Shows / On The Ball with Ric Bucher
On The Ball with Ric Bucher
On The Ball with Ric Bucher is a weekly NBA and sports podcast featuring inside information, behind-the-scenes stories, and one-of-a-kind perspective on the biggest topics in basketball and beyond. Ric Bucher is a veteran NBA insider, TV analyst, and author of Coachable, and each episode gives you the story behind the headlines. That includes trades, free agency, front-office moves, locker-room dynamics, and the people who shape the league.
Find all of Ric’s work at RicBucher.com and watch…
Episodes
On The Ball with Ric BucherChalk Up Huge Victories for the Hawks, Clippers And Team Basketball
Ric discusses the monumental collapse by the 76ers and the gutsy performance by the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard. Also addressed: Derrick Rose and his place…
On The Ball with Ric BucherKD Was Right: No One Should Compare Him To Giannis
Ric provides insight into the relationship between young star Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, as well as a breakdown of what Kevin Durant did in Game 5…
On The Ball with Ric BucherBen The Invisible, Batum The Resourceful
Ric takes exception to the 76ers' loss in Game 4 to the Atlanta Hawks being blamed on center Joel Embiid and examines Philadelphia's absence of a floor…
On The Ball with Ric BucherDid Nikola Jokic Deserve To Be Ejected And Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Next?
Ric examines the circumstances that led to MVP Nikola Jokic being ejected from Game 4 of the Suns-Nuggets series and calls for Giannis Antetokounmpo to be…
On The Ball with Ric BucherIs Giannis Exercising His Superstar License?
Ric discusses the shot selection and offensive decisions Giannis Antetokounmpo made in the Milwaukee Bucks' 86-83 over the Brooklyn Nets and questions if they…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Troubling Reality Reflected By This Year's NBA MVP Race
Ric takes a look at the entire list of players who appeared on one of the 101 MVP ballots and makes a disturbing discovery: only one is American-born and…
On The Ball with Ric BucherSalty Subjects: Giannis Free Throws, Lemon Pepper Lou and Jazz Owner Dwyane Wade
Ric discusses an array of topics that are bothering him among the sights and scenes in the NBA Playoffs so far. Also broached: the series where the three-point…
On The Ball with Ric BucherKristaps' Complaint Should Not Be A Surprise
Ric discusses Mavericks' forward Kristaps Porzingis' complaint that he's not getting star treatment in Dallas and looks at the Bucks facing the same dilemma…
On The Ball with Ric BucherTy Lue's Guts Got The Clippers To The Second Round
Ric examines the dramatic changes Clippers coach Ty Lue made to his starting lineup and playing rotation through the course of the team's successful seven-game…
On The Ball with Ric BucherIs There A Connection Between Inefficiency and Injuries In The NBA?
Ric examines the elements that led to the defending champion Lakers being eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round, a possible connection between…
On The Ball with Ric BucherA Coaching Carousel Reverie And Assessing How The Clippers Lost Game 5
Ric discusses a potential name for the Boston Celtics' opening that is not on the oddsmaker's list and breaks down why he disagrees with the Warriors' Draymond…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Secret To LeBron's Longevity On Full Display
Ric examines how Lebron James approached Game 5 vs. the Phoenix Suns without fellow All-Star Anthony Davis to still produce a respectable stat line despite…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Torture Of Being A Post-Process 76ers Fan
Ric examines the uneasy place the 76ers find themselves with Joel Embiid suffering yet another knee injury and a look at what The Process did and didn't…
On The Ball with Ric BucherIt's No Mystery Why The Knicks Are Struggling
Ric examines the play of the Knicks' Julius Randle and RJ Barrett in their series against the Atlanta Hawks, why it's been so hard for them to replicate their…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Lakers Are Teaching Devin Booker Some Harsh Lessons
Ric revises his view of Devin Booker after his series-opening performance against the Lakers as a legit playoff performer and breaks down the parts of his game…
On The Ball with Ric BucherA Bay Area Championship Team Moving On From A Favorite Son Is Not Without Precedent
Ric examines the similarities between the Warriors keeping Steph Curry in the fold with the decision the 49ers once upon a time had to make on Joe Montana…
On The Ball with Ric BucherAD Goes All Draymond, LeBron Goes All Vince Lombardi And The Clippers Go All Indifferent
Ric applauds the Nets making a statement, examines the subplots contained in the Lakers tying their series with the Suns and vents about the Clippers casually…
On The Ball with Ric BucherPlayoff Physicality Once Again Looks To Be A Thing
Ric examines the Game 2s between the Heat-Bucks and Blazers-Nuggets and which teams are better built for the allowance of more physical play in the postseason…
On The Ball with Ric BucherA Thoroughly Unsurprising First Weekend of the NBA Playoffs
Ric looks at the results of Game 1s played over the weekend in each of the eight playoff series and what we should and shouldn't take away from the results…
