Best of The Herd

Friday in Chicago, draft less than two weeks out, and Marcus Freeman is on deck—let's roll.

College sports keeps changing, and the Big Ten’s surge is about markets and money, not NIL scapegoats—revenues, ratings, passion, and on‑field quality are all climbing.

Stop turning one April win over a shorthanded Boston team into a referendum on Tom Thibodeau; the Knicks have real roster gaps—thin bench, poor three defense, few free throws—that no coach alone fixes.

Draft smoke says David Bailey at two to the Jets, and I buy it; when multiple insiders sync up and odds swing, that’s often internal politics talking, and Bailey’s defined edge profile fits better than a raw, position‑fluid upside bet.

Marcus, in a portal and NIL world, does Notre Dame’s academic pull and brand help you keep your roster together?

We lean into the degree and the bigger life value, and we work hard to make guys feel seen in their roles; when players feel valued, they stay to finish what they started.

You pushed to keep the USC rivalry—why fight so hard for it when tradition everywhere is getting rewritten?

It’s the rivalry itself—records fade, that game always matters; it didn’t align for either side this cycle, but we’re fine and the sport moves forward.

You’ve got two headline backs; what makes Jeremiah Love different, and how should the league use Jadarian Price?

Jeremiah’s a unicorn—balance, burst, and power with the kind of four‑yard gains that should’ve been losses; Price is a complete back who protects, has sneaky speed, and adds real value on returns.

You had NFL interest—what ultimately kept you on Saturdays?

I love this job and these players, and while the NFL’s designed for parity, Notre Dame gives us support and a shot to win every year; sometimes chasing ‘more’ risks losing something special.

Where is CJ Carr right now—what’s sharpened, what still needs polish?

His preparation is elite—he treated a redshirt year like game week and still does; he’s ultra‑competitive and keeps working on decisions, defensive IDs, and ball placement.

On Miami’s Rueben Bain, people nitpick arm length—how do you see it?

Trust the tape over stopwatches; we learned that with Kyle Hamilton—production and impact travel better than measurements.

Last one—those moments in the tunnel under the lights, do you still feel the awe?

All the time; I’m grateful to be in it with our guys and I want it for them so badly that it fuels everything we do.

That got me fired up—we need a fall trip to South Bend, no excuses.

Alright, Chicago’s own Stacey King is here.

Stacey, how far are the Bulls from mattering, and what’s the blueprint?

Build around the core with a two‑way wing, a rim protector, and real shooting to match a fast pace; get those pieces and the style turns into wins.

Why does this city pack the arena no matter the record?

Jordan built the foundation, but Chicago rides for all its teams—fans deserve a winner, and the organization needs a clear lane after years of half‑tank, half‑retool.

College hoops feels older and stronger with NIL; does this draft have immediate helpers, and who fits?

It’s deep—top slots have stars and there are steady, long‑view bigs who rebound and impact both ends; I love versatile, high‑motor players who can move the ball and anchor a defense, and the international pipeline keeps raising the floor.

How would you fix tanking?

Ditch the in‑season tourney and stage a late‑season competition for lottery teams where the best closing record gets top pick seeding; make teams earn it and give their fans something real to chase.

Your MVP?

Take SGA off OKC and they still hold up, but remove Jokic or Wemby and those teams collapse—that’s real value.

Watching The Last Dance again, what stuck with you?

It tracked—MJ evolved his game, and Scottie was vital yet underappreciated by the edit; they needed each other for all six.

Great seeing you, Stacey—catch you at the United Center.