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Eye On College Basketball
LOTTERY MOCK DRAFT: Our first crack at the 2026 NBA Draft starts with Washington selecting AJ Dybantsa at No. 1
01:05:20
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- [00:00]
Gary Parrish
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- [01:01]
Matt Norlander
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- [02:12]
Gary Parrish
Hey there, I am Gary Parish. Welcome back to the CBS Sports I Own College Basketball podcast where we sometimes discuss camel fighting, dodo birds and leaky black. Per usual, Matt Norlander is here with me if you're watching on YouTube, Honor Brandon Davies. The only way you know how, the only way you should smash that, like, button. And if you haven't yet subscribed to the CBS Sports I Own College Basketball podcast, please go do that. Wherever you subscribe to podcasts like Apple and Spotify. Let's get into it. As the name suggests, this is a college basketball podcast, but most of the prospects who will be selected in the 2026 NBA Draft, they just spent five months playing college basketball. We know these dudes. You know these dudes. So with the lottery order now set, we decided to mock the lottery picks for the 2026 NBA Draft. It's either this or we spend another 25 minutes on mark Pope's Q and A. I voted for this. Norlander. Agreed. Here we are. Let's start with a couple questions for you, Norlander. For folks who don't really follow the NBA draft, do you have a sense for how strong this class actually is that everybody tanked for? And secondly, is there still a debate for the number one overall pick or are we done there?
- [03:31]
Matt Norlander
I don't know if we're done there. But you know what? I'll save that one when we get to the number one overall pick. So I'll save that question when we get this draft rolling in. Ernst. In just a second. Even beyond this, even beyond the strength of the draft. GP you know, they held this lottery on Mother's Day in the middle of the afternoon. I was, by the way, this was the first time. And I usually try and dial into the lottery, right? This was the first. They have the reasons weirdly placed to me. I was not home. I didn't even check the results of the lottery. I knew that I. How about this? I knew Washington got the number one pick because I got the push alert from the CBS Sports app, which is the best sports app to find all of your news and analysis and sponsors scores and all that good stuff. But I, GP I did not go out of my way to make sure I was like, you know, locked into the lottery, particularly because it came before a Knick Sixers game that wound up being a sweep. Did you watch in real time or were you out like me on Mother's Day doing Mother's Day things, I'll tell you that.
- [04:23]
Gary Parrish
So I'm with you. Terrible timing for mothers. Like, there are people who cared about the lottery yesterday who also care about their wives and their mothers. And so here's the truth. My, my son was in a baseball tournament. My little guy.
- [04:39]
Matt Norlander
I knew This. I should have asked. I knew it. But I forgot that I knew it. It's an off season Sunday. Yeah. Somewhere at some Little league tournament.
- [04:46]
Gary Parrish
Yeah. Yeah. So. So here's the honesty. Got to first game at three, got to be at the field at two. Lottery starts at two Central, you know. So here we are. I said, hey, we're going to get to the field, but then I'm going to sit in the car and stream the lottery. Because. Because I've got to update a mock draft. This is my life. I got to update a mock draft when the lottery's over. So I'll do that from the car and then go. So then my little guy's getting out of the car. I said, hey, bud, you got your cup? I left it in the. No, you didn't leave it in the car. That's why I'm asking you. Long story. He doesn't have his cup. Now I got to run to, like, sports Authority or something to get a cup for my 9 year old. By the way, how much you think a cup cost these days? This blew my mind.
- [05:31]
Matt Norlander
Great question. I would say a little league or cup shouldn't, shouldn't be running you more than like 24.99. But since you cheat me up, I'm going to say 45 bucks.
- [05:38]
Gary Parrish
52. 99.
- [05:39]
Matt Norlander
Insane. Ridiculous.
- [05:41]
Gary Parrish
I thought, I thought like 52.99 just to cover your little ding a ling. Crazy. So anyway, I'm, I, I sitting in my car now at the sport at the sports academy, listening to the lottery, and I realized the Grizzlies have jumped into the top four. And I'm like, all right, but I got to go get the cup now. And so I've got to now stream it through. I put AirPods in this. How crazy this all is. I put AirPods in so that I could walk into the store, look for a cup. So I'm looking for a cup. Also listening to the lottery order be unveiled, and a guy says, this is exactly what happened. Guy goes, guy running around Mississippi in a Met set. Must be GP And I said, hey, buddy. And he goes. And he's looking at his phone like, fast forward four minutes later. And he's like, right behind me in line. And he goes, something big just happened. Something big just happened. What just happened? And I'm like, the Grizzlies are picking third. And so that's how I discovered it. But I was, I was just running around because they put this at a very inconvenient time.
- [06:41]
Matt Norlander
Get it back to Tuesday night. Tuesday, like just seriously, because after my
- [06:45]
Gary Parrish
buddies, after my little guys baseball game, we, you know, the team wanted to go have lunch like we often do. And I had to pull my computer out at the baseball lunch to get a mock draft updated. It's just that good for anybody. We don't need middles of Mother's Day lottery. Anyway.
- [07:04]
Matt Norlander
Anyway, that's how I used to be moved. It was weird timing, but it only, it nicely feeds into a Monday, you know, live mock draft reaction. And so here we are. We're going to pick all 14. This is the big one. So to GP's question, like going into this year's draft, this does set up as arguably the strongest draft that we've ever had in terms of at the top, it's good in the middle. It projects to be very, very, I'm Talking like picks 12 through 20 also projects strong for that range typically. And then even in the back end, back into the first round and into the second round group of prospects there. It does, it does lend itself right now to be one of the best we've ever had. We will have to check in come 2033 and see if indeed the 26 draft was among the, you know, three or four strongest that we've ever seen in NBA history. We've obviously had quite a few really amazing ones in this, in this century particular, 2003 is the one that kind of stacks up amongst all the others as the very best draft we've had. That's a very, very high bar to clear. We'll see. But I'll tell you this. NBA record, eight teams, eight at 55 or more losses this season, that had never happened in the history of the league. In fact, all Those teams had 56 or more. We had never even seen a season with eight, with at least 55. This could be the first draft ever. I don't know if we'll get there, and I don't think we'll get there today on our mock draft, but could be the first draft ever with the first 10 picks all being freshmen just coming out of their one and done years. In college basketball, the record most freshmen selected in the top 10 is nine. That happened last year. Also happened in 2017. The most freshmen selected in the lottery in the, in the, what was, you know, previously, you know, top 14 obviously was 2017. And last year 11 of the lottery picks were freshmen. We're gonna have, if not that record broken, certainly it will be flirted with being tied. And then you've got Michigan coming off a national championship it very well could and I think will match Villanova 2018. Three players off a national championship team selected in the first round with the Axel Lindenberg, Adai Mara and then Mares Johnson Jr. If indeed he decides to stay in the draft, I think that he will. And when he does, I do fully expect him to be a first round pick. So we'll have some more draft content. You know, from now until draft night, this won't be our only mock draft podcast, but we're just going to settle in on just mocking out the lottery day after immediate reactions. Now we know the team order and we'll run through all of that. But this is, this is a pretty, pretty damn interesting draft because I think there's an interesting conversation about beyond 1, 2 and 3 and then 4 and then the run on the guards. There's just so many. If you're the kind of basketball fan that loves college hoops, gets into the draft, likes the NBA no matter what, there's a lot for you here with this draft in particular, given the outrageous talent selection we have there. So I volley it back to you. GP and GP will have the first pick and we'll alternate. So have the, he'll have the odds and I'll have the evens here. Do you think we are going to have a real debate at number one with Washington or is this AJ DeBonsa and everything else is noise between now and draft night?
