Ep. 62 Learning Basketball with Yash Kumar! @mathketball1

Yash Kumar covers the NBA & WNBA; is a Video & Analytics Coordinator for the Cal Poly Men’s Basketball team; and cohosts the Beyond the Arc pod.

Today we learn about Yash’s journey in basketball, how OKC contained Jokic to win GM 7 vs Nuggets, how the Cavs Wheel relocation concept created space for their scorers this season, how the Pacers defensive gameplan and offensive attack beat Cleveland, and a preview with predictions of the NBA Conference Finals in the East (Pacers-Knicks) and West (Thunder-Timberwolves)

Timeline

00:00

Introduction & Background with Cal Poly Basketball

08:00

How Thunder won Game 7 over Nuggets

14:00

How Pacers made Cavs look human

17:00

Film Breakdown: How Cavs Create Space for Scorers

20:00

Film Breakdown: Pacers' Defensive Gameplan to stop Cavs

23:00

Film Breakdown: Ty Jerome's Struggles

46:00

Western Conference Finals Preview: OKC Thunder vs MIN Timberwolves

57:00

Eastern Conference Finals Preview: IND Pacers vs. NY Knicks

Ep. 61 Learning Basketball with Ryan Girardot! @rmgbuilds

Ryan Girardot is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cerebro Sports, a basketball scouting data company that is out to collect every box score on earth and put it in one place.

Today we learn about Ryan Girardot's journey to running a basketball data company, how he convinced Mark Cuban to invest, building analytic scouting tools to improve decision making, and the role of analytics in basketball scouting.

Timeline:
00:00

Introduction & Background: Ryan Girardot’s Journey to Cerebro

04:29

The Evolution of Player Data Tracking, Mark Cuban investing in Cerebro

09:02

Understanding C-RAM and 5MS - Cerebro’s Player Evaluation Metrics

13:13

Creating Player Archetypes through Cerebro with Data Visualizations

23:14

Running a Basketball Data Company: The Cerebro Team’s Dynamics

25:56

Analytics as a Tool for Decision Making

26:34

Predictive Modeling in Basketball

28:07

Communicating Data to Players

30:59

How Cerebro can assist Players, Skill Development Coaches, College Scouts, Front Office Evaluators

37:41

Breaking News: The Global Scoreboard Initiative and Future Possible Partnerships

41:04

The Role of Data in Scouting: a tool that tells you the odds that can create advtange and improve decision making in the front office, in the practice gym, and in the middle of the game right on the court

45:00

Advice for Aspiring Basketball Analysts + Ryan’s Cerebro Data Viz Portfolio

Ep. 60 Learning Basketball with Ahmed Jama! @SlipTheScreen

Ahmed covers the NBA Draft and does Grassroots Scouting with Swish Theory and Next Up basketball.

Today we learn about the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, as we bounce around the best matches of player and team when it comes to the player's longterm development chances of success

Timeline:
0:00 Introduction & Background
4:30 Insane NBA Playoffs, Nuggets-Thunder thoughts
13:30 2025 NBA Draft Lottery - Best Prospect/Team Fits

15:00 Cooper Flagg

22:00 Dylan Harper

27:00 Ace Bailey

35:00 VJ Edgecombe

40:00 Tre Johnson
47:00 Kon Knueppel

53:00 Khaman Maluach
59:00 Derek Queen

01:02:00 Asa Newell

01:15:00 How would Jeremiah Fears look on the Toronto Raptors? How about Kasparas Jakucionis on the Dallas Mavericks or the San Antonio Spurs? What if Jase Richardson joins the Washington Wizards?

01:21:50 Collin Murray-Boyles

01:29:00 Liam McNeeley

01:33:00 Noa Essengue & Danny Wolf

01:38:00 The Results: Draft Stock Risers Post-March Madness

01:45:00 Sleeper names you might hear called on Draft Night in and around the NBA Lottery

Ep. 59 Learning Basketball with Charlie Cummings! @klaytheist11

Today we learn about the Golden State Warriors after two monumental wins in a Game 7 and Game 1 on the road and celebrate Aaron Gordon making game-winner nba playoff history for Denver.

Steph Curry Injury

Game 7 Buddy

Draymond's shooting and defense

Jimmy's clutch factor

GM 7 Rockets-Warriors Recap

GM 1 Nuggets-Thunder Reaction

GM 1 Timberwolves-Warriors Reaction

Warriors - Timberwolves Series Predictions

Houston Rockets Franchise Outlook

Trade Rumors: Giannis, Durant, Booker

Timeline:0:00 Nuggets GM 1 W @ OKC, Aaron Gordon making Game-Winner Playoff History23:00 Warriors GM 1 W @ MIN, Steph Injury Implications, Reaction + Series Predictions

01:02:04 Warriors GM 7 W @ HOU, Splash Cousin Buddy Hield, Steven Adams and Kevon Looney Adjustments, Sengun Defensive Strategy

01:28:53 Houston Rockets franchise outlook + Trade Rumors circling Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokoumnpo, Devin Booker

Ep. 58 Learning Basketball with Dayne Coates!

