Learning Basketball

Ep. 65 Learning Basketball with Will Rucker! @Will_Rucker3_AD Will Rucker is a sports analyst, journalist, coach, and media personality. He is a writer and content contributor for Liberty Ballers who covers the Philadelphia 76ers, NBA, and NBA Draft. Today we learn about Tre Johnson’s shooting versatility, and weigh all of Philadelphia’s options with the #3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Timeline: 00:...

Ep. 64 Learning Basketball with Brandon Benson Brandon Benson is a basketball coach at Flagler with experience at different levels including Northwestern and DME Academy. Today we learn about the NBA Conference Finals, dive into the film for both matchups, see how the Thunder score at ease with crafty P&R creators, how the Knicks create a semblance of space for Jalen Brunson to operate, and ho...

Ep. 63 Learning Basketball with Ricky O'Donnell @SBN_Ricky Ricky covers NBA Scouting and the NBA Draft with SB Nation. Today we learn what each of us would do if we were acting GM of every NBA team with a first round pick this year. Timeline 00:00 Introduction to the NBA Draft 02:30 NBA Draft Combine Insights 9:00 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Top-5 Picks31:00 2025 NBA Mock Draft: 6th-17th picks1:00:00 202...

Ep. 62 Learning Basketball with Yash Kumar! @mathketball1 Yash Kumar covers the NBA & WNBA; is a Video & Analytics Coordinator for the Cal Poly Men’s Basketball team; and cohosts the Beyond the Arc pod. Today we learn about Yash’s journey in basketball, how OKC contained Jokic to win GM 7 vs Nuggets, how the Cavs Wheel relocation concept created space for their scorers this season, how the...

Ep. 61 Learning Basketball with Ryan Girardot! @rmgbuilds Ryan Girardot is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cerebro Sports, a basketball scouting data company that is out to collect every box score on earth and put it in one place. Today we learn about Ryan Girardot's journey to running a basketball data company, how he convinced Mark Cuban to invest, building analytic scouting tools to improve decision...

Ep. 60 Learning Basketball with Ahmed Jama! @SlipTheScreen Ahmed covers the NBA Draft and does Grassroots Scouting with Swish Theory and Next Up basketball. Today we learn about the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, as we bounce around the best matches of player and team when it comes to the player's longterm development chances of success Timeline: 0:00 Introduction & Background 4:30 Insane NBA Playoff...

Ep. 59 Learning Basketball with Charlie Cummings! @klaytheist11 Today we learn about the Golden State Warriors after two monumental wins in a Game 7 and Game 1 on the road and celebrate Aaron Gordon making game-winner nba playoff history for Denver. Steph Curry Injury Game 7 Buddy Draymond's shooting and defense Jimmy's clutch factor GM 7 Rockets-Warriors Recap GM 1 Nuggets-Thunder Reactio...

Ep. 58 Learning Basketball with Dayne Coates! Dayne Coates (PG) just averaged 18 PPG for an undefeated 26-0 Class C winning high school team named Berne-Knox-Westerlo. (New York) Dayne went viral in recent weeks due to his unique shooting form and has college football aspirations as a two-sport athlete pursuing college football. Today we learned about the obstacles Dayne faced and found solutions...

Ep. 57 Learning Basketball with Jackson Frank! @jackfrank_jjf Today we learn about Anthony Edwards' development, James Harden's career evolution, Julius Randle's impact, the Lakers future plans around Luka, as Jackson and I dive into the NBA Playoffs with the Timberwolves knocking out the Lakers and the Nuggets - Clippers series heading to Game 6. Timeline: 0:00 Intro 01:44 Clippers -...

Ep. 56 Learning Basketball with Josh Cohen @Josh_Cohen_NBA Josh Cohen is a Writer and Digital Content Manager for the Orlando Magic who covers the Magic and the rest of the NBA. Today we learn about how the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics in GM 3 of their first round series, look at the film and matchups, celebrate Franz Wagner’s and Paolo Banchero’s rising stardom, and break down the player...

Ep. 55 Learning Basketball with Robert Flom! @RichHomieFlom Robert Flom is the managing editor for 213 Hoops, covering the NBA, the Clippers, and formerly of Clips Nation, Blazers Edge, and The BBall Index. Today we learn about the Los Angeles Clippers stabilizing the team into a steady contender, Kawhi Leonard resembling his peak form when available, James Harden providing a steady hand running t...

Ep. 54 Learning Basketball with Joe Viray @JoeVirayNBA Joe is an NBA writer who covers the Golden State Warriors for Golden State of Mind and @TheDubNationHQ and the General NBA for @SBNationNBA Today we learn about the Warriors dominant play since the Jimmy Butler Trade, Steph Curry's wow-factor never dying, Draymond Green being the best defender alive, the inverted Jimmy-Steph P&R, and a fil...

Ep. 53 Learning Basketball with David Steele! David Steele is the play-by-play voice of the Orlando Magic's broadcasting team, now in his 36th year with the team between radio and tv. Today we learn about Dwight Howard's Hall of Fame Career, stories about those Stan Van Gundy teams, David Steele's Top-5 calls and journey into sports broadcasting, and celebrate the legacies of Paul Port...

