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The Bill Simmons Podcast

An NBA Mini-Mailbag and All-Star Picks, Plus Kon Knueppel Stops By

130 min episode · 2 min read
·
Kon Knueppel

Episode

130 min

Read time

2 min

Topics

Productivity, Leadership, Design & UX

AI-Generated Summary

Key Takeaways

  • Injury Exception for Awards: The 65-game minimum for NBA awards should include a provision where missing 12-plus consecutive games with a documented injury drops the threshold to 60 games, allowing durable players like Jokic who suffer unexpected injuries to remain eligible without penalizing teams for load management issues.
  • Rookie Efficiency Revolution: Current NBA rookies demonstrate unprecedented shooting efficiency with field goal percentages in high 40s, three-point shooting between 38-42%, and free throws at 78-85%. This reflects improved shot quality league-wide, emphasizing rim attempts, open threes from designated spots, and individual mastery shots rather than volume shooting.
  • NBA Pace Without Practice: Teams rarely practice at their home facilities anymore, sometimes going 2-3 weeks between actual practice sessions due to playing every other night. The schedule forces rest days between games rather than skill development work, fundamentally changing how teams prepare and improve throughout the 82-game season compared to previous eras.
  • Men's League Development Advantage: Playing in adult recreational leagues from a young age develops more mature basketball skills than AAU circuits. Knueppel credits 20 years of his father's Milwaukee men's league for teaching off-ball movement, physicality, and team play that youth basketball and Instagram training culture fails to emphasize for NBA readiness.
  • Gather Step Mastery: Elite guards like Giannis, Harden, and LaMelo exploit gather step rules by throwing the ball to themselves or using low pickups, where placing the second hand on the ball counts as zero step before two additional steps. This creates apparent three-step advantages that rookies must specifically train to execute legally.

What It Covers

Bill Simmons conducts an NBA mini-mailbag covering all-star selections, discusses league trends like the 65-game minimum rule and efficient shooting, then interviews Duke rookie Kon Knueppel about his transition to Charlotte, playing against elite guards, and adapting to NBA pace.

Key Questions Answered

  • Injury Exception for Awards: The 65-game minimum for NBA awards should include a provision where missing 12-plus consecutive games with a documented injury drops the threshold to 60 games, allowing durable players like Jokic who suffer unexpected injuries to remain eligible without penalizing teams for load management issues.
  • Rookie Efficiency Revolution: Current NBA rookies demonstrate unprecedented shooting efficiency with field goal percentages in high 40s, three-point shooting between 38-42%, and free throws at 78-85%. This reflects improved shot quality league-wide, emphasizing rim attempts, open threes from designated spots, and individual mastery shots rather than volume shooting.
  • NBA Pace Without Practice: Teams rarely practice at their home facilities anymore, sometimes going 2-3 weeks between actual practice sessions due to playing every other night. The schedule forces rest days between games rather than skill development work, fundamentally changing how teams prepare and improve throughout the 82-game season compared to previous eras.
  • Men's League Development Advantage: Playing in adult recreational leagues from a young age develops more mature basketball skills than AAU circuits. Knueppel credits 20 years of his father's Milwaukee men's league for teaching off-ball movement, physicality, and team play that youth basketball and Instagram training culture fails to emphasize for NBA readiness.
  • Gather Step Mastery: Elite guards like Giannis, Harden, and LaMelo exploit gather step rules by throwing the ball to themselves or using low pickups, where placing the second hand on the ball counts as zero step before two additional steps. This creates apparent three-step advantages that rookies must specifically train to execute legally.

Notable Moment

Knueppel brought his entire Charlotte Hornets team to his parents' Milwaukee home for chicken fajitas during a road trip, with his mother shopping at a local Mexican grocery store. The gesture went viral as fans appreciated seeing NBA players as normal people who visit family homes on the road rather than staying isolated in hotels.

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Episode Transcript

This episode is brought to you by Firehouse Subs, who just dropped the game changing sandwich, the French dip. Literally, one of my favorite, sandwiches slash subs, roast beef, caramelized onions, melty cheese, little freshly toasted garlic, butter roll, and the warm, savory. Oh, shoot. I've been eating these forever since I was living on the East Coast in LA. I think to me, this versus the cheesesteak, the French dip, no contest, way better. And I think it's really because of the au jus. I don't know anybody who doesn't like au jus. An elite game day sub. Fun to order, by the way, if you want it delivered because they usually put the au jus in the in the special little container you can pour it on, knock yourself out. The French dip. Here for a limited time. I wish it was longer. Only at Firehouse Subs. Limited time at participating Firehouse Subs restaurants while supplies last. The Bill Simmons podcast presented by FanDuel Sportsbook. We're also brought to you by the Ringer Podcast Network where I put up a new rewatchables on Tuesday night. We did what lies beneath. It was me and Malorie Rubin and Chris Ryan. Get it wherever you get your rewatchables podcast. You could also watch it as a video on Spotify. This is my third BS podcast of the week. We had football ones on Sunday. And on Monday, I have another football one coming on Thursday as I try to go, o and five again with my playoff picks. Please go against me. Today, we're doing, basketball. Conk and nipples coming up later. At the very top, I am going to do a little mini mailbag and my NBA all star picks. So that is next. The Bill Simmons podcast is presented by FanDuel. FanDuel's got it all. Same game parlays, quick bets for jumping in live. They have your way. Go check out your way. You can build the bet that fits your play your way. Plus, don't miss out on the NFL playoffs, one of my favorite times of the year, all month long download the FanDuel app or head to fanduel.com/bs to get started. Get ready for the playoffs. Let's go. Must be 21 plus president select states, 18 plus in DC, Kentucky, and Wyoming. Again, prom call went a 100 gambler. Visit rg-help.com. Call 888789777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut. Alright. This isn't an official mailbag. It's a mini mailbag. I really just wanted to do my all star starters and reserve picks and just bounce through what I was thinking, but I thought it was a chance to sneak in some timely, no bad questions. These were questions that were sent into bspodcast33@gmail.com. First one came from Rob from Long Island, then in princess that says via The Cape. So you went from The Cape to Long Island to each his own, I guess. He said with the recent Jokic injury was wondering if the NBA …

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