

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

Oct 22, 2021 • 2h 11min
#90: The 75th anniversary team Part 2
In this entertaining discussion, the hosts tackle the complexities of the NBA's 75th anniversary team selections. They debate the inclusion of legendary players and highlight notable snubs like Mutombo and Jokic. A fun exploration of historical legends contrasts the playing styles of Celtics icons and diving into the impact of defensive contributions. The legacy of players like Iverson and the nuances of team dynamics also come into play, making for a lively and thought-provoking analysis of basketball greatness through the decades.

Oct 17, 2021 • 1h 22min
#89: 2022 Season preview with Dave DuFour
The Athletic's Dave DuFour joins to preview the 2022 NBA season! We discuss who can win the East and West, teams with wide-ranging outcomes, darkhorse MVPs and more. Of course, there's a post show. Follow him @DaveDuFourNBA. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

Sep 24, 2021 • 1h 43min
#88: The 75th anniversary team Part 1
In Part 1 of a mega 2-part episode, I attempt to predict the upcoming NBA at 75 team with some help from Cody Houdek. Who is a lock to make the list, and what players are candidates for those new 25 spots? Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.

Jul 30, 2021 • 1h 26min
#87: Draft grades & Black swans with J. Kyle Mann
The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann joins me for a wild discussion on player development and grading draft picks. We revisit 2016's top 10 picks, discuss the idea of the Black Swan fallacy in player development, the inverted black swan, developing ball skills in infants and more! Get $200 off Sports Business classroom with the promo code Thinking Basketball at www.sportsbusiness.classroom.com for this year's session in Las Vegas (August 9-14). Support directly at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.

Jul 22, 2021 • 48min
#86: How good was Giannis? Full 2021 Finals analysis
Where does Giannis Antetokounmpo's Finals performance rank among recent history? Before answering that question, I recap the key strategies, players, twists and turns that jumped out to me over the course of the 2021 Finals. Get $200 off Sports Business classroom with the promo code Thinking Basketball at www.sportsbusiness.classroom.com for this year's session in Las Vegas (August 9-14). Support directly at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.

Jul 18, 2021 • 35min
#85: Bucks-Suns Shot Quality with Simon Gerszberg
Have the Bucks or Suns been lucky this series? Is Chris Paul cold? Devin Booker hot? The founder and CEO of Shot Quality joins to explain his comprehensive model for both teams and players, and what it says about the 2021 Finals participants through five games. Get $200 off Sports Business classroom with the promo code Thinking Basketball at www.sportsbusiness.classroom.com for this year's session in Las Vegas (August 9-14). Support directly at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.

Jul 9, 2021 • 1h 6min
#84: Seth Partnow | Random Basketball
The Athletic's Seth Partnow returns to discuss the randomness in the NBA and these 2021 playoffs, although we detour off topic to discuss the Suns and Bucks, depth, the importance of wing players in today's game and much more. There's also a red-hot post show with an incredible Scottie Pippen take at patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

Jun 18, 2021 • 1h 1min
#83: David Thorpe | Offense in the playoffs
David Thorpe (TrueHoop) stops by to discuss “small ball,” the magic of Trae Young and the Hawks, innovation in the NBA and marketing diverse stars. Support at patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.

Jun 11, 2021 • 1h 10min
#82: Seerat Sohi | The Nets, Bucks and future of the NBA
The Ringer's Seerat Sohi joins to discuss the Nets-Bucks and Clippers-Jazz series in an attempt to make sense of the (possible) shifting of tides in the playoffs and what it means for the league moving forward. There are some rants about the Clippers and the Bucks. Support at patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.

Jun 5, 2021 • 37min
#81: Role player problems & LA narratives
Reactions to the first round of the NBA playoffs, re-handicapping NBA title odds, and a discussion around a new trend where role players are being played out of the rotation in certain playoff matchups and what that means for non star players or someone like Russell Westbrook. Get 20% at chroniclebooks.com and 10% of at hawthorne.com with the promo code THINKINGBASKETBALL. Also support at patreon.com/thinkingbasketball.