Overview of What's Wright - Best Of — Who is NBA MVP? Eagles BASH Jalen Hurts, where Mahomes/Allen/Lamar rank ALL-TIME
This episode collects Nick Wright’s best takes from the week: a deep dive into the 2025 NBA MVP race (Luka Dončić vs. Victor Wembanyama vs. Nikola Jokić vs. others), reaction to the ESPN story about dysfunction in the Philadelphia Eagles (Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, A.J. Brown), projections for where current NFL stars will sit on the all-time QB list (Mahomes, Allen, Lamar, Burrow), and Nick’s personal “Mount Rushmore” of sports moments. The show mixes statistical context, ballot math, historical comparisons, and sharp opinion.
NBA MVP race — state of play and Nick’s argument
Where things stand
- Favorites (per the show): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) is the early favorite; Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokić are big contenders.
- Nick rejects the notion that this is the greatest MVP race ever — points to the 1961–62 race (Bill Russell beating Wilt Chamberlain despite Wilt’s 50/25 season and Oscar Robertson’s triple-double) as a more absurd historical example.
Luka Dončić — why he should not be dismissed
- Luka has driven the overachieving Lakers to 50 wins despite injuries to LeBron/Austin Reaves and no major deadline moves.
- Month-by-month production shows sustained elite play (examples: 45 PPG in October over 3 games; November ~33-8-10; January ~34-7-9; a March surge).
- Common criticisms (defense, clutch wins, team strength) are being overstated in real time, according to Nick:
- Luka’s defensive lowlights exist, but branding him as one of the worst defenders is unfair; lineup/team defense context matters.
- Luka gets extra credit because his team has outperformed preseason expectations largely on his back.
- Luka has repeatedly been a “playoff killer” historically (strong postseason performances discussed).
Victor Wembanyama — the counterargument
- Wembanyama’s defensive impact is unique and legitimately powerful as an MVP argument.
- Nick objects to giving Wembanyama extra credit for low minutes played; Wemby ranks very low in total minutes (roughly 100th) and has played far fewer minutes than some candidates (e.g., ~90 fewer than LeBron this season).
- Minutes-based “efficiency” arguments should inform discussions about ceiling/potential, but not automatically boost MVP candidacy in a season-long award.
Nikola Jokić & Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Jokić is having another historically impressive season (near triple-double averages) and is a perennial MVP-level player, but Nuggets have underachieved relative to expectations; Jokic already has three MVPs which may hurt his chances this time.
- Nick views Shea (SGA) as a major contender because of consistent excellence and ballot positioning — Shea may get firsts and seconds across ballots, which is strong for total vote accumulation.
Ballot math & how the award could be decided
- Nick explains ballot dynamics: first-place votes vs. consistent high placements (firsts + seconds) matter. A candidate with many firsts but more mid/low placements (Wembanyama) could lose to a candidate with fewer firsts but more seconds (Shea).
- Upcoming head-to-head matchups among contenders (Lakers vs. OKC, Spurs vs. Denver, Lakers vs. OKC) will be pivotal in shaping narrative and ballots down the stretch.
Eagles dysfunction story — Jalen Hurts, Sirianni, A.J. Brown
What the ESPN piece revealed (per Nick)
- Multiple sources inside the Eagles criticized Jalen Hurts and/or head coach Nick Sirianni; the existence of such reporting is itself telling versus other franchises (e.g., KC, Buffalo).
- Key themes:
- A.J. Brown’s frustrations/complaints were known internally but didn’t cost him locker-room standing because others agreed he was raising necessary issues.
- Criticisms of Jalen’s play style: reluctance to play more under-center/play-action, turning his back to defenses, not embracing pre-snap motions — all limiting the passing game.
- Jalen sometimes calls plays or draws routes on his own, which has led to questionable play-calling in-game (example: going for it vs. Green Bay and throwing a sideline bomb to A.J. Brown).
Leadership and comparisons
- Nick characterizes Hurts’ leadership as a “Kobe/Michael Jordan style” — effective only when personal excellence is unimpeachable. That style is not broadly recommended for every leader.
