Sam Vecenie

Sam Vecenie

@samvecenie.bsky.social

I write about basketball. And watch movies. Senior Writer at @TheAthletic on the NBA/NBA Draft. Host of the Game Theory Podcast. Email: sam.vecenie@gmail.com

41,720 Followers 272 Following 561 Posts Joined Oct 2023
12 hours ago
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1 day ago

Mer MAN!!

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2 days ago
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Scouting NBA Trade Deadline Moves! Kuminga, McCain, Harden, Trae, more | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! @motorcityhoops.bsky.social and I are going live to break down how the players moved at the NBA Trade Deadline look!

Harden, Kuminga, McCain, Trae, more! Plus, some thoughts on Jayson Tatum's opening games with Boston.

youtube.com/live/hSSMF_f...

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5 days ago
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BREAKING NEWS: Jayson Tatum Returns! PLUS: NBA Awards Check-In (MVP, All-NBA, Rookie, DPOY & more) YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! @motorcityhoops.bsky.social is here and we're doing 3/4 Season Awards! MVP, DPOY, All-NBA, All-Rookie, All-Defense, ROY, COY, etc.

But first, we'll talk about Jayson Tatum being back and what that means:

youtube.com/live/ren1U56...

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1 week ago
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Nuggets-Thunder: Playoff Dream | Paolo Banchero is Good | NCAA Title Favorites | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hey! Going live with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social for the Sunday Takeaways show!

-Nuggets-Thunder is our playoff dream matchup
-Paolo Banchero figuring it out
-Playoff X Factors
-Most Dangerous Play-In Team
-More

youtube.com/live/WbqcYBQ...

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1 week ago

it was you wasn't it

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1 week ago
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2026 NBA Mock Draft! | Who goes #1 - Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa or Cam Boozer? | Game Theory Pod YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! @motorcityhoops.bsky.social and I are going to do our first in-season 2026 NBA Mock Draft tonight, and we'll do it live. Come hang out!

youtube.com/live/A0TBjFi...

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2 weeks ago
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Talked a ton about Morez Johnson from Michigan on the NBA Draft Show today with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social

I love him. One of my favorite players in the country. Incredibly versatile, smart defender. Great finisher on the interior. Just makes winning plays.

t.co/zpweXpi5gY

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2 weeks ago
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NBA Takeaways! | Darryn Peterson Discourse | Biggest Pistons Week In A Decade | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hey! @motorcityhoops.bsky.social and I are about to go live and talk about basketball/NBA stuff.

-Darryn Peterson Discourse
-Offense Only vs. Defense Only players
-Jaden Ivey
-Tanking Reform Ideas

youtube.com/live/aW4Mpvj...

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2 weeks ago
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NBA Title Contender Power Rankings! | Game Theory Rankings YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Also, going live here to do NBA Contender Rankings for the second half of the season here momentarily with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social

Come hang out!

www.youtube.com/live/11sxyPT...

7 2 0 0
3 weeks ago
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NBA All-Star Weekend! | Plus The Tank Commanders Sickos Draft | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Gonna go live and talk about the All-Star game here with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social in like five minutes.

Also, we're doing a new thing called our "Tank Commanders Sickos Draft."

youtube.com/live/iYK5v8u...

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3 weeks ago
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Inside the NBA’s relationship with the firm that investigates its biggest scandals (Gift Article) For the past two decades, when the NBA has needed a sensitive issue investigated, it's repeatedly called on the same law firm.

When the NBA has a big problem, it calls Wachtell Lipton, a major law firm in NYC.

A story with @joevardon.bsky.social on who the NBA relies on when it needs to figure out a Clippers scandal, gambling investigations, Donald Sterling, tampering and more.

Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

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3 weeks ago
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Did a Carter Bryant breakdown. I just love watching how active and disruptive he is on defense.

He flies around everywhere, contests everything, works like crazy. Huge wing with real length. Has a chance to be a BIG TIME defender for the Spurs.

gametheorysamv.substack.com/p/spurs-rook...

24 1 1 1
3 weeks ago
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Did a Carter Bryant breakdown. I just love watching how active and disruptive he is on defense.

He flies around everywhere, contests everything, works like crazy. Huge wing with real length. Has a chance to be a BIG TIME defender for the Spurs.

gametheorysamv.substack.com/p/spurs-rook...

