The Ringer NBA Show: Group Chat — "Young Core Rankings, Part 2. Plus, the NBA’s Best Blue-Chip Prospects."
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, J. Kyle Mann
Episode Overview
The Ringer NBA Show’s “Group Chat” crew continues its deep dive into the state of the league’s best young cores, picking up where their previous installment left off. In this second episode, Verrier, Mahoney, and Mann work their way through the top half of the NBA’s "young core" rankings—defined as all players under 25, using Basketball Reference's age-24 season cutoff—and hash out the best blue-chip prospects in the league. The discussion is lively, packed with inside jokes, digressions, and rapid-fire analysis as the group debates nuances ranging from team-building philosophy to specific prospect ceilings.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Setting the Stage: What Makes a "Blue-Chip" Prospect?
[01:01–03:22]
- The team recaps how they arrived at a common definition of “blue chipper”: not just the best young players, but those with the most promising futures.
- Players must be under 25; depth and high-end star power are weighed as each analyst sees fit.
- The episode will move from 15 up to 1 in young core rankings, then shift to ranking the 15 best individual blue-chip prospects in the league.
#15 - New Orleans Pelicans: Promising, But Early
[04:46–13:40]
- Pelicans’ core of Derek Queen ("a maybe, not a blue chipper") and Jeremiah Fears analyzed.
- Queen seen as potentially "the most promising hub option" among young bigs, yet his upside has significant volatility.
- “I think he absolutely has a chance to flirt with All-Star, which I think would make him a blue chipper. He's been sensational.” – Mann [06:41]
- Discussion on Fears’ creativity and “ability to manipulate space and time.”
- “He just dribbles so effortlessly and gets the spots on the floor wherever he wants.” – Mahoney [07:37]
- Skepticism about former hopefuls like Jordan Hawkins, whose shooting hasn’t panned out.
- “Two years of subpar shooting and he's a shooter who is 100 pounds soaking wet. It's not going to work if he can't shoot.” – Verrier [11:51]
- Fit questions between Fears/Queen, but excitement about their energy and marketability for New Orleans.
#14 - Utah Jazz: The Depth, Not the Highs
[13:40–19:02]
- Utah “has a metric [ton] of recent first rounders” but few standouts; Ace Bailey is the most intriguing.
- Cody Williams (10th pick) has “shown no reason to think that he is an NBA player yet.” – Mahoney [14:31]
- Keonte George's diversification as a scorer and off-ball mover noted.
- Ace Bailey likened to a “giant athlete who could probably be a lights out shooter,” but is still finding his role.
- Jazz embody the "quarters" approach—lots of decent prospects, but lack a "dollar" blue-chipper.
#13 - Philadelphia 76ers: Thin But Top-Heavy
[19:02–24:54]
- Only serious maybe blue-chipper: VJ Edgecombe ("irresistible energy, high floor") after flashes as a rookie.
- “I'm having to like pump the brakes for myself with VJ Edgecombe.” – Mahoney [19:47]
- Jared McCain’s defensive liabilities and social media presence briefly lampooned.
- Justin Edwards, Dominic Barlow, Adem Bona, and Jabari Walker as the “Sixers randos” with Barlow as the current favorite.
#12 - Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley, Clear Blue-Chip Centerpiece
[25:06–30:22]
- Mobley is a consensus blue chipper—defensive player of the year, still just 24.
- Question of whether fans will ever be content given his immense potential and high expectations.
- “Will we ever be content with Mobley’s progression, or do we just think so highly of what he could be that he'll never actually make that?” – Verrier [26:10]
- Jaylon Tyson’s emergence as a driver who plays with abandon is a pleasant surprise.
#11 - Washington Wizards: Lottery Hopes & Volatility
[30:24–39:49]
- Alex Sarr (“deep maybe, but a guy I feel strongly about”) headlines a grab-bag of prospects.
- Cam Whitmore benched for “conduct unbecoming of a Wizard.”
- Key debate: Sarr’s pathway vs. Khalil Ware; Sarr remains a higher-floor prospect due to rim protection, improved finishing, and emerging passing.
- Bub Carrington and Keyshawn George have flashed, but the depth is leading to cannibalized opportunities.
- “I’m not super worried about the Wizards. ...Ultimately, Sarr and Keyshawn are showing real development. Everything else is playing with house money.” – Mahoney [39:04]
#10 - Toronto Raptors: Barnes Headlines a Versatile Group
[41:58–47:25]
- Scotty Barnes: “blue chipper, baby”—playing at All-Star/All-NBA level; defensive impact emphasized.
