In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek break down ESPN’s way-too-early 2026 mock draft, which features Kansas commit Darryn Peterson as the projected No. 1 pick. This ranking comes as a surprise to some, as BYU commit AJ Dybantsa has long been viewed as the top prospect in the class. Barlowe and Peek discuss the battle between Peterson and Dybantsa for the No. 1 spot and whether ESPN’s rankings indicate a shift in perception. They also analy...
Feb 27, 2025•34 min•Ep. 279
On the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive into the NCAA tournament bubble and its impact on top 2025 NBA Draft prospects. They discuss highly touted freshmen like Texas’ Tre Johnson, Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears, and Georgia’s Asa Newell—potential lottery picks whose teams are fighting for a tournament berth. Leif breaks down which bubble teams have a realistic shot at making the field, what they need to do to get there, and which squads are likely on the ou...
Feb 27, 2025•32 min•Ep. 278
On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin broke down the strengths and concerns surrounding freshman point guards Jeremiah Fears and Egor Demin, both projected lottery picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Thulin made the case for Fears as the better prospect, citing his scoring ability and higher upside despite being smaller and the lesser passer of the two. The duo also discussed whether Demin should return to BYU for a sophomore season to refine his g...
Feb 26, 2025•34 min•Ep. 277
In James’ Big Board 3.0 Part 2, James Barlowe and Rafael Barlowe continue breaking down James’ latest NBA Draft rankings, diving into more potential lottery picks. James starts by explaining why he’s so high on Maryland freshman Derik Queen and his skill set. He then discusses Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis, weighing the conflicting opinions on him and why he’s intrigued but not as high as some. The focus then shifts to Israeli point guard Ben Saraf, where James details why he’s confident ...
Feb 26, 2025•37 min•Ep. 276
James Barlowe joins his brother, Rafael Barlowe, on the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast to unveil his Big Board 3.0 – Part 1, breaking down his top six prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft. James starts with Cooper Flagg, explaining why he’s the clear-cut best player in the class. He then discusses Rutgers teammates Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, evaluating their potential at the next level. In a bold move, James ranks Oklahoma freshman Jeremiah Fears at No. 4, challenging the consensus and detailing ...
Feb 25, 2025•35 min•Ep. 275
On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, host Rafael Barlowe does a 2025 NBA Draft pulse check, breaking down several prospects who caught his attention over the weekend. He starts with Oklahoma freshman Jeremiah Fears, who had a monster performance against Mississippi State, posting 27 points and 10 assists. Next, he dives into Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, analyzing his up-and-down showing against Duke and explaining why he is such a difficult evaluation. After th...
Feb 25, 2025•32 min•Ep. 274
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, host Rafael Barlowe dives into his latest Big Board 3.0 update, available on NBABigBoard.com. However, instead of focusing on the consensus rankings, Rafael highlights a handful of prospects he’s personally higher on than the general scouting community. He breaks down what makes French prospect Noa Essengue, Washington State’s Cedric Coward, San Diego State’s Miles Byrd, Spanish point guard Sergio De Larrea, and Syracuse freshman Donnie Fre...
Feb 21, 2025•24 min•Ep. 273
In this episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, host Rafael Barlowe and analyst Leif Thulin dive into a debate between two freshman wings: Duke’s Kon Knueppel and UConn’s Liam McNeeley. While Knueppel is ranked higher on most consensus big boards and mock drafts, Thulin makes the case that McNeeley is the better long-term NBA prospect and is having the superior freshman season. He argues that Knueppel’s higher ranking is largely due to preseason expectations and his status at Duke, rather than actua...
Feb 20, 2025•27 min•Ep. 272
In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe, James Barlowe, and Krysten Peek break down the top standouts from the 2025 Basketball Without Borders event, held over NBA All-Star Weekend in Oakland, California. As Rafael’s favorite event of All-Star Weekend, BWB provides a prime opportunity to scout international prospects who could emerge in future NBA drafts. While the 2025 class may not appear as strong on the surface compared to the 2024 group—headlined b...
Feb 19, 2025•37 min•Ep. 271
On this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, James Barlowe and Krysten Peek share live scouting impressions of AJ Dybantsa at the Nike Futures event during All-Star Weekend in Oakland, California. Due to logistics, host Rafael Barlowe conducted two separate interviews—one with his brother James, who was seeing Dybantsa live for the first time, and another with Krysten, who has extensively tracked his development. They break down Dybantsa’s performance in a highly anticipated matchup b...
