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The Athletic NBA Daily
The NBA Draft Preview With Krysten Peek
00:34:49
Hoops Adjacent David Aldridge sits down with Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports to talk all things NBA Draft 2024, and although regarded as an underwhelming draft, they discuss why it may not be all that bad. They also go deep on a few potential picks, and Krysten gives her take on Zach Edey's NBA future.
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- [00:00]
David Aldridge
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- [02:50]
Kristen Peak
And it's another hoops adjacent here on the Athletic NBA Show David ALDRICH Here in D.C. marcus is couple covering fast people running trying to make the Olympic team. It's too important to handle for he's got to be on site. So he's going out there. We are joined. I am joined. This is wonderful. Been wanting to have around for a long time. Kristen Peak covers the NBA, covers the draft so well for Yahoo Sports. Thank you for joining us. I know how busy you are right now.
- [03:19]
Marcus
Thanks for having me. I mean like this whole week, it's like Christmas morning slash graduation. I've been covering these players, these kids, kids ever since they were some of them 15, 16 and even today our mutual friend, my co worker Vinnie, he sent me a text because he's at the draft media day and availability. I'm in Los Angeles. We have a live show tomorrow. Yeah, so Vinnie texted me and he said, he's like, hey, I'm gonna talk to Reed Shepherd. I'm gonna talk to this guy, this guy, this guy. And he said, and so he said, read Shepard. I was like, oh, tell him happy birthday. It's his birthday today. He's like, why do you know that? Why do you know it's Reed Shepherd's birthday? And then he said that Reed was really impressed with him that he was like, oh, you know it's my birthday. So right out here like you know, making other people look good. But yeah, the draft is, the draft is so fun. And you know, this year, especially with all the uncertainty, it's going to be organized chaos I think on draft night.
- [04:19]
Kristen Peak
Okay, so let's get, you know, everybody, I shouldn't say everybody. The general consensus is that this is not the greatest draft. And I always say it's just not great at the top. That's all that. I mean you just don't have the normal three or four guys that are lock cinch lottery picks at the top who have a chance to become superstars, who are viewed as having a chance to become superstars. But guess what? You always have a superstar to come out of every game. 2013, the first pick was Anthony Dennett. The 15th pick was out of Santokoun. 27th pick was Rudy Garbera. So I don't think this draft is that bad. What? But you, you know more about this than I do. What do you think?
- [05:01]
Marcus
No, you hit it right on the head. I mean when we're looking at this draft as a whole, last year you're drafting a franchise changing superstar and Victor Wembanyama next year with Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey, you know that you're adding something special to the franchise. There are so many question marks across the board. I think the decision makers, the GMs, everyone that is making the call on draft night is really going to have to rely on their scouting department to kind of find the best fit for their team to become that championship caliber team to, to become that playoff contending team. And that's what's going to make it so fun, you know. So we're not going to see those players where you're going to be building around them. It's more complimentary pieces and the best fit. So it's more not it. There's a little bit of both. It's best fit but also best player available that we're going to be seeing in the first night of the draft.
- [05:55]
Kristen Peak
I just think, tell me if you think I'm wrong but my theory of the case with this draft is that you really, this is a draft where you, because the variance is so high, because the possibility of swinging and missing is so great at the top of the draft it really moves you to just take the best basketball player like and not worry about re. Don't worry about. Well Dalton Connect is 23. So what? He can play. He's a good basketball player. You know, he's a good basketball player. He has a body of work that shows you he's a good basketball player. So I, what do you think about that?