On The Ball with Ric BucherPhysics Finally Caught Up With Steph Curry
Ric discusses the Memphis Grizzlies' overtime play-in win that ended the Golden State Warriors and star guard Steph Curry's season and why Ja Morant is set up…
On The Ball with Ric BucherPour One Out For Today's NBA Beat Writers
Ric examines the obstacles today's men and women face covering the league and how the Wizards turned the tables on the Indiana Pacers in their play-in game to…
On The Ball with Ric BucherLeBron James, Up To The Same Ol' Tricks
Ric takes a close look at the theatrics and desultory performances by the superstars in the Lakers' 103-100 win over the Warriors in their play-in game and…
On The Ball with Ric BucherMichael Jordan's New Competitive Arena And The Wizards' $40 Million Energy Guy
Ric looks at the results of the first play-in games and explains how the ultra-competitive Hornets owner Michael Jordan views his franchise, as well as how…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Impossible Task of Making A Case For Steph Curry as MVP
Ric discusses Tim Duncan's Hall of Fame induction speech and examines the clamor for Warriors guard Steph Curry as this year's MVP. Support this show…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Process On Steroids In Oklahoma City
Ric examines the Oklahoma City Thunder's complete and unapologetic commitment to losing for the last two months and why the league has not said a word about…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Secret World of Voter Swag And Why NBA Voting This Year Is A Challenge
Ric examines how the pandemic could affect the way selected media cast their votes for the NBA's regular season awards and the various methods teams have tried…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Warriors' True DNA Is On Full Display
Ric discusses why the current Golden State Warriors' stars, Steph Curry and Draymond Green, are uniquely suited to lead the band of unknown and unsung players…
On The Ball with Ric BucherTom Thibodeau and Russell Westbrook: Stubbornness Can Be A Blessing And A Curse
Ric offers a few takeaways from the Lakers' overtime win against the Knicks and explains why Russell Westbrook surpassing Oscar Robertson's career record for…
On The Ball with Ric BucherLoad Management Isn't What You Think It Is
Ric fills in the details behind his recent social media post about a high school star sitting out a game and discusses the response, along with a look at what…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Profound Weakness That Doomed the New Orleans Pelicans
Ric examines why the Pelicans, despite two All-Star talents in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, are headed to the lottery once again -- and the statistical…
On The Ball with Ric BucherHow Much Is Covid Playing a Role in the Lakers Being Disconnected?
With Lakers guard Dennis Schröder under Covid-19 restrictions, and his earlier suggestion that he and LeBron James had not been vaccinated, Ric examines if…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhy Giannis Antetokounmpo Is More MVP-Worthy Than Ever
Ric discusses why he believes the two-time defending MVP, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, is not receiving much attention for this year's award and why he…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhere Does The New York Knicks' Julius Randle Rank Among NBA Stars?
Ric examines the arguments made for Knicks power forward Julius Randle being one of the NBA's top 20 players. Also: how Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer touched on…
On The Ball with Ric BucherSteph Curry is a One-Man Scoring Machine -- but not a One-Man Team
Ric examines the recent torrid scoring streak by Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, his MVP worthiness because of it and why it hasn't produced more wins…
On The Ball with Ric BucherLet's Not Rewrite KD's History
Ric explains how Kevin Durant provided the Golden State Warriors a vital element in the two championships they won together -- and how he'll have to provide…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhy Lists Are A Sugar Rush And The Lakers Aren't The Same
Ric outlines why there's no reason to take sports lists or rankings seriously, including the recent one by ESPN naming the top 25 NBA players under the age of…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Buyout Market Mess, A Foot On The Clippers' Bandwagon & Giannis' Free Throw Fandango
Ric examines if player empowerment has gone too far, discusses how he believes the Clippers are different from last year's disappointing version and the…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhy Does Magic Keep Messing With Lonzo & Why Giannis Might Finally Be An MVP
Ric examines the many failures surrounding Magic Johnson's claim that no point guard has a higher basketball IQ than the New Orleans Pelicans' Lonzo Ball and…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhat the Brooklyn Nets Still Don't Have and The Move The Clippers Have To Make
Ric examines why he still isn't sold on the Brooklyn Nets as the best team in the Eastern Conference, the difference between Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWill This Be The Year The Three Decides The Title?
