NBA Draft Junkies Podcast

Tonight is all about your questions.

Rafael and James are going LIVE on YouTube and Facebook for an NBA Draft Junkies Mailbag, taking questions directly from the audience about the 2027 NBA Draft and more.

Which prospects are we too high or too low on? Who are the potential sleepers? Which returning players could make a major jump? Which freshmen could emerge as lottery picks? And who belongs in the conversation at the top of the draft?

There’s no set prospect tonight. You control the conversation. Drop your questions in the live chat, gi...

Tounde Yessoufou entered college with plenty of expectations as a McDonald’s All-American, and it didn't take long for him to establish himself as one of the country's most productive freshmen. Yessoufou averaged 17.8 points per game at Baylor and set the program's freshman single-season scoring record, showing the physicality, athleticism and scoring ability that had made him such a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school.

But instead of making the jump to the NBA, Yessoufou is returning to college and beginning a new chapter at St. John’s. After becoming one of the most coveted play...

North Carolina freshman Sayon Keita enters the 2026–27 season as one of the more intriguing young big men to watch in the 2027 NBA Draft. The seven-footer from Mali arrives in Chapel Hill after developing in FC Barcelona’s youth system, where he was able to gain valuable experience in one of the best developmental environments in European basketball, including opportunities around Barcelona’s senior team and minutes against professional competition.

What makes Keita especially interesting from an NBA Draft perspective is the combination of size, youth, experience and long-term upside. He will still be only 19 years old around the ti...

Timestamps

00:42 — Rafael's first time watching Monta Ellis play

04:03 — Why Monta wanted to become GM of Alcorn State men's basketball

05:55 — The golden era of Mississippi basketball in the '90s and early 2000s

08:03 — Monta's game, his development on Mississippi playgrounds & his early Golden State Warriors years

10:05 — How Monta's basketball experience prepared him for the Alcorn State GM role

15:19 — How NIL has changed college sports and the recruiting landscape

19:00 — Balancing roster building, fundraising & improving Alcorn State's basketball facilities

23:15 — How being the father of a high-level you...

J.J. Andrews has done a lot of winning.

The Arkansas freshman arrives in Fayetteville after a decorated high school and grassroots career that included multiple state championships and back-to-back Peach Jam titles with Brad Beal Elite. He was also named the 2025 Nike EYBL MVP.

His high school is even more impressive. As a senior at Little Rock Christian Academy, Andrews averaged 30.7 points, 16.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists, while adding 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per game and shooting 62% from the floor.

Add in his positional size, athleticism, physicality and winning background, and there's an obvious question...

Patrick Ngongba II entered his sophomore season needing to prove he could take a significant step forward...and that's exactly what he did.

After averaging just 3.9 points as a freshman, the Duke center jumped to 10.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 60.5% from the field. His season was interrupted by a foot injury in February, however, raising an interesting question about what his draft decision might have looked like had he remained healthy while playing some of his best basketball.

Rafael already viewed Ngongba as a first-round talent last season. Now he's returning to a...

Quentin Coleman's name has been gaining serious momentum entering his freshman season at Illinois. The 6'4" guard averaged 23.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists as a senior, earned Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year honors and led Principia to a second consecutive state championship. He also helped Brad Beal Elite win the Nike EYBL Peach Jam championship and earned a spot on USA Basketball's U18 national team. Shooting is the obvious attraction. 

Coleman shot 50% from three during his senior season and around 39% during EYBL play.

James believes Coleman has a chance to become Illinois' latest one and done N...

Dylan Mingo enters Baylor as one of the most intriguing guards in the 2027 NBA Draft conversation. The former five-star recruit starred for the legendary PSA Cardinals on the Nike EYBL circuit and his combination of size, length, ball handling and offensive creativity makes him an especially interesting NBA projection.

Mingo originally committed to North Carolina under Hubert Davis before reopening his recruitment following UNC's coaching change and ultimately choosing Baylor, where he'll now play alongside his older brother Kayden.

On NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James break down Mingo's game, his position at the...

Motiejus Krivas has the size of an old-school center, but there may be more skill to his game than his numbers suggest.

The 7'2", 260-pound Arizona big man averaged roughly 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in only 25 minutes per game last season. But Rafael believes those numbers don't fully capture Krivas' talent—and thinks he has the ability to make a significant leap and establish himself as one of the most dominant interior forces in college basketball.

On NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James break down Krivas' offensive skill, interior presence and NBA pr...

