Are We Sleeping on Arkansas’ J.J. Andrews? Why He Belongs in the Top 5 Conversation

0:00And this episode of the NBA Drive Junkeys podcast, we're gonna talk about Arkansas Freshman JJ Andrews. And I am going to make a case why I believe that JJ Andrews should be the top five pick consideration. I feel like JJ Andrews is extremely underrated. James is looking at me crazy, but find out why I'm so high on Arkansas's JJ Andrews. I'm gonna go and make a case So, I'm gonna go have some fun I said to other people I'm gonna lead another person for example, and I said that as a Jolly N coming down only got sin in my eyes he's gotten out which was way too low, Blaine raised about 10,000 tonnes Now. But we weren't expecting anything or cause I mean, just do Héologies for that wait a minute touted to India no mind and she didn't any marketing ever paid for before. I'm gonna tell Ja 한noah October, however, this episode is going to be worth your while.

1:01If you're watching us on Friday night, this episode because me and James didn't discuss, I didn't even introduce them. My co-host, my main man, my dog James Barlow, we didn't talk about JJ Andrews before the episode started. And when I did the intro, he looked at me crazy. So we don't plan our episode. We just get right into it. We have a topic and we get right into it. So this episode is brought to you by Don Peace. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course, you know, we got Don Peace again. And like I said, with Don Peace, timeless legacy, watches, men and women, everything you want, like I said, man, I got a Don Peace, got Rafa Don Peace. You put out some new merchandise. Definitely want to check the inventory out and use code, excuse me, 20% off to save on your

2:04Don Peace. Tell him, James sent you. I'm going to take care of you and everything is going to be great. Riker Don Peace. We need to have a Don Peace, you know, Broley's in the sky way inside. All those good things. So shop Don Peace. All right, let's get right into it. I want to talk about JJ Andrews. I tweeted how much I like him. Somebody already in the comments talking about, I guess they disagree. I'm going to get the grain here, man. I like JJ Andrews. I feel like he's not getting the same buzz as other guys. And let me get into why I like JJ Andrews. First of all, Arkansas lists him at 626-25. Grown man body, 66-225, 7 foot wingspan. He is, and I'm just going to get right to the Skyddon report. He is a beast in transition. He's a dog, dad is an NFL player.

3:04That was like an all pro NFL player. He's got the football ball with him. Like Sean Andrews. Seven years in the NFL, all pro in 2006. Got the football player mentality. He's a beast in transition. He's aggressive downhill score. He's got like I said, NBA body, good athlete. He's tough. He's competitive. I came up with a new term power wiggle. So, I knew exactly what you mean. Name three guys in the league with power wiggle. As I interrupt. I'm Zion Powerwiggle. I mean, that's power, power wiggle on top of explosiveness. I think Julie's got power wiggle. Julie's Randall. Stiff power wiggle. But yeah. Power wiggle. Anthony Mason, power wiggle. Even though like, even those are fours, but JJ Andrews, I mean, he's getting to it.

4:08First of all, he's trying to get downhill all the time. He's aggressive. And then he's not a guy that's just getting aggressive on straight line drives. He's got a little, like I said, got a little wiggle. I love the competitiveness and the resume. Like, people are, I don't know, they're sleeping on the resume. Like this person in the comments on Twitter was like, he dominated because of the competition that he played in high school. I'm like, he was the MVP of the YBL in 2025. And they won the Peace Jam. So you can't say the competition was weak, but when you look at the numbers, he put up a high school. You see them high school numbers, he put up Ray Rios numbers to me, man. 30.7 points per game. 16.7 rebounds. Three, it says two stills of block. Andy shot 61% from the floor. And like the guy in the comments, Lando, Lake said he was getting triple teamed in high

5:10school. 60% from the floor. Big dog word. Get out the way, little dudes. He was shedding dudes like, he was shedding dudes like, what's my man's name? What's the big Derek Henry? Hey, man. JJ Andrews might be my guy this year. You know, every year you got that guy. He's the guy that I'm like, this is my guy. And I just realized he was my guy about 30 minutes ago. So JJ Andrews, I think, is being heavily slept on. And I think he should be in the consideration as a top five pit. All right. I let you speak. I spoke for like six minutes straight. Man, I can't get now in the top five. Let me tell you why. For one, no, no, no, no. First thing first, he's really, really good. And he's really, really dominant.

6:10And he wins. Like, you're not going to, that's not my argument against him being a top five. I just power wiggle. I get what you're saying. I'm a fan of the concept, but I don't think his handle is tight. I don't have to be super tight. But his wiggle is just to get you a little bit off of him. Because if he can't dance on you, he's going to run through you. And if he gets to his launching pad, he's going to finish athletic finishes around the round my back, my back couldn't you off. I'm a little passionate about JJ Andrews. You still come up with a dirt trial. Clearly, you feel like being a defendant tonight. I ain't not listening. I ain't a dirt fan like that. I really can't name like 10 dirt songs. I just, I just got this, this thing about lab and doing this deep dive on that drill scene. And it's absolutely crazy that, yeah, anyway, that's all a different subject.

7:13But I can't believe he beat the feds, though. He really did. He listened to his little said, his name, the lawyer. That's twice he beat the feds. That's crazy. But I hope that I never meet him because I don't want no issue. I mean, I just want to see you on the internet Brian still. I don't ever want to have to know your number. But JJ Andrews, I like the obviously the good frame, six, six, seven foot wingspan. I think he's very unselfish. Exactly. I said that handle isn't the tightest. But my concern, keep listening to positive lots of energy. I like, I think he's athletic, but I think it's more so speed with the ball than it is vertical athletic. Oh, if that makes sense. He plays fast. But I think it's a lot of, it's obviously a lot of bully ball.

