Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

Episode: "A Star Prospect’s Debut & Some Potential Bounce Backs?"

Date: October 20, 2025
Host: Brian Windhorst (ESPN)
Panelists: Tim Bontemps (“Bon Temps”), Tim MacMahon (“McMahon”)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the debut of highly touted NBA prospect AJ Dybansa (AJ Debanza), the outlooks for potential bounce-back teams and players in the NBA, dark-horse prospects for the upcoming draft, and updates on notable NBA injuries and extensions. The panel delivers in-depth perspectives from recent scouting, team situations, future organizational structures, and preseason takeaways, all with their signature banter and insight.

Key Topics & Discussion Highlights

1. AJ Dybansa’s College Debut – Scouting a Star Prospect

[02:30–20:28]

• Windhorst attends AJ Dybansa’s first college game (BYU at Nebraska):

  • Key stats: 30 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals ("He was damn impressive," – Windhorst, 04:43).
  • AJ showcased athleticism, versatility (ball-handling, multi-positional play), and "a nose for getting to the line" (06:00).
  • Feedback from NBA scouts: Significant interest (14 NBA teams requested credentials for the game); Dybansa seen as a likely #1 or #2 pick for the upcoming draft, alongside Darren Peterson.

• Scouting report from Windhorst:

  • Strengths: Ball-handling, size, shooting, playmaking.
  • Weaknesses: Some growing pains, occasional lapses defensively, broke set plays to freelance (08:05).
  • “He wants the rebound. He wants to challenge shots, like he looked like he wanted to.” (09:00, Windhorst)

• Draft landscape:

  • Bontemps highlights this year’s draft as “loaded,” with 4–6 high-ceiling prospects including Cam, Nate Amen and Chris Cenac ("Even if you get the fourth, fifth, sixth pick... people think a really good player," 10:22).

• AJ’s marketing and shoe talk:

  • Ongoing speculation about a potential shoe deal switch; currently wears Nikes but scouted by New Balance given his Boston roots. (13:59; 19:10)
  • Quip from Ace (AJ's dad): “The scouts should worry more about their evaluation than what shoes he’s wearing.” (20:05, Windhorst quoting Ace)

• Memorable banter:

  • Bontemps (17:05): “I’m glad we got through 12 minutes of breakdown of an exhibition game to declare that AJ Dybansa is going to score in college basketball.”
  • McMahon: “When Wendy makes a prediction…” (16:56)

2. 76ers Preseason / Joel Embiid Returns

[22:17–31:48]

• Bontemps’ report from Philadelphia:

  • Highlights Joel Embiid’s strong return, younger and more athletic roster, Nick Nurse pushing the tempo.
  • Embiid "looked pretty good, moved around pretty well," no obvious knee brace, passing better, benefiting from an uptempo squad (25:00).
  • “There is no pressure on them. There really are no expectations…If Joel Embiid can play 50–55 games and look like he did health-wise Friday, he’s going to have a good season.” (27:24, Bontemps)

• Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, VJ Edgecombe:

  • All receive mentions as breakout or impact players.
  • Nick Nurse likely to start Edgecombe, high energy around his arrival.

• Paul George’s (PG) status:

  • Uncertainty around his role given age and injury, must play PF when healthy. But: “At this point, I think you have to be more concerned about what Paul George can give them than Joel Embiid.” (29:45, Bontemps)

• Expectations, culture, and recap of last year:

  • Last season’s arrogance in presumed chemistry ("We're going to microwave chemistry... finals run," 32:13, McMahon)
  • The Bob Myers angle: New overarching role at Harris Blitzer Sports (Sixers), not expected to supplant Daryl Morey.

3. Memphis Grizzlies’ Injury Woes & Season Outlook

[41:05–47:45]

• Brutal injury list: Scottie Pippen Jr. (foot surgery, out until mid-January), Ja Morant (sprained ankle, opener status uncertain), Ty Jerome (calf), Brandon Clarke, Zach Edey all out or questionable.

• Season expectations:

  • Real danger Memphis stumbles into the lottery (“You see a couple teams come into the year and they just never get right from a health standpoint, and their season does not go the way they expected it to.” – Bontemps, 42:40)
  • Bain trade (and extensions) seen as "an admission that this version of the Grizzlies wasn't good enough." (44:51, McMahon)
  • Ja Morant’s future: No extension talks this summer, Grizzlies’ brass "waiting to see" if Ja can step up as a true franchise centerpiece.

4. Rookie Extensions & Sacramento Kings

[47:56–54:04]

• Keegan Murray’s extension: Five years, $140M, sparking market-shaping reactions among agents and teams.

  • Bontemps: “I thought the Keegan Murray deal was pretty good. There are not a lot of 6'8" guys who are legitimate two-way players..." (51:04)
  • McMahon: Points out his stats aren't elite (“For a guy who's known as a shooter, his three-point percentage has dropped each year.”, 52:18)
  • General market in the $20–28M/year range for similar rookie deals.

