Explore every episode of the podcast The Draft Council: An NBA Draft Podcast From The Rights To Ricky Sanchez

If you've been wondering why you haven't heard from this show the past few weeks, we tell you why in this episode. The Draft Council is on hiatus for the time being. Thank you so much to everyone who's listened.

Description: Ahmed and Dan are joined by Derek Parker (@DParkOK on X) to talk about one of the best teams in the entire NBA, who are relevant to both the last few Drafts and the upcoming one. 

2:00 — Chet and J Dub

15:00 — Nikola Topic and His Future w/ the Thunder

23:00 — Who Could the Thunder Pick in the 2025 Draft?

34:00 — MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

Ahmed and Dan talk about some of the best players currently in high school basketball, including Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, as well as some lesser known names, and what has caught their eye with each of these soon-to-be college basketball players. 

3:00 — Boozer, AJ, and Darryn

28:00 — Chris Cenac (Link Academy)

36:00 — Dante Allen (Montverde)

47:00 — A Class of 2026 Standout

Ahmed and Dan are looking forward to the new year by handing out resolutions they want to see in the games of some of the best prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft Class. 

2:00 — Dylan Harper

9:00 — Cooper Flagg

20:00 — Ace Bailey

26:00 — Tre Johnson

37:00 — Khaman Maluach

Ahmed and Dan are joined by Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_ on X/Twitter) to talk about one of the most relevant teams to the 2025 NBA Draft — the Brooklyn Nets. 

3:00 — The Dennis Schroder Trade + Direction of the Nets

12:00 — Potential Cam Johnson Trade Packages 

31:00 — VJ Edgecombe

37:00 — Kasparas Jakucionis

44:00 — Ace Bailey

Ahmed and Dan talk about the things that have shocked them the most through the opening months of the season, including the Sixers' disastrous start to the season, the underwhelming rookie season performance from Reed Sheppard, and a whole lot more.

2:00 — The Sixers' Increasing Relevance to the 2025 NBA Draft 

17:00 — What's up with Reed Sheppard?

27:00 — Labaron Philon and Mark Sears

45:00 — Jayden Quaintance Supremacy

Dan and Ahmed briefly talk about the upcoming college commitment of AJ Dybantsa, before recapping all three Big 5 games that happened in Philly this past weekend, and wrap up the show by answering some questions from the listeners. 

3:00 — AJ Dybantsa Decision Day

9:00 — Big 5 Classic, Eric Dixon, Rasheer Fleming

26:00 — Derik Queen talk (again)

39:00 — Danny Wolf and Jeremiah Fears

49:00 — Anthony Robinson and Thomas Sorber

With a month of the college basketball season completed, Dan and Ahmed did their first Mock Draft since the summer, with updated takes on all of the highest profile prospects in this year's class. 

6:00 — Cooper Flagg

18:00 — Who will the Sixers pick at No. 3? 

35:00 — An Incredibly On-Brand pick for Ahmed

42:00 — The Collin Murray-Boyles Debacle

We discuss our favorite players to watch through the first few months of the 2025 NBA Draft cycle, including Maryland's Derik Queen, Ohio State's Juni Mobley, Alabama's Labaron Philon, and a whole lot more. Then, they wrap the show by talking about Prolific Prep's big win over Columbus, which was fueled by a superstar performance from 2026 prospect Darryn Peterson.

Timestamps:

4:30 Derik Queen

17:00 Kam Jones

25:00 John Mobley Jr (aka Juni)

31:00 KJ Lewis

36:00 Khaman Maluach 

47:00 Darryn Peterson

Ahmed and Dan take a break from college basketball to rank all of the best young cores in the NBA, and see which franchises have the brightest futures ahead of them. 

Timestamps:

1:00 — What is the NBA Farm System? (shoutout @klaytheist11 on X/Twitter)

4:00 — Wemby vs OKC

10:00 — We love Amen Thompson and Tari Eason

25:00 — The Wizards!

45:00 — Mandatory Hawks + Jared McCain discussion

Dan and Ahmed rehash everything that happened in the first week of college basketball, from the thrilling finishes of the UNC-Kansas and Auburn-Houston games, to the superstar breakout of Egor Demin, before finishing the show with a discussion of the best rookies in the NBA, including the Sixers' own Jared McCain. 