8:16And this may be a controversial take. I don't care. I don't care anybody. I think, I think he's a foreign NBA. I think he's more Josh Hart than anybody anything else. Tons of energy, tons of like positive play. I don't buy his power wiggle translating to the NBA because I don't have any. I don't think his handle is like, like Julius, Julius was handled. He had a tight handle, stiff, tight handle. Zion has a, Zion's hand when he played with who was the coach Van Gundy, point Zion was split picking roles the size of my refrigerator. Like, I don't think that's who J, J, J, J Sean Andrews is as a ball handler. I think he's best suited in the NBA. The Josh Hart role, undersized, three, whatever position Josh Hart plays, tons of energy,

9:18great ball mover, like difference maker, super high level role player. I think J, J, J, while he can dribble and he has almost a one to one and sister term ratio. I just think he's almost, I think he's out of control a lot. He's able to bowling ball his way into drawing seven fouls per game or the U.I.B. Like man, the motor, this is not me arguing against the motor. I just don't know how skilled he is. Even in this draft, which is kind of, you know, not the strongest draft, I can't take him top five. Do I think he could be a lottery pick? I think so. He shoots the ball well and does, I think he's going to be able to regard three positions. I think when we did the Mika, Miran, and Pai cast, I would play J, Sean F4. I would start him at the Ford Cots because again, he's big enough, he's strong enough.

10:20You got that dog, you know, I think I just played him at the Ford. That's what I think he's a four in the NBA. I think it would work. I don't buy the power wiggle translate. No disrespect. Again, that kid is a winner, that kid, everything I've heard about him, he's a great kid, checks all the boxes, green flags. I just think he's more of a Ford league. And that's not slandering. I mean, you know, Josh Hart is the ultimate role player on the championship team. All right, check this out. Take a time. I'm just going to take a time right now. They got Caleb Holt number two. And they got JJ Andrews at number 23. What makes Caleb Holt better than JJ Andrews? I'm not mad at you for saying that. Hey, hey, this is what made me mad at Caleb Holt went to prolific and JJ went to little rock Christian sisters of the blind.

11:21Oh, I'm sorry, that's bad. Little rock Christian. I think you know what Christian man. But the resume, he won Pete Jam. I saw a game where he hit the game winning shot. He got to the foul line. You can't tell me that Caleb Holt, Brandon McCoy, all of these guys, Bruce Branch are that much better than him. I think he can be more productive than those guys. And I don't think any of them can check him. I'm not trying to guard that dude. May he be running into me. Elbow was calling on the ground. Where are you down? Hey, he already plays hard. And that's one thing that Kyle gets credit for is putting the motor and guys back and turning them up. Hey, if I was wrong about A-Cuff last year and Calipari turned him into, he can make case that A-Cuff was the best point guard in college basketball. Man, that was one of the best point guard seasons. Yeah. Yeah.

12:21One of the years to be honest with you. Yeah, man. I mean, everybody loves Jordan Smith. I mean, like, just look at the drive ahead of him. I mean, Brandon McCoy's out. I mean, Bob-Ops later, the head of him, Braille and Mullins is ahead of him. I don't have much of a mind. I don't have much of a head of JJ. That's what I'm saying. Like, when you go down there, if you want to go pound for pound, even if you just want to go pound for pound, skill for skill, resume for resume, it's hard to come up with some guys that are better than JJ Andrews. One of what I like about him is, when I like dogs, right? I'm a fan of dogs. I'm a fan of guys that, if the jump shot isn't falling, they're going to impact the game, get downhill and wear you down. But he makes jump shots, enough to where you have to respect it. But he lets his downhill aggressive attacking mentality make you back off of him or say you're not going to guard him. And he's making shots.

13:22He's making you pay both ways. So he can get you at the rim. He can get you in foul trouble. He can get to the free throw line. And he shot it well from three. 60% from the field and triple teams. Come on. I mean, but I don't know if you guys stand. I just, I don't think you're too off base when you say, again, no disrespect. So I was killed with whole number two. And where did you say they got Jason on it? I 23. I don't think there's a 21 spot difference. But I think you told him, I had of him. See that's that you're a pain bias. I don't think him is better than. They got me coming in and I had of him. Come on man. What do we going to do? No disrespect. But I don't disagree. I think, I think he's Josh Hart in the NBA. And I think I would take a Josh Hart disciple in the lottery, late lottery,

14:23depending on how things shake out. But yeah, I mean, if you look at it, if he's Josh Hart with blow by speed and more athletic, is he more athletic? Yeah, man, this dude is dunking in the half court athlete. He's around around. Yeah. I don't know about. I don't think he's the same tier level athlete as Josh Hart. He's faster than Josh Hart. Josh Hart, they don't ask you to, he's not dribbling the ball. Well, Josh Hart is rebounding and pushing. Well, I mean, Josh Hart 30, man. He's talking about 30 versus 918. Yeah, but I mean, it ain't like Josh Hart scattering for this change between now and six years ago. No, it's crazy. Josh Hart was like a career 39% 3.3% of your ad bill in Nova. And now you kind of like, he only hits clutch shots. Like you dare him to shoot. That's probably because he's not taking as many shots. But I just, I think the Josh Hart role is who he is.

15:32I would take Josh Hart as a lottery pick. Like I've been said, Caleb Holt, Bruce Branch, Brandon McCoy, JJ Andrews, they're all like high level role players to be. And the difference between these guys, again, you know, everybody's opinion is their opinion, but it's not probably like 15 spots between guys. But yeah, top five or that's a little too rich for a blood rod. All right, who's five? Who's gonna get top five? My top five is obviously number one Tyron Stokes. I got Jordan Smith number two. I have Ibu Torrey at my top five. I have Anthony Thompson in there. And then I think rounding out the top five would be for me. That's right. It's tricky. Come on, man. Come on, man. I have Bruce Branch, but I'm not in love with Bruce Branch there.