Dayne Coates (PG) just averaged 18 PPG for an undefeated 26-0 Class C winning high school team named Berne-Knox-Westerlo. (New York)

Dayne went viral in recent weeks due to his unique shooting form and has college football aspirations as a two-sport athlete pursuing college football.

Today we learned about the obstacles Dayne faced and found solutions to develop into a walking bucket with a clean jump shot for a state-title winning team, his basketball and football athletic achievements and aspirations, inspirations and inspiring others with Tourette's Syndrome and OCD.

Ep. 57 Learning Basketball with Jackson Frank!

@jackfrank_jjf

Today we learn about Anthony Edwards' development, James Harden's career evolution, Julius Randle's impact, the Lakers future plans around Luka, as Jackson and I dive into the NBA Playoffs with the Timberwolves knocking out the Lakers and the Nuggets - Clippers series heading to Game 6.

Timeline:
0:00 Intro

01:44 Clippers - Nuggets

07:00 Jamal Murray's 43 PTS Explosion

12:00 Clippers' Defensive Struggles

18:00 Westbrook's Impact on the Series

24:00 Adjustments and Strategies for Game 6

33:00 Harden's Impact and Career Evolution

45:00 Wolves - Lakers

55:00 Lakers' defense and offense and roster limitations at center

01:20:00 The Future of the Lakers: Building Around Luka and LeBron as creator and finisher

01:33:00 Anthony Edwards: Rising Star and Playoff Performer

Learning Basketball Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WPNyHW4I8wNgDFdsL6ZLf

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/learning-basketball/id1775085550

Ep. 56 Learning Basketball with Josh Cohen @Josh_Cohen_NBA

Josh Cohen is a Writer and Digital Content Manager for the Orlando Magic who covers the Magic and the rest of the NBA.

Today we learn about how the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics in GM 3 of their first round series, look at the film and matchups, celebrate Franz Wagner’s and Paolo Banchero’s rising stardom, and break down the players and coach who have built this resilient competitive culture in Orlando

Timeline:00:00 Introduction & Background

01:13 Journey into Sports Journalism & Sports Media Advice

04:20 Film Breakdown Process: The Evolution of Basketball Analysis

11:55 Franz Wagner's Performance and Impact

21:45 Adjustments - Both teams Switching and Attacking Switches - Adjust

29:22 Anthony Black the X-Factor and Defensive Role Players showing up

42:00 How did Orlando break away in the 3rd quarter? Wendell Carter dominating glass and defending in space

52:00 Jamahl Mosley’s communication, team identity, and culture setting tone of resiliency and competitive fire
1:05:45 Orlando’s shooting woes and longterm team building strategy goals, lineup construction philosophy
1:21:45 Paolo Banchero’s effortless shooting and scoring versatility, the future rising stardom of Paolo and Franz, and how they and Orlando matchup so well with Boston top to bottom

Ep. 55 Learning Basketball with Robert Flom! @RichHomieFlom

Robert Flom is the managing editor for 213 Hoops, covering the NBA, the Clippers, and formerly of Clips Nation, Blazers Edge, and The BBall Index.

Today we learn about the Los Angeles Clippers stabilizing the team into a steady contender, Kawhi Leonard resembling his peak form when available, James Harden providing a steady hand running the offense, Ivica Zubac making a leap as this team's most reliable two-way anchor and playmaking hub in the paint, Kris Dunn's lockdown perimeter defense, the effect of Ty Lue running the show and bringing in Jeff Van Gundy on the bench, as we dive into the first round playoff matchups between Clippers-Nuggets and Magic-Celtics

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction & Background

8:00 Kawhi Explodes - How often can he do this?

13:30 All-Defense level impact - Ivica Zubac & Kris Dunn

22:00 All-NBA level impact - Ivica Zubac & James Harden - who to credit

25:00 Daring Russell Westbrook to Beat Them - Denver’s X-Factor sparked Game 1 win for Nuggets in Clippers Series

30:00 Aaron Gordon guarding Kawhi Leonard matchup + Michael Porter Jr.’s Rebounding dominance/getting picked on defensively

37:00 Norman Powell replacing Paul George on the aggregate, Ty Lue COY candidacy, impact of Jeff Van Gundy as Asst Coach

55:00 Magic-Celtics GM 2 Live Reactions… Paolo! Franz! What does this team need besides shooting? (Talent)