Articles by benpfeifer (69)
The shifting college basketball landscape has created a historically thin 2025 NBA Draft pool. Quite a few notable prospects withdrew their name from the draft before the May 28th deadline, electing to return to college basketball next season. Whether for the certainty NIL funding brings or the chance to boost their stock, each prospect declined […]
It didn’t take long for Jake LaRavia to realize his final season in Memphis felt different. While working out with Desmond Bane last summer, LaRavia first met then-Memphis assistant Noah LaRoche, who brought radical ideas for the Grizzlies’ offense. That early inkling held, as Memphis’s new offensive system, which prioritized holistic movement and passing without […]
It’s an annual tradition for certain productive upperclassmen to fly under the radar despite their college success. Nique Clifford fits that description in 2025, profiling as one of the draft’s better all-around wing bets. Clifford improved nearly every offensive facet of his game in 2024-25, but how much of that can he translate to the […]
Scouts once viewed Nolan Traore as a potential top pick after dominating youth competition. He’s fallen some since then, but Traore flashed moments of greatness as the starting point guard for a professional basketball team. Can Traore thrive in the NBA without a bankable scoring option, winning with his great passing, defense and physical tools? […]
Jon Scheyer’s dream offseason continued this week, as four-star wing Sebastian Wilkins reclassified to 2025 and committed to Duke. He chose the Blue Devils over Maryland, passing up a possibly greater role to play in Durham. Wilkins would have joined a rebuilt Maryland roster featuring nine incoming transfers under new head coach Buzz Williams. He’d […]
Cedric Coward benefited from the pre-draft process more than most prospects. After missing the majority of his college season due to injury, Coward saw his stock rise meteorically after more scouts learned of his tantalizing measureables and shooting prowess. Coward will take time to develop, but just how high can his ceiling reach? Team: Washington […]
I was fortunate enough to attend the NEXT Sports pre-draft pro day in El Segundo, California, on Wednesday. Team personnel and media lined up to watch the agency’s three NBA hopefuls — Curtis Jones, TJ Bamba and Nick Martinelli. it’s always fun to watch high level basketball players showcase their athleticism in an open gym […]
Through the first two Nike EYBL sessions this season, few players performed as well as Arkansas commit JaShawn ‘JJ’ Andrews. The 6’6 wing helped lead his 16u Brad Beal Elite squad to a Peach Jam title last summer and picked up where he left off. I broke down what makes him a high-level player on […]
NBA teams will always covet rangy athletes like Rasheer Fleming. He showcased his high-level defensive tools throughout the season, which pair with elite measurements to forecast a defensive star at the next level. Can Fleming become more than a 3-and-D player at the NBA level? Team: Saint Joseph’s Height: 6’8 Weight: 232 Wingspan: 7’5 Age: […]
As the NBA Draft’s early entrant withdrawal date of June 15th nears, we’ll learn about more stay or go decisions. Former Texas Tech wing Darrion Williams decided to test the NBA waters and enter the transfer portal, but he withdrew his name from the 2025 NBA Draft today. Williams averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and […]