Flames

The 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has culminated in a formidable Final Four lineup, featuring UCLA Bruins, South Carolina Gamecocks, Texas Longhorns, and UConn Huskies. These teams will compete for the national championship at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, with semifinal games scheduled for Friday, April 4, and the title game on Sunday, April 6. ​
UCLA Bruins
UCLA secured its inaugural Final Four appearance by defeating LSU Tigers 72-65 in the Elite Eight. The Bruins showcased resilience and strategic play to overcome a formidable LSU team bannered by Aneesah Morrow, Flau'Jae Johnson, and Mikaylah Williams.&nbsp;
South Carolina Gamecocks
Maintaining their dominance, South Carolina reached its fifth consecutive Final Four by edging out the Duke Blue Devils with a 54-50 victory. The Gamecocks' tenacious defense and experience were pivotal in this hard-fought win. ​
Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns earned their first Final Four berth since 2003 by defeating TCU Horned Frogs 58-47. Madison Booker led Texas with 18 points, while Rori Harmon contributed 13 points. The team's robust defense forced 21 turnovers, nine steals, and six blocks, effectively neutralizing TCU's offensive threats, most particularly TCU star guard Hailey Van Lith.
UConn Huskies
UConn continued its storied tradition by advancing to its 24th Final Four, overcoming USC Trojans 78-64. Paige Bueckers delivered an outstanding performance with 31 points and six assists, marking her third consecutive 30+ point game and surpassing 100 points over three tournament games&mdash;a first in UConn's history. Bueckers also moved up the UConn scoring records after surpassing Napheesa Collier for third all-time, only trailing Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore. As for USC, the loss of star guard Juju Watkins due to injury in the Sweet Sixteen was too much to overcome the determined Bueckers and her Huskies.
Final Four Matchups
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Texas Longhorns vs. South Carolina Gamecocks: This semifinal pits Texas' robust defense against South Carolina's seasoned tournament experience.​</li>
<li>UConn Huskies vs. UCLA Bruins: UConn's offensive prowess, led by Bueckers, will be tested against UCLA's resilient defense led by Lauren Betts in a highly anticipated matchup.</li>
</ul>

The 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has culminated in a formidable Final Four lineup.

March Madness 2025: Top seeds converge in women’s Final Four

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Grace Berger finished with a season-high 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Mackenzie Holmes added 24 points as No. 2 Indiana used a late scoring run to pull away from No. 5 Iowa 87-78 on Thursday night.
The Hoosiers (23-1, 12-1 Big Ten) used a 17-7 fourth-quarter run to earn their 11th consecutive win, this time in front of a record crowd of 13,046. Indiana has broken the attendance mark three times since January and now has a 1 1/2-game lead in the chase for its first regular-season conference crown since the Big Ten&rsquo;s inaugural season of 1982-83.
Caitlin Clark had 35 points, 10 assists and four rebounds to lead the Hawkeyes (19-5, 11-2), who lost for the first time since Jan. 1.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 83, AUBURN 48
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke had 15 points and four assists in 20 minutes to lead South Carolina to its 30th straight win.
The Gamecocks (24-0, 11-0 Southeastern Conference) dominated from the start in a game sandwiched between a pair of top-5 matchups. They were coming off an 81-77 win over No. 4 UConn and host No. 3 LSU on Sunday.
Aliyah Boston had 10 points and eight rebounds for South Carolina before exiting with 8:54 left to end a string of eight straight double-doubles.&nbsp;
Sydney Shaw tied her career high with 15 points and made 3 of 4 3-pointers to lead the Tigers (13-10, 3-8). Auburn played without its top scorer and rebounder Aicha Coulibaly, who sat out with a leg injury. Mar&rsquo;shaun Bostic added 10 points.
NO. 6 STANFORD 84, NO. 17 ARIZONA 60
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Cameron Brink and Haley Jones each scored 18 points and Stanford used a strong rebounding performance to beat Arizona.
The Cardinal (23-3, 11-2 Pac-12) won their sixth straight against the Wildcats (18-6, 8-5), a streak that includes the 2021 NCAA title game. Stanford moved into first place in the conference, a half-game ahead of No. 7 Utah.
Jones shot 8 for 11 from the field and added 12 rebounds and six assists. Brink scored all her points and added eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
Paris Clark, Esmery Martinez and Cate Reese led the way for Arizona with 10 points apiece.
NO. 8 MARYLAND 79, NORTHWESTERN 54
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) &mdash; Diamond Miller had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Maryland eased past struggling Northwestern for its seventh win in eight games.
Brir McDaniel added 14 points and the Terrapins (20-5, 12-3 Big Ten) followed up the program&rsquo;s most lopsided win over a top-10 opponent with another dominant performance.
Coming off a 90-54 romp over then-No. 10 Ohio State on Sunday, Maryland outscored Northwestern (8-16, 1-12) 18-2 while holding the Wildcats without a field goal in the second quarter.
Paige Mott led Northwestern with 15 points.
NO. 9 DUKE 68, BOSTON COLLEGE 27
BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Reigan Richardson scored 14 points and Celeste Taylor added 11 to lead Duke to the 1,000th win in the program&rsquo;s history.
Richardson scored 10 points in the second quarter, when the Blue Devils (21-3, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) turned a five-point lead into a 32-14 runaway. Boston College (14-13, 4-10) made just two baskets in the period, going scoreless for the last 7:55 of the half.
Maria Gakdeng had 11 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles, who shot 18.4% from the field.
NO. 10 NOTRE DAME 69, PITT 63
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Sonia Citron scored 20 points, Maddy Westbeld added 17 to lead Notre Dame.
Sophomore guard Olivia Miles had a double-double of 11 points and 13 assists with seven rebounds and two steals as the Fighting Irish (19-4, 10-3 ACC) extended their home winning streak against Pitt to 16 games.
Senior guard Dayshanette Harris led the Panthers (8-16, 1-12) with a season-high 20 points.
SYRACUSE 75, NO. 14 NORTH CAROLINA 67
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) &mdash; Dyaisha Fair scored 18 of her 23 points in the second half, Georgia Woolley added 20 points and Syracuse used a big third quarter to beat North Carolina.
Dariauna Lewis had 14 points and 15 rebounds for Syracuse (16-9, 7-7 ACC), which outrebounded North Carolina 43-29 to make up for 21 turnovers.
North Carolina was without two starters for the second straight game in Alyssa Ustby (13.6 points and 8.9 rebounds) and Eva Hodgson (10.2 points) due to injury. Deja Kelly led North Carolina (17-7, 8-5) with a career-high 32 points. Kennedy Todd-Williams added 14 points.
MIAMI 86, NO. 19 FLORIDA STATE 82
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Haley Cavinder made eight straight free throws in the final 30 seconds and finished with a career-high 33 points to help Miami beat a ranked team for the third time this season.
Miami used a five-point possession to tie it at 72 with 4:25 left. The Hurricanes took a 75-73 lead on a 3-pointer by Cavinder with 2:10 remaining. Florida State forward Makayla Timpson made layups with 25.2 seconds and 18.5 seconds left, but Cavinder made free throws after each to seal it.
Jasmyne Roberts added 19 points for Miami (16-8, 9-4 ACC) and Ja&rsquo;Leah Williams had 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Timpson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds for Florida State (20-6, 9-4). Sara Bejedi scored 13 points and Ta&rsquo;Niya Latson and Jazmine Massengill each had 12.
NO. 22 N.C. STATE 51, WAKE FOREST 42
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) &mdash;Saniya Rivers scored eight points in the third quarter and 10 of her team-high 12 points in the second half to help North Carolina State pull away from Wake Forest.
The road win was the Wolfpack&rsquo;s ninth straight over Wake Forest and comes after back-to-back losses at Georgia Tech and at home to No. 11 Virginia Tech.
NC State (17-7, 7-6 ACC) made just 19 of 56 shots from the floor (33.9%) and missed all 10 of its 3-point attempts.
Wake Forest (14-11, 5-9) was 16 of 62 from the field (25.8%), including 3 of 20 from beyond the arc. Jewel Spear was 5 of 24 from the field, including 1 of 10 from distance, and finished with 11 points. Elise Williams grabbed 11 rebounds.

