“Is Russell Westbrook a cat or a dog?”

Westbrook is, in fact, the star point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, so this was a somewhat jarring question to pose to his fellow players during the National Basketball Association’s All-Star weekend in 2013. Nonetheless, they played along.

James Harden thought Westbrook was more of a dog. Dwyane Wade hedged. “He’s a cat-dog,” he said.

Finally, Westbrook weighed in. “Wolf,” he said.

The cat-or-dog question came from a host of “The Basketball Jones,” an N.B.A. podcast started in 2006 by three Canadian basketball fanatics who will bring their blend of deep basketball analysis and irreverent, goofy attitude to the N.B.A.’s All-Star festivities this weekend in New York.

“I always think we were made for All-Star weekend, because it’s supposed to be fun,” says Phil Elder, one of the hosts, who is known professionally as J. E. Skeets.