Damian Lillard could reportedly demand a trade, rumors he denied but nonetheless expanded the thought that he could be done with the Portland Trail Blazers. NBA writer Sean Highkin joins Bobby Manning to discuss the rumors, as well as NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo possibly having the most dominant NBA Finals performance ever as the Bucks won their first title since 1971.

Dome Theory Sports and Culture

54: Damian Lillard's Future and 10 Things We Loved about the NBA Finals

Tyler the Creator's sixth album "Call Me if you Get Lost" is his most comprehensive yet, with a wide array of sounds marking his best production work yet. His rhymes encompass his career and turn personal, looking back at Yonkers, his sound shift on Cherry Bomb and marking the achievement of IGOR winning the best rap song Grammy. Tyler turns back toward a more traditional rap album, showing off his drastically improved rapping and featuring a solid choice of contributors with Lil Wayne the most impressive among them. Bobby Manning and Jayson Buford discuss the release on Dome Theory. Mirin Fader talks about here book "GIANNIS" coming on August 10 with Giannis Antetokounmpo 8 wins away from his NBA championship off the biggest win of his life. Giannis' life began in poverty in Greece, the son of immigrants from Nigeria who struggled to become citizens, find jobs and opportunity in basketball. The Antetokounmpos changed their name, hustled for food and grew enough to draw the interest of basketball coaches in lower leagues. Eventually the NBA found him and questioned his upside, with some staying away before the Milwaukee Bucks committed at No. 15 in the 2013 NBA Draft and got the benefit of a late growth spurt to 7 feet. Giannis exploded and put on more weight within a few years to become a staggering force comparable to Shaquille O'Neal. He's become a different mold of a star in today's NBA, without the AAU friendships and committing to Milwaukee for a second contract instead of bolting to Miami, Toronto or Dallas. Will it pay off with a title? The Bucks staggering execution, coaching and Giannis' shooting woes continue to raise doubts, as Mirin talks about his struggles and how she's following his greatest playoff run yet in the months before the book.  Pre-order here: https://www.amazon.com/Giannis-Improbable-Rise-NBA-MVP/dp/0306924129/ref=asc_df_0306924129/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475795052141&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9320098082948782556&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001937&hvtargid=pla-1086464996329&psc=1 

53: Tyler The Creator Call Me if You Get Lost Review and "Giannis" Biography Preview

A. Sherrod Blakely joins Bobby Manning to discuss the candidates, from Ime Udoka to Chauncey Billups, that have been connected to the Celtics job. They start discussing the changes in Boston's front office, what Brad Stevens will look like at GM and how he could succeed. Then they get into Billups' past rape accusation, that ended in a court settlement shortly before the Celtics traded him during his rookie season. Does he still owe some level of accountability, or does time grant forgiveness and Boston can hire him as head coach without question? What questions should the media be asking? Bobby and Sherrod talk rape and sports, what consequences should be levied against perpetrators and the evolving conversation about holding those in power to account for crimes against women. 

52: Should the Celtics Hire Chauncey Billups?

Kyrie Irving raised the infamous racism issue in Boston and infuriated the city in what amounted to a personal motive that was simultaneously true. Dart Adams, a writer and journalist long active in changing the image and face of Boston weighed in on the damage and truth of Irving's comments, along with the reasons Boston brought this criticism on itself as it continues to struggle to grapple with its past racism and present erasure of Black voices. (8:16) Then Jordan Rose of Complex joins Bobby and Dome Theory to discuss J. Cole's "The Offseason," the rapper's legacy and why he's pursuing a basketball career in the Basketball Africa League, as Bobby dives into the league with some reporting he's done on its formation and goals with Tacko Fall and others (1:08:00)

51: Dart Adams on Kyrie Irving's Boston Racism Comments, Jordan Rose on J. Cole's "The Offseason"

Bobby Manning and Dome Theory give Russell Westbrook his flowers for triple double history, assess his and other cases for challenging Nikola Jokic in the MVP race, before the group dive into Jaylen Brown's season-ending injury and the future of the Celtics. Neema covers the Rockets with Gen Z Rockets Podcast and Nate Spurlin covers music and culture on The Cap Podcast.

50: Beal vs. Bazemore, Westbrook Triple Double History, MVP tracker, Brown done for year

Nicole Kornet, older sister of the newest Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet, joins Dome Theory with Bobby Manning to talk about the family, her playing career and seeing Kornet arrive and find success with Boston during a trade deadline deal that sent him from Chicago.Subscribe to Dome Theory Podcast on all platforms: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-bobcast 

49: Meet Celtics center Luke Kornet and Family, with Sister Nicole

Bobby Manning opens with some thoughts on the Derek Chauvin murder conviction in the death of George Floyd and the impact of it and last summer's protests, two different things. Then, Clippers broadcaster Noah Eagle joins Dome Theory to talk about being one of the youngest broadcasters in the NBA, the son of a broadcasting legend in Ian Eagle and how that influenced his approach. He weighed in on this year's Clippers, the Rajon Rondo addition, the hardest MVP race to decide ever and why he's more impressed by Jayson Tatum than any other player he's covered in his young career. Eagle also remembered calling the Bears-Saints playoff game last season on Nickelodeon and what the risk could mean for the future of sports broadcasting after it proved to be a massive success.  