A recap of Thursday's action in women's college hoops includes a star-studded top-5 matchup and South Carolina's 30th straight win.

No. 2 Indiana uses late scoring burst to beat No. 5 Iowa

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Maddy Westbeld scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and No. 5 Notre Dame rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off Miami 66-63 on Thursday night.
Sonia Citron scored 13 and Olivia Miles finished with 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Notre Dame. Lauren Ebo had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Irish (11-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won five straight.
Destiny Harden had 12 points, nine rebounds for five steals for Miami (7-6, 0-2), which has dropped three straight. Haley Cavinder also scored 12 and Lashae Dwyer added 10 for the Hurricanes, who trailed by 13 early but took a three-point lead in the opening moments of the fourth quarter.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 76, TEXAS A&amp;M 34
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke had 14 points and South Carolina opened Southeastern Conference play with a victory over Texas A&amp;M.
Freshman reserve Talaysia Cooper had 15 points for the Gamecocks (13-0), and sophomore backup Sania Feagin scored 11 points. All-American Aliyah Boston finished with six points and five rebounds, playing just 19 minutes in the runaway win.
Sydney Bowles and Jada Malone each scored eight points for Texas A&amp;M (5-6). The injury-riddled Aggies had only eight players available.
MICHIGAN STATE 83, NO. 4 INDIANA 78
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) &mdash; Kamaria McDaniel had 24 points and Michigan State defeated previously unbeaten Indiana.
Matilda Ekh and Taiyier Parks each had 18 for the Spartans (9-5, 1-2), and DeeDee Hagemann had 15 points and eight assists.
Mackenzie Holmes had 32 points and 12 rebounds for the Hoosiers (12-1, 2-1 Big Ten), while Yarden Garzon added 17.
DUKE 72, NO. 6 NC STATE 58
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Celeste Taylor scored 23 points, including a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, and Duke beat NC State.
Elizabeth Balogun had 16 points as the Blue Devils (12-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) picked up the most significant victory in coach Kara Lawson&rsquo;s three seasons. Shayeann Day-Wilson and Kennedy Brown each scored 10 points.
Saniya Rivers had 17 points for NC State (11-2, 1-1), which had won seven straight games this season. Jakia Brown-Turner scored 12 points and Aziaha James had 10.
CLEMSON 64, NO. 7 VIRGINIA TECH 59
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Amari Robinson had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Clemson earned its first victory against a top-10 opponent since 2000.
Ruby Whitehorn scored 13 points for the Tigers (10-4, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), including three free throws in the final 20 seconds. Daisha Bradford had 12, and Hannah Hank finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Cayla King had 15 points and five 3-pointers in Virginia Tech&rsquo;s second loss in three games. Georgia Amoore scored 14 points for the Hokie (11-2, 1-2), and reigning ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley had 14 points and six rebounds.
NO. 9 LSU 69, NO. 24 ARKANSAS 45
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) &mdash; Angel Reese and Alexis Morris each scored 19 points to lead LSU past Arkansas in both teams&rsquo; SEC opener.
Reese, who finished with a double-double by grabbing 16 rebounds, was one of three Tigers (13-0) who had double-digit boards. Flau&rsquo;jae Johnson had 11, to go along with 10 points, and LaDazhia Williams had 15 rebounds.
Samara Spencer led the Razorbacks (13-3) as she scored a team-high 17 points on 7 of 15 shooting. The rest of the team went a combined 10 of 46 from the floor.
NO. 12 IOWA 83, PURDUE 68
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Caitlin Clark scored 24 points, McKenna Warnock added 19 and Iowa defeated Purdue.
Monika Czinano added 12 points to surpass 2,000 for her career, reaching that milestone for the Hawkeyes (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) one game after Clark did. Hannah Stuelke had 11 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.
Lasha Petree paced the Boilermakers (10-3, 1-2) with 22 points. Cassidy Hardin and Caitlyn Harper scored 10 apiece.
FLORIDA STATE 78, NO. 13 NORTH CAROLINA 71
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Makayla Timpson scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Ta&rsquo;Niya Latson had 12 of her 21 points in the third quarter and Florida State beat North Carolina.
Florida State (13-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) avenged last season&rsquo;s 64-49 loss to North Carolina that ended a six-game winning streak in the series.
Deja Kelly scored 20 points to lead North Carolina (9-3, 0-1) in its conference opener. Alyssa Ustby added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Kennedy Todd-Williams also had 16 points to go with eight rebounds. Eva Hodgson had 12 points and seven assists.
NO. 18 ARIZONA 84, ARIZONA STATE 66
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Esmery Martinez finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds to power Arizona&rsquo;s win in its Pac-12 Conference opener.
Martinez sank 9 of 14 shots from the floor to help the Wildcats (11-1) shoot 55.4% overall. It was her fourth double-double of the season. Shaina Pellington added 14 points, Cate Reese finished with 13 points and Jade Loville scored 12.
Tyi Skinner made 10 of 21 shots with five 3-pointers, scoring 26 for the Sun Devils (7-5). Treasure Hunt pitched in with 13 points and six rebounds. Meg Newman had 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds off the bench.
NO. 19 GONZAGA 77, PEPPERDINE 63
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Kaylynne Truong hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, both career highs, to lead Gonzaga to its sixth-straight win.
Yvonne Ejim added 17 points and Eliza Hollingsworth had 16 and both grabbed nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (13-2, 3-0 West Coast Conference). Brynna Maxwell scored 10.
Ally Stedman led Pepperdine (6-7, 1-2) with 16 points. Theresa Grace Mbanefo added 15 points and nine rebounds and Jane Nwaba had 14 points.

