Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Above The Board podcast is a unique blend of NBA opinion, stats, and culture. Host of Above The Board Kebron Hailu covers the NBA from all angles — from stats and game breakdowns to player stories and league culture. Whether it’s the NBA Finals, Draft, or free agency, we’re talking hoops the way fans actually watch and think about the game. Expect honest takes, smart analysis, and a real love for basketball.
0:00:00
(Speaker 4)
What's up y'all?
0:00:05
(Speaker 1)
Welcome back to another episode of A Bud Aboard. I'm your host, Kebron. Yo, we back man. Another episode of A Bud Aboard. And this week, it's a really interesting week. I wanted to talk about a lot of stuff, especially the summer league.
0:00:21
(Speaker 1)
I think we're on day eight of the summer league and it's only two more days till this event is over. But before the summer league, I wanted we're on day eight of the summer league and it's only two more days to this event is over But before the summer league, I wanted to kind of quickly dive into the Dame and Bradley Bill situation we all know that Dame is back on the Blazers and For me personally, I just thought that was really cool And I think just big props to the Portland Blazers
0:00:41
(Speaker 1)
Organization in terms of just bringing a Dame back and it looks like he's gonna end his career in Portland. I mean, what a storyline. It's just, I thought he was just done wrong by the Bucks. Now a lot of people could say, okay, his contract was too big, it was a super max and he's too old
0:00:59
(Speaker 1)
and that's why he had to get waived, but I just think that's unethical like train a player just cuz he's injured is crazy to me especially like that's like kicking somebody down at they lowest and I get it it's a business at the end of the day and they have to do what's best for the organization and and for Giannis and I know they were kind of scared that Giannis was gonna leave them but that roster is still terrible so it's just like you trade a name and yeah, so you're going into the season with your point guard as KPJ, no disrespect,
0:01:27
(Speaker 1)
but it's just, maybe a year is too long for them. Maybe they just kind of panic, but I just don't think it's right to wave somebody just because they're injured. And now the Blazers, a move for them, that's just an amazing move,
0:01:43
(Speaker 1)
a team that's literally just climbing up and up and they Just they've been making the right decisions every single turn after the Dame trade the first time And I know they got Damon and drew on the same team again Well, not the same team I know they traded each other and then now they're on the same team which is kind of crazy and they got Robert Williams still and then they got some picks back.
0:02:06
(Speaker 1)
And this rebuild that they got going on is real interesting to me. I kind of even got to talk to some of the Blazers players recently in the summer league. And bro, they're locked in. Like, Kamara really thinks he's the best defender in the NBA.
0:02:19
(Speaker 1)
And I really think he's a top five perimeter defender in the NBA and everything they just got going on in terms of Shane Sharp Donovan and It's just all interesting even that Hanson young move I didn't even realize like why they did that because when when the draft happened, I'm telling myself
0:02:38
(Speaker 1)
Okay, why they picking another guy? That's like seven four seven five and then I Got to watch Hanson young in the end of summer league, and I think I watched like three they picking another guy that's like 7'4, 7'5? And then I got to watch Hanson Young in the summer league and I think I watched like three of his games. Bro, when I tell you guys that this is the biggest player in summer league next to Barania Cooper, I'm not exaggerating.
0:02:57
(Speaker 1)
I mean, his games were the later games most of the times. I think the first time I watched him was against the Warriors, and I think it was like a 9 p.m. or 8 p.m. game. And bro, the crowd, there was nobody. It was like one of the least watched summer league games that I've been to. And it was a late night game, nobody was there,
0:03:17
(Speaker 1)
but every time this dude touched the ball, every single person in the crowd was just going crazy. Like he's a fan favorite already. And I just love players like that. And it just seems like it's another player for the Blazers to really like and root for and to become a fan favorite. I even got to watch him against the Pelicans.
0:03:37
(Speaker 1)
I really went, it was a night game again. It was a whole different day. It was a night game again. And I really went to go watch Jeremiah Fierce and Derrick Queen. But then I was on the main gym the whole day.
