The 2026 Made-Up NBA Awards With Zach Lowe

Episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast · April 6, 2026 · 2 h 5 min

Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe react to a Nuggets-Spurs overtime thriller, the Lakers' injuries, and hand out their 2026 made-up NBA awards.

Summary

Recorded live on Netflix, Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe opened by reacting to an overtime game between the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs that both called the game of the year. They praised the rare center-versus-center duel between Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama, singled out Aaron Gordon's defense and 41 minutes of work, and argued that only a handful of teams — Denver, Boston, Oklahoma City and San Antonio — are currently capable of playing at that level.

The pair then discussed the 65-game award-eligibility rule, noting that Luka Dončić sits at 64 games after a suspension and that Devin Booker may also fall short because of short-minute games. Lowe reported that he expected roughly a month-long absence for Dončić and four-to-six weeks for Austin Reaves, which he argued would make the Los Angeles Lakers the most attractive first-round opponent in the West and would benefit Oklahoma City's path.

The bulk of the episode was the annual "made-up NBA awards." Winners included Victor Wembanyama (Unicorn of the Year), Jayson Tatum's return from an Achilles injury (Unexpected Delight), Ben Simmons becoming a boxer (most absurd story), Dennis Schröder-style bench guard Dennis Jenkins of Detroit as most effective sub, Kon Knueppel leading the NBA in threes as a rookie, Chet Holmgren for the Mark Madsen-style award, LaMelo Ball as the player people gave up on too soon, Cam Thomas as the biggest chucker, Jakob Poeltl's extension as worst contract, Joe Mazzulla as coach who overachieved, the Charlotte Hornets' Eric Collins and Dell Curry as best League Pass broadcast, Mark Cuban as least valuable person, Myles Turner as LVP, and tanking as the year's most cataclysmic storyline.

For the final award — League Pass Player of the Year — Lowe chose Wembanyama, saying he felt genuine FOMO when missing a Spurs game, while Simmons said Jokić remained his pick for the full season and that he had Jokić second in his MVP ballot going into the final week.

Chapters

  1. 0:32

    Nuggets-Spurs overtime classic

    Simmons and Lowe break down the Jokić-Wembanyama matchup, Aaron Gordon's defense, and what the game revealed about both teams.

  2. 6:48

    Which teams can play at that level

    The hosts argue only Denver, Boston, Oklahoma City and San Antonio can reach that standard of play.

  3. 9:59

    The 65-game rule and awards eligibility

    Discussion of Dončić sitting at 64 games after a suspension, Devin Booker's short-minute problem, and how All-NBA ballots should handle centers.

  4. 16:01

    Lakers injuries and playoff seeding

    Lowe estimates month-long absences for Dončić and Reaves and maps out the Western Conference seeding implications.

  5. 22:43

    Unicorn, Unexpected Delight and Ben Simmons

    The first made-up awards go to Wembanyama, Jayson Tatum's comeback, and Ben Simmons becoming a boxer.

  6. 32:30

    Trades, cataclysms and the tanking crisis

    Awards for most fun in-season trade and most cataclysmic story, with tanking named the year's defining mess.

  7. 38:43

    Bench players, statistical oddities and coaching

    Dennis Jenkins, Kon Knueppel's rookie three-point title, Doug Christie's coaching, and Joe Mazzulla's overachievement.

  8. 54:42

    Players we gave up on and chuckers

    LaMelo Ball wins the give-up award and Cam Thomas takes the chucker prize.

  9. 1:00:35

    Trapped stars, hot takes and contrived stories

    Trey Murphy and Domantas Sabonis as trapped stars, plus awards for the hottest media takes and slowest-news-day stories.

  10. 1:15:25

    Contracts, broadcasts and rule changes

    Jakob Poeltl's extension wins worst contract, Charlotte takes best League Pass broadcast, and both pick 45-second replay reviews as the rule to change.

  11. 1:33:28

    LVP, least valuable person and tanking awards

    Mark Cuban and Myles Turner take the negative honors as the hosts run through the year's disappointments.