A recap of women's top-25 hoops action highlights a comeback effort by the fifth-ranked Irish.

No. 5 Notre Dame rallies in fourth to beat Miami 66-63

HBO has renewed drama series "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" for a second season.
Based on the book &ldquo;Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s&rdquo; by Jeff Pearlman, the series chronicles the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers. The 10-episode first season will conclude on Sunday, May 8.
This past Sunday&rsquo;s fifth episode delivered a series viewership high of 1.2 million viewers across platforms on premiere night, a 37% increase from the first episode.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a thrill to bring 'Winning Time' to life with Adam McKay, Max Borenstein, our phenomenal producing team, and this incredible cast," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming. "This series not only tells the riveting story of the Lakers&rsquo; rise, but is also a look back at a transformative era in basketball, celebrity, and the city of Los Angeles. We can&rsquo;t wait to see how this team will tell the next chapter of this dynasty.&rdquo;
The show has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kareem-abduljabbar-bashes-hbos-winning-time-not-worth-watching" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received some criticism from former Lakers</a> such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mitch Kupchak and Gary Vitti, mainly over the inaccurate portrayal of Jerry West.
"I don't think it's worth watching," Abdul-Jabbar told BasketballNews.com last weekend. "That's all I have to say. It really depicts people that I know in a very negative light that is not accurate. I wouldn't bother watching it if you're a fan of the Lakers."
"Winning Time" has also drawn the ire of the NBA since HBO never got permission to use the league's trademarks (such as team logos).
&ldquo;Clearances to use NBA trademarks were not sought or granted and the league objects to any unauthorized use of its intellectual property,&rdquo; NBA spokesman Mike Bass told&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/3171879/2022/03/09/nba-objects-to-winning-time-trademark-use-but-legal-options-would-be-messy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>.
The Lakers also put out a statement distancing themselves from the show: &ldquo;The Lakers have no comment as we are not supporting nor involved with this project.&rdquo;

HBO has renewed drama series "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" for a second season.

HBO renews 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty' for Season 2

The Tampa Bay Pro Combine, presented by Florida&rsquo;s Sports Coast, is back for a second-straight year! From April 26-29, the TBPC will return to Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida. This pre-draft event will feature 24 draft-eligible college basketball prospects looking to showcase their skills as they transition to the pros.
The four-day event will start with two days of simulated NBA pre-draft workouts (April 26-27), in which NBA personnel will be welcome, followed by a slam-dunk contest and a three-point shootout on Friday, April 28th, and finishing with a double-header of two formal games on Saturday, April 29th.
Despite launching last year, the Tampa Bay Pro Combine has already produced 4 NBA players: Jordan Goodwin (Washington Wizards), Micah Potter (Detroit Pistons, Terry Taylor (Indiana Pacers), and Brandon Williams (Portland Trail Blazers). Of the 49 players who attended last year, 17 received NBA Summer League invites, 21 signed in the NBA G League and 17 played professionally overseas. Last year, former NBA players James Posey and Xavier Silas were among the event&rsquo;s coaches.
After leading the player-selection committee last year, Matt Babcock, Sr. NBA Draft Analyst for BasketballNews.com, was recently named the event&rsquo;s executive director. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla returns to lead the player-selection committee, which also includes former NBA scouts Jason Filippi, Doc Martin and Matt McKay Jr. Additionally, Derek Murray has joined the TBPC as the event coordinator. BasketballNews.com is a media partner of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine.
The schedule for this year&rsquo;s Tampa Bay Pro Combine is as follows:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">April 26-27: Simulated NBA pre-draft workouts</li>
<li aria-level="1">April 28: Slam-dunk contest and three-point shootout</li>
<li aria-level="1">April 29: Double-header of formal games</li>
</ul>
The TBPC was created by co-founders Darryl Hepburn and Rashaad Ubah to create an additional opportunity for NBA hopefuls to showcase their skills during the pre-draft process as they look to launch their professional basketball careers. For more information,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tampabayprocombine.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out the TBPC&rsquo;s website</a>.
For business inquiries, contact:
Derek Murray, Event Coordinator
(423) 303-6192
derek@basketballnews.com&nbsp;
About the Event
The Tampa Bay Pro Combine (&ldquo;TBPC&rdquo;) is a basketball invitational event that showcases the skills of top prospective professional basketball players while helping them acquire the tools they need to begin their professional careers. Prospects pace through several days of basketball drills, physical measurements and competitive games in a series of exclusive events. The TBPC serves as a gateway for prospects to secure professional opportunities in American and international leagues including the National Basketball Association (NBA) and NBA G League among others.
The TBPC is held in picturesque Wesley Chapel, a suburb of Tampa Bay, Florida &mdash; the fastest-growing region in Florida. With a host of unique dining experiences, leisure and recreational choices and venues like no other, there is much to discover in the Tampa Bay Area. TBPC attendees can enjoy award-winning beaches, amusement parks, unparalleled cultural offerings and other entertainment, like The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel &amp; Casino, during their stay. The TBPC provides a world-class basketball invitational experience!

The TBPC will feature 24 draft-eligible prospects showcasing their skills in front of basketball decision-makers from April 26-29.

Tampa Bay Pro Combine returns for second year with 24 draft prospects

In this series, Matt Babcock shares his experience growing up around the Milwaukee Bucks organization since his dad, Dave Babcock, has been an executive with the team for 23 years. He also provides an inside look at the rise and fall of the Bucks during the late 1990s and early 2000s. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/growing-up-a-buck-millewahque-milwaukee-bucks-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For Part 1, click here</a>. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/growing-up-a-buck-george-karl-arrives-in-milwaukee" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> For Part 2, click here</a>.
The 1998-99 NBA trade deadline was approaching, and the Milwaukee Bucks were in playoff contention after not having secured a playoff bid since 1991. At the time, the Bucks were built around two young, blossoming stars: 23-year-old Ray Allen and 26-year-old Glenn Robinson. However, the team&rsquo;s front-office brass questioned if the supporting cast was enough to elevate their team to being championship-worthy.
Subsequently, Bucks general manager Bob Weinhauer made two bold moves prior to that year&rsquo;s trade deadline. The first move: a three-way trade where the Bucks exchanged oft-injured point guard Terrell Brandon for Sam Cassell, the charismatic lead guard from the New Jersey Nets. The second move had Milwaukee trading power forward Tyrone Hill to the Philadelphia 76ers for a young developing forward, Tim Thomas, and veteran big man, Scott Williams -- two transactions that ultimately proved to be extremely fruitful for the Bucks.
With their core unit set, the Bucks went on to finish that lockout-shortened season with a record of 28-22, giving them the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference. After nearly a decade, the Bucks were headed back to the playoffs. In the first round, they faced a team that tied for the best record in the East, the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers were loaded with talent and experience, a tall task for a developing Milwaukee team, to say the least.
Due to my dad&rsquo;s position within the Bucks&rsquo; front office, I was given countless opportunities to be with and around that Bucks team during the late 1990s. I felt like I was part of that team, and one way or another, I was going to be in that arena for Game 1. I had traveled with the team earlier in the season, but I didn&rsquo;t go on the team plane for that trip. Don&rsquo;t feel too bad for me though... I was fortunate enough to be invited to fly with Senator Herb Kohl, the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, on his private jet.
Before I knew it, my dad and I were pulling into a private hangar and boarding Senator Kohl&rsquo;s jet. Onboard that flight was my dad, Larry Harris (who worked with my dad in the front office), Senator Kohl and myself. There I was, a freshman in high school, sitting with a US Senator and NBA team owner on his private jet, heading to my first-ever playoff game.
After a quick flight, we landed in Indy, and awaiting us was a car to take us to the arena. I learned quickly that the playoffs were completely different than the regular season. I vividly remember walking into the old Market Square Arena that night. I felt like my heart was going to pump out of my chest. Everyone from arena security to players to fans all had an extra pep in their step. Energy and excitement filled the arena. The intensity of the atmosphere was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and this was before the game even began. It was unforgettable!
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Once in the arena, I beelined to the court to find Coby Karl (the son of George Karl, Milwaukee's head coach at the time) so we could do our normal routine of shooting around with the players and hanging around the court before the formal warm-ups began. I remember being in awe watching some of the Pacers&rsquo; players.
To be able to see Chris Mullin do a shooting workout up-close was special. He is probably the most detail-oriented shooter I have ever seen. He would warm up doing a spot-shooting routine, where he would have five spots around the perimeter, which is typical. However, he would have to make a certain amount of shots in a row to move to the next spot and would not count the shot as a &ldquo;make&rdquo; if the ball even grazed the rim. That specific Chris Mullin workout has always stuck with me. That was one of my early lessons that elite shooters take a scientific approach to shooting and make a conscious effort to master their craft &mdash; going through the motions or just &ldquo;getting shots up&rdquo; is not enough to be elite.
The game was set to begin, but Coby and I didn&rsquo;t have assigned seats, so we sat on the court next to the Bucks' bench, as we usually did for away games. Aside from seeing Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls team the year before, I had never been impressed by a team quite as much as I was by that Pacers team.
First of all, their head coach was my childhood hero, the legendary former player, Larry Bird, who had been the recipient of the NBA Coach of the Year award the previous season in '98. His top assistant coach was Rick Carlisle, who had been Larry&rsquo;s teammate when they both played for the Boston Celtics in the mid-1980s. It had been said that Carlisle was the actual technical mastermind behind that Pacers team, and that Larry&rsquo;s role as head coach was somewhat as a figurehead. Regardless of their coaching structure having been set up as a hierarchy or not, whatever they did, it worked. Carlisle went on to be one of the top head coaches in the industry. He has been a head coach for nearly 20 years now, and is back with Indiana for his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/indiana-pacers-hire-rick-carlisle-as-next-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second stint as the team's head coach</a>.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_12037372_lg.jpg" alt="" width="487" height="466" />
That Pacers roster had so much depth, and it was filled with many accomplished veteran players. Their lead guard was Mark Jackson. He ran the show and controlled the tempo. He was a modest 6-foot-1 with a stocky build, and not very quick or athletic, but he was a magician with his playmaking. He was incredibly creative with his passing, and had an uncanny ability to see the floor to find shooters on the perimeter or big men around the basket &mdash; he had &ldquo;eyes in the back of his head.&rdquo;
In the middle, they had the &ldquo;Dunking Dutchman,&rdquo; Rik Smits, a huge, 7-foot-4, skilled center who could really score. Alongside Smits were two &ldquo;blue-collar&rdquo; big men who split playing time: Dale Davis and Antonio Davis. It was during an era of basketball when the common theme was &ldquo;no layups.&rdquo; The Davis duo, no relation, was the epitome of power forwards during that time as they were &ldquo;bruisers.&rdquo; Both of them were extremely physical and tough and they did all of the &ldquo;dirty work&rdquo; (perhaps somewhat of a lost art, in my opinion).
On the wing, the Pacers started Mullin, an aging star. He was not quite the player he had been when he was a perennial All-Star earlier in his career, but the guy just knew how to play. And although he wasn&rsquo;t moving all that well anymore, he could still shoot the lights out.
That Pacers team was so good that they had an emerging star, Jalen Rose, coming off the bench. Jalen&rsquo;s role was to come into the game and aggressively look to score. He had the full green light and would score in bunches. He was a 1-on-1 nightmare for whoever had to match up against him. A 6-foot-8 lefty, he had handles like a point guard, a sweet mid-range game, was extremely crafty and had an overall knack to score the ball.
The Indiana bench also consisted of shooting big man Sam &ldquo;Big Smooth&rdquo; Perkins, the defensively-versatile forward Derrick McKey and speedy scoring point guard Travis Best. (Ironically, I ended up coaching Travis Best years later in Italy when I was a young assistant coach for the team Virtus Bologna, and Travis was finishing up his playing career.)
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As if that Pacers roster wasn&rsquo;t enough to keep any opposing coach up late at night, those were just the complementary players to their main weapon: Reggie Miller.
Quite possibly the cockiest player the NBA has ever seen, Miller developed a reputation for being the ultimate villain when playing on the road. I remember watching him during pregame warmups wearing a Superman T-shirt. We&rsquo;ve all seen the highlights of the show he put on at the Madison Square Garden in 1995, where he hit all of those threes at the end of the game to come from behind and beat the New York Knicks &mdash; doing so as he relentlessly trash-talked Spike Lee, who had been sitting courtside. Miller even wrapped his hands around his neck to give Spike &ldquo;the choke sign.&rdquo; Reggie fed off negativity. He talked trash constantly. He was arrogant and abrasive. The more hostile the environment, the more he turned up his play. Heckling from fans only added fuel to the fire. I joined a large contingent of non-Pacers fans throughout the NBA that despised him. But now, after all of these years, I have to admit: Reggie Miller was incredible.
At 6-foot-7, a thin physical build, and an extremely unorthodox shooting release, Miller is arguably the best shooter of all-time. Of course, we have Steph Curry now and Ray Allen before him, but Reggie is the one that set the stage for them, in my opinion.
While I was a player in high school, I was fortunate enough to be able to have some of the Bucks coaches work with me on my game. I remember in one instance, Terry Stotts (an assistant for Milwaukee at the time) put me through a shooting workout, and I suppose that I impressed him with my shooting ability. I remember Coach Stotts telling me, &ldquo;Okay, you&rsquo;ve proven that you are a high-level shooter, but now we need to make sure you are able to get your shot off.&rdquo; The lesson he was trying to teach me is exactly where Reggie thrived. The NBA has had many capable shooters that could make open shots at a high percentage, but there has not been anyone that could shoot at an elite level while also being able to create an open shot for himself without the ball quite like Reggie.
During Game 1 of the playoffs versus the Bucks, I was able to watch Miller operate while sitting only&nbsp; steps away. I watched his method closely.
As Jackson would initiate the offense off the dribble, Reggie would take his defender deep into the paint -- under or around the basket -- and he would initiate contact with his defenders, many times by grabbing their jersey. He would take a couple of moments to set up his defender; then, at the right moment, he would take off, a lot of times beginning with a shove to his defender&rsquo;s chest. He would sprint toward one of the hammering screens that were to be set by Smits or one of the Davis&rsquo;; if the screener&rsquo;s defender didn&rsquo;t show, Reggie would turn the corner off those screens like a runner in baseball rounding third base going to home plate. Jackson would deliver a pass right into Miller&rsquo;s numbers as he would do a quick one-two step into his jump shot -- a high release and a high-arcing trajectory. When Miller would release a deep three, the Pacers' arena would have sound effects of a bomb being dropped while the ball was in the air, and when the ball would go through the net, it would have the sound of an explosion. The images and sounds of Reggie Miller coming off screens to bury deep threes are tattooed in my head to this day.
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Unfortunately, those sights and sounds were seen and heard routinely in that series, as the Pacers would go on to sweep the Bucks. Although the outcome was not what we had hoped for, it was nonetheless a great introduction to playoff basketball for me. The emotions I experienced during that playoff series were intoxicating. I was completely hooked and I wanted more.&nbsp;
Well, I got it.
The following season, 1999-00, the Bucks would go on to finish No. 5 in the Eastern Conference. They faced the Pacers, again. An improved Bucks team forced a deciding Game 5 versus the Pacers in an exciting and competitive series. I was there for the action, of course. Unfortunately, Miller and his Pacers were still too much for the Bucks. After defeating Milwaukee that year, the Pacers went on to the NBA Finals to face Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers. They came up just short of an NBA title, as the Lakers defeated them in six games.
As for the Bucks, in retrospect, the two consecutive years of being defeated by the Pacers in the playoffs were just what they needed to prepare for what was to come&hellip;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/growing-up-a-buck-the-2001-playoff-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read Part 4 of this series: "Growing Up a Buck: The 2001 Playoff Run." </a>
Also, check out Matt Babcock and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's latest 2021 NBA Mock Draft</a>.

Matt Babcock provides an inside look at the rise and fall of the Milwaukee Bucks during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Growing up a Buck: 'It’s Reggie Miller Time'

Over the years, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament has given thousands of NBA hopefuls an opportunity to showcase their game in front of executives from all 30 teams. The event has featured NBA legends such as John Stockton, Scottie Pippen, Tim Hardaway, Dennis Rodman, Rick Barry and Earl "The Pearl&rdquo; Monroe. In recent years, notable players such as Jimmy Butler, Jeremy Lin, DeMarre Carroll, J.J. Barea, Richaun Holmes and Derrick White have participated.
Well, for the second year in a row, the Portsmouth Invitational has been canceled.
Enter the Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC).
The TBPC is a new pre-draft event that will be held on June 3-5 at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Like the Portsmouth Invitational, this combine will showcase top draft prospects from around the nation who are looking to prove themselves in front of pro-basketball decision-makers. The TBPC is expected to include more than 60 draft-eligible players. This three-day event will feature drills, games (5-on-5, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3), athletic testing and measurements.&nbsp;
Darryl Hepburn, who played professionally overseas, co-founded the TBPC with Rashaad Ubah. Hepburn says he created this event because he&rsquo;s from the Tampa area and wishes something like this had existed when he was a prospect.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I was once a standout player that was overlooked in Hillsborough County high-school athletics in which I lacked resources and exposure to be seen by top Division 1 colleges,&rdquo; Hepburn told BasketballNews.com. &ldquo;One of many goals in establishing the Tampa Bay Pro Combine is to create an avenue to build exposure for high-school basketball programs in Tampa and the surrounding areas. As the event grows each year, so will the opportunities to give back to countless athletes around the nation."
The prospects will be chosen by a player-selection committee that consists of:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Matt Babcock, BasketballNews.com NBA Draft analyst and former NBA agent</li>
<li>Fran Fraschilla, ESPN analyst and former NCAA head coach</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Doc Martin, former NBA scout and NBA coach who played at Alabama</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jason Filippi, Director of International Scouting at Pro Insight, former NBA scout</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Matt McKay Jr., the CEO and founder of Pro Insight, former NBA scout</li>
</ul>
Babcock and Fraschilla are co-chairs of the committee, while also serving as senior advisors.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been around basketball for 40 years and seen many, many basketball dreams come to fruition in the NBA,&rdquo; Fraschilla told BasketballNews.com. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve coached 18 of those guys and covered another couple of hundred more during my broadcasting career. The Tampa Bay Pro Combine is about creating opportunities for young players to showcase their talent and pursue their professional opportunities.&rdquo;
&ldquo;For me, personally, the combination of currently working as an NBA Draft analyst and previously representing players as an agent has given me an appreciation for new opportunities for teams, scouts and media members to gather information and also for players to gain more exposure to show off their talent as they look to start their professional careers,&rdquo; Babcock added. &ldquo;I see the Tampa Bay Pro Combine as a platform for both of those things. Tampa is a beautiful city and there are a lot of good people behind this event.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The event will be hosted at the <a href="http://www.wiregrass-sports.com">Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus</a>, which is a 98,000 square-foot venue with eight courts. The facility is located 30 minutes from downtown Tampa, where the Toronto Raptors are currently playing their home games.
According to the organizers, the TBPC will be streaming this event in order to provide maximum exposure for the prospects. They are also weighing domestic broadcast options. BasketballNews.com will be covering the event as a media partner.
Here is the schedule for the three-day event:
DAY 1:
BAM (Basic Athletic Measurement) Testing
Yo Murphy Performance Testing&nbsp;
Skills Work and Drills
2-on-2
3-on-3
Three-Point Competition
Dunk Contest
DAY 2:
Competition
Round-Robin Tournament
DAY 3:
Completion of Round-Robin Tournament
Closing Ceremony&nbsp;
Awards
&ldquo;This is going to be a great addition to the pre-draft process,&rdquo; Babcock says, &ldquo;and I&rsquo;m very excited to be involved.&rdquo;
DISCLAIMER: BasketballNews.com is a media partner of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. For more information, <a href="https://www.tbpc2021.com/">check out the TBPC&rsquo;s website</a>.