0:03:49
(Speaker 1)
I'm watching the main gym games. And I kinda got tired of it and it was kinda boring. The atmosphere was just not really there. So I went to the side gym to try to catch a Jeremiah Fierce game. And that, the side gym was packed out late night, packed out. And it was just electric, like Derrick Queen and Hanson Young, they were going at each other
0:04:09
(Speaker 1)
every time, every time. And he's actually a good player. And me and my friend were kind of trolling about how this guy is gonna get really drafted, pre-draft. And we knew he was gonna get drafted because we saw mocks and stuff,
0:04:22
(Speaker 1)
but nobody knew this guy probably a week before the draft other than people that's really deep into you know mock drafts, drafts, college basketball even though he played in Europe it's just like people that look for prospects that's the only people that would actually tap in and know this type of player but I think he's gonna be a big player I think he's a lot of people he's gonna draw a crowd and he's gonna draw a following everywhere he was going he had like 10 people following him in terms of being a cameraman and stuff.
0:04:47
(Speaker 1)
So the advertisement in China is there. He's gonna be really advertised. I think a lot of people are gonna like him. But I just love what the Blazers are doing. I just love their young core. And the fact that Dame gets to kind of be that vet for them
0:04:59
(Speaker 1)
and then ultimately retire, that's amazing. Just kudos to the Blazers. I think that's just fire. Like, you know, when you're a player that goes by the right things, and we know how loyal Dame was. I know a lot of people think he was trying to ring chase, but it was time for him to kind of lead the Blazers
0:05:18
(Speaker 1)
after that many years, but I'm just glad that he's gonna come back and he's gonna retire Blazer. And I kinda wanna take a little dive into the Bradley Beal trade. Now, I know Bradley Beal took like a $2 million pay cut, which is kinda crazy, but nonetheless,
0:05:34
(Speaker 1)
Kawhi, Harden, Beal together. And people are interested in this team, but I don't know. And then the fact that people are automatically counting Beal as a Top three player on the team is crazy to me. I mean Zubac disrespect is crazy Even though Zubac was their second best player all year last year Maybe their best player because Kawhi played half the season and I know Harden got an all NBA team
0:05:57
(Speaker 1)
But I think Zubac deserved that one and he was just crazy to me last year So that's still my top three on that team. But in terms of the whole overall, like, how I feel about the Clippers, it's gonna always be the same. I just don't think a team that relies on James Harden that much is gonna win a ring. And that's no disrespect to Harden. I love Harden. I think he's a crazy player, but yeah, when the lights get bright sometimes it's just you know he's just not there and for Kawhi can he
0:06:25
(Speaker 1)
have a full year of just being healthy I just want to see that we haven't saw that since what like the Raptors season and Kawhi is in that tier of what ifs like I don't I don't understand what type of player Kawhi really is and I don't even kind of understand how to rank him in terms of history because he's just I don't know Kawhi is a weird him in terms of history because he's just I
0:06:47
(Speaker 3)
Don't know why is a weird player to rank. He's just
0:06:54
(Speaker 2)
It's hard to really just look at his career and rank it compared to other players because it's so unique
0:06:59
(Speaker 1)
They're gonna have a real interesting season, I think they could have a good regular season But in the end I don't think they could win a ring together I don't think that that squad is there, but they're real interesting squad of me I can't wait to kind of see that Beals kind of taking that That role probably going he probably needs to be their best player off the bench. I don't think he should start but I'm really interested to see what Tyloo does with that because especially normal power left and
0:07:23
(Speaker 1)
I've he people you know is Norman Powell better than Bradley? I don't think so and I know Bradley Bill wasn't really that good on the Suns but I just think he didn't really care to even show up for them you know. Interesting season for them though still going the same. Now I wanted to take a quick dive into the Summer League. Summer League has been fun and getting a chance to cover it
0:07:45
(Speaker 1)
has been one of the funnest things I've done. And the funnest thing to me in all of this is getting to watch all these players up and close. And I kind of wanted to talk about which players that I thought was, you know, the Summer League standouts from people that like you wouldn't expect.
0:08:03
(Speaker 1)
I wanted to talk about which ones about which rookies were the best or the players that were too good for summer league. Now, the summer league standouts to me from people that I wasn't really expecting a hoop like that was probably David Jones Garcia. Like on the Spurs, I got to watch that game
0:08:20
(Speaker 1)
against Utah that ended in a buzzer beater. He is a bucket. Like I know this is a G League product but I think he has a chance to make the roster. He's just a crazy player. Like I didn't, he could shoot, he could drill,
0:08:33
(Speaker 1)
he could pass, he could defend. I think he's averaging over 20 points in the summer league and that was one of the funnest players I got the chance to watch this year. And, uh... Salute to Bronny. And all the disrespect that Bronny has been getting for the past couple years. And I'm just so happy to see him kinda shine in the Summer League.
0:08:53
(Speaker 1)
He's been one of the better players in the Summer League. Like, no joke. This is not... People wanna say this is nepotism or anything like that, but I mean, Bronny's clearly the best player on the Lakers summer league roster. Even though that roster is kind of, you know, it's weak. But he was clearly their best player in summer league. And how many 55 overall players are the best league
0:09:15
(Speaker 1)
on a summer league team? You know, not a lot. I can tell you that. And I got the chance to watch every single Lakers summer league game and just watching Don connect man that guy Wow man He doesn't even look to pass at all whatsoever. I don't I watched the game yesterday
0:09:34
(Speaker 1)
And I think he had like eight or ten points Finished with the game was zero assists. He didn't pass the ball one time He touched up every time he touched the ball it went up it went up and and it's like you could you would think you know the way he had like he's so confident in his jump shot and and he's just so confident as a player you would think like he could really shoot or he's a really good player but he's
0:09:56
(Speaker 1)
just yeah he's just kind of underwhelming don't connect he's just an underwhelming player I see why they wanted to trade him and it's just kind of awkward that he's still on the team He probably kind of mad about that and that's why he's kind of trying to prove people wrong But I know it's summer league go get your buckets But yeah, he's been real disappointing to me and and talking about players that are disappointing Another player was Cody Williams and J. Dub little brother
0:10:22
(Speaker 1)
man Underwhelming some people thought he was the worst player in the league last year, and I didn't get a chance to watch him much, I don't think he really played that much, but watching him up close, in person, somebody that's 6'8", he just lacks aggression.
0:10:39
(Speaker 1)
It's just not there yet. And I hope the genes just pass down on him. Maybe he's a late bloomer because I know he's young So I could see him kind of develop into his body and maybe get better in the next couple years but he's just not there yet and Utah is probably gonna have a year where they're one of the worst teams in the leagues again But he's easily gonna get passed up by ace Bailey in terms of roster spot or position spot. Man, he's just underwhelming. I don't want to say Alex Sarr was
0:11:07
(Speaker 1)
underwhelming. I got to watch a couple of the Washington games and he had like one of the, he had a game where he had like I think seven blocks, one of the most blocks in a summer league game. Offensively, it's kind of like kind of scaring me. He has no type of bag, like he only has one move offensively, it's kind of like kind of scaring me. He has no type of bag. Like he only has one move offensively and it's a spin move and he goes to it every chance.
0:11:31
(Speaker 1)
I know it's on the scouting report of every actual NBA team. And I really want to know his ceiling offensively because defensively, I actually think he's a good player. He's really athletic, really athletic. And I just kinda hope that he works on his offensive game a little bit more, cause I was kinda disappointed
0:11:50
(Speaker 1)
from a fan point of stand. And another player that I was kinda disappointed in was Nolan Trier, if I'm saying that right, from the Brooklyn Nets. Just another guy. And the fact that they kept five first round picks
0:12:04
(Speaker 1)
was crazy to me in general but you know you kind of you already had Killian Hayes on your roster and now you picked another guy that plays just like him but even more under him you know and yeah he was kind of disappointing but Igor Igor kind of you know Igor kind of impressed me even though he's 6'8 he doesn't look at the rim in terms of just driving he lacks aggression he he's not really that good of a driver but he's a really good passer and he's a willing shooter I think he had a game with like five threes and that kind of impressed
0:12:37
(Speaker 1)
me I didn't think he could really shoot coming into the draft but that's probably something that he needs to really work on because if he, if he actually wants to matter, he has to kind of take that Josh Giddey role in terms of you gotta get your buckets if they're just leaving you open.