16:33And some people got jokes, some of it, Jim, that crew. I haven't met like JJ Andrews was in Europe. We saw what Benji Brae did at the Barrow way. Yeah, Barrow way. We saw what big Benji did at the U 16s. I know the U 16s, the U 18s is different. JJ Andrews would absolutely dominate international feeble companies. Anybody seen nothing like him over here? The rebounding, the motor, athleticism. What do I have JJ Andrews at? Yeah, you don't got him high enough. No, I got to remember because he's a Sean too. I have to need to move him up. All right, exactly. Let me ask you a question, Ralph. Yeah. If I don't think Jay Sean is super skilled, but he plays hard. That's a skill playing hard is a skill. Why outside of him being an OG?

17:33Why? That's actually a really big reason. But why is he this superior prospect to Tunei, Yesafo? Because I don't like Tunei's game. That makes me sorry. Come on, man. But I mean, Tunei was off the muscle. You want to bring up high school accolades, even though he was a little older than everybody in high school. And he might be a little older than what? He could be allegedly. Allegedly, he might not be 20. But like it was a lot of just I'm bigger, I'm stronger, I'm faster, I play harder than you. And Tunei averaged what? 15, 16 at Baylor now he was in the portal. What's the difference, Ralph? It's my turn to be the guy that's questioning. What's just like JJ Andrews better? I mean. I mean. I'm just kidding. I like him better. I think he's again, a phenomenal rebounder. I think he's a better shooter.

18:35I don't have Tunei's shooting numbers in front of me. But Andrews was a good shooter. He, I mean, the volume wasn't low. That's what concerns me. Well, but here's the thing though, he doesn't bail you out. Like there's some guys who will you say, oh man, you need to work on your jump shot. They try to prove it. JJ is attacking you, attacking you, attacking you. And then when the jump shot is open, he's going to take it. So if you just look at his EYBL stats, for the people that don't want to include the Little Rock Christian or whatever the name of the school was, Little Rock Calvary stats, because they say he wasn't planning anybody. In the EYBL in 2025, when he won MVP and his team won, peace jam, he took 34 threes off the catch. And he made 14. That's 41%. So when you left him open, when you dared to shoot, he made 41%. What do you shoot from the fire line?

19:3671? Let me see. I think it was 71%. And I guess kind of tricky. Um, and anything is, and this is why 72, 72% of 163 free throw attempts. Man, look, when you turn the field, I'm not a Hays JJ. I know you are everywhere on the internet. I promise you, youngster. I'm not a Hays JJ, but he was running into a lot of guys. He kind of plays out of control. And like I said, I think he's more suited to be an energy guy, small ball, whatever you want to play him at three, that's fine. I think he can play the four in the NBA. And again, that's not, I mean, again, I'm comparing you to an NBA champion, right? Like ultimate and glue guy, I just think that is who he is. What concerns me about, you know, again, spends a lot of time on the floor. He shot 53% on layups at six, six, seven foot wingspan.

20:38The finishing can stand to improve. But I think you can stand to improve because I think he just is out of control a lot. And he's bearing Tasmania and Devlin his way in the traffic. And I think he misses a lot of layups. Julius Randall has had a very successful career, barreling, running over guys, playing some absolutely ugly basketball. I like Julius. But when it comes to guys whose game is just disgustingly, it's just, his game is just ugly to me. It's wiggle wiggle wiggle. You didn't, you didn't fall for the wiggle, I get out the way. And then he jumps and his legs just as legs like we jump. He sends it and he falls real fast. Yeah, he's had, he's had a good career. So if JJ Andrews is a small forward version of Julius Randall, can you be a small forward version of Julius Randall?

21:39With spacing, absolutely. Absolutely. Remember, the nerds and the people like Quinn Coleman, who we just did an article on. Quinn Coleman was JJ Andrews wingman. Man, in fact, he was his third option. I mean, you can say that, but that team was loaded. Like I said, trade Pearson, she could, they were good. But I mean, they were good. But you mean they had like that nightwriters team, you know what I mean? Well, I mean, NBA loader, I'm talking about AAU loaded. That team, that Brad Bill team was AAU loaded, which meant they had very good players on that team. I think she Pearson, I can't remember where he's at, but they graduated him early because he's a really good big. And trade Pearson had a crazy assist to turnover ratio. So it's like, I mean, he wouldn't play with some slouches. And it wasn't like he average like 21, I think he, what do you average? 15. No, I think the numbers are pretty, I think the numbers are good.

22:44I want to say, hey, hey, put like this, whatever the numbers are. He won, MV, I'm mad at him for winning, man. All right, here's what I, what I think it's a lot of junk yard to his game, man. I have them at, I don't know if this is right. 22 and seven and three assists in EYBL. The whole circular just the piece jam. That's, that's just what I, what I got. Well, this is the piece jam. That means he put up those numbers when the game's matter the most. Two shade, two shade. So he's corn. And okay, I mean, but like, like I said, the production is there. The rebound thing. The, I mean, he was a guy that when I watched him, people feared him. When he got the ball in transition, hey, you got out the way. I just going right at you, right at your chest. You're going to follow him or you're going, he might dunk on you.

23:44I just man, the super off the muscle wing guy scared me, man. Super off the muscle, but he's, it's not like he was super off the muscle. And he couldn't shoot or didn't shoot when he did shoot off the catch. He made him, he made 35% of his threes. But if you narrow it down to off the catch, it was 41%. Again, all right, sorry, are you calling him a shooter? No, but it's, it's respectable enough to keep you honest, but I like the fact that it's a tack first, a tack second, a tack third. Okay, now I'm going to shoot. It's not like, you know, some guys like, like, I feel like there are guys that can get downhill when they want and they build the defense out because they're trying to prove to everybody like that sounds like that they can just respect. That sounds like Brandon McCoy. Yeah, we're there. I'm gonna shoot this because I've been working on it now because it's the right shot to take.