  12. 1:51:15

    League Pass Player of the Year

    Lowe picks Wembanyama over Jokić while Simmons holds Jokić as his season-long choice and second on his MVP ballot.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argued the Wembanyama-Jokić matchup was unlike anything in modern NBA history because it was a duel between two centers.

    “Mae rhywbeth gwahanol pan fydd yn y ganolfannau”

    Listen from 2:34 · Denver Nuggets

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said Aaron Gordon played 41 minutes, guarded Wembanyama for much of the game and did everything he usually does on offense.

    “Aaron Gordon played 41 minutes guarded Wemby for a lot of the game did everything that Aaron Gordon always does on offense”

    Listen from 3:54 · Denver Nuggets

  • Linked moment · 6:48Skip to 6:48 using a listen link in the info box.

    Zach Lowe

    Lowe said he now believes only Denver and Boston can match the level of play shown in the Nuggets-Spurs game.

    “rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n cyrraedd y pwynt mai'r unig dau tîm sy'n gallu eu pwysio yw Denver a Boston”

    Listen from 7:49 · Boston Celtics

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons noted that Dončić accumulated 16 technicals and a suspension, leaving him one game short of the 65-game award threshold.

    “16 technicals this year got suspended for a game. Now he's one game short”

    Listen from 11:11 · 65-game MVP eligibility rule

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe predicted Devin Booker will finish at 64 eligible games because two of his appearances were under the minutes minimum, something he says few have noticed.

    “Mae Devin Booker ddim yn mynd i fod yn ymddiriedol”

    Listen from 12:05 · 65-game MVP eligibility rule

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said he plans to place two centers on his second All-NBA team rather than follow positional tradition.

    “Rydw i'n rhoi canolbwyntiau ar y tîm ail. Dydw i ddim yn mynd i gael gyffredin a chyffredin”

    Listen from 15:16 · All-NBA Team

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said that if he were Denver he would want the three seed to face Minnesota rather than Houston, and San Antonio rather than Oklahoma City.

    “I want to play San Antonio over OKC. Yeah, so that's the route for Denver. If we're three, we get Minnesota instead of Houston”

    Listen from 16:45 · Denver Nuggets

  • Zach LowePartly true

    Lowe said he would estimate roughly a month's absence for Dončić, which would keep him out of the first round of the playoffs.

    “i'm going to just ballpark a month and okay so you're trusting the intel plus or minus a month and that takes him out of the first round of the playoffs”

    Listen from 17:03 · Los Angeles Lakers

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe argued that with Dončić and Reaves out, the Lakers become the team a top western seed would most want to face in the first round.

    “i think the lakers clearly surpass the rockets as the team that you'd most want to play in the first round”

    Listen from 17:03 · Los Angeles Lakers

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe named tanking the most cataclysmic storyline of the season, saying the story refuses to die and the league is changing rules over it.

    “So I, and they're going to change the rules and everyone's just talking about it constantly”

    Listen from 35:22 · Tanking in the NBA

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said he is prepared for anything from Portland over the next three months, including a Giannis trade or a new coach.

    “I am prepared for anything. Like Giannis Trade, new coach, maybe they bring in a coach GM”

    Listen from 37:26 · Tanking in the NBA

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons ranked Portland second behind the Knicks as the most likely destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

    “Byddwn i'n cael y Nigau un, ac byddwn i'n cael Portland 2 ar gyfer destinaethau Ionis”

    Listen from 37:55 · Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe named Dennis Jenkins the most effective sub, calling him the main reason Detroit held the top seed without Cade Cunningham.

    “He's the most important reason why they have not only stayed afloat without Cade Cunningham, but just death grip on the number one seed for a week and a half now”

    Listen from 40:18 · Detroit Pistons

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said Kon Knueppel has established himself in his rookie year as the best shooter in the world other than Stephen Curry.

    “walking into the league as the best shooter in the entire world, not named Steph Curry, which I think is what he's established himself as in year one”

    Listen from 45:00 · Charlotte Hornets

  • Zach LoweCame true

    Lowe picked Joe Mazzulla as the coach who most exceeded expectations and predicted he will win Coach of the Year despite dismissing the award.

    “I'll go Joe Mizzoula just because he's the Celtics or the two seed. He's going to win coach of the year”

    Listen from 52:04 · Boston Celtics

  • Bill SimmonsDidn’t happen

    Simmons said betting odds currently favor J.B. Bickerstaff over Mazzulla for Coach of the Year.

    “Mae Bickerstaff yn parhau. Mae'n ddi-240. Mae Missoula yn ddi-230. Dwi'n meddwl bod Bickerstaff yn mynd i'w gynnal”

    Listen from 53:48 · Boston Celtics

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe named Jakob Poeltl's roughly $30 million-a-year extension the worst contract, calling it the most inexplicable deal of the summer.

    “It was the most inexplicable contract of the summer. So I'm going off the menu and ordering a big fat helping of Jakob Purtle”

    Listen from 1:16:14 · Toronto Raptors

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe chose Charlotte's broadcast with Eric Collins and Dell Curry as League Pass broadcast team of the year.

    “it's got to be charlotte with eric collins and del curry and watching that team run up and down the floor and shoot threes and dunk alley-oops”

    Listen from 1:22:40 · Charlotte Hornets

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said he issued a formal apology on his podcast around Christmas for his optimism about the Trae Young-era Hawks.

    “I issued a formal apology for my Hawks optimism on my podcast around Christmas”

    Listen from 1:27:26 · Atlanta Hawks

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said the single rule most needing change is a time limit on replay reviews, proposing a 45-second cap.

    “45 second reviews. 45 seconds. That's it. Done”

    Listen from 1:32:17 · NBA replay review

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons named Mark Cuban least valuable person, arguing he sold the Mavericks too early and mishandled every part of the process.

    “You sold too early. You sold before the value of all the franchises went way up. You handled every piece of this wrong”

    Listen from 1:34:05 · Dallas Mavericks ownership

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe picked Ja Morant as least valuable player, saying he visibly stopped trying in multiple games before disappearing.

    “I went with John Morant because he literally stopped trying during multiple games”

    Listen from 1:34:57 · Dallas Mavericks ownership

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe chose Wembanyama as League Pass player of the year, saying he feels guilty missing any Spurs game.

    “Ond mae'r pang o ffomo rwy'n cael wedi cynyddu'r ffomo Jokic. Felly mae'n Victor Wimanyama”

    Listen from 1:54:40 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons noted Wembanyama is leading the league in blocks and rebounds while ranking fifth in points, a combination he says only Wilt Chamberlain approached.

    “Mae'n arwain y Lleg a chynnyddion, mae'n gwneud rhywbeth y mae dim ond Will Chamberlain wedi'i wneud”

    Listen from 1:58:06 · NBA Most Valuable Player Award

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said he has Jokić second on his MVP ballot heading into the final week of the season.

    “dyna pam dwi'n meddwl dwi'n cael Joker yn ail ar gyfer MVP yn ymlaen i'r wythnos diwethaf”

    Listen from 1:59:04 · NBA Most Valuable Player Award

People

In the conversation

  • Bill SimmonsSportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast
  • Zach LoweRinger NBA analyst referenced repeatedly

Discussed

Topics

More from The Bill Simmons Podcast

From the publisher

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Zach Lowe LIVE on Netflix to react to the Nuggets-Spurs OT game before discussing the Lakers' injuries (0:32). Then, they give out their 2026 Made-Up NBA Awards (23:28). Host: Bill Simmons Guest: Zach Lowe Producers: Chia Hao Tat, Eduardo Ocampo, and Chris Wohlers Brought to you by PayPal. Learn more at https://paypal.com/payin4 The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit⁠⁠⁠ www.rg-help.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Basketball