The TBPC is a new NBA pre-draft event that will be held on June 3-5 at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

Introducing a new NBA pre-draft event: The Tampa Bay Pro Combine

In early November, I attended the Pangos All-American Festival hosted by Dinos Trigonis in Chandler, Arizona at AZ Compass Prep. Although I am an NBA Draft Analyst, I like to get ahead by watching younger prospects, something I intend to do more and more moving forward. At this specific event I focused on potential one-and-done prospects for next season -- like Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith, all of whom were terrific. &nbsp;
During the two-day event, I had a chance to catch up with some old friends like high school scout Anthony Ray, veteran college coach David Grace, and fellow media member, Krysten Peek, just to name a few. Events like that are also a great opportunity to network and meet new people, too. For example, while sitting in the stands, the director of AZ Compass Prep, Pete Kaffey, came up to me to introduce himself. He mentioned that he had gone to high school with two of my cousins in Minnesota. He continued to tell me to keep an eye on his point guard, TyTy Washington, who was committed to Creighton and was playing in the event. It is pretty typical for coaches to promote their players to guys like myself, so I didn&rsquo;t think much of it, but I watched TyTy and thought he was pretty good. However, Holmgren, Banchero, and Smith, stole the show on that trip, undoubtedly.
Recently, I have covered a couple of high school events, one being the Flyin&rsquo; to the Hoop Top Gun Showcase in Dayton, Ohio. The main reason I went to that particular event was to see Emoni Bates of Ypsi Prep, who is the top player in the class of 2022. On the second day, Ypsi Prep was set to face AZ Compass Prep, so I called Kaffey to let him know that I&rsquo;d be there. He filled me in that their team had just won The Grind Session and that TyTy had been named MVP. He continued to insist that he thought TyTy, &ldquo;has a shot&rdquo; in regards to playing in the NBA. I was certainly impressed with TyTy&rsquo;s recent achievements, but was still skeptical if he was a player that I needed to take seriously, as he is only classified as a 4-star prospect. I wanted to see him again for myself and come to my own conclusion -- so that&rsquo;s what I did.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/tyty_2_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
TyTy Washington (photo by Sydne Griffith)
As soon as warmups began for the game versus Ypsi Prep, I could see and feel the focus and intensity of the AZ Compass Prep team. Sitting with my colleague, Derek Murray, I leaned over and told him to pay attention to the sharpness of their team. I said, &ldquo;I can already tell -- this is a well coached team.&rdquo; As soon as the ball tipped, it was apparent that they played hard, smart and, most importantly, together. AZ Compass Prep head coach Ed Gipson displayed the perfect balance of energy and positivity, while still holding his players accountable. Although Ypsi Prep had the top player in the country, I was certain that Ypsi Prep did not have a chance.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/pete_ed_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Pete Kaffey and Ed Gipson (photo by Sydne Griffith)
I was extremely impressed with AZ Compass Prep&rsquo;s team as a whole, but what really stood out to me was TyTy Washington&rsquo;s talent. At 6-foot-3 or so, TyTy, although a good athlete, didn't blow me away with elite athleticism or any typical traits you generally see with top-tier prospects. However, his outside shooting, court vision, toughness and, most importantly,&nbsp; his floor presence did -- he&rsquo;s clearly a winner. TyTy was the floor general and set the tone for their team as they moved the ball, took great shots and supported one another. And as a result, they put a thumping on Ypsi Prep. Emoni Bates only scored two points, as AZ Compass Prep won in a blow out.&nbsp;
Walking out of the gym, Derek and I looked at each other, both nodding in approval of what we had just witnessed. He asked me, &ldquo;Who does TyTy remind you of?&rdquo; I said, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s just a young kid and he needs to keep getting better, but he reminds me of Chauncey Billups.&rdquo;
Since the Flyin' To The Hoop Top Gun Showcase in Dayton, TyTy has decommitted from Creighton and has opened up his recruitment. Although he is only ranked No. 34 on ESPN, No. 32 on Rivals, and No. 31 on 24/7 Sports, the interest in him is significant. A boatload of big schools have expressed interest in signing him, including several of the blue bloods. This is all for good reason, in my opinion, as I consider TyTy as good as any other point guard in the class of 2021.
When I got home from Dayton, I called Kaffey. I said, &ldquo;Man, I&rsquo;ll give it to you. You were right. TyTy is the real deal.&rdquo; I continued to tell him how impressed I was with their head coach, Gipson, and their team as a whole. I asked him if it was okay if I came to Phoenix to spend some time with them as I wanted to learn more about TyTy and their program. He agreed.
This past week, I spent a couple of days attending their practices. After getting an opportunity to get to know their players and coaches personally -- and also gaining a better overall feel for their program -- I don&rsquo;t think their recent success is a fluke.
There is no question that much of AZ Compass Prep&rsquo;s success this year can be attributed to TyTy. However, next season, 5-star prospect, Sadraque &ldquo;Sada&rdquo; Nganga will be returning after recovering from a knee injury. I recently asked Matt McKay Jr. -- my friend, former NBA scout and the owner and founder of Pro Insight, a basketball website that specializes in evaluating high school prospects -- about Nganga. Here&rsquo;s what he said:
&ldquo;Nganga&rsquo;s versatility immediately stands out -- his ability to handle and move at 6-9, 6-10 is impressive," McKay said. "Where his skill set is trending projects to really fit within the modern pro game. He&rsquo;s someone I&rsquo;m really looking forward to getting an updated look at once he returns to the court.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/sada_1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Sadraque "Sada" Nganga (photo by Sydne Griffith)
Needless to say, I&rsquo;ll be back to AZ Compass Prep next year to see Nganga.
Before we turn the page to next season, AZ Compass Prep has to finish this one. They are currently preparing for Geico Nationals in Fort Myers, Florida, which will be held on March 31 through April 3. This will mark their largest stage yet as &ldquo;Geico&rdquo; is essentially the Super Bowl of high school basketball. And you know what? There&rsquo;s no way I&rsquo;m going to miss it.
My flights are booked. See you in Fort Myers!