Feb 18, 2025•26 min•Ep. 270
In the second installment of the Difficult Evaluations series, Rafael Barlow and Leif Tuling dive into one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft: Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey. Rafael is locked in on Bailey as the clear No. 3 pick, citing his athleticism, defensive tools, and high-upside scoring ability. Leif, however, has concerns about Bailey’s erratic shooting performances and the wide variance in his production from game to game. The two debate Bailey’s floor versus his ceilin...
Feb 11, 2025•37 min•Ep. 269
In this episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe go back and forth on one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft: Derik Queen. While both acknowledge Queen’s undeniable talent and production, they have very different perspectives on how he projects to the next level. Rafael raises concerns about how Queen’s game will scale up to the NBA, questioning his fit in the modern league despite his skill level. Meanwhile, James is fully bought in, arguing that...
Feb 10, 2025•36 min•Ep. 268
In the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe break down the Rutgers vs. Illinois matchup, which featured four potential first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. They open with Dylan Harper’s dominant performance, highlighting how he made a statement against Illinois’s Kasparas Jakucionis, even though the two didn’t spend much time guarding each other. In the second segment, they dive into Jakucionis’ evaluation, discussing why he’s a tough prospect to gauge and his str...
Feb 07, 2025•37 min•Ep. 267
In this second installment of Hidden Gems: Deep Sleepers in the 2025 NBA Draft, Rafael and James Barlowe take an even deeper dive into under-the-radar prospects who could have NBA futures. Whether through intriguing analytics, standout physical tools, or sheer production, these players have caught their attention despite being overlooked by mainstream draft coverage. From versatile wings to high-upside guards, the Barlowe brothers break down why these deep sleepers deserve more attention and how...
Feb 06, 2025•34 min•Ep. 266
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe dive deep into the 2025 NBA Draft class, identifying what they consider "deep sleepers"—prospects flying under the radar but possessing the potential to carve out NBA careers, whether through two-way contracts or training camp invites. The Barlowe brothers discuss the process of pinpointing these hidden gems, considering factors such as analytics, physical tools, and overall production. They highlight sever...
Feb 05, 2025•34 min•Ep. 265
In the latest episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, host Rafael Barlowe and guest Krysten Peek discuss the shocking Luka Dončić trade and reflect on where they were when they first heard the news. The main focus of the episode, however, is Peek’s firsthand experience attending the Duke vs. North Carolina showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium—widely considered the best rivalry in college basketball. Barlowe mentions that witnessing a game there is a bucket-list experience for him, while Peek shares he...
Feb 04, 2025•37 min•Ep. 264
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Richard Stayman react to the shocking blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. The hosts open by sharing where they were when the news broke before diving into the trade's implications for both franchises. They question why Dallas would move on from a 25-year-old, five-time All-NBA talent for an aging Davis, especially without securing significant draft capital in re...
Feb 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 263
In this episode of Locked On NBA Big Board, Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin break down Kentucky’s top NBA prospects just hours before John Calipari’s highly anticipated return to Lexington as the head coach of Arkansas. With Kentucky ranked No. 12 and having a strong season, the Wildcats face an unusual situation—there’s no clear-cut first or second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a stark contrast to the Calipari era, where Kentucky consistently produced multiple first-rounders. Rafael and Leif...
Feb 01, 2025•37 min•Ep. 262
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe engage in their third debate over the potential No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. This time, the discussion centers around Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe, both of whom delivered standout performances—Bailey dropping 37 points against Northwestern just a day after Edgecombe exploded for 30 versus BYU. While Bailey has been a mainstay in Rafael’s top three all season, he had cooled on Edgecombe after some underwhelming p...
Jan 31, 2025•36 min•Ep. 261
Rafael Barlowe is joined by Krysten Peek, who was live in attendance for the BYU vs. Baylor matchup on Tuesday night. With over 30 NBA scouts in attendance, top prospects delivered strong performances that reinforced their draft stock. Peek shares her first-hand takeaways on Egor Demin’s play, VJ Edgecombe’s continued hot shooting in conference action, and standout moments from Kanon Catchings, Richie Saunders, and Rob Wright III. In the final segment, Peek—one of the most well-connected analyst...
Jan 30, 2025•32 min•Ep. 260
In the latest episode of the Locked on NBA Big Board Podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe break down standout performances from the weekend’s college basketball games. The episode kicks off with a discussion of Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber, who had a dominant showing against Providence. Next, the conversation shifts to Duke’s Cooper Flagg, with Rafael praising Flagg’s ability to excel despite Wake Forest’s physical defensive approach. The brothers then highlight Texas freshman Tre Johnson, who...
Jan 27, 2025•34 min•Ep. 259
In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and Richard Stayman dive into all things North Carolina basketball. They open by discussing the Tar Heels' recent five-star commitment from Caleb Wilson, a top 2025 recruit.Richard breaks down Wilson’s game, explaining why he views him as a top-five prospect in his class. The conversation shifts to North Carolina freshman Ian Jackson, with both hosts praising his recent strong play and debating his potential draft range...
Jan 24, 2025•27 min•Ep. 258
In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael and James Barlowe conducted a draft stock pulse check, diving into the trajectories of several prospects. They kicked things off by evaluating Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, who is coming off his best game of the season against Kansas State, with both agreeing that his stock is trending upward. Next, they discussed Arkansas's Boogie Fland, who is out for the season, debating whether he is still a first-round pick or if he should return...
Jan 24, 2025•36 min•Ep. 257
On the latest Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek dive into the standout prospects from the 2025 Hoop Hall Classic. Peek, who attended the event in person, shares her live scouting impressions of Bryce James, Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Nate Ament, AJ Dybantsa, Sebastian Wilkins, and King Gibson. She highlights Bryce James’ best performance to date, Cameron Boozer’s dominance, and Darryn Peterson’s strong showing, while also discussing the loade...
Jan 23, 2025•34 min•Ep. 256
On the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, Rafael Barlowe and James Barlowe break down four of the hottest prospects in college basketball, all of whom have been on fire since the start of conference play. They kick things off with Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey, who’s coming off a jaw-dropping 30-point performance on 13-15 shooting. Rafael is firmly sold on Bailey as a top-3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but James remains unconvinced, sparking a debate on Bailey’s draft range. The...
Jan 21, 2025•36 min•Ep. 255
In part two of their ongoing debate over the number three pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe break down Ace Bailey’s 24-point, 11-rebound, 4-assist, and 4-stock performance against Nebraska on Thursday night. Rafael remains firm in his stance that Bailey is a lock for the third pick, citing his combination of size, athleticism, shooting and defensive versatility. James, however, continues to push back, advocating for a broader conversation about other prospects with th...
Jan 17, 2025•36 min•Ep. 254
In the latest episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Krysten Peek delve into the recently announced 2025 Nike Hoop Summit Team USA roster. They express surprise at the notable omission of Darryn Peterson, a highly regarded prospect whose absence raises questions about the selection criteria. Despite this, Barlowe and Peek commend the strength of the roster, highlighting standout players such as AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darius Acuff Jr., Mike Brown Jr., and N...
Jan 16, 2025•33 min•Ep. 253
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, brothers Rafael and James Barlowe dive into a spirited debate over who should be the third pick in the highly anticipated 2025 NBA Draft. While the consensus has Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper locked in as the top two selections, the competition for the third spot is heating up. Rafael makes the case for Ace Bailey as the clear choice, citing his elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and long-term upside. Meanwhile, James presents a more...
Jan 14, 2025•36 min•Ep. 252
In this episode of the Locked on NBA Big Board podcast, hosts Rafael Barlowe and Leif Thulin dive into the top NBA prospects from the SEC, which they argue is the strongest and most competitive conference in college basketball this season. With numerous ranked teams and a grueling conference schedule, Rafael and Leif discuss how the SEC’s tough slate creates a high-pressure environment that could lead to inconsistent performances from its top players. They break down the potential draft implicat...
Jan 14, 2025•36 min•Ep. 251
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, host Rafael Barlowe breaks down Cooper Flagg's historic 42-point performance against Notre Dame, where the Duke freshman shattered school and ACC records. Rafael highlights Flagg’s dominance, emphasizing his versatility on full display—combining outside shooting, interior scoring, and relentless aggressiveness that earned him 17 trips to the foul line. Flagg’s seven assists also stood out, showcasing his ability to impact the game as both a...
Jan 11, 2025•24 min•Ep. 250