- [06:32]
Marcus
I think I know there is something to be said about that. I think this year especially it is the perfect draft for a player like Dalton Connect, for a player like Zach Edie, these four year players where you know, if when the team isn't sure of what they're getting they can look over a four or five year body of work and see that improvement, see how that they can slide into their system, into their program, into their franchise. So it is one of those like best case scenario for both Dalton and other four year players like Zach and Shannon Jr. And Kevin McCaller Jr. Those four year guys where there's going to be a lot of value for them. I think, you know, just with teams not wanting to take a swing and a miss, they want to get the sure thing. So yeah, but I also think. And you say Dalton Connect but you look at the lottery as a whole and I want to say everyone that's projected in the lottery except for maybe two or three players are all 18 and 19. This is a very young draft and I know we see that consistently every year. But there's three things that NBA teams really value in a Lottery pick in that's upside, length and youth. So we're, it doesn't matter with nil with everything with four year players, we're still going to see that value especially at the top of the draft for the one and done for the younger European talent.
- [07:52]
Kristen Peak
Right? I know, I know. I just think there's going to be a lot of guys, there's going to be a lot of disappointment and not because these are bad kids, but they're just not quite as good as some of the other years of drafts. At the top especially. I just like, I unfortunately spend a lot of time with the Wizards. So I mean I think it seemed like the Wizards that's at the bottom and they're just starting to rebuild and they have to, they can't afford to miss any year, you know, like they can't miss this year, they certainly can't miss next year, you know, like so teams that are rebuilding, boy, you have got to make sure that people you're bringing in can play. Because missing now on a rebuild is, it's like two years worth of missing because you, you know, you just, you can't come back from having a top five pick flop. You just can't. I think it's really hard to come back from that.
- [08:45]
Marcus
Yeah, no, you're absolutely right. And that's why I talk to teams that are sitting in that 7 to 11 range or I talk to other outlets and those sort of areas, they're like, can you believe, can you believe the Jazz? They fell to 10. I said why is that a bad thing? Especially in this draft, I would much rather be then be at 4 or 5. I think honestly the draft is going to start at 5 depending on what happens at 1. And I think that's where we're going to start seeing, you know, players move up, players fall because if Donovan Clinton doesn't go number one to Atlanta, I think because of team fit, I don't think he goes to San Antonio. I know he worked out for the Detroit Pistons. He'll be at play for Detroit. But then after that you're going to start seeing Portland maybe entertain moving up, Memphis possibly moving up. So I think that is where the draft starts tomorrow night on Wednesday. Is that five pick number five.
- [09:40]
Kristen Peak
Yeah. I do wonder what Atlanta is going to do because clearly Alexander Saar is not all that enthused about playing there. So, so you're, you have a decision to make about that pick and your rumors about San Antonio trying to move up to get that pick. I don't know if it's for Rishi Shay or someone else. But it. It's. It's interesting now you've seen all it. Well, there's a. There's a bunch of things going through my head, but I just wonder, like, you're Atlanta. You're sitting there. You can do whatever you want. You can take whoever you want, including Alex Sar. You can tell him you don't want to play here. Fine. Go pounce Sand. Go play. And go play in France again for two more years. Come back. You know, you can come back in a year or two and put your name in the draft again. But until then, you know, we're going to. We think you're worth waiting for. What. What would you do if you were the Hawks and the guy who is the. Not consensus number one, but a lot of people think is the best prospect in this draft is like, pass.
- [10:40]
Marcus
I would take Riseshay. I mean, I think there's a lot of value and overlooked value at the wing position and especially with his size and just, you know, how well he shoots the ball. And we look at where OKC did, we talk about rebuild, right? And what OKC did with the rebuild. I think people are forgetting that OKC and the Thunder and the Pistons started their rebuild the exact same year. Where were the Thunder this year? Okay. And every draft, you kind of. It was like a head scratcher. It's like, huh, okay. Jalen Williams and the for 12 from Santa Clara. Oh, another Jalen Williams. You drafted to Jalen Williams. Cool. Oh, Kayson Wallace. What are you doing? Taking case and Wallace, like, you already got Shay, you got Josh Giddy, he fit seamlessly. So. And what. What I think Sam Presti did such a brilliant job doing is he got his superstar in Shay, he got his unicorn in Chet. Then what he did to keep people guessing was he got those long wings that have the defensive versatility and also offensive output to just keep every team guessing. Like.