48: Derek Chauvin Convicted, Rondo saves Clippers and NFL Nickelodeon Memories

Matthew Gutierrez and James Szuba check in on the state of the program as Syracuse again goes from Bubble Team to the Sweet 16. 

47: Syracuse's Final 4 Path, Buddy Boeheim Goes National

Bobby Manning welcomes Drew Hanlen for a quick chat about Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal's latest epic matchup, them becoming All Star teammates and their long-time friendship. Then Chris Kirschner weighs in on the Atlanta Hawks and the All Star Game taking place in the city over the weekend. 

46: Bradley Beal vs Jayson Tatum, All Star Game

The Celtics and 76ers met in Philadelphia this week for a two-game series that showed the early evolution of Joel Embiid and company under Doc Rivers, and the plight of playing under Daryl Morey and the impact constant trade rumors could have on Ben Simmons. Kevin McCormick of ESPN talks what's different between Seth Curry, Danny Green, Dwight Howard and others this year, while Derek Bodner breaks down film on Joel Embiid, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and more from the episode.  To start, Bobby Manning talks Joe Biden and cautious optimism for the four years ahead, with the hope that President Biden won't cause disengagement from politics now that Donald Trump is gone, as Jaylen Brown said yesterday. 

45: Joe Biden Inauguration and Celtics vs 76ers Series

Pistons writer James Edwards III has a feature out in The Athletic today solving one of the most puzzling questions of NBA free agency from November. Why did the Nuggets' Jerami Grant leave Denver for the same money with a losing Detroit Pistons franchise? Edwards found in a one on one with the budding star, who played college basketball Syracuse before a breakout 2020 season on the way to the west finals, that Grant's desire to play for the Pistons extends beyond basketball.  After the NBA Bubble and vocal calls to make real movement among basketball players in social justice, Grant decided he want to play for a Black coach, a Black general manager, in the most Black city in America as he gets more involved in the movement for social justice in the US. The Celtics and Pistons faced this last weekend and split a series, which Bobby Manning and James Edwards discussed on Dome Theory this week.  Subscribe for the full episode: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-bobcast

44: Why Jerami Grant Signed with Detroit Pistons

The Duke women's basketball program became the first Power 5 basketball program to cancel its season, after COVID-19 cases halted their season on December 16. Former Celtics assistant Kara Lawson leads the way at college basketball's most important school, where eyes will turn toward Coach K and Duke, who had already suspended their non-conference schedule as Bobby digs into a month's worth of college basketball turmoil that could've been easily foreseen (0:00). Caitlin Cooper then joins Bobby (11:55) to talk about the War on Daniel Theis, a look back at the Myles Turner and Gordon Hayward trade talks that failed (15:13), who are these Pacers (32:00) and Caitlin's journey to basketball coverage (45:15). They wrap with a discussion on where NBA defense is going (1:00:00). 

43: Celtics vs. Pacers Preview, Myles Turner and Gordon Hayward Retrospective, Duke Women End Season

Bobby Manning welcomes Josue Pavon to talk about their favorite artist Kid CuDi and his new surprising release, Man on the Moon 3 that fans had long given up on. They talk about it living up to the originals and the 10 year journey to Cudi's second prime (14:30). Plus the bruising Pitchfork review it garnered (20:30) and our other favorite albums of the fabled year 2020 (41:20). Then Bobby asks, who is the Kid Cudi of the NBA (55:00) and ended with a conversation about Kyrie Irving returning to Boston last week (1:05:55). 

42: Kid Cudi Man on the Moon 3 Review, NBA comparison and Kyrie Irving

Two guests who know the two newest Celtics best join Dome Theory to break down what they'll bring to Boston. Former Vanderbilt forward Matt Moyer played alongside Aaron Nesmith and Darius Garland with the Commodores during the last two seasons. Justin Rowan covered Tristan Thompson's entire career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both bring new dimensions to the Celtics they've missed for a long time. A hectic offseason ushered Gordon Hayward out, but Danny Ainge has used newfound flexibility and his draft picks to try to transform the roster. Bobby and Justin reset the NBA landscape before Matt talks about the 2020 NBA Draft and players he's faced off against. 

41: Matt Moyer on Aaron Nesmith and Justin Rowan on Tristan Thompson joining Celtics

We're back to where we were in April with COVID-19, just in time for college basketball's start, which is beginning as hectically as the season ended on a dime with the cancellation of March Madness. On the parallels between the big dogs charging forward and the small programs crushed amid the pressure of the coronavirus, an update from The Athletic's Matt Gutierrez on the state of the sport and what's next for Syracuse basketball with James Szuba after top 2022 recruit Dior Johnson backed out of his commitment to the Orange. Bobby Manning hosts Dome Theory each Friday on CLNS Media talking sports and culture. 

40: COVID Dooming Sports and College Basketball Again

The new quick-hitting podcast from Bobby Manning. Join in every week as an original experience is crafted around a guest prominent in the world of sports, media and entertainment. Topics fly in and out as each show takes on a life of its own while Manning and his guests hit on the controversial, the invigorating, and the innovative.

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Dome Theory Sports and Culture

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