And this is the weirdest one.

Yeah, by far, this is my 18th.

So the first draft I did was the LeBron James draft in 2003, and I can't imagine what the players are going through.

I mean, I think it's difficult for the teams through the pandemic not having the normal information they'd have, but for the players they've they've waited a long time for this.

And, uh and so they've got to be really excited as the draft approaches tonight.

Well, look, it's still a draft.

They're still seeing their MBA dreams come true.

And you guys were gonna be there in Bristol tonight with the commissioner to make all of that happen.

We're just hours away, Jake.

Who is your best prospect as you sit there this afternoon?

Well, on my best available list, I have Anthony Edwards of Georgia as the number one overall prospect, and it's primarily due to his athleticism advantage that he has over Lemelle a ball.

Hey, Edwards is a big time scorer.

Hey, could score from all three levels.

He's got deep range he could score in the mid range, and he can really finish at the basket and in transition.

I think the issue you have with Anthony Edwards is Does he know how to play yet?

Hey, take some questionable shots and I think he settles for jump shots too much.

And with that athleticism and body and handle and ability to finish, Hey needs to get to the rim or and get to the free throw line Mawr.

And he needs to be a more focused defender.

He's so long and athletic.

If he really sits down in the stance, nobody's gonna get by him.

And I think he could be a now outstanding defender in the NBA.

He just has to show the consistent want to throughout the course of the game.

Well, look, you mentioned Lemelle a ball as Onda.

Look.

Some of our draft experts at ESPN have them as the number one prospect.

What do you think his ceiling is in the NBA?

I think he could be really good.

You know, Mike Schmitz, who is as good a talent evaluator is there is in the game, has him number one overall, and reasonable minds can differ on on this.

It's a close call.

But Lemelle, a ball is, is a wizard with the basketball, can really handle it and is actually, I think, a better passer than his brother Lonzo Ball, the number two pick a few years ago out of U C L.

A.

He doesn't shoot it well, but he's got terrific size, Uh, and he's got pretty good speed.

But he changes pace with the ball he could get by people.

He finishes well.

He's very creative, but his ability to deliver the ball.

But But he's another guy, Rachel, that that he's got a guard, somebody he doesn't defend.

And in fact, his brother Lonzo is a better shooter than he is.

And Lonzo wouldn't classify him to Steph Curry or Klay Thompson or anything.

He didn't shoot it great, so he's gonna have to really improve that shot.

But there's no denying with the basketball he is, he's truly outstanding.

And where does James Wiseman fit in for you?

Right?

And I think, as the second best prospect.

Frankly, uh, if this were five or 10 years ago, I really believe that James Wiseman would be the number one overall pick and we wouldn't even hesitate to say that, but the game's changed.

And Mike Schmidt says, I think accurately said It's almost like there.

He's a running back in the NFL now because the game's changed so much.

But he's a Chris Bosch type player.

I think it's He's 7176 wingspan.

He's lobbed.

Threat can really run.

He rebounds well, He blocked shots, protects the rim.

I think he can shoot it.

I think he could step away and shoot it.

And I think I think he's gonna fit in.

Well, if the Warriors decided to take him in number two because, you know, uh, there's a thought out there that you could get Ah, serviceable big guy on the on the open market and it's not that expensive.

And that may be true, but he's way better than serviceable.

James James Wiseman is gonna be a really, really good player for a long time, as long as he stays healthy.

It's so interesting if he does end up going number two to Golden State because he does fill a need for them, obviously not in the same timeline as their main players.

But at least the position is the correct position for something they might be drafting for.

And you said You think you could step away and shoot?

I can't think of any better shooting coaches J than Clay Thompson, Steph Curry, Steve Kerr, Right?

That they've got the guys there to help him develop.

Yeah, I just don't get in.

Ah, three point shooting contest of practice for money, especially as a rookie.

Stay away from that E think that that would be good advice for anybody in the n.

B.

A.

Actually, not to get into a three point shooting contest for money on that team.

Just just saying, I do wanna hop over, though, to college hoops we don't have to get.

We don't get to have you on that often, J.

So I gotta ask you about your other gig here.

The Pandemic presented so many challenges to the football season, but they're working through them because they get to play outdoors.

They have a week off in between games to sort of manage any positive tests they have.

Basketball is a whole different story.

What your expectations for the upcoming season, which is only a week away?

Ah, Bumpy ride the the one hope that I have for basketball, as you've mentioned indoors, way more games, a lot more travel.

Ah, lot more.

A lot more things involved.

We're about to have these schools send their students home, not just for Thanksgiving, but really for the first semester.

And they're not gonna bring him back.

And I've got a I've got an idea that they're not gonna bring him back early in the second semester either.

So that will give these basketball teams an opportunity to be on campus and isolated almost in their own bubble.

And I think that's going to give us a better chance to get a season in eso I'm I'm I'm optimistic, cautiously, but But there's no question we're gonna have cancelations and postponements just like football.

We may have a better chance to get in those in, but we're gonna have to be creative.

Yeah, for sure.

Assuming the season does progress and get to march, how do you feel about the idea of a single site anti double A tournament in Indianapolis?

Smart move by the NC Double A.

It's really the only thing they could do.

The idea that we were gonna be able to manage 13 different sites throughout the course of three weeks for an incident tournament.

I think they realized that wasn't going to work.

So having a bubble type environment, it won't be a strict bubble like they had down in Orlando for the N B.

A.

But it will be in isolation environment where they could bring everybody in their kind of isolate them in Indianapolis.

I think that's gonna be the place where ultimately it is in.

Indianapolis is always the default city for the Final Four.

If there's any sort of disruption for A for a Final Four, some sort of weather catastrophe or something, they always have the option every year to go to Indianapolis.

Eso they're used to this and, uh, and I think it will be, ah, good thing.

But honestly, Rachel, it's the only the only way they get in if we go two years without an NC double a tournament, that that may be an existential threat for the Double A is an organization.

You know.

The tournament is their only revenue source.

They don't get any football money flowing through the W office.

It all comes in from the basketball tournament.

They have to have this.

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