- [11:45]
Kristen Peak
Right.
- [11:45]
Marcus
And so when I look at Risache, I see a lot of characteristics similar to that in him. And why not? Why wouldn't you want someone that can be slid in to multiple positions on the court? We're talking about the game becoming more positionalist, and I think he kind of. With his upside and just what he showed an improvement over one season right in France. I mean, to me, he's. He's the number one pick.
- [12:12]
Kristen Peak
Yeah. I. Look, you have spent a lot of time and it's. It is really. It's under reported, I think. And I. I know lots of people have but the emergence, almost domination of the French program is remarkable. You know, the speed with which it had happened. And obviously the French national program was, was very good for a long time. Obviously Tony Parker, you know, all of the players that played there, Fournier, all of those guys, they, they built a great standard and Asbel's been a great program for a long time. But the level of improvement of their guys like Rise Ashe, like Daddy A, like there's so many guys that are in this dress. Salon is another one is in the dress.
- [13:06]
Marcus
Yeah.
- [13:06]
Kristen Peak
Jinka is another Jean shot. It's another one in the strap. So they, they're churning them out. How did that happen? What do you think happened?
- [13:14]
Marcus
Listen, I just wrote on this last week, I'm calling it, I'm coining the term Wimby Wave and, and it's not stopping anytime soon. Next year we're going to have a top five point guard coming out of France. We got to see him at Nike Hoop Summit. NBA scouts and executives were like blown away by Nolan Traore. So that's coming right after the draft. I'm going over to Istanbul, Turkey along with a several scouts to go to the U17 Fiber World cup where of course the US talent is loaded with AJ DeBonsa, Cameron Boozer, Tyron Stokes, Pete. But the French team is pretty good too. There's a 15 year old that's playing up. No Nathan Solomon who is being touted as the next one up. And when I talk to, you know, people over in France, when I talk to international scouts, the general feeling is you're seeing these players that grew up playing against or with Victor Wimbanyama at some stage in their career. So now they're seeing him and Bilal and their success in the NBA and they're not afraid. It's no longer, oh my gosh, we're gonna. The NBA is this far fetched goal. They're saying no. We have now seen multiple people that we have played with or played against make it and we can make it too. Why can't we make it? That's the first thing. The second thing is the development there is significantly different than it is here. I think here is a lot of isoball, you know, trying to like really it's, it's one on one. It's, it's that last second shot. You want to be fading away, yelling, Kobe stuff, whatever, right? And, and over in Europe it's making the extra pass. There's a lot of team ball. So when you're having these international prospects enter The NBA draft and now getting into the NBA. And they're not necessarily the victor Wembanyama, but you can, you could put them on the court because they play team basketball and they don't need the ball in their hands to be impactful. That's, that's the value that teams are seeing in these international prospects, particularly coming out of France.
- [15:21]
Kristen Peak
So how important will the Olympics be for them? Host nation, obviously, Victor playing, obviously, you know, like it's going to be a big, big deal. And so how important is that? How can they take another jump? I guess I would say if they do well in the Olympics this year, Absolutely.
- [15:38]
Marcus
Absolutely they can. I think Team usa, they're not walking into this Olympics like it's going to be an easy vacation and we get to play a couple of basketball games. I think when you're looking at France, when you're looking at Canada, right, and Spain and Serbia, even the Bahamas looks very talented. You know, it's becoming more and more of a universal game. And I think that's what I enjoy the most about, about it. Not only because I get to travel and get to see these kids now around the country, but just that it's no longer that when it's universal, then it's. It's more of like, okay, everyone belongs, you know, so when you say world champions now, I remember that used to be a thing. It's like world champions of what? You know, but now that the game is getting way more universal, I think, you know, that's, that's a step in the right direction for the NBA.
