NBA Now & Then: The Greatest NBA Comparisons

About NBA Now & Then: The Greatest NBA Comparisons

Hosted by Uriah Young, Lucas Johnson, Maurice Huggins, and Ben Franczuszki, Basketball Now and Then peels back layers of player backgrounds, statistics, accolades, and teammates to reveal similarities and distinctions of NBA stars. Our discussions bridge past and present NBA eras and connect generations of basketball fans from around the world. Whether we are comparing LaMelo Ball to Jason Williams, Luka Doncic to Larry Bird, or Anthony Edwards and Dwyane Wade, each episode brings out aspects of player careers that will raise eyebrows. We offer inspiration, nostalgia, and much more when we feature each comparison! We also compare NBA categories on special episodes such as dunk contests, draft classes, and rivalries. Enjoy our show and don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform! You can also follow us on social media for updates!

Publisher

Basketball Now & Then: The Greatest Comparisons

Category

leisure · news · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Dec 2023

Latest episode

20 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

136 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Sept 2026

   Special Episode: Reevaluating Season 2 Comparisons

   Basketball comps are only fun until you have to admit which ones actually held up. Lucas Johnson, Uriah Young, and Maurice Huggins put their own podcast under the microscope in a brutally honest season-two retrospective, revisiting the player comparisons that built Basketball Now and Then and debating which ones deserve a redo. Some pairings get a clean stamp of approval, including Anthony Edwards and Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Jason Kidd, and Paul George and Tracy McGrady, while others spark debate over play style, size, era, team context, and changing roles.The conversation covers Nikola Jokic and Tim Duncan, Bam Adebayo and Alonzo Mourning, Tyrese Maxey and John Wall, Zion Williamson and Charles Barkley, Jalen Brown and Andre Iguodala, and plenty more. With stats, historical perspective, and plenty of spirited disagreement, the crew examines what makes a player comparison truly work and which ones need to be revisited. If you love NBA history, player archetypes, and debates about the perfect match, this episode is essential listening and a great setup for the comparisons still to come. 🛒 Shop the official NBA STORE to grab jerseys, gear, and more. https://nbastore.vwz6.net/shop-NBA-gear (https://nbastore.vwz6.net/shop-NBA-gear) 🛒 Shop HOMAGE for premium, vintage-inspired sports apparel that celebrates the teams, players, and moments that make basketball nostalgia timeless. https://homage.sjv.io/Homage.Gear (https://homage.sjv.io/Homage.Gear) Every purchase from our affiliates helps support Basketball Now & Then 🙏🏽 🚨SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW our show TODAY🚨 Visit our website (https://www.basketballnowandthen.com/) to access hundreds of hours of unique basketball content and see why we are a top rated podcast, downloaded in over 55 countries and ranked in the Top 100 basketball podcasts (https://podcast.feedspot.com/nba_podcasts/). Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/basketball-now-then-the-greatest-comparisons/id1719385939) Listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/6InOcpu5oRPfYnjn7PEAOf?si=105aeb12caeb48dd) You can also follow us on social media at: YouTube: @BBall_NowandThen (https://www.youtube.com/@BBall_NowandThen) Twitter (X): @BBallNowandThen (https://x.com/BBallNowandThen) Instagram: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.instagram.com/bball_nowandthen/) Facebook: @Basketball Now & Then (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565961279155) TikTok: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.tiktok.com/@bball_nowandthen) Threads: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.threads.com/@bball_nowandthen) Pinterest: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.pinterest.com/bball_nowandthen/) For EXCLUSIVE bonus episodes, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcast. Listen on Patreon (https://patreon.com/NBAnowandthen?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link) Thanks for being a valued member of our basketball comparison community! 🙏

2. 

   6 Sept 2026

   "Above the Rim" Movie Review

   One of the most iconic basketball soundtracks ever made. One of the biggest 90s hoop films. And a debate that gets sharper 30 years later - does Above the Rim actually hold up? Uriah Young is joined by Ben Franczuszki, Warren Shaw, and Reggie Ponder for a passionate, funny, and surprisingly critical breakdown of the 1994 classic that fused basketball, hip hop, ambition, and street culture into one unforgettable movie. What starts as nostalgia quickly turns into a real conversation about what the film gets right, what it gets wildly wrong, and why some scenes still hit hard decades later. You'll discover: Why Tupac's Birdie still feels magnetic, menacing, and impossible to look away from. How Leon and Tupac's scenes create the emotional core of the movie. Why Reggie sees the basketball action as more style than realism. What Warren thinks the soundtrack says about New York, the West Coast, and Death Row's grip on the film. Why Ben says the cast elevates writing that can feel scattered and sitcom-like at times. The crew also digs into the film's mentorship themes, the pressure of choosing the wrong influence, and Shep's redemption arc as both a former player and a father figure. Along the way, they revisit the performances from Duane Martin, Leon, Tupac Shakur, Wood Harris, Marlon Wayans, Bernie Mac, and the rest of the cast, debating who stands out and who gets underused. If you love basketball movies, 90s hip hop, or cinematic debates that aren't afraid to call out the weak spots, this episode is for you. Above the Rim may be a cult favorite, but the question remains - is it a classic, or just a soundtrack with a movie attached? Perfect for fans of Hoops on Film, 90s basketball nostalgia, and anyone who wants to hear four sharp voices break down whether one of the most beloved hoop movies of its era still deserves the hype. 🛒 Shop the official NBA STORE to grab jerseys, gear, and more. https://nbastore.vwz6.net/shop-NBA-gear (https://nbastore.vwz6.net/shop-NBA-gear) 🛒 Shop HOMAGE for premium, vintage-inspired sports apparel that celebrates the teams, players, and moments that make basketball nostalgia timeless. https://homage.sjv.io/Homage.Gear (https://homage.sjv.io/Homage.Gear) Every purchase from our affiliates helps support Basketball Now & Then 🙏🏽 🚨SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW our show TODAY🚨 Visit our website (https://www.basketballnowandthen.com/) to access hundreds of hours of unique basketball content and see why we are a top rated podcast, downloaded in over 55 countries and ranked in the Top 100 basketball podcasts (https://podcast.feedspot.com/nba_podcasts/). Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/basketball-now-then-the-greatest-comparisons/id1719385939) Listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/6InOcpu5oRPfYnjn7PEAOf?si=105aeb12caeb48dd) You can also follow us on social media at: YouTube: @BBall_NowandThen (https://www.youtube.com/@BBall_NowandThen) Twitter (X): @BBallNowandThen (https://x.com/BBallNowandThen) Instagram: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.instagram.com/bball_nowandthen/) Facebook: @Basketball Now & Then (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565961279155) TikTok: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.tiktok.com/@bball_nowandthen) Threads: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.threads.com/@bball_nowandthen) Pinterest: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.pinterest.com/bball_nowandthen/) For EXCLUSIVE bonus episodes, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcast. Listen on Patreon (https://patreon.com/NBAnowandthen?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link) Thanks for being a valued member of our basketball comparison community! 🙏

3. 

   16 Aug 2026

   Special Episode: Reevaluating Season 1 Comparisons

   Uriah Young, Lucas Johnson, and Maurice revisit the first season of Basketball Now and Then and put their early NBA player comparisons back under the microscope. The episode is part reflection and part debate, as the hosts discuss which comps still feel accurate, which ones were made too early, and which ones need to be redone as players’ careers have continued to unfold. Across the conversation, they examine 18 different pairings and weigh each one against the test of time, accolades, play style, and historical context. Some comps are defended strongly, some are marked for a rework, and others spark new ideas for future episodes as the show heads into season four. Let us know what you think of our season one comparisons! Did we get them right? What suggestions do you have for us? 🚨SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW our show TODAY🚨 Visit our website (https://www.basketballnowandthen.com/) to access hundreds of hours of unique basketball content and see why we are a top rated podcast, downloaded in over 55 countries and ranked in the Top 100 basketball podcasts (https://podcast.feedspot.com/nba_podcasts/). Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/basketball-now-then-the-greatest-comparisons/id1719385939) Listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/6InOcpu5oRPfYnjn7PEAOf?si=105aeb12caeb48dd) You can also follow us on social media at: YouTube: @BBall_NowandThen (https://www.youtube.com/@BBall_NowandThen) Twitter (X): @BBallNowandThen (https://x.com/BBallNowandThen) Instagram: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.instagram.com/bball_nowandthen/) Facebook: @Basketball Now & Then (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565961279155) TikTok: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.tiktok.com/@bball_nowandthen) Threads: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.threads.com/@bball_nowandthen) Pinterest: @bball_nowandthen (https://www.pinterest.com/bball_nowandthen/) For EXCLUSIVE bonus episodes, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcast. Listen on Patreon (https://patreon.com/NBAnowandthen?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link) Thanks for being a valued member of our basketball comparison community! 🙏

Who has been a guest on NBA Now & Then: The Greatest NBA Comparisons

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Christopher Kline
• Chris Wylde
• Mike Gioseffi
• Zach Ciavolella
• Dusty Garza

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

164,746

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

77

Social presence

94

YouTube

82

Engagement

71