24:44Yeah. And the defense is like, shoot, we'll, we'll take you shooting those threes because even if you make 35% yeah, I mean, that's good, but you're not getting the team in bonus. You're not getting guys in foul trouble. So again, like I say, what makes Caleb Holt and all these guys ahead of him that much better than Jay-Jay Andrews. And man, you're going to have to stand on that hill alone. Again, I think Jay, Jay, Jay can be a lottery pick. I have Caleb Holt at like seven, but I also think difference between seven and 21 in his draft is there's not a large gap between them. And like I said, I think after Stokes, after Jordan Smith, who again, I still, he could still very much be a super high level role player. I think he has a really high floor. I'm buying a Dutore. I think I'm Dutore is a very prospect of Jay-Jay Andrews, but I think after, you know,

25:50pick six, you're going to get a high level role player in this draft. This doesn't have the upside of last year's draft where you can get a Braden Burries at 10 or Mike Hill Brown at six who you, you know, thinking, you know, be a very strong franchise piece. But all right, let's share your, your scouting report. So yeah, I mentioned, I mean, you've been riding still and so much. I mentioned the good frame. Like I said, he's other selfish. There's a lot of bully ball in this game. I don't think his handle is the tightest, but he can dribble. Love that he plays with energy. More of a four to me than a three. Again, very good speed with the ball. That's like the rebound and push, you know, when you back off of him, he's fast with the ball in his hands, but I don't think he's particularly vertically explosive. And I think he spends a ton of time falling on the floor, which to me sounds like he's out of control. But he, you know, has a million devilish-a-waited freedom to the shot.

26:54Seven free throws in game. I'm not mad at him at that. I just got his concerns about his finishing at the rim. And, you know, the jumper, while he shot 34% on jumpers, because of 72% free throw shooter, which means he's not bad, but it doesn't necessarily trend towards being a very, very good shooter. But the same time, he does, he does so many other things. I just don't, I don't want him to be my wing in NBA. Not my wing that I want making decisions. I want him to be the playoff of kind of guy. If he's going to play the three in NBA, is because he came a knock down corner shooter that plays hard defense. If you know he's going to do that rebounds very well. And he's going to be a very good ball mover. But I just don't buy him handling a rock too much for me in the NBA. Yeah, I mean, if he can just handle it in transition, but he can work on the handle because I think that he shows promise as a wiggler. I just made up a word. So the wiggle is there.

27:56All you gotta do is tighten the handle because we've seen it. There are tons of guys that got a tight handle, but no wiggle. Handle is straight stationary like like games. You I mean, think like you go to NBA gaming. You watch the guys warm up and they like were versus fake though. But they're they're handling it. But they don't have the mindset, no offensive creativity, the wiggle. I think for him, he has that. It's just he needs to tighten the handle up, which I think is very, very doable. What is the difference between him? I sound like a hater in Isaac Acoro. Same bill. I like. I like. Or coral. Come on man. Isaac Acoro. I'm 15 to game for armor. As a franchise. Yeah, what a shoot. What what what what did he shoot? His numbers weren't they weren't pitiful. They weren't terrible. I'm just saying man, the muscle bound. More muscle, more play hard to skill.

28:58Wing is. Put it like this tricky man. I wanted to interview Isaac Acoro during that pre draft process. And I was talking to his people at the time. And they were like. Do not ask him any questions about the shooting. Why? Because he shot 29% from three and 67% from the fight line. Yeah, we're 13, four rebounds to assist. They said we can teach him how to shoot. They listed him at six six. I think he's six four. He had a flat assistant turnover ratio. But he was 29% and the 29% was. But naked. He was watching. Do you? I think. I think. I think. I think. JJ is going to shoot a lot of butt naked. But he's he's shown that he can make them. He shot. I think the high school numbers was 36%. He shot 60% from the floor and high school. I'm sorry.

29:58I'm sorry. I can't get now at the high school numbers. Okay. I respected. But I for these guys, I'm going to lean more towards your, your EYBL numbers. When you're planning it's better. Compatible. Let's get to. EYBL. EYBL numbers again. 41% off the catch. 35 or 36% from three. 33 attempts in 20 something games. More than a temper game. I like that. Let's get down hill. You get to the final line seven times. And don't shoot any jumpers unless you have two. Okay. So. All right. Here's one. Is a comparison between him and someone like Ron Holland comparable to. I like him more than Ron Holland. But Ron Holland was a guy that we had real concerns about the shooting. I don't even know Ron Holland that shot 32% from three. And in his career, Ron was a guy that, you know, I mean, I like my guys from the DFW area.

31:02I'm not from here, but you know, I'm. You mean you're out at hometown. But I had concerns about the shooting. Never had concerns about like, you know, just how he impacts the game when he plays because he's just flying all over the floor. Rock and do you remember who I compared? I don't know. I don't know. Ron Holland in the NBA. 159 career games. 24% from three. But he's a good feet though. Do you remember who I was comparing Ron Holland to pre-drive? Oh man, I forgot who it was. I don't know. We talked about it so much. We talked about it so much. Who is it? Josh Akoui. It's not bad. I mean, of course, you sound like a hater if you say that for a guy that. Do I sound like a hater? No, but you know how it is. If a guy's projected top five or he goes top five,

32:04people only want to compare him to like all stars or Hall of Famers. So, but then you get it because the team looks crazy. I mean, imagine being in the NBA like, draft room and you're thinking about taking this guy on the top 10. And you're like, I think he's Joshua Kouke. Like, trade down. Hey, look, Josh Akoui is first two years. Eight points, three rebounds, nine points, four rebounds. This first two seasons, 28% from three. Josh Koui, that was productive as a freshman at Georgia Tech when he was 17. He averaged 15 to game, but it was a whole lot of transition. Merchanting slash there was just not a lot of skill. And again, NBA, you know, you get put into a role. But he just really wasn't super skill come out of Georgia Tech. Obviously, Ryan is bigger, but he was a 20th pick.