- [16:33]
Kristen Peak
I used to get so much. Back in the days when you got mail, Kristen, I used to get so much. I used to get very angry letters from people around the world saying they're, they are not the world champions, they're the NBA champions, you know, so. Because the world championships and now the World cup is everything. And it was always fascinating to me that the rest of the world views the World cup as the most important thing and the United States use the Olympics as the most important thing. And it's just kind of weird. And I don't know why that is, but that's still the way it is. Thirty years later, it's on. So. So again at the top, I think a lot of people feel like three might be in play with Houston because they could, you know, they don't really need another young player. And again, if Senator move up, you mentioned Detroit might be amenable for the right offer. Who do you think is the one team that let's not say definitely, but has the best chance of being active in that top seven or eight picks either moving up or moving down.
- [17:38]
Marcus
I think the two teams that I'm hearing the most is Charlotte at 6, wanting to trade up with Houston at 3. I think they're zeroing in. They really love Stefan Castle. So knowing, knowing how well he's worked out for teams leading up to the pre draft process, his improved jumper that we saw in the combine, he finished third in the three point star shooting drill. I don't think he's going to be sitting there at 6. So if they really want, if they really want Steph Castle, they're probably going to have to move up to three to make sure he doesn't slide to four to San Antonio. I've heard, you know, Jayshawn Tate kind of be in that conversation with trade options for Houston there. They might be shopping him around, but that is definitely a possible option. And I also think Memphis, Memphis could either trade up. They need some help in the front court and in the along the perimeter. They can either trade up or trade back. Like there is value in the mid, mid first round to the 20s where you know you can get an Eve Missy, you can get a Khalil where someone that you don't necessarily want to take at nine and there might be someone there like Devin Carter where a team like Miami or the Lakers or even Orlando that want to trade up to try to get Devin Carter or Bub Carrington and kind of play, play that way. So this is, this is what I mean about like draft week and we're all trying to figure everything out. I this draft specifically. I think there's just going to be. It's not going to be chalk across the board. I think we're going to see some movement, even some, some teams moving into the first round. I think the 21 of the 25th or 26th pick that the Knicks have, I hear that's up for grab. So. Right. I'm excited. I had a team say to me, they said they're like, oh, are you ready for draft week? And I said absolutely. I'm not the one making the picks.
- [19:31]
Kristen Peak
I won't get fired if I pick her off. Absolutely. Absolutely. I am intrigued by the guards. There's a whole bunch of them intrigued by. You mentioned a couple of them. I love Bub Carrington. I love Nick here. I think he's going to be a really good player. Lane Castle is going to be a really good player. The two Kentucky kids, you know, are Dillingham And Shepard obviously are going to be good players. I think McCain has a chance to be a really good player. How do you kind of sort those guards out? They're all kind of comboish. Well, Deli Ham isn't. He's got to be a one in the league, but he's going to be a really fast one. But how do you, how do you separate them? The non Castle guards?
- [20:09]
Marcus
Yeah. What's so interesting, and we talk about this being the perfect draft for, for select battle players. I think this is the perfect draft if you are a small guard, if you are an undersized guard. Because like you said, you mentioned Rob Dillingham. He came in at six one and a half, 164 pounds of the combine. Reed shepherd, six two, probably one of the best shooters in the top five, which is why we're seeing him valued as, as a higher prospect because of his shooting ability and also like his athleticism. I don't think any of us expected him to have a 42 inch max vert at the combine. Yeah, tying for the highest. And then you talk about Devin Carter. He's been someone that's been a fast riser, just his athleticism and what he showed at the combine and he's been really, really good in his workouts from the things that I've been hearing. So he's, he's a player like you said, that teams could be targeting and moving up. So there's a lot of value at the guard position. I don't know what the pecking order is going to be because when you have someone like Jared McCain who's going to be a great culture guy, someone that is, is going to be a hard worker, you know exactly what you're getting. Again with a player like him, he's a great shooter but a little undersized. His defensive foot speed isn't great. Yeah, but if you are Oklahoma City and you don't necessarily need someone or you're not, you just want someone culturally to come in and be a good fit. I think he's a great fit there. And also Jacoby Walter, another Texas kid out of Baylor. And I think what we're learning with the Baylor track record is that players that are guards, especially they're coming out of Baylor, Baylor are far exceeding what they did in college we saw with Keonte George this year. I think we're going to see something similar with Jacoby Walter next year.
