The Control Room with Esrael Yohannes
Welcome to The Control Room! This show breaks down NBA basketball using stats researched by graphics producer, Esrael Yohannes, providing a fresh take on the league through objective data and analysis. Special guests include fellow sports broadcasters, former professional athletes, and members of the Hall of Fame, where you will also learn about their careers in the sports broadcasting industry. If you know ball, or you want to know ball, this is the pod for you. This is an independent project and is not associated with the NBA, FanDuel Sports Network, or any other sports network.
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
The Control Room returns for Season 2! Esrael is back to break down plenty of stats and milestones from the Dallas Mavericks' incredible season, culminating in the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. He will also talk about some high-profile players who have moved on to new teams, as well as give his take on who is the frontrunner to win the 2025 NBA championship.
Saturday Aug 10, 2024
Saturday Aug 10, 2024
*Recorded May 21, 2024*
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Nancy Lieberman joins Esrael to talk about her basketball career, both as a player and a coach, and how she translates her skills to broadcast television. She also breaks down the evolution of the point guard and the state of the women's game.
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
In this episode, Esrael is joined by Mavs Live Host Dana Larson, who has covered the Mavericks for 22 seasons in its 44-year existence! She talks about her sports TV career, how she stays prepared, her favorite memories of the Mavericks, and she and Esrael recap Dallas's 2023-24 NBA Season after falling short in the NBA Finals.
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
On the 13th anniversary of the Dallas Mavericks winning their first and only NBA championship, Esrael is joined by colleague Michaela Lewis, the Mavericks Basketball Graphics Producer. Michaela runs graphics for Mavs games on their local broadcasts and has an even closer perspective on the Mavs over the last 3 seasons. She goes over her broadcasting career, her time covering the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks, and she also gives her take on what the Mavs need to do to get back in the NBA Finals series against the Boston Celtics.
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
The 2024 NBA Finals are set between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics! First, Esrael puts a bow on the Conference Finals, then he breaks down stats pertaining to both teams' strengths and weaknesses. He gives his official Finals prediction at the end of the episode. Here's to the Finals!
Saturday May 25, 2024
Saturday May 25, 2024
We've reached the Conference Finals, and the Dallas Mavericks are still dancing! Esrael breaks down how they've succeeded against the Minnesota Timberwolves to take a 2-0 series lead by laying the foundation with their success against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He'll also share his Conference Finals predictions and celebrate the All-NBA selections for this season.
Monday May 06, 2024
Monday May 06, 2024
The Dallas Mavericks & the Oklahoma City Thunder will face off in the Western Conference Semifinals! Esrael breaks down how the Mavs took down the Clippers, as well as his main concern for the upcoming series against the Thunder. He'll also recap his picks from the 1st round and give predictions for the 2nd round.
Mavs-Thunder Series Preview: S01E20 - Apple Podcasts
Mavs-Thunder Series Preview: S01E20 - Spotify
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Friday Apr 26, 2024
The one and only Erin Hartigan joins Esrael to talk about their experiences in athletics and broadcasting and how they use their skillsets to create a compelling show for the basketball fan. They also break down what went wrong for the New Orleans Pelicans in their first two games in Oklahoma City and what they need to do to bounce back and avoid elimination.
Sunday Apr 21, 2024
Sunday Apr 21, 2024
The NBA Playoffs have begun! Esrael revisits what he wanted the Mavs to improve from last season and gives his prediction for how they'll fare in their 1st-round series against the LA Clippers. He then recaps the Pelicans' and Thunder's seasons and predicts who wins the series between New Orleans and Oklahoma City. He also gives his early playoff predictions for every series in the NBA.
Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Saturday Apr 06, 2024
The first interview of The Control Room features Dave Evans, Esrael's former professor of Sports Broadcasting at Baylor University. He was the Coordinating Producer at Fox/Bally Sports Southwest, Oklahoma, and New Orleans. He also served the Dallas Mavericks as their Director of Broadcasting for 14 years. Esrael & Dave discuss Dave's career, including the technology advancements he's seen and the challenges he's overcome from his early years at KWTX in Waco, Texas, through the end of his time at Bally Sports.