High School Basketball Happenings: Recent Episodes
Zain Motani
ESPN's National Director of High School Recruiting Paul Biancardi and High School Basketball Enthusiast Zain Motani discuss all the key happenings in the high school basketball world.
In this episode, Paul and Zain connect with Dr. Karissa Niehoff for a continuation of the conversation they had in July.
Dr. Niehoff is the executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The NFHS is the organization that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the US. It has almost 8MM athletes under its purview.
Dr. Niehoff talks about:
- What has her excited and concerned for the further rollout of the high school shot clock
- What the primary challenges are of rolling out the shot clock to more states
- How the NFHS and states think about if a shot clock rollout is successful
- Her thoughts on how the first 10 months of NIL have played out at the college level
- The fragmentation that exists at the high school level from an NIL perspective
- What her favorite NIL activities to this point have been
You can follow Dr. Niehoff on Twitter at @KarissaNFHS and the NFHS at @NFHS_Org
Paul and Zain connect with Duncanville High School and Drive Nation star forward Ron Holland.
Ron is the #4 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2023 Rankings and recently announced his final list of top schools: Houston, UCLA, Arkansas, Texas, Memphis, Auburn, Kentucky, and the G League.
Ron talks about:
- Duncanville's seemingly impenetrable defense
- Who he thinks will go #1 overall in the NBA Draft
- The genesis of his incessant motor
- The culture at Duncanville high school (beyond basketball)
- What it's like in a Coach Peavy practice
- What factors will determine where he ends up playing after high school
You can follow Ron on Instagram @_ronhoops and on Twitter @ron2kholland
Paul and Zain connect with Richardson High School and Pro Skills EYBL Star Cason Wallace.
Cason is the #9 ranked prospect in the ESPN Class of 2022 Rankings and is signed to play his college basketball at Kentucky.
Cason talks about:
- Richardson's big win over #1 ranked Arizona Compass
- Why he committed to Kentucky and his conversations with Coach Calipari
- The flood of basketball talent in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area in the Class of 2022
- His focus and proficiency on the mid-range jumper
- Who would win a one-on-one game between him and his brother Keaton Wallace
You can follow Cason on Instagram @cason.wallace and on Twitter @wallace_cason
4-Star point guard and Stanford commit Isa Silva (#49 in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2021) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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Who else he is recruiting to Stanford
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Where his next level passing capabilities come from and tips to become a great passer
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How he remains grounded even as his followers and views grow
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What's one thing non-basketball related that he's been intentional about getting better at during the quarantine
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What NBA players he studies
You can follow Isa on Twitter at @isilv3 and Instagram at @air_isa
Paul and Zain connect with Centennial High School and Team Why Not star guard Jared McCain.
Jared is the #29 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 60 Class of 2023 Rankings and holds offers from Stanford, Duke, and Gonzaga, and more.
Jared talks about:
- The experience playing for the CIF championship in front of LeBron and Drake
- The experience of being in the Peach Jam Bubble and playing 14 games over 14 days
- Where his head is at with the recruiting process
- His vision boards - some of the goals he has achieved and some of the goals he would like to achieve
- How his Corona Centennial team is going to have to approach the season differently now that they have more of a bulls-eye on its back
- His huge social media followings and how he thinks about producing high quality content
- New skills and hobbies he has picked up during quarantine
You can follow Jared on Instagram @jmccain24, TikTok @Jaredmccain24 and on Twitter @J_mccain_24
Paul and Zain connect with Westtown School and Team Final star center Dereck Lively II. Dereck is the #2 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2022 Rankings and recently committed to play his college basketball at Duke.
Dereck talks about:
- Why he chose to commit to Duke
- What influence his mom had on his game
- The support from Duke nation he has had since committing
- The hardest thing about being 7'2
- Winning Peach Jam with Team Final
- Playing with Jalen Duren
- What the off-court experience at Peach Jam was like
- What advice he would offer to other top recruits going through the recruiting process
You can follow Dereck on Instagram @derecklively and on Twitter @dereckl41
Paul and Zain connect with North Little Rock and Bradley Beal Elite guard Nick Smith Jr. Nick is the #6 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2022 Rankings and holds offers from Kansas, UNC, Auburn, Arkansas, and Alabama among others.
