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On The Ball with Ric Bucher

Ric Bucher

A weekly sports podcast with inside information and perspective from veteran NBA insider and Fox Sports analyst Ric Bucher, along with NBA players, coaches, executives and media as occasiona...

Episodes

20 of 623 episodes

Jayson Tatum Is Making His Case, Jaylen Brown Is Raising More Questions

Was Jaylen Brown's departure from Boston about more than money? Ric Bucher examines the growing controversy surrounding the Celtics' decisio...

24:08Oct 29, 2026

Celtics Collapse, Wemby Exposed, Sixers Shock Knicks: What NBA Opening Night Really Revealed

Did NBA opening night expose some serious weaknesses among the league's contenders — or are fans jumping to conclusions? Ric Bucher explains...

25:29Oct 22, 2026

Did the Celtics Get BETTER Despite Trading Jaylen Brown?

Did the Boston Celtics actually improve despite sending Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia? Ric Bucher makes the provocative case that Jayson Tatu...

23:33Oct 15, 2026

Five NBA Teams With Enough Talent to Win — and Enough Problems to Fail

The Philadelphia 76ers have assembled a potential powerhouse with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey . But Ric Bucher...

22:09Oct 8, 2026

The NBA’s American Star Problem: Why Wemby, Giannis & Jokic Are Taking Over

Ric Bucher asks whether American basketball has a star problem as Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić increasingly dis...

24:46Oct 2, 2026

NBA's Biggest Pressure Cookers: Why Jayson Tatum Has More to Prove Than Luka Doncic or LeBron James

Kendrick Perkins calls Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball the NBA's best backcourt. Ric Bucher isn't buying it. But that bold proclamation rais...

26:16Sep 24, 2026

Caitlin Clark Just Changed the Team USA Equation — Whether They’re Ready or Not

Team USA won another FIBA Women’s World Cup, but Ric Bucher believes the tournament exposed a decision USA Basketball won’t be able to avoid...

24:42Sep 18, 2026

STEPH CURRY’S LAST ACT: When Does Loyalty Become a Liability for the Warriors?

Steph Curry has earned virtually unlimited goodwill in Golden State. But is that goodwill about to face its toughest test? On this episode o...

23:23Sep 11, 2026

The Clippers Got Hammered — But History Says They’re Far From Dead

Five first-round picks. A $30 million fine. Steve Ballmer suspended for a year. The NBA came down hard on the Clippers over the Kawhi Leonar...

27:35Sep 3, 2026

Enes Kanter Freedom Found the NBA’s Weak Spot — And Analytics Are Killing Its Game

Ric Bucher examines Enes Kanter Freedom’s WNBA protest and why his real target may be the NBA — a league he believes ended his career to pro...

29:23Aug 28, 2026

The NBA Has Made Winning Too Expensive

Ric Bucher opens this episode of On The Ball by addressing the backlash to his recent WNBA commentary — including criticism from former ESPN...

28:19Aug 21, 2026

Landry Fields: Project B Has Players Signed — And the Men’s Stars Are Coming

Former NBA player and Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields joins Ric Bucher for a special edition of On The Ball to pull back the curtain on Proje...

33:58Aug 18, 2026

The WNBA’s Real Problem Isn’t Caitlin Clark, Trans Athletes or Hard Fouls — It’s the NBA

The WNBA is generating more attention than ever, but Ric Bucher argues that the controversies dominating the conversation — Caitlin Clark, o...

22:51Aug 13, 2026

Jalen Brunson Gave Up $113 Million to Join the NBA’s Most Exclusive Club

Jalen Brunson is now an NBA champion, a Finals MVP and a New York Knicks legend — and Ric Bucher argues that the decision that helped make i...

27:26Aug 7, 2026

Pump the Brakes on the Sixers: Why LeBron James & Jaylen Brown Don't Make Philadelphia NBA Favorites

The NBA media has already crowned the Philadelphia 76ers after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown . Ric Bucher isn't buying it. In this ep...

24:48Jul 30, 2026

The NBA Is Waiting on LeBron—But Not for the Reason You Think

LeBron James may still dominate headlines, but has he lost the leverage that defined the second half of his career? In this episode of On Th...

21:17Jul 24, 2026

Is the NBA Finally Growing Up? Why LeBron's Era Is Ending and a New Generation Is Changing Everything

Is the NBA entering a new era where winning matters more than max contracts, player empowerment and personal brands? Ric Bucher explains why...

26:58Jul 17, 2026

The NBA's Soul Is for Sale—Why Jalen Brunson Just Proved There's Still Hope

Has the NBA lost sight of what made it great? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher argues that professional basketball has drifted aw...

35:12Jul 10, 2026

Why the Celtics Gave Up on Jaylen Brown, the Lakers Race Debate Goes Off the Rails & LeBron's Last Move

Did the Boston Celtics really make a franchise-defining mistake by trading Jaylen Brown —or was it an inevitable business decision years in...

25:07Jul 3, 2026

The NBA Just Flipped Upside Down: Why the Hornets Won, Giannis Changed Everything & ESPN Still Won't Stop Protecting LeBron

The NBA Draft delivered far more than new faces—it reshaped the league. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher explains why the Charlot...

22:56Jun 27, 2026