Best of The Herd

The Herd wherever you are, thanks for rolling with us; J-Mac’s here, and I’m smiling at this morning’s headline that college hoops suddenly has juice again—NIL didn’t ruin it, it reshaped it.

Q: Who’s winning in the NIL and transfer era? A: The Big Ten with deep-pocketed alumni and momentum, veteran coaches who can build rosters without living in gyms, and players choosing better coaching, facilities, and exposure over the G League.

Q: Is the sport actually better? A: Ratings are way up, the draft pool looks loaded, and parity is real—middle-tier programs can ambush blue bloods, which is great theater.

Q: What changed with the Lakers while I was on vacation? A: Everything—nine straight, LeBron locking in on defense and screening off-ball, Luka channeling energy at opponents instead of refs, and J.J. Redick smartly softening his message to get buy-in.

Caveat: It’s a regular-season heater; playoff whistles shrink, weak defenders get hunted, and free throws dry up, but the shot quality and effort have clearly leveled up.

L.A. might go from a World Cup summer to a Lakers June—chaos incoming if that happens.

Back from the Caribbean and it’s Colin Right, Colin Wrong: NIL did turbocharge the Big Ten; I whiffed on doubting the Lakers’ defense; older coaches thrive in this market; my bracket died early; the World Baseball Classic rocks; I’m skeptical of the Ravens’ sky-high win total; and I’ve never seen a singular wow trait from J.J. McCarthy.

Q: Chris, any draft worries about the Kansas star at the top? A: He’s elite, but durability, mystery absences, and a ball-dominant style bring real questions.

He’ll go high because the talent pops, but I prefer DeBonza from BYU; with Peterson, the missed time and muted playmaking are red flags you can’t ignore.

Q: Do the Lakers’ strengths translate in the postseason? A: I buy the offense, but can they grind enough stops when whistles tighten?

LeBron cracked the fit by morphing into a high-activity star role—sprinting, spacing, living in the dunker spot—and toggles to 30 when needed; I’ve got them third in the West behind OKC and San Antonio, with Spurs’ inexperience versus Lakers’ savvy as a fascinating second-round test.

Q: Should the Knicks chase Giannis if they fall short? A: The pressure will be real, but cost and assets matter.

New York would likely need a third or fourth team after burning picks on Bridges, while Houston should go all-in to pair Giannis with Durant; Minnesota should kick the tires, too.

Q: How will history treat Kevin Durant? A: He’s an all-time scorer, but the wanderer label lingers.

Top-twenty all-time for me; had he stayed with Golden State, he’s probably sitting on four or five rings and a top-ten legacy—think Dirk to KD to Wemby as the seven-footer evolution.

Breaking: Travis Kelce re-ups for three years; despite his age, the Chiefs are betting on third-down chemistry, red-zone trust, and organizational leadership over raw volume stats.

Tight ends usually decline by their early thirties, so the bet says more about not trusting the receiver room than chasing a thousand-yard season.

Exactly—it’s situational excellence over counting stats, plus they believe a rookie right tackle completes a quietly strong line; veterans steady the offense while a young defense runs.

Vegas still loves them; we’ll see if that faith is brilliance or wish-casting.

Either way, Kelsey’s still the guy Mahomes finds when it matters; quick break, more news on the other side.