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 protect its business interests.

Then, Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis’ revelation that he’s been discouraged from shooting mid-range jumpers launches a deeper look at how analytics have reshaped — and homogenized — NBA basketball. Plus: Caitlin Clark’s evolution, Stephen A. Smith’s WNBA take, Jalen Brunson’s old-school brilliance and whether load management is actually making players more vulnerable.

00:00 – Welcome to On The Ball

01:16 – Enes Kanter Freedom, the WNBA and the controversy

04:27 – Challenging the WNBA’s eligibility rules

07:16 – Is Kanter Freedom really supporting women?

10:30 – Ric’s perspective from years around women’s basketball

13:44 – Why Kanter Freedom’s real target may be the NBA

15:21 – Caitlin Clark’s evolution and Stephen A. Smith’s WNBA take

16:35 – Matas Buzelis and the NBA’s war on the mid-range

18:23 – How analytics took over NBA basketball

21:20 – The math behind eliminating the mid-range