Locked On NBA Draft with No Ceilings

The NBA Draft is in 2.5 weeks and the Orlando Magic face a lot of key decisions on draft night with the 16th and 25th picks in the Draft. Will the Magic use the picks? Trade them? Trade up? Or trade out? Whatever the case, the Magic must maximize these choices as they begin their win-now approach and try to change their teams outlook for the 2026 season. Locked On NBA Big Board's Rafael Barlowe jo...

The 2025 NBA Draft class may be thinning out, but the Milwaukee Bucks still have decisions to make at pick No. 47. Camille Davis from Locked On Bucks and Rafael Barlowe dive into Milwaukee’s late-second-round strategy, evaluating prospects like Chaz Lanier, Micah Peavy, and Hansen Yang. They examine how NIL is reshaping college careers, which undrafted names could emerge, and how the Bucks can use...

In the final installment of the "Passport Prospects" series on the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael Barlowe spotlights three international guards with intriguing draft potential. He opens with Nolan Traore, a French point guard who began the season with top-five buzz but has since slipped in consensus rankings. Barlowe argues that Traore's blend of playmaking and downhill aggression still w...

In Part 2 of the Passport Prospects series, Rafael Barlowe shares his personal scouting reports on the top international wings eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft. He opens the episode by explaining why he’s so passionate about international scouting, then dives into detailed evaluations of Noa Essengue, Hugo Gonzalez, Noah Penda, Alex Toohey, and Ben Henshall. From Essengue’s physical tools and switc...

In Part 1 of a 3-part series titled Passport Prospects, Rafael Barlowe breaks down the top big men from the international ranks in the 2025 NBA Draft class on the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast. He shares his thoughts on Joan Beringer (France) and the promise he’s shown early, Bogi Markovic (Serbia) and his intriguing versatility, and Hansen Yang (China), who remains one of the class’s most polar...

In a recent episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek explored the significant impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals on the 2025 NBA Draft class. They discussed how NIL opportunities have made it financially advantageous for some prospects to return to college, even when projected as first-round picks. This trend has led to a thinner draft clas...

On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe dissect the pivotal draft decisions made by several underclassmen ahead of the NBA draft withdrawal deadline. They delve into the choices of Jamir Watkins, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Adou Thiero, and RJ Luis Jr., all of whom have opted to remain in the draft, analyzing how these decisions might influence th...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe, James Barlowe, and Leif Thulin engage in a focused and fiery debate on what the Philadelphia 76ers should do with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. While the consensus around the league favors Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey—valued for his shot making and long-term upside—Rafael Barlowe goes against the grain. He...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, host Rafael Barlowe is joined by co-hosts James Barlowe and Leif Thulin to break down the major decisions NCAA prospects are facing ahead of the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline. In the first two segments, the crew focuses on high-profile returners: Yaxel Lendeborg, one of the top prospects still on the fence, has opted out of the NBA Draf...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, host Rafael Barlowe is joined by his brother, James Barlowe, to unveil James' post-NBA Combine mock draft. The duo delves into detailed analyses of the top 10 picks, discussing player fits and team needs. James provides insights on Cooper Flagg's potential impact with the Dallas Mavericks, Dylan Harper's compatibility with the San Anton...

In the recent episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin delved into the top shooters in the 2025 NBA Draft class. Leif offered insights on several prospects, highlighting their shooting abilities and potential impact at the next level. 1:38 – Leif shares his thoughts on the NBA Combine. 4:11 – Koby Brea 6:16 – Tre Johnson 13:25 – Kon Knueppel 19:31 – Ace Bailey...

In this NBA Combine mailbag edition of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael Barlowe answers ten of the hottest draft-related after the 2025 NBA Combine in Chicago. He breaks down the biggest risers from the 2025 NBA Combine, explores how much the Combine and Pro Days really matter in the draft process, and dives into roster strategy for teams like OKC, Portland, and Philly. Rafael shares hi...

On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael Barlowe sits down with one of the 2025 draft’s biggest enigmas—Cedric Coward. Taped last week in Chicago following a post-workout interview at the NBA Combine, Coward discusses his meteoric rise from Division III Willamette to Eastern Washington, and eventually to Duke via the transfer portal. A strong showing in Chicago, includi...

On this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, I sat down with Colorado State wing Nique Clifford to talk through his path to the 2025 NBA Draft. We dive into his transition from Colorado to Colorado State, how that move unlocked a new level of production, and why he’s the best rebounding wing in this entire draft class. Nique opens up about testing the NBA waters last year, what he learn...

In part two of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe pick up where they left off, breaking down day one of the NBA Combine scrimmages after their previous episode was cut short. The episode features a spirited debate between the two over Tahaad Pettiford versus Jase Richardson, diving into questions of upside, fit, and long-term projection. They spotlight standout...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe delve into the San Antonio Spurs' options with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. While Rutgers' Dylan Harper is the consensus projection at that spot, the Barlowe brothers explore potential concerns regarding his fit alongside De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle in San Antonio's backcourt. They also discuss the...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe recap Day 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, where prospects participated in athletic testing, shooting drills, and on-court work. The Barlowe brothers highlight who stood out and impressed scouts, including big performances from Mark Sears, Chaz Lanier, Dink Pate and Cedric Coward. They also dive into key decisio...

On this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael Barlowe and James Barlowe break down a stunning Day 1 at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. The big headline: the Dallas Mavericks defy the odds with just a 1.8% chance to win the lottery and now hold the No. 1 pick—putting them in prime position to select Cooper Flagg. The Barlowe brothers explore what this means for the Mavericks future. Th...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe dive into the excitement surrounding the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, where teams are anxiously hoping for the chance to select top prospects like Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper. The Barlowe Brothers then shift their focus to the G League Elite Camp, highlighting five standout performers who earned invitations to the N...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, host Rafael Barlowe sits down with Stanford's Maxime Raynaud to discuss his remarkable journey from an unheralded freshman averaging just four points per game to a standout senior season. Raynaud's transformation culminated in a historic year where he ranked second in the ACC in scoring, led the conference in rebounds, and became only the sec...

In a recent episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe delved into the intriguing group of jumbo playmakers in the 2025 NBA Draft class—prospects listed at 6'6" or taller who blend size with advanced playmaking skills. The discussion centered on Egor Demin, Kasparas Jakucionis, Dink Pate, Neoklis Avdalas, and Kobe Sanders. The Barlowe brothers evaluated each...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, host Rafael Barlowe sits down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with Nevada’s Kobe Sanders, one of just 75 players invited to the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. Sanders, a 6’8 point guard with jumbo playmaking skills, made the rare leap from the Portsmouth Invitational directly to the NBA Combine—bypassing the usual G League Elite Camp. In their...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe, James Barlowe, and Richard Stayman react to the official 2025 NBA Combine invite list released on May 2nd. The trio breaks down the top prospects they’re eager to watch in Chicago and discuss the growing trend of elite players skipping 5-on-5 scrimmages, questioning how many top names will actually participate. They high...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Leif Thulin joined Rafael Barlowe to share why he believes Cooper Flagg has the potential to be equal to—or even better than—Jayson Tatum at the NBA level. While Flagg enters the 2025 NBA Draft cycle as the consensus projected No. 1 pick with comparisons ranging from Kawhi Leonard to Andrei Kirilenko, Leif made a bold case for a Tatum-level c...

In Part 2 of James Barlowe’s Big Board 4.0, the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast wraps up its two-part breakdown of the projected 2025 NBA Draft lottery. After sharing his top 7 picks in Part 1, James returns to reveal prospects ranked 8 through 14. Rafael Barlowe challenges James not just on why he’s high on each player, but also asks him to unpack the red flags and developmental concerns that cou...