The Victory Degree

Shea Serrano On: LeBron’s Legacy, Greatest Game 7 in NBA History, Tim Duncan’s Greatness + New Book

Episode Summary

NBA writer and best-selling author Shea Serrano joins Nik Atanackovic on The Victory Degree Podcast to talk about his new book, Expensive Basketball — a love letter to the moments, feelings, and players that make the game beautiful. From Ray Allen’s jumper vs. Joakim Noah’s, to Tim Duncan’s quiet dominance, Shaq’s unstoppable force, and Kobe’s poetic 60-point farewell, this episode dives deep into the emotional side of basketball — the kind of stuff stats can’t explain. Topics Covered: - Why “Expensive Basketball” is about feelings, not numbers - Shea’s defense of Steph Curry’s magic and Shaq’s speed - The pain of the 2002 Kings-Lakers series (and why it still hurts)* - Why Tim Duncan is Shea’s favorite player - LeBron’s rise from “great” to “greatest” - The beauty behind Kobe’s final game

Episode Notes

From Ray Allen’s jumper vs. Joakim Noah’s, to Tim Duncan’s quiet dominance, Shaq’s unstoppable force, and Kobe’s poetic 60-point farewell, this episode dives deep into the emotional side of basketball — the kind of stuff stats can’t explain.

Topics Covered:

- Why “Expensive Basketball” is about feelings, not numbers

- Shea’s defense of Steph Curry’s magic and Shaq’s speed

- The pain of the 2002 Kings-Lakers series (and why it still hurts)

- Why Tim Duncan is Shea’s favorite player

- LeBron’s rise from “great” to “greatest”

- The beauty behind Kobe’s final game

Connect With Shea:

Twitter: x.com/SheaSerrano

Instagram: instagram.com/shea.serrano/

Buy The Book: amzn.to/3JsAhQr

Connect with Nik: