The Bench Units Podcast

We bring you the latest Sunday Round-Up, via Monday. James and Mark bring you the low-down on a weekend packed with blow-out losses, prompting some unfounded predictions about what might take place when contending teams finally get a crack at each other. The guys cover how the status quo is widely being adhered to across Spain and Germany, even with the top teams missing some key players over the opening weeks of their seasons. We also look at a result from the French league with potentially huge implications. After that, we make our picks for next week's round of games and the two games on NBA opening night! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With the Spanish League season having gotten underway this weekend, we debut our Sunday Round-Up series as we cover everything that went down in the wheelchair basketball world yesterday. James & Mark present the most fully-formed opinions possible based on some 40-minute samples, and claim some wins and losses following their predictions in the last episode. James gives his impressions from what is becoming quite the undefeated streak in a Bilbao uniform, Mark takes responsibility for a Burgos-Mideba take that has aged like milk, James mentions multiple times that "nobody cares about rebounding", and the guys give a special mention to a truly spectacular final score-line from the German League. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After a couple of weeks off to allow James to get settled, we're back! James fills us in on getting set up in his new home and with his new team in Bilbao, as well as getting into how preseason training and preparation games have gone so far. James & Mark then preview the opening weekend of the División de Honor season in Spain, before covering off what has already transpired in the early rounds of the wheelchair basketball leagues in France and Germany. Finally, we acknowledge the NBA preseason with the passing glance that many of the games so far deserve, and dig into some of the early storylines that could impact the season if they continue. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

We couldn't let the second Bench Units wedding (and James's second special day) of the summer go by without its own podcast. In this episode, James and Mark are joined by James's ex-girlfriend, ex-fiancée, brand new bride (!), Anna, and Mark's wife, Gabi. Couple² talk all about James and Anna's big day, covering every detail from the wedding morning to the first dance. Bets about who would break into tears first and a wedding evening playlist that may as well have been named "First Child" also receive extensive mention. Finally, our newlyweds have some big news about what the future holds, and we get into how their next chapter shaped what may have seemed like an impulsive decision in a Belfast tattoo parlour. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

The prodigal son returns. We might not know what "prodigal" means or how to use it in a sentence, but Bench Units is whole again! James returns from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics with a bronze medal to his name, and it was only a matter of time before he spilled his every thought on the record. Our reunited hosts talk through the details and key moments of an unforgettable Wheelchair Basketball tournament, as well as pondering what the results and fallout of Tokyo will mean for some tournaments that are fast approaching. If you haven't done so already, check out the game-by-game breakdown of the Tokyo 2020 Wheelchair Basketball competition on our substack! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

James has been a little tied up with competing for a Paralympic medal, but we've still got you covered! James' hand-picked replacement to join Mark as special guest Bench Units host is a former guest on the show. None other than Dutch international and James' former teammate, Mendel Op den Orth. Mark & Mendel get into how everything we've seen in the Group Stages of the Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball competition can inform us on what we might see in the quarter-final games and beyond. We look at whether teams have addressed our doubts about them or if certain aspects of their performance have raised more questions than they've answered. After that, the guys take your questions.A huge thanks to Mendel for standing in for James! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

In line with our Paralympics Ones To Watch Series, we've gone into the locker and dug out an episode from our old platform. This episode from 2019 marks the culmination of James & Mark's many attempts to rope in their then-teammate; GB star forward Amy Conroy. In an episode that still holds the dubious title of "most content to hit the cutting room floor", the 52 minutes we salvaged from a 90+ minute interview gives an insight into Amy's recovery from injury and preparation for the 2019 European Championships. The uncut version has been deleted, for the good of everybody involved. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

