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PK Cherry is a player development specialist and a former professional basketball player. Cherry has played in the NBA Gleauge, Dominican Republic, France, and Mexico. As a result of his playing experience, Cherry has unique insights into player development at all levels from NBA to NCAA. He has worked with numerous NBA players including Joe Johnson, Mike Scott, Deni Avdija, Kevin Porter Jr., and Wenyen Gabriel.

On this episode Mike & PK Cherry discuss his inspiring journey from childhood challenges to becoming a basketball trainer and coach, emphasizing the importance of love, purpose, and integrity in the game...

Mike goes solo and picks one fact for each of the 30 NBA teams to show where every season is headed. Early standouts include the 7-1 Philadelphia 76ers behind Tyrese Maxey's 29.1 points per game, Luka Doncic at 38.3 points per game for the Lakers, and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, whom Mike calls the Rookie of the Year front-runner. He also flags big concerns, such as Anthony Edwards missing about two months with a knee injury, Oklahoma City's injuries to Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren, and Nikola Jokic's 22 percent shooting from three. Along the way you hear his takes on...

Jean Bain is in his 8th season as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Brandeis University, compiling over 100 victories during his tenure.  Bain previously held assistant coaching positions at Columbia University, Dartmouth College, the University of New Hampshire, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Bain played college basketball at Northeastern University where he was named America East Rookie of the Year in 1999, served as team captain in his junior and senior years, and received All-America East honors in 2002.

On this episode Mike & Jean discuss how pickup games, mentors and years of unpaid assistant work shaped the coa...

Aaron Jacobs is entering his first season as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Rockford University.  Jacobs previously served as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at North Park University.

Prior to North Park, Jacobs served as an assistant coach at Wabash College from 2022-24.  Jacobs began his collegiate coaching career at Wisconsin Lutheran College during the 2021-22 season.

As a student-athlete, Jacobs competed at Holy Family College from 2017-20, where he helped lead the program to the best record in school history and its first national tournament appearance in 2020. Jacobs later attended Lake...

On this episode Mike & Jason react to the first week of the NBA season and its wave of injuries. They ask whether the cause is AAU basketball, wear and tear, or just heavier media coverage. Then they go team by team through the big injuries: Orlando losing Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, Oklahoma City losing Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, Minnesota's Anthony Edwards sidelined for two months, Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely, and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s torn MCL in Utah. They then cover Utah's slow start and the big four rookies, Miami's shooting and spacing problems around Giannis, and...

Mike Grey is the co-founder of Bravara, a youth sports league management tool that streamlines evaluations, team building, scheduling, communications, and player development.

On this episode Mike and Mike discuss how technology can improve the youth sports experience for coaches, players, families, and league administrators. Grey explains how digital evaluations and team-building tools can reduce paperwork, address rating bias, and help create more balanced basketball teams. The conversation also covers scheduling tools designed to account for coach and parent conflicts, player availability, venues, and rescheduling needs. Grey describes Bravara Reps and Playmaker, which coaches can use to...

Dr. John Wiley Bryson is the author of the new book “Billy: Coach. Leader. Legend. Friend.” which tells the story of Billy Hicks, Kentucky’s winningest high school basketball coach.  Billy is the powerful biography of a man whose impact stretched far beyond the scoreboard and into locker rooms, living rooms, and lives across the state of Kentucky.

On this episode Mike & John discuss the life and coaching legacy of Billy Hicks, Kentucky’s all-time winningest high school coach. Bryson explains how research, interviews, and memories from former players, colleagues, and family members came together to tell Hicks’s s...

On this episode Mike & Jason sort the league into tiers and make their wins and losses picks across the standings. They discuss why Oklahoma City and San Antonio look like top contenders, while teams such as the Knicks, Cavaliers, Celtics, and Pistons face a more uncertain path to 50 plus wins. The conversation explores roster questions and high-variance outlooks for teams including Minnesota, Houston, Orlando, Indiana, and Philadelphia. Injuries, depth, roster fit, coaching, and a team’s willingness to compete all emerge as factors that could shift the standings. It’s an argumentative, team-by-team look at who may thrive through the...

Zack Odell is the Founder XCIV.ai  A tool built for high school, middle school, and AAU coaches.  Using XCIV coaches upload film, box scores, or play diagrams. XCIV.AI builds your scouting reports, game plans, and practice schedules.

On this episode Mike & Zack discuss how XCIV.ai can help basketball coaches organize stats, scouting, and player development. Zack shares how keeping box scores and notes for his daughter inspired him to build a tool that turns game data and film observations into searchable scouting insights. He explains how coaches can use those insights to identify opponent te...

