In this special episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek take a trip down memory lane, sharing their first impressions of future and current NBA stars during their high school days. The duo discusses their initial thoughts on standout prospects like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and Jeremiah Fears, while also reminiscing about the first time they watched Deandre Ayton, Trae Young, Michael Porter Jr., and Anthony Edwards as prep stars. With a blend of storytelling and scouting insight, this episode offers a unique perspective on the early moments that defined these players’ journeys to basketball stardom.

Timestamps:

First impressions - 3:15
Cooper Flagg - 4:43
Dylan Harper - 12:19
VJ Edgecombe - 14:46
Deandre Ayton - 17:38
Jeremiah Fears - 21:55
Trae Young - 27:35
Michael Porter Jr. - 29:26
Anthony Edwards - 31:15

In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe dissect Rutgers’ underwhelming start to the season. Despite boasting arguably two of the top three NBA prospects in the 2025 draft class—Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper—the Scarlet Knights find themselves sitting at 8-8 overall and 1-4 in Big Ten play, putting both their NCAA and Big Ten tournament hopes in jeopardy. The Barlowes discuss how Rutgers’ struggles reflect on Harper and Bailey, questioning whether a top-five prospect can truly justify that status if he fails to elevate his team. They also consider the long-term ramifications of Rutgers' disappointing season, including the possibility of either prospect shutting down to protect their draft stock. With Harper and Bailey excelling individually but unable to translate their success into wins, the brothers weigh whether this disconnect should impact their draft positioning.

Timestamps:

3:00 - Rutgers struggles
4:15 - Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey vs Purdue
12:10 - Should their lack of team success impact draft status?
15:41 - Will Harper or Bailey shut it down if losses continue to pile up?
20:56 - Why they should continue to play instead of shutting in down

On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe tackle three key questions inspired by standout performances from Tuesday night. First, they ask, “Is Cooper Flagg getting better?” The projected number one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has strung together strong performances, including improved efficiency from three-point range—addressing a season-long concern. Next, they discuss Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, who had arguably his best performance of the season against Cincinnati. The brothers debate whether this signals a turning point for Edgecombe, who has struggled against top competition. Finally, they analyze the hype surrounding Danny Wolf, a 7'1" forward/center making waves with his rebounding, scoring efficiency, and playmaking. While they agree Wolf deserves first-round consideration, they highlight his alarming turnover rate (3.8 per game) and questionable assist-to-turnover ratio, raising concerns about his playmaking consistency.

Timestamps:

Cooper Flagg - 2:49
VJ Edgecombe -15:30
Danny Wolf - 25:06