It’s the May addition of our offseason podcasts. Chad is joined by David, Rocco, Joby, and Jon Teitel as they discuss the ongoing House Case (at the time we recorded this it had not yet been approved), and how it is effecting the current state of college basketball, and the impacts it could continue to have in the future. Many of the Under the Radar schools that we love appear to be at a massive disadvantage, and they may continue to fall further and further behind.
And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
Posted inHoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts|Comments Off on The Hoops HD Report – May Session (May 33rd): House Case, NIL, and Transfer Discussion
The NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on June 25th/26th and until then we will do our best to predict where everyone will get selected. Some websites do their mock drafts based on “best player available” but we try to focus on team needs: for example, if a team like San Antonio already has Victor Wembanyama at the 5 then they are probably not selecting a C with the 2nd overall pick. Please see our 1st round predictions below and then tweet us your comments regarding what looks good and what might need a re-pick.
#. TEAM: NAME, POSITION (SCHOOL/YEAR OR COUNTRY) 1. Dallas: Cooper Flagg, SF/PF (Duke/FR) 2. San Antonio: Dylan Harper, PG/SG (Rutgers/FR) 3. Philadelphia: Ace Bailey, SG/SF (Rutgers/FR) 4. Charlotte: VJ Edgecombe, PG/SG (Baylor/FR) 5. Utah: Kon Knueppel, SG/SF (Duke/FR) 6. Washington: Jeremiah Fears, PG/SG (Oklahoma/FR) 7. New Orleans: Derik Queen, C (Maryland/FR) 8. Brooklyn: Tre Johnson, SG (Texas/FR) 9. Toronto: Kasparas Jakucionis, PG/SG (Illinois/FR) 10. Houston: Khaman Maluach, C (Duke/FR) 11. Portland: Jase Richardson, PG/SG (Michigan State/FR) 12. Chicago: Egor Demin, SG/SF (BYU/FR) 13. Atlanta: Nolan Traore, PG (France) 14. San Antonio: Asa Newell, PF (Georgia/FR) 15. Oklahoma City: Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C (South Carolina/SO) 16. Orlando: Nique Clifford, SG (Colorado State/SR) 17. Minnesota: Liam McNeeley, SF (UConn/FR) 18. Washington: Noa Essengue, SF/PF (France) 19. Brooklyn: Walter Clayton Jr., PG (Florida/SR) 20. Miami: Will Riley, SF/PF (Illinois/FR) 21. Utah: Rasheer Fleming, PF/C (St. Joseph’s/JR) 22. Atlanta: Joan Beringer, PF/C (France) 23. Indiana: Hugo Gonzalez, SG (Spain) 24. Oklahoma City: Carter Bryant, SF (Arizona/FR) 25. Orlando: Boogie Fland, PG/SG (Arkansas/FR) 26. Brooklyn: Thomas Sorber, C (Georgetown/FR) 27. Brooklyn: Danny Wolf, PF/C (Michigan/JR) 28. Boston: Tahaad Pettiford, PG (Auburn/FR) 29. Phoenix: Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C (UAB/SR) 30. LA Clippers: Labaron Philon, PG (Alabama/FR)
The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 15th, and the draft will begin on June 25th. We will spend the months ahead interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Houston G LJ Cryer about his great postseason run with the Cougars and what it would mean to him to get drafted.
You were born in New Orleans and went to high school in Texas, where your 3488 career PTS was #5 in state public high school history: what is the secret to being a great scorer? It is not really a secret. Growing up I always had a knack for scoring, ever since the ball was put in my hands. I went to the gym a lot of days and put up a lot of shots. From my junior year on I never went to lunch because I shot every single day. Hard work is never a secret: it is just what you need to do to achieve great things.
As a freshman at Baylor you beat Gonzaga in the 2021 NCAA title game: what did it mean to you to win a title? It meant a lot. That year I had to sit behind a lot of good players who ended up in the NBA (including Jared Butler/Davion Mitchell). I could have transferred but decided to stick it out and learned a lot. Winning makes everything better so that year was a success.
Why did you decide to transfer in 2023, and what made you choose Houston? I felt that I could not showcase everything I wanted to at Baylor. I talked to Coach Kelvin Sampson, and he said that I could show more of my game in Houston. I also wanted to be held accountable on the defensive end, and he is 1 of the best defensive coaches in the country, so I felt that I made the right move.