- [22:00]
Kristen Peak
I think Houston is the same, you know, because I think Kelvin does a great job prepping those guys. Yeah, a guy Like Jamal Shed, who's probably, but probably the best on ball defender coming in the draft or one of the two or three. Right. I think he sticks. Absolutely. He's going to make it because those guys mention, you know.
- [22:19]
Marcus
Yeah, I, I was talking to an agent and I said, oh, okay. So he had a different, he had a different player that's a projected second rounder. I said, oh, I thought you were going in for this workout this day. And he's like, oh, no, no, no, I'm not putting my player in the same workout with Jamal Shed. That's not happening. I'm like, oh, that's smart. I wouldn't either.
- [22:41]
Kristen Peak
Yeah, no, no, that kid's going to be good. That one thing, Kristen, I always want to know from teams and I want to know from you as well, is when you have a team, let's just say UConn for example, just because it's, it's an obvious example. We have so many guys on a team that are all projected to be first round picks. Right. So that team had Castle, they had Donovan Quingen. Now maybe Spencer's not a first round pick, but he's going to get drafted. Right. So those guys, you had a bunch of guys who are going to be drafted on the same team. I always wonder how you evaluate a team when their skill set may not be, may not be what the team needs in a particular year. Right. And so.
- [23:29]
Marcus
Right.
- [23:30]
Kristen Peak
Like I, I keep hearing this from people and I tend to believe it. For example, Clingan shot eight threes in two years. This is not what he does. He catches the ball, he dumps it. I get it, that's fine. Shot 64%. But in the end day, it's going to have to shoot threes. And you keep, you keep asking people and they keep saying the same thing. Well, I watched him in practice, I watched him in warm ups and he wasn't bad. Like his shot's not broken. How do you evaluate the pro potential of a guy who may not have been able to show you that pro skill on a team that's loaded, whether it's Yukon, Kentucky, all of those teams that have multiple potential first round guys.
- [24:07]
Marcus
I think especially when you're looking at Donovan Clinton and also Zach Edie for that matter. He only attempted 13 in four years and he baked it in. A lot was riding on how well they were going to shoot at the combine because remember this is the first year where every single player both here in the states and in the European combine, they had to go through measurements Right. And if able, they had to go through agility and shooting testing, which was absolutely awesome. Like there was no ducking. Nobody could duck.
- [24:36]
Kristen Peak
We all knew make them play. But that's okay.
- [24:39]
Marcus
Yeah. But even. You know what was actually really nice, David, is that even the players that were electing to play in the five on five scrimmages, it wasn't one of those. Everybody played both days. Nobody played one day and then shut it down. Everybody came there to compete and play. And I really appreciate that. I think players really help them themselves. But I think there was a lot on the line with Donovan and with Zach and their outside shooting and they shot the three ball. I mean it's not pretty by any means, but yeah, Zach's shot went in quite a few times. Like he kind of has this like little slingshot.
- [25:15]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [25:16]
Marcus
You know, with like a, with his eight foot wingspan or whatever it is. But yeah, I think that. And then also you have to remember Derek Lively last year when he was at Duke. He wasn't utilized at all in the pick and pop and in screen and roll. He was just a rim runner. And then you get to his pro day, his clutch pro day last year and all the NBA guys were like, oh my gosh, he can space the floor, he can extend. Look at his footwork, look how, look how mobile he is. And he became a lottery pick on a championship caliber team in his rookie year. So I think a lot of teams really value this pre draft process. Getting the players in the, in their facility if they can for a one on zero one on whatever work, three on three workout. And also, and also the pro days.