Welcome to the 94th edition of the Coach’s Corner Round Table on the Hoop Heads Podcast. Each episode of the Coach’s Corner Round Table will feature our All-Star lineup of guests answering a single basketball question.  A new Coach’s Corner Round Table will drop around the 15th of each month.

October’s Round Table question is:  What’s an idea you picked up outside of basketball that has influenced the way you coach?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

Jerry Buckley – Bishop Kenny (FL) High School

Bob Krizancic – Mentor (OH) High School<...

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss every Western Conference team’s over-under outlook, from title contenders to the bottom of the standings. They debate which teams could exceed expectations and which teams may fall short while breaking down how injuries, player development, roster depth, and team chemistry could shape the seasons of teams like Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Houston, and Minnesota. Both Mike & Jason see Oklahoma City and San Antonio at the top of the conference. They dive into the risks facing the Lakers, Clippers, Grizzlies, and Pelicans. The conversation also explores how fewer teams may be tanking this se...

Jason Mays is the Founder of Cognitecture, a mental performance coaching practice.  Mays coached at the high school level at both Ashland Blazer and Montgomery County High Schools in Kentucky and made 5 state tournaments in 6 seasons as a head coach.

Mays was previously an assistant coach and interim Head Coach at Kentucky Wesleyan after spending two seasons at Valdosta State University. Prior to Valdosta State, Mays spent seven years coaching alongside Head Coach Happy Osborne at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Ky.

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss how athletes and coaches can keep growing through ad...

Mark McGonigal is starting his second season as a Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at Columbia University.  In McGonigal's first season Columbia went 16-12 under Head Coach Kevin Hovde and secured the program’s first winning campaign in 10 years.

Prior to Columbia McGonigal served as an assistant coach at Cornell in 2024-25, where he helped guide the Big Red to a second-place finish in the conference and to the Ivy League Tournament Championship game. McGonigal spent 2016-23 on the staff at his alma mater, Richmond, which included four seasons as Director of Basketball Operations. He was elevated to an...

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss every Eastern Conference team’s over-under outlook, from title contenders to the bottom of the standings. Mike and Jason revisit last season’s predictions before debating which teams could exceed expectations and which may fall short. They examine roster changes, defensive upgrades, depth concerns, injuries, and the uncertainty surrounding teams such as Boston, Cleveland, New York, and Indiana. The hosts also discuss how anti-tanking rules and roster turnover could make the playoff race especially unpredictable. It’s a candid NBA preview for fans looking for team-by-team analysis, betting angles, and bold calls.

John Verduin is the Founder of DYSports, starting the business in 2018 while he was earning his MBA at Seattle University.  DYSports specializes in hosting basketball tournaments designed for boys’ and girls’ youth teams in grades 3 - 11 who are developing their skills. DYSports events are ideal for teams looking to compete against opponents of similar talent, providing an environment where growth and improvement are prioritized.  John grew up in Seattle where he played multiple sports, including football and basketball at Ballard High School. He later continued his basketball journey at Willamette University in Oregon. Through his experiences, both as a player...

Brandon Rhodes is the Senior Vice President and General Manger of Emerging Sports at GameChanger, a technology company that builds simple and powerful products for youth sports teams and their communities.

On this episode Mike & Brandon discuss GameChanger’s growing role in youth basketball and its goal of making the experience better for coaches, parents, players, and club directors. Brandon shares the new tools for capturing full-game video, tracking statistics, generating player insights, and creating highlights that coaches can use for teaching and families can use to celebrate progress. The conversation also explores how GameChanger can reduce ad...

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss the Guardians’ playoff hopes, the Browns’ surprising 2–1 start, and the Cavs’ upcoming season. They then unpack NBA Media Day storylines, including Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers controversy, Brandon Ingram’s injury, and LeBron James’s comments about wanting to play for the Knicks. The hosts debate whether Philadelphia can contend with LeBron, question the fit of its stars, and analyze Jalen Duren’s contract situation and Detroit’s roster construction. They also discuss hit on storylines involving Dennis Schroder, Buddy Hield, Kristaps Porzingis, and Stephen Curry. To close, they continue their state-by-state NBA player rankings, debating...

Xavier Silas is the Men’s Basketball Associate Head Coach and is in his 4th season at Virginia Military Institute.  He has twice been named to the Silver Waves Media Mid Major Coaches watch list as a name to watch as a future head coach at the Division I level.  Silas came to VMI after being an analyst for the University of Missouri men’s basketball program.

During the 2022-23 season, Silas served as head coach of the Guaynabo Mets of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN), the highest professional basketball league in Puerto Rico.

Prior to coac...

