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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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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Chase Forte Having a Monster Senior Season for South Dakota
Photo Courtesy of South Dakota Athletics Every player seems to have their own unique path in the journey of basketball. While it might seem cliché, it’s true. We’ve seen players go to the highest levels and transfer down, and guys go to a lower level and eventually transfer up. Talent matters but there’s ultimately no conclusive way to recognize which players actually work hard and/or care about...
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Malcolm Wilson Shining as Top Rim-Protector in College Basketball
Courtesy of Queens Athletics If it’s been said once, it’s been said a million times: big men develop slower than others. Many instances exist when a tall kid is simply forced into the sport due to their physical advantages. However, those who love the game and consistently work to improve typically succeed in basketball. The most recent addition to the list of late bloomers who ultimately panned...
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Kameron Taylor Shining as X-Factor for UNC Asheville
While it’s likely common knowledge amongst those within the grassroots scene, recruiting North Carolina is a polarizing subject for some college programs. Fortunately, the hesitance of others hasn’t deterred Coach Mike Morrell from trusting his eyes and aggressively recruiting the state (both out of high school and the transfer portal). The Bulldogs’ top seven players in minutes all came from...
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Preparing to Take Flight: Will James Headed to Toledo
On Saturday, Will James announced his commitment to Toledo University. This was a proud time for all his supporters and a devastating moment for all the schools who crossed their fingers in hopes of securing the 6-foot-4 guard. It’s been a long, taxing journey for James, but his mentality and approach never wavered. The first three years of his high school career consisted of solid team success...
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The Newest Redbird: Isaac Ericksen Calls it for Illinois State
On Monday, Isaac Ericksen announced his commitment to further his playing career at Illinois State—choosing them over the likes of Mercer, Arkansas State, Furman, Eastern Kentucky, UNC Asheville, and UMass Lowell. The move is significant for a myriad of reasons. On one hand, it removes one of the top available prospects from the recruiting board. However, it also provides the Redbirds with a...
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Positioning, Producing, and Portal-ing: Five Guys Who Transferred Up
It’s pretty clear that things within college basketball have changed over the last few years. Between NIL, the Covid year, and looser restrictions surrounding transfers, it’s become a situation where kids are forced to adapt. “Positioning” refers to guys putting themselves in the right spots to be successful. “Producing” is self-explanatory and “Portal-ing” is the method in which kids are...
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The Tigers Strike Again: Santana Lynch Calls it for Hampden-Sydney
It probably goes without saying, but the recruiting landscape is drastically different than it was pre-Covid. The introduction of NIL coupled with seemingly every player testing the portal has led to somewhat of an unpredictable situation. Not only has it become a more intense job for coaches, but there are more questions surrounding high school prospects than ever before. Regardless, these...
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The Newest Owl in the Nest: Elijah Gray Commits to Temple
On Thursday, the Temple Owls received a commitment from 6-foot-8 forward Elijah Gray. The North Carolina native and former Fordham Ram is a massive get for Coach Adam Fisher and his staff. For those who are unaware, Gray quietly had a phenomenal sophomore season. His per-game averages of 8.4 PPG and 3.7 RPG (in only 18.0 MPG), might not necessarily explode off the page, but a little bit of...
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Coming Home: Cade Tyson Commits to UNC
On Sunday, Cade Tyson sent shockwaves throughout the college basketball landscape after announcing his commitment to the University of North Carolina. The former Carmel Christian star just concluded his second season at Belmont, where he averaged 16.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG while posting 49/47/86 splits and earning All-MVC second team honors. It doesn’t take long to notice that...
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Updated Grades for the 2023 NBA Rookie Class
Original Grades and Breakdowns: https://www.phenomhoopreport.com/post-summer-league-nba-draft-grades/ (#1) San Antonio Spurs Selection: Victor Wembanyama Original Grade: A+ Updated Grade: A+ After concluding one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, it’s quite clear that Wembanyama is already becoming a dominant force in the league. At 7-foot-4 with unbelievable length and fluidity,...
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