

Hello and Welcome
The Nation Network
Will Lou, Alex Wong, and producer Jerome Cheng have you covered on all things Raptors, in addition to the NBA and other culturally relevant topics. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 15, 2025 • 1h 25min
Kawhi Leonard scandal continues + 5 ways the NBA can punish Steve Ballmer
Will and Alex continue to follow the Kawhi Leonard–Clippers scandal (2:39), debating whether it signals a larger trend of cap circumvention across the league, if Kawhi should take the same blame as Uncle Dennis, and revisiting past and present other potential cases of tampering (22:10). Later, Alex lays out five ways the league could actually punish Steve Ballmer and the Clippers (35:31). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 10, 2025 • 1h 30min
Kawhi Leonard and Uncle Dennis’s crazy demands from 2019, does it affects his Raptors legacy?
Will is joined by the Toronto Star's Bruce Arthur to discuss his article on the attempted dealings for Kawhi Leonard through his uncle Dennis in the summer of 2019 following the Toronto Raptors championship. (read here: https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/inside-kawhi-leonard-s-bizarre-list-of-secret-demands-from-raptors-and-how-they-line/article_9f1b0398-0ebd-4193-bc06-798efda95023.html) How crazy were the demands? Does this affect Kawhi's legacy with the Raptors?#raptors #torontoraptors #kawhileonard #losangelesclippersReach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 4, 2025 • 41min
AJ Lawson picks his greatest Raptor, defends Brampton slander, and getting scammed at CNE
Toronto Raptors guard and Brampton's very own AJ Lawson joins the Hello and Welcome podcast for an in-depth interview. AJ gives us a look behind the scenes on the Toronto Raptors' offseason, reviews his inspiring journey to the NBA, revels in pride of his Canadian roots and coming up through Brampton, and shares his stories about playing with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Along the way, the boys share some laughs about common life experiences growing up in the GTA. #raptors #torontoraptors #nba Special thanks to the Museum of Toronto for hosting us at their Home Game exhibit: https://museumoftoronto.com/collection/home-game-exhibition/Get your tickets for the Hart House Mid-Autumn Festival Market here: https://harthouse.ca/events/hey-fun-x-hart-house-mid-autumn-market?utm_source=chatgpt.comReach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 2, 2025 • 1h 35min
Wongstradamus predicts all 82 Raptors games, and a farewell to Jeremy Lin
It’s the annual Hello and Welcome off-season tradition as Alex predicts all 82 games of the upcoming Raptors season, diving into career-high performances, surprise twists, a new rivalry with the Washington Wizards, and more. Later, Will and Alex discuss Jeremy Lin’s retirement (1:13:23) and share personal stories from the 2019 championship run.#raptors #torontoraptors #jeremylin Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 27, 2025 • 3h 54min
The 2025 August Banter Pod
Will, Alex, and Jerome recap their summer travels to Europe (6:00), sharing their favorite moments, the Oasis concert in Edinburgh, and Will’s first trip to Anfield to watch a Liverpool game in person. Later, they discuss behind-the-scenes stories from the Serge Ibaka interview and attending the Skechers Canada event with Norman Powell, as well as seeing Oasis again in Toronto (2:00:18). After that, Alex presents a new set of five-dollar ideas (2:36:04) before they wrap up with listener questions and emails (2:59:36). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 25, 2025 • 1h 12min
Why the Raptors gave Bobby Webster the keys, and 5 things on his to-do list for 2025
Will Lou and Alex Wong return to discuss Bobby Webster's new position leading basketball operations for the Toronto Raptors. They discuss why MLSE decided to give Bobby the reigns, the underwhelming list of external candidates, and 5 things that should be on Bobby's to-do list for 2025.#raptors #torontoraptorsReach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 20, 2025 • 33min
Serge Ibaka on friendship with OG and Kawhi, and his fondest moments with Raptors
Serge Ibaka finally joins the podcast to reflect on the Raptors’ 2019 championship run. He opens up about the pain of getting swept by Cleveland the year before (1:40), Nick Nurse’s impact, and adjusting to fewer minutes after the Marc Gasol trade (8:53). Serge shares his memory of Kawhi’s iconic Game 7 shot (15:00), thoughts on Kevin Durant’s Finals return (20:42), and why he believes Toronto could have won two more titles if Kawhi had stayed (27:17). He also revisits his favorite How Hungry Are You? moments (4:18), the magic of the 2019–20 Raptors, the story behind his legendary scarf (30:07), and gives his take on OG Anunoby’s newfound stardom in New York.#raptors #torontoraptors #sergeibaka #kawhileonard Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 12, 2025 • 1h 41min
Championship react pod: The unforgettable moments in Game 6 when the Toronto Raptors won it all
Will, Alex, and Jerome break down Toronto’s Game 6 win over the Golden State Warriors to secure the 2019 NBA title. They break down Kyle Lowry's exhilarating start, Fred VanVleet's courageous fourth quarter, and the devastation of Klay Thompson's ACL injury.Three stars: Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Pascal SiakamDJ Augustin award: Draymond Green#raptors #torontoraptors #nbaplayoffs #nbafinalsReach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Hello and Welcome is presented by Betway. https://betway.ca- Only Available In Ontario, must be 19+. Please play responsibly.Tangerine: www.tangerine.caReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 6, 2025 • 1h 27min
Championship react pod: The Infamous game when Kevin Durant tore his Achilles
Will, Alex, and Jerome break down Toronto’s Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors, which includes the harrowing Achilles injury to Kevin Durant and reflect on how big of a "what if" moment this was for the entire NBA.Three stars: Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol, Serge IbakaDJ Augustin award: DeMarcus Cousins#raptors #torontoraptors #nbaplayoffs #nbafinalsReach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Hello and Welcome is presented by Betway. https://betway.ca- Only Available In Ontario, must be 19+. Please play responsibly.Tangerine: www.tangerine.caReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 31, 2025 • 9min
1-on-1 with Chucky Hepburn: Studying Jamal Shead's game, training with Fred VanVleet
Will Lou interviews Toronto Raptors rookie Chucky Hepburn at Las Vegas Summer League 2025. Chucky discusses studying Jamal Shead and training with Fred VanVleet in college, and how he approaches the game on defense. Chucky also details his upbringing in Omaha and also being home-schooled until Grade 8.#raptors #torontoraptors #nbasummerleague Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys info@hellowelcome.showCheck out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Hello and Welcome is presented by Betway. https://betway.ca- Only Available In Ontario, must be 19+. Please play responsibly.Download the Betway app: https://betway.onelink.me/3010529547/0mx1y6wbReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