- “He’s probably going to be on the ballot for Defensive Player of the Year if he keeps playing like this.” – Verrier [42:06]
- Colin Murray-Boyles, Jamal Shead, Jacoby Walter discussed as valuable supporting pieces.
- “There's something to recommend about almost every young player the Raptors have.” – Mahoney [44:51]
- Discussion of synergy and potential trade value for Toronto’s collection.
#9 - Charlotte Hornets: Plenty of Maybes, One Connective Star?
[47:25–54:13]
- Con Knipple (“a connective superstar in a lot of ways”) praised as the most steady and scalable talent.
- “I just think that the basic things, he doesn't need to be disabused about what he does. He knows, he does it consistently.” – Mann [48:34]
- Brandon Miller’s injuries, diminished spotlight discussed—but his tools and fit alongside Knipple inspire confidence.
- LaMelo Ball: immense talent, “but he does a lot of dumb stuff.” [52:56]
- The hosts struggle to elevate any Hornet to clear blue-chip status, but Knipple is “flirting with” it.
#8 - Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards and the Rest
[56:01–59:10]
- “Anthony Edwards. That’s all they fucking need.” – Verrier [56:08]
- Wolves’ entire ranking based on Ant; “nailed down the one and most important thing”—a franchise guy.
- “The certainty of who [Edwards] is now is so great.” – Mahoney [58:00]
- Johan Berenger and Jalen Clark acknowledged as rotation-quality assets.
- Rob Dillingham discussed as a polarizing prospect whose fit with the Wolves is unclear.
#7 - Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flag, Depth Rises
[59:10–64:48]
- Cooper Flag: “as blue-chip as they come.”
- Debate over why Mavs rank above Wolves (depth with Max Christie, Ryan Nembhard, plus a solid if concerning Derek Lively).
- Lively’s injuries cause concern (“grimacing” at long-term outlook), but opened minutes for Flag to shine.
#6 - Atlanta Hawks: Jalen Johnson’s Star Leap
[64:50–69:33]
- Jalen Johnson: “22, 10, and 8” guy; “thumper energy … come along further, faster than I ever could have anticipated.” – Mahoney [65:36]
- Dyson Daniels praised defensively, but his offensive “flow-killing” reluctance to shoot threes is a problem.
- Rishachet and supporting group have flashes but lack consistency; questions about upside.
#5 - Orlando Magic: Two Franchise Talents, Fit Questions
[69:33–77:06]
- Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner: both on blue-chip watch, but the pod splits on whether both belong.
- Discussion about Paolo’s deliberate style vs. fitting into flow—“can they fit together to be a contending level team?”
- Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, and Jet Howard round out a well-stocked core with few “misses.”
#4 - Houston Rockets: Two Core Blues, Unmatched Depth
[78:19–84:41]
- Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are both blue chippers; Rockets' depth (Jabari Smith, Reed, Tari Eason) unmatched.
- “A team with all those guys is not even in the top three ... and yet it’s right.” – Mann [79:14]
- Sengun’s passing and defense have both quantum leaped.
- “His ability to manage and orchestrate offense has just hit a totally different level.” – Mahoney [81:45]
- Jabari Smith’s “quietly happening” defensive impact highlighted.
#3 - Detroit Pistons: Cade is Him, Duren on the Rise
[84:41–92:06]
- Cade Cunningham: “one of the three with potential MVP mold” (the other two being Ant and Wemby).
- “If he's both [an offensive engine and an impact defender], he really is a unicorn in himself.” – Mahoney [88:42]
- Jalen Duren is solidly in blue-chip tier (though the pod splits on whether he’s a locked-in blue).
- “He’s already this good and that young and has so much room to grow.” – Mahoney [86:54]
- Supporting maybes: Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson, Beef Stew—all “could be top-100 guys.”
#2 - Oklahoma City Thunder: The Mouse Ladder of Talent
[92:24–98:36]
- Two consensus blue chippers: Jalen Williams (J-Dub) and Chet Holmgren.
- Massive depth, with a “shadow generation” (AJ Mitchell, Topic, Sorber) behind them.
- “The abundance [of talent] is unbelievable.” – Verrier [93:59]
- Chet’s streamlined role fits perfectly; debate on what he could be in another setting.
- On OKC’s internal competition: “It's like, you put a bunch of mice in a bucket together ... instead they just built a little mouse ladder and they're all climbing out together.” – Mahoney [96:42]
- Intrigue over how their players will fare if traded out of OKC’s system.
#1 - San Antonio Spurs: Wembanyama, Castle, Harper = Dynasty Core
[98:38–103:48]
- Wemby is the “bluest blue chipper” imaginable; universally would be the first pick to start a franchise.
- Stephon Castle (“guile performance, blowing away any baseline for what he could be”) and Dylan Harper (“inimitable quality for a ball handler”) both in the blue-chip conversation.