Amari Allen wasn't one of the most hyped freshmen entering last season, but it didn't take long for the Alabama forward to get the attention of NBA scouts. Allen averaged 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists, earned SEC All-Freshman honors and finished sixth in the conference in rebounding.

His versatility was enough for Rafael and James to view him as a first-round talent.

Then came the NBA Draft Combine.

After Alabama listed Allen at 6'8", his measurements created an entirely different conversation about his positional projection. But should a measurement change what scouts already saw on...

Thomas Haugh has been viewed as a potential NBA Draft pick for multiple seasons thanks to his positional size, skill and versatility. But after twice deciding to remain at Florida, Haugh enters another season facing a very different question: Is there anything left for him to prove?

On NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James break down Haugh's NBA projection, what another year at Florida could add to his résumé and how teams will evaluate him as an older prospect. We also tackle the bigger draft philosophy question: Can a player stay in college too long an...

Braylon Mullins entered UConn with NBA positional size and a reputation as one of the best shooters in his class. The 6'6" wing showed flashes during a solid freshman season, but his 33% shooting from three fell short of expectations as ankle issues disrupted his year.

After considering the 2026 NBA Draft and ultimately returning to UConn, Mullins now has an opportunity to remind scouts why his shooting made him such an intriguing NBA prospect in the first place.

On NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James discuss how much stock we should put into Mullins' freshman...

Tyler Tanner went from averaging just 5.7 points as a freshman to becoming one of the best guards in college basketball as a sophomore. The Vanderbilt point guard exploded for 19.5 points, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game, earning First-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive honors while putting himself firmly on the NBA Draft radar. 

After testing the 2026 NBA Draft process, Tanner ultimately withdrew and elected to return to Vanderbilt for his junior season. But that creates an interesting question: How much higher can his draft stock actually go?

Tanner can become a better shooter, playmaker, scorer and defender, b...

For years, Baba Oladotun has been viewed as one of the most talented prospects in his class. The skilled forward emerged as an elite recruit early in high school, spent time in the conversation for the No. 1 player in his class and even drew Kevin Durant comparisons because of his combination of size, perimeter skill and shot-making.

Those comparisons only became louder when Oladotun suited up for Team Durant on the Nike EYBL circuit. But as his high school career progressed, other prospects began passing him in the rankings and some of the enormous early hype surrounding...

Maximo Adams enters North Carolina as a highly regarded freshman, but James believes the 6'7" forward is being underrated as an NBA prospect — and could ultimately play his way into the lottery of the 2027 NBA Draft. 

The former Sierra Canyon standout broke out on the EYBL circuit, earned McDonald’s All-American honors and now heads to Chapel Hill for his freshman season. On NBA Draft Junkies Live, James makes his case for Adams as a one-and-done prospect while Rafael pushes back and plays devil’s advocate. We break down Adams’ game, his NBA strengths and weaknesses, what he needs...

James has been telling me for months that Alex Wilkins is one of the most underrated prospects in the 2027 NBA Draft — now it’s time to put that take on the record.

The 6'6" sophomore guard went from an under-the-radar recruit to averaging 17.8 points and 4.7 assists as a freshman at Furman before transferring to Kentucky. 

He also introduced himself to a national audience in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 21 points with four assists and four made threes against UConn. Now James believes Wilkins could emerge as one of the biggest sleepers in the 2027 NBA Draft. 

On N...

Arkansas freshman Miikka Muurinen might be one of the most fascinating evaluations in the 2027 NBA Draft. 

The Finnish forward has the size, athleticism, motor and defensive tools to produce highlight-reel plays and quickly become a fan favorite. But beyond the dunks, blocks and flashes, there’s a much bigger question: How much game does Miikka Muurinen actually have right now? 

After a season overseas where consistent playing time was difficult to find, Muurinen arrives at Arkansas with an opportunity to finally show what his game looks like with a significant role. 

On NBA Draft...

Michigan’s Brandon McCoy Jr. enters the season as one of the most physically gifted prospects in the 2027 NBA Draft. At 6’5” with a 6’10” wingspan, McCoy brings elite athleticism, defensive potential and physical tools that immediately stand out. But just how high can those tools take him, and could the development of his jump shot unlock another level to his NBA ceiling? 

On NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James break down McCoy’s game, debate whether he’s the best athlete in the class and compare his long-term potential with fellow elite guard prospect Jordan Smith Jr. 

How big is...