33:05So again, no disrespect, Ron, you know, he's going to make his way as a defender. Can he shoot? That's what's going to, but that is going to get him more minutes, but at the same time he's playing for a playoff team. And you got to get in how you fit it. So, they're, Ron's minutes are, to me, Ron's minutes are going to come when they package him and somebody else to get that second score. That's true. That's, that's where I think it's going to come from. All right, let's get to some of the questions. Lando Lake City had to pull up for this one. Dirk really beat the feds. He did the first round. He's still got, he's still got. That's great. Two rounds. We got another one. Lando Lake said that the, that, and there's a question, whose Arkansas starting five? J.S.J. Jeremiah Wilkinson, Billy Richmond, Mika and Caleb. I'm going to have to disagree with you, Lando Lake's. I'm starting off, I'm doing an I've tutorial for Jeremiah Wilkinson.

34:07You know, this is going to be a, this, we might all season sad because of their teammates. And we're going to be so divided about it. All season long is going to be a hit. Pidness against J.J. Andrews, where I'm doing Torre. We got to have a start. I'm starting to, I'm, I'm starting to, this is where I'm starting if I'm Arkansas. I'm going Jordan Smith. I'm going, I've do Torre, Billy Richmond, J.J. and Caleb F.I. That's who I'm starting. I'm not starting Mika, no disrespect to Mika. I feel like J.J. can do what he does at the fore. You just not seven feet tall. I'm going to say now, I'm going to say it now. I'm going to say it now. I could be wrong 10, 35 PM Central time, on September 11th. Mika Miernan and his fools go. Fools go. I mean, we did a whole pie. I kind of, you know what, that's our most viewed, that's our most viewed on too. Sorry if you and Finland. It's like, I just, I mean, I asked the question.

35:08What is he good at? But that's who I would start. Jordan Smith, I'll do Torre, Billy Richmond, J.J. J.J. Andrews. I want to call him J.J. Andrews. Let me get big Caleb at the five. You got one through four is absolutely switchable. The thing is with Jeremiah Wilkinson, I just think he's too much of a, I'm trying to get mine kind of guy. I really have him coming off the bench and being a spark plug. But, you know, that line up there comes down to how much or how, and really, this is a matter of taking Jeremiah Wilkinson because he's not a point guard. But how much of a, how much point guard ability does Jordan Smith have where he can balance getting his and, you know, keeping other guys fit. Now, you don't got to run anything for, for Billy Richmond because he just the athlete, transition guy. And then I do, you know, you can, you got to, can Jordan Smith feed guys and get his own? That's going to be really the biggest question about him.

36:09But I'm not starting Mika, and I'm not starting to get my works. No disrespect to him. I may start Mika. I may start him after five. Just because I'm a rebound. Why would you start him after five? That's why my man J.J. Andrews is going to go get those ones that he won't get. I think I may start. I mean, you know, the first game, I don't know who their plan, but I may just be like, look, we are a team of athletes and we're not going to be successful in the half court. Just not. So we got a, you got to secure the rebounds, man. But I'm good. J.J. Andrews is going to go get them. So we just, but I mean, if it don't work out, I'm just talking like opening night. That's my starting lineup. If it doesn't work out, then we just take, you know, take them out. But I just think this Arkansas team, they're going to win by having bunch of athletic guys with motors

37:10who want to get out in the open floor. Now when the game flows down in the half court, that's why I think they may have some issues. But I just think like that's how they're going to have to win. You're just going to have to out athlete guys. And Kyle is known for getting guys to play hard. So I just think like he's got some guys that he doesn't have to like get to play hard. That's just who they are. So I think that's going to help you. Yeah, but the thing is with Mika though, like I was on record question in his motor. I don't know. I agree. But guess what? I can't have a low motor guy on the court for everybody with guys with motors. I was just playing Kaley Origo who has a motor who's going to be able to. I don't think he's a low motor guy. I just think he's a front runner. And I think they're going to be good. The same thing. Yeah, I mean, low motor to me means it's low no matter what. Like with you winning by 30 or you down by 20 year motors, I think Mika's a front runner. I think if he gets one of them, don't stick out everybody excited where he's cocking the ball back behind his head,

38:13he's going to play hard to try to get another one. Another one. But if you beat him up early and the game slows down, then you know, the motor's not going to run hot. So I think that I don't think he's a motor guy. I just think he's a selective motor guy. Front runner. All right, we talked about Arkansas starting David Puncher. Andrews. J.J. Andrews. David Punch is interesting, but he's like a six eight post player. And then he's going to be playing next to a Vokeyitis. Is that how you pronounce his name? I don't know. I know that do kill. Yeah, he lit up. Be why you. And then you mix in. Again, David Punch is really, really good, but they're going to play market spirit. You have to play market spirit because Beckham is going to be on campus pretty soon. So you got to play the Texas kids. David Punch is a he's just he's a post guy to me, man.

39:16I think David Punching is going to make a ton of bread. He hasn't already as a four or five year, you know, college player. And you know, if he gets to lead, he's going to be because he's expanded his game from being an under sized post player. That makes sense. Do you think that Andrews has a slight hitch in his jumper? I mean, I've seen them shoot like the the jumpers off the dribble. You know what I mean? Like he's a guy that if he's going to shoot a pull up is like after he initiated the contact and then pulled up. I mean, does he do it a lot? No, because he can get to the foul line. It didn't it wasn't something that stood out to me. Vogue of Titus. Thank you, Jay. Jay, we're all appreciate that man. I got to give it with you for being able to say it phonetically. I mean, you know, he did such a great job. I hope I could say Vogue of Titus. On the Bahamas, he had a game where he hit like six threes. Who is that? Jay Jay?