- Football read: parallels to Russell Wilson — both won early, were mobile, had questions as passers, and needed to evolve into more precise passers if their rushing role declined. Hurts must either maintain rushing as a core weapon or significantly improve precision passing.
Sirianni’s status
- Sirianni’s seat is arguably cooler than Hurts’ but still on the hot list. His willingness to take blame publicly and player buy-in are positives, but systemic offensive limitations and play-calling choices invite scrutiny.
NFL quarterback all-time rankings — Nick’s takes & projections
Immediate placements and predictions
- Patrick Mahomes: projected to finish as a top-2 all-time QB (likely #2 to Tom Brady).
- Josh Allen: projected to land in the Steve Young / Kurt Warner tier (just outside top 10 of Nick’s post-merger top 10).
- Lamar Jackson: Nick places Lamar ahead of Allen in current-era conversation because of dominant regular-season performance and MVP awards, but projects Lamar’s career finish around mid-teens (comparable to Ben Roethlisberger) if postseason shortcomings persist.
- Joe Burrow: projected to finish roughly in the Matt Stafford neighborhood (low-20s) — concerns about injuries and team context reduce certainty about Hall-of-Fame trajectory.
Nick’s “post-merger” top-10 reference (context for placement)
- His base post-merger top 10: Brady, Mahomes (projected), Manning, Montana, Marino, Elway, Rodgers, Favre, Staubach, Bradshaw.
- Additional players in the next tiers: Steve Young, Kurt Warner, Troy Aikman, Drew Brees, Lamar Jackson (current mix).
Nick’s Mount Rushmore of sports moments (personal)
- Tiger Woods winning the 2019 Masters (comeback after 11-year drought).
- LeBron James’ block on Andre Iguodala in 2016 Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
- Patrick Mahomes’ overtime Super Bowl-winning drive(s) for the Chiefs (signature clutch moment).
- Usain Bolt’s 100m Olympic celebrations (iconic finish / chest-pound).
Notable quotes & lines
- On the 1961–62 MVP race: “Bill Russell ran away with it…Wilt averaged 50 and 26 and still finished second.”
- On Luka: “For us to, in real time, try to change what the historic qualifiers for league MVP are…in service of one guy’s candidacy…is disingenuous.”
- On Wembanyama minutes: “Victor Wembanyama has played 90 fewer minutes than LeBron this year…Wemby is 100th in the NBA in minutes.”
- On Hurts’ leadership: “It’s not that Kobe or Jordan’s leadership style is good for everyone — it only works if your individual excellence is unimpeachable.”
Key takeaways & things to watch
- NBA MVP: Expect the race to be decided by narrative + ballot distribution. Shea’s consistency may win out; Wembanyama’s defensive uniqueness is a legit case; Luka’s offensive dominance and team overperformance make him a clear candidate who shouldn’t be discounted.
- Watch matchups between contenders (Lakers-OKC, Spurs-Denver) and minutes trends (esp. Wembanyama) — they’ll shape ballots.
- Eagles: The ESPN report confirms internal friction — Hurts needs to either enhance his passer mechanics and decision-making or lean more on his rushing strengths; Sirianni’s future depends on tangible offensive fixes and team results.
- NFL all-time rankings remain fluid — Mahomes is on a Hall-of-Fame/GOAT path, Allen likely to finish high, Lamar is an all-time regular-season standout but needs playoff breakthroughs to rise higher, Burrow’s career still has long-term uncertainty due to injuries and team context.
Recommended next steps for listeners
- If you follow the MVP race: prioritize watching the head-to-head matchups and monitor minutes/usage for Wembanyama and Luka over the final weeks.
- If you follow the Eagles/NFL: watch preseason/offseason decisions for Hurts’ passing work and any schematic changes from Sirianni to address those play-style critiques.
- For QB debates: treat regular-season dominance vs. postseason success as distinct axes when ranking career legacies — playoff resumes will be decisive long-term.
(Ads and promos were included in the episode for Big O Tires, IBM, Hyundai hybrids, Lowe’s, Hard Rock Bet, Boost Mobile, and several iHeart programs.)