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On this episode Mike and Jason discuss the Tuesday night Game 2 wins by the Sixers over the Celtics and the Blazers over the Spurs. Why does Boston keep firing threes? When will Wemby be able to return after his concussion? Next they look at the Cavs 2-0 lead over the Raptors, the Nuggets/Timberwolves battle, and the Knicks issues vs the Hawks. Finally, they talk about the resurgent Magic taking Game 1 from the Pistons, OKC routing the Suns, and why the Lakers might actually be able to beat the Rockets even without Luka and Reaves.

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Marcus Kahn is the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Mary Washington where he just led the Eagles to the 2026 NCAA Division Three Men’s Basketball Championship in Indianapolis. Kahn also took the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament second round in 2023 and the sweet 16 in 2025.

Prior to Mary Washington Kahn posted a 153-27 record in six seasons at Cabrini College, including five consecutive Colonial States Athletic Conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the NCAA Championship game in 2011-12. His mark of 131-19 over those five years was the best record in a...

Welcome to the 88th 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.

April’s Round Table question is: What is an untapped area of player development that you've started to spend more time working on with your players?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

On this episode Mike and Jason discuss the last day of the season oddities that shifted some of the play-off seeding before diving into a breakdown of the Play-In games in both conferences. They wrap up with quick predictions for each of the first round series that are already locked in: Cavs-Raptors, Hawks-Knicks, Nuggets-Wolves and Rockets-Lakers.

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Give With Hoops is a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams who see data as opportunity, from AAU programs to college powerhouses. By tying on-court...

Fonzo Martinez is the Boys’ Basketball Head Coach at McKinney Christian (TX) Academy where he led the Mustangs to a Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools 4A State Championship in 2026. With over a decade of coaching experience, including five years at McKinney Christian, Martinez is the winningest coach in school history.

Fonzo previously served as the Head Coach at Flower Mound (TX) Coram Deo, where he also became the winningest coach in school history. Over his career, he has helped lead teams to five district championships, four state tournament appearances, and two state titles. He has be...

Austen Hurley is a high school basketball coach in South Dakota. Austen has served as a head coach at Parker (SD) High School and as an assistant coach at Tea (SD) High School where he helped the team make three consecutive South Dakota State Basketball Championship Appearances and win 2 South Dakota State Championships. He was named assistant coach of the year in 2019. At the time of this episode Austen is currently searching for a new head coaching position.

On this episode Mike and Austen discuss the importance of fostering positive relationships with players, emphasizing the need for...

On this episode Mike is joined by Arapahoe (CO) High School Assistant Coach Erik Buehler to talk about the Nuggets' Playoff chances, why Jokic should win the MVP, and the improvement in the Nugget's bench this season. Next, they look at all the potential playoff matchups in the West. The conversation covers the Eastern Conference playoff picture including the impact of James Harden on the Cavs, the potential of the Boston Celtics, Joel Embiid's health and the importance of coaching in the playoffs.

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Freddie Owens is the author of the book “Echoes of Stark Park” which tells his story of basketball, community, and faith. Owens takes readers from the heart of Milwaukee’s north side to the pressure of the Big Ten and the isolation of professional basketball overseas, revealing the lessons that shaped him far beyond the game.

Freddie is a veteran NCAA Division I coach with over 20 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience, including stints at Oregon State, Iowa State, Montana and Holy Cross.

As a player at Wisconsin, Owens delivered one of the most iconic...

Mark Cascio is the Director of Coach Development at SAVI Coaching where he has partnered up with Founder Tyler Coston to provide community, courses, and consulting to coaches across the world.

Mark is a championship basketball coach with eighteen years of coaching experience at the both the high school and college level. During this time, his teams have won eight district titles, appeared in five Final Fours, and won a State Title in 2012. He was a head coach at the age of 21 and was the youngest coach to win a state championship in Louisiana at the age...

On this episode of the Hoop Heads Podcast Mike and Jason celebrate April Fool's Day by discussing some teams and players that had us fooled this NBA season including Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, Kon Knueppel and the Hornets, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, Doc Rivers and the Bucks, Evan Mobley, Zion Williamson, plus Matt Ishbia and the Suns.