Nick talks about:
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The Peach Jam championship against Team Final
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What the Peach Jam experience was like off-the court
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Latest on his recruiting and Memphis entering the fold
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If he (and other players) look at the rankings
You can follow Nick on Instagram @lif3nick and on Twitter @ntsmith1402
Paul and Zain connect with Montverde Academy and Team Durant star small forward, Dariq Whitehead. Dariq is the #4 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2022 Rankings and recently committed to play his college basketball at Duke.
Dariq talks about:
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How Montverde’s 2020, 2021, and 2022 teams compare to each other
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How the EYBL Peach Jam experience was not too different than what he experienced at Montverde his junior year
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His background as a football player and when he decided to give up football to focus on basketball
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What Olympic sport he believes he could be serviceable in and what Olympic sport he stands no chance in
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The genesis of his nickname
You can follow Dariq on Instagram @_riqwhitehead2 and on Twitter @dariq_whitehead
The NCAA's name, image, and likeness guidance effective July 1st sent shockwaves throughout the amateur athletics landscape. There is still confusion about what is and is not permissible for amateur athletes, particularly for high school athletes, in how they can get paid legally for NIL activities.
In this episode, Paul and Zain connect with Dr. Karissa Niehoff
Dr. Niehoff is the executive director of the National Federation of State High School State Associations (NFHS). The NFHS is the organization that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the US. It has almost 8MM athletes under its purview.
Dr. Niehoff talks about:
- What the current guidance for high school athletes who want to get paid for their name, image, and likeness is
- The relationship between the NFHS and the state associations
- What has her most excited and most concerned for NIL at the high school level
- How Mikey Williams is able to get legally paid for his NIL
- What advice she would offer for high schoolers interested in getting paid for their NIL
- What advice she would offer to coaches and school administrators with athletes trying to navigate the NIL waters
You can follow Dr. Niehoff on Twitter at @KarissaNFHS and the NFHS at @NFHS_Org
Paul and Zain connect with Keenan High School and Nightrydas Elite SG Jazian Gortman. Jazian is the #7 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2022 Rankings and is one of the fastest stockrisers in the entire high school game. Jazian has picked up offers from Illinois, Florida State, Clemson, and more this summer.
Jazian talks about:
- What has led to his rapid ascension in the rankings
- How he plays with such joy and intensity
- Updates on what schools he's talking to the most to.
- The intense game that the Florida Nightrydas had against Mokan Elite in which might have been the game of the summer.
- His love of music and what instrument he played when he was growing up
You can follow Jazian on Instagram @jaygort1and on Twitter @TreonLil
Paul and Zain connect with Coppell High School and 3D Empire star point guard Anthony Black. Anthony is the #27 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2022 Rankings and is one of the fastest stock risers in the entire high school game. Anthony has picked up offers from Iowa State, Illinois, Kansas, Duke, and more this summer.
Anthony talks about:
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What has led to his rapid ascension in the rankings.
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Why he chose to play with a local independent team vs. a big shoe circuit team.
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What 1 or 2 factors will determine where he will play his college basketball.
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His love of football and the decision to give it up to focus on basketball.
You can follow Anthony on Instagram @antb1ack and on Twitter @AnthonyBlack24_
Updated rankings for the class of 2021, 2022, and 2023 were released on Wednesday. Paul and Zain discuss:
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what factors go into the rankings
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how Paul and team whittle the list down from thousands of kids playing around the country down to 100 players
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how some players who didn't have high school seasons because of COVID were impacted in the rankings
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some of the top stockrisers in 2021, 2022, and 2023
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players on the cusp of being ranked in 2022
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when the first batch of 2024 rankings will be released
Paul and Zain connect with Arizona Compass star point guard TyTy Washington. TyTy is the #34 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2021 Rankings and led Arizona Compass to a semi-final appearance at this year's Geico Nationals.
TyTy talks about:
- The genesis of his nickname TyTy
- Arizona Compass' victory against Wasatch at GEICO and the semi-final game against Montverde
- His recent offers from Baylor and Kentucky and what the conversations with those coaches entailed
- What he's learned from his parents who were both college athletes about what it takes to be an elite athlete
- When he plans to announce his final five schools
You can follow TyTy on Instagram @tytywashington3 and on Twitter @tytywashington3
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with Legacy Early College shooting guard, Bryce McGowens. Bryce is the #22 ranked prospect in the ESPN Top 100 Rankings and has signed to play his college ball at Nebraska.