As a junior you set a school record with 89.4 FT% and you led the conference in 3P% during each of the past 3 years: what is the key to being a great shooter? Hard work. I put up reps on reps on reps, and had a coach who gave me the ultimate confidence to go out there and shoot the rock.
You are the only player in college basketball history to win multiple regular season titles at multiple schools: what makes you a winner? Just being able to adjust to any role I am in: from not playing much during my 1st year to becoming a 6th Man to being the Robin to Jamal Shead’s Batman to becoming the leader of the team. I pride myself on being the best at whatever role I am placed in.
Last month you were named conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year/3rd-team All-American: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? I try to get my schoolwork done on time and not procrastinate. I do not use either 1 as an excuse to not do the other.
Take me through your magical 2025 NCAA tourney run: In the Final 4 you scored 26 PTS/6-9 3PM in a 3-PT win over Duke: was it extra-special after losing to the Blue Devils by 3 PTS in the 2024 Sweet 16? We tried to not bring up last year’s game too much or let it affect our game this year. It is human nature to look back and want to get revenge, but we both had new teams this year. It was a special moment: I had a good game but we had a lot of other guys step up for us as well.
In the title game you scored a game-high 19 PTS/4-11 3PM in a 2-PT loss to Florida: how close did you come to becoming the 1st player to ever win titles for different schools? It was very close: just a couple of points away! We were 1 shot away from making history…but it did not go our way. That is all you can ask for, but there was a lot of good that came from that game, and it was a successful season.
Your father Lionel Sr. played football at Grambling, your mother Tamica played volleyball at Grambling, and your brother Justin plays football at Florida State: who is the best athlete in the family? Myself! I do not know what you are basing it on but growing up I have won my whole life in every sport I played and am continuing to do so.
What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean a lot to hear my name called, as it is something you dream about as a kid, but it is not the end-all/be-all. I have seen guys who did not get drafted but ended up doing very well in the league (Fred VanVleet/Austin Reaves/etc.), so I am willing to do whatever it takes to break the door down.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedHouston, LJ Cryer|Comments Off on 2025 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Houston G LJ Cryer
The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 15th, and the draft will begin on June 25th. We will spend the months ahead interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with American F Matt Rogers about winning his conference tourney and what it would mean to him to get drafted.
You were born/raised in Maryland: what made you choose American for college? The fact that it was close to my parents/grandparents (which meant they could attend my homes games) was the biggest thing. I also wanted to be in a big city rather than in a rural town up north so the location helped.
Your team only played 10 games during your freshman year due to COVID: was that season as weird as it sounds? Yes: it was a weird time. We played Loyola MD 3 times and Navy 4 times in a span of about 5 weeks: everybody knew each other pretty well by the end of that stretch! The hardest part was the uncertainty: we had 3-4 COVID outbreaks during that year and ended up playing the fewest games of anyone in D-1.
Last December you scored a career-high 33 PTS/15-20 FG/10 REB in a 3-PT 2-OT loss to UMBC: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? It is probably in the top-5: I do not rank it as high since it was not a conference game. However, I did not have a lot of double-doubles during my career so that part made it a cool game.
You only made 2-24 3PM during your 1st 2 years but during the past 3 years you have made a combined 39 3P%: how were you able to make such a huge improvement since your junior year? Just getting into the gym throughout the year and sticking with my routine. I had to build my confidence back up and my coaches helped me out a lot with my consistent work.
You were also named to the all-conference team each of the past 3 years: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was a great recognition for all the hard work I have put in throughout the years. I also give the recognition to my family/girlfriend/coaches because all of them put their love into me.
Take me through the 2025 postseason: In the conference tourney title game you scored 25 PTS/10-17 FG in a win over Navy en route to being named conference tourney MVP: what did it mean to you to win a title? It meant everything to me. The community deserved it because they have poured a lot of energy into our team during the past 5 years, so it was also great to win it for them.
In the 1st 4 you scored 7 PTS in 8 minutes but missed the rest of the game with a right knee injury in a loss to Mt. St. Mary’s: how bad was the injury, and how is your rehab going? It was an ACL tear, but thankfully there was no damage to any other part of my knee. I had surgery last month and rehab is going great. I am fully walking and will finally get some cardio in by getting into the pool.
Your mother Kristi played volleyball at Illinois State and your father David played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? It is definitely me! Mom is #2 and dad is #3…although he would kill me for saying that. When I was growing up we definitely got some good runs in.