Matt Babcock evaluates AZ Compass Prep's TyTy Washington, one of the top point guards in the class of 2021.

TyTy Washington and AZ Compass Prep aren't done yet

My name is Matt Babcock and I was recently hired to be the lead NBA Draft analyst for BasketballNews.com. In this role, I will be responsible for managing the day-to-day efforts of covering the NBA Draft, in addition to evaluating prospects at various levels.&nbsp;
Prior to joining BasketballNews.com, it&rsquo;s possible that you may have seen me or my work at Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports HQ or Babcock Hoops. It&rsquo;s also possible that you might have seen or heard me as a guest on your favorite podcast or publication, as I have been heavily involved in the sports media world over the last few years. Here&rsquo;s the funny thing: it was never my intention to become a media member, so I&rsquo;d like to tell you about my unorthodox path that has led me to this point of my career.
From a broader scope, my story really began before I was even born because, essentially, I am just an extension of my family. The fact of the matter is that I would be remiss if I failed to mention my family&rsquo;s basketball story before I shared my own.
In 1962, my grandfather retired from the Air Force and moved his family to Phoenix, Arizona. It was there that my uncles (Pete and Rob) and my dad, Dave, all became standout players at Maryvale High School, played at colleges in the Phoenix area and ultimately became coaches at nearby high schools and universities -- none of which is all that atypical. However, much credit can be attributed to my oldest uncle, Pete, as he was the one that took my family&rsquo;s involvement in basketball to an entirely different level.
In the mid-to-late 1970s, my uncle Pete was a high school basketball coach in Phoenix. Although he enjoyed coaching at the high school level, he had lofty dreams of one day working in the NBA, as he detailed in an article that he wrote for Babcock Hoops:
&ldquo;I loved coaching high school basketball, but I knew that I wanted to work in the NBA somehow. I had no idea how to get there and I had no contacts in the league to ask for help. I decided to study the NBA on my own by recording as many games as I could. I broke down the tapes by charting offensive sets and out of bounds plays. I wrote evaluation reports on players and built files on each team. At the end of the season, I decided that the teams would know best if my reports and files were worthwhile. I sent a report to each team with a cover letter that simply stated I was a high school coach in Phoenix, Arizona, and if they thought there was any merit to my reports, I would like to volunteer to scout for them. Some never responded to my letter, some wrote back and said &lsquo;Thanks, but no thanks&hellip;&rsquo; and then I received my break. The New Orleans Jazz responded that they would allow me to work for them without compensation. Former NBA player and Hall-of-Famer Elgin Baylor was the head coach, and veteran NBA executive Bill Bertka was the general manager. I was elated and eager to prove myself.&rdquo;
My uncle Pete turned that opportunity with the Jazz into a 42-year NBA career. He went on to work for the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, San Diego Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. He was a general manager for more than 20 years, was the director of the NBA Draft Combine, served on a number of high-profile committees and won a championship ring. I could keep listing off his accomplishments, but I think you get the point -- his dreams became a reality.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/pete45-1_lg.jpg" alt="Pete Babcock and Jerry Krause" width="594" height="AUTO" />Pete Babcock with Jerry Krause
My uncle Pete&rsquo;s success opened the door for my uncle Rob and my dad to follow in his footsteps, with me and my cousins after them.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/gettyimages-50951320-1_lg.jpg" alt="Rob Babcock" width="594" height="AUTO" />Rob Babcock
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/456700_10101538049563242_655866478_o-1_lg.jpg" alt="Nate Babcock (left), Matt Babcock (center) and Chris Babcock (right)" width="594" height="AUTO" />Nate Babcock (left), Matt Babcock (middle) and Chris Babcock (right)
Unfortunately, my uncle Rob passed away almost two years ago after a courageous battle with cancer. However, that was not before he had a 28-year career in the NBA that saw him serve in various front-office positions with the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors, where he was the general manager. His two sons (my cousins, Chris and Nate) currently serve in coaching positions with the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks, respectively.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/dave_babcock-1-1_lg.jpg" alt="Dave Babcock with Zaza Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova" width="594" height="AUTO" />Dave Babcock with Zaza Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova
After 15 years of being a college coach, the youngest Babcock brother, my dad, Dave Babcock, is about to wrap up his 24th year working in the NBA, and 23rd year working with the Milwaukee Bucks. He is currently the Director of Player Personnel for the Bucks, and yes, he played an integral role in the team drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Well, that&rsquo;s my family&rsquo;s story, but what about me? My personal story within basketball is not nearly as linear as my dad&rsquo;s, uncle&rsquo;s or cousins&rsquo; journeys. Let me explain.
I became obsessed with the game of basketball from the time I could remember, and made a lifelong commitment to the game internally at a young age. My entire life has subsequently been consumed with chasing short and long-term goals that I have set for myself, all within basketball. My self-identity has always revolved around whatever my current role was at the time. I went from being a coach&rsquo;s son and an NBA kid to a player, and then, a coach. However, in 2007, my career trajectory of following in my family&rsquo;s footsteps went awry, and my new identity would be something no one -- including myself -- ever expected. I became a sports agent. &nbsp;
I was only 23 years old, but I was working as an assistant coach for Virtus Bologna, a top professional basketball team in Bologna, Italy. After only a short while overseas, I became homesick. I decided to leave the team prematurely to accept a position with Excel Sports Management, a sports agency in Los Angeles, California (now in New York). The job was an entry-level position that would set me on a completely new path, a path to become a sports agent.
The next thing I knew, I woke up one day and 10 years had passed. Memories flashed in front of my eyes of my career in the agency business. I thought of being a young junior agent sharing a condo with Marreese&nbsp;Speights in Las Vegas, managing Ron Artest (a.k.a. Metta World Peace) and Andrew Bogut&rsquo;s marketing, getting certified by the NBPA and FIBA, signing my first NBA player in Jodie Meeks, starting a basketball division of a prominent hockey agency, negotiating Jordan Mickey&rsquo;s second-round contract with the Boston Celtics (the most lucrative contract for a second-round pick in NBA history, at the time) and starting my own agency, Babcock Sports. I also thought of many of the other friends and memories that I made along the way.&nbsp;
