Following in the footsteps of great international bigs like Arvydas Sabonis, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Gasol, 7-foot German forward Aleksej Pokusevski has the talent and skills to have earned a spot among the youngest projected draft picks in this age-limit era. Before the likes of Kristaps Porzingis or Luka Doncic burst onto the scene and…
Only two words describe why Illinois sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu returned to the Fighting Illini this season: unfinished business. Being a Chicago native from Morgan Park, Dosunmu’s reason for staying home was to help coach Brad Underwood turn the university’s basketball program around. “I just want to bring good days back for basketball at Illinois, and…
There’s a lot of talent to be found all around the world, and more front offices are searching through Europe, Asia, South America, etc. to find the next great import. This season, 108 players from 38 countries were on an NBA roster for opening night, which includes reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even though the league…
The NBA Draft is about value as much as it is talent. If somebody is talented, they hold value to a team looking to employ the most skilled players possible. But value can also be derived from non-basketball skills in ways that distort the picture on draft night. Franchises are making investments when they use…
Oregon Senior guard Payton Pritchard may be one of the best point guards production-wise in the entire draft. He was having a career-year while leading the Ducks to a 24-7 record that earned them the No. 13 spot on the NCAA men’s basketball AP Top 25 poll. Averaging 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists on…
This season, 108 players from 38 countries were on an NBA roster for opening night. (The record is 113 players from 42 countries, set in 2016-17.) The reigning MVP (Giannis Antetokounmpo) hails from overseas (Greece). There’s a lot of talent to be found all around the world, and all front offices now routinely search through…
In a 2020 draft class that’s weak on wings, the guard position fills the void with plenty of names worth knowing. You can find all different types: Those who shoot, are defense-first, are pure passers and those who are supreme athletes. Position and taste will dictate who goes where, not necessarily a clear hierarchy of…
The 2020 crop might have a bunch of potential role players, but it’s low on surefire star power at the top. No one checks all the boxes of coveted skills, and there is certainly no one close to the pre-draft caliber of someone like 2019’s Zion Williamson. In fact, this might be the most wide-open…
6’9″ and 220 pounds with jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism. 39 percent 3-point shooting, 1.06 points per possession on post-ups and 4.4 ppg in transition. The anchor of the nation’s most efficient offense and a National Player of the Year candidate for a team that went 29-2. Obi Toppin checks a lot of boxes. He’s a prototypical inside-outside…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the top offseason questions for every team in the Pacific Division. How much should the Los Angeles Clippers pay to re-sign Montrezl Harrell? What should the Sacramento Kings’ walk-away price be for Bogdan Bogdanovic? Is Anthony Davis a lock to…