- [10:14]
Gary Parrish
I think everything else will be noise. Ultimately, I think you will hear noise and you'll read reports that suggest noise.
- [10:21]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [10:21]
Gary Parrish
But I think that when we get to June 23rd, Adam Silver is going to walk in front of a microphone and he will announce AJ DeBonsa as the number one pick in the draft. It does not mean that I think there shouldn't be a real discussion about it. I just think that at the end of the day, it's not going to be much of a discussion. They're going to land on debons.
- [10:41]
Matt Norlander
I think they will land on the Bonsa. I don't. I think you might even get some reporting and some, some buzz potentially about teams trying to trade up to get number one. And would Washington entertain that? Just don't think we're going to get there. And the reason why I don't think we're going to get there is debonza is now positioned to be number one. That was not the case when you look back in November, December, maybe even in January when Peterson was in that spot. But if you're Washington and you've got this Pick. This is the third time in the con in the, in the common era that you've had since 1966 that Washington, this franchise is not the number one pick they had in 2001. Kwame Brown they had in 2010. John Wall. John Wall was sitting there at the lottery on, on Sunday and was the, the good luck Sean rare. So the franchise rarely gets it. This is real hope in such a. You could make the case if you wanted to. It's such a strong draft that that would lend itself to the real possibility that the person who actually goes number one is not going to be the best player from this draft. If the draft is really that strong at the top and you've got five, six, seven, maybe eight prospects that you know have a chance of being all star multi time all star level, well then that would suggest that the number one pick isn't the most likely necessarily to be the best player. And I would agree with you on that. But going into it, DebonSA's physical development, what he has shown from scoring propensity and we'll get more into this as we get this started formally in just a second here. I think, I think DebonSA, if you trade out of it and for whatever reason you take whoever you take and you could have had the number one pick otherwise and that and, and DeBonsa goes one and you're Washington, you don't have it, he becomes the, the best player in this class. Like you just never live that down. If I'm Washington, I don't trade it and, and everyone can come at me with any kind of offer and I'm sure there's going to be some very intriguing ones that are privately made. But, but you won the lottery. You get the number one pick and I, and I do not think they will trade out of it and I think they take the bonsa when we get there on draft.
- [12:34]
Gary Parrish
It's interesting. I don't know if this is what you exactly meant, but if you told me right now I could bet on whomever is the number one pick will have the best career from this draft or not. Yeah, I would bet not.
- [12:47]
Matt Norlander
You have to bet not. It's too strong of a class.
- [12:48]
Gary Parrish
Too strong of a class. Yeah, but I would also take DebonSA first and so let's go ahead and get it started here and we'll keep the wheels moving. With the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select AJ DeBonts, a six time forward out of BYU. Simply put, I think he is the Safest of the big ups, upside swings of. Of if you are trying to not just find the safest pick but also find the big swing. Like, because I, I actually think Darren Peterson's the biggest swing and I think Cameron Boozer is the safest pick. But I think if you're trying to combine safe and big swing, that's DeBonsa. After he averaged 25 and a half points, nearly seven rebounds, four assists, a steal a game, 51% from the field, 33% from three is not great. But I'm not concerned that that's going to be a subpar skill for him. He's just somebody. As I wrote in the mock draft, he led the EYBL in scoring after his freshman year of high school. Read led the entire country in scoring in his one year of college. If you told me he led the NBA in scoring. Someday, not surprising, DeBonsa goes one to the Wizards and then I think that's where we start the. The what. What will be some real conversations about what happens next before I get to
- [14:13]
Matt Norlander
the Bonsa just on Washington getting the number one pick. This was the first time so that we're going to an entirely new lottery system in the N day next year again. But there have been eight years of this current system out there. This was the first time the team in the past in, in the eight iterations we've had this, the team with the worst record actually got the number one pick. Washington gets it done and it did so by absolutely tanking. Traded away CJ McCollum, Chris Middleton, Corey Kispert, all different deals. They've got Anthony Davis, they've got Trey Young now. And so their projected lineup would be Tri Young at the 1, Kaisen George at the 2, DeBonsa at the 3, Anthony Davis at the 4, Alex Sar at the 5.
- [14:51]
Gary Parrish
That's not bad and a real.
- [14:53]
Matt Norlander
I mean not bad. That team should have playoff expectations immediately and I would argue it should have expectations to be like the 6 seat at worst in the east when you've got if, if, because DeBonsa, if you bring him in, I think a reasonable expectation for him in year one with his size, development, scoring, he's a willing passer. Year one number one overall pick, 14 a game even playing alongside the likes of Trey Young who can fill it up. We understand all that. That's really, really good. So there's a lot. There's a Washington fans they, they have toiled with, I would argue, I think the most irrelevant franchise since Jordan left overall, you know, when they had Wall, they had a little something there, but they, you know, they were always a team that even, even with Wall and Beal, like, just never a real legit contender. And now look at you. You get it done. Now keep this in mind for Washington fans watching. Only four times and with only two franchises. I know I've mentioned this on some mocks in the years prior, but I'm gonna bring it back. Since 1985, since the lottery era began, only four times has a player drafted number one won a title with that team. I won't Even trivia Tommy GP we got to keep it moving here. Two franchises, Cavs and Spurs. The players are Kyrie, LeBron, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Those are the only instances since 85 that the number one pick won a title with the team that drafted him. Obviously, that's the goal. You get the number one pick. We want to draft our future and one day be the last team standing. At the end of June, we'll see if that fate awaits Washington. We've got DebonSA there. Oh, by the way, 25.5 points per game. But he and on the season averaged 28.8 in his final 17 games. Third freshman ever to lead D1 in scoring. Jason Connolly in 0102 and then Trey Young in 17 18. Coincidentally, F could be Trey Young's teammate. Third most points by a freshman in Division 1 history. Chris Jackson, LSU had 965 and 89.90. Durant had 903 and then Debaza had 894. And he is poised to be the second top five pick from BYU in the modern draft era. Sean Bradley went second in 93. Jaeger Demon just a year ago he went eighth to the nets. But Debonsa would just be the second there. So it was your pick, but we are in agreement. Before I get to number two, any more, any more thoughts on DebonSA? We'll obviously talk about him. Plenty more between now and draft.
