Sep 17, 2026 · 2h 4m
A championship draft turns NBA history into personal memory
Drafting Our Favorite Championship Teams Since 2000!
The conversation shows how iconic titles are judged not only by dominance, but also by drama, context, style, and the memories attached to them.
- 1The hosts favor championships that combine defining players, difficult paths, historical consequences, and emotional resonance.
- 2The draft treats omissions as revealing choices, shaped by personal bias, injuries, controversies, and the burden of overwhelming dominance.
- 3A debate over Pete Alonso’s curtain call extends the episode’s central question: how should fans celebrate individuals while criticizing their franchise?
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The hosts revisit LeBron James and Cleveland overcoming a 3–1 deficit against Golden State, framing the title as a turning point for the modern NBA.
The brief
Zach Lowe, Chris Ryan, and Joe House draft their favorite NBA champions since 2000, defining “favorite” through players, playoff drama, historical meaning, and personal memory.
The selections range from the 2004 Pistons and 2011 Mavericks to the 2016 Cavaliers, 2023 Nuggets, and 2025 Thunder, with each pick arguing for a different kind of greatness.
LeBron James’s 2016 comeback, Stephen Curry’s evolving championship legacy, and the Spurs’ transformation give the draft its clearest debates about eras, style, and influence.
The unpicked champions matter almost as much as the chosen ones, exposing how injuries, officiating controversies, personal dislike, and excessive dominance distort historical memory.
The episode then shifts to Pete Alonso’s Mets curtain call, weighing the legitimacy of celebrating a beloved player against anger at the franchise around him.