- [26:09]
Kristen Peak
Yeah. You mentioned eating. He's moving up fast. Fast like he is. You know, he's not in the lottery, but he's not far off of the lottery. Now you. What was that reaction?
- [26:29]
Marcus
Listen, I, I understand I have had to kind of soften my tone on Zach Edie. Right. I actually wrote, I wrote on him two weeks ago and I filed it to my editor and I said this was way more positive than I initially set out for it to be. Right. So I am slow. I too am slowly coming around on the Zach Edie experience. Right. Do I think he is going to be a massively contributing center in the NBA? No, he's going to be a backup. He's probably going to play 10 to 15 minutes per game. Remember he's 7 4, 7 5, 300 pounds.
- [27:07]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [27:07]
Marcus
The durability of an 82 game season. I see that being a problem. I also see it being a Problem? The fact that he's going to be hunted in the pick and roll constantly until he's off the court and so does. Can he anchor a secondary unit defense? Yes. Is that worth a pick in the lottery? Absolutely not. But I do know teams like Portland really like him, you know, so that stretch at 14. Yeah, could happen. Which is crazy to me. I've been told by multiple people in the league that they're, they're expecting him to be off the board by 20. So 19 to Toronto, kind of going home and being that hometown hero. He's playing for the Canadian national team this year for the Olympics. That feels like an okay fit. But I am very skeptical about him being the outlier on four year centers coming into the league and being productive.
- [28:02]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [28:02]
Marcus
Luca Garza disappeared. Yeah. At Kansas disappeared. I understand that he also is 5 inches taller and so that gives him a little more wiggle room. But I, I am sitting on the half glass empty on, on Zach Ed being a productive center in the NBA.
- [28:23]
Kristen Peak
Okay, I know what you're saying. Look, there's no question defensively it's going to be a struggle. But as you mentioned, you're not drafting him to stardom. He's not started like you're drafting him to be on, to come off the bench and hopefully be a guy that you can for five minutes throw the ball to on every possession. And guess what? He's not going to score every time, but he's going to score a lot, you know, or he's going to draw a foul and he's, you know, he's going to impact the game in some ways that are positive, very positive offensively for you. But. Yeah, I hear you. I mean, you've got to be. Look, the first question I've always heard is asked is who does he go guard? Whoever you're talking about, who's he guard before? Can he score? No. Who does he guard in the NBA?
- [29:06]
Marcus
Exactly.
- [29:07]
Kristen Peak
And Zach E. To guards. Nobody in the NBA. Like there's nobody he could guard, you know, like unless. Well, there's nobody. I mean, I just don't even.
- [29:16]
Marcus
Adams maybe somebody like.
- [29:19]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [29:19]
Marcus
Donovan clinging.
- [29:22]
Kristen Peak
I'm a Donovan clinging guy. I think the wizard should take clinging it too and not think twice about it because they are catastrophically bad defensively. They are so bad I don't even know where to start. They're so bad you have to draft, start dressing somebody that can stop somebody from scoring. But yeah, I hear you, I hear you. I mean, there's not many people, but the league is Sort of slowly going back towards big. And you know, the size is starting to matter again in the NBA. That.
- [29:57]
Marcus
But is it because I. Yes. Is it. Is it in terms of like size or is it in terms of what we're seeing as a traditional back to back center, what Edie kind of possesses. I get the size thing because we're seeing Wimby, we're seeing Chet, even like Carl Anthony Town stretch the floor. Even Nas Reed, like one of my favorite stories of the year, being able to stretch the floor. So if you can't be that floor spacer, I don't think it's trending back to like the Shaq and Hakeem days.