- [17:12]
Gary Parrish
No, but I did go back and like this isn't even a pat on the back because I think a lot of people would have had it this way. But I went back and looked at the night of the 2025 NBA Draft. I do a lottery that night looking ahead. So a year in advance and it was number one, DeBonsa, number two, Peterson, number three, Cameron Boozer, which is the way most mocks would have it right now. And if I remember correctly, I was getting not killed but questioned because at that point most people had Peterson projected as the number one pick. So it speaks to how uneven his freshman season at KU unfolded to, to, to the idea that we're now at a place where it's just flipped completely. There was a time where if you said debons, that people are like, no, it's got to be Peterson, what are you talking about? Now if you say Peterson, it's like, no, it's got to be debons and what are you talking about? So just interesting how we got to this point, but I know you think Peterson's not going to have to wait too long to hear his name called on June 23rd.
- [18:17]
Matt Norlander
I do not. So number two. I've got the jazz with the number two pick and I'm going to give Darren Peterson out to Salt Lake City. There's some fascinating elements to this pick though. GP1 is that obviously I think it's fair to forecast, presume, speculate that that franchise would have been all too thrilled to get the number one pick. And suppose on Sunday I didn't watch it in real time, but we got to that point, there are two teams left and the only two teams on the board were Washington and Utah. And I would assume even like AJ DeBonsa and his and his mother and father. I mean he played prep school in Utah. Are they going to get, actually get to go, oh, Utah has the number two pick. So Darren Peterson, number two to the Jazz. By the way, the Jazz have never had the number one overall pick in franchise history. Carlos Boozer works with the Utah Jazz franchise, by the way, in addition to being Cameron Boozer's father and an ACC network analyst. So there is some already some just curiosity out there over like might there be a chance. I don't, I don't think so. I think they take the, the bigger swing with the higher upside with the Bonsa and Peterson. If you. I'll set my own line. 4.5 seasons, those two players lead the NBA in scoring. I would take the over. I think they are wired to score and they will be among the most predominant scorers in the NBA in the 2000s.
- [19:39]
Gary Parrish
If not, that's a lot of scoring titles for two guys.
- [19:42]
Matt Norlander
This is a generationally good draft though with Peterson. Yeah. And.
- [19:47]
Gary Parrish
But you still got Luca out there and Wimby out there and Anthony Edwards out there and Cooper Flag out there. That's a lot four and a half. I know.
- [19:55]
Matt Norlander
And I'm taking the okay. If you told me Debata led the NBA in scoring for four of his seasons, I'd 100 believe you. Dude is wired to score. And he's long and he's big. We'll say more than about stuff for another mock draft, I think on here at some point as well. Peterson, how about this? And I don't have, I don't have the, I don't have the research here yet. I'm gonna ask our team if they can look this up. He's gonna be like, at worst a top three pick. He's almost definitely going to go two, but if you fail to three. When was the last time we had a top three pick that was not a first team all league player because of his injuries and, and the inconsistency there. Second team all Big 12 last season. Average 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists. Shot 44 from the field, 38 from 3. I'm not too concerned about his lack of assists, but there is this note nonetheless. There hasn't been a player 6, 6 or shorter who averaged fewer than 1.7 assists per game since Alwood out of Carolina in 1981. We just don't see someone that went in the top five. I gotta be specific. That went in the top five of the draft. Peterson's no top five. You typically don't see someone like that with that kind of statistical profile. But we are now seeing more and more come out. I'm sure you saw the story. Ramona Shelburne had it at espn. Darren Peterson sat down with her. They took a deeper look. The doctors did, whomever did and said he was having too much creatine. They think that might have led to the cramping. Of course, with the story, you know, more than a month removed from the end of the college season, his physical profile is undeniable, his scoring ability is irresistible.
- [21:30]
Gary Parrish
And.
- [21:30]
Matt Norlander
But there is, unquestionably, there is just, you know, there is the big curiosity of like, okay, are we going to look back in a few years and just see the Kansas stuff as an aberrational thing? Or is this. Or was that a warning sign in a particularly loaded draft that while his skills were unquestioned, what he can do, what his talent was unquestioned, we got, unfortunately, an omen of what was to come. I'm not saying that's going to happen. I'm saying those conversations are going to be had and he's got a pretty critical next few weeks ahead of him as he goes to the interview process. Because when you've got guys behind you that could very well be justified to take that at the number two spot, it's no sure thing. Peterson will go number two. I think he will. And I've got him going there with Utah.
- [22:11]
Gary Parrish
I agree with you. I think he will. I agree with you. I don't think it's a sure thing because I could see somebody else being scared off of the same stuff that the Wizards would presumably be scared off of and not scared off of. Like, at some point you just take him because he's there. But I'm not. I don't want to say I'm not. I'm just saying I don't think I would pass on somebody like debons for somebody I have real questions about. And there becomes a point where you can apply that same logic to Peterson and Boozer Peterson and Wilson Peterson and whomever you want because the creatine stuff's fine and all the other stuff's fine. That's. That has nothing to do with why you took yourself out of an Arizona game an hour before tip off when your own coach thought you were playing like that. You could keep telling me how bad the cramps hurt. And it also, like. And I'm not questioning any of that. But. But there were just moments where it didn't look right, didn't feel right. And they did a horrible job in real time trying to explain it. They're doing all their cleanup work now. But it doesn't. It does not answer every question for me. Like, when I hear Caleb Wilson talk, I hear somebody who is wired the way I want the face of my franchise to be wired. And when I hear AJ Debounce the talk, I know he. He's about basketball. And that's what. And when I. The whole Darren Peterson thing doesn't scare me to the point where I'd be like, I wouldn't take him no matter what. It just. I don't think I'd take him over, over Devonsa. And I can understand why somebody else might be hesitant to take him over some of these, these other players, they can do all the creatine stories they want. There are still real concerns about, are you wired the way I want you to be? Wired for me to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in you to be the face of my billion dollar franchise? Because in this draft, with the second pick, that is what you need to be.
- [24:08]
Matt Norlander
There is a scenario and it's not hard to see, though, where we flash forward five years and it's like, that draft was awesome and Peterson's the best dude from it.
- [24:18]
Gary Parrish
100. All of it's on the table. Listen, I can remember heading into the Anthony Edwards draft where he was like, I don't even like basketball. And I was like, God, I wish he wouldn't say I don't like basketball. That's the last thing I want to hear from somebody. I'm about to spend the number one pick in the draft. But guess what? If you wouldn't have spin it on him, if you'd have been turned off by the idea that Anthony Edwards doesn't seem that serious or Anthony Edwards might not love basketball, you would have missed it was right there in front of you and you would have missed it. And am I open to the idea that Peterson could be that? Absolutely. I'm just saying the way his season unfolded and the way he's talked about it has complicated the evaluation process, at least for me.