Speaking of your father, I read a rumor that he said you turned down “life-changing money” to stay at American last season: is that true, and do you have any regrets? There are always rumors going around, but I do not have any regrets about staying at AU. I am big on school and was able to get my master’s degree last year, which was great. I understood that our goal was to win a Patriot League title, and I got to live out my dream by going to March Madness.
What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It has always been a dream of mine to play pro basketball since I was a kid. If I do not get drafted, I know there are other options and I can work my way up from there.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedMatt Rogers|Comments Off on 2025 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews American F Matt Rogers
The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery will be held on May 12th, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal is June 15th, and the draft will begin on June 25th. We will spend the months ahead interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel commences our coverage by chatting with LSU G Jordan Sears about being a great scorer and what it would mean to him to get drafted.
You were born 6 days before 9/11: has your mom told you any stories about what I assume was 1 of the wildest weeks of her life? She told me about how people were affected and how the world was in shambles. She said that she was heartbroken about everything and could not imagine what she would have done if she was in that setting.
You began your college career at Gardner-Webb: why did you decide to transfer in 2022, and what made you choose UT-Martin? I had a great freshman year at Gardner-Webb and was shooting the ball very well, but I fell into a bad slump during my sophomore year and felt I needed a change of scenery to get myself going again. I entered the portal and had known Coach Ryan Ridder and he family since I was 9 years old, so I had that connection already. It was a no-brainer for me and felt that was where I needed to be at the time.
In your 2 years with the Skyhawks you were a 2-time all-conference player and a 2-time member of the all-tourney team: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It meant a lot and showed that my hard work paid off. I did not know what to expect when I arrived as a new PG/leader during my 1st year, but it was great to get those accolades. To help build the program and see how it turned out was beautiful.
In February 2024 you had 37 PTS/9 REB/9 AST in a win at Lindenwood: where does that rank among the greatest all-around games of your career? I was just in the flow state of playing basketball, having fun, and enjoying myself. It was 1 of my best games from a statistical standpoint, and the stats were cool, but it was just so fun to celebrate with my teammates due to the bond that we had.
Your 21.6 PPG that year was #9 in the nation: what is the secret to being a great scorer? There is a lot that goes into it: finding angles, creating space, knowing your spots, etc. If you are instinctive then you do not have to pre-determine everything you do, but some people just have a knack for putting the ball in the basket. I also have a lot of confidence because I put the work in day in and day out so I know what I can do.
You committed 3.2 TO/game that year but after transferring to LSU you only committed 2.2 TO/game last year: how were you able to improve your ball-handling so much during the past year? Just watching film and seeing what my mistakes were. I have a high usage rate, which means the ball is in my hands most of the time, but when I saw that my mistakes could be fixed it helped me become a better playmaker and give us more possessions.
Last year the SEC sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA tourney: what was it like to be a part of the greatest conference in the history of the sport? I agree that it is the greatest conference, so it is a blessing. Being able to play against the best teams in the nation and compare myself to the best players in the country made me feel so thankful.
You played in 153 games during your college career: how much of an advantage does all that experience give you on the court? You know what to expect out on the floor because you have been in those situations before. When you are a freshman you might not know what is going on or how to act, but as a veteran player I can help those guys by letting them lean on me. I know what college basketball is about so I just try to control what I can control. As you see every spring, most of the teams that make it very far in the postseason are the ones who have the most experience.
Coach Matt McMahon has already signed several transfer players this offseason including Marquel Sutton/Rashad King/Max Mackinnon/Dedan Thomas Jr.: how do you think the Tigers will do next season? I think they will be pretty good. Those are all big transfer portal additions and we also have some good guys coming back who have a lot of upside. Rob Miller III had a lot of impact toward the end of the season, and Jalen Reed had a big impact until he got hurt last December. I am excited to come back and watch them whenever I can because I am fired up for them!
What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean EVERYTHING to me to get drafted: it is every kid’s dream to make the NBA. Hearing your name called to play at the highest level of basketball is great…but it is just the 1st step. If I do not get drafted then I will not get discouraged because there are plenty of options for me. I will continue to grind/work so that I can get to where I want to be and will make it happen by any means necessary.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedJordan Sears, lsu|Comments Off on 2025 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews LSU G Jordan Sears
The panel recaps the Final Four, which gave us three really thrilling games and served as a great end for a tournament that had been lacking in excitement prior to this weekend. Auburn had a historically great regular season, but it wasn’t enough. Houston was tough all year, but the Gators are who cut down the nets! We discuss all that, briefly cover the other postseason tournaments, and share our final thoughts over the whole season.
And, for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…