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Kevin Connors is the Managing Director at Susan Crown Exchange, where he oversees grantmaking, leads new initiatives, and co-develops organizational strategy.

Kevin has helped lead the Million Coaches Challenge, a national initiative launched by the Susan Crown Exchange in 2021 to transform youth sports by training one million coaches in evidence-based youth development practices. Backed by 18+ partners, including the Aspen Institute’s Project Play and research led by the American Institutes for Research, the Million Coaches Challenge is transforming youth sports by equipping coaches with the information and tools to create positive, inclusive environments that help young people bu...

Karl Barkley is the founder of D3Direct. D3Direct exists to share the stories of NCAA Division 3 student-athletes and explore their journeys from recruit to the real world.

D3 Direct is the go-to source for info & advice on D3 recruiting, admissions, and post-grad ventures.Karl speaks directly to D3 student-athletes and coaches to learn about their college experiences and share those takeaways through the D3Direct Platform.

Karl played his collegiate basketball at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania where he was a team captain for two seasons.

On this episode Mike and Karl...

On this episode of the Hoop Heads Podcast Mike and Jason discuss the red hot Hawks and Lakers while trying to figure out if role player Lebron is sustainable into the playoffs. Next, they talk about Cade Cunningham's collapsed lung and the possibility that there could be a silver lining for the Pistons. After that they take a closer look at Wemby and the Spurs' chances of winning the NBA Title followed by some speculation on where Giannis may end up next season. They wrap up with a quick discussion of Ant's injury and Reed Sheppard joining the starting...

The 24th 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”.

Ryan Kilbane just completed his first season as the Boys’ Basketball Head Coach at Strongsville High School in the state of Ohio.

Prior to Strongsville Kilbane spent the previous seven seasons at Brunswick High School as the junior varsity head basketball coach (117-35 overall record) and an assistant coach on the varsity staff for Coach Joe Mackey. He also held those same positions at Strongsville High School for five seasons prior to his coaching experience at Brunswick.

On this episode Mike & Ryan discuss why the foundation of a successful team lies in the connections formed am...

On this episode of the Hoop Heads Podcast Mike goes Han Solo to share his thoughts on 5 NBA topics.

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Welcome to the 87th 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.

March’s Round Table question is: When players look back years later, what do you hope they remember most about playing for you?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

Edwin B. Henderson II is the author of the book, The Grandfather of Black Basketball: The Life and Times of Dr. E. B. Henderson. Henderson is the grandson and namesake of Dr. E. B. Henderson who organized the first athletic league for Blacks, introduced basketball to Black people on a wide-scale, organized basis, and founded associations to train and organize Black officials and referees. He also wrote and co-edited the first Spalding publication that highlighted the exploits of African American participation in sports and authored The Negro in Sports. Outside of athletics, Henderson was instrumental in founding the first...

On this episode of the Hoop Heads Podcast Mike and Jason discuss Bam Adebayo's 83 point game against the tanking Wizards. Next, they analyze the impact of Jayson Tatum's return on the East playoff picture, before breaking down the SGA, Jokic, Wemby 3 man MVP race.

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Give With Hoops is a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams who see data as opportunity, from AAU programs to college powerhouses. By tying on-court performance directly to community and sponsor engagement, Give With Hoops help programs...

Matthew Bowman and Wayne LeCheminant are the co-authors of the new book, Game Changers: AJ Dybantsa, BYU, and the Struggle for the Soul of Basketball.

In one of the most unlikely coups in college basketball history, a religious school in Utah signed basketball phenomenon AJ Dybantsa. He will play for Brigham Young University - hardly the sort of basketball powerhouse that typically attracts exceptional and non-Mormon players like him.

Game Changers explores how BYU managed this stunning feat. A year before signing Dybantsa, the university lured coaching star Kevin Young from the NBA to run...

Zach Brandon is the founder of MVP Mindset Consulting and a trusted advisor for professional athletes, coaches, executives, and organizations seeking to maximize performance and build sustainable cultures of excellence. Zach previously served as the Mental Skills Coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2018 – 2025 where he oversaw mental performance services for players and staff across all levels of the organization. His focus was on helping players and coaches achieve peak performance consistently, while also increasing their enjoyment and satisfaction in sport and life.