- “I think every team might pick Victor Wembanyama as the guy to restart a franchise with.” – Mahoney [100:28]
- Carter Bryant and Jeremy Sochan (top-100 potential) are luxury depth.
- “It's just a stunning collection of talent … a rock-solid title piece, high-level superstar sort of guys.” – Verrier [101:03]
- Debated whether both Castle and Harper are truly top-15 "blue" prospects—jury’s out; Harper clears, Castle on the cusp.
Blue-Chip Prospect Final Rankings Segment
[103:52–111:26]
The pod closes with everyone picking their personal All-NBA-style teams (not just top 15, but “1st team, 2nd team, 3rd team”):
1st Team (General Consensus)
- Victor Wembanyama
- Anthony Edwards
- Cade Cunningham
- Chet Holmgren
- Cooper Flagg
2nd Team (General Consensus, with minor variation)
- Amen Thompson
- Jalen Williams (J-Dub)
- Evan Mobley
- Jalen Johnson
- Dylan Harper
3rd Team (More Disparate)
- Alperen Sengun
- Scottie Barnes
- Jalen Duren
- Paolo Banchero
- Stefan Castle (or Franz Wagner—Castle getting the nod for blue-chip potential)
Notable Omissions / Fringe Maybes:
- VJ Edgecombe, Con Knipple, Franz Wagner
“Blue chipper’s tough—means top 15 for you. ...I think the only guys in this group that fit [the franchise-changing] bill are Vic, Ant, and Cade.” – Mann [106:13]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Anthony Edwards. That’s all they fucking need.” – Verrier, [56:08]
- “Will we ever be content with Mobley’s progression, or do we just think so highly of what he could be that he'll never actually make that?” – Verrier, [26:10]
- “It's like, you put a bunch of mice in a bucket together ... instead they just built a little mouse ladder and they're all climbing out together...” – Mahoney, [96:42]
- “If you're both [a primary offensive engine and an impact defender], you are a unicorn in yourself.” – Mahoney, [88:42]
- “It's just a stunning collection of talent and it's all within our age bracket somehow as a young core.” – Mahoney, [101:03]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:01 – Defining “blue chipper” & young core parameters
- 04:46 – Pelicans analysis
- 13:40 – Utah Jazz in team-building purgatory
- 19:02 – Sixers, VJ Edgecombe’s emergence
- 25:06 – Mobley as lead blue-chipper, Cavs vs “quarters” approach
- 30:24 – Wizards’ asset jumble and Sarr talk
- 41:58 – Scotty Barnes, Raptors young defensive core
- 47:25 – Hornets and the enigmatic Con Knipple, LaMelo’s trajectory
- 56:01 – Wolves (Anthony Edwards) sharp divergence from the depth teams
- 59:10 – Dallas Mavs Cooper Flag-centric core
- 64:50 – Hawks, Jalen Johnson’s star burst
- 69:33 – Magic: can Paolo & Franz fit vs. pure individual value?
- 78:19 – Rockets: Two blues, immense depth
- 84:41 – Pistons: Cade’s elite defense/offense duality
- 92:24 – Thunder: Depth, fit, and the “mouse ladder” metaphor
- 98:38 – Spurs’ Wemby/Harper/Castle trio, dynasty potential
- 103:52 – Final blue-chip rankings (“All-NBA prospect teams”)
- 110:00–111:18 – Each host gives his personal “team” of blue-chip prospects
- 111:45 – End-of-show banter, gratitude to producers
Tone & Style
- Witty, self-deprecating, and conversational, riddled with inside jokes ("beef Bourgignon" comparisons, Mortal Kombat/Street Fighter asides).
- Playful but rigorous, with hosts holding each other accountable for suspect takes.
- Willingness to challenge each other's rankings, but always with a sense of camaraderie and curiosity.
For New Listeners: Who Should Listen?
This episode is essential for NBA fans interested in:
- Deep prospect and team-building analysis.
- Understanding how the future of the league is being shaped by recent drafts and development.
- The specific qualities that differentiate “just good” from “franchise-changing” young talents.
Key Takeaways
- The young talent in the NBA is deeper and more diverse than ever—team-building questions hinge not just on star power but on fit, volatility, and developmental context.
- Clear blue-chip prospects (Wemby, Ant, Cade, Chet, etc.) are few, but the competition among "maybes" is fierce.
- Teams like the Thunder and Spurs have built not just cores, but potential dynasties—with remarkable flexibility and internal competition as their secret sauce.
- The hosts’ All-NBA-style blue-chip prospect teams offer a new lens for fans to evaluate “who’s next” beyond the current stars.