NBA Champion & "Bad Boy" Rick Mahorn joins Mo Mooncey & Coach Brendan Suhr to talk all things basketball: from his legendary career to the current NBA - you don't want to miss this episode with Rick being his real, raw, unfiltered self.

0:00 Intro
4:45 What was Brendan Suhr like as a coach?
7:42 Rick Mahorn’s dream post matchups
9:59 How would modern bigs fare in the old NBA?
12:17 A Bob Delaney story
15:13 Playing against - and with - Charles Barkley
18:27 The expansion draft story
21:12 Playing in Italy
24:34 How good are the 2026 Pistons?
28:11 Rick Mahorn on Jalen Duren
29:40 Coaching in the WNBA

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This podcast is brought to you by NBA2K26:
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In this episode of the Hoop Genius Podcast, Mo and Coach Brendan Suhr break down how the NBA took over London for a historic weekend, from Ja Morant’s dominant performance with the Memphis Grizzlies to Anthony Black’s dunk that may already be the dunk of the season.

Mo takes you inside the entire London takeover: interviews with Joakim Noah, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and Anthony Black; Nike and Jordan Brand activations, the House of Ja event, and hosting NBA 2K26 at the NBA House. You’ll hear how NBA 2K26 Season 4 is changing the game, including new All-Star Weekend features and rewards.

On the court, we dig into what Ja Morant’s London performance says about his future in Memphis, why Detroit’s rise to the top of the East is no fluke, and why the Boston Celtics are winning despite not being built like a Finals team. Coach Suhr explains why Joe Mazzulla deserves Coach of the Year consideration and why the Knicks’ defensive identity has collapsed.

We also go deep on the Western Conference: concerns about OKC’s injuries, why Minnesota is the most dangerous matchup team, why the Lakers are not real contenders, and how the Clippers have quietly become a problem again behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

If you care about the NBA’s global growth, real basketball analysis, and what’s actually happening behind the headlines, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the full Hoop Genius Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms.
📺 Subscribe for new episodes 2x a week.

This podcast is brought to you by NBA2K26:
https://nba.2k.com/2k26/buy/

One of the most influential coaches in modern basketball, Ettore Messina, explains why NBA basketball is easier than EuroLeague - not because of talent, but because of structure, incentives, and how the game is taught.

Messina breaks down, in detail, the differences most fans and analysts never account for:

• Why EuroLeague possessions are treated as scarce resources
• How 40-minute games, no defensive three seconds, and tighter spacing radically increase difficulty
• Why NBA pace hides inefficiency while EuroLeague punishes it
• How European offenses are built to exploit advantages, not just create them
• Why elite EuroLeague teams almost never shoot in the “dead zone” of possessions
• How physicality in Europe disrupts rhythm, timing, and comfort
• Why NBA players often need a full season to adjust to EuroLeague contact
• How AAU culture prioritises exposure over teaching
• Why Europe develops decision-makers, not just shot-makers
• How rotation strategy, lineup staggering, and end-of-quarter management differ fundamentally from the NBA

• Why Luka Dončić - and many others - weren’t exaggerating

Messina also goes deep on:

• Coaching under Gregg Popovich and what separates him from every other NBA coach
• Why Pop’s teaching, authenticity, and end-game mastery still haven’t been replicated
• The myth that all modern NBA coaches are different - and why many now coach the same way
• Why EuroLeague still preserves coaching identity and tactical diversity
• The real risk behind the NBA Europe League and what could break European basketball if done wrong
• Why Europe’s biggest problem isn’t talent - it’s sustainability, governance, and calendar chaos

This episode is not anti-NBA.

It’s a systems-level explanation of why difficulty isn’t about athleticism - it’s about constraints.

If you think the NBA is harder because it’s faster, louder, or more spectacular, this conversation dismantles that assumption from the inside out.

🎧 Listen to the full Hoop Genius Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms.
📺 Subscribe for new episodes 2x a week.

This podcast is brought to you by NBA2K26:
https://nba.2k.com/2k26/buy/