The Mytakehoops Podcast

On this episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:38) , I am joined by 5-star guard in the 2023 class Marvel Allen. This interview is from the end of last summer--almost a year ago now. I would've liked to have this out sooner, but my school year was more hectic than I anticipated, which caused the Podcasts to be delayed. My apologies for this taking so long, but this episode was great! Marvel discusses a variety of topics: wanting to quit basketball, his first offer, and his insane work ethic that involves sleeping in cars! It's about nine months later, and Marvel is killing it with The Skill Factory on the Nike EYBL Circuit. Although it wasn't talked about in this interview (because of when this was recorded), he recently decommitted from LSU and will be looking for a college as he rises into his senior year of high school. Thank you to Marvel for coming on, and I hope you enjoy the episode!

On this quick episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast, I briefly recap the annual Blue-White team scrimmage the Kentucky holds. I was lucky enough to be in person for both this event and Big Blue Madness last week, and in this episode, I share my thoughts on both events. I talk a bit about what to expect from the incoming freshman, TyTy Washington, Daimion Collins, and Bryce Hopkins, as well as give an overview for what to expect from the team this year. Thank you for taking the time to listen!

On this episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:48), I am joined by Ohio high school basketball star, Josiah Harris. The West Virginia commit had a phenomenal summer by showing his improved physical profile, technical skill, and competitive nature. In this interview, we discuss his summer performance, the current state of Ohio basketball, his mentality on rankings, and more! Thanks to Josiah for coming on!

On this episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:48), I am joined by former 5-star prospect in the 2020 class and now Auburn center, Walker Kessler. While in high school, Kessler earned the honor of Gatorade Player of The Year in the state of Georgia and was elected as a McDonald's All-American. He played his freshman year of college at the University of North Carolina, and he has transferred to Auburn for his sophomore season. In this episode, he details that decision, talks about his year at North Carolina, and reveals that he's studying Mechanical Engineering! Thanks to Walker for coming on!

With the 2021 NBA Draft just hours away, dreams are about to come true for a lot of young men. In this quick episode, I reveal my first round mock draft. This episode contains rapid analysis of each player (nothing too in-depth), but rather it is quick; full breakdowns will be uploaded to YouTube after the draft has concluded. This is my first ever mock draft, and I have confirmed one major thing: I am not a fan of rankings, at any level. So much of ranking a player is subjective, so nobody ever fully agrees. With that being said, here is my first round mock draft; let me know your thoughts!

This past 4th of July weekend, I was blessed to be able to attend an AAU showcase event put on by The Battle. This event, called The Cookout, was held in Akron, Ohio at St. Vincent-St. Mary high school, where LeBron James himself was in attendance. It featured teams such as Strive For Greatness, Midwest Basketball Club, Wildcat Select, All Ohio, and more. I spent the weekend analyzing each game, taking notes on high profile players, and making great connections. My 8 standouts from this event are Tre White, Isaac McKneely, Jaxon Kohler, Sencire Harris, Shy Odom, Gabe Cupps, Vyctorius Miller, and Reed Sheppard. In this episode, I talk about what stood out from each of these players along with my personal experience covering the tournament. I had a blast this weekend; shoutout to @balldawgs for hooking me up with the media credentials! Also, thank you to @nonstopbucket for the photo.

On this episode on The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:26), I am joined with top-25 prospect in the 2022 class, Eric Dailey Jr. As a junior this past season, he led a loaded IMG Academy in scoring, was second in rebounds, and was second in assists. In this interview, Dailey talks about this season specifically, his experience in Europe, and how he sees his future in basketball. Eric talks about his recruitment and why he does not play AAU basketball as well. Thanks to him for taking the time to do this!

On this episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:45), I am joined by senior Michigan forward, Isaiah Livers to talk about this season and his progression through the program. Livers, who averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 43.1% from three this year, was an integral piece to the success of the Wolverines this year. On this episode, he talks about this season, his unfortunate season-ending injury, and his NBA aspirations. Thank you to Isaiah for coming on!

On this episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:24), I am joined by former Arizona State freshman, Marcus Bagley. This year, he averaged 10.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game on 38.7% shooting from the field and 34.7% from three. Bagley has recently entered the transfer portal, but he is also projected as a second round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Throughout the interview, he discusses his experience from high school to college and now to his next step. Thanks to Marcus for coming on!

On this episode of The MyTakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:31), I am joined by Sunrise Christian Academy Head Coach, Luke Barnwell. As the coach of one of the top programs in all of high school basketball, Barnwell is tasked with coaching some of the best young players in the entire country. In this episode, he discusses his basketball origin story, this season specifically, and shares his thoughts on some of his key players, including Tennessee commit Kennedy Chandler. Thank you so much for listening, and thank you to Coach Barnwell for coming on!