Timestamps:

2:00 — Auburn vs Houston

7:30 — Kansas vs UNC

18:00 — Baylor vs Arkansas 

25:00 — Egor Demin is HERE

44:00 — Could Jared McCain win Rookie of the Year?

A very tired Dan and Ahmed stayed up late to give you a full rundown of what happened with all the high profile NBA Draft prospects during the first day of the college basketball season, including: Gonzaga absolutely bludgeoning VJ Edgecombe and Baylor, Will Riley and Derik Queen going ballistic, and a whole lot more. 

Timestamps:

2:00 — Gonzaga destroys VJ Edgecombe and Baylor 101-63

10:00 — The Kon Knueppel Victory Lap will never end 

14:00 — Ohio State vs Texas, Juni Mobley vs Tre Johnson

19:00 — Will Riley and Derik Queen

27:00 — Asa Newell and Georgia (Good!) Collin Murray-Boyles and South Carolina (Bad)

32:00 — Ahmed really likes Flory Bidunga and Jase Richardson

Basketball is back! Dan and Ahmed break down why so many rookies are struggling through the first week of the NBA season, but also highlight a few guys who look like draft steals in Ryan Dunn, Jonathan Mogbo, and Yves Missi. Then, the two get you ready for college basketball by picking out their favorite upcoming matchups in November, and raving about the incredible scrimmage play of Boogie Fland and Kon Knueppel. 

5:00 Ryan Dunn the best rookie in the NBA?

8:00 The Draft Council's First Official Houston Rockets Check-In

16:00 Why is Zach Edey struggling?

21:00 Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr

35:00 Jonathan Mogbo and Yves Missi — Steals of the Draft

45:00 The CBB Games we're most looking forward to in November (Plus BOOGIE FLAND)

Dan and Ahmed break down the Jalen Green and Trey Murphy extensions, before giving a brief 2024-25 NBA season preview, including which young players they think will make their first All-Star appearances. Then, the show wraps up with some talk about how Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and so many others have performed in their college basketball preseason scrimmages. 

Timestamps:

1:00 — 2021 Draft Class Extensions

16:00 — NBA Finals + MVP Picks

27:00 — Who is making their first All-Star game this year? (Plus THE BULLS ZONE)

36:00 — Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Ryan Dunn

49:00 — CBB Preseason Scrimmage Reactions

Dan and Ahmed kick things off by reacting to the biggest news in the NBA Draft world this week, as Cam and Cayden Boozer committed to Duke over Miami. Then, the two ran through a list of "Are we sure?" statements about this upcoming basketball season, talking about everything from who will be the best SEC freshman, to why Zach Edey is a good bet to win Rookie of the Year. 

Timestamps:

1:00 Cam Boozer to Duke!

12:00 Is Labaron Philon the best freshman in the SEC? 

25:00 Why Zach Edey will win ROTY

48:00 A surprisingly large amount of Toronto Raptors talk

Dan and Ahmed kick things off by breaking down some recent games from Nolan Traore and Rocco Zikarsky, before shifting gears and talking about 10 young NBA players they've got their eye on for the 2024-25 season.

Timestamps: 

2:00 Nolan Traore

8:00 Rocco Zikarsky

18:00 Amen Thompson

32:00 Ricky Council IV

45:00 Nikola Jovic

49:00 Finally letting Ahmed talk about the Hawks

Dan and Ahmed first react to the trade that sent shockwaves through the entire NBA this past week, before giving an update on how a few international prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft class have performed so far this season, and playing the first ever rendition of College Basketball "Who He Play For?"

1:00 KAT Trade Reaction

11:00 Big Duke basketball update 

18:00 Nolan Traore

27:00 Ben Saraf

33:00 Noa Essengue

43:00 AJ Dybantsa

51:00 Who He Play For???

On this week's episode of The Draft Council, Dan and Ahmed reacted to some of the hottest takes that you, the listeners, had for this upcoming college basketball season, ranging from Indiana winning the national title, to one of the best prospects in the country falling out of the lottery.

2:00 — Mike Thinks Indiana is going to win the national championship

14:00 — Is Purdue gonna be good