- [25:02]
Matt Norlander
He'll be a top three pick, and when he is, he'll be one of five Kansas players ever to go top five in the modern draft era since 66. Wiggins went number one in 2014. Danny Manning went first back in 88. Joel Embiid went third in the same year that Wiggins went in 14. And Ralph LaFrence, yes, Rafe LaFrence, 1998 went third. Speaking of third GP Grizzlies as the pick all too appropriate as men get older Staying lean, maintaining muscle that can become more difficult even with a consistent workout routine, something you do weekly. That's because the body naturally starts to change. Testosterone levels can decline as soon as your early 30s, and that can lead to increased fat storage and reduced muscle mass. It's not just about lifestyle either. This hormonal shift can make it easier to gain weight, especially around the midsection, and harder to lose it over time. That cycle can continue or worsen if not addressed. Mars Men is a natural supplement designed to support healthy testosterone levels, helping the body function more efficiently when it comes to fat burning, muscle building, overall performance, and includes natural ingredients without without synthetic hormones or harsh stimulants. It's made in the USA, third party tested and backed by a 90 day money back guarantee. Thousands of users are already seeing real results For a limited time ion college basketball listeners can get 50% off for life plus free shipping and three free gifts@ Mengotomars.com that's Mengotomars.com for 50% off and three free gifts when you check out and it's also available on Amazon by the way. After you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support the pod and tell them that the Eye on College Basketball podcast sent you and that there's more of us than there are of them.
- [26:47]
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- [27:42]
Gary Parrish
sci with the third pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Caleb Wilson, 610 forward out of North Carolina. I think about how did I end up out on a limb here?
- [27:57]
Matt Norlander
Is it a limb?
- [27:58]
Gary Parrish
It well, I look at other mocks and almost all of them have Cameron Boozer going third to the Grizzlies. And I saw somebody in the chat because like, no secret, I, I'm at FedEx Forum, I work for the Grizzlies. I, I, I am a Grizzlies. I'm a Grizzlies employee. And so the chat is like, oh, I wonder because I could see how you might do this. Right? It's hold up. The whole world thinks it's going to be Cameron Boozer, but the guy who does a mock draft who works for the Grizzlies thinks it's going to be Caleb Wilson. Hand to heart, I don't even ask the people who work here those types of questions because I feel like it would be why I don't even want to know. Yeah, because I feel like I honestly, because I feel like it would shape the way I think in ways that I don't want my way of thinking shaped. So I intentionally don't. I will ask other people. So what are you hearing on the Grizzlies? But I really don't try to talk to the the people here that I know too much because I'd rather I just, I don't think I need to know everything they're thinking all the time
- [28:52]
Matt Norlander
because I anyway, all right, so Caleb Wilson, number three to Memphis.
- [28:58]
Gary Parrish
So the point I'm making is that Is not off of. I heard something down the hall. Promise you. Here's the truth. Asked to explain it. Here's how I explain it. Right now the Grizzlies have Zach Edie if he's healthy and that's nice. They have Cedric Coward and that's nice. But I don't think anybody projects either one of them to be a superstar. They can both be very good NBA players, perhaps even all star level NBA players. But superstar I don't know. The Grizzlies need a superstar and I still think at third in this draft there's one available. I'm not telling you it's going to be Caleb Wilson. What I'm telling you is if you take the Bonson Peterson off the board I think he's the most sensible big swing left on the board. In other words if you tell me GP go for the safest pick available. Right now the safest pick I think is Cameron Boozer. But if you say GP the Grizzlies are going to have enough really good players. They need great they need to tap into this is one of the five or 10 best players in the world. I think Caleb Wilson has a better chance based on his physical tools to become one of the 10 best players in the world at this level respectfully than Cameron Boozer has to become that. It doesn't mean like their floors might be in different places too. Like Boozer floor might be higher but I think his ceilings lower. And in this draft with this franchise I would take the big swing and I would select what I think is the best athlete in this draft who also has an incredible motor and is also undeniably a top shelf competitor. I would love the shot to come around and all of that stuff but if you just tell me elite athlete, elite motor, elite competitor that alone gets you some really good stuff in the NBA.
- [30:49]
Matt Norlander
Feels like a good roster and culture fit with Memphis. The only thing that I think will realistically like you might it won't surprise me if we get a few weeks from now and there's some like Caleb Wilson number two Buzz that won't surprise me. I won't believe it because of the shooting. Took 27 played 24 games a season ago. Two separate hand injuries. We know all that. So because of that he logged 24 games with UNC and only shot 27 threes. Shot 25.9 from beyond the arc. The shot is just not developed enough for me to believe that he'll actually go in the top two. But. But there's a lot of Facets about his game that, that I can see. Okay, if we get, if we get five, six years out, is he going to be the best player out of this class? He's another player. I can see that where that's being the case. He will be the first top five pick from the University of North Carolina since 2005. Marvin Williams went second that year, Raymond Felton went fifth. Yes, it has been 21 years since the University of Michael Jordan has had a top five pick. Wilson will end that streak. He was a third team all American average, 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks on 58 field. Go shooting. Without him on the floor, Carolina went 5 and 4. Not just that he wasn't available in the VCU game. Totally fair to assume that had he been on the floor. They don't lose that game. And Hubert Davis is still the coach at North Carolina. He will be one of only four Power Conference freshmen to average 19, 92 and then go on to be a first round pick. Carmelo Anthony, Ben Simmons and Cameron Boozer, who will also be a first round pick, joins him in that regard. I, I very much enjoy his game. And his competitive spirit runs as deep, honestly at least as visually deep as anyone that's in this class. And if he goes third, I won't be surprised at all whatsoever. Like, big, lean, but strong, dynamic athlete, just violent.
- [32:39]
Gary Parrish
Just put it just. How about this? You should not just watch highlights of anybody. That's stupid. But, but if you go watch the Cameron Boozer highlights, you go, oh, wow, man. I guess they can't stop him. He looks unstoppable. And if you go watch the Caleb Wilson highlights, you go, oh, oh God, what was that? Oh, did you see that? He makes you say, did you see that? Over and over again. And when you combine that with the competitive spirit and the motor, the athleticism, I, I'm intrigued. I, I want to be clear. My, I don't think my job's at stake whether or not the Grizzlies hit on this pick or not. I hope it's not. But, but, but if it was, I might then lead toward Cameron Boozer because
- [33:22]
Matt Norlander
that's a safer thing, which becomes a very real thing in these front offices.
- [33:26]
Gary Parrish
100%. 100%. So I get all that. But in terms of the big swing, Caleb Wilson and oh, by the way, he did play against Darren Peterson this season, won the game, did play against Cameron Boozer this season, won the game, played against Kansas, Kentucky and Duke this season, three of the biggest brands in the sport went 3 and O and in those games averaged 21 points and 8 rebounds. He's awesome. And when he got hurt, Carolina was ranked 10th in the country. Yeah, those injuries might have cost him the opportunity. Definitely cost him the opportunity to have one of these wild tournament runs that thrust him on everybody's radar. And, and also like might have cost Hubert Davis his job. That's like that. That'll never not be true. I think if Caleb Wilson doesn't break his hand on March 5 or thumb or whatever Hubert Davis is, is still the coach at North Carolina. I think that's probably true.
