The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to discuss the 76ers’ arduous journey to retaining their first-round draft pick, the unknown ceiling of the new-look Lakers (15:26), criticizing NBA player criticism, what it means to be the “face of the league” (32:59), biggest red flags for every NBA title contender, how the Celtics match up with the Cavaliers (01:20:18), Bill’s latest internet rabbit hole (01:55:59), and more. Host: Bill Simmons Guest: Ryen Russillo Producers: Kyle Crichton and Chia Hao Tat The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Order Michelob ULTRA today, available on Doordash! ENJOY RESPONSIBLY © 2025 ANHEUSER-BUSCH, MICHELOB ULTRA® LIGHT BEER, ST. LOUIS, MO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices