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Contributor to Pickswise for College Basketball. Former Illinois basketball manager. Top ranked Bracketologist
  • Day Two Recap from Las Vegas Summer League

    Day Two Recap from Las Vegas Summer League

    Day two in Las Vegas delivered eight more games and another strong showing of top-tier talent competing for roster spots. Here are some of the standout performers:

    Ron Holland II – Detroit Pistons
    Holland reminded everyone why he was a top 10 pick in last year’s draft, finishing with 28 points and 11 rebounds in just 28 minutes. Selected fifth overall by the Pistons in the 2024 NBA Draft, Holland averaged 15.6 minutes per game during his rookie season. He’ll look to take a big step forward and become a key contributor for Detroit this year.

    Kyle Filipowski – Utah Jazz
    Filipowski led all scorers with 32 points, adding six rebounds and five assists in a strong all-around performance. The former Duke All-American and five-star recruit was selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft and appeared in 72 games for the Jazz last season. He’s expected to maintain a similar role but could make a leap in his second year.

    Liam McNeely – Charlotte Hornets
    McNeely impressed off the bench, posting 22 points and 12 rebounds in Charlotte’s summer league opener. After waiting until the 29th pick to hear his name called on draft night, the Big East Freshman of the Year out of UConn might split time between the Hornets and the G League, but he has the potential to bring instant offense off the bench.

    Reed Sheppard – Houston Rockets
    Sheppard poured in 28 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out four assists in a loss to the Clippers. He also knocked down six threes in 33 minutes. The former #3 overall pick in the 2024 draft didn’t see much action during his rookie year but could see an expanded role this season with the departures of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.

    Rayan Rupert – Portland Trail Blazers
    Rupert made the most of his 23 minutes, scoring 23 points on just eight shot attempts while pulling down nine rebounds. The 21-year-old was a second-round pick in the 2023 draft after playing professionally in France and New Zealand. He played in 52 games last season and is using summer league to showcase his growth and versatility.

  • NBA Summer League Day One Performers

    NBA Summer League Day One Performers

    NBA Summer League action began yesterday in Las Vegas, featuring seven games across the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. A mix of future stars and undrafted rookies battled to impress their respective organizations.

    Every NBA team is participating in Summer League, with each franchise guaranteed at least five games. The event runs from July 10 through July 20, with the semifinals taking place on July 19 and the championship game set for July 20.

    Here are some of the top performers from Day One in Las Vegas:

    Nae’Qwan Tomlin – Cleveland Cavaliers

    Tomlin was the top scorer of the day, dropping 30 points in just 27 minutes on 75% shooting, along with five rebounds. The New York City native went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft after finishing his college career at Memphis. He is currently on a two-way contract with the Cavaliers and their G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.

    RayJ Dennis – Indiana Pacers

    Dennis followed closely behind Tomlin with 26 points on 50% shooting and added nine assists in 31 minutes. The Plainfield, Illinois native signed a two-way contract with the Pacers earlier this year and earned NBA G League All-Rookie Team honors during the 2025 campaign.

    Drew Timme – Brooklyn Nets

    Timme led his game with 22 points in 30 minutes, shooting an efficient 76.9% from the field while pulling down nine rebounds. The three-time All-American from Gonzaga is proving why the Nets signed him to a two-year deal. He was named to the All-NBA G League Second Team last season.

    Lester Quinones – New Orleans Pelicans

    Quinones came off the bench and led the Pelicans in scoring with 20 points, hitting five three-pointers in just 21 minutes against the Timberwolves. A 2023 NBA G League Most Improved Player, Quinones has played in the G League since 2022 and is aiming to build on his recent opportunity with the Pelicans.

    David Jones-Garcia – San Antonio Spurs

    Jones-Garcia, another Dominican-American standout, scored 24 points on 75% shooting, including four made three-pointers, and grabbed five rebounds in a strong showing against the 76ers. The former Memphis Tiger plays for the Mexico City Capitanes and earned NBA G League All-Rookie honors last season.

    Ryan Nembhard – Dallas Mavericks

    Nembhard led the Mavericks in scoring with 21 points on 57% shooting and chipped in five assists. The younger brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, Ryan went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft but signed a two-way deal with Dallas. Like his brother, he’s expected to bring strong value at the next level.

    Cormac Ryan – Milwaukee Bucks

    Ryan came off the bench to lead the Bucks in scoring with 18 points, shooting 54.5% from the field and connecting on three three-pointers. A New York City native, Ryan played for the Oklahoma City Blue last season and hopes to earn a two-way deal with the Thunder through a strong Summer League performance.

  • 2025 Official NBA Mock Draft

    2025 Official NBA Mock Draft

    1. Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg
    2. San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper
    3. Philadelphia 76ers – Ace Bailey
    4. Charlotte Hornets – VJ Edgecombe
    5. Utah Jazz – Tre Johnson
    6. Washington Wizards – Kon Knueppel
    7. New Orleans Pelicans – Jermeiah Fears
    8. Brooklyn Nets – Khaman Maluach
    9. Toronto Raptors – Kasparas Jakucionis
    10. Phoenix Suns – Noa Essengue
    11. Portland Trail Blazers – Carter Bryant
    12. Chicago Bulls – Derik Queen
    13. Atlanta Hawks – Collin Murray-Boyles
    14. San Antonio Spurs – Joan Beringer
    15. Oklahoma City Thunder – Egor Demin
    16. Memphis Grizzles – Cedric Coward
    17. Minnesota Timberwolves – Liam McNeeley   
    18. Washington Wizards – Asa Newell   
    19. Brooklyn Nets – Thomas Sorber  
    20. Miami Heat – Walter Clayton Jr.
    21. Utah Jazz – Will Riley  
    22. Atlanta Hawks – Danny Wolf
    23. New Orleans Pelicans – Nolan Traore  
    24. Oklahoma City Thunder – Nique Clifford   
    25. Orlando Magic – Maxime Raynaud
    26. Brooklyn Nets – Hugo Gonzalez  
    27. Brooklyn Nets – Jase Richardson  
    28. Boston Celtics – Rasheer Fleming  
    29. Phoenix Suns – Noah Penda
    30. Los Angeles Clippers – Adou Thiero

  • 2025 Mock Draft – Ace Bailey to the 76ers at #3 Overall

    2025 Mock Draft – Ace Bailey to the 76ers at #3 Overall

    Dylan Harper is projected to be the #2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and his college teammate Ace Bailey may not be far behind. The Rutgers duo combined to average 37 points per game last season, despite the team failing to make the NCAA Tournament.

    Bailey was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. He ranked eighth in the conference in scoring.

    However, the NBA Combine didn’t do Bailey any favors. His measurements came in lower than expected at just 6’7.5” without shoes, significantly shorter than the 6’10” listed on the Rutgers roster.

    Concerns remain about Bailey’s shot selection and whether he contributes to winning basketball. The Scarlet Knights finished just 15–17, even with two projected lottery picks on the roster.

    Still, Bailey is one of the most talented prospects in the draft. He has the potential to become an NBA All-Star, with the size, versatility, and athleticism to play three positions at the next level.

    At Rutgers, Bailey showed the ability to score in a variety of ways and hit tough shots over defenders. He scored 30 or more points in three games and made four or more three-pointers in six games, proving he can get hot from deep.

    While VJ Edgecombe and Tre Johnson are popular picks for the #3 slot, I’m sticking with Ace Bailey landing in Philadelphia. He’d join a strong young core of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, alongside veteran stars Joel Embiid and Paul George.

  • MVP Performance: Kaiden Bailey Impresses at Pangos All-American Camp

    MVP Performance: Kaiden Bailey Impresses at Pangos All-American Camp

    4-star point guard (ESPN) Kaiden Bailey shined last weekend at the Pangos All-American Camp, earning MVP honors in his third and final year participating in the event.

    The Pangos Camp brings together top underclassmen to compete against each other in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over three days, players are placed on teams and battle for a championship.

    Bailey put on a show, averaging 21.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and shooting over 40% from three-point range in four games. He shared some insight into what led to his standout performance:

    “Experience and preparation were the biggest factors to my success this weekend at Pangos. I have been working on my game and have been trying to be intentional about the little things. My shots were falling, and God handled the rest.”

    It’s those “little things” that Bailey aims to showcase to college coaches and scouts as he heads into a crucial summer of hoops and his senior season at Santa Margarita Catholic. At Pangos, he said he wanted to display the full range of his skill set.

    “I tried to showcase all aspects of my game. Mainly wanted to focus on the little things like defense and rebounding. I am not the tallest guy out there, so I wanted to show my ability to rebound the ball”.

    His success at Pangos and on the EYBL circuit has sparked a rise in his recruitment. Bailey has recently been in contact with UCLA, San Diego State, UC San Diego, Seton Hall, SMU, and Purdue. He has no official visits scheduled at this time.

    Bailey’s focus now shifts to summer basketball, playing with his high school team throughout June. Winning remains his top priority, both in the summer and the upcoming high school season.

    “I want to prove that I am a winner and show college coaches that I am someone that they want on their team. Winning the league is the goal – we tied last year, and I do not want to share the title this season. The CIF championship is another goal of mine, since it has been a long time since my school has done that.

    The 4-star guard has been turning heads with his elevated level of play in recent weeks. With a pivotal summer ahead, there’s plenty of excitement surrounding Bailey’s next steps. You can catch him in action next at Section 7 (June 20–22) and Cali Live (June 27–29).

  • 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Spurs Eye Dylan Harper With #2 Pick

    2025 NBA Mock Draft: Spurs Eye Dylan Harper With #2 Pick

    Cooper Flagg is the consensus #1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, but Dylan Harper is clearly the second-best player in the class. The Spurs lucked out for the second consecutive year in the NBA Draft Lottery and are in position to land the top guard available.

    Rumors suggest that the Spurs are strongly considering taking Dylan Harper with the #2 overall pick, unless they trade it for a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Last year, the Spurs drafted guard Stephon Castle and traded for De’Aaron Fox, but I still don’t see them moving this pick.

    The smart move is to draft Harper and continue building an already talented backcourt. He’s the best guard in the draft, making this selection a no-brainer.

    The five-star prospect had a standout freshman season at Rutgers, despite the team missing the NCAA Tournament. He played in 29 games and averaged a team-high 19.4 points per game.

    Harper is an elite ball handler who can play both guard positions. While his three-point shooting percentage (33.3%) could raise concerns, he’s shown a strong ability to drive and finish at the rim.

    Barring a major surprise, Dylan Harper will go second overall and join a Spurs team poised to be a serious contender for years to come.

  • Mock Draft Season is Here – First-Round Breakdown Coming Soon!

    The NBA Draft is set for Wednesday, June 25th at 7:00 PM CST. For the fourth consecutive year, the two-day event will be held at the Barclays Center.

    In a shocking turn of events, the Dallas Mavericks landed the #1 overall pick, defying the odds with just a 1.8% chance. With the top pick, the Mavs are expected to select one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history: Cooper Flagg.

    Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is the consensus #1 pick after winning National Player of the Year honors and leading the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance. Flagg is a force on both ends of the court – an elite shot-blocker, a capable ball handler, and a skilled passer at 6’9″. He’s expected to make an immediate impact in the NBA.

    While Flagg is a lock for the top spot, the rest of the draft remains wide open. I’ll be releasing a full first-round NBA mock draft, complete with detailed notes and insights on every prospect.

    Stay tuned for my official mock draft posts and check out my TikTok, where I’ll be breaking down each pick and providing in-depth analysis on every player leading up to draft night on June 25th.

    Sneak peek: The projected #2 pick won’t be the only one from his college team to hear his name called early…

  • ACC Cuts Conference Schedule: Smart Move or Desperation?

    The ACC announced Wednesday that the conference will return to an 18-game conference schedule for the 2025–26 season, ending a six-year run with a 20-game slate.

    This change follows one of the ACC’s most disappointing seasons in recent memory and marks the fourth consecutive year in which only four teams from the league earned NCAA Tournament bids. The conference has faced criticism in recent seasons, and it’s clear that adjustments are needed.

    According to KenPom, the ACC hasn’t ranked among the nation’s top four conferences since the 2019–20 season. In 2022–23, the ACC even ranked below the Mountain West in KenPom’s metrics.

    By reducing the number of conference games, top programs like Duke, Louisville, Clemson, and North Carolina will have more flexibility to schedule high-quality non-conference opponents, potentially boosting their tournament resume. One of the ACC’s major issues has been a lack of Quadrant 1 opportunities for its top teams.

    For example, Clemson recorded five Quad 1 wins last season, which was tied with Gonzaga and one more than Saint Mary’s. However, the ACC didn’t help itself in non-conference play last season, winning just one game TOTAL in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

    Still, the root of the ACC’s struggles lies deeper than scheduling. The conference has undergone a significant coaching turnover in recent years. Legendary coaches such as Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim, Tony Bennett, and Mike Brey have all stepped down. Aside from Duke, their programs have yet to fully recover.

    The ACC’s national standing depends heavily on its traditional powerhouses like North Carolina and Syracuse being consistent NCAA Tournament contenders. Going forward, coaching hires will be critical in restoring the league’s prominence. Moves like bringing Will Wade to NC State and Pat Kelsey to Louisville may prove to be transformative examples – other programs need to follow.

  • Early Rankings Just Dropped — Let’s Overreact

    The transfer portal is nearly complete, and the 2025–26 outlook for teams has already begun. It’s only May, but the great analytic mind Bart Torvik dropped his first 2026 rankings of the season on his website. These rankings might be premature, but they’re giving fans something to get excited about.

    Some big fish in the portal have yet to make their decision, but we can still get a good idea of what rosters will look like going into next season. Bart Torvik is another site that uses adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency to predict results.

    The top of the rankings features some familiar faces, as Houston is slotted as the preseason No. 1 team. They return just 27.5% of their minutes from last year’s Final Four team, but it’s hard not to trust head coach Kelvin Sampson.

    Purdue is ranked No. 3 overall, and they would be my pick as the No. 1 team in the nation as it stands today. The Boilermakers bring back 69.7% of their minutes, including the best guard in the entire country, Braden Smith.

    The Duke Blue Devils are just behind at No. 4 following their Final Four run. They’ll lose numerous first-round picks and National Player of the Year Cooper Flagg, but they’ll bring in the Boozer twins (yes, those Boozers—Carlos’ kids), who should pick up where Flagg left off as two of the best freshmen in the sport.

    Rosters aren’t fully set, and it’s probably way too early to be talking preseason rankings, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get excited. The current 2025–26 top 10 rankings, courtesy of Bart Torvik, are highlighted below:

    1. Houston
    2. BYU
    3. Purdue
    4. Duke
    5. Michigan
    6. UCLA
    7. St. John’s
    8. Illinois
    9. Arkansas
    10. UConn

  • The Transfer Portal Dries Up: Just a Handful of Stars Remain

    The transfer portal officially closed last Tuesday, and many of the top-tier players have already committed to new programs. Over 2,000 student-athletes entered the portal this offseason in search of fresh opportunities. With the growing financial incentives tied to transferring, this trend is expected to continue unless new regulations are introduced.

    Today, top 50 transfers Chad Baker-Mazara, Andrej Stojakovic, Derrion Reid, and Cedric Coward announced their new destination for next season. That leaves only six players from 247 Sports top 50 transfer rankings still uncommitted, which includes PJ Haggerty, RJ Luis, Darrion Williams, Jamir Watkins, Boogie Fland, and Desmond Claude. Notably, five of these six players are ranked within the top 10, meaning several programs still have a shot at landing a proven star. However, for teams still on the hunt for a star, the window is rapidly closing.

    The portal has thinned out considerably. Rylan Griffen from Kansas is now the only remaining player ranked in the top 100 (outside of those previously mentioned) who has yet to commit. While value can still be found deeper in the rankings, we’re clearly approaching the final stretch of this year’s transfer cycle.

    Despite some of the negative consequences the transfer portal brings to the sport, the drama and excitement of this offseason has been unmatched. Stay tuned to see where the remaining stars land and just how much NIL money they’ll command. Early estimates suggest several could secure deals worth $3 million or more.