0:12:55
(Speaker 1)
Because I seen Josh, I seen people look at like, past Josh Giddey for a majority of his young career, and then he just started kind of turning up. He kind of mastered that little floater that he had and he kind of started driving to the rim more, started taking the open threes and Igor,
0:13:12
(Speaker 1)
he needs to look at a lot of the Josh Giddee take because Josh Giddee is his archetype. And some other things that I wanted to talk about was some players that were too good for the summer league and some players that were too good for the summer league and some players that were too good for the summer league was definitely AJ Mitchell on the thunders and I see why they extended him. He was just hooping out there it looked like yeah this is clearly an NBA
0:13:33
(Speaker 1)
player and I don't think he really needs to be here and he just really impressed me. The whole thunders team I think they're one of the they're probably the best team in the summer league after the Hornets. The two best teams that I watched. The Hornets and the Thunders, they look like they're actually running NBA plays and not just out there selfishly trying to get a contract or anything like that. They actually really impressed me. And another player that I liked was Kyle Phillips.
0:13:57
(Speaker 1)
I didn't think Kyle was that good in person, but he had a game where he had like 35 points or so. And he's just really impressive. I hope he can have that in the NBA year this year. Some other players that kind of impressed me were Reese Sheppard, Ron Holland, the Minnesota duo in terms of Rob Dillaham and TSJ.
0:14:17
(Speaker 1)
They're just too good to be there. Keyshawn George on Washington. Even though Keyshawn George is really good, I still think Bub Carrington is better than him. And I think they're gonna have a really impressive year. The thing with the Wizards are, they're just so young. I got to watch majority of their games,
0:14:35
(Speaker 1)
probably all their games, all four or five of their games this summer league. And to me, they kinda disappointed me because they have like five NBA players, but they were still out here getting 20 piece by summer league teams.
0:14:51
(Speaker 1)
And they just kinda look young, they look their age. I think it's gonna take time for them, there's gonna be some lows, there's gonna be some highs. Because they have so many players that are just electric in terms of AJ Johnson, Keyshawn George, Bob Carrington, Alex Sar,
0:15:06
(Speaker 1)
Trey Johnson, and then we know the vets that they got now. They're gonna have an interesting year in terms of can they take that next step into developing their players over the next couple of years? Because they have an interesting roster. They have a really good roster.
0:15:20
(Speaker 1)
And I love what they're doing over there. And they got rid of my guy Jordan pool But I get why they did that because they have a lot of young guards and these guards need to get minutes They need to get reps. They need to get games with 30 minute plus they need a struggle. They need to have good games and it's just all a part of the process and I just love what they're building in Washington right now and Now I want to kind of take a dive into the rookies the rookies that impressed me the most Nick Clifford on the Kings man that boy is a animal and I
0:15:53
(Speaker 1)
get he's old so in the draft process that's why he kind of failed but I don't know when are we gonna learn that you know age doesn't really matter in terms of talent some players are just really good, and sometimes it takes time for them to develop, and sometimes there's certain coaches in college that stunt their growth, and after transferring or so,
0:16:15
(Speaker 1)
they start kinda hooping, but the Nick Clifford, Colorado State tape was already there for people, and they still doubted him, and they said he's too old. And the Keys took a chance on him and I really like that pick for them in terms of he's just a guy like he's really good he's really really good and he looks better than
0:16:32
(Speaker 1)
most summer league players here he's been one of the best summer league players in general not just one of the from the rookies he's just good he's just really really good and I thought we learned from Desmond Bain, can we stop looking at age? But they're gonna just continue to make these mistakes where they're gonna pass on players that are clearly good and they're gonna be good in the NBA.
0:16:54
(Speaker 1)
I don't wanna talk too early because this is only summer league, but I just have a really good feeling that Nick Clifford's gonna be good in the league. And I just hope he proves people wrong because when you have talent, it's just talent. You know, you're not too old.
0:17:09
(Speaker 1)
His game is gonna easily translate into NBA, but we're gonna see. I already took a dive into Hanson Young, but I just love him as a player. A lot of people are comparing him to Yogi Zardy, but I wouldn't go that far.
0:17:22
(Speaker 1)
But he's really good. Somebody that tall and being that mobile could pass could shoot and we already know he could defend and rebound really interesting player I just I can't wait to his rick here because y'all gonna see how viral he is he's really viral Hornace Concanepo man I don't want to say I doubted him but I I do believe that Jeremiah Fierce and Trey Johnson are a better prospect than him and they have a higher ceiling to him. So
0:17:49
(Speaker 1)
When the draft was going on I kind of was like, okay Why is this guy going over to you know? I had him I believe seventh on my board or six on my board in terms of a like the best talent in the draft But I get why the Hornets did what they did and I they him. And I'm kinda all in on Conconepo now. This guy has a burner. He seems to be always in the right place.
0:18:11
(Speaker 1)
He can defend. He had a game with like 11 rebounds in a summer league game. You don't see that from shooters. You know he's the type of guy that's gonna connect the team. And he's the type of piece that LaMelo Ball kinda needs. You know, just a real interesting year for him.
0:18:28
(Speaker 1)
I love that pick. I'm starting to really like him as a player. He's just efficient and he's always in the right spot. I can't really describe what type of player he is. It's like, he's just so good and I kinda have to see it in person to kinda believe it, but he's really good and
0:18:45
(Speaker 1)
I mean, this is not a crazy stretch to say that he's really good. He's the fourth pick. I would hope he's good, but I Can't wait to watch him in the league Trey Johnson biggest bucket in the draft by far just too efficient felt like It felt like his buckets in the summer league had been easier than the buckets he was getting at Texas. And if anybody had watched Texas games,
0:19:10
(Speaker 1)
y'all would know that every basket for him felt like a mission. Like he had to take the craziest shots at Texas because there was nobody that could shoot around him. There was nobody that could play make around him. And Max was supposed to be that,
0:19:26
(Speaker 1)
but it just didn't pan out in Texas. Man, Trey Johnson on an NBA court is gonna be special. With NBA spacing, he's just gonna be real good. And probably the most interesting prospect because I believe he went six, right? He went six.
0:19:46
(Speaker 1)
But this guy has the potential to average around like 15 points in his rookie year cuz he's gonna get the minutes He's gonna get the he's gonna get the shots up, and I just can't wait to watch that whole Washington Wizards roster and how they pan out and I just buy stock now before it's too late man buy stock now cuz I don't want to say I told you so but I told you so you feel me Jeremiah fears
0:20:10
(Speaker 1)
Can't talk about this player enough the thing with Jeremiah fears is he just has too many moves like he has too much in the bag and For him right now that the problem is is he doesn't know when to do it. You know, you can't take the ball from him. Like he has it on a string. It's not even a joke, like you cannot take the ball from him
0:20:32
(Speaker 1)
but he does too much with it. Sometimes he doesn't need to do a spin move. Sometimes he doesn't need to do a crossover into a step back three or something like that. You could kinda tell he's trying to go viral at all times. And I love that type of player. That's the type of players that I look for. Because basketball, at the end of the day,
0:20:48
(Speaker 1)
basketball is just fun. You know, and I love players that are fun to watch, like Bones Highland, Jordan Poole. Just players in that type of archetype. But for them, it's easy for them to fail because a lot of coaches, they kind of like you know they don't they keep them on a short lease and for
0:21:05
(Speaker 1)
Fears I just hope they give him the chance and I don't hope I hope they don't bench him they played him a ton in the summer league so it's kind of telling me like okay you know they kind of want him to develop first you know because all the top draft picks they kind of played only like two three games and then they kind of rested the the rest of the way, but Fears, when the game just slows down for him,
0:21:27
(Speaker 1)
it's gonna be a problem, cause he's the best shot creator in the draft, easily. And when you can dribble that good, the play making just naturally comes. And for him, when the game just slows down and he just learns not to do too much,
0:21:42
(Speaker 1)
he's gonna go to a whole nother tier. Like, you can tell he's 19, he's gonna go to a whole nother tier. You could tell he's 19, he's the second youngest player in the draft. You could tell that. You could tell he's young. And I think in a couple years, it's gonna be crazy.