Bryce talks about:
- The decision to transfer to Legacy Early College and the incredibly tough schedule his team has played
- What advice his older brother Trey has given him about playing college basketball in the Big 10
- How he places at his own pace and never seems sped up on the court
- What he's learned from his family of elite athletes about what it takes to be an elite athlete at the next level
You can follow Bryce on Instagram @bryce.mcgowens and on Twitter @BryceMcgowens5
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with IMG forward Eric Dailey Jr. the #31 ranked player in the ESPN Top 60 Rankings.
Eric talks about:
- What he learned coming up in the IMG system and consistently practicing against so much upperclassmen talent
- The best advice he has gotten from his parents about being an elite athlete
- The top factors that determine where he will play his college ball
- The most memorable place he has traveled to and his favorite dish from from that place
- Who he would want to play with in the NBA
You can follow Eric on Instagram @ericdaileyjr and on Twitter @_edailey3
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect again with Kennedy Chandler, the #10 ranked player in the ESPN Class of 2021 Rankings
Kennedy talks about:
- What was going through his mind as he hit the game tying three pointer against Montverde at the end of regulation to help spark Sunrise's victory, which ended Montverde's 44 game win streak
- Why he chose Tennessee over all the other offers he had
- The challenging schedule that Sunrise Christian has played to this point
- What he worked on over the summer to improve his jumpshot
- The chemistry he has with fellow Sunrise star and Baylor signee Kendall Brown
You can follow Kennedy on Instagram @_kennedychandler1 and Twitter @KChandler_1
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with Brandon Payne.
Brandon is an NBA Player Development Coach, the CEO of Accelerate Basketball, and trainer of Steph Curry.
In this episode Brandon talks about:
- The moment he knew he wanted to be a player development trainer
- The inception and evolution of Accelerate Basketball
- What the most common mistakes he sees high school players making these days
- If he has ever beaten Steph in a shooting contest!
You can follow Brandon on Instagram @coachbrandonpayne and on Twitter @acceleratebball
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with Ryan Nembhard, a Creighton signee and the point guard of the number 1 high school team in the nation, Montverde Academy.
In this episode Ryan talks about:
- How this year's Montverde team is different than last year's
- What the experience was after a brutal schedule at the NIBC Invitational
- What advice he's gotten from his older brother about how college basketball is different than high school basketball
- Who the best shooter, defender, and most athletic player on this year's Montverde team are
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @rnembhard0
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with Drew Hanlen,
Drew is an NBA Skills Coach and Consultant who played college basketball at Belmont. Over the years Drew has worked with many NBA players on their skills including Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid. He is the CEO of Puresweat Basketball.
In this episode Drew talks about:
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Why he chose to play college basketball at Belmont
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How being a trainer has changed in the world of social media
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What advice he would offer to parents who are looking to get training for their kids
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The delineation between a coach and a trainer
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What advice he would offer to high schoolers looking to improve their game on and off the court
You can follow Drew on Instagram and Twitter @drewhanlen and his organization at @puresweat
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with the #42 Ranked Player in the 2021 ESPN Rankings, Jaylon Tyson.
Jaylon talks about:
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why he felt so much love from Texas Tech and decided to commit to Chris Beard
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what it’s been like playing with a mask on in practices and games
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what type of teammate and player Manny Obaseki (#35 ranked player in the ESPN rankings) is
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what it was like playing so much over the summer with Next Page Force during the COVID pandemic
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his mentality toward being a better player, despite what the rankings say
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a new non-basketball hobby or two he has picked up during quarantine
You can follow Jaylon on Twitter @jaylontysoni and Instagram @jaylontyson_
The proliferation of media outlets covering high school basketball games in recent years has been apparent to anyone who has gone to a high quality high school basketball game.
One of the early players in the media space for high school basketball was Bryce Lanning. Back in 2011, Bryce founded EliteMixtapes which has 672,000 YouTube subscribers, 150,000 Instagram followers, and it's top five videos have amassed more than 60 million views.
Bryce joins Paul and Zain to talk about
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how he got involved in the media space back in 2011
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the level of competition between all the media outlets vying for the same content
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who the best players (and dunkers) he has filmed are
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who some of the top up and coming players are
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what words of advice he would offer to anyone looking to get in the content production game
You can follow EliteMixtapes at the below outlets:
YouTube: EliteMixtapes
IG: @elitemixtapestv
Twitter: @EliteMixtapesYT
To read about the inspiration and background of EliteMixtapes and Bryce, check out this article: https://zainmotani.com/2019/12/28/the-evolution-to-a-national-brand-the-elitemixtapes-story/
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with the #52 Ranked Player in the 2021 ESPN Rankings, Manny Obaseki.
