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Both Sides of the Ball Podcast, Veradale, WA (2026)

08/02/2024

Woke up at 4:00am to watch Greece play against Australia in Men's Olympic Basketball -- and approximately 24 hours from now I'll be keeping an eye on the South Sudan vs Serbia game.

For Greece to qualify for the elimination round, they need Serbia to win by (+3). In the event that South Sudan beat Serbia -- Greece will have to hope for a total blowout differential of (+24) [HIGHLY UNLIKELY].

I think I'm taking a liking to the international game more than the NBA and that says a lot! I'm a die-hard NBA fan.

06/27/2024

“THE NBA DRAFT DIARIES”

Part 6. Final

All of the non-lottery picks
15.) Miami Heat – Kel’el Ware, Center, Indiana.
16.) Philadelphia 76ers – Jared McCain, Guard, Duke.
17.) Los Angeles Lakers – Dalton Knecht, Forward, Tennessee
18.) Orlando Magic – Tristan Da Silva, Forward, Colorado
19.) Toronto Raptors – Ja’Kobe Walter, Forward, Baylor
20.) Cleveland Cavaliers – Jaylon Tyson, Forward, California
21.) New Orleans Pelicans – Yves Missi, Center, Baylor
22.) Phoenix Suns *TRADED to Denver Nuggets* -- DaRon Holmes II, Center, Dayton
23.) Milwaukee Bucks – AJ Johnson, Guard, United States/Ilwarra Hawks (NBL)
24.) New York Knicks *TRADED to Washington Wizards* -- Kyshawn George, Forward, Miami
25.) New York Knicks, Pacome Dadiet, Forward, France
26.) Washington Wizards *TRADED to New York Knicks who then traded again to the Oklahoma City Thunder* -- Dillon Jones, Forward, Weber State
27.) Minnesota Timberwolves – Terrence Shannon Jr, Forward, Illinois
28.) Denver Nuggets *TRADED to Phoenix Suns* -- Ryan Dunn, Forward, Virginia
29.) Utah Jazz – Isaiah Collier, Guard, USC
30.) Boston Celtics – Baylor Scheierman, Forward, Creighton

Top 3 underrated picks in the back half of the first round:
- Tristan Da Silva
- Terrence Shannon Jr.
- Isaiah Collier
Top 3 mistakes in the back half of the first round:
- AJ Johnson
- Yves Missi
- Ja’Kobe Walter

06/27/2024

“THE NBA DRAFT DIARIES”

Part 5.

With the 12th overall pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder select…
Nikola Topic, 6’6”, 201lbs, Guard, Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)

Put a finger down if you thought the Thunder were about to make the finals. Put a finger down if you think SGA should’ve won MVP. Ok… Put a finger down if Nikola Topic wasn’t who you expected the Thunder to draft. Glad we’re on the same page. With a team who desperately needs a big man to back up Chet Holmgren, you would’ve thought they’d try to trade up to draft the best available big man. Instead, the Thunder take the best available player in Nikola Topic. Fortunately, Thunder fans can rejoice and gloat about the fact they had a lottery pick while maintaining the best record in the Western Conference this past season. Topic became a professional player at 16 years old and was ranked by many scouts higher at the beginning of the year; a partially torn ACL in January kept him sidelined until he tried to resume play in early April. Topic would only get another 3 games before the wheels on the bus came off and he reinjured the same knee. He’s potentially the draft’s best Pick-and-roll player as he is astute with his timing, passing, and patience. There’s currently no expectation for him to play, but it’ll be interesting if he turns into another European stud or bust with this pick.

Ceiling: Ron Harper
Floor: Milos Teodosic

With the 13th pick in the NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select…
Devin Carter, 6’3”, 188lbs, Guard, Providence

The Kings have a knack for drafting guards with long wingspans; Carter holds a plus-6-inch wingspan compared to his height which enables him to rebound and defend at an elite level. Carter was named the Big East Player of the Year after averaging 19.7 PPG, 8.7RPG, and 3.7APG. He’s described as someone who doesn’t have an “Off-Switch” and runs an ‘Electric Offense’. The hyper-athletic guard holds a 42” vertical. The big elephant in the room is, “How does he fit into the Kings rotation?” I don’t assume they were looking for a starter, but is he leading the second unit or just a part of the third? Time will tell.

Ceiling: Darrell Walker/Eric Gordon
Floor: Tony Wroten

With the 14th pick in the NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select…
Carlton “Bub” Carrington, 6’4”, 190lbs, Guard, Pittsburgh *TRADED*

Immediately traded to the Washington Wizards in a trade that broke headlines earlier on June 27th; Portland receives Deni Avdija in exchange for the 14th pick, a 2029 first-round pick, (2x) future second-round picks, and Malcolm Brogdon. High key think the Wizards finessed the Trailblazers but at the same time – it’s evident that the Blazers intend to tank for the 2025 NBA draft featuring Cooper Flagg. With the Wizards picking Carrington, it’ll be interesting to see if they can improve from their 15-67 record. Both Carrington and Sarr seem like projects for the rebuild phase. Carrington debuted in college with a triple-double and led the Pittsburgh Panthers to a 22-11 record. Nothing jumps out on the box score when you review his stats, so I’m interested to know what Wizards fans think of him. Fun fact – Rudy Gay is his 2nd cousin.

Ceiling: Reggie Jackson
Floor: Killian Hayes

06/27/2024

“THE NBA DRAFT DIARIES”

Part 4.

With the 9th overall pick, the Memphis Grizzlies select…
Zach Edey, 7’4”, 299lbs, Center, Purdue

First things first. Memphis WANTED Donovan Clingan, but when they couldn’t make the trade work with Charlotte, they settled for Zach Edey. We saw how this played out in the NCAA tournament between the two iconic big men. I’m in the camp that thinks Clingan will have the better career, but it’s likely that Edey secures an All-rookie first-team selection over his counterpart – it’s the debate of instant impact vs investing time and resources to make it work. Edey joins a team that played 30-plus players throughout the year due to injury. Namely, Ja Morant who was inactive due to a suspension at the beginning of the season; upon resuming play with the Grizzlies, Ja would only see playing time in 9 games before having a season-ending injury (Torn Labrum requiring surgery). Here’s the silver lining with this team; In those 9 games, Ja led them to a 6-3 W/L record after a treacherous 6-19 start. Had Ja not been suspended or maintained a healthy shoulder, I’m not so confident the Grizzlies would have had a lottery pick. Edey averaged 25.2 PPG and 12.2 RPG – his collegiate career will go down as one of the most decorated in recent memory. Edey isn’t defined by Purdue’s loss to Number 16-seed Fairleigh-Dickinson (Yeah, we didn’t forget); let’s hope he’s not defined by injuries like so many 7-foot big men are plagued by. Fingers crossed.

Ceiling: Ivica Zubac
Floor: Gheorghe Muresan

With the 10th overall pick, the Utah Jazz select…
Cody Williams, 6’8”, 190lbs, Forward, Colorado

Sometimes it’s fate and other times it’s the Utah Jazz intervening. Cody Williams, younger brother of NBA rising star, Jalen Williams was projected at 12th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder. How cool would it have been to have both Williams’ brothers drafted in the exact same draft position, by the same team?! Nope. Instead, Utah decided to capitalize on Williams’ upside potential. With a slim frame that’ll need to bulk up, Williams showed flashes of brilliance at Colorado. Analysts agree that he has good court vision and playmaking ability with a consistent 3-point jump shot that should translate well to the NBA.

Ceiling: Danny Granger
Floor: Ziaire Williams

With the 11th overall pick, the Chicago Bulls select…
Matas Buzelis, 6’10”, 209lbs, Forward, G-League Ignite

Before we delve into one of my favorite sleeper picks in this draft, let’s talk about the ‘Windy City’. Bulls’ fans have lived in purgatory for the better part of the last septennial. To put it in colloquial terms, the younger generation would call them “Mid”. Chicago always flirts with a .500 record that may or may not earn them a play-in spot. So, on the 40th anniversary since they drafted “His Airness”, Michael Jordan, who would the Bulls take next? The Lithuanian kid who played for the G-League Ignite; a team who won a lackluster 2 games their whole season (.059 win percentage). Here’s the positive – Buzelis is from the Chicago area and will get to stay near family. Buzelis is an outspoken, lanky forward who believes he’s better than the number one overall pick, Risacher. Earlier in the month, the 19 year old challenged him to a game of one-on-one but never received a response back. Buzelis did average 14.1PPG, 6.6RPG, and 1.9BPG in his 34 games played this past season. The negative – Buzelis said in a recent video interview that New York Pizza is far superior to Chicago Style Deep-dish AND the broadcast network continued to show his younger brother Vincas crying profusely instead of talking about Matas. I hope the Bulls decide to rebuild and Buzelis can be a cornerstone, rotational player for the franchise. 5 years from now, I could see him playing on a championship team, leading a secondary unit. Clairvoyant Davor strikes again.

Ceiling: Toni Kukoc
Floor: Sam Dekker

06/27/2024

“THE NBA DRAFT DIARIES”

Part 3.

With the 6th overall pick, the Charlotte Hornets select…
Tidjane Salaun, 6’9”, 218lbs, Forward, France.

Prior to the 6th overall selection being made, Charlotte was rumored to be making phone calls and trade down for future assets. But this was the first pick that reverberated with mixed emotions; BOOs, cheers, and an occasional, “Who the f**k is that guy”. At this point, we’re going to remember this as the “French Revolution” – a third international player in the Top-10 is unprecedented. Salaun is the youngest player in the draft (turns 18 in August). Part of me wants to believe the Charlotte Hornets inquired about him through Tony Parker (retired with the Hornets) who was known to be one of Salaun’s trainers overseas. Another part of me wants to believe they drafted positionally because they’re sick of Grant Williams’ and his antics. Being that Salaun is so young, he has the widest ceiling and floor comparison out of any lottery pick; visually, I compare it to a chasm between how good he can be and what the reality of the situation is.

Ceiling: Tayshaun Prince
Floor: Jan Vesely

With the 7th overall pick, the Portland Trailblazers select…
Donovan Clingan, 7’2”, 280lbs, Center, UCONN

The back-to-back champ is HERE. Despite jumping up mock drafts nights before, Clingan fell to the 7th overall pick. His 7’6” wingspan allows for a highlight reel consisting of blocks at the rim and dunking on defenders who challenge any alley-oop intended for him. DC had 19 blocks in the NCAA Tournament and led the UCONN Huskies to a dominant win over Alabama this past March. The Huskies only lost 11 times in the past 2 years and I’m not 100% certain if it’s coach Hurley or the dominant big-man we should credit. Portland would’ve drafted Clingan the year prior had he declared for the draft in 2023. My first impression was that he had the most professional post-draft interview and should excel when it comes to impacting the game. Any guess on the last back-to-back champ the Trailblazers selected in the first round*? That’s right. Another big-man. Bill Walton, may he rest in peace. Fingers crossed that he lives up to the hype because I’m rooting for him!

*: I had to specify first round because Portland took Taurean Green, G, Florida in the 2007 NBA draft with the 52nd overall pick. Yeah. I did my research.

Ceiling: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Floor: Luke Kornet

With the 8th overall pick, the San Antonio Spurs select..
Rob Dillingham, 6’2”, 164lbs, Guard, Kentucky *TRADED*

