Locked On NBA Draft with No Ceilings

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe dive into the standout performances from opening night of the 2024-25 college basketball season, focusing on some of the top freshmen. They kick things off with Cooper Flagg, who impressed with an 18-point, 7-rebound, 5-assist outing in Duke’s win over Maine. They also discuss Duke teammate Kon Knueppel’s impact, as h...

In Rookie Watch Volume 6 of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe dive into recent performances from the league’s standout rookies.  Kicking things off, they spotlight Alex Sarr’s impressive showing against the Miami Heat, where Sarr’s poise and defensive presence turned heads.  They then shift focus to Jared McCain, who exploded for a career-high performance against...

In Rookie Watch Vol. 5 on the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe dig into the early ups and downs of this season’s rookie class. They kick off with No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, dissecting his recent shooting woes after a tough 1-9 night against the Kings. Rafael points out that despite getting open looks courtesy of Trae Young, Risacher has struggled to convert, shooting j...

In the latest episode of Locked On NBA Big Board - Rookie Watch Vol. 4 , Rafael and James Barlowe dive deep into the recent developments among this season’s NBA rookies. The Barlowe brothers kick things off by spotlighting Ryan Dunn’s surprising emergence as a three-point threat. Rafael and James discuss Dunn’s reputation as a shaky shooter in college and debate if this shooting leap could have ma...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, host Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive deep into the North Carolina Tar Heels’ roster, focusing on the highly anticipated freshmen, Drake Powell and Ian Jackson. Despite the buzz around them as NBA prospects, Barlowe and Thulin discuss how both Powell and Jackson may face limited roles this season, with a real possibility of coming off the...

In this episode of Locked on NBA Big Board, the Barlowe brothers, Rafael and James, analyze the latest rookie performances from the 2024 NBA Draft class. They start with a deep dive into the matchup between the Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks, where French rookies Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr squared off. Sarr made his presence felt defensively, recording four blocks, a steal, and nine po...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive deep into the new era of Kentucky basketball under head coach Mark Pope, who has replaced the legendary John Calipari. Known for his one-and-done talent pipeline to the NBA, Calipari helped shape Kentucky into a powerhouse that churned out 50 NBA draft picks, including 25 lottery selections over his 1...

In Rookie Watch Vol. 2 , Rafael and James Barlowe analyze Monday night’s rookie performances, opening with the highly anticipated but ultimately underwhelming matchup between top picks Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr. The French duo struggled, combining for just 4-19 shooting with nine fouls, raising questions about Sarr’s shot selection and his tendency to settle for threes rather than attacking...

In this episode of Locked On NBA Big Board , Rafael and James Barlowe dive into the early challenges facing the 2024 rookie class just a few games into the NBA season. Rafael kicks things off by testing James’s knowledge on which rookie currently leads the class in scoring through three games—setting the tone for a deep breakdown of the rookie landscape.   The brothers first spotlight the Raptors’...

In this episode, of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast Rafael and James Barlowe dive into the much-anticipated rookie debuts from the 2024 NBA Draft Class. The Barlowe Brothers break down the standout performance of Yves Missi, who shined for the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 12 points, pulling down 7 rebounds, and recording 3 blocks in an impressive debut. On the flip side, they discuss Zach Ede...

On the latest Locked On NBA Big Board episode, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe dive into the uncertain futures of 2021 lottery picks Davion Mitchell, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Josh Primo, and Chris Duarte, all of whom are entering pivotal make-or-break seasons.  With the rookie extension deadline passing, these five players find themselves still surrounded by uncertainty, unlike several of...

In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast , the crew—Rafael Barlowe, James Barlowe, Leif Thulin, and Richard Stayman—dive into their 2025 NBA rookie predictions. They cover a range of topics, including their picks for Rookie of the Year and selections for both the first and second All-Rookie teams. The discussion also explores how many rookies will earn starting spots on opening night and spec...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive into Duke’s dominant exhibition win over Lincoln, with a focus on top NBA prospects Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, and Tyrese Proctor. Flagg delivered a standout performance, finishing with 22 points, 6 assists, and a string of highlight plays, while Knueppel impressed from deep, hitting 5 of 7...

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, titled The International Draft Files, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Alec Kichian dive into the top international prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft.  They begin by analyzing the performances of Noah Essengue and Ben Saraf in a recent game against the Portland Trail Blazers, before turning their attention to French point guard Nolan Traore, a project...

On this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive into the question of whether NBA teams overthought key prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft. They debate if Portland will regret taking Donovan Clingan over Zach Edey, analyzing early preseason returns from both players. The hosts also explore how NBA teams may have overthought Dalton Knecht’s potential, l...

On this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe, break down a series of impressive performances from top prospects and rookies. They start by discussing the stellar debuts of Rutgers freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, highlighting Bailey’s shot selection and debating whether he could overtake Cooper Flagg as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. ...

On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe dive into the standout performances of ultra-young 2025 NBA Draft prospects Ben Saraf and Noa Essengue, who impressed in Ratiopharm Ulm's recent matchup. Despite being just 18 and 17 years old, both players made the most of their minutes, giving scouts a real glimpse of their potential. Rafael and James br...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe break down standout rookie performances from Tuesday night’s preseason action. The brothers dive into Pacome Dadiet’s strong debut for the Knicks, where the first-round pick put up 16 points and 5 rebounds. They also highlight Tyler Kolek’s near triple-double performance and Ariel Hukporti’s impressive athletici...

In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe break down Zach Edey’s dominant performance against the Indiana Pacers, where the rookie center put up 23 points and 9 rebounds, showcasing his ability to dominate on the block.  They also highlight Jaylen Wells, who continues to impress for the Memphis Grizzlies, adding 12 points and 6 rebounds while lead...

In the 5th installment of the Locked On NBA Big Board preseason rookie reports, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe break down the latest standout performances from the weekend. Ryan Dunn continues to impress for the Phoenix Suns, transforming into a dangerous 3-point shooter after struggling in college (23% from deep) and the summer league (1-13). Dunn hit an impressive 6-of-11 from beyond the arc aga...

In the latest episode of Locked On NBA Big Board titled "Jazz Juggling Act: Push for the Playoffs or Punt for Picks?", hosts Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive into the Utah Jazz’s dilemma for the 2024-25 season. The episode begins with a deep discussion on whether the Jazz should aim for a playoff spot or tank for a high pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.  In the second segment, Barlowe and Thulin focu...

In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe break down the rookie performances from Thursday night’s NBA preseason action. While most rookies like AJ Johnson, Jaylon Tyson, Dalton Knecht, and Tidjane Salaun are still battling for defined roles, Zach Edey stands out as the only rookie who played on Thursday night with a clearer path to early rotation minutes. AJ Jo...

In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe break down the standout rookie performances from Wednesday night’s NBA preseason action. Washington Wizards rookie Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, had another strong game, finishing with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 assists against the New York Knicks, building on his solid performance...

In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael and James Barlowe break down standout rookie performances from Tuesday night's NBA action. They start by analyzing No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher's impressive 18-point debut, followed by Kel’el Ware’s strong all-around game, where he posted 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks against the Hornets. The Barlowe brothers also highlight Tidjane...

In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Richard Stayman dive into the recent play of Karim Lopez, Zach Edey and Jazian Gortman in NBA preseason games. In the first segment, they discuss 17-year-old Karim Lopez, a potential lottery pick for the 2026 NBA Draft. Lopez has already built an impressive résumé, with professional experience in Europe, stints with the Mexica...