Give Me the Ball | Episode 14: "ARE YOUTUBE HOOPERS ACTUALLY PROS?"

In this episode, DJ and Yo open the show by talking about their recent experiences playing basketball at the Y and in open gyms — and how different the game feels when you're not playing organized basketball anymore.

From there, they get into a bigger question: what actually makes someone a professional basketball player?

DJ and Yo debate the gap between regular hoopers, high-level amateurs, NBA players, and the growing world of basketball YouTubers. Could some of these YouTube hoopers actually compete with professional players? And just how big is the difference between being really good at basketball and being an actual pro?

Then things get even more interesting when they dive into Shaquille O'Neal and today's NBA big men. DJ and Yo debate how Shaq would match up against today's centers, including players like Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić, and Joel Embiid.

They also talk about the development of young NBA players, the pressure that comes with huge contracts, and what it really means when a player goes from being a promising prospect to getting paid like a franchise player.

And, as always, the conversation takes a few turns that probably weren't on the original game plan.

Lace up. Let's get into it.

📲 Follow & Subscribe:

📸 Instagram → @givemetheball.podcast
🎵 TikTok → @givemetheball.podcast
▶️ YouTube → @GiveMetheBall.Podcast