Manny talks about:
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why he committed to Texas A&M
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what it’s been like playing with a mask on in practices and games
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his brief exchange with RJ Hampton after at the RJ Hampton Showcase
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the Aggies 2021 recruiting class
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what type of teammate he is
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if he could change one thing in the world, what would he change
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book recommendations
You can follow Manny on Twitter @mannyyobaseki and Instagram @aisoxsa
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with the #23 Ranked Player in the 2021 ESPN Rankings, Langston Love.
Langston talks about:
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why he committed to Baylor and his relationship with Kendall Brown
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the competitiveness at Montverde’s practices
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how he and his teammates have been adjusting to school back on campus
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who the best shooter, most athletic, and best teammate on Montverde are
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how he spent his summer improving his mindset
You can follow Langston on Twitter and Instagram at @lhlv4
Our apologies for some of the audio difficulties during this episode
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with the #1 Player in the 2021 ESPN Rankings, Chet Holmgren.
Chet talks about:
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tips and tricks to being an elite shotblocker
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what part of his game and body he has been focused on improving the most
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how Minnehaha Academy will have to adjust after the graduation of Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga) to replicate the success from last year
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how his life changed after he received the coveted #1 player ranking
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his thought process as he evaluates his final seven colleges + the G League
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his favorite dishes to cook
You can follow Chet on Twitter at @ChetHolmgren and Instagram at @chet_holmgren
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with the #6 overall player and the #1 PG in the Class of 2022 Jaden Bradley and discuss:
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How his role will be different at IMG Academy this year vs. The Cannon School
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The thrilling state championship game last year in which he led his team to a nail-biting 71-69 victory
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The genesis behind his social media handle names
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His workouts with Mikey Williams
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What schools are recruiting him the hardest
You can follow Jaden on Twitter at @jbsmoovve and Instagram at @jbsmoovve
In this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings Podcast, Paul and Zain connect with the former #1 Player in the 2019 ESPN Rankings and projected top 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman.
James talks about:
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What the NBA draft preparation process has entailed
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What advice he would offer to himself three years ago
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What advice he has for high school players who want to improve their games
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What books he is actively reading
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His rankings of favorite social media platforms
You can follow James on Twitter at @BigTicket_JW and Instagram at @bigticket_j13
5-Star 2022 shooting guard Amari Bailey (#3 in the ESPN Top 100) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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If the fanfare around Sierra Canyon ever got tiring / frustrating
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Which four schools are recruiting him the hardest
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What the deciding factor(s) will be which will determine what school he picks
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What Sierra Canyon needs to do to return to the state championship next year after losing so much firepower
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What his go to social media platform is
You can follow Amari on Instagram at @amari__bailey
4-Star shooting guard and Xavier commit CJ Wilcher (#81 in the ESPN Top 100 in the Class of 2020) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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What Xavier basketball needs to do to improve on its 19-13 record last year
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Who wins the last one-on-one match-up - him or his younger brother (top prospect in the Class of 2023)
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How he fared against Zion Williamson during AAU in high school
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His rankings of favorite social media platforms
You can follow CJ on Twitter at @CJWilcher and Instagram at @cj_wilcher
5-Star 2021 center Nate Bittle (#8 in the ESPN Top 100) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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How he has been spending his summer without AAU basketball
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What the deciding factor(s) will be which will determine what college he picks (final four schools of Gonzaga, Oregon, UCLA and Arizona)
