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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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Analyzing 2024 NBA Draft Prospects: 6’6 Dalton Knecht (Tennessee)
Being 23-years-old is the truly the only thing preventing Knecht from being considered for the top overall pick, especially in such a weak draft class. The concept of an athletic shot-maker with size and the ability to create for himself has obvious appeal. However, Knecht is one of the five oldest players in this draft and already surpasses over 100 current NBA players in age. If he were three...
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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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Could Donovan Clingan be the perfect fit for the Charlotte Hornets'
This is going to be an interesting upcoming NBA Draft, as there are plenty of opinions on players and team needs. Though this year’s draft has a lot of question marks surrounding the talent coming out, there is no doubt that there will be some surprises on teams who hit on players and surprising players to make their mark on the league. So maybe, this is a draft that brings a unique...
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Phenom Hoops Represented Across the NBA
Each passing year, working in grassroots basketball affords us the opportunity to see tons of incredibly talented players. Many of these guys go on to the NBA, carving out roles, fighting the way through the G-League, or emerging as an All-Star. While there is no correlation between the two (making the NBA and attending our events), it’s just a cool exercise to see the number of guys who...
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Should Dalton Knecht be a target for the Charlotte Hornets'
Player: Dalton KnechtSchool: TennesseeHeight: 6’6Class: Senior Stats: 20.2ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.0apg, 48 percent from the floor, 39 percent from three The Charlotte Hornets were able to make some moves around the trade deadline, and they certainly have some young talent to build around in the coming years. However, the season still hasn’t been what many had hoped for, and it looks...
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Takeaways from the NBA Trade Deadline (Part Three)
Last Thursday, the annual NBA trade deadline concluded. Throughout the weeks prior, many fans anticipated a highly entertaining day with several potential blockbuster deals. While no superstars were ultimately dealt, notable players like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Terry Rozier got moved earlier last month. Each of those specific deals have massive implications on the league, but we’ll...
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Takeaways from the NBA Trade Deadline (Part Two)
Last Thursday, the annual NBA trade deadline concluded. Throughout the weeks prior, many fans anticipated a highly entertaining day with several potential blockbuster deals. While no superstars were ultimately dealt, notable players like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Terry Rozier got moved earlier last month. Each of those specific deals have massive implications on the league, but we’ll...
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Takeaways from the NBA Trade Deadline (Part One)
Last Thursday, the annual NBA trade deadline concluded. Throughout the weeks prior, many fans anticipated a highly entertaining day with several potential blockbuster deals. While no superstars were ultimately dealt, notable players like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Terry Rozier got moved earlier last month. Each of those specific deals have massive implications on the league, but we’ll...
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Rising Young Star in the NBA: Coby White (Bulls)
Greenfield’s own and Phenom Hoops alum Coby White has been playing at another level this season for the Chicago Bulls, and he is truly showing that he should be in the All-Star discussion sooner rather than later. On the season, White is averaging a career-high 19.4ppg, 4.7pg, and 5.2apg, while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three. And those numbers are only...
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Cade Tyson (Belmont): An Under-the-Radar Draft Prospect to Watch for
The college basketball season is rolling through and of course, there are talks surrounding the upcoming NBA Draft and past that, so we thought we would join in on the discussion a...
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Why Dillon Jones is Worthy of First-Round Consideration
The transition into the new year always serves as a perfect time to start taking a closer look at draft boards and determining whose stock could climb. Each season, someone seems to emerge in an unforeseen manner. The weaker the draft, the more likely teams are going to swing for the fences or make safe, reliable choices. Although it’s gotten slightly more buzz over the last few months,...
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Second Round Sleepers from the 2023 NBA Draft
(#33) Minnesota Timberwolves- Leonard Miller It would’ve been such a Spurs-y move to keep Leonard Miller and develop him into a key piece as a second-round pick. Instead, the Timberwolves acquire him and basically dole out all their frontcourt minutes in the process. Although Miller has a ton of upside and long-term appeal, it might take a while (or a major trade) for him to find opportunities...
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Post-Summer League NBA Draft Grades
(#1) San Antonio Spurs Selection: Victor Wembanyama Grade: A+ Despite the casuals, doubters, and pessimists, Wembanyama showed a ton of elite attributes during Summer League. It's weird how a 7-foot-5 big man shooting the ball poorly in one contest was enough fuel for folks to start (laughably) calling him a bust. Instead, let's focus on the fact that Wembanyama will enter the NBA and...
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Phenom Hoops Alums represented well in NBA Draft
Jarace Walker – HoustonNo. 8 pick by Washington Wizards (Traded to Indiana) Jalen Hood-Schifino – IndianaNo. 17 pick by LA Lakers Noah Clowney – AlabamaNo. 21 pick by Brooklyn Nets Julian Phillips – TennesseeNo. 35 pick by Boston Celtics (Traded to Chicago) Hunter Tyson – ClemsonNo. 37 pick by Oklahoma City Thunder (Traded to Denver) GG Jackson – South...