40:18Yeah, but that Bahamas man, no disrespect to my Bahame and brother and man, but that was like D5 basketball, man. But the six threes is encouraging. It is encouraging, but if you enjoyed the truth, had a true or two like half time one game. Yeah, but I mean, that's that's a game where obviously you do what they're going to win, but you just got to look at like some of the the good things that they did. So the six threes and no games. May I well by 60 points. Hey man, when there is nothing in June or July and, you know, a video of Jordan Smith picking up full court goes viral. Those are the guys that are basketball junkies. Yeah, I get that. Patrick Williams or Jay Jay Andrew does a prospect. Uh, I'll share my patch Williams story. So I remember he came to Dallas one summer and, uh, but he was young.

41:21He was very young. He played this. I think he played. I mean, I was 17 or 12 or anything like that, but he might have been like 16 and they were like, he's about to be a freshman at Florida State. And I didn't really see like one thing that he did well. I didn't see like, you know, crazy handle. I didn't see like, but I just saw like, you know, the youth and the positional size and all of that. And I like Patrick Williams. Only time I really seen him like, and this man that count, I saw him play in a program in Chicago. And it was like, dang, I know you had that in your game. But again, it's a program and then a lot of NBA guys have some stuff that they got that you don't see like, I've seen Daniel Gafford playing pickup games here in Dallas. He's three, he's just five. He looked like a spock about there. Because you know, like sometimes in these pickup games guys are trying to get a rhythm or whatever. And then if you're like, nah, I'm not trying to, you know, be playing above the rim, land the wrong way.

42:22So, you know, just get up and down and he's out here looking like, call Anthony Towns. So anyway, Patrick Williams in this like program game, he was handling the boy. He just looks free, play a lot of confidence. I don't know what his role is in the NBA. But I like JJ Andrews better because I feel like I know what his role is and that's going to be like this an aggressive downhill attacker that is going to be able to get to the foul line. All right, here's when I just came to mind. And I could be way off here. RJ Barrett. What do you think of RJ Barrett and JJ? It's funny. You was bringing up handles with no wiggle and the video is circulating to him trying to go by Derek Queen and he was hitting him with a pat, pat, pat that just absolutely went nowhere. Who I tell my other video where they had Derek Queen just like, like, he was locking him up. Yeah. That's what I had. Listen man, I, you can make a video for anything.

43:24Not saying Derek Queen is like a terrible defender, but somebody is probably with you because, you know, you're like, Derek Queen. He loved Derek Queen. But that video of Derek Queen stops. It was like it's September. We dying for basketball. So, are they gonna get by him? RJ Barrett and JJ Sean. I think RJ had a lot of get to it, right? And his handle has always, he's just stiff. And he's a long strider, but like he's not gonna beat you with his handle. I can see so much. He averaged 19. He averaged 19 of games past season five rebounds three assists, shaft 49% from the floor. And about 34% from three. Listen to playoffs. He's productive. 24 games, seven rebounds.

44:25Yeah, he's productive. I don't, I don't, this like RJ Barrett. I don't think, I don't think JJ is a skill. This RJ Barrett. I mean, but I feel like I think there's some similarities. But I don't think he's a skill like RJ was like Euro stepping and, you know, yes, he was getting to the basket. It's just, it looked different. I think, I think JJ is out of control a lot. Yeah, but RJ, to me, doesn't seem like every, it just doesn't seem easy. You know what I mean? He scores, but it does, it just doesn't seem like it was easy, but he averaged 22, seven and four. And he shot just 30, he shot 31% from three as a freshman. That do go six attempts for games. I mean, I don't think JJ Andrew is going to get 22 points of game, but if he's, you know, if there's some RJ Barrett, the, the guys that we're talking about, whether it's Josh Hart,

45:25whether it's RJ Barrett, little shades of Julius Randall, those are all successful players. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, me, me, come, those are all top 10 picks. In the red drive, yeah, me comparing him to Josh Hart isn't disrespectful. Again, like you said, if you're not compared to, and then they all star, some people take it the wrong way. No, I just, I think he's better in the Josh Hart role. I just, I'm not buying him as a wing. A ball handling wing in the NBA because again, I just, know, it was a little sloppy little out of control. I'm a man. But to me, he can, to me, if he's got enough to where he's filling the lanes of transition, he's getting hustle plays, he's knocking down enough threes to where he can attack the rim on straight line drives. Yeah, again, I never said that he's going to be like this offensive creator, but I don't feel like that would brand him a coin. I don't either. I said that. I said, brand him a coin play like a small four. And he's, well, they got him at six five.

46:28But I also don't think that J.J. has the pace with the ball and it's just a lot of full speed. Like he'll try to make some moves, but he's jamming turbo. And I just know to get as the pace to play the wing as a ball handler in the NBA. It's in the bonus. Get us in that bonus, J.J. Man. All right. My male end of like, say we can talk about Lithuania, but not the Bahama national team. Yes, you're absolutely right. That wasn't the real, that wasn't the real Bahamas national. No, Lithuania had they didn't have VJ. I don't think they didn't have clay. They didn't have buddy. They didn't have Dayton. Yeah, they had their horse on the island. Yeah. And like, Lithuania had a, at the former top 20 pick on that team. Yeah, he looked older, but like they had guys. It's just different. Derek Kuehnkin, with those puppies, man, listen, you not telling me that. Sure. I already don't know about Derek Kuehn, man. That's my guy right there, man.

47:30I think eventually he's going to figure. Like, people was talking about how, I mean, he was like top five at every rookie category last year. I think he was sixth in the scoring, but rebounds a cis. Like, he was really, really good. Yeah, but you know, people just like to pile on. I don't think that tray was as bad as people make it out to be. Who was that pick? I mean, they got queen, but they'd have been Kingston. Yeah, I think. Yeah. I mean, I think so, but I mean, it's Kingston going to be better than Derek Kuehn. It's just I just think like the lore of future first round picks sometimes is a little bit overrated. And Derek Kuehn's is going to be an ace of nul. Oh, come on. That was one of his teammates. All right. Here's one. I might fall out. Let you read it. Host Wagon, I was I'm going to give you all the credit because I can't say was me. It was you. No, what's Kingston? Yeah, it was Kingston because it was unprotected pick.