Ohio State freshman Anthony Thompson is already projected as a potential top-10 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, but should we be talking about him even higher?

At 6’9”, 215 pounds, Thompson brings an intriguing combination of size, athleticism and skill. He can handle the ball, create offense and knock down shots from the perimeter.

In a wide-open 2027 draft class, Rafael believes Thompson deserves to be mentioned as a legitimate candidate for the No. 1 pick.

Tonight on NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James break down Thompson’s game, his NBA upside, what he still needs to pro...

Bruce Branch has spent the past few years playing alongside some of the best prospects in basketball. He played with Koa Peat at Perry High School before joining Caleb Holt at Prolific Prep. Now, the 6’7” BYU freshman gets his opportunity to be the guy. Maybe.... 

In this episode of NBA Draft Junkies Live, Rafael and James break down Branch’s game, if he'll get to be the main guy in a featured role, and what a successful freshman season should look like. With BYU coming off consecutive lottery picks in Egor Demin and AJ Dybantsa, could Branch make it...

Arizona freshman Caleb Holt enters the season as one of the most highly regarded prospects in the 2027 NBA Draft. The 6’5”, 215-pound guard was a McDonald’s All-American, co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game and has won three gold medals with Team USA.

Holt’s athleticism, defense, rebounding, motor and ability to impact winning are easy to buy. The bigger questions are what his offensive role looks like at the NBA level.

Does he shoot it well enough to play primarily off the ball? Is he a good enough creator and decision-maker to become a point guar...

Arkansas enters the season with the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class and several highly touted NBA prospects, but James believes one of the most overlooked players in the group could ultimately emerge as a top-10 pick: Abdou Toure. In this episode, recorded live on YouTube with interaction from viewers in the comments, Rafael and James break down Toure’s game, his impressive scoring résumé and what first put him on the radar at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. Is James ahead of the curve with his top-10 prediction, or is he too high on one of the biggest wild c...

Tyran Stokes has been considered one of the top players in his class for years, but as he heads to Kansas, the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft is wide open.

In this episode, recorded live on YouTube with questions and interaction from viewers in the comments, Rafael and James break down Stokes’ game, make the case for and against him as the top prospect in the class, and discuss what could ultimately determine whether he hears his name called first on draft night.

#TyranStokes #2027NBADraft #NBADraft #NBADraft2027 #KansasBasketball #KUBasketball #Roc...

Alijah Arenas entered college as one of the most talented young guards in the country, but his freshman season was anything but normal. After recovering from a serious car accident and then undergoing knee surgery, Arenas didn't have a traditional offseason or preseason before eventually returning to the court. When he did play, the results were mixed. There were flashes of high-level shot creation and scoring ability, but also significant concerns about his efficiency, shot selection and decision-making. So what should NBA scouts actually take away from his freshman season? In this episode, Rafael and James debate whether Arenas...

The Barlowe brothers are back with a full breakdown of the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup after Team USA rolled to a gold medal, winning every game by an average of 46 points. Rafael and James discuss what stood out from Team USA’s dominant run while evaluating some of the tournament’s biggest NBA prospects, including Duke commit Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje , Beckham Black, A.J. Williams, C.J. Rosser, and several other rising American stars.

The conversation also shifts overseas as the brothers break down the top international performers from the tournament, including Serbia’s Nikola Kusturica, France’s Nathan...

Rafael and James Barlowe break down Team USA's dominant victory over France in the opening game of the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup, sharing their biggest takeaways from one of the tournament's most anticipated matchups. The Barlowe brothers discuss the standout performances from Team USA, led by point guard Beckham Black, whose impressive all around play showcased why he is considered one of the top young guards in the world. The episode also highlights several of Team USA's top prospects while examining the bright spots for France, including an impressive performance from Nathan Solimon. In addition, Rafael shares his concerns...

Rafael and James Barlowe recap the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, breaking down the biggest surprises, best team fits, and potential Rookie of the Year candidates from draft night. The Barlowe brothers share their thoughts on AJ Dybantsa landing with the Washington Wizards, Darryn Peterson heading to Utah, and debate which rookies are in the best position to make an immediate impact. They also discuss whether Cameron Boozer, Darius Acuff, Caleb Wilson, or Mikel Brown Jr. have the inside track in the Rookie of the Year race. In addition, Rafael and James evaluate several intriguing fits, including Karim...

After spending the season as an international scout for an NBA team, Rafael Barlowe is back behind the mic with his brother James Barlowe for another episode of NBA Draft Junkies.