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Charlotte Hornets select Brandon Miller at No. 2; what will he bring'
There was plenty of debate coming into the night about what the Charlotte Hornets would be looking to do with the No. 2 pick. As the day went on, it seemed more and more likely that Alabama’s Brandon Miller would be the pick and that is how it turned out, as the 6’9 prospect is headed to the Hornets. Game Overview from NBA.com “Brandon Miller played his lone college season at Alabama,...
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Breaking Down Bradley Beal to Phoenix
On Sunday, the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns came together to make a trade that immediately sent shockwaves throughout the NBA and its fanbase. The Wizards sent Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, and Isaiah Todd to Phoenix in return for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and multiple draft picks. From afar, it appears that the Suns absolutely demolished the Wizards in this deal. However, there are...
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2023 NBA Draft: What Should Charlotte Do'
Each year, the NBA Draft serves as one of the biggest, most exciting events in professional sports. The months between the conclusion of the college season and the start of the draft allow for a ton of intrigue, speculation, and general discussion. Since 2004, this time period also doubles as the window when the Charlotte Hornets figure out the most precise way to shoot themselves in the foot...
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Charlotte Hornets sitting pretty with No. 2 pick in upcoming draft; Who should they get'
The NBA Draft Lottery order was announced on Tuesday night, as it was a highly anticipated event in who would have the chance to draft Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick. Charlotte Hornets fans were holding their breath late but ultimately it ended up that the San Antonio Spurs landed the pick and the Hornets will follow after with the No. 2 overall pick. With the Hornets being in our...
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Why Cam Thomas Deserves More Respect
The NBA is a business. Anyone who follows the League knows that money comes first and feelings are secondary (like the recent Kyrie Irving contract situation). However, it seems as if some of these highly intelligent coaches have a tendency to outsmart themselves and overthink basic basketball principles. After Brooklyn traded their duo of star players, Cam Thomas seized the opportunity to...
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Phenom Hoops Throughout the NBA
After many years of working in grassroots basketball, one begins to realize just how many players you ultimately see playing in the NBA, G-League, or professionally overseas. Just last week, we took a closer look at the participants who were selected for the All-Star contest—and five of the 24 previously played in Phenom Hoops events. While there is no correlation between the two, it’s just a...
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Phenom Hoops Represented at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game
Everyone who follows the NBA knows that the middle of February marks the “halfway” point of the regular season and serves as the checkpoint for All-Star Weekend. Between personal pride, contract incentives, and individual legacies (in addition to the entertainment for fans), this game is meaningful to a ton of players. Phenom Hoops has been fortunate enough to see a variety of players make their...
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Is Oscar Tshiebwe the Biggest Sleeper in the 2023 NBA Draft'
Although the month of February is just starting, there’s arguably no better time to look at the NBA Draft landscape. It’s still prior to the NCAA Tournament (where certain players will inevitably blow up and see their stock take a massive rise), yet we have a large enough sample size to evaluate those who are being projected as draft selections. It goes without saying, but the first two picks...
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Why Darius McGhee Is Worthy of an NBA Opportunity
Photo Courtesy of Liberty University Objectively, no sport goes through more constant change than basketball. The various eras of the game since its foundation clearly highlight the differences in how much things have evolved over time. The addition of the shot clock, three-point line, or alterations to hand-checking mainly fall under the premise of rule changes (though these inserts did...
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NBA Draft Coverage: Grades and Analysis (Picks 21-60)
(#21) Los Angeles Clippers Selection: Keon Johnson (Tennessee) Grade: D Although folks have been consistently bullish on Johnson since the start of the college season, it’s unclear as to why. He’s a quality athlete but simply has glaring deficiencies within his game to warrant such a lofty draft position. While there isn’t any who stands as an obvious pick here, it’ll be interesting to see if...
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NBA Draft Coverage: Grades and Analysis (Picks 11-20)
(#11) Charlotte Hornets Selection: James Bouknight (UConn) Grade: B Like multiple others taken in the top ten, Bouknight steadily climbed draft boards throughout the last six months. The general public seems pretty excited about the dynamic pairing of Bouknight and Lamelo Ball, and rightfully so. Although he’s not a reliable shooter, the UConn product’s ability to hit jumpers in workouts left...
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NBA Draft Coverage: Grades and Analysis (Picks 1-10)
(#1) Detroit Pistons Selection: Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State) Grade: A It’s unclear why Detroit showed any motivation to move this pick, as Cunningham is about as safe as anyone in this draft. His IQ, size, and complete skillset brings obvious appeal to any NBA franchise in hopes of quickly turning things around. While he certainly does have All-Star potential, there is value in knowing that,...
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