San Antonio NEEDED a playmaker with the 8th overall pick. Who better than the SEC’s 6th Man of the Year, All-Freshman team guard Rob.. “oh wait.. WHY would they do that?” – the EXACT words I muttered to myself when I found out the Spurs traded the 8th overall pick for an Unprotected first in 2031, and a protected 2030 first round pick swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs are betting on a middle schooler -- wild. I made a note prior to the pick that if San Antonio didn’t draft for a playmaking Point-Guard, then they should try to trade for one during free agency. Trae Young specifically. Enough about what the Spurs should do – back to Dillingham. He’s the best isolation player in the draft. The freshman guard only started in 1 game for the Kentucky Wildcats who are notorious for producing NBA talent. Dillingham relies on his offense so it’ll be entertaining to see how Minnesota’s defensive mindset can mold his talent. I think Minnesota is best equipped for any team/situation in the Western Conference; but the acquisition of Dillingham isn’t enough to make them the championship favorites. One of the last Kentucky guards who won SEC 6th man of the year – go back to the 2015 draft – Devin Booker. I’m not sold on Dillingham having that high of a ceiling, but it’s tremendously lofty.

Ceiling: Darius Garland/De’Aaron Fox
Floor: Jason Terry

06/27/2024

“THE NBA DRAFT DIARIES”

Part 2.

With the third overall pick, the Houston Rockets select…

Reed Sheppard, 6’3”, 187lbs, Guard, Kentucky.

With Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun starting to flourish, Houston adds the best shooter in the NBA draft. Sheppard shot 52% from the 3-point stripe and 83% from the charity stripe this past college season. Analysts boasted about Sheppard’s ability to run the pick-and-roll, basketball IQ, and passing. The Rockets were 26th in assists last year, so it’ll be entertaining to watch and see if they’ll give him the proverbial ‘car keys’ to the offense. Sheppard was also tied for the highest vertical at the NBA draft combine (recorded at 42 inches). Is he a potential sleeper pick for Rookie of the Year? Depends on what Houston decides to do with him. The big concerns are related to Reed Sheppard’s defensive ability -- or should we say “liability”. At 6’3”, he’s not the smallest guard in the league, but opposing teams may look to exploit him in isolation situations. Last note. Sheppard had the least ‘flashy’ attire in the NBA Green Room and has family members with basketball roots; his post-draft interview has qualities of guys like Larry Bird or Kevin Durant – I think all he cares about is basketball. He's modest. Great pickup.

Ceiling: Steve Nash
Floor: Buddy Hield

With the fourth overall pick, the San Antonio Spurs select…

Stephon Castle, 6’6”, 215lbs, Guard, UCONN.

The guy with the most NBA-ready body goes to a team that desperately needs talent to surround Wemby. Castle earned Big East Freshman Guard of the Year honors while playing under Dan Hurley at UCONN. Though he only shot 27% from 3-pointer, Castle has the defensive prowess to make an impact immediately. His
coach compared him to the likes of Jrue Holiday – a true Swiss army knife for any NBA team. Jay Bilas’ doubled down on the comparison and said Castle makes “winning plays”. Can the Spurs break their 5-year playoff drought and sneak into the play-in? I think so. Maybe another trade needs to happen this summer.

Ceiling: Eddie Jones
Floor: Evan Turner

With the fifth overall pick, the Detroit Pistons select…

Ron Holland II, 6’8”, 206lbs, Forward, G-League Ignite.

The 18-year-old who was ranked at the top of draft boards for the majority of the year was projected to be picked later on in this year's draft due to his subordinate portfolio. As luck would have it, the last time the Pistons drafted 5th overall – they’ve landed guys like Ausar Thompson, and Jaden Ivey – so I’m on the side of history that believes this is a good pick and maybe good luck for the Pistons organization. Holland II played in only 14 games for the Ignite before a thumb injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He averaged 19.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.4 SPG. In 2023, Holland was the number 2 overall recruit in ESPN’s Top 100 (behind Isaiah Collier). Ron Holland II will join a team that has a coaching vacancy after firing Monty Williams; do we even know if the Pistons have built up an identity yet? For years they’ve been a lottery team and have only gotten progressively worse the past 5 years. Seriously. Look up their Win-Loss record the past 5 years and you’ll notice that their winning percentage is slowly declining. You know it’s bad when the team has Wingstop offer a promotional deal that for every victory they’ll give a fan in Detroit five free wings. I think we should count ‘free wings’ this season instead of 'wins'. Could we see triple digits on the ‘Wing Counter’? Is 20 wins reasonable for this squad?

Ceiling: Gerald Wallace
Floor: Josh Jackson

06/27/2024

“THE NBA DRAFT DIARIES”

Part 1.

Everyone should be familiar with Victor Wembanyama, the 2023 Number 1 overall pick who is a household name after 1 season with the San Antonio Spurs. To put things into perspective, the 2023 NBA draft was like the $2 billion dollar Powerball drawing – the largest ever. But that’s not why we’re here – it’s 2024 and the draft is about as good as a $20 million dollar Powerball jackpot. It’s a damn shame that the Atlanta Hawks win the draft lottery with a 3% chance in such a s**t year. This year’s talent is filled with average, role players – completely void of an All-Star/All-NBA talent. Ahead of the draft, multiple league sources couldn’t agree on the consensus number one pick. Watching the draft as a fan, I was in disagreement with myself. Good thing I’m not the GM for an NBA team…

With the first overall pick, the Atlanta Hawks select…

Zaccharie Risacher, 6’9” Height, 195lbs, Forward, France.

2 Hawks fans could be seen in the bleachers wearing berets and chugging a b**r in celebration. I’d like to imagine that the 2 friends were in a debate about which French phenom was going to be picked by the A-T-L; I thought Alex Sarr would go first, but after learning he refused to workout for the team, I pictured Rissacher being the guy. Wemby called him the “MOST talented” from this draft. Rissacher boasts a 39% 3-point shooting percentage and is labeled as a ‘good’ wing defender – he fits into the Hawks system and emulates what NBA teams look for in terms of a “3 and D guy”

Ceiling: Michael Porter Jr/Harrison Barnes
Floor: Mirza Teletovic

With the second overall pick, the Washington Wizards select…

Alex Sarr, 7’1”, 224lbs, Center, France.

Considering that the Wizards finished with the worst record in their teams’ history (15-67), I think the Wizards should be ecstatic to take on a ‘project’ pick. Sarr is someone who is a year or three away from providing true value to any team. When it was announced that Sarr refused to work out for the team with the Number 1 pick, many felt that he possessed a confidence issue. Sarr played 3 years with Rissacher in international play and has been a pro player since the age of 14. He started his career with Real Madrid and would make an appearance in the G-League. He last played for the NBL Australian League. Wizards fans might become familiar with the French phrase, “J’aimerais une biere” which means, “I’d like a b**r”. (18-64 W/L record… LOADING)…

Ceiling: Kristaps Porzingis
Floor: Andrea Bargnani

06/27/2024

I've been taking notes and watching intently on the night of the NBA's biggest 'college party'. A room full of anxious 18 to 23-year-olds with their futures on the line, what could go wrong? I'll bring it to you in a new article series titled, "The NBA Draft Diaries". Consider it my own opinions, perceptions, and reactions to how the league's young, budding stars will translate to the league.

06/13/2024

If you read up on West’s career — you’ll find that he struggled to win a championship against the dynastic Celtics. Some people have the notion to believe he wasn’t a “winner” because of his finals record. Ultimately, he found luck in securing a title against the New York Knicks in 1971-72. You can’t leave out the word “champion” when you begin to discuss his career resume. Number 44’s career incapsulates the ideology of “perseverance”. He’s the only player to be awarded NBA Finals MVP despite his team losing in the finals. He still holds the NBA record for Points scored during the Finals (having made it 9 times). Jerry West was also the first player and “contributor” to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I hope generations continue to ask about the NBA silhouette because he was such an icon. RIP Jerry West 🙏

05/16/2024

Back in November 2022, I met someone who noticed I was wearing a Milwaukee Bucks hoodie and sweatpants — the guy claimed to be related to Marjon Beauchamp who was drafted by the team in 2022. If you’ve heard the name, it’s because he used to play in Yakima and he’s got a few popular viral videos.

This morning I received a message from that same guy; he said during the offseason, he can get a few signatures from him as he’ll be visiting with him. Beyond blessed to have met him. I’m looking forward to putting up a signed jersey next to my signed Giannis jersey. 🙌

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