Prior to his work in professional baseball, Zach served as a Mental Conditioning Coach at IM...

On this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the matchups they'd most like to see in both conferences come playoff time in April and May. Hornets-Pistons in the East and Nuggets-Spurs in the West top both their lists. For second choices in each conference Mike goes Knicks-Pistons, Nuggets-Wolves, while Jason goes Knicks-Celtics, Wolves-Thunder. They wrap up the pod by discussing the returns of Trae Young and Giannis along with a quick conversation on Luka's chances of ever winning a title as his team's best player.

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Nick Haber is in his second season as the Girls’ Junior Varsity Basketball Coach at Strongsville High School in the state of Ohio. He has led the Mustang JV team to back to back winning seasons. As a young coach Nick has been focused on learning the fundamentals of coaching while teaching his players the importance of accountability and teamwork.

On this episode Mike & Nick discuss the importance of being a coachable young coach and how he tries to create a supportive team environment for both players and coaches alike. Nick shares his commitment to nurturing accountability an...

Mike Jagacki is a Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at SUNY New Paltz where he helped lead the Hawks to the NCAA D3 Tournament in 2024 and to the SUNYAC Tournament in each of his 4 seasons. Prior to arriving at New Paltz, Jagacki spent 3 years as a Video Coordinator and Assistant Coach for the Women’s Basketball Program at Hofstra University helping the Pride to a Semi-Final appearance in the CAA Tournament and the first Top 5 conference finish in 5 years.

Before Hofstra, Mike spent time as Boys’ Basketball Associate Head Coach at Combine Academy, a Post-Grad program in North...

On this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the the biggest weaknesses for each of the four Eastern Conference Contenders: the Cavs, Pistons, Knicks, and Celtics. Next they breakdown the possibility that Wemby's career could surpass that of Nikola Jokic before looking at the Spurs chances of reaching this year's NBA Finals. They wrap up the pod with a quick discussion of which teams could realistically win the West.

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Caleb South is currently the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach at Troy High School in the state of Ohio. He also is the founder of CPS Training where he has trained more than 50 D1 and D2 athletes.

Caleb previously served as the Girls’ Varsity Basketball Head Coach at his alma mater Bethel High School where his team won their first league title in 36 years and went 28-19 during his two seasons as the head coach. He began his coaching career at Tri Village High School as a varsity assistant.

Caleb scored 1,700 points as a high scho...

Andrew Spalter is the Founder and CEO of East Goes Global, an international operating partner that helps the world’s leading teams, talent, and brands expand, operate, and monetize across global markets.

East Goes Global serves as the international operating partner for over 20% of the NBA, supporting teams including the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and New Orleans Pelicans, as well as a roster of elite NBA talent spanning multiple eras of the league from legends like Dwyane Wade and Tracy McGrady to today’s international superstars, including Kevin Dura...

On this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the highs and lows of NBA All-Star weekend including the unexpected early start times, the lack of stars in the dunk contest, participants who haven't played this season (Dame this year/Mac McClung last year), Wemby bringing the intensity, Kawhi's 31, KAT's help defense, the USA vs World, the 4 "games" format, and the one tanking question that the NBA has to answer moving forward.

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Give With Hoops

Give With Hoops is a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams...

Welcome to the 86th 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.

February’s Round Table question is: How do you make sure your culture shows up when you’re not in the gym?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

Jordan Stasyszyn and Alexa Barbush run Unleashed Potential, a skill development program based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Jordan is Carlisle High Schools fourth all-time leading scorer with over 1,600 points and a Big 15 Selection. He played Division 1 basketball at Fairleigh Dickinson before transferring to play at Shippensburg University, where he graduated from with a Bachelors in Communications and Public Relations. He furthered his education by completing his Masters from LaSalle University in Professional and Business Communication.

Alexa was an All-State and Big 15 Selection at Trinity High School. She played at Franklin & Marshall College where she compiled an...

On this episode, Mike and Jason discuss James Harden's first two games a Cleveland Cavalier which included wins over the Kings and Nuggets. Next, they dive into the Pistons-Hornets Brawl in Charlotte and wonder how long Beef Stew will be suspended. After that, Mike and Jason make predictions for All-Star Saturday night and share their thoughts on this year's All-Star Game format. Finally, they talk tank-a-thon and what the NBA might be able to do stop teams from losing on purpose.