48:31It ended up being a lottery pick. Does Kingston have a better career than Derek Kuehn? Some people think as the draft cycle went on, I became lower on Kingston flimmings is sealing more than his floor. I buy his floor as a decision-making point guard, but he wasn't to me better than Michael Brown or Aka. And him going eight is fine. I think from a skill standpoint, he needed he needs work. But I mean, I would say that. Thessalon was great. I think he makes good decisions, but I don't I think as a point, I think his floor is really, really high. His ceiling, I have questions. So I mean, we'll see how that goes as far as him being better at Kuehn. But I mean, Kuehn had a really good rookie year on a team that was, wasn't a good team. So, we'll go ahead, Ralph. You can get ready. Give me some credit, right? Yeah, yeah, all right.

49:32This is a bit random, but man, I remember you guys were on that Kuehn. John George train improved to be right. That was James. That was James. That was all James. I mean, I like Kuehn George, but I wasn't as loud about it as James. I had him at the top team, okay? I look smart sometimes. I can't wait to see what that wizards, what that wizards, Roger. We're starting for the wizards. All right, that's a loaded question to me. What you mean? How's that loaded? Opening night starter or the starting line of that thing are going to go the whole year because I don't know if Anthony Davis is going to be around the whole year. And if he is around the whole year, then he might not play more than 50 games. So, who's going to give him a contract that he wants? I think he wants a four year deal. He wants more money. You go to state. Go to state. Man, when I'm paying him if I'm going to state, we got enough.

50:32They banged up. They got us trying to, you know, you got to at least try to give stuff a chance. I get it. Trust me. Anthony Davis, when he's available, it's a very good basketball player. But you got to you got to have that much dead money between Steph who's going to make like 70 million on his next deal. Can't trade Jimmy Butler who's making a ton of money. And then you can't bring in Anthony Davis who makes a ton of money. You basically have zero future. Hey, who cares? Steph built the chase center. He built the chase center. He built San Francisco. What's your name? The chase center. Have you seen like the money that they're getting from just regular like events there? He built the chase center. He made you relevant. So you got to try to give him a chance until he doesn't want to play. I saw a video I'm getting out of hand. He was limping. Yeah, man. That's that 38, man. And if you don't throw it up, it's here too long, man.

51:34I'm looking like that too. You have to give. You got to keep just overpaying, overpaying. Yeah, your future may be gloom and doom for four or five years after that. But he made you a lot of money. Steph was not going to take it. They bought the team for like 300 million and there were at the billions now. Yeah, I get it. They're right. Yeah. The arena is working more than what they pay for the team. So you just got to get stuff. Let me let me reverse get a credit. Jay gyro. I remember they were one of the first guys that has citric power in a lottery last year when everyone else had them in the second round. That give I give that credit to Raph. Raph was the first one there. So shout out to Raph, man. You got one right there. We'll see what this JJ Andrews been a top five pick. Which you definitely were the one beaten on the citric coward drum. Shout out to you. I had them as a first round pick the summer of 2024. I remember exactly where I was at.

52:34I was when I wrote this article about him being a potential first round pick. I think in that same article at him, I had De La Rea as a first round pick, even though it was like a year later. But but yeah, all right. So I just wanted you to question. Yeah, sometimes sometimes you get them right. Sometimes you get them wrong. I think who's the one I was the most wrong about? I'm acting no back in the day. I thought Thomas Robinson was going to be a beast. Hey man, you like bullies? You like bullies that can kind of dribble? I don't know, Raph, you might have a tight. Hey, we we we we all have a tight. You know, well, he's that can kind of dribble. But I think Thomas Robinson, I think Thomas Robinson should have been a 12, 13 year NBA guy. The reason he wasn't is because he wanted to show skill. Tristan Thompson was like, man, let me go ahead and get these rebounds. Because Thomas Robinson was a phenomenal rebounder.

53:35And I know how it's Robinson was in trouble when it's some really bringing the ball up the court. When a jimmer couldn't dribble up the court. He raped him off. And Thomas Robinson was like, I got this. And I was like, oh no. Hey, it was funny. Well, let me let me name the guy. Shout out to my man, Dominique Johnson. Man, Dominique Johnson's on the University of Grand Canyon. Women's coaches staff. He was in a GD last year. Anyway, I mean, Dominique, he was on that summer league team. And I was a, he didn't dribble the ball up the court either. And I asked him about it. He was like, for what? And he maybe call me over here to dribble the ball up the court. I'm like those guys look crazy out there dribbling. So shout out to Dominique, man. Yep. All right, James is right on Riley over at Casparas as a better prospect on the Illinois team. Yeah, man, Casparas was a guy like, I, I got criticized that. He had a terrible stretch at the end of the year. It was absolutely was his forearm, man.

54:37Man, his forearm still must be hurt because he, he was bad at summer league. Hey, year two, you look bad at summer league, but he can't get by anybody. He was somehow getting to the foul line, but he was a guy that the analytics people like, because somehow, some way when he did get to the room at Illinois, he was efficient. But if you just look at the numbers, you just the efficiency. But if you watch the games, you're like, he can't get by anybody. And I, that's why I think he's going to struggle. I think he's going to be playing for Zaugear some like three years. Oh, I think if he can, is he going to play this year? I mean, I don't think he's going to play. I don't think he's a point guard NBA. I never thought he was a point guard NBA. I like you said, I didn't think he can get by anybody. I think he's more of a combo guard. I mean, he is six, five, six, six. And if he shoots the ball well, he's a secondary playmaker off the bench. Then it gives him a chance. But yeah, I'm guarding him full court.