24 1 1 1
3 weeks ago
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NBA First Half Takeaways: What Have We Learned Before The Allstar Break?! | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! @motorcityhoops.bsky.social and I are doing a What Are Our Biggest Takeaways from the First Half of the 2025-26 NBA Season Podcast.

And we're doing it live, starting now! Come hang out!

youtube.com/live/ih8muI6...

7 1 1 1
1 month ago
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NBA Trade Deadline Winners & Losers! Best Deals, Most Dumbfounding Choices | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! @motorcityhoops.bsky.social and I are about to go live and talk through all the winners/losers of the NBA Trade Deadline, both players, teams and more!

youtube.com/live/cn3Q2CO...

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1 month ago
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After NBA trade deadline, tanking season is about to bring new levels of losing A loaded draft looms, and a third of the league has little incentive to win. How bad will it get, and will this prompt reform?

Wrote about the tank race that is going to put all prior tank races to shame in the NBA over the next two months.

It’s going to be glorious and a total mess for the league.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...

19 1 1 3
1 month ago
Preview
After NBA trade deadline, tanking season is about to bring new levels of losing A loaded draft looms, and a third of the league has little incentive to win. How bad will it get, and will this prompt reform?

Wrote about the tank race that is going to put all prior tank races to shame in the NBA over the next two months.

It’s going to be glorious and a total mess for the league.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...

19 1 1 3
1 month ago
Preview
NBA Trade Deadline Madness! No Giannis Trade! No Ja Trade! Zubac to Pacers! | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! Going live now with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social to break down what happened today at the NBA Trade Deadline

-No Giannis deal
-No Morant deal
-Zubac to Pacers!
-All the other stuff!

youtube.com/live/Vt7yidV...

13 1 0 1
1 month ago
Preview
NBA Trade Deadline Madness! No Giannis Trade! No Ja Trade! Zubac to Pacers! | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Hello! Going live now with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social to break down what happened today at the NBA Trade Deadline

-No Giannis deal
-No Morant deal
-Zubac to Pacers!
-All the other stuff!

youtube.com/live/Vt7yidV...

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1 month ago

Congrats Warriors fans, you no longer have to care about Jonathan Kuminga's development, trade value, or the insane discourse surrounding him anymore. It is over.

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1 month ago
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NBA Trade Deadline Mania! Anthony Davis to Wizards?! Jared McCain to Thunder | Coby White to Hornets YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Gonna go live here and try to make sense of all the deals that have occurred today with @MotorCityHoops in about five minutes.

-Anthony Davis to...Wizards?!
-Jared McCain to Thunder
-Coby White to Hornets

youtube.com/live/U_BUX-w...

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1 month ago
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NBA trade deadline 2026 live tracker, updates: Cavaliers trade Lonzo Ball; Clippers move Chris Paul to Raptors

There just is not a better running tally of the NBA Trade Deadline and all of its rumors, deals, and analysis than @theathletic.com's Live Blog. Literally everything you need all in one place.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

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1 month ago
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7019430/2026/02/04/jaren-jackson-jr-trade-grizzlies-jazz-winners/?source=emp_shared_article

Did a long deep dive on the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade to Utah yesterday. Think it’s a win for both teams involved

-Memphis gets a boatload of picks
-Utah solves a huge weakness on defense without making an all-in move.

t.co/wfLNQvFLqE

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1 month ago

What in the world am I waking up to today with this trade deadline? Feels like we’ve broken contain lol

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1 month ago
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Talked about the Grizzlies on the show today. The front office has hit every draft pick outside of two in seven years and only made a couple of trade mistakes.

But when you're a small market team and your star ends up not being The Guy, what the front office does doesn't matter.

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1 month ago

yeah, to me it's just a super selfish move to basically abandon your teammates, which is what happened here. Think it's pretty gross.

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1 month ago
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I still just can't get past the timing of the James Harden stuff over the last week. Clippers had won 16 out of 20. They're rolling, look great. Kawhi in maybe career-best form. And it wasn't enough.

Good luck to Cleveland.

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1 month ago
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NBA Trade Deadline! Grizzlies Trade Jaren Jackson Jr. to Jazz | Ivey to Bulls | Game Theory Podcast YouTube video by Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie

Going to go live here with @motorcityhoops.bsky.social in like 15 minutes or so.

-Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah
-Jaden Ivey to Chicago
-Nikola Vucevic to Boston
-The Harden stuff

youtube.com/live/ouMyisH...

18 2 0 1
1 month ago

Yeah, just hard to get a crazy number of picks in a deal due to Stepien rules

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