Podbit · The Bill Simmons Podcast
Peterson went from looking like the next transcendent guard in high school to raising red flags throughout his college season. The creatine situation, the dip in athleticism, the agency drama — this is the most confounding top-3 prospect in recent memory.
Where this was said
At 21:00 · chapter starts 2:27
Legler leads with Mikal Brown as his first choice after the top four — a polished scorer with range and handle projected 7-10. Simmons counterpoints with his infatuation with Acuff, comparing him to Kyrie for his creative finishing and stop-start mastery, calling him a true lead guard. Wagler gets praised for his shooting mechanics — full extension, elbow and wrist lock simultaneously — a trait that translates directly to the NBA level. Burrys earns Simmons's highest praise for his off-ball skills: coming off down screens, hips turning, releasing quickly without needing a rhythm dribble. The Clippers dilemma at #5 — they have Garland at point guard and a 35-year-old Kawhi — makes Acuff an awkward fit and Burrys a sensible option if they trade back. Steinbach is flagged as athletic and physically imposing but too limited for the top 10.
AJ Dybantsi is the clear #1 pick because he does everything at a high level — size, toughness, athleticism, skill — and his ceiling is still unknown. The Wizards finally have their franchise cornerstone, and no red flags from Peterson should change that.
Tim Legler and Bill Simmons both believe AJ Dybantsi is the clear-cut first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft due to his size, athleticism, toughness, and versatility.
Tim Legler compared Boozer to Kevin Love, citing his rebounding IQ, quick outlet passing, and high floor as reasons he'll be a reliable NBA contributor even if not a franchise star.
Boozer isn't going to blow you away athletically, but his rebounding IQ, quick outlet passing, and shooting potential make him a Kevin Love clone at his peak. His floor is so high it's almost impossible to imagine him not being an impactful NBA player.
Bill Simmons expressed concern that Darren Peterson appeared less athletic and less impactful in his college year than in high school, making him a uniquely difficult evaluation.
Tim Legler watched Fultz at the Steph Curry camp and saw a dominant, explosive player. What followed in Philadelphia — pressure, a mysterious shoulder injury that wrecked his mechanics, and a crowd that lost patience — is the cautionary tale every lottery organization should study.
Thomas's wife deferred her CrossFit career — she's in the global top 1% of athletes — to put him through law school debt-free. He wants her to chase the dream now; she wants the emergency fund and house down payment first. On a $200K lawyer income with no debt, the opportunity cost is just a few months of slower saving.
Underground calisthenics battles are exactly like UFC meets a rap battle — 150 people crowded around a circle, fighters walking out with masks and chains, nicknames like 'Extra Money' vs 'Calisthenics the Prince,' and people throwing money and betting. The battle set: 100 burpees, 50 muscle-ups, 75 dips, 75 squats with a 65-pound dumbbell. This is the next big spectator sport.
Rico Verhoeven controlled the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion for approximately 10 rounds — and had his appeal upheld when officials admitted the fight was stopped after the bell. The result was never overturned. Rogan calls it either incompetence or corruption, and argues the money behind Usyk made an upset politically inconvenient.
Rogan lays out a blunt case: boxing's 3-judge system is structurally broken, and the judges know who the promoter wants to win. Glory's 5-judge format is the right model. Corruption doesn't have to be conscious — just knowing Usyk is the cash cow is enough to tilt the scales.
With the Usyk-Wilder fight stalling and Fury-Joshua coming too late, the real fight the world wants is the rematch. Rico is a free agent. Usyk vacated his belts. The story is unfinished and both Rogan and Rico know it. His Excellency Turki Alasheikh already called for it ringside — the question is money.
Rico texted Jason Statham during the Canelo-Crawford fight. Statham showed Rico's highlight videos to promoters. Two days later, Rico was on a call about fighting Anthony Joshua. When Joshua pulled out, Rico pitched Usyk himself — Undisputed vs. Undisputed. Usyk said yes in two weeks. The whole thing started with one text.
Every heavyweight who faced Usyk tried to move to the right — straight into his power hand. Rico and Peter Fury identified the obvious solution: move left, away from the left hand, and smother him with size. It sounds simple. Nobody had done it. That one adjustment was the foundation of 10 dominant rounds.
MMA fans boo when fights go to the ground. They love stand-up. Kickboxing is pure stand-up. Yet it barely exists in America while boxing and MMA are enormous. Rogan's diagnosis: no promotion machine. If the UFC got behind kickboxing the way they've built MMA, it would explode. The talent is there — the storytelling machine is not.
A nation of 17 million people gave the world Ramon Deckers, Peter Aerts, Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef, Rob Kamen, Ernesto Hoost, and Rico Verhoeven. Rico's theory: the country is so small that every gym shares knowledge freely. In the US, you need a flight. In Holland, you drive 40 minutes and spar the national champion.
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