
15:59Cause right now, worst case scenario is you got a guy, 11, 12, 13 pick, but what if you get
16:06that lucky charm and you're getting that top four, right?
16:10Then you're potentially, to me, the, the fact that you could even like, like the odds are small, but there's,
16:19there's still so much to gain.
16:22And if you get lucky that it, to me, it's makes much more sense to let, you know, Steph sit
16:29and, and see what happens in a draft lottery.
16:32But Steph is built in the same cause as Giannis.
16:36And if Steph's able to play, he knows how important it is to every fan that buys a ticket to
16:42see him play.
16:42You know, he'll come back.
16:45I'm glad you mentioned Giannis right there, Mark Spears.
16:48And for those listeners who don't know what, what, what he's referring to,
16:53Giannis is not cool with the Bucs wanting to shut him down for the year.
16:57He would like to still play.
16:58How does this controversy, Mark, affect what may happen with him and the Bucs in the off season?
17:08Bro, I, I give, I give up on guessing on the Bucs and them, man.
17:12Like, I don't trust it.
17:14Like, do you trust it?
17:15Right.
17:15Like he was on the block and then after it's over, then he was like, Hey, I got a betting
17:23site that I work.
17:24You know what I mean?
17:24I don't, I don't know how to gauge it, but I do know that Giannis cares about playing.
17:30I do trust that.
17:32And, but their team is so bad.
17:34I don't know that how much it matters.
17:36Like, is it going to turn the needle?
17:39They're not going to win anything.
17:42And that's the thing I think that allows Steph to take his time even more.
17:46Like, what do you, the best thing you're playing for is to get some guys, young guys, some experience.
17:51And then you got to ask your question, like, well, which one of these young guys are going to still
17:56be around?
17:57Like, is it, is it truly worth it?
17:59Um, but I know in that draft lottery, I've seen crazy things happen.
18:05Go ask Spurs, go ask Dallas.
18:08Yeah.
18:08That's what I'd be rolling my dice on.
18:11Dallas 1.8%.
18:11Uh, the Hawks were 3% with Zachary Richashe.
18:16Uh, the Spurs 14% for when Benyama and, you know, just cause you, you get lucky doesn't mean it
18:22always works out about the Hawks.
18:24And I'm looking at, uh, the bulls when they got Derrick Rose, they had a 1.7% chance.
18:29You win the lottery, you get Derrick Rose and his body basically exploded.
18:35But he was special.
18:37He was?
18:37Yep.
18:38Yeah.
18:39So, I mean, what if?
18:42Yeah.
18:44Wow, that sounded like an advertisement.
18:46That was, that was really good.
18:47What if?
18:47What if?
18:48Dot, dot, dot.
18:50Yeah.
18:51What if?
18:51Hey, so they say there's a chance.
18:54There you go.
18:55There's always a chance and the chance is not good for anybody, but somebody's going to get it.
18:59Yeah.
19:00Like, if you know, if we look at the Hawks and we look at the Mavericks and that's two
19:03of the last, what, three years.
19:07Now, who you pick after that is a whole different ball game, but I don't know, man.
19:13I'm a, I'm a, I'm a throw my, my hat in that raffle and see what comes out of it
19:18rather
19:18than they're getting a certificate of participation for playing Oklahoma City or San Antonio in the
19:25first round.
19:25Uh, Mark, as always, man, great stuff.
19:28I know you're bouncing around and talk to a lot of these, uh, these college youngsters
19:32and looking at this draft, by the way, uh, which, uh, which college youngster do you
19:36think is still going to be playing basketball in like three weeks?
19:42Uh, well, first shout out to Langston University.
19:45My boys, uh, HBCU out of Oklahoma.
19:48They made it to the sweet 16.
19:49So let's go.
19:51I need to get a championship.
19:52They gave me a ring.
19:53I did a commencement speech.
19:54I'm an ambassador for them, so I hope for them, but, um, Duke scares me.
20:01I think Arizona is going to be around.
20:04I think Duke's injuries are going to, are already haunting them.
20:07Um, I think let's, I would say this, watch a lot now because this is when the healthy
20:15teams and the veteran teams take over.
20:18But if a cuff makes it to San Jose and AJ DeBansa, make it to San Jose, I think you
20:24should, if
20:25you really love who you need to make it to San Jose to watch those two guys play in person.
20:29Okay.
20:29They just put almost a hundred, uh, in that first round and they're facing high point.
20:34Go ahead and bet the over folks.
20:36Uh, for me to you better than I'm coming in with some swag, boy.
20:40I mean, first to a hundred might win that game.
20:42That's going to be a high scoring affair there, Mark.
20:45Mm-hmm.
20:46Yeah.
20:46There ain't no pressure on high point.
20:48They're just, you know.
20:49That's true.
20:50Let's see.
20:50Call a party.
20:51Let's see his coaching again.
20:54Mark, great to have you, man.
20:55We'll talk to you next week.
20:57All right.
20:57Pleasure, brother.
20:58Okay.
20:59Get some KJ wine, please.
21:00Oh, we all, we all, yeah, we've, we've got it.
21:03We got it.
21:04And that was Mark Spears, courtesy of Kendall Jackson Wines, an official wine partner of the Golden
21:09State Warriors, Mark Spears ESPN.
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