Hey Rob, I haven't really followed the LOW saga other than a combined 30 minutes from your stream and the two Ox debates. He's clearly managed to push your buttons and even pushed mine within 30 seconds of listening to him. You're correct in labeling him as a manipulator; he's very good at it. However, as frustrating as it can be to have someone unjustly trash you, Pensare is so much more than that. I know you know this, but I think you just need a reminder and support: lots of people think lots of things, and as your channel rises in popularity, you're going to hear more and more of it. Pensare was never about following the consensus, but the complete opposite; challenging popular (false) narratives. You're automatically going to draw a lot of ire from this, and LOW won't be the last. Just please don't allow yourself (and the channel) to get dragged down by this/these clowns. I don't know how any of the streams ended (I honestly couldn't stand his constantly shifting arguments), and I don't have X or Instagram, so I hope I'm not repeating what you may have already said, but here are my 2 cents: When comparing players, I think there are 3 ways to look at it: 1) Compare exactly what we have in terms of stats, footage, professional opinions, etc. and nothing more. 2) Take the info mentioned above, and use it to make inferences to fill the gaps. 3) Run the "2k simulator" and create a bell curve from worst to best career results (in our minds haha). #1: this is how LOW is seeing this debate. There's no denying Kobe comes out on top: he won 5 championships as a top 2 player in the best league in the world. #2: this is how you are seeing the debate. Obviously you're not basing this solely on VHS tapes you saw when you were a kid. The fact that Arvydas came into the NBA at 31yrs, after multiple serious injuries at a time when these injuries were a death sentence to careers, and managed a stat line of BPM: 6.7, VORP: 3.8, TS%: .617, is truly astounding. His skillset for a 7'3" player is a rarity today and unthinkable 30 years ago. And to top it, even after all the injuries, he managed to play in the NBA until he was 38 (!). #3: this isn't very useful for serious discussions, but I think it's fair to say Kobe's career went about as well as it possibly could have (on the court...), whereas Arvydas' went about as badly as it could have. Nonetheless, this is important for #2. So the question is, which of #1, #2 is the best way of looking at things. If you're comparing Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, then #1 is best, since they played in the same era, same conference, and have faced off many many times. The only possible inference to make is what their careers would have looked like if KG was drafted to the Spurs, and Duncan to Minnesota. However, if you're comparing 2 guys whose careers don't overlap well, AND mostly played in different leagues, there's no way around it, you have to use #2. I think your analysis is correct, just not the delivery. I'm choosing to leave this message specifically on this video as a reminder that this is the kind of content that is truly important. I don't think most of these channels with 100x more subs could even pull off an interview this interesting. I hope this doesn't come off as condescending, or that I'm telling you what to do with your channel, that's not my intention. I just truly think your time is best spent in other areas, and to keep in mind the image of Pensare. Your community is with you, keep your eye on the ball 👍
Much appreciated Jonathan. You're a member of this community and as such I think it's always helpful to hear how you'd like to see it go. I didn't want those streams to filter over to this channel and hopefully the next few videos will absolutely reflect the type of content you prefer. Regards to the GOAT debate, it's always subjective. I don't engage in conversations very often about rankings and very often, when I do, I realize it turns very toxic very quickly. I really don't care how people rank Kobe, Duncan etc. What's bothered me sometimes is what factors get elevated above others (scoring vs defense, accolades vs championships) . How do we compare positions? Does it matter that Sabonis defended the most efficient area of the court and conversely would have been a matchup nightmare for drop bigs? Does a more athletic better shooting better defensive Jokić win 4 MVPs? Or do teams in the 80s refuse to build around a European since basketball is a business and Euros weren't that marketable. There's a 1000 factors that made guys great. From who they faced to who coached them to who they played with to what era they played in, to injury luck, their organization stability. These are very difficult convos to have. And if we have to talk about rim pressure, efficiency and gravity to explain why Jordans 32ppg meant more than Kobe's 35, maybe it's just not an argument that will land as well as... "11 rings is better than 5" This entire saga was hella great for me. It was deeply uncomfortable to be in some of those convos and I feel that anything that pushes you this way can either sink you or propel you. I will 100% have this convo with you at Pendance 2025 and you can tell me if over 6 months it propelled, or if it sank.
To be very specific about your question; which way is best, I think it's a combination of both. It matters that Sabonis won a gold, that his European clubs were great, that he won Bronze with Lithuania, that he was on a great team in the NBA and balled out. It's part of the argument. It also matters that luck, politics, and health played a part in it. I think for Sabonis AND Kobe I use the 2K sim idea. I take what they did, against who they did it against, and make an educated guess what they'd do in another situation. One more (or less) optimal.
This is one of the best interviews I’ve seen when it comes to dissecting not just a players basketball abilities but also their background. Thank you for highlighting the rise of African basketball well done !!!
Amazing Rob; on so many levels. Joe Touomou obviously felt very comfortable with you. I think it is your sincerity and honesty. He came across as a genuine, intelligent and selfless person. Congratulations on a wonderful interview. 🙏
Amazing video! Really enjoy your passion for Raptors basketball! As an 🇦🇴 🇨🇦 who played a little basketball in Angola, good coaches are needed desperately. So much athleticism, footwork, size and feel to the game, just not the right coaches to teach the game properly. Rooting for Chomche!! Let’s go Raptors!!
This is definitely one of the best interviews I’ve watched! Thanks for making this happen! It’s great to see people spreading positivity and hope for a better world! In an era where people spread hate and negativity for clicks it was so refreshing to watch this and just feel happy! Thanks again! 🙏🏾
I was hella high on Ulrich since day 1 but hearing what his close ones & ppl that know him are saying, I couldn’t be more happier and more sure of something. This is Gold content, good stuff bro. Appreciate it the work you’re putting in, unmatched💯
Ive been watching this channel for a very long time now .. .. To me it stood out right away. It was the type of content hardcore fans of the game would love .. It's amazing to see the growth of your channel. Love the work. Great interview and presentation style of the video.
@@pensarebasketball 👍🏾. ... The episodes lately have been great too. I loved that business/Agent episode. It's very similar to football/soccer in Europe. . In general though...the last few episodes have been banging !!
Been waiting for this one .. only 1/3 through but what an amazing conversation so far! Just on another level Raptor’s content wise, and just in general ..
Having finished it what a great interview .. very excited for Ulrich Chomche, and that ending note … the future for Africa basketball could not be brighter... happy the Raptors and Masai are leading the way
Amazing interview! Keep up the good work ! Can’t wait for this kid to develop and help raps win a chip within the next 5 season! Exactly the type of big they need! Hope he perfects his 3 and D ! He’s got all the other tools to be special.
Great interview Rob. I'm so happy to hear Chomche comes from a farming family in Cameroon. You can tell he will be a very hard worker. Even these limited games in summer league has shown us he has incredible pace, lateral quickness (growing up playing soccer certainly helped with this) and timing contesting and blocking shots. Imagine how great he will be after spending a season with the Raptors, sharpening all his tools, especially fundamentals. Our defence took a nosedive after OG left and Scottie had to pick up alot of the load. If Chomche continues to develop the right way he could become a defensive powerhouse.
Very well done video! I just discovered your channel, it is a gem for Raptors content. Well thought out and meaningful insights, thank you! +1 subscriber 👍
Am I crazy to think Chomche could be the Modern day Arvydas? Maybe not to his level, but like the The player Archetype. Like when he "breaks through" maybe in 4 years (or less), Older European fans, that remember 1980s basketball could say, "this style looks familiar", when they see him play. Bringing back all the memories.
Sabonis was God mode. 7'3. Fluid. Insanely skilled. We will absolutely settle for Serge Ibaka ++ or a taller Draymond. Need to see that shooting and scoring more. Love the playmaking and fluidity though.
This is a case study in how you do an excellent sports interview. I know you put a lot of work into this and really hope you can profile a few more basketball players and personalities this season. Tease us by revealing you have one or two projects in mind, will you?