In line with our Paralympics Ones To Watch Series, we've gone into the locker and dug out an episode from our old platform. This episode from early 2020 stars James' former teammate and roommate, none other than Econy Gran Canaria & Team USA's Rose Hollermann. Listen in for a jaunt back in time as Rose takes us through her appearances at London 2012 and Rio 2016, as well as talking about her first season in the Spanish División de Honor and how she handled living with James. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With the days counting down until the Paralympic Games begin, James joins Mark from pre-Tokyo isolation and they break down everything that might or might not take place in the Wheelchair Basketball event. The guys have a quick refresher on the groups for both the Men's and Women's sides of the competition and get into the details of what might make for interesting matchups, game circumstances and knock-on effects, all the way through to predicting the podium finishes. Make sure you keep up to @benchunits on both Instagram and Twitter, before and during the Paralympics, to catch all our coverage of the wheelchair basketball! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After a bit of time away to tend to some actual real-life stuff, such as getting married, James & Mark are back and ready to put their time into what really matters to them: frantically churning through basketball topics in a disjointed fashion. The guys cover the NBA Finals, new champion Milwaukee Bucks and the fallout from and most notable hauls from the NBA Draft. They then get international with two competitions of almost equal scale: the wheelchair basketball friendly tourament Dutch Bubble and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. All this, and a whole lot more, on the latest episode of Bench Units! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Mark and James are joined by Gabi, Mark's wife and Anna, James's fiancée to talk about absolutely zero basketball, because there were far more important things going on at the time.Join us as we talk about Mark and Gabi's big day, from the ceremony to the speeches and beyond, and all of James's attempts to make it all about him in between!We had a lot of fun talking about something that wasn't basketball for once, so feel free to like and share the podcast and let us know if you'd like to hear more stuff like this. As always, any suggestions for topics or guests are more than welcome! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

This time out, we catch up with James' roommate for the Tokyo 2020 preparation process and now six-time Paralympian, Terry Bywater.Terry tells us all about his beginnings in wheelchair basketball and his experiences at his first junior and senior tournaments, followed by offering us some insight into the years spent with his long-time club CD Ilunion.With all of that on record, Terry answers your questions Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

They don't get much bigger than this! James & Mark are joined by none other than USA Men's National Team player and soon-to-be 5-time Paralympian, Matt Scott. Matt agreed to appear on Bench Units if Milwaukee beat Brooklyn in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, and more than delivers on his promise as he talks the guys through his stops in Turkey, Italy, Germany and Spain. The guys then give their takes from what has been a phenomenal NBA Playoffs so far, and Matt answers questions from our listeners. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, James & Mark invade the peace & quiet of Jannik Blair's hotel room as he quarantines in preparation for training with the Australian national team. On our second attempt at recording an episode while accounting for a significant time difference, Jannik joins us from 8 1/2 hours in the future to talk all things wheelchair basketball. We touch on how Jannik got started in wheelchair basketball following an accident in a farm vehicle, before jumping ahead to cover his experiences in the last 4 seasons with Bidaideak Bilbao, and how they came to be perceived as the villains of the Spanish League. Lastly, we cover the changing of the guard within the Australian national team that has led to the team's current iteration, and what the future holds for them. With all that out of the way, we answer your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Not saddled by having to pander to guests this week, James & Mark are free to get back to their roots and make this episode representative of what Bench Units was meant to be about: themselves. We start off with an update from James on what's up next in his club career, before diving into the three NBA Playoffs series that are tied at 2-2, where we aim to cover everything while concluding very little.Thanks for listening. Subscribe, leave us a review, or hit us up with suggestions for topics & guests! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

James and Mark are joined by the man behind Bench Units Gaming and newly-minted Copa del Rey champion Ben Fox. Ben talks about his season with AMIAB Albacete and finally overcoming Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final, after not having gotten a win against them in the league or the Champions Cup. The guys then deliver a post-mortem on Ben's beloved Dallas Mavericks after their recent playoff exit, before glancing around at the rest of the NBA playoff picture. With all that covered, they answer your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

James & Mark are joined this time out by World Champion & BSR AMIAB Albacete club captain, Lee Manning. Lee talks to the guys about his early days as a gangly kid who couldn't play able-bodied basketball, finding his way into the GB programme and being whipped into shape through tough-love coaching, as well as how he handled his 4-year gap between finishing as a junior and finally cracking the senior squad. The guys then break down the upcoming Copa del Rey, which will mark the end of the season in Spain, before talking about Lee's future as a fixture in Albacete. With all that covered, the guys answer your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Even though at Bench Units we generally believe that time is just a construct, there's no getting away from the fact that we're maybe just a bit late to the party with this one. That aside, we've taken the time to look at each of the eight first-round playoff series and try to reduce them down to the core question that might determine the outcome or, at the very least, try and provide us with a reason to watch Knicks/Hawks for 7 games. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With news coming thick & fast on all fronts within the basketball world, James & Mark do their best to cover everything they consider vital while still allowing themselves time to get distracted and ramble. Topics include: Bilbao winning the Spanish League, Thuringia winning the German Playoffs, the draws for some big tournaments, Udonis Haslem going out on a high, and what to expect from the NBA's play-in games. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

James and Mark are joined by a bona fide wheelchair basketball legend in Richard Nortje, who kindly agreed to talk us through his storied career for the cost of one dinner prepared by James. Richard covers everything from growing up in South Africa to his Paralympic appearances, as well as his various stops around Spain and Italy and his decision to settle in Gran Canaria. With all that out of the way, we answer your questions. Please be aware that this episode touches on some darker subjects than we would usually cover, and we advise some discretion among any of our younger or more sensitive listeners. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Four days after the IWBF Champions Cup wrapped up, James and Mark pick through the rubble and talk over the key moments of the weekend. After analysing the individual games, the guys give their picks for the tournament's All-Star 5. Finally, they take a peek into what Spain's Junior Point Rule might mean for European competitions going forward. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

James dials in from a staircase in a Wetzlar hotel, hours ahead of Gran Canaria's first EuroLeague Champions Cup game. The guys break down today's slate of quarterfinal games (Thuringia vs Rahden, Ilunion vs Porto Torres, Albacete vs Bilbao, Lahn-Dill vs Gran Canaria), and pick their winners in each case. Follow Bench Units on Instagram & Twitter to keep up with the weekend's action! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

James and Mark are joined by a fan-favourite if you can consider the hosts as fans of their own product. In this episode, the guys are joined by the one and only Tom Smith, a wheelchair basketball nomad who has just completed his first season in Germany's RBBL. The guys break down Tom's season, his experiences between the German and Spanish leagues, the upcoming Champions Cup tournament, and Tom's plans for the future. Finally, they channel Tom's wisdom into answers to your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

The NBA season has hit the stretch run, with every team having around 15 games left to play.James and Mark chop the league standings up into tiers and dive into what's still at stake within each group, as well as what we can tell about certain teams' big picture approaches when it comes to optimising themselves for the playoffs, hunting their ideal match-up, giving the young guys some run or being content to lose as many games as possible. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

For the very first guest appearance on the new feed, James & Mark are joined by Dutch international and James' BSR Econy Gran Canaria teammate, Mendel Op den Orth.The guys talk about Gran Canaria's season so far, as well as their upcoming games in the División de Honor and EuroLeague Champions Cup tournament.You can tell Mendel is a regular listener and used to us getting off-topic, because he comes armed with conversation pieces ranging from psychological studies about happiness to his own accolades in the field of mashed potatoes.With all the key bases covered, we then answer your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

It doesn't count as being late if you're late on purpose!Never a fan of the instant reactions or day-after grading that is common in sports coverage, we've let every trade from the NBA's March 25th deadline marinate for a couple of games before we cast a withering eye.We hit on the league-wide fallout of the Orlando Magic hitting the nuclear button, as well as how Miami seem to be able to upgrade assets at virtually no cost, apparently whenever they feel like it.After that, we talk about how this year's Buyout Market has had a very polarizing effect on what is deemed to be competitive balance, and how much impact a past-their-prime buyout candidate can realistically be expected to have in their new surroundings. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

It's usually the most hectic week of the NBA Season, as every team scrambles to land one more piece of the puzzle.This year might be a little different. James and Mark cover how, despite a few big names being floated out there, this season might see a relative stalemate at the trade deadline.In the event that at least one team's trigger finger gets itchy enough, we dive into where Kyle Lowry, Lonzo Ball, Aaron Gordon and others might end up, and what it will mean for the league going forward.Listen in for a load more detail that you wish you'd thought to not ask for. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

So, what have we missed in this NBA Season? As it turns out, pretty much everything.But we have just the solution, as we use the first episode for our brand new platform to cover 30 teams in 60 minutes!That's right, each team's half-season of back-breaking grind will be shrunk down and reductively analysed in a 2-minute slot, courtesy of Bench Units. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

We've been away for a very long time but if anything was going to pull us out of our podcast slumber, it was going to be the arrival of the NBA's newest superteam.Months of complete disregard for workplace professionalism have finally paid off for James Harden, as he gets his wish thanks to a 4-team trade that's landed him on the Brooklyn Nets.James and Mark dive deep and break down what the trade means for all parties involved, including whether this makes the Nets the new favourites for the NBA Title.It's good to be back! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe