Best of The Week on The Herd

Welcome in. Wild weekend, big guests, and it’s Monday, so let’s do Colin Right, Colin Wrong. I’m not gonna lie, I had a pretty good week.

Right: I picked Michigan to win it and said the best version of college hoops is grown men who stick around. They played fast, shot it well, and overwhelmed teams. Wrong: I underestimated OKC’s ceiling; they’re complete and nasty on defense. Right: Luka’s sky‑high usage and conditioning worries were always a long‑term red flag. Right: Cooper Flagg looks like an MVP‑level talent sooner than people think. Wrong: The Jalen Hurts rigidity report surprised me and shifted how I see that locker room. Right: The Giannis–Bucks mess was telegraphed; when stars talk about looking elsewhere, they mean it. Right: I’m higher than most on Fernando Mendoza at quarterback. Right: NIL is tilting power toward the Big Ten’s resources and alumni muscle, and you’re seeing it.

Let’s start big picture. Where does Jokic land in history if he stays at one title? I grew up on Kareem and Dr. J, loved MJ, LeBron, Steph. How high can Joker climb?

He’s already jumped past Moses in impact, and he sits right outside that Shaq–Hakeem–Steph cluster. The ceiling with just one ring is outside the top twelve, because that group is full of multi‑title guys. He’s the best player alive, but he needs another championship to elbow in.

About the Lakers getting dusted by OKC: I said that loss gave the new owners clarity on how far they are. Injuries matter, but it showed the gap. Fair or overreaction?

If any team loses its top two scorers before the playoffs, it’s sunk, so don’t overread that one game. The roster is mismatched and light on youth and athleticism, but Luka has dragged flawed teams deep before. You still need shooting and defense around him, and the Lakers didn’t build that well enough.

Cooper Flagg looks special to me. I floated that he could be better than Jason Tatum by year two. Too far?

He has MVP upside and should be rookie of the year on talent alone. But I don’t see him better than a fully healthy Tatum for at least three seasons. Tatum walks in as a top‑seven player next year if right, and the Celtics might win the title because of him.

On NIL, I like the clarity and the administrative honesty. Affluent alumni and academics now matter in a real way. What actually wins in college sports today?

The old model was exploitative, so change was overdue, but we swung from one extreme to the other. Players get paid, but continuity is gone, especially in men’s hoops. Football’s product improved with better matchups; college basketball lost some texture with fewer shared journeys. The NBA regular season has dragged too, so the playoffs need to deliver.

Michigan head coach Dusty May is here. The title game was a bruiser. I thought the officials were consistent. How did you see the physicality and the crew?

Both teams were ultra‑physical while showing hands, and that makes finishing hard. Their game plan was excellent, and the officiating crew communicated and let us vent without losing control. We won it by making a few more plays.

Scouts nitpick explosiveness, but today’s NBA is about pace, reads, and skill. Does your cerebral wing translate because of his processing more than pop?

Yes. He processes in real time, adjusts mid‑air, and sees passes a beat early. He’s sneaky athletic and still new to the game, so there’s untapped growth.

Portal chaos time. Are you basically living on Zoom for the next two weeks?

We finished the game, did media, flew home, and jumped straight into calls. If we want a shot 365 days from now, these two weeks are our Super Bowl.

Your big man blossomed late. When did you know he could anchor you at a high level?

Early tape from his pro and national teams showed elite passing and footwork. With spacing and cutters, it clicked. We played him through mistakes, trusted the process, and his confidence and impact grew. He’s a terrific teammate.

Big Ten is rolling. With resources and reach, does that continue in this NIL world?

Tournament variance is real, but the Big Ten is built for sustained success. Schools care deeply about athletics and can generate significant player support across the league.

Does breakfast taste different as a national champ, or are you already back to work?

No time to savor it yet. We’re roster‑first and process‑first. We’ll enjoy it later when the calendar allows.

All right, I’m apparently a good‑luck charm. I won my bracket, our crew crushed it, and yes, we all rode Michigan. I wrapped with a top‑15 mock: a sharp quarterback at one, a Jets swing that triggers early dominos, Arizona addressing pass rush, and teams prioritizing protection and playmakers. Think Browns fortify receiver, Chiefs and Ravens fortify the line, Bengals and Dolphins reload the secondary, Cowboys add coverage, Rams grab a ready‑made target, and the Bucs land a rangy safety. It’s not what I’d do, it’s what I’m hearing fits.