- [30:28]
Kristen Peak
No, no, no, no, it's not. I'm not saying that you're going to. That you're going to have 20ft in the pain. That's not what I'm saying. But what I'm saying is that there is. People are starting to see again that there is like, go bear.
- [30:41]
Marcus
Like, right.
- [30:42]
Kristen Peak
You have to get something out of him. You can't just. He can't be a null set on offense for the money he's getting paid. You have to do. He has to do something offensively. And so I think that's where the. Edie fits in. Again, as a backup, not as a starter, but.
- [30:58]
Marcus
Right.
- [30:59]
Kristen Peak
Okay. If we're drafting him, we have to give him the ball. Otherwise why is he here, you know, like. So I think he can be relatively effective. He is 7, 4, 2, 90. He's a big human being who can. Who's got some. I put it this way, he is what everybody hoped Drew Timmy would be. Right? Like, everyone's like, Drew, Timmy's been such a great player in college and he just. There was nothing he could do offensively in the NBA. I can't. He can't do anything to score.
- [31:29]
Marcus
Yeah.
- [31:30]
Kristen Peak
I can't throw him. I can't throw him the ball. He can't face up. He can't break guys off the dribble. He's decent three point shooter, but not, not nothing special. Like I can't. He doesn't score. So it's four and five. Whereas with Zach Edie, if he gets position, and he may not every time, but when he gets position, something.
- [31:48]
Marcus
Yeah, it's automatic. You know what I mean?
- [31:50]
Kristen Peak
But I get it. It's. It's. It's polarizing. I'm not saying a great. I'm just saying I can understand sort of why that's why it's happening. Kristen, give me, give me A sleeper. Give me somebody that, that it's going to be taken in the first round and everybody's gonna go. What?
- [32:06]
Marcus
I don't know if he's so much a first round sleeper anymore, but Daron Holmes has been a player the, the center out of Dayton that has kind of been climbing up into this. Yes. Well, and I, and it's funny because I keep hearing a promise to Denver, but he canceled his workout and didn't go in, so.
- [32:24]
Kristen Peak
Right.
- [32:24]
Marcus
That, that would be a weird promise to me. You know, I think he could go as high as Milwaukee or New York, you know, but he's someone. Throughout this pre draft process that has really helped himself a lot. I think in the second round is really when it really gets fun. You look at a guy like Enrique Freeman, the best story in college basketball went from a walk on at Akron, became a scholarship player, a starter, worked his way through the pre draft process, was first at Portsmouth and the G League combine, and then he got the call up to the NBA draft combine. And he's someone that's going to get drafted.
- [33:02]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [33:03]
Marcus
Jonathan Mogbo out of, out of San Francisco is another name that I'm getting. I'm hearing a lot, you know, kind of climbing up. And also Oso Iguidaro, the center out of Marquette, he just had a last minute workout with the Celtics and so I don't think he'll be there. I don't think he'll hear his name at 30, but he's someone just with how great of a passer he is with his size in the post. Yeah, that's what's most intriguing for, for a player like Oso Iguidaro.
- [33:30]
Kristen Peak
I love his story. He reminds me of Jared Allen, just a really smart guy. I think smart guys make it because they know their limitations. They don't try to do what they can't do and they focus really much, a lot on what they. And a guy that played really well was a good point guard and he played with Tyler Kolek really well. That leads me to believe, okay, he can do that in the pros. Like he can play with a really. He knows how to play off of a really good point guard, you know, so. Yeah, yeah, I agree with you. I think he's going to be good. Have you seen the young man, Kamche, who played for the African? Yes, yes, yes, I've heard it's the old phrase for Sheila, quote, he's two years away from being two years away. Yes, he's really young and really raw. But second Round. You could do worse. Like mid second round, late second round.
