Phenom Hoops College Basketball Coverage
Rookies Who Could Outperform Draft Position (First Round)
#6- Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards) It’s probably a little overzealous to say that a top-six draft pick could outperform his draft position, as they’re already expected to be quite useful. However, Johnson looks like a steal for the Wizards. During two games of summer league, he more than solidified his status as an elite all-around shooting threat, and the numbers back this sentiment. He’ll...
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The Five Worst Contracts in the NBA
Considering August is one of the only periods of the year when basketball isn’t being played, there’s no better time to look at a different collection of topics…like NBA contracts. The salary cap is one of the biggest separators between collegiate and professional basketball, but it’s unclear if the general masses truly comprehend contract value. People see Karl-Anthony Towns making $53 million...
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The Five Best Contracts in the NBA
Considering August is one of the only periods of the year when basketball isn’t being played, there’s no better time to look at a different collection of topics…like NBA contracts. The salary cap is one of the biggest separators between collegiate and professional basketball, but it’s unclear if the general masses truly comprehend contract value. People see Karl-Anthony Towns making 53 million...
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Friday Five: Most Intriguing Things Entering the NBA Season
Now that we’ve reached August, high school basketball will slow down for a brief period before the start of next season. During this time featuring fewer events, we will start looking at other topics worth discussing (typically in the basketball space) during this “Friday Five” series. Whether it’s players capturing headlines, stories in the media, or something completely unrelated, we will...
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Winners from NBA Free Agency
Denver Nuggets Arguably, the biggest winners of the entire draft or free agency period, Denver really maximized their opportunity to improve along the margins. Flipping Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick into Cam Johnson is a major win. Make no mistake, Porter Jr. is a lethal shooter with legit size. Although Porter has made considerable strides since entering the...
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NBA Draft 2025: Second Round Thoughts
Although one could argue that the talent level in this draft drops drastically after the first handful of picks, there was still some value in the second round. Obviously, it’s more likely that these guys don’t crack NBA rotations, but some will inevitably work their way into meaningful minutes. This is typically somewhat of a crapshoot, but let’s see some guys who could carve out roles for...
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NBA Draft 2025: Additional First Round Notes
Teams Outsmarting Themselves It’s amazing how a team like Brooklyn entered a draft with five first-round picks, used all of their selections, and somehow walked away without adding any major pieces. They aggressively reached on Demin before drafting Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf. Although he was the fifth guy taken, Wolf might be the most appealing player within that...
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NBA Draft 2025: First Round Reactions (Picks 11-15)
Minimal Excitement to Conclude Lottery Picks Although most of the popular prospects were positioned atop this draft board, there was still real value in the late lottery. Memphis trades up to grab Cedric Coward–one of the fastest risers in this year’s class. His story is fascinating. Going from Willamette to Eastern Washington to Washington State to getting drafted in the lottery is truly...
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NBA Draft 2025: First Round Reactions (Picks 6-10)
Wizards Add Shooting in Johnson, Pelicans Take Fears Entering the second half of the top ten picks, Washington secures one of the draft’s most universally loved players in Johnson. He’s an elite shot-maker whose ability to hit NBA-level jumpers will make him a meaningful contributor for many years to come. There are some justified concerns about his lack of finishing ability around the rim, but...
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NBA Draft 2025: First Round Reactions (Picks 1-5)
Flagg First, Harper Second There were no surprises between Dallas and San Antonio, as the only two “locks” in the draft were taken off the board with the first two selections. Even if we look back in five or ten years and see others surpass Flagg or Harper, these were still the correct choices. The 18-year-old Flagg is coming off one of the most dominant college seasons in history, especially...
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Drake Powell Declares for NBA Draft
Over the recent years, many college players declared for the draft to simply test the waters while maintaining their eligibility. It allows guys to feel out the process and receive feedback on their current draft status. Yesterday, Drake Powell of UNC announced he will be entering the NBA Draft with zero intent of returning to college. What does this mean, both for Powell and the Tar Heels' For...
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Boston’s Historic Opening Night: Breaking Down All 29 of Their Record-Tying Threes
In recent years, NBA offensive philosophy has seen a heavy emphasis on creating, sustaining, and capitalizing on advantages. Teams are finding a wide variety of creative ways to get two defenders committed to the ball, force difficult closeouts, and put their best decision makers in space against leveraged defenses. Basketball Immersion does a great job of breaking down the main concepts...
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Defending the Title: Can Boston Repeat as Champions'
Despite being one of the most successful franchises across all major sports, the Boston Celtics face constant scrutiny. The Jaylen Brown max extension was polarizing to many, Derrick White’s status as an unsung hero received pushback, and the trades to acquire Kristaps Porzingis/Jrue Holiday weren’t necessarily viewed as surefire home runs at the time. Even after winning the title, there have...
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Post-Olympic Thoughts: USA Earns Gold
Despite a major scare against Serbia in the semifinal contest, Team USA escapes France to win gold at the Paris Olympics. Although the United States has won each of their last five trips, this was arguably the team’s biggest challenge in recent history. They rolled through pool play and beat opponents by at least 17 points in that three-game stretch. After thwarting Brazil in the opening round...
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NBA Team Previews: Battered Hawks Seeking a Fresh Start
For the most part, every NBA team tends to have steady ebbs and flows of success. Organizations rarely dominate the league or dwell in disparity for extended periods. Rather than reaching massive heights or being consistently terrible, the Atlanta Hawks have basically wallowed in mediocrity during the Trae Young era. Since drafting their franchise cornerstone in 2018, the Hawks have gone 210-257...
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