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What his Crater Comets team needs to do to win the state championship next year
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His stack rank of his favorite social media platforms
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How old he was when he beat his dad in one-on-one for the first time
You can follow Nate on Twitter at @Nathanbittle33 and Instagram at @bittlenathan
5716! point career scorer and Lipscomb commit Tommy Murr joins Paul and Zain on the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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His mindset that enables him to be such a proficient scorer
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The most unique defense an opposing coach has thrown at him
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How Alabama Fusion 17U established themselves as a formidable appointment in the 2019 EYBL
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The atmosphere in the gym when he and 2021 5 Star Guard JD Davidson squared off at the Be Elite Showcase
You can follow Tommy on Twitter at @MurrTommy and Instagram at @_tmurr14_
4-Star shooting guard Will McClendon (#55 in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2021) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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Why he committed UCLA and his relationship with head Mick Cronin
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What makes him one of the best shooters in the class of 2021 and what guidance he would offer to young shooters
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What Bishop Gorman and he individually will need to improve next year to help the Gaels capture a tenth straight state title
You can follow Will on Twitter at @WMcclendon and Instagram at @willl.mcclendon
5-Star 2021 power forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. (#2 in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2021) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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What the one or two factors that will determine what college he ends up from his list of 10 (UCLA, UVA, Wisconsin, Duke, UNC, Michigan, Kentucky, Milwaukee, Northwestern, and Georgetown)
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How he became one of the best shooters in the high school game and what advice he would offer to young players looking to become better shooters
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What he has learned from being around the UM-Milwaukee program where his dad is the head coach
You can follow Patrick on Twitter at @_pbaldwin23 and Instagram at @patrickbaldwin.23
5-Star 2021 power forward Paolo Banchero (#3 in the ESPN Top 100) joins Paul and Zain on this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine
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What he learned from participating in a Black Lives Matter protest
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What the one or two factors are that will determine what college he will pick (final six schools of Kentucky, Washington, Gonzaga, Arizona, Tennessee, and Duke)
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What his O'Dea team needs to do to return to the state championship next year
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When he knew it was time to put down the football to focus on basketball
You can follow Paolo on Twitter at @Pp_doesit and Instagram at @pp_doesit
5-Star 2021 power forward Jabari Smith (#5 in the ESPN Top 100) joins Paul and Zain on High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about: - How he has been staying in shape during the quarantine - His reactions to the social unrest we are experiencing - What being one of the most highly touted recruits has felt like - What he learned from his experience playing with Team USA over the summer - The first time he beat his dad in one-on-one You can follow Jabari on Twitter at @jabarismithjr and Instagram at @jabarismithjr
In this humbling episode, Gonzaga College High School Head Coach Steve Turner and Former Heisman Trophy Winner Charlie Ward join Paul and Zain to talk about the current state of affairs in the world, what Black Lives Matter means to them, how they are leading young athletes during these turbulent times, and what guidance they would offer to athletes about using their social platforms as a catalyst for change.
You can follow Steve Turner on Twitter: @GonzagaHoops
You can follow Charlie Ward on Twitter: @RealCharlieWard and on Instagram: @charliewardofficial
Harrison Ingram (ranked #17 in the ESPN Top 60 for the class of 2021) joins Paul and Zain to talk about:
- How he is staying in shape during the quarantine
- What factors will determine how he narrows his list down from 10 to one
- The experience of playing against Prolific Prep at American Airlines Center
- His favorite social media trend taking place right now
- What new skill outside of basketball he is working on during this quarantine
You can follow Harrison on the following social media platforms:
Twitter: @Harrisoniingram Instagram: @harrison.ingram
5-Star 2021 point guard Kennedy Chandler (#13 in the ESPN rankings and the #1 PG in the class) joins Paul and Zain on High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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How he is staying in shape during the quarantine
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How his experience winning Peach Jam with Mokan Elite over the summer prepared him for his junior year of high school
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What factors will determine how he narrows his final list (UNC, Duke, Memphis, Tennessee, Kentucky) down to a single school
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What hobbies are consuming his time outside of basketball
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His stack rank of all the social media platforms
You can follow Kennedy on Twitter at @KChandler_1 and Instagram at @_kennedychandler1
Over the last few years, picture and video edits have truly disrupted the high school basketball landscape.