Ric examines how three-point shooting has defined which teams have both surprised and disappointed so far this season, the dramatic shift in the number of 3s…
On The Ball with Ric BucherHow Draymond Green Lost More Than A Game To The Charlotte Hornets
Ric examines Draymond Green's attempts to infuse the Warriors' championship habits and mentality in their new roster and how costing them a game they were in…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Clippers' Luke Kennard, Quite Possibly The Most Uniquely Gifted Athlete You'll Ever Meet
Ric discusses with Kennard his unusual talent as a left-handed shooter, right-handed quarterback, left-footed punter, right-handed golfer and left-handed…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Portland TrailBlazers' Rodney Hood on Dealing With Pressure and Charles Barkley's 100K bet
Ric talks with Rodney about overcoming his early struggles in the playoffs, tearing his Achilles tendon as a pending free agent, being critiqued by his wife…
On The Ball with Ric BucherToronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse
Ric discusses with Nurse his response to those who discount the Raptors' 2019 title because of the Warriors' injuries, how to motivate a team after its…
On The Ball with Ric BucherA Hard Day Made Harder: Exploiting Kobe and Covid-19 Taking Sekou Smith
Ric examines the volume of stories produced in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of NBA legend Kobe Bryant's death and disheartening reactions to…
On The Ball with Ric BucherTakeaways from MLK Day Prime Time Matchups
Ric examines what we learned from Bulls-Rockets, Nets-Bucks and Warriors-Lakers, including Exhibit A on the superstar characteristic Steph Curry has over…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhy We All Hate What James Harden Did and Why He Won't Be The Last To Do It
Ric examines why everyone universally dislikes when players do what James Harden did to force his way to Brooklyn and yet we historically forgive and forget --…
On The Ball with Ric BucherEarly MVPs and How Conspiracy Theories Get Started
Ric discusses the danger posed by flawed rankings, whether they be for MVPs or draft prospects, and who his top 10 NBA MVP candidates are -- and why -- at this…
On The Ball with Ric BucherCan We Stop Making Too Much of Too Little?
In another coronavirus episode, Ric gives the result of his recent Covid test and examines why we can't resist anointing athletes as great before they've…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhy The Current Favorites to Win The 2020-21 NBA MVP Award are a Bad Bet
Ric discusses the curious emergence of Luka Doncic as an MVP favorite and the candidates down the board who are far more likely to win and offer a better…
On The Ball with Ric BucherNBA 2020-21 Preview: The Teams That Will Make The Playoffs and The One Great Team That Won't
Ric previews the 2020-21 NBA season, predicts the 16 teams that will make the playoffs, two that will get close and one title contender that won't be in the…
On The Ball with Ric BucherWhy Giannis Was Never Going to Leave Milwaukee and Kyrie Irving's Search for Enlightenment
Ric explains why it would've defied NBA history if two-time MVP Giannis Antekounmpo had not signed his five-year, $228 million extension with the Milwaukee…
On The Ball with Ric BucherHow Betting, Covid-19 & a Generation That Doesn't Watch TV Has Changed Sports Broadcasts
Ric talks with long-time ESPN live-event producer Mandy Cohen about how TV broadcasts have changed with the introduction of gambling, announcers calling games…
On The Ball with Ric BucherTrue Leaders in the NBA are Hard to Find
Ric shares insight from an NBA GM on how few players actually check all the leadership boxes and who the ones are that do. Also discussed: Denver Nuggets guard…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Truth about Klay Thompson's injury and the Trade Rumor that now makes sense
Ric discusses what he was hearing about Warriors guard Klay Thompson leading up to the draft before his heartbreaking injury, the harsh reality the Warriors…
On The Ball with Ric BucherAre politics a factor in James Harden and Russell Westbrook wanting out of Houston?
Ric discusses the renewed appreciation for, and interest in, point guard Rajon Rondo, the reason LaMelo Ball is the prohibitive favorite as the No. 1 pick and…
On The Ball with Ric BucherHow Covid Could Impact Promises to Draft Picks and Positive Cases During the NBA season
Ric discusses what agents and NBA executives have told him about the practice of pre-determining where a player will be selected in the draft under the…
On The Ball with Ric BucherAre We Going to Have NBA Games on Christmas? Should We?
Ric examines the brewing battle between NBA players and team owners on when the next NBA season will start, how long it will last and whether or not the…
On The Ball with Ric BucherThe Man Hated and Spurned for Paving the Way for Every Early Entry NBA Star: A Conversation with Spencer Haywood
Ric talks with Hall of Fame big man Spencer Haywood, the Forrest Gump of basketball for having been part of so many historic moments and crossed paths with so…
On The Ball with Ric BucherHow and Why Signature Shoes for NBA Stars May Soon Be a Thing of the Past
Ric is joined by Brian Berger, host of the award-winning Sports Business Radio podcast based in Portland, Oregon, with plenty of insider knowledge on the shoe…