- [34:20]
Matt Norlander
Let's keep it moving. I've got the fourth pick. Chicago Bulls. Grew up a massive Bulls fan. Jordan fan. I got, I got the pictures to prove it. Cameron Bruiser going fourth. Okay, so Boozer will not drop. I, I don't think he will drop below 4. And there's. We go, we're gonna get to more players. There's so many good prospects. I don't think you can justify him falling before this spot. Now there will be some mock drafts out there and there will be some people that will try to justify him at 5 or maybe 6. You're in fantasy land once you get there as far as I'm concerned. Okay, how about this? Fifth freshman to win national player of the year. Durant, AD Zion and Cooper Flag are the other ones. Join Larry Burton, 7677, is the only freshman or sophomore to average 2010 and 4 in Division 1 history. Join 7879, Larry Bird as the only players with 800 plus points, 300 plus rebounds, 150 plus assists in a season in Division 1 history. He had 10 plus points, 5 plus rebounds and 2 plus assists in every single game he played last season. It's the longest streak by any player at any level in Division 1 in more than two decades. He's the first player to average at least 22 points, 10 boards and three assists through the first four games of a tournament since Larry freaking Bird again in 79 when he took Indiana State to the title game. He's the fourth player ever with 15 points, eight boards and three assists in four games in a single tournament since Oscar Robertson, Bill Bradley, Larry frickin Bird again. And I got one more Larry Bird for you. First player with 15, 10 and 3 and a win in three consecutive tournament games since Bird did it in 79. He.
- [35:53]
Gary Parrish
Never mind. Just give me the next Larry Bird. Send the next Larry Bird to Bill street, please.
- [35:58]
Matt Norlander
I understand that from an athleticism standpoint, Cameron Boozer is not considered a top five player. You can go you if you want to even be more judgmental than that. I get it. He is automatic just every single time he has faced up against real, real competition. I'm talking on a game by game level, conference level, eybl USA Basketball. The dude is unstoppable. He is a stats machine. And I actually think there's a little too much harsh criticism on what he doesn't do. He is going to be a double double guy in the NBA for a very, very, very long time. He has all star potential. He can be the best player in this NBA draft class. So it does speak to the depth and the outrageous talent across this board in 26 that he's gone to four here. But I got him four to the Bulls and he seems bust proof to me. He just does. I, I've never not seen him be really, really good. The game that knocked him out of the tournament, he had a, he had four fracture, four fractures in his orbital bone. They lost on a freak turnover at the end against one of the best coaches, if not the best coach in all of college basketball against a blue blood program. And, and still in spite of that, let me just bring up his stat line on this real quick and then you can take a gp. So in the loss to which he did not, he did he. That was the one game I think the entire season. I think the entire season he got outplayed. Terror street in that game, had 26 points, nine boards, three assists, four blocks, two steals. Cam Boozer in a down game, still average better than 1.10 points per possession. Played 38 minutes, shot 10 of 21 from the field, 6 of 8 from the line. Had eight boards, four assists, four turnovers, two blocks and three fouls. And that was his worst game of the season. Four to the Bulls. He can't drop further than that. And I'm not convinced he's falling to four, period.
- [37:52]
Gary Parrish
I'm not convinced he's fallen to four either. And as you run through all of that stuff and then the accolades of just like, like if I were to walk into a meeting with the front office, like the accolade stuff might just be stuff that moves them in that direction as well. Like two time Gatorade National Player of the Year, two time Mr. Basketball in Florida or, or two time Mr. Basketball USA three time Mr. Basketball in Florida. Won two gold medals with USA Basketball, three Peach Jam titles, four state championships, two gold medals he just. Everything about him to this point has been awesome and successful and I'm assuming that will continue to some degree. I'm with you. He doesn't last long in this draft and probably not. Perhaps not even fourth to the Bulls. Either way, now we're to five. Clippers got lucky. Move up, get a pick from the Pacers. I've got them using it. The fifth pick 2026 NBA draft on Darius Acuff, six three guard out of Arkansas. He, of course, the bullet point. Everybody knows at this point. First freshman to lead the SEC in points and assists per game since pistol Pete in 1970. He just looks the part. The rare elite athlete who is also a reliable shooter. Typically you look at great shooters and it's like, yeah, but he's not really an athlete. And you look at great athletes, it's like, yeah, but he can't really. This guy's an athlete who can shoot it like he can. He can bounce it and punch it on you, or bounce it, step back, knock it down on you. The issue is that he's 6 3, not 6 6. I don't love that. And he's like nothing on the defensive end. How he'll never. He's never going to win all defense teams or make them. Can he be respectable? I don't know. And others might go Wagler or even Flemings in the spot, but the star power of Acuff is. I don't know. I. If you told me we look up and this guy is the best player from the draft.
- [39:52]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [39:53]
Gary Parrish
I'm not. I don't. I'm not ruling that out. I rule out that he should go number one. I do not rule out that we look up in five years and he's the best player from this draft. If I'm the Clippers, this is where I snatch him up. If he's available.
- [40:05]
Matt Norlander
GP Said got the odd pick, so he took him at five. I wouldn't let Acuff drop to six, further than six. So he was not going lower than that in our draft. Here I'm really, really high in a cuff. He's one of five power conference players in the past five decades to average at least 23 points and six assists. Benny Johnson did it at Baylor. Scott Skiles did it at Michigan State. Gary Payton did at Oregon State. Trey Young did it at Oklahoma. He's the first D1 player with at least 800 points and 200 assists in a season since John Moranted at Murray State in 2018-19. And he scored more points by Any Arkansas player in a single season in close to six decades. So he has been outstanding. Average 26, more than 26 points per game after the start of SEC playthrough at the end of the season. Incredible bucket getter, great shooter, great, great initiator of the offense. The fact that the Clippers have this pick is wild. The Pacers went from trading away what Matheran, Isaiah, Jackson, multiple picks. It was a conditional pick, but it was protected if it was top four. If it wasn't, it went to the Clippers. The the Pacers went from making the EC making the finals to having the second worst record in the league to banking on them being in the top four here. They don't get it. They don't even have a draft pick, period. That is brutal. In a draft like this, I can't help but wonder if it acts as that franchise in general. Clippers, they're gonna have to take a guard here. And I love Acuff. I don't know if you'll see him mocked a ton. Top five. I am in in on Darius Acuff Jr. Being one of the five best players from this draft. When we look up a decade from now. Keep it moving. I've got the number six picked up. That's Brooklyn and I'm going with Kingston Flemings here at 6. Flemings was a consensus second team All American average 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, shot 85% from the foul line. I think he's the best free throw shooter of any projected lottery pick in the draft. I think 48 from the field, 39 from three. Most points by a freshman in the history of Houston's program. The third Big 12 slash, Big 8 freshman. So we're going back decades and decades folks to average at least 15 and 5 in a season. Trey Young did it and Chauncey Billups did it. He averaged almost 21 points a game against AP ranked teams this season. Kingston Flemings had flashes this past season where he looked phenomenal. I love his savvy and awareness on the floor. I think he can be. He's about 6, 4. If he bulks up, if he really bulks up like he can get to 200. I think tough player, really just out and out. Hooper, we got back to back Hoopers here. You're not gonna see many people mock Flemings ahead of Wagler. We've done that here I am in on Kingston Flemings being a multi time all star and Brooklyn, you figure they bring him in and that'll pair With Jaegor Demon and Drake Powell. Both of them were drafted last year, so we'll see if you can crack to the starting rotation. Michael Porter Jr. Noah Clowning, Nick Claxton. I'm guessing if you had six, you would have gone woggler here. I'm not going to bow to the group think. Not that it's wrong. Like, not that Wagner won't be the better player. Again, this is just a loaded draft here. Your thoughts on me taking Kingston there at 6 to Brooklyn.