A pioneer of that digital disruption is the digital platform Tipton Edits. On this episode of the High School Basketball Happenings podcast, Joe Tipton, the founder of Tipton Edits, joins Paul and Zain to talk about:
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the genesis and inspiration for Tipton Edits
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some of the more unique exchanges he has had with top prospects
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advice to people who want to get into the content game
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how he is occupying his time beyond Tipton Edits during this quarantine
You can follow Tipton Edits on social media on:
IG: @tipton.edits
Twitter: @TiptonEdits
5-Star 2021 forward Moussa Cisse (#8 in the ESPN rankings) joins Paul and Zain on High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about:
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His journey from Guinea to Brooklyn to Tennessee
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How he is staying in shape during the quarantine
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What he is doing outside of basketball to stay busy during the quarantine
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How losing in the state championship last year inspired him to lead his team to a state championship this year
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The likelihood he reclassifies from 2021 to 2020
You can follow Moussa on Twitter at @moussacisse224 and Instagram at @moussacisse33
Jonathan Kuminga (ranked #1 in the ESPN Top 60 players for the class of 2021) joins Paul and Zain to talk about:
- where and how he is working on his game during this COVID-19 pandemic
- the likelihood that he reclassifies up to 2020
- who he would most like to play with in the NBA
- what he does to stay busy outside of basketball
- his favorite foods and Tik Tok dances
You can follow Jonathan on the following social platforms: Twitter: @JonathanKuming6 Instagram: @jonathan_kuminga
5-Star 2021 forward Moussa Diabate joins Paul and Zain on High School Basketball Happenings podcast to talk about: - The background of why he decided to come from France to the USA to concentrate on basketball - How RJ Barrett helped him overcome the language barrier - Which schools are recruiting him the hardest - What skills he is working on outside of basketball during this COVID-19 pandemic You can follow Moussa on Twitter at @M0ussaDiabate and Instagram at @m0ussadiabate
Paul dissects the updated ESPN player for the class of 2020, 2021, and 2022 that came out on April 29th, including: - What factors go into determining what a player will be ranked - Changes in the top 5 player rankings for the class of 2020 - Who the biggest jumpers in the ESPN Top 100 were - A teaser for the 2023 rankings - who some of the players in contention for the top spot are
Jalen Green (ranked #1 in the ESPN Top 100 players for the class of 2020) joins Paul and Zain to talk about his evolution as a shooter, what advice he would have to younger recruits, his relationship with some players in 2021, and his love of dancing and animals.
You can follow Jalen on the following social platforms: Twitter: @JalenGreen Instagram: @jalen
Micah Peavy (ranked #31 in the ESPN Top 100 players for the class of 2020) joins Paul and Zain to talk about how he is staying in shape during this quarantine, why he is particularly excited to be a Red Raider next year, how he thinks his Duncanville High School team will do next year after he graduates, and what's a skill outside of basketball that he is looking to get better at while stuck at home. You can follow Micah on the following social platforms: Twitter: @mjpv5 Instagram: @mjpv5
ESPN Scout Adam Finkelstein joins the podcast to talk about Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd's decision to forego college and go to the G-league, what impact these decisions will have on top prospects in the future, and Paul and Adam debate which recruiting classes are the most talented, will classes will have the biggest impact as a freshman cohort, which classes are the most under-the-radar, and which classes will be the most fun to watch next year in college basketball.
Early April traditionally means the GEICO Nationals Tournament culminating in the crowning of a national high school basketball champion. In this episode, Paul and Zain provide their predictions of which teams would have advanced and which team would have eventually been crowned the 2020 champion had Nationals taken place. GEICO Nationals Bracket: - 1 seed Montverde vs. 8 seed Prolific Prep - 4 seed Dorman vs. 5 seed La Lumiere - 3 seed Sunrise Christian vs. 6 seed Oak Hill - 2 seed Wasatch Academy vs. 7 seed IMG Academy
Greg Brown Jr. (ranked #9 in the ESPN Top 100 players for the class of 2020) joins Paul and Zain to talk about how he is staying in shape during this unique time in the world, what will be most important to him as he makes his college decision on April 24th, and the genesis and vision for the Hedgehog brand. You can follow Greg on the following social platforms: Twitter: gb3elite Instagram: greg.brown03 TikTok: greg.brown03 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwWralYIrqgRRfNg_9g337A?app=desktop
In this episode, Paul and Zain provide their perspectives on who are the: - Best Dunkers - Best Shooter - Most Clutch - Most Underrated - Hardest Competitors - Most Exciting Players to Watch in the class of 2021
In this episode, Paul and Zain discuss the case for and the case against a shot clock in high school basketball. Paul and Zain provide their top five players regardless of class comprised of prospects from the class of 2020, 2021, and 2022.
In this episode, Paul and Zain provide their perspectives on who are the: - Best Dunkers - Best Shooter - Most Clutch - Most Underrated - Hardest Competitors in the class of 2020
Paul Biancardi and Zain Motani discuss:
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Jalen Green's jump from #3 to #1 in the ESPN class of 2020 rankings
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is anyone playing better than BJ Boston right now?
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who is the most prolific scorer in the high school game?
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what is the process by which the McDonalds All American game roster selections are decided?
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which high school basketball teams in the last 10 years could compete with this year's Montverde team?