• Team health issues: Sabonis injury, Keegan out, experimentation with rotations.

  • Funny: "You can maybe make an argument Russ [Westbrook] should start right now for the Kings over your future hall of famer Dennis Schroder.” (53:53, Bontemps)

5. All-Star Quota Complications & NBA Structural Changes

[56:10–59:31]

• Panel discusses new All-Star selection rules and international/US player quotas.
  • “This is the thing, right, with these new rules for the All-Star Game, it’s going to kill a guy like Austin Reaves.” (56:16, Bontemps)
  • Ongoing inside-baseball jokes about international status and potential All-Star debates (“I’m already dreading the discussions about the All-Star rosters in January…” – Bontemps, 57:58)

6. Thunder: Defending Champs, Culture & Sam Presti’s Philosophy

[61:41–71:43]

• Thunder tabbed as favorites, start title defense:

  • Discussion of OKC’s "boring" but successful culture, rooted in Presti’s catchphrases:
    • "Chasing improvement”, “Builders, not guardians.” (63:38, McMahon)
    • “There's no silver platters in Oklahoma.” (65:25, Windhorst)
    • “Basketball is poker…in the NBA, everybody has to play the hand they’re dealt differently.” (66:24, paraphrasing Presti)

• Team chemistry and expectations:

  • Shea Gilgeous-Alexander as the new cultural setter, compared favorably to past franchise stars.
  • Thunder expected to "win over 65 games again…as good or better than they were last year." (68:22, Bontemps)

• **Panel pokes gentle fun at OKC’s stoic, process-driven environment but lauds its effectiveness.

  • "They buy into the stuff that allows them to be the youngest championship team in 50 years." (65:01, McMahon)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"He was damn impressive. His stats speak for themselves…"
— Brian Windhorst on AJ Dybansa's debut (04:43)

“There’s a lot of talent. It’s going to be an interesting year to watch. There are going to be NBA teams hoping to lose as many games as possible to have the right to have one of them [AJ or Darren] on their team next year.”
— Tim Bontemps (10:22)

“At this point, I think you have to be more concerned about what Paul George can give them than Joel Embiid.”
— Tim Bontemps (29:45)

“They weren’t nearly good enough. The Bane trade was an admission of, hey, we thought we had something that was going to be cooking for a while and it wasn’t good enough.”
— Tim MacMahon, on Memphis (45:16)

"Chasing improvement... that's what he wants them doing this year, not defending a championship. Chasing improvement, which is… boring as hell, but…"
— Tim MacMahon, summarizing Sam Presti’s preseason message (63:38)

“Builders, not guardians. We’re not guarding last year’s championship.”
— Tim MacMahon (64:26)

"Thunder dominated the league last year… They should come into this season as the prohibitive massive favorites."
— Tim Bontemps (68:22)

Important Timestamps

• [02:30] – Windhorst breaks down AJ Dybansa’s debut
• [10:22] – Bontemps on depth of upcoming NBA draft
• [22:17] – Bontemps details 76ers preseason, Embiid’s return
• [31:33] – 76ers’ organizational structure, Bob Myers’ new role
• [41:05] – Grizzlies' catastrophic injury list and what it means
• [47:56] – Murray’s extension; how rookie contract market is shaped
• [56:10] – All-Star quotas and international status debate
• [61:41] – Thunder’s championship ring night, Sam Presti philosophies
• [63:38] – Presti’s “chasing improvement…builders, not guardians”
• [68:22] – Thunder expected dominance (Bontemps)

Tone & Style

• Language: Informal, conversational, packed with inside jokes and newsroom banter; analytic but accessible.
• Delivery: Deep NBA knowledge, scouting expertise, and friendly ribbing among longtime colleagues.
• Vibe: Lively, opinionated, and well-contextualized, targeting NBA die-hards and casual fans seeking the ‘story behind the story.’

Takeaways & Summary

• AJ Dybansa's college debut has NBA scouts drooling, reinforcing his status as an elite draft prospect in a deep class.
• 76ers’ preseason brings hope: Joel Embiid looks physically ready, and the team’s shift in style plus new exec dynamics reshuffle expectations.
• The Memphis Grizzlies are already deep in the injury woods, setting the table for a possible gap year and major reshuffle.
• Market for rookie extensions is solidified around Keegan Murray's deal, shaping agent/front office negotiations league-wide.
• The Thunder enter the season as defending champs with an exceptional culture and a rare blend of humility and confidence, thanks to Sam Presti’s leadership and Shea Gilgeous-Alexander's rise.
• Lighter banter on All-Star quotas, the impact of injuries, and the ever-evolving structure of NBA franchises underpins a pod that balances insight and fun.

For NBA fans wanting a pulse on prospects, preseason revelations, team dynamics, and front office intrigue—especially via the personalities of Windhorst, Bontemps, and MacMahon—this episode is an essential, entertaining listen.