- [34:19]
Marcus
I think he left Nike Hoop Summit with a promise. He's also represented by Clutch and, you know, and it was so funny because we all left Nike Hoop Summit. We're like, yeah, he's good. He should probably go to. He should probably go to school. Like, he could be a first rounder next year. And then within like three days, it's like, no, he's staying in this draft and we're okay. This, this smells like a promise. So, you know, I think a team there probably said, if you are there in the second round, we will take you. But he is a draft and stash project.
- [34:51]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [34:51]
Marcus
To the T. So but again, like in a couple years, like, he could definitely be impactful in the NBA.
- [34:58]
Kristen Peak
All right, I know you're very busy, so I want to get you out on this. What do you love about what you do?
- [35:06]
Marcus
Oh, my gosh. Well, I'm, I. My job is a little different than other NBA draft analysts because I really dive into the high school scene as well. And so I start getting to know these players, these kids when they're 14 or 15. And thankfully I have, you know, the, the space to follow them from high school to college to the NBA, which is really fun for me to kind of see their growth and also very valuable as a journalist because, you know, anytime, anytime you're in the gym constantly with a player, they're going to gravitate towards you, they're going to trust you, they're going to trust your work. So that's. That's honestly, like my favorite part. And like, I literally have no life outside of basketball. Being in the gym, watching film and my dog Gary. That's it. Like, it is. It is those two things my life. But Gary the dog. Yes. Yes. What kind of dog is that? Gary is a cavapoo. So half cavalier, King Charles, half poodle. He looks like a stuffed animal, like a teddy bear. He's so cute. Even though. Let me tell you a story. Gary's kind of become a big deal. Like, I was at U17s. I sat down with the Boozer twins, Cameron, Kate and Boozer for an interview.
- [36:19]
Kristen Peak
Yeah.
- [36:20]
Marcus
And I was like, oh, this is the first time we're sitting down with the three of us and. And I was like, oh, I can't wait to, like, put this on Instagram. And Kaden goes. He's like, oh, yeah, the only place we will only see your dog, Gary. Like, he's like, Gary's.
- [36:37]
Kristen Peak
Gary's a star.
- [36:38]
Marcus
Apparently. Gary's a star. Gary is a star. Yes.
- [36:43]
Kristen Peak
Oh, my goodness. I'm happy for Gary the dog. And I'm happy for you. You do great work, everybody. Read, read. Kristen Pig. She is fantastic. This is awesome. Thank you for joining us again. I know how busy this week is for you and for you to carve out sometime means a lot. I really appreciate it.
- [36:59]
Marcus
Thanks for having me. Anytime.
- [37:01]
Kristen Peak
Of course. Of course. All right, y'all, leave that five star review on Apple, Spotify, Google Play, wherever you get this fine American podcast. And as Marcus will say, if you can't leave five stars, keep it to yourself. You haters. We're going to make you try to guard Zach Gidy in the wrong post.
- [37:29]
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- [38:48]
Kristen Peak
Acast powers the world's best podcasts.
- [38:52]
David Aldridge
Here's a show that we recommend.
- [38:56]
Marc Maron
Hey, folks, it's Marc Maron from WTF. It's been more than 15 years now, and I'm still talking to all kinds of people in my garage every week. Sometimes it's Bill Burr, sometimes it's Ariana Grande.
- [39:09]
Kristen Peak
She just looks at me because she's always going like, dad, it's not that big a deal. Yeah. I go, sorry, I lost my temper. I go, I still love you. You know Daddy has issues. Are you afraid of it?
- [39:19]
Marc Maron
Of death?
- [39:20]
Kristen Peak
Well, I don't know.
- [39:21]
Marc Maron
I think about it all the time.
- [39:22]
Marcus
How are we here already?
- [39:23]
Marc Maron
Listen to WTF with Marc Maron twice a week on your favorite podcast app. Or get more WTF with a WTF plus subscription. Just go to wtfpod.com and click on WTF Plus.
- [39:38]
David Aldridge
Acast helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts everywhere.
- [39:44]
Kristen Peak
Acast.com.