- [43:00]
Gary Parrish
I. It's not what I would have done, but I don't. I'm not going to call you a name. And I think these league guards that we have coming off 5, 6, 7, and almost everybody has in some order in their top seven, you know, reasonable minds can disagree, but I like them all. They're just very different. They're all different from each other, but I like them all.
- [43:22]
Matt Norlander
I still, I think we would disagree here. I think the next two guys, I still think that Kingston Fleming's. It's narrow, but if you told me he was the best player from this draft class, I can still see that being a possibility. Not the most likely, maybe the seventh most likely. But I think there are seven players that could reasonably wind up being the best in this class and I think he's in that mix.
- [43:40]
Gary Parrish
So if you and I were ranking these lead guards, I would do it Acuff, Wagler, Flemings. And you would do it A Cuff, Flemings, Waggler.
- [43:48]
Matt Norlander
Yeah. And then Mikel Brown Jr. Not far behind that.
- [43:52]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, that's right. Okay, so like we're, we're all on the, the, the, the. We're on the same page here, just slightly different. And so spoiler alert, with the Kings seventh pick, I would take Keaton Wagler, 6, 6 guard out of Illinois. And this is where I do think the draft starts to break a little bit because almost every mock draft you can find. And as somebody who's been doing this for a long time, sure there's a lot of group think out there, but just about everyone you're going to find is going to have the seven players we have just identified. And that's DeBonsa, Peterson, Wilson, Boozer, Acuff, Flemings, Wagler. Gonna have those seven coming off the board in some order. The first seven picks. Again, I would go Wagler over Flemings, but I understand Flemings over Wagler with Wagler. I won't bore you with the story. Again, unheralded recruit popped very quickly.
- [44:47]
Matt Norlander
6.
- [44:48]
Gary Parrish
6 can shoot it from the perimeter. Can get to a spot, processes things well. Jumbo size, guard, all that stuff. I think most people probably have it. Waggler, Acuff, Flemings. So it's interesting that we have it. We both have it different than what most people would have, but we're still all in the same range. There was a point where it looked like the Grizzlies would probably, statistically were probably going to be picking that range. And I was on record. I'm cool with any of those dudes. I can rank them if you want me to, but I like them all.
- [45:19]
Matt Norlander
Yeah. And keep in mind, there are, as we do this right now, May 11, I mean, NBA general managers in their front offices. They don't even have their boards set. We're about to, you know, the combine's happening this week. They got to go through these interviews. This is a very fluid process. So we're just trying to project out here. And although no one ever gets to see what each board looks like, if, like, if you went and checked in on individual NBA franchises, like, as it's been explained to me many times over the years by people in those in those front offices, you'd be surprised to learn just how sometimes, how different the individual boards will be. Like, there will sometimes be a player that's, you know, universally picked in the top 10 of a mock draft, and any given franchise or two might not have even have that player inside their own top 15, sometimes not even their own top 20. I don't think that'll be the case here with these seven players, but just keep that in mind. Here's. Here's a note on Wagler. He's the sixth Big Ten freshman ever to average at least 16 points and four assists. The other guys that did it, Magic Johnson, Jalen Rose, Jalen Crawford, d' Angelo Russell and Dylan Harper. Dylan Harper, by the way, shout out to Josh, who just gave us this note. I asked when was the last time we had, like, a top three pick? That first team in the league, Dylan Harper did a year ago, and so did VJ Edgecomb. They both look damn good. So keep that in mind there. We'll keep it moving. And here's a player that I think, had he not faced injury issues.
- [46:30]
Gary Parrish
Correct.
- [46:31]
Matt Norlander
Would be in the top four conversation right now. Mikel Brown Jr. Eight to the Hawks. The Hawks are definitely, definitely going to be taking someone that can handle the ball and help control the offense there. He missed 14 games last season due his back injury. Now, for Louisville fans, this became a very hot button, hot topic issue. It did not nearly reach the level of critical mass that Darren Peterson's did. But all in all, guess what. Brown missed more games last year than Peterson did 13 while ACC player averaged 18.2 points, most by a freshman all time 4.7 assists. He with him on the floor Louisville was 16. 5 and averaged 88 points a game. Without him Louisville was 8 and 6. Averaged 78 a game. He. He has the capacity and showed flashes both at Louisville and before he got there where just a net like a beautiful knack for knowing how to score. He's 6 5. He's listed at 190. I don't know if he's that big. I think he's got to put on more muscle. I do love him here for Atlanta I but his stock to me feels like he'd be anywhere from seven to 11 probably there's going to be too many teams that look at the tape that rely on their scouts that saw him what he did at 15, 16, 17 years old and knew what he was with Louisville that he should not drop out of the top 10 by any means. So I've got him mocked here. 8th to the Hawks.
- [47:54]
Gary Parrish
Yeah and you know if I'm saying this is where I think the the draft breaks, it is in part because of we only saw Michael Brown Jr. Play 21 games. Had he played a full season, been healthy, we might be talking about like you said, he's a top five pick and if you're the Hawks, you feel thrilled they had a breakthrough season after moving on from Trey Young got into the playoffs and so Michael Brown Jr. You know we could look up and some of these rookies are just going to be on bad teams. You know they're just going to and we could look up and the hawks are the third best team in the east and Michael Brown Jr. As a rookie is in the rotation like that's a real thing if it goes this way. So that wouldn't be the worst spot for him to to him to land in. Let's move on. Ninth pick Dallas Mavericks have him selecting Braden buries out of Arizona 64 guard ended up being Arizona's leading score 16 points, 4.9 rebounds 2.4 assists 1.5 steals 49% from the field, 39% from 3 on 4.6 attempts per game. So for an Arizona team that famously did not shoot a lot of threes, this is a guy who could take them and could make them. Obviously they're in total rebuild mode in Dallas around Cooper flag and a 64 physical guard who can Knock down shots from the perimeter. Seems like the type of thing you wouldn't mind having next to him for the next decade or so.
- [49:14]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, and Kyrie also in addition to that. Like that. Just this slots perfectly this once you get to nine. And keep in mind like because it's such a loaded draft, I do wonder how many teams will get in any offers that are intriguing enough to get them to move. Like, part of me wants to say like we're not going to have any of these trades in the top 10, but, but I don't know. You never know. Furries nine to Dallas makes a ton of sense. I love this pick from you. Really good defender, someone that can handle the ball but plays well off of it. He was the first freshman ever with at least 80 points, 30 rebounds and 15 made threes in a single NCAA tournament. He really came on the second half of the year. He's going to ace the interview process. Really humble player. I got to know him quite a little bit because I saw Arizona in person so many times and got a chance to talk with Buries, I don't know, seven, eight times this season and got to talk to the Arizona staff and Tommy Lloyd about him. Really just a well rounded player. And another, like he's not going to be seen as the player that has the upside. I think we've now hit the. We've, we've, we've entered into the portion of the draft where Never say never. We, you know, you had Jokic, Jokic go in the second round. He's the best player. Right. But just not a high likelihood that anyone after this is going to be the most talented player or the most accomplished or greatest player. But I'm telling you, Buries, I still think he's got a wonderful outlook on just having a rock solid long term NBA career and he is rightfully being mocked in the top 10. I don't think he has any business falling out of the top 10 and I don't think that he will. We've got him right here at number nine. As if you're listening, by the way here, the teams we've got left as we round this out. Milwaukee will be 10, Golden State 11, OKC 12, Miami 13, and then Charlotte with the last pick in the lottery at 14. So I've got the 10th pick.
