Thinking Basketball
Thinking Basketball
Ben Taylor, creator of the popular YouTube channel Thinking Basketball (and author of Thinking Basketball the book) goes deeper on basketball analysis, history, philosophy and theory with co-host Cody Houdek, and a variety of guests ranging from journalists to former players.
Ideal for fans interested in Xs and Os, stats & analytics, coaching and team strategy and adjustments, in-depth breakdowns on player strengths and weaknesses, and who is better and who is best in the NBA. (GOAT debates!)
Ideal for fans interested in Xs and Os, stats & analytics, coaching and team strategy and adjustments, in-depth breakdowns on player strengths and weaknesses, and who is better and who is best in the NBA. (GOAT debates!)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 10, 2023 • 1h 18min
#219: The best defenders of the last 15 years | Wings
In part 2 of our series, we look at the best wing defenders since 2008. Who was the best at his peak since 2008? How has defensive value changed over that time period? And how do these players compare with the best big men? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Aug 3, 2023 • 1h 29min
#218: The best defenders of the last 15 years | Big Men
Who were the best defenders of the last 15 seasons, at their peak? How has defensive value changed over that time period? We start this 3-part series on the best big men since 2008. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jul 27, 2023 • 1h 8min
#217: Making the Wilt Chamberlain documentary
Directors of the new documentary “Goliath,” Christopher Dillon and Rob Ford, join to discuss the making of the film, Wilt the player and person, what they learned and more. GOLIATH is streaming now on Paramount plus with Showtime. Support atwww.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jul 20, 2023 • 1h 26min
#216: Who will have the best career from the last 3 drafts?
We “superdraft” players from the 2021, 2022 and 2023 NBA draft in a vacuum to guess at their future career value based on what we know so far. Who goes #1? What team has the best potential? And what will this sound like in 5 years? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jul 12, 2023 • 1h 13min
#215: How much “luck” is there in basketball?
How much “luck” is involved in an NBA game or playoff series? Is it all about outside shooting? How big of a difference does streaky shooting make, and how should we talk about and think about this relative to “skill” or “quality?” We tackle that with some new data, but first, a few impressions of Summer League, and a white debate about whether the new NBA Cup is a good idea. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jul 6, 2023 • 53min
#214: The off-season moves
We break down some of the big trades and free agent signings of the off-season so far, while attempting to remember who plays where and the names of players past and present. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jun 28, 2023 • 1h 51min
#213: Top 10 players of 2023
It's time for the annual top-10 players list, this year in podcast form! We make our way through the best players of the 2023 season, and finish by comparing to a list voted on our by our Patreon subscribers. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jun 23, 2023 • 1h 20min
#212: 2023 NBA draft with Chip Jones
Our resident draft expert Chip Jones breaks down the 2023 NBA lottery picks, sleepers, and what teams had the best night in a class highlighted by Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson at the top. Follow @ChipJNBA. Support atwww.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Jun 21, 2023 • 1h 12min
#211: Victor Wembanyama & the best prospects ever
Victor Wembanyama, the potential best basketball prospect ever, is discussed in this podcast. Topics include the history of great prospects, changes in the draft process, value in later draft selections, and listing the best prospects to enter the league. The discussion also touches on the impact of height in basketball, analyzing top prospects like LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and sharing a nostalgic high school prospect moment.
Jun 14, 2023 • 46min
#210: NBA Finals Game 5
The Nuggets win the title, the Heatiest heat game, Denver's defense, and Nikola Jokic's 2023 season stacked up historically against the greats. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