The brothers examine the "Giannis Effect" and how the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors continues to influence the draft. The Barlowe brothers debate whether AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson deserves to be the No. 1 spot on the 2026 NBA Draft board, and break down their potential fits with the Washington Wizards.

They also examine the Green Room invite list, discuss why Jayden Quaintance and Koa Peat...

Dybantsa 1:01

Boozer 3:33

Peterson 5:16

Wilson 7:15

MBJ 9:24

Quaintance 10:53

Acuff 12:15

Burries 14:20

Wagler 15:42

Felmings 17:36

Mara 19:22

Yaxel 20:33

Swain 21:28

Johnson 22:36

Philon 24:15

Okorie 26:17

Ament 28:04

Carr 30:04

Steinbach 30:57

Anderson 31:43

Lopez 32:27

Peat 33:20

Cenac 35:00

Stirtz 35:50

Thomas 36:40

Graves 37:11

Evans 37:44

Reed 38:21

de larrea 39:06

Veesaar 40:02

In this episode, host James Barlowe gives his analysis of the NBA Draft Lottery results, plus early reactions to official combine measurements and athletic testing results.

In this episode, host James Barlowe talks about the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament with breakdowns of player performances. Dybantsa 2:20 Boozer 5:43 Peterson 8:26 Acuff 12:40 Tanner 15:25 Ament 17:27 Wagler 19:50 Burries 23:15 Mara 24:15 NCAA fans 27:10

In this episode, host James Barlowe talks about the wing depth in the 2026 NBA Draft. AJ 1:51 Swain 9:11 Ament 11:57 Lopez 17:00 Allen 19:28

Peterson 3:22 Wagler 7:45 Carr 13:42 Tounde 17:33 Burries 22:13 Stirtz 25:38

Ngongba 2:00 Johnson 6:04 Mara 8:06 Steinbach 10:56 Quaintance 13:40 Krivas 18:32 Teams that need bigs 19:20

In this episode, host James Barlowe talks about the three man race for PG1 between Mikel Brown Jr, Kingston Flemings, and Darius Acuff Jr.

In this episode, James Barlowe takes you behind the reasoning for his Big Board Vol 2. Peterson 1:15 Boozer 3:22 Dybantsa 4:51 Caleb 8:05 Flemings 10:30 Ngongba 11:56 Wagler 13:48 Mikel Brown 15:03 Jayden Q 16:30 Ament 17:48 Acuff 20:16 Cameron Carr 22:21 Philon 23:56 Peat 24:57 Swain 25:58 Burries 27:55 Yaxel 29:09 Cenac 30:01 Steinbach 31:12 Anderson 31:54 Lopez 34:02 Stirtz 35:21 Tounde 37:20 Morez 38:30 Mullins 38:58 Haugh 39:52 Amari Allen 40:08 Jefferson 41:08 Perrin 41:06 Fears jr 42:52 Tanner 44:25 Bidunga 44:56 Avdalas 45:25 Arenas 45:45

In this episode, host James Barlowe breaks down the race for the number one pick including a breakdown of the highly anticipated head-to-head matchup between Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa.

In this episode, host James Barlowe is joined by Latif Love to talk about how the cold weather could not stop some of the nation's best freshmen from heating up. Flemings 1:20 Wagler 10:57 Dybantsa 22:11 Acuff 36:56 Fears JR 44:58 Mikel Brown 49:54 Caleb Wilson 56:56 Boozer 1:02:00 Ament 1:18:22

In this episode, host James Barlowe checks the temperature of Caleb Wilson, Alijah Arenas, Tyler Tanner and Nate Ament. Arenas 2:07 Wilson 7:58 Tanner 13:37 Ament 17:28

In this episode, James gives you his thought process behind his latest Big Board Peterson 2:08 Dybantsa 3:14 Boozer 4:30 Flemings 6:38 JQ 8:40 Wilson 9:36 Brown jr 11:11 Philon 12:29 Peat 13:38 Wagler 14:29 Carr 16:10 Yaxel 18:00 Ngongba 19:15 Christian Anderson 20:52 Hannes 22:30 Yessoufou 23:20 Haugh 24:37 Acuff 25:52 Avdalas 28:10 Mullins 29:54 Lopez 30:50 Ament 32:00 Cenac 34:33 Stirtz 36:00 Amari Allen 37:20 Joshua Jefferson 38:28 Aday 39:07 Swain 39:37 Morez 40:40 Page 41:17