- [50:55]
Gary Parrish
And hey, I, I want you to tell me what the Milwaukee Bucks are going to do. Whether they're going to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo or move on. Finally. But first, first, should we get a word from Our partners.
- [51:06]
Matt Norlander
We can't. We can if you want. Yeah, let's. Josh, word from our partners to pay the bills.
- [51:11]
Gary Parrish
Norlander, these, these sport coats ain't cheap,
- [51:13]
Matt Norlander
you know, I got you. I think Josh was going to take care of us on the back end as well, so it's all good. 10th pick, Milwaukee Bucks. A franchise that is a bit adrift at the moment. I'm gonna go. Yaxel Lindenborg from Michigan. You know, consensus first team All American, one of the three best players, four best players in the country last season. Big Ten Player of the Year. Averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists. Better than a steal and a block per game. He turned himself. Had he gone pro a year ago, I, I, somewhere in like probably best case scenario, 26, 27. Worst case scenario, 34, 35, 36. And now look at him. He's a lottery lock. He is old. He's 23 now, I believe, but out. Outstanding defensive player, can shoot from deep, really good passer, can put the ball on the deck, can get to the hoop. I don't know if he's gonna go top 10. I think he should be mocked in this general range like I think he, I think you can justify putting Londonborg. The age is what's going to hold him back. Like if he was doing everything he's doing and he was, I, it's just the way that these front offices think about this. If he was going to be 21 in July and he was doing all this, Lindenborg is going to be in the top six or seven in this draft. But because there's so many more talent, talented players that are so much younger than him. He's 23. He's going to drop. I love him. 10 to Milwaukee. I think Milwaukee should, should desperately want a player that's this well rounded, well developed, two way player on a, from you know, a national championship pedigree, smart. You know, you watch the, the Made for March documentary that as much as anything else is going to tell you so much about who he is and how he's built and how he's wired. So yeah, I've got him. They're going to 10. I don't think he falls out of the lottery. If he does, it's going to be a classic case of the NBA overthinking it with the age. But yeah, 10 to the bucks, that's where I got him.
- [52:59]
Gary Parrish
If you're going to stay in the Giannis business, I don't mind drafting a 23 year old. If you're going to get out of the Giannis business. You're probably rebuilding at that point. His age does matter to me in Milwaukee, but either way, if he doesn't go there, the warriors are on the clock next. That's a win now situation. So somebody in a win now situation is going to say let's take the 23 year old who was awesome for the best team in the country and, and plug and play. So whether it's to Milwaukee or Golden State, it, it'll be somewhere, I think in the lottery. 11th pick, Warriors. I've got him taking Yaxel's teammate, a Daimara 73 center out of Michigan. 12.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.4 assists. On the offensive end, incredible passer at his size. You can run offense through him. Defensive end, he was a part of the best defensive team in the country. Altering shots and just being a big presence. He's a non shooter. That's an issue. They're going to try to pull him out, make him guard in space. That could be an issue. But being big is back in style and this is a guy who could help the warriors be a better basketball team theoretically next season. I don't think he's getting out of the lottery even though nobody would have or very few people would have anticipated that in the preseason. This is a byproduct of a lot of different things, but you know, among them, when you have incredible team success, it makes people take closer look at everybody. And I think Yaxel, Adai and yeah, Morris Johnson Jr. They're all benefiting from that.
- [54:28]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, nobody had him top 20. Very few would have even had him mocked in the first round at the start of the season because he just. McKron didn't get enough out of him out of UCLA. He goes to Michigan and Dusty unlocks him. You've got similar storylines, different players, but you know, he did this with Danny Wolf who went to Brooklyn in the first round a year ago and now and he brings him over from Yale where Danny Wolf was very, very productive as an Ivy League player. Now a Dai Mara, different kind of player I understand, but another front court player nonetheless whose draft stock just completely changed as a result of going and playing in Ann Arbor. He's the first Big Ten player with 400 plus points and 100 plus blocks this season since Greg Odin, who by the way was the number one pick, wasn't the best player from that draft, but he was the number one pick back in 07 out of Ohio State and Mara had 97 assists and 103 blocks last season. There hasn't been another player in the past 15 years of Division 1 to get at least 97 dimes and more than 100 blocks. So good on him. Golden State, you know, Steve Curse coming back on a two year contract. Steph Curry's in the twilight of his career. Draymond Green's in the twilight of his career. What's going to happen with Jimmy Butler in that contract situation? From, from an NBA side of it, you know, this draft pick is really fascinating because like who can you get to try and nudge you into out of the playing game to get you. Can you get to the five seed again? Can you, can you do something that gets you into the four seed spot? We've got him here at 11. To me that feels like Mara's absolute best case scenario. But I don't see him falling out of 15 or 16. His lottery buzz has gotten extremely noisy in the past few weeks. I've got the evens. We'll move along to Oklahoma City who does not need another player. They already have enough. We've got AJ Mitchell who's like what, the 13th guy on the roster who's showing up big time in playoff games.
- [56:03]
Gary Parrish
He's about to be like the fourth guy on the roster.
- [56:06]
Matt Norlander
Crazy man. Sam Presti has absolutely hacked this entire thing. And if you go and look at every future draft, it's just one after another. They have the right to all these picks. I'm going to give them Nate out of Tennessee now. Amen. Stock is all over the place. A year ago he was in the conversation. Oh, if he plays well, Tennessee could be a top five pick. Battled an ankle injury. Here are his stats. 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists on 39.9 shooting. Here's the troubling stat and a lot of us to keep in mind. There's concerns about the ankle and just his health and he didn't pop the way they thought that he would pop. Scouts did for for some of the season. Last season there has only been one player in the past 50 years. 50 to shoot below 40% from the field on 400 plus field goal attempts. This isn't one player drafted at 6:10 or taller. Okay. It was Darius Rice out of Miami who was the nephew of Jerry Rice. He never played in the NBA. 6:10 or taller, shoot below 40 from the field and get at least 400 field goal attempts to try and do it. That just happened with Nate. Amen. So you are hearing A little bit of like, could this dude fall out of the lottery? I don't think that he will because if you look at the high school tape, there was still plenty enough. There he is 610 mature player. some, at some points he was the go to guy. Sometimes it was Jacoby Gillespie. Oklahoma City can flat out afford to draft someone like Amen with the chance that the upside hits and then no one will be shocked whatsoever. So that's why I send Nate to okc. But there is some discussion if he could fall to 14, could he fall to 16? I don't think so. And so I'm sending him to the best team in the NBA.