55:37Definitely not because I'm trying to wear him down. It's because I'm going to turn him three times. Yeah, I'm in turtle three times. And then if he passes, that means the secondary ball handler is trying to initiate the offense. So I 100%. All right. Any thoughts? I got any, I want more question. Once team sat on that step back jumper, he didn't have anything on self creation. Hey, man, we talked about that. We're not talking about that. Nobody didn't say it already. We talked about that. We talked about that a lot. All right, the top five tests. You think there's no chance that Andrews can get into the top five? No, no, I can't do it. Even in this wide open class, even in this wide open class, I can't do it. Now, if he proves me wrong, take him. But I'm not buying the creativity off the dribble at the NBA level. I think he's a high level energy guy.

56:37I'm not doing it at the top five. I think I think somebody else would emerge before I take him in the top five. Who gets the Calapari bump? He's my guy. He's going to I'm doing touring. He's Calapari bump. I'm going, Andrews. A cuff got it. Rob Dillingham got it. Read Shepherd got the A cuff. I mean, can you really say A cuff got it? He was their highest ranked recruit. That clad. Yeah, but I mean, for me, he got it. I didn't see him. Well, I'm going to say the bump. Nobody thought he was going to have the year day. Yeah, he had a historic year. Arguably the best year out of any of the cows, cars ever. So I'm in the car. Not just cow cars like any freshman guard. It was like trade. Yeah, trade. Trade. Young was crazy. Yeah. But Dillingham. Nobody saw Dillingham being as good. He was people thought Dillingham was just like a gimmick. I mean, they knew he was talented. But nobody thought like he was going to be a lottery pick. I mean, probably shouldn't have been based off how he's playing now.

57:40But you know, the the play during the season that was. Read Shepherd was the guy that nobody saw going as high as he did. It's the cow bump. So. Hey, man, I think that. I've new Torre will be a top five pick before JJ Andrews. No disrespect. JJ, you might be a 13th thing. Might be a 14th thing. Long. We got to go to Arkansas game. And and and basically have this rivalry between two players. All right, last comment. Man, people really had a problem with a coast place. They're all coming into the I know. I know I did. I thought he was a guy that didn't like to pass. I thought I just didn't like his game. And I remember James Whitman, we were at the McDonald's game. And there was a lady that was asking her phone diet or whatever. And she asked me could could she could she use my charger to charge her phones? I was like, okay, cool. So I'm sitting there waiting. And then we're talking.

58:41I knew she was from Detroit because she came with a group of people that had on the buff. Hey, that's a good question. You know, I'm talking about you. You know, it's so. And she said something. She was like asking me, you know, I was asking me if she'd ever see she's like, she came to watch a cuff or whatever. And then, you know, we were talking. I was just like, man, I don't know. I don't know. I'm not that big of a fan. She was like, he's going to surprise you. Remember this. He's going to surprise you. And she was right. She was like, definitely wrong about your cuff. And shout out to A.C. Like I said, I. I knew he was talented. Like you said, I didn't think he wanted to pass. Not to say that he was selfish. I just thought he felt more comfortable pounding the bottle wire to score. Yeah. He was just more. He wasn't like taking bad shots. I just felt like he was more confident, you know, in his, in his own ability versus creating plays. And whether or not that was true. Like he was a very good decision maker at Arkansas.

59:44I mean, he led the conference in a sys, but it wasn't just the assist numbers. Like he knew when to score and he knew when to shoot. And like of all the guards, like I said, I was on record saying that, you know, I thought Mike Brown was the best, you know, guard of that class. I still think he is. But A.C.O's decision making was picture perfect. He did everything right. And that's why he had the season that he had, but he also, like the shooting jump that he made from high school to his freshman year was amazing. So shout out to A.C.O. man, hopefully has a good season. We had the San Grylite with the Kings. Absolutely. Not to shoot them. Not to shoot. Who's that? The way that it. Levine is the bonus are there. Levine is on the last. First of all, if I'm Detroit, I'm entertaining the Levine trade. But Levine is not about to take a back seat to a rookie. He's the.

1:00:45Yeah. The more the more you show Levine, the quicker you can get out of there. Now that contract is kind of nasty because he's making like 45. Shout out to Zach Levine. You want to talk about stiff with handles. He's like the stiffest, most athletic dude ever. But I think Zach, no, no, no, not even close. Not even close. Who's more oldie? Toppin. That's because OB don't have no neck. Like OB, toppin, look like his knees don't bend. He just said. No, but Zach can't get low off the dribble. But if he gets a step and he jumps super high, like, you know, Zach Levine as a wool was was entertaining basketball. It wasn't winning basketball, but it was entertaining basketball. But I think Zach, you got to move that. And you got to, but that's what I'm saying. I don't think a cup is going to get the green light. But at the same time, I think a cup and and subonus as long as he's there.

1:01:47I think that's a picture perfect two man game because I've always said I think a cup is going to be. Offensively. Well, we not talk. I mean, the Sacramento is not going to be a good team. It's just respect. And matter of fact, you really shouldn't be because you should be trying to. Well, I mean, the virus changed, but you want to be in position to take time and stoked. But I mean, I think a cup and subonus is going to be really good. I think a cup and your boy Raynor are going to be really good at picker. Oh, cuz Raynor does not, he doesn't hit the rim on those short, you know, push. So all floaters. Yeah, I know. It's amazing touch. Hey man, I was a Raynor guy. Big Raynor guy. I know as those subonus Ben Simmons lineups. It's going to be tough. That lane's going to be very, very congested. You know, it's going to be very congested. All right, without wraps up this episode of the NBA draft junkies podcast. Shout out to everybody else watching on a Friday night. We went over an hour on this episode tomorrow. I'll put out the episode that I had with Monte Ellis where he talks about his role as the

1:02:52general manager of all cornstake. Hey man, we had a good week. Man, it was fun. We're going to get John Blackwell, whoever's been requesting John Blackwell. We'll talk about him next week. But yeah, man, like I said, every day, 10 o'clock. If you're not subscribed, please subscribe. Like, share, comment, click the bell. Well, you know, we're coming back at 10. So we will be back on Monday. Hope you have a great weekend and we are right here. Bye.