First Take

First Take begins with the box office smashing Hollywood Lakers. LeBron's newfound defensive prowess and Luka's paint dominance earned them a sixth straight win! Are they in the same tier as the Spurs and Thunder in the West? Then, Perk is taking a stand for Darius Acuff Jr.! Would you rather have him or A.J. Dybansta for the NCAA tournament? Next, is Jayson Tatum's return hurting Jaylen Brown's MVP case, or are Brown's tour date-esque nightly shooting numbers doing enough on their own?

First Take resumes with Luka's All-NBA 1st Team case... Is he a lock after the Lakers recent run? (0:00) Then, breaking news!! The Dolphins traded star WR Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos. Get DanO's immediate reaction to this blockbuster move! Next, with Shams reporting that NBA expansion is imminent, is the talent pool deep enough to fill two more teams? 

First Take begins with a devastating USA loss. Aaron Judge went hitless in the WBC Finals vs Venezuela, leading to a second straight championship loss for the Americans. Then, will the NCAA Tournament determine the number one pick in the draft, or has it already been decided? Next, the Knicks have taken advantage of a light spot in their schedule to throw together a mini winning streak! Could they steal the two seed from the Celts? And, Chiney on a HISTORIC new CBA for the WNBA.

First Take resumes with Mad Dog's Final Four. Two 5 seeds?? Mad Dog has officially gone...crazy. Then, does Jaylen Waddle put Bo Nix and the Broncos on top of the AFC? Next, Mad Dog is mad about Matt Leinart's unretired jersey, people who make multiple tournament brackets, and the Oscars having ten best picture nominees! 

First Take resumes with injury news coming out of Detroit. Cade Cunningham will be sidelined multiple weeks with a collapsed lung. Then, the Lakers won their 7th straight on the backs of LeBron and Luka 30 balls. Are you taking them seriously as contenders? Next, which one seed will be eliminated first: Florida, Duke, Arizona or Michigan? Finally, can Jaylen Waddle's speed and finesse take a slower, mediocre Broncos offense over the top in 2026?

First Take resumes with legendary head coaches. Would you rather have Izzo, Hurley, Pitino, or Bill Self in the NCAA Tournament? Then, Windy and Stephen A. rhapsodize over the advisory council partially formed by Tom Brady and Dwyane Wade to council athletes in financial literacy. Next, Joe FortenBets picks 5 first round upsets on the Men's side!

First Take begins with another Luka BANGER! 60 pts, 5 ast, and 7 reb led the Lakers to an eighth straight win. Who's ahead of him in the MVP chase? Then, should we be concerned about Duke's lackluster performance against Gerry McNamara and Siena? Next, Wemby's game winner sent the Spurs to the playoffs for the first time since 2019! How important was his shot for Wemby's legacy? 

First Take resumes with Dybantsa vs. Acuff Jr. Which surefire lottery pick had the more impressive performance in round 1? Then, High Point's coach Flynn Clayman went OFF on Major conference schools not scheduling mid-majors! Next, who would you want for a playoff run: Wemby or Luka?