Brian Windhorst is a well-known sportswriter who isn't afraid of giving his two cents about the NBA. Whether it's through his articles or his takes on television, Windhorst has carved out a reputation for being a reliable NBA reporter.

Although Windhorst has given out legitimate information, the popular reporter also finds himself in hot water from time to time for his bold statements. Here's Brian Windhorst's 10 wildest NBA takes, ranked.

10. Wemby and LeBron comparisons

Although Victor Wembanyama and LeBron James played their rookie seasons in different eras while playing different positions, Windhorst made a bold comparison that Wemby's skill level has surpassed James' level back when the latter was his age.

It's quite a bold statement from the NBA analyst, especially when he made those claims during the NBA preseason. But fast-forward to today, to be fair, Wemby's production didn't disappoint and were slightly better than James' rookie year.

9. Picking Joel Embiid over Nikola Jokic for the 2022 NBA MVP

The 2022 NBA MVP Award went to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, crowning him with his second-straight MVP Award. However, Windhorst wasn't buying it. In fact, he would have preferred the MVP Award to go to fellow finalist Joel Embiid. It was quite a bold claim, given that Jokic would become more successful in the postseason compared to Embiid even to this day.

8. Warriors' checkbook win

After taking a commanding 3-2 series lead over the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, Windhorst made a controversial statement on television screens when the Warriors only won Game 5 thanks to their stacked payroll.

During that season, the Warriors were highly paying their stars which Windhorst brought up. However, it didn't sit well with Warriors fans. Moreover, even 2022 Finals MVP Stephen Curry didn't let those comments slide.

7. Metta World Peace intimidated LeBron James

Not a lot of players can physically match with LeBron James, more so intimidate him. However, Windhorst claimed that if there was a player that did, it would be Metta World Peace.

At 6-foot-7, 260 pounds, Metta World Peace was slightly smaller than James. In addition to this, James actually dominated World Peace in their matchups, winning 13 of their 21 games against each other. Furthermore, James averaged 26.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game in those games.

6. Jimmy Butler is worth the drama

Although Jimmy Butler has been the Miami Heat's franchise cornerstone, Windhorst was at the center of controversy when he mentioned that Butler was worth the drama, bringing up clashes against his teammates and coach Erik Spoelstra, Butler managed to lead the Heat to a pair of Finals appearances.

Nevertheless, Heat fans think that  the analyst was just trying to stir up some unnecessary drama.

5. Phoenix Suns as the best offensive team in NBA history

Prior to the 2023-24 season, the Suns formed their super team with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. With the promising trio, Windhorst claimed that the Suns now have what it takes to be a top offensive team in NBA history. Given the amount of talent, it was certainly possible.

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But in hindsight, the Suns finished eighth in the 2023-24 season with an offensive rating of 117.6. Furthermore, the Suns also lacked a reliable playmaker to set up the scoring trio, eventually leading them to an early first-round exit in the postseason.

4. Luka Doncic and the Mavs as the biggest threats for the Nuggets

There's no doubt that Luka Doncic and the Mavericks are a formidable squad. However, Windhorst takes it to another level by proclaiming them as the biggest threat to the Denver Nuggets' title defense in the Western Conference. At the time, the Mavs were the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

While the Mavs did end up making it to the NBA Finals, it was the Minnesota Timberwolves that dispatched the Nuggets in a thrilling second-round series. The Mavs knocked off the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and took out the Wolves in the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

3. Brandon Ingram and Kevin Durant comparisons

With the same frame and height, Windhorst believed that Brandon Ingram was the closest thing to Kevin Durant. But even when Ingram gets it going, there was a clear difference between their play styles.

Ingram loves to drive to the basket and to set up his teammates. While both players love to take midrange shots, it seems that Durant just has a lot more confidence pulling up from the perimeter with limitless range.

2. Pau Gasol saved Kobe Bryant's Laker stint

The arrival of Pau Gasol was welcomed by the Los Angeles Lakers, helping Kobe Bryant and the Lakers win back-to-back NBA championships. However, Windhorst claimed that Gasol was responsible for saving Bryant's final stint with the Lakers.

Although Gasol was an important piece in the Lakers' championship runs, using the word “save” seemed to be a bit too much, especially how Bryant was competent enough to take this team on his shoulders.

1. Allen Iverson wouldn't be as effective in today's game

Allen Iverson was one of the best ball-handlers in the NBA. He was also a legitimate scorer, en route to four scoring championships and an NBA MVP.

However, Brian Windhorst claimed that if Iverson played in today's NBA, he wouldn't be scoring as much, given how many shots he took. The bold statement didn't sit well with former basketball player Jason Williams. Iverson, however, didn't take it personally by saying that Windhorst was entitled to his opinions.