Although I had many great times, I also thought about many of the hard ones as well. A business notorious for being cut-throat and crooked, the stress of being an agent wore me down. After 10 years, I looked in the mirror and questioned my place in the world.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m not one to usually have regrets, as I generally look at every experience as an opportunity to learn and grow; however, at that moment, I regret ever leaving Italy and dramatically changing the course of my career. I asked myself, &ldquo;Is it too late for me to get back on track?&rdquo;&nbsp;
At some point or another in my life, I have been exposed to just about every angle of basketball. However, in large part due to the vantage point I was given to see my dad&rsquo;s job on a day-to-day basis, I have always had a particular affinity for the NBA Draft. It was clear to me that I wanted to carve out a career that would have me evaluating NBA Draft prospects.&nbsp;
While I was still an agent, I verbally agreed to leave the agency business to become a college scout for an NBA team. Although the opportunity would have required me to take a bit of a step back financially, I looked at it as an opportunity to recreate myself and get back on track to follow in my family&rsquo;s footsteps.&nbsp;
The assistant general manager of the organization said his boss was on vacation, and that when he returned, the team would call me to get my contract finalized. Two weeks or so had passed, and the assistant general manager called. He said, &ldquo;Matt, I have bad news: I have been demoted, and I might be getting fired. Unfortunately, we will not be hiring you.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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Well, it was back to the drawing board for me.&nbsp;
Not too long after that call, Lawrence Frank of the Los Angeles Clippers called me for an informal interview for a scouting position they were looking to fill. The call didn&rsquo;t go well. He questioned my experience, how well I knew the upcoming prospects and pretty much told me he wasn&rsquo;t interested. He did me a favor, though, as it was a wake up call. I came to the realization that perhaps the basketball community did not view me as an &ldquo;NBA lifer&rdquo; and &ldquo;true basketball guy&rdquo; quite like I viewed myself. I became fearful that I was only looked at as an &ldquo;agent&rdquo; -- and that didn&rsquo;t sit well with me.&nbsp;
That was my trigger point. I knew I had to make a drastic move. After speaking to my wife and family, I decided to relinquish my certifications as an agent, dissolve my agency and help all of my clients find new representation.
I was out.&nbsp;
But what would be next?
Well, the truth is I didn&rsquo;t really have a sophisticated plan in place, but I knew I needed to gather as much pertinent information on prospects as I could and gain exposure simultaneously. I was prepared to do whatever I needed to do to learn the players and create value for myself.&nbsp;
I called my friend, Ryan Blake, the owner of Marty Blake &amp; Associates, a scouting service that his dad Marty had started for the NBA years ago. I asked him if I could scout for him for the season; I told him that I didn&rsquo;t need any compensation, but if he could provide me media credentials to games, I would send him reports. He agreed.&nbsp;
I spent the following months driving to as many games as I could and using whatever frequent flyer points I had saved from my time as an agent to see as many NBA prospects as I possibly could. I loved it, but I must admit that I had some tough days and nights during that time, where I questioned if I had made a mistake leaving the agent business. I was working for free with no clear end in sight. I had several NBA teams call me that were interested in hiring me (some even showed significant interest), but nothing ever came to fruition -- so I kept grinding.
Following that college season, I received a call from an old friend, Jake Fischer, a journalist with Sports Illustrated at the time. To my surprise, he and his editor were interested in having me write a series of articles about the NBA pre-draft process from an agent&rsquo;s perspective. l had pretty much zero experience with formal writing, but I agreed to their offer. Although I had received some media credentials via Marty Blake &amp; Associates, Sports Illustrated was my real entry point into the media. I wrote a handful of articles for Sports Illustrated and really enjoyed it. The feedback was surprisingly great, too. To be published in Sports Illustrated, a magazine whose covers could be found all over my bedroom walls as a kid, was just incredible!
But while the experience with Sports Illustrated was great, I still needed to figure out my long-term plan.&nbsp;
After getting a decent lay of the land in the scouting and media world, I decided to launch Babcock Hoops, a basketball website with an emphasis on the NBA Draft. I&rsquo;m pretty sure that my family thought I was nuts, but I went for it anyway. I got some of my friends involved, including Luca Desta, Jeff Feld, Jason Fillippi and Matt McKay Jr., all of whom had NBA scouting experience and were figuring out the next steps in their careers. The concept that I put together was for my guys to use the platform to get access to players and games, so that they could stay informed and also get exposure, all while they searched for their next landing spot. In return, they provided me information and content.&nbsp;
Well, the plan worked. Luca Desta was snagged up by the Lakers within months as a college scout, Jeff Feld was tabbed as general manager of the Northern Arizona Suns (Phoenix&rsquo;s G League affiliate) and Matt McKay Jr. successfully launched Pro Insight, a high school scouting database and service.&nbsp;
Before I knew it, I started to get a lot of attention. Interview requests came left and right, and our group started to get credentialed to all different types of exclusive games and events. I gradually stopped thinking about working for an NBA team so much, and instead, began focusing on building my career as an NBA Draft Analyst.
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Over the last few years, I had been a guest on Alex Kennedy&rsquo;s podcast on HoopsHype several times, and he requested quotes from me for articles he wrote on various NBA topics, somewhat regularly. He and I became friends during that span. Prior to the 2020 NBA Draft, Alex called me and told me that he was leaving HoopsHype to become the Chief Content Officer for a new startup basketball website called BasketballNews.com. He asked if I would have interest in running their NBA Draft coverage. I agreed to contribute to the site on a temporary basis while we figured out if doing something more involved made sense.
During that time, Scott Hale, the CEO of BasketballNews.com, and I had a chance to get to know each other. A basketball junkie, like myself, Scott and I have bonded over some epic conversations about hoops, business and life. It became apparent to me that Scott is an ambitious visionary and my kind of guy.
When discussing our potential partnership, Scott intently asked me, &ldquo;What do you want out of this?&rdquo; I told him, &ldquo;I want to be the best.&rdquo; From there, it was clear we were on the same page.
The rest is history.

BasketballNews.com's Matt Babcock shares his family's history in basketball and his journey from NBA agent to NBA Draft analyst.

Matt Babcock: Let me introduce myself

Best-selling author Jeff Pearlman on his new book: "Three Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty."

Luke