Locked On NBA Draft with No Ceilings

In the second installment of the Difficult Evaluations series, Rafael Barlow and Leif Tuling dive into one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft: Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey. Rafael is locked in on Bailey as the clear No. 3 pick, citing his athleticism, defensive tools, and high-upside scoring ability. Leif, however, has concerns about Bailey’s erratic shooting performances and th...

In this episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe go back and forth on one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft: Derik Queen. While both acknowledge Queen’s undeniable talent and production, they have very different perspectives on how he projects to the next level. Rafael raises concerns about how Queen’s game will scale up to the NBA, questioning his...

In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe break down the Rutgers vs. Illinois matchup, which featured four potential first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. They open with Dylan Harper’s dominant performance, highlighting how he made a statement against Illinois’s Kasparas Jakucionis, even though the two didn’t spend much time guarding each other. In the second segme...

In this second installment of Hidden Gems: Deep Sleepers in the 2025 NBA Draft, Rafael and James Barlowe take an even deeper dive into under-the-radar prospects who could have NBA futures. Whether through intriguing analytics, standout physical tools, or sheer production, these players have caught their attention despite being overlooked by mainstream draft coverage. From versatile wings to high-u...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe dive deep into the 2025 NBA Draft class, identifying what they consider "deep sleepers"—prospects flying under the radar but possessing the potential to carve out NBA careers, whether through two-way contracts or training camp invites. The Barlowe brothers discuss the process of pinpointing these hidden gems,...

In the latest episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, host Rafael Barlowe and guest Krysten Peek discuss the shocking Luka Dončić trade and reflect on where they were when they first heard the news. The main focus of the episode, however, is Peek’s firsthand experience attending the Duke vs. North Carolina showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium—widely considered the best rivalry in college basketball. Bar...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Richard Stayman react to the shocking blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. The hosts open by sharing where they were when the news broke before diving into the trade's implications for both franchises. They question why Dallas would move on from a 25-year-old, five...

In this episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin break down Kentucky’s top NBA prospects just hours before John Calipari’s highly anticipated return to Lexington as the head coach of Arkansas. With Kentucky ranked No. 12 and having a strong season, the Wildcats face an unusual situation—there’s no clear-cut first or second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a stark contras...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe engage in their third debate over the potential No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. This time, the discussion centers around Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe, both of whom delivered standout performances—Bailey dropping 37 points against Northwestern just a day after Edgecombe exploded for 30 versus BYU. While Bailey has bee...

Rafael Barlowe is joined by Krysten Peek, who was live in attendance for the BYU vs. Baylor matchup on Tuesday night. With over 30 NBA scouts in attendance, top prospects delivered strong performances that reinforced their draft stock. Peek shares her first-hand takeaways on Egor Demin’s play, VJ Edgecombe’s continued hot shooting in conference action, and standout moments from Kanon Catchings, Ri...

In the latest episode of the Locked on NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe break down standout performances from the weekend’s college basketball games. The episode kicks off with a discussion of Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber, who had a dominant showing against Providence. Next, the conversation shifts to Duke’s Cooper Flagg, with Rafael praising Flagg’s ability to excel despite Wa...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Richard Stayman dive into all things North Carolina basketball. They open by discussing the Tar Heels' recent five-star commitment from Caleb Wilson, a top 2025 recruit. Richard breaks down Wilson’s game, explaining why he views him as a top-five prospect in his class. The conversation shifts to North Carolina freshma...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe conducted a draft stock pulse check, diving into the trajectories of several prospects. They kicked things off by evaluating Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, who is coming off his best game of the season against Kansas State, with both agreeing that his stock is trending upward. Next, they discussed Arkansas's Boogie Flan...

On the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek dive into the standout prospects from the 2025 Hoop Hall Classic. Peek, who attended the event in person, shares her live scouting impressions of Bryce James, Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Nate Ament, AJ Dybantsa, Sebastian Wilkins, and King Gibson. She highlights Bryce James’ best performance to dat...

On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and James Barlowe break down four of the hottest prospects in college basketball, all of whom have been on fire since the start of conference play. They kick things off with Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey, who’s coming off a jaw-dropping 30-point performance on 13-15 shooting. Rafael is firmly sold on Bailey as a top-3 pick...

In part two of their ongoing debate over the number three pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe break down Ace Bailey’s 24-point, 11-rebound, 4-assist, and 4-stock performance against Nebraska on Thursday night. Rafael remains firm in his stance that Bailey is a lock for the third pick, citing his combination of size, athleticism, shooting and defensive versatility. James,...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek delve into the recently announced 2025 Nike Hoop Summit Team USA roster. They express surprise at the notable omission of Darryn Peterson, a highly regarded prospect whose absence raises questions about the selection criteria. Despite this, Barlowe and Peek commend the strength of the roster, highli...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe dive into a spirited debate over who should be the third pick in the highly anticipated 2025 NBA Draft. While the consensus has Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper locked in as the top two selections, the competition for the third spot is heating up. Rafael makes the case for Ace Bailey as the clear choice, citing...

In this episode of the Locked on NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive into the top NBA prospects from the SEC, which they argue is the strongest and most competitive conference in college basketball this season. With numerous ranked teams and a grueling conference schedule, Rafael and Leif discuss how the SEC’s tough slate creates a high-pressure environment that could...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, host Rafael Barlowe breaks down Cooper Flagg's historic 42-point performance against Notre Dame, where the Duke freshman shattered school and ACC records. Rafael highlights Flagg’s dominance, emphasizing his versatility on full display—combining outside shooting, interior scoring, and relentless aggressiveness that earned him 17 trips to the...

In this special episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek take a trip down memory lane, sharing their first impressions of future and current NBA stars during their high school days. The duo discusses their initial thoughts on standout prospects like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and Jeremiah Fears, while also reminiscing about the first time...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe dissect Rutgers’ underwhelming start to the season. Despite boasting arguably two of the top three NBA prospects in the 2025 draft class—Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper—the Scarlet Knights find themselves sitting at 8-8 overall and 1-4 in Big Ten play, putting both their NCAA and Big Ten tournament hopes in jeopardy. The...

On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe tackle three key questions inspired by standout performances from Tuesday night. First, they ask, “Is Cooper Flagg getting better?” The projected number one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has strung together strong performances, including improved efficiency from three-point range—addressing a season-long concern. N...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, host Rafael Barlowe is joined by co-host Krysten Peek to recap her experience at the Hoophall West Invitational, where she provided play-by-play for 12 games. Peek breaks down the standout performances of several of the nation’s top high school prospects, including AJ Dybantsa, Tyran Stokes, and Brayden Burries, along with rising talent...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, host Rafael Barlowe and co-host Leif Thulin discuss prospects whose draft stock is trending downward. Leif shares his insights on why certain players have struggled to maintain their standing, citing recent performances that have raised concerns about their NBA potential. The conversation focuses on VJ Edgecombe’s inconsistent shooting, Egor...