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Chris Boucher is the author of the new book, “Harry “Bucky” Lew: A Biography of Basketball’s First Black Professional” The book tells the story of how Harry “Bucky” Lew leapt over pro basketball’s color wall in 1902 and continued to integrate every single role in the game over the next 25 years. He was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and franchise owner in otherwise white leagues. His accomplishments were well documented in the newspapers of his day, but he has largely been forgotten, despite his assist to the Dodgers in finding a home for their first Black players in the U...

Chris Hicks is the operations manager for Midwest Basketball Club in the state of Ohio. He also serves as the Event Director for Bleacher Prospects, which specializes in covering all levels of High School and AAU basketball while providing exposure for young athletes across the Midwest.

On this episode Mike & Chris discuss the vital role of advocacy in the development of young players and the need for dedicated support systems that empower youth players to navigate their athletic journeys effectively. Throughout the discussion, we delve into the intricacies of player evaluation, recruitment strategies, and the collaborative efforts...

On this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the James Harden for Darius Garland trade between the Clippers and Cavaliers. They try to wrap their heads around why the Cavs would trade for Harden, their ceiling with Harden on the team, and if the Cavs can somehow pull off another trade for Giannis.

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Give With Hoops

Give With Hoops is a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams who see data as opportunity, from AAU programs to college powerhouses. By tying on-court performance directly to community...

The 23rd 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://il.8to18.com/bolingbrook/athletics/basketball/b/v

Email - raidershoops@comcast.net

Twitter...

Ethan Stewart-Smith is in his 11th season as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Washington & Jefferson College. Faced with the task of rebuilding the program from the ground up when he took over in 2015, the Presidents have enjoyed great success with five winning seasons in the past six. W&J has twice finished the regular season atop of the PAC. The Presidents captured the 2021-22 PAC Tournament title and reached the finals again in 2024-25.

Stewart-Smith joined W&J after a successful season as an assistant at Carnegie Mellon University in 2014-15. Prior to that, he sp...

On this episode, Mike and Jason look back at the Eastern Conference preseason over/unders and discuss each East team as the season heads toward the All-Star Game in two weeks.

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Give With Hoops

Give With Hoops is a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams who see data as opportunity, from AAU programs to college powerhouses. By tying on-court performance directly to community and sponsor engagement, Give With Hoops help programs raise more while deepening support from those who believe in the game.

Jason Sacks is the CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance. He joined the organization in April 2006 and has since served in a variety of capacities, including President, Chief Development Officer, EVP for Business Development & Philanthropy, Director of Partnership Development, and as Executive Director of PCA’s Chicago, IL chapter. Jason began his career at PCA as the Partner Development Associate for the New Jersey/Philadelphia region. Under his leadership, PCA has successfully expanded its reach and impact through partnerships and attracting leading philanthropic organizations to support PCA’s commitment to ensuring youth sports are done right in all communities across the...

Jay Paterno currently heads Blue Line 409 LLC which runs ventures in business, television, radio, public speaking and consults on philanthropy, social media and public relations/ marketing. Since 2020 he has consulted in college sports and notably was one of the nation's first consultants in the new area of Name, Image and Likeness for college student-athletes. In 2022 he co-founded Penn State's NIL Collective "Success With Honor" to coordinate NIL efforts for all of Penn State's 31 sports teams.

​Paterno is the best-selling author of Paterno Legacy; Enduring Lessons from the Life and Death of My Father. He followed that up wi...

Travis McAvene is the Global Basketball Grassroots Director for Big Baller Brand (BBB) where he is responsible for developing basketball clinics, All-Star games and AAU tournaments across the United States and Internationally. McAvene has 27 years of high level basketball coaching experience at the prep school, college and overseas professional level.

Since 2012, McAvene has coached in the following countries at the professional level; Taiwan, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, Lebanon, Tonga, Belize and Mexico. During this time, his teams have won Championships in Taiwan, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Tonga and Mexico.

McAvene started his coaching career in 1998...