- [57:40]
Gary Parrish
In my actual mock over at CBSSports.com I've got a DiMara going 12th to the Thunder with the idea being, and this is the luxury of being them. Like at some point you can't avoid Isaiah Hartenstein anymore and it might be this offseason. It's like a team option for 30 million roughly. You can't, you don't want to pay that because of all the things it complicates. So you just let him walk and you draft a Dai Mara, you turn that $30 million salary into three, two, whatever it is and keep it moving. They're, they're, they're set up as well as anybody. Nate Amen would obviously be an incredible luxury because then it's like if it hits, I know we just got a top five talent that we could be patient with and if it doesn't hit, so what? We've still got the best team in the world by far. 13th pick Miami Heat. I've got to take a LeBaron Phylon 63 guard out of Alabama. Played more on the ball in his sophomore season than he did in his freshman season. He was awesome because of it. 22 points, five assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals. Above 50% from the field, right at 40% from three more than six attempts per game, 80% from the free throw line. So the statistical stuff is strong. Only shot 31% from the, from three in the. In his freshman season. So perhaps, you know, you're hoping that's just not a one season sample size as opposed to a sign of where he's at as a shooter. But NATO put the ball in his hand and he was spectacular. I don't think it's hard to envision this guy scoring points in the NBA for a long time.
- [59:15]
Matt Norlander
It's not hard for me to envision the Phylon Buzz going into the top 10 within the next few weeks. He would have been drafted a year ago in the first round. His outcome is probably better than Yaxels at that point and he has turned that into top 20 lock status and very likely into the lottery. We've got him here at 13. I'm not saying it will happen. I'm saying if we get to the draft night and we are talking about lebaron, Phylon has been selected ninth. I won't be surprised at all and I think it's entirely defensible. He can be a blur with the ball in his hand. First power conference player with at least 20 points and 5 assists per game on at least 50 field co shooting a good and important qualifier. Last guy to do that was Evan Turner with Ohio State in his national player of the year campaign 16 years ago in the tournament specifically for Phylon. 24.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists per game in three games during the tournament for the Tide. Yeah, I love the pick here from Miami. I think they'd be more than delighted to see him drop. I he's a little bit slender, you know. You know I, I he might have me by two or three pounds. He's listed at what, 63175. I'm 631-72173 after a big meal maybe you get me up to 174. So he's got to put on some pounds but good lord I love watching him play and create off the dribble good with the passing lanes. GP I love this pick out of you and if not for the reasons that I explained with AMENT and OKC and the affordability there like probably would have gone file on there but, but I love it in a big way.
- [60:57]
Gary Parrish
Okay.
- [60:58]
Matt Norlander
I got the last pick. I think a little bit of a swing here. Yeah but this player was really good over the over the final quarter stretch of the season had it had one of statistically literally like the two or three greatest debuts by a freshman in the history of the sport. Co opied out of Arizona power forward 68240 elite athlete. Doesn't have the long range shot yet but like just have again having seen Arizona in person so many times this season he can handle in traffic. Great, great first bounce, elite second bounce, good passing vision. His number specifically 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game. Shot 53% from the field. He actually averaged just A tick under 18 points and 7.3 rebounds in his last six games on 49 shooting this final pick of the lottery. I, I think it's really intriguing. I saw this chat mentioned Han Steinbach, who has some ridiculous numbers out of a relevant Washington team and his measurements. Like we're about to have the combine here. Like he's going to be physically impressive and he might, he might make it impossible for either OKC at 12, Miami at 13 or Charlotte at 14 to say we just can't not take them. When you look at that, I get all that co opit is a. He's just one of those special kind of athletes where 1. He's probably amazing at almost everything he wants to do athletically, physically, no matter the sport. And he's ready to play 27 minutes from. I'm not talking from a productivity standpoint. I'm talking from a physicality standpoint. Like he could play in the playoffs right now. He is built for it. And I understand there's been a little of like, well, could he like, test his stock and go back to Arizona? I've been told that is not, that's not it. That's. That's off. That's off the table. That's not going to happen. So while Pete could drop to 18 or 19 and that wouldn't surprise me, man, if I'm the Hornets, I, I don't know this, this. I, I do particularly like, I like this fit and I like what he. I like his upside swing. I don't think he's going to be ultra consistent. But you're at the 14th pick overall and a loaded draft, so that's my pick. What do you make of it? And had you had the 14th pick, would you have gone here?
- [63:15]
Gary Parrish
I might have gone Steinbach. I would not have gone Pete. I'm not as high on him as some. Not as low on him as some. But I do have concerns about how the game translates to the NBA. I told you weeks ago, if I were him or his family, I would have seriously considered doing another year of college and maximizing that just getting out of this deep draft. Like, like, even if he goes 14th in this draft, it, it, it's, it's. It'd be higher. The same player goes higher in the next one and you could make a lot of money while developing at Arizona. But whatever, it's his decision to make. I'm sure he'll be fine either way. I probably should worry about my own son's, not somebody else's. I'm sure he'll be fine, but I'm not as low as some people are because I, I know, some are just out like he's like, just. I don't see how that translates worthy of a top 20 pick. I'm not quite there because I think that's a little bit forced for the tree stuff. Like at some point this guy's won big things with USA Basketball. He's won big things everywhere. At some point he impacts winning. You're just better for having have him than not. But I don't know where exactly that is in the teens. I think it's probably in the teens somewhere, but maybe closer to 19 than. Than 13.
- [64:31]
Matt Norlander
That's a mock draft. That's a lottery mock draft.
- [64:33]
Gary Parrish
That's a lottery mock draft.
- [64:34]
Matt Norlander
That's a show before we get there. Like we're. We'll have at least one more mock draft show, if not another one. But. Oh, look at that, Josh with the coverage on, on this, on the screen here. If you're watching on YouTube there, there's our one through. There's so many good players after this too. So we'll get into that more as we get deeper here. But you know, reacting off of what we had yesterday night, we finally have an order here and, and the Wizards, man. How about that? Good on, good on Washington. I just, I don't think they're. I don't think you shift off the number one pick even a loaded draft like this, you've got someone out there like Monster where you know, by drafting him. Last thing, let's wrap because we both got to go here. I believe. From DeBonsa to Peterson to Boozer Caleb Wilson to Darius Acuff Jr. To Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler and Mike L. Brown Jr. To me, the player that has the best combination of upside and I think the Bonsa has the. I think the Bonsa has higher upside than even Peterson. But the upside, the superstar factor, the megawatt celebrity, everything to just re energize a franchise. DeBonsa, he's got it more than any other prospect in this draft, in my opinion. And that's why I think they stick with him. And he gets drafted to number one
- [65:48]
Gary Parrish
on Shouts to Devin Downey Shouts to Chester, South Carolina. Terry Teagle legend Huck Larnell Harmo. If you're not subscribed, please go subscribe anywhere you subscribe podcast like Apple and Spotify. There's more of us than there are of them that needs to be reflected in the comments. So please do that. And we're going to talk to you again later on this week. We're going to talk to you again real soon. Till then, take you.
- [66:20]
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