Basketball Illuminati

I don't know if you heard, but Draymond Green is back at it again with the flailing limbs. The Athletic has a new player poll with some rather interesting results for best and worst fans, most underrated player and most importantly greatest player of all time (that includes one vote for Tracy McGrady). Then Tom finally gets back to doing what he does best: his own research! And he brings in wonderful statistician Sam Cook to sift through the randomness. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We tried to tell you last week about the Mavericks tanking and Gobert's angst, but it was so obvious that we didn't know how deep the Rudy rabbit hole was going to go. The Illumination has no intent to injure Rudy in a week where he is suspended while hurt. MVP Tracker Max Croes joins the program to explain how he scours the media for data to connect the dots on who people are voting for in the major NBA Awards categories. So if you want to keep your third eye firmly shut, definitely don't check out our Truth Teller this week and wait to find out who won MVP next month like everyone else. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rudy Gobert is starting to get really frustrated, and we get it. It's so obvious that Minnesota is not getting the respect they deserve. Less than two months after acquiring Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks are on the brink of shutting it down for the season to preserve their top ten protected 2023 draft pick. Truth Teller Keith Smith of Spotrac joins the program to help us parse the new Collective Bargaining Agreement details that have been announced and identify the unintended consequences of the major changes to the league. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bradley Beal got into an altercation with an angry gambler and Tom has to clarify his aggregated statements from last week in regards to Ben Taylor. Everyone is being cryptic about the alleged 'LeBron James of Feet', so the Illuminarmy deploys their expert codebreakers to find the identity of this mystery doctor. Investment fraud attorney Chase Carlson joins the program as a Truth Teller to discuss the prevalence of fraudulent financial advisors and strategies to help address this rampant issue in professional sports. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mario Chalmers is back making waves in the news by telling everyone not to be afraid of the Big Bad Bron, and certain politician has his back. Michael Jordan is engaged in serious talks to sell his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets. What does this mean for their chances in the Wembanyama lottery? Chris Herring of Sports Illustrated joins the program to navigate the thorny waters of the Ja Morant situation, especially in regards to players advantageously invoking mental health in serious matters in our Truth Tellers series. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA officially announced a partnership with Hawk-Eye Innovations, but citizens of the Illumination knew this was coming months ago. Ja Morant and Andrew Wiggins are superstars without a timetable to return, a nebulous designation that keeps us guessing, while Kyrie Irving has exited the lineup and resurfaced on Twitch. Truth Teller Don Vaden of Third Side Coaching rejoins the program to help us understand the referee perspective on the altercation at the end of Kings-Bucks and Fred VanVleet's comments about Ben Taylor. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LeBron had a dream, Giannis pulled a Ricky Davis and BING BONG the Knicks are running New York City again. Sports Scientist Lorena Torres of You First joins the program to discuss prioritizing player performance when it comes to load management. Tom finally gets back to doing his own research into the supporting casts of MVP winning players to address the contrived controversy surrounding Nikola Jokic' stat padding. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Tatum earns his Illuminarmy Stripes after acknowledging the existence of the Conservation of Fouls. Before LeBron's ankle went pop, he sowed seeds of discontent in Dallas between Jason Kidd and his immature savior Luka Doncic. Damian Lillard joined Donovan Mitchell in the 71 club, prompting an investigation into the correlation between this season's scoring boom, the increased pace of play, load management and the average age of an NBA player. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Birthday Illumination! Hopefully your third eyes were open during the All Star Draft, because LeBron James shared a glimpse of his future plans. Oh, how the mighty have fallen as former UCLA teammates, max contract players and All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love hit the buyout market. What kind of impact will they have on their new teams? Then Truth Teller extraordinaire Rachel Nichols of 'What's Burnin' and Showtime Sports joins us to discuss the All Star Game, load management, CBA negotiations and what she considers to be a real issue facing the league. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite eulogizing him on last week's episode, Kyrie Irving is back and spouting off witticisms at furious pace in Dallas. The rest of the trade deadline provided plenty of exciting developments, whether it be Suns' new owner Mat Ishbia emptying the coffers for Kevin Durant or the Lakers banishing a 'vampire' in Russell Westbrook. Finally, the All Star Game is rapidly approaching, and we break the code to reveal the subtext behind players selections in the All Star Draft. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illumination mourns the passing of Kyrie Irving's tenure in Brooklyn, but thankfully, not all those that wander are lost. LeBron James might be taking the trade a bit personally, but it won't interfere with his quest to break the scoring record. With the Trade Deadline looming, a double dose of Truth Tellers answer the call to discuss trades past, present, and yet to come. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports returns for the third time and Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium breaks a trade DURING THE SHOW! Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illuminati were forced to bust a conspiracy over the weekend when a reddit post highlighting Jaren Jackson Jr's peculiar home/road splits spread like wildfire. The officials made a gut-wrenching mistake on Saturday night, which will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights for everyone involved, but was Eric Lewis the right target for Laker fans ire? Finally we are joined by Truth Teller Nate Jones of Goodwin Sports and co-founder of Move Insoles to discuss how to market more reserved superstars like Nikola Jokic, load management and his inspiration for making premium over the counter insoles. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months of rumblings and speculation, the Lakers have finally pulled the trigger on a deal... For Rui Hachimura. Shannon Sharpe's court-side antics attracted a lot of attention, inspiring the Illuminati to reflect on the greatest heckler in NBA history. Finally we are joined by Dr. Marcus Elliot, founder and director of the Peak Performance Project, to audit Stan Van Gundy's thoughts on "performance"and learn what makes an NBA player a kinematic mover. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As LeBron James closes in on Kareem Abdul Jabbar's scoring record, the Illuminati assess the validity of his latest insinuations of collusion by officials against the Lakers. News reports emerging from the Atlanta Hawks organization indicate a growing state of unrest due to the nepotistic shadow puppet regime pulling the strings. CJ McCollum offers up a cryptic comment about the Toronto Raptors on his podcast, euro-stepping around potential tampering, so we break his code. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirt - Hoodie - Tank - Hat - Beanie Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a very exciting week here in the Illumination, as our advance scouts have reported a game changing upcoming shift in the video tracking technology that powers the NBA. Before we can dive into all the compelling details and possibilities, Amin takes you behind the curtain of the numerology that guided his laser accurate Geno Smith prediction. Does Kevin Durant's injury spell doom for the resurgent Brooklyn Nets, or will parity continue to keep the association in balance? And should Kevin Huerter do more of his own research? Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyrie Irving's connection the number eleven has been called to the Illuminati's attention for further inspection, and whether his affinity for the number outweighs that of Klay Thompson. Donovan Mitchell's explosive seventy one point evening is indicative of a burgeoning scoring trend in the association, thanks to influences far beyond Mitchell himself. The Ghost of Christmas Future brought James Harden some interesting "news", while LeBron James has altered his DNA in the fight against Father Time. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie House is trading slaps with the Orlando Magic and Patrick Beverley tells Chris Paul he's too small... while down 20 plus points. As the Illuminati kick off the Agenda, breaking news strikes yet again regarding the sale of the Phoenix Suns to former Michigan State Spartan Mat Ishbia for $4 billion. How will this valuation affect the looming CBA negotiations? And finally, Truth Teller Zach Harper steps out from behind his producer curtain to give us a peek inside the MVP Conversation Bar, where the drinks are flowing amongst the NBA elite. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mas Miami was a roaring success! The Illumination came out in full force and a new one star General has enlisted in the Illuminarmy. The NBA has unveiled six newly designed trophies named after NBA legends, including the new Clutch Player of the Year, and something isn't quite right with the new MVP statue. Rudy Gobert and Zion Williamson have allegedly broken the unwritten rules of the NBA, inciting kerfuffles with their opponents, so the Illuminati are forced to write a new rule. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imposters, fakers and con artists -- oh my! To combat the widespread disinformation campaigns, this week's episode is holding everyone accountable. Millions are duped by Stephen Curry video, even though all the warning signs were there. Speaking of Curry, Illuminarmy general Amin Elhassan gets interrogated by his comrades about his presence at the Golden State Warriors loss thanks to a controversial Curry traveling violation before Tom identifies a new suspect of mayhem: referee John Goble. Lastly, it's time we teach the Illumination out there how to decode the latest Nike "news" in a fresh new Code Breakers segment that ensnares Third Eye Kai and Ja Morant. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Citizens of the Illumination! You've probably noticed all the bread crumbs scattered across the NBA. Open your third eye and follow them as we uncover the truth behind the Lakers-Pacers walk-off ... or should we say, standoff. What's happening in mid-January? As LeBron James battles through injuries, we bring on three-time Truth Teller and injury expert Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com to reveal the top-secret data behind all the injuries in the NBA. Finally, Tom Did His Own Research on the explosion of palming across the NBA and a stunning culprit is identified. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Conservation of Points has struck again, this time in the same game as Luka Doncic had his three points taken away and given to his Slovenian counterpart Vlatko Cancar. Meanwhile in Philadelphia, Giannis found out that free throws aren't free when he is intimidated postgame by the vicious duo of Montrezl Harrell and a ladder. Finally, the Illuminati have noticed an increase in traveling violations since the beginning of the season, and after some research, believe they have found the inciting incident. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illumination's borders knows no bounds -- and live from an undisclosed location, it's the Basketball Illuminati podcast. After the Illumination accepts another high-profile citizen, we untangle the numerology of the NBA's unprecedented scoring spree. 59, 51, 47 from 30, what does it all mean? To help decipher Stephen Curry's scoring rampage, we welcome his long-time trainer Brandon Payne of Accelerate Basketball to the Truth Teller series, who takes us behind the curtain on a hell-ish Trae Young workout this past summer and reveals which players Curry studies to achieve basketball nirvana. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyrie Irving has been assigned a six part checklist before he can return to the Nets, a new initiative we at Basketball Illuminati have labeled The D.U.N.C.E. System: Demonstrate Understanding of Nuanced Complex Endorsements. We summon Truth Teller Ethan Sherwood Strauss to elucidate how the player empowerment era has led us to this point. Subscribe to Ethan's Substack: https://houseofstrauss.substack.com/ Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and for Basketball Illuminati, six days was too long for the Kyrie Irving debacle to maintain it's grasp on the news cycle. Breaking news sends shockwaves across the Illumination as Steve Nash is out, Ime Udoka is in, and the Brooklyn Nets have put out a fire with... more fire? Also, Myles Turner is asked about whether or not he should be traded for and there's more to the Josh Primo situation than the mainstream media is telling you. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be cautious, Illumination. These early season records are not what they seem. Except for the Lakers, they're going to continue to have issues unless they find a creative way out of the Russell Westbrook Category. Truth Teller Babak Somekh joins the program to discuss the paper he co-wrote with Paolo Falco and Mauro Caselli titled 'Inside the NBA Bubble: How Black Players Performed Better without Fans'. Finally, Amin shares his first Inconvenient Truth from the new season, concerning Adam Silver's flirtation with relegation and how to properly incentivize tanking teams. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Basketball Illuminati generals react to the NBA's Opening Night festivities and Russell Westbrook's recent comments. On the Agenda, we explore the implications of the Golden State Warriors' recent extensions as it pertains to the futures of their bank account and a particular mercurial linchpin, as well as informing the Illumination why Jordan Poole's contract was reported to be $140 million instead of the more accurate $123 million. Finally, we are joined by Knicks beat writer and SNY reporter Ian Begley to discuss the latest report of the New York Knicks banning dozens of lawyers and season-ticket holders from attending MSG events, providing insight into the perpetually mediocre and petty New York franchise. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illuminarmy generals have been dispatched to get to the bottom of PunchGate and LeakGate in Golden State. To the naked third eye, could this actually help the Warriors in the long run? It's time to revisit some of the most notorious intra-squad scuffles in recent NBA history. Then we are joined by Truth Teller, dad hat ambassador and senior alien correspondent Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports to declassify the secrets of Victor Wembanyama and the code of tanking. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to wake up, Illumination. Preseason action is here, and Return SZN is in full bloom, with Ben Simmons, Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back on the court. Next on the docket, an investigation into the latest Lakers drama involving LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as we offer an explanation as to why LeBron's response was so brief. Finally, Tom Does His Own Research on the annual NBA GM survey that precedes the season. What's really going on with those ballots? We use 11 percent of our brains to reveal what's really behind these offseason content machines. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illuminati takes stock of the onslaught of Media Day content and try to ascertain just how much weight has been gained or lost this offseason. In order to fully understand the Ime Udoka scandal, you need to hear the story within the story from this week's Truth Teller, Ethan Sherwood Strauss of House of Strauss, who unpacks what the Worldwide Leader said in the wake of the news -- and more importantly, what they didn't say. Subscribe to Ethan's Substack: https://houseofstrauss.substack.com/ Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the news that Robert Sarver is selling the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, the Illuminarmy generals get back in the trenches and deliver a bonus episode for the soldiers out there. We have an exclusive Truth-Teller interview with former Suns employee David Bodzin, one of the whistleblowers in the Sarver scandal, who opens some eyes about his incident with Sarver, how it was handled by his bosses and what he thinks Sarver's decision to sell the team. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illuminati are eager to see how the Dennis Schröder signing impacts Russell Westbrook and his role in Los Angeles. Meanwhile in the desert, the palace intrigue of the Phoenix Suns continues to unravel as the Robert Sarver fallout deepens. Who is Jahm Najafi and why are Colin Kaepernick and Larry Fitzgerald involved? Not satisfied, we consult with Truth Teller Domonique Foxworth of ESPN, who lends his experience as a former NFLPA and NBPA exec negotiating with owners and league executives in the room where it happens. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the Illuminati can't help but acknowledge the EuroBasket legend that is Gianmarco Pozzecco, there are more pressing, important matters to discuss. First, we parse through the NBA's 40-page report on the investigation into Suns/Mercury governor Robert Sarver to discover why the punishment was so lenient, allowing him to maintain ownership of the team. Then we are joined by Truth Teller Matt Sullivan, who takes us behind the scenes of his Rolling Stone cover story on Stephen Curry and reveals which NBA legend's interview he cut from the final draft. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Donovan Mitchell saga has reached its next chapter, as he's headed out of Utah in a blockbuster trade with... the Cleveland Cavaliers?!? What does the inability to poach a superstar mean for Leon Rose and the CAA Knicks? And who's really negotiating these deals for various teams around the league? Sean Patrick Griffin returns to the Illuminati to dissect Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul, the Netflix documentary about Tim Donaghy. The author of Gaming The Game connects the dots on how the doc was made, declassifies some conversations he's had with a co-conspirator and reveals what crucial details were absent in our Truth Tellers segment. Stay vigilant, Illuminarmy soldiers; don't let yourself get second-hand #sacked. Buy Sean's Book Gaming the Game Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the Illuminati continue to deliberate the new Tim Donaghy documentary on Netflix, some eyes need to be opened regarding RJ Barrett's surprising, poisonous extension with the New York Knicks. We break the code on what the reporting means for the Knicks brass and how it affects the purloining of Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz. Then we seek counsel from Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes, the grim reaper only summoned when tragedy strikes, to discuss Chet Holmgren's unfortunate foot injury and learn the truth about the Lisfranc and the top pick's future. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illuminarmy generals react to The Boardroom -- sorry -- KD news that dropped on Tuesday and what it means for Third Eye Kai's partnership with Brooklyn. Amin connects the dots for the listeners and explains why Udonis Haslem's signing foretold the groundbreaking renewal of vows. Speaking of groundbreaking, with the new Tim Donaghy doc coming out on Netflix, we spoke to Donaghy expert, Gaming The Game author and criminal justice professor Sean Patrick Griffin to separate the truth from the lies behind the betting scandal that rocked the NBA. Buy Sean's Book Gaming the Game Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we explain the NBA schedule being leaked before it was released and what the Christmas Day lineup really signifies. Shortly after our Tamper Tantrum episode, Bronaldinho James is dominating the airwaves again, dunking on the entire city of Paris. Tom Does Some More Research on his lack of college offers. On the two-year anniversary of the greatest scoring display in playoff history, we open some third eyes on the so-called Bubble Gangsters and whether we should take Bubble performances seriously. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even though one of the generals enters Health and Safety Protocols, Basketball Illuminati must soldier forth because the truth waits for no one. After picking through the scrap heap of NBA headlines at ESPN, Tom, Amin and Mayes have no choice but to phone a friend, Ethan Strauss of the House of Strauss, to see what he's been writing about lately. Subscribe to Ethan's Substack: https://houseofstrauss.substack.com/ Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the mainstream media wonders about LeBron James' future with the Lakers, the Illuminarmy generals urge its soldiers to instead pay close attention to the stars aligning in Sin City. What do college coaches know about Bronny James that they won't tell us? Tom connects the dots and investigates what's really going on with the James'. Speaking of investigations, just as predicted by Basketball Illuminati, the NBA has opened up investigations into the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers on tampering charges before Amin ambushes The Agenda with an Inconvenient Truth about tampering. Finally, Tom Does His Own Research on the late, great Bill Russell's career before Amin urges you to look more closely at the famous picture of Russell with all his rings. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Illuminati soldier forth shorthanded as Tom enjoys a much deserved vacation, leaving Amin and Mayes to forage for scraps of NBA news in the summer wasteland. Is there any substance to the latest batch of Kevin Durant trade discussions? Then legendary Truth Teller J.A. Adande sets aside his professorial tweed jacket and dons the Basketball Illuminati robes once again, guiding us through the Joe Smith saga, the most severe punishment in NBA history, and just how Sterny former commissioner David Stern could get. Adande's LA Times Article from October 2000 Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the rest of the media tries to sneak in a vacation, the Illuminati are working tirelessly, clarifying why the offer sheet extended to Deandre Ayton by the Indiana Pacers was matched by the Phoenix Suns. When a strange statement was cryptically released by Russell Westbrook's former agent, the new segment Code Breakers was born to decipher its true meaning. Finally Truth Teller Travonne Edwards from The Athletic takes us inside the Drew League, explains why everyone thought Kyrie Irving would be there with LeBron, that Kevin Durant is not gonna let his summer get messed up, and the social currency that comes with suiting up for the Lakers. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom and Amin take the Illuminati show on the road, all the way out to the desert of Las Vegas, where they were able to track down Truth Teller Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. The specter of the Slim Reaper continues to haunt the league, as Kevin Durant's future is inextricably bound to his partner in dysfunction Third Eye Kai's. Tom also managed to find time to Do His Own Research on the effectiveness of a five year max extension to retain a superstar on your team, and Vinnie shares his favorite NBA conspiracy. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Durant's trade demand sent shockwaves throughout the league, and the Winds of Change emanating from this colossal event traveled all the way across the country, leading to major questions. What's going on in Utah? How is Ben Simmons continuing to complicate things off the court for the Nets? What future deals were brokered at Michael Rubin's palatial party last weekend? And just who exactly was Jeanie Buss talking about that can't hold a candle to KB? Basketball Illuminati Investigates. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Merch: Shirts - Hat 1 - Hat 2 Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Third Eye Kai continues to manipulate his media pawns in the offseason chess game, but he's not the only point guard with an agenda; John Wall's defied the CBA by hopping aboard the Clipper's ship. After taking a victory lap at news of the Charlotte Hornets' family reunion, the Illuminati are joined by Truth Teller Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports, who shares details from his exclusive interview with NBA powerbroker Michael Rubin now that he has been liberated from his 'impractical' ownership stake in the Philadelphia 76ers. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we bid farewell to Parade 4 Klay and his championship hat, it’s time to welcome in the NBA’s misdirection season. Third-Eye Kai Irving is sending out cryptic tweets to kick off Draft week and the Illuminarmy generals decrypt it for the masses. Who's really pulling the Strings in Brooklyn? Then B/R’s newsbreaker Jake Fischer joins us for Truth Tellers and expands our minds with trade rumors and the truth behind league spin-cycling. And lastly, Tom Did His Own Research about draft intel they don’t want you to know about, which quickly turns into Amin’s Inconvenient Truth. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Warriors push the Celtics to the brink of elimination, Steph Curry pushes the media to the brink of denying him his deserved Finals MVP. While the mainstream are distracted by these petty squabbles, the Illuminati turn back the clock to a simpler time. The year was 2014. Tom and Amin were a couple of naive, two eyed journalists covering the Heat/Spurs championship rematch, until a broken air conditioner changed everything. With the help of objective observers Izzy Gutierrez and Dan McCarney, we unveil our list of suspects in this conspiratorial whodunit. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we do every week on this show, it's time to run it back, Pat Riley style. First we pull back the curtain on the conversation everyone's talking about -- Draymond Green avoiding ejection in Game 2 while putting pressure on the officials as well as the Celtics, declassifying some data on the referees involved that will pry open your third eye. Then this week's Truth Teller is fearless NBA beat writer Andy Larsen from the Salt Lake Tribune, who CAAndidly connects the dots on Donovan Mitchell's unsettlement with Quin Snyder stunning, completely unexpected resignation. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the NBA Finals on the horizon, the Illuminati turn back the clock all the way to their first two episodes when a three pointer disappears due to the law of conservation of points. Darvin Ham is the new coach of the Lake Show, what does this mean for our favorite soap opera Doc & Daryl? With the Celtics and Warriors harvesting the bounty of their locally sourced, home grown talent, is the Super Team an endangered species? Was Max Strus' foot out of bounds? And who reviews the reviewer? We're just asking questions... Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Doc Hollywood rumors continue to swirl, we ask our Illuminarmy not to fall for the agenda-driven narratives about Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, while Amin shares an Inconvenient Truth about fraudulent injury reports. Finally, we investigate the NBA’s latest press release bragging about its referee technology with the help of Truth Telling officiating experts Shelley Russi and Don Vaden of Thirdside Coaching. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our exclusive Draft Lottery coverage continues this week with truth teller Howard Beck from Sports Illustrated, but not before choosing sides in the power struggle in Philly and examining the beefy backstory of Patrick Beverley and Chris Paul. After we pry open his third eye, Howard shares his favorite NBA conspiracy theory, taking us on a joyride to Los Angeles circa 2011. We also reminisce on our favorite draft lottery "winners" from years past with the help of Illuminarmy heroes Bomani Jones, John Skipper and Ethan Sherwood Strauss. Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the NBA Draft Lottery upon us, the Illuminarmy generals talk to award-winning journalist Patrick Hruby about the 1985 Draft Lottery conspiracy theory, his fascinating hunt for truth and why his commissioned report got spiked at ESPN in 2012. Hruby, this week's Truthteller, reveals for the first time how his magazine feature ironically became a talking point for former commissioner David Stern during the 2012 NBA Finals. Plus, Amin reacts to the Winning Time season finale before we unveil the game within the game within the Boston-Milwaukee series. Lastly, Tom Did His Own Research about the tidal wave of offensive fouls. Read Patrick's article The Truth Is Out There Subscribe to Basketball Illuminati! On Apple or Spotify Email us: [email protected] Twitter: @bballilluminati Instagram: @basketballilluminati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices