Up Next

2 min read

All Day Podcast: 6/1/17

NBA Finals, Muhammad Ali’s death and LeBron James’ eloquence

2:42 PMWhat’s up, kiddos, we’re back. The podcast has been retooled a bit, as you’ll notice, which I explain more in the show.

This week, I talked to Marc Spears about the upcoming NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is already an epic matchup even before the games start. If you don’t know, it’s the first time that two teams have faced off three times in a row in the NBA Finals, and the first time it’s happened in any of the major American sports leagues where the teams were tied 1-1 after the first two series.

Perhaps most interesting was Spears’ discussion about what the Dubs mean to Oakland, California, as a place. He went deep on what that team moving from one part of the Bay Area to another, San Francisco, could signal for not only basketball fans but also for other sports franchises there.

Switching gears: I had the pleasure of chatting with Tom Junod, who’s got a new story for ESPN The Magazine about Muhammad Ali and his last days. It’s rich with detail, specifics and beautiful prose surrounding the greatest man alive, in his time. If you’re not familiar with the intricacies of how bodies are prepared for burial in Islam, there are details on that. Junod delves into the process of getting this story done, not just the topic, which as a writer I find fascinating.

Enjoy.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | ESPN App | RSS | Embed

Clinton Yates is a tastemaker at Andscape. He likes rap, rock, reggae, R&B and remixes — in that order.