Phenom Hoops College Basketball Coverage
From the Phenom Hoops Platform to the NBA: Five Alumni Hear Their Names Called in the 2026 NBA Draft
Another year, another milestone for the Phenom Hoops family. The 2026 NBA Draft once again showcased the impact of the Phenom Hoops platform, as five former standouts who competed in front of our scouts and on our courts officially heard their names called on one of basketball’s biggest nights. From future lottery picks to second-round steals, these players have all been part of the Phenom...
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2026 NBA Mock Draft
1. Washington Wizards (17-65) Prediction: AJ Dybantsa Rotation: Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Will Riley, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie, Trae Young (?), Anthony Davis (?) Biggest Need: Leadership After three straight years of winning less than 20 games (and eight consecutive seasons of being below .500), the Washington Wizards finally have the opportunity to change...
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NBA Trade Deadline Thoughts (Part Three)
Mavericks Receive: Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks, and three second-round picks Washington Receives: Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum If we hadn’t already lived through the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline, this one might’ve been the weirdest, most perplexing week of trades yet. Only a year removed from flipping Luka...
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NBA Trade Deadline Thoughts (Part Two)
Bulls Receive: Jaden Ivey, Mike Conley Pistons Receive: Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric, first-round pick swap Wolves Receive: Cash Although one could argue that each of these trades is somewhat bizarre, Detroit salary-dumping Ivey was certainly unexpected. Sure, he was probably set to get overpaid in the offseason, but flipping him into two non-assets and a pick that likely won’t be higher than...
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NBA Trade Deadline Thoughts (Part One)
Cavaliers Receives: James Harden Clippers Receive: Darius Garland, second-round pick Listen, NBA general managers may have their own logic and process. However, this feels like an absolutely inexcusable trade by Cleveland. So, let’s at least try to understand. The only positive spin for Cleveland is flipping Garland’s three-year contract into Harden’s two-year contract (with basically the same...
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Who Should Be The Top Pick in The 2026 NBA Draft'
As we inch closer to NBA All-Star Weekend, a lot of the attention has gradually shifted from nightly competition to the upcoming draft. In what should be considered one of the most talented drafts ever, there is constant discussion and debate surrounding who should get selected first overall. While it goes without saying, the trio of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer have been atop...
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Who Should be the Top Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft'
As we inch closer to NBA All-Star Weekend, a lot of the attention has gradually shifted from nightly competition to the upcoming draft. In what should be considered one of the most talented drafts ever, there is constant discussion and debate surrounding who should get selected first overall. While it goes without saying, the trio of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer have been atop...
read more
Who Should Be the Top Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft'
As we inch closer to NBA All-Star Weekend, a lot of the attention has gradually shifted from nightly competition to the upcoming draft. In what should be considered one of the most talented drafts ever, there is constant discussion and debate surrounding who should get selected first overall. While it goes without saying, the trio of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer have been atop...
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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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