See, I'm not sure you knew that.

And if you don't know that, is it because of where he plays?

It's a fascinating question, and it's something Stephen A was talking about on his show on ESPN, plus Portland.

I'm sorry, I apologize, but I wish he was in another market.

It's not about you.

You're a great fan base, great fan base.

It's about us.

It's about basketball fans outside of Portland, Oregon.

We're being robbed two cm.

Damian Lillard's brilliant every single night dame needs to be in a big market like my Knicks.

He looked pretty good plan in prime time, all the time in front of celebrities every night.

I'm just saying I'd be okay if he played anywhere, and he could get the appreciation that he richly deserves.

So that is a fascinating take from Stephen A.

Again, the question is two big stars in the NBA need big markets to go hand in hand my body.

Jalen on his show.

Jalen and Jacoby strongly disagree.

I'm sick of this era of people only trying to dumb down the accomplishments of these great players.

It's a re in County.

I like that.

The Greek freak.

Stay with the books.

I like the dame.

Stay with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Put your anchor down like those guys have done.

It's not stopping you in endorsements.

Who gets more commercials today?

Stop media members trying to make players like Bradley Bill think that their career is meaningless because the Washington Wizards will win the championship this year.

That's a really good take from jail and straight talk wireless.

No contract, no compromise.

So you've got two guys and they're very good friends.

To be clear, they disagree.

But in case you wonder, this is they.

Those two guys love each other, so the question is, Jalen is on one side, and Stephen A is as far away on the other as you can be.

So how is it possible that they can both be right?

I have always been on one side and said that if you don't want great stars in Portland, you don't want John Durant in Memphis.

You don't want Zion Williamson in New Orleans, and you don't want the Greek freak in Milwaukee.

Then why do we have teams there?

Why are there teams in those places if we don't want them to be good?

That's what I mean by saying you're only as strong as your weakest link if you're if you have markets.

If you have cities, if you have franchises, if you have teams, if you have fan bases that are conditioned to believe, they're not supposed to contend that it is against the best interests of the sport for Milwaukee, New Orleans or in this case, Portland to be good.

Well, how does that work?

How can that possibly be right?

So I have been saying that forever.

And one of the reasons the NFL was so strong, let's say, for the sake of argument in the in the nineties with the early two thousands, is that their two biggest stars were Brett Farve and Peyton Manning by far, and those guys played in Green Bay in Indianapolis.

So is the argument that if those were NBA stars would be better off with Brett Farve out of that little market that we need Peyton Manning to come to the Jets.

No one would ever say that in football, we say it in basketball.

So on that level, I strongly disagree with Steve, and I strongly side with Jalen, but I kind of see the other side to like The NBA needs its stars more than any other league needs its stars to sell its product again.

I opened this show by giving you this stat.

Did you know that You know how good Damian Lillard is?

You know?

You know he's good.

Did you know he was that good?

I'll say it again.

Through nine years of his career, the only players in history and with more points and assists in history, then Damian Lillard are Larry Bird, LeBron James Bhaskar Robertson.

He's an immortal is trending towards being an immortal.

He's on a a team that doesn't compete now.

They made the West final a couple of years ago, but no one gave them any real chance to win.

And b he's in a small market, a wonderful market.

Now I'm old enough to remember the Portland Trail Blazers, with Bill Walton winning the championship in 1977.

And I remember when the Trail Blazers with Clyde the Glide and that team was playing the Bulls in the finals and No.

One when Michael Jordan was making six threes against Portland.

No one was saying, Boy, you know what this series really needs is a bigger market going head to head with Jordan.

I was there.

I was the first Finals I ever covered.

I'm telling you right now no one was complaining about it, but I sort of see it now.

I see where the league is now, and I think there's something to be said for it.

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