Ep. 52 Learning Basketball with Thom! @ThomNotTom Today we learn about Detroit Basketball with Thom (0:00) His scouting process through the lens of a Pistons fan (5:00), Scouting Thoughts on Ace Bailey and the talented bigs in the 2025 NBA Draft (10:00) , we have The Danny Wolf Conversation (18:00) the University of Michigan program under Head Coach Dusty May (36:30), The Danny Wolf Passing Mixtap...

Ep. 51 Learning Basketball with CT Fazio @CTFazio24 CT Fazio is a Head Basketball Coach at SLG and in AAU and a contributor for Crown Hoops who covers the NBA, the NBA Draft, College Hoops, and Denver Nuggets. Today we learn about Carmelo Anthony's legendary basketball career, why the Denver Nuggets would part ways with Head Coach Michael Malone just two years after winning a championship alon...

Ep. 50 Learning Basketball with Scott Perry @ScottPerryGM Scott Perry is the host of the Hoop Genius Podcast with decades of front office experience spanning from GM of the New York Knicks to Assistant GM and VP of Basketball Operations with the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and Seattle Supersonics. Today we learn about Scott’s journey into basketball scouting from college play...

Ep. 49 Learning Basketball with Roshan Potluri @PickAndRo Roshan works in Scouting and Analytics with Los Capitanes, the G League team in Mexico City, is the Founder of Pistons Fleet, and covers the NBA Draft for Swish Theory
 Today we learn about Closeout Creation, Draft Philosophy, and Draft the Best Wings in the 2025 NBA Draft Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & Background 06:24 Experience Wor...

Ep. 48 Learning Basketball with Dan Devine @yourmanDevine Dan Devine covers the NBA for Yahoo and formerly at The Ringer. Dan cohosts The Big Number pod with Tom Haberstroh Today we learn about Dan's journey into basketball media, advice to those chasing a similar path, voter fatigue affecting Giannis in MVP races, Jamal Murray finally looking like Jamal Murray of old, Six NBA Teams with a non...

Ep. 47 Learning Basketball with Josh Robbins! @JoshuaBRobbins Josh Robbins covers the Washington Wizards for The Athletic and is co-host of The Athletic's Bullet Points podcast. He covered the Orlando Magic for the Orlando Sentinel across decades. Today we learn about what it was like covering the Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy Orlando Magic teams up close, The Changing Landscape of Sports Media Adv...

Ep. 46 Learning Basketball with Tristan Pharis @TristanUda Tristan Pharis does Sports Media and Photo Journalism as an editor for A Sea of Blue and the Founder of Kentucky Insider Today we learn about the Kentucky Basketball program under first-year head coach Mark Pope, Otega Oweh and other prospects NBA Draft chances, season expectations in a tough SEC Timeline
 00:00 Introduction & Backgrou...

Ep. 45 with Ahmed Jama @SlipTheScreen Ahmed covers the NBA Draft and Grassroots Basketball Scouting with Swish Theory and Next Up BBall Today we learn about the impact of March Madness on how we talk about the NBA Draft and we talk about prospects who stand to see the biggest rise to their draft stock from a deep postseason run. Timeline 00:00 Introduction & Background 01:15 March Madness Lege...

Ep. 44 Learning Basketball with Tony East. @TonyReast Tony East is the Host of @lockedonpacers and covers Indiana’s pro basketball teams - the Pacers and the Fever - for The Next Hoops, Forbes, WTHR Today we learn about Indiana basketball, Caitlin Clark's impact on everything, Pacers team rising back to the playoffs with a fast-paced style of play, Tyler Haliburton's resurgence to stardom, Pascal...

Ep. 43 Learning Basketball with Matt Babcock @MattBabcock11 Matt Babcock is an NBA Draft Analyst and founder of Babcock Hoops College Hoops NIL Wild Wild West – Will Colleges Hire GMs? Matt Babcock on Scouting Process + 2025 NBA Draft: VJ Edgecombe, Egor Demin, Joan Berenger, Noa Essengue, Jeremiah Fears, Boogie Fland Timeline 00:00 Introduction & Background 09:01 The NIL Landscape of College...

Ep. 42 Learning Basketball with Ku Khahil @KukhahilKu Khalil is a Pistons Media Member and Host of Locked on Pistons Podcast. Today we learn about this Detroit Pistons team: what's the difference with this year’s playoff team compared to the lottery teams of seasons prior? On Cade’s rising stardom, Ivey’s jump when healthy, Ausar Thompson flying around as a defensive anchor and Jalen Duren’s d...

Ep. 41 Learning Basketball with Jameelah Johnson @JameelahJNBA Jameelah covers the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Dream at atlhawksfans.com Today we learn about Pro Basketball in Atlanta, a WNBA icon like Brittney Griner choosing to play in Atlanta, Trae Young’s confusing status around the league as an NBA superstar scoring engine, the home run Dyson Daniels trade, Hawks players personalities off the c...