Luka’s Strange L.A. Ride, a New York Sports Drought, Lost NBA Nicknames, and a Big Mailbag With Max Kellerman

February 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: Casual, freewheeling chat between hosts, blending deep NBA analysis, nostalgia, and tangents into boxing, MLB, and pop culture—over two hours of unscripted sports banter.
The Key Players:
- Hosts: Bill Simmons (Ringer Podcast Network founder, NBA historian) and Max Kellerman (podcaster on Game Over with Rich Paul, boxing announcer, ex-ESPN firebrand). Their chemistry crackles with shared history, hot takes, and playful jabs—Max drops logic bombs, Bill counters with storytelling.
The Vibe: Fun and intellectual, like a barstool debate among hoops nerds—educational breakdowns mixed with laughs, nostalgia, and "water cooler" provocations (e.g., Jalen Brown > Luka).

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Max Kellerman**
2 (03:40) **Jalen Brown vs. Luka Doncic**
3 (09:00) **Star Skill vs. Winning Impact**
4 (15:30) **Luka's Playoffs and Lakers Fit**
5 (19:00) **Lakers Strategy and LeBron Role**
6 (27:25) **New York Sports Title Drought**
7 (36:46) **Yankees Retired Numbers Debate**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Max Kellerman to talk about Luka Doncic’s time with the Lakers so far before diving into a discussion about the New York sports title drought (2:32). Then, they dive into a mailbag to answer questions from the listeners about NBA nicknames, boxing, and much more (46:48).

Host: Bill Simmons

Guest: Max Kellerman

Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo

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