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:25), I am joined by one of the best basketball scouting pages on social media: @nbadraftscouting! Much of his content consists of analysis, big boards, and mock drafts. On this episode, we talk through 10 prospects in his recent mock draft. We each give our thoughts on the player and how they will fit into the NBA. With the season coming to a close, there is still a lot that can change. So be on the lookout for another episode with him come draft time. Thanks to @nbadraftscouting for coming on, and follow him on social media!

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:30), I sat down with the biggest name in the high school basketball media world, Joe Tipton. Joe is the founder and owner of the Instagram page @tipton.edits where he breaks news, announces commitments, and designs graphics for high school and college basketball players. With how much media exposure has grown for high school athletes, it's only fitting that players announce their college decision via Instagram and Twitter, and Joe is at the epicenter of that. He is trusted by hundreds of athletes to keep their information confidential until they announce it themselves, while he spends hours designing the post that will get sent out to the world. If you somehow aren't following @tipton.edits yet, you're severely missing out the quickest, most creative, and most factual news in the high school basketball world. Thanks to Joe for coming on!

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 1:32), I sat down with Texas A&M's top commit in the 2021 class, Manny Obaseki. Ranked as a top 25 player nationally, Obaseki has garnered quite a bit of attention in the last couple of years, but this doesn't get to his head. In the epsiode, Obaseki continually expresses gratitude for the position he's in, and he shows why he is one of the most mature prospects in his class; I was very impressed with his perspective throughout the interview. Thanks to Manny for coming on!

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast, I discuss some of my predictions for the next generation of stars in the NBA. These players, in my opinion, have the potential to explode into all-star talent within the next few years. That being said, they are predictions; therefore, nothing is for sure. Regardless, it is safe to say that the NBA and future of professional basketball is in good hands.

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast, I sat down with Duke commit Paolo Banchero! He is one of the best prospects in the class of 2021, and it's already apparent that he will be a high draft pick in the future. Paolo was nice enough to talk about his commitment, his origins with basketball, and some other basketball-related experiences. Thank you so much to him for taking the time out of his day to do this, and thank you guys for supporting me for so long!

This is part two to my Initial College Basketball Takeaways from a couple of weeks ago. This episode may be a tad outdated; therefore some of my opinions have changed. Regardless, these were my thoughts about some more key teams early on in the season. Thanks for taking the time to listen, and let me know your thoughts via Instagram DM's!

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 2:30), I sat down with Ballislife videographer, Alex Rodney. Ballislife is a successful media outlet for high school basketball, and they produce professional videos on social media of highly touted prospects. Alex talks about how he got involved with Ballislife, some of the experiences he's been able to have because of it, and the strategies behind improving his videography skills. Thanks to Alex for coming on, and follow him on social media @alexjrodney! 

On this episode of The MytakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 3:10) , I give my thoughts on some key teams and players in the NCAA as of right now. I talk about Kentucky and Duke's struggles along with the best team in college basketball right now in the Gonzaga Bulldogs. If I didn't mention your team, don't worry. There is a part two coming out shortly. This will also be on Youtube if you are interested! Thanks for all the support!

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast, I sat down with West Virginia guard, Miles McBride. He is a sophomore this year looking to lead the Mountaineers to a run in the tournament. We talk about what he learned in his freshman year and how his role is changing on the team. Miles won some state championships in high school, so he touches on that experience as well. Thanks so much to him for taking the time to do this, and I appreciate all the support thus far! 

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast, I sat down with 2023 dual-sport athlete, Rodney Gallagher. Rodney is a star cornerback and wide receiver on the football field and an elite point guard on the court. We talk everything from his daily routine as a sophomore standout athlete to his time playing AAU ball with the North Coast Blue Chips. Thank you so much to him for coming on, and look for his name this year as he heads into his sophomore season of basketball.

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 3:00), I sit down with senior Baylor guard, MaCio Teague, to talk about his basketball journey. We discuss his unorthodox path from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Montverde Academy, to UNC Asheville, and finally to Baylor University. Teague reflects on some of the best moments of the season, and he discusses his future aspirations with this year's team and NBA plans after that. Thank you so much to MaCio for hopping on, and look for Baylor to have another impressive season this year.

On this episode of The MytakeHoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 2:40), I sit down with Slam videographer, Chris Baelenge. We talk everything from Canadian basketball to his career. Chris shares a lot of insightful knowledge for young editors, and we both give our opinions on how the basketball culture is changing, specifically in the high school scene. Big shoutout to Chris for coming on the Podcast, and make sure you follow him on social media to see his renowned work. 

On this episode of The Mytakehoops Podcast (bulk of episode starts at 3:50), I sit down with the owner of the Instagram page @Forgottenseasonsnba and chat about various topics. We discuss each of our niches, social media strategies and growth, and the overall process of owning an Instagram page. We recorded this episode nearly two months ago, and at the time, he had 6 thousand followers. He now is over 20 thousand! I want to thank him for being my first guest on the Podcast, and I highly recommend checking out his page!