0:21:56
(Speaker 1)
And a lot of people have doubts about this player. You know what it is. A lot of people just, they kinda hate these type of players, these players that are just fun. But, just stop being old man. Go enjoy basketball. And I think he probably, he's probably the most enjoyable player in the draft.
0:22:15
(Speaker 1)
You know, when the time comes everybody will tell. But I just hope, I just hope he's good in the league. And I think he will be good in the league. And, just watching all these teams play in general is just interesting because it's a lot of ugly hoops. It's a lot of hoops where players are just doing stuff just because they're just trying to get a contract
0:22:35
(Speaker 1)
or they might not get another shot. But I get it, I get it, that's life. You know, if you're gonna get out there and you got a chance and you're fighting for your life, I get it. You might not need to pass a player that already has a contract or a rookie that already has a contract. But, you know, Summer League has been real fun
0:22:56
(Speaker 1)
in terms of, I've watched, I watch every Summer League and I watch majority of every Summer League. But I think this is the best Summer League in a long time, in a couple years at least because it just seemed like so many young guys actually played and sometimes we always see players are injured or anything I wish we got to see Cooper a little more but after that 31 piece game you yeah he's
0:23:17
(Speaker 1)
in a more pick we've seen enough we've seen what type of talent he was so I get that he had the rest and then getting to see Dylan and Vijay was amazing. Them two players are crazy. Now I was on the side that the Sixers should trade that third overall pick but Vijay, Vijay's real talented I can't lie he's a real talented player and it's gonna be interesting to see how he fits into that roster.
0:23:42
(Speaker 1)
Is he gonna get minutes in his rookie year? He probably will. That roster's not that good. People will guess it, but I think Vijay will get minutes. It's on him to show us what he can do. He's really good on the pick and rolls.
0:23:56
(Speaker 1)
I got to watch him a little bit. I didn't think he was that good of a dribbler, especially because I was watching him at Baylor a lot of stuff at Baylor just came easy to him so kind of watching him Take on that point guard role for the Sixers in the summer league was interesting and For him, it's the jump shot. That's a problem for me. He just can't shoot whatsoever but
0:24:17
(Speaker 1)
That's rap. I think like his form looks clean. I think over time he will develop a jump shot But he's just athletic as hell. Like he's other worldly athletic. And I can't wait to watch him this year. Dylan, Dylan's on a whole nother level. Dylan is in that tier of Cooper.
0:24:35
(Speaker 1)
Dylan could just do it all. He could really defend. It's actually nuts. He could really defend. Great playmaker, great scorer. And I was making a Shea Alexander comparison,
0:24:47
(Speaker 1)
but a lot of people think he plays like Kate Cunningham. But that's the type of archetype that I'm looking for, like a big guard that could just do it all, you know? And I know the championship is on Sunday. I know the bracket for the semis already came out and the Hornets and the Thunders are playing each other on Saturday and that's
0:25:10
(Speaker 1)
probably the game that I'm looking forward to the most. I think the Hornets are gonna win this championship, this whole summer league championship. They drop 100 every single game. Every single game. They're running the NBA level offense and I hope Concanepa plays all the games but just fun man I can't even really explain it how fun has been and it has three more days so any type of stories or anything that I get I'm gonna come back and try to tell you all about
0:25:32
(Speaker 1)
stories or anything that I get I'm gonna come back and try to tell you all about it but it's been a great pot we're gonna come and bounce back with another one