Ken King is the author of the new book, Pyramid Scheme - How sport became an empire, why it is collapsing, and how we rebuild the game. Ken is the Executive Director of Calgary Minor Basketball, a non-profit of over 7000 athletes, 1500 coaches, and 300 officials. He is also the Principle/Founder of Boost Innovation Inc., a Calgary-based technology company building a portfolio of sport performance and coaching applications. He holds fifteen years of experience in high-performance collegiate basketball coaching and government affairs connected to Canadian sport. King’s work sits at the intersection of sport technology, athlete development, and systems de...

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss Kawhi Leonard’s surprising $115 million extension with the Toronto Raptors and the fallout it leaves behind for the Clippers. They question whether Toronto can contend with Kawhi’s injury history and whether Los Angeles received enough in return for a franchise-altering star. The conversation then turns to Jalen Duren’s contract demands and whether Detroit’s core of Duren, Cade Cunningham, and Ausar Thompson can succeed in the playoffs. They also evaluate young players and rising teams, including Amen Thompson, Keyonte George, the Utah Jazz, and the NBA’s upcoming rookie class. The episode cl...

Michael Martinez is an overseas professional basketball player who currently competes  internationally in Columbia. Michael has also built a bilingual following of 275K+ across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat, posting training, game day, and everyday content in English and Spanish.

On this episode Mike and Michael discuss how disciplined training, careful shot tracking, and his father’s guidance helped him develop from a young basketball player into a professional athlete. He explains how making more than 150,000 shots during COVID, practicing with purpose, and maintaining a “next shot” mindset changed his trajectory. The conversation also explores the importance of AAU...

Welcome to the 93rd edition of the Coach’s Corner Round Table on the Hoop Heads Podcast. Each episode of the Coach’s Corner Round Table will feature our All-Star lineup of guests answering a single basketball question.  A new Coach’s Corner Round Table will drop around the 15th of each month.

September’s Round Table question is:  What’s something about winning that you understand differently now than you did when you first became a coach?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss a slow NBA news week, including potential league expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas and which Western Conference team might move east. They criticize the confusing and expensive ways fans must access local NBA games, arguing that a reasonably priced League Pass-style package would be a better solution. The hosts examine Steve Ballmer’s decision not to challenge the NBA’s punishment of the Clippers and debate what the franchise’s future looks like without full ownership of its draft picks. They continue ranking the best NBA players from each state, selecting players such a...

Bill Taylor is the author of the book, Managing Sports Conflict, and the founder of the Sports Conflict Lab which helps sports professionals navigate conflict, elevate leadership, and build cultures that win with integrity.

Over a remarkable 28-year coaching career in track & field and cross country, including 22 years as a collegiate head coach and administrator,  Bill’s leadership has produced a National Championship (NAIA), 16 Conference Titles (12 NCAA Division I, 4 NAIA), and 28 Coach of the Year honors.

On this episode Mike & Bill discuss why conflict is unavoidable in sports and relationships. Taylor explains how a difficult con...

Nick Nichay is entering his first season at Dartmouth College as a Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach under Brett McConnell.  Nick previously served as the Head Coach at D3 Franklin & Marshall College for seven seasons where he led the Diplomats to consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2025 and 2026. Nichay was elevated to head coach in the spring of 2020. He served as the Interim Head Coach at the start of the 2019-20 season after spending the previous seven seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with Franklin & Marshall.

Prior to arriving at Franklin & Marshall, Nichay spent two...

On this episode Mike & Jason discuss the Clippers/Kawhi Fiasco from every angle, but Kawhi escaping any real punishment is the most shocking aspect of the entire situation. Next, they discuss Ben Simmons signing with the Kings and how far his star has fallen from his early years in the league. Following that, Mike and Jason talk Rockets and the Amen Thompson Rookie Scale Contract extension. They wrap the episode with some quick Cleveland Browns predictions before choosing the best NBA players from Alabama and Alaska.

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Andre Jackson is the producer and director of the documentary Beyond Banners which follows sixty years of Gwynn Park High School basketball, a powerhouse public school program in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  The doc begins as the story of one basketball program and grows into an examination of  what is happening to high school sports on a national level. As school choice, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, and unrestricted transfers change high school sports, the film asks what communities lose when the players who once carried their traditions leave and go elsewhere.

On this episode Mike...

The 26th edition of “The Triple Double” with Rob Brost, Bolingbrook (IL) High School Boys’ Basketball Head Coach. Rob, Mike, & Jason hit on three basketball topics in each episode of “The Triple Double”.

Website - https://schools.snap.app/bolingbrook...

On this episode Mike & Jason grade each Western Conference team's off-season moves and breakdown their current depth chart as the summer winds down.

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Rommel Corro is the Head Coach and General Manager of the Austin Bats of the American Basketball Association.  He led the Bats to the ABA Championship in the 2025 - 2026 season.  Corro was named the 4th head coach of the Austin Bats in 2018, taking over after the team reached the 2017–2018 ABA Finals.

Originally from the Philippines, Corro played high school varsity basketball in Lamar, Missouri, and is a U.S. Army veteran. Prior to joining the Bats, Corro brought eighteen-plus years of basketball coaching experience, most of it in high-level amateur competition, winning various tournaments and league championships, as w...

Danny Servick founded Pro One Sports in 2003 and built the company into one of the top global agencies in the business. Danny served as an NBA and FIBA agent, provided scouting services for top teams all over Europe, and helped players and coaches all over the world.

Servick ran day-to-day operations for Pro One in the U.S. where he specialized in scouting, recruiting, contract research, negotiations, and draft preparation. He also oversaw player development programs, creating and implementing comprehensive training programs for draft prospects and free agents.

In addition to making an impact on...

On this episode Mike & Jason grade each Eastern Conference team's off-season moves and breakdown their current depth chart as the summer winds down.

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Linda Martindale is the Founder of Martindale Coaching where she works with athletes on their mental fitness. Linda has been a head varsity basketball coach for both girls and boys, most recently as the boys’ varsity basketball head coach at Lincoln-Sudbury High School in Massachusetts. She is also the host of the Game Changers podcast and a non-profit board member.

Linda played college basketball at Alaska-Anchorage and The University of Arizona. She has 4 children who have all been college athletes.

On this episode Mike & Linda discuss the integration of mental fitness into athletic development. Martindale st...

CJ Armitage spent last season as a Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at Simpson College before stepping away from coaching to take a teaching position in Boulder, Colorado.

Armitage previously served as a graduate assistant at the University of Colorado during the 24-25 season following three years as a team manager. While at Colorado, he was part of the program’s winningest season in 2023-24 (26-11). The Buffaloes won two NCAA Tournament games.

Prior to his time in Boulder, Armitage coached high school basketball at International School Bangkok. He has also worked with USA Basketball’s U16...

Welcome to the 92nd edition of the Coach’s Corner Round Table on the Hoop Heads Podcast. Each episode of the Coach’s Corner Round Table will feature our All-Star lineup of guests answering a single basketball question. A new Coach’s Corner Round Table will drop around the 15th of each month.

August’s Round Table question is: If every coach in the country had to copy one thing from your program, what would you want it to be?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

Calvin Booth is the Founder of Standard Front Office and the former General Manager of the Denver Nuggets where he helped build the 2023 NBA Championship Team. Standard Front Office is a real-time, expert-built evaluation of the college basketball player market that is delivered to every program on equal terms.

Calvin has served in NBA scouting and front office positions for the New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets, eventually being named general manager of the Nuggets in 2020.

Booth began his front office career after playing 10 years in the NBA. He played his college basketball...

On this episode Mike & Jason are back after nearly a month to discuss LeBron's decision to join the Sixers. We look at how he fits in Philly: the great theoretical starting five, the injury risk, and the very questionable bench led by Dean Wade. Next up, a conversation about the teams that either didn't want (OKC, Spurs, Knicks) or didn't get (Cavs, Heat, Warriors) LeBron. After that, a quick look at the schedule on Opening Night and Christmas Day and which games we like most and why. The episode wraps with Mike choosing a team on the 82-0 app...

Will Marchino is entering his first season as a Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach at the University of Louisiana Monroe. He spent the past three seasons as the head coach at Seward County Community College. He led the Saints to their second consecutive 20+-win season in 2025-26, recording a 57-39 overall record.

Marchino previously spent a season at Washburn as an assistant coach. He began his first stint at Seward in 2020, where he helped the Saints to four Top 25 wins and a finish in the Region VI semifinals.

Marchino spent the 2018 to 2020 seasons at Grand Vi...

Nick Friedman is entering his second season as a Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at Wake Forest University. He previously served in numerous NBA and G-League coaching roles including four seasons as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets.

Friedman has also worked with the Capital City Go-Go, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Northern Arizona Suns, Maine Celtics, and the University of Miami during his coaching career.

Since 2017, Friedman has served as the associate head coach for the Haitian National Team and this summer as the newly appointed head coach, led the team to their first ev...

Matt Rogers is the Founder and CEO of Significant Coaching & Recruiting, where he advises student-athletes and families, consults with college athletic programs, and speaks on recruiting, leadership, and personal development. Over a coaching career spanning more than 25 years, he has led men’s and women’s college basketball programs, guided teams to NCAA Tournament appearances, earned multiple conference Coach of the Year honors, and helped transition Maryville University from NCAA Division III to Division II. Rogers also spent nearly nine years with NCSA, where he helped more than 4,000 student-athletes across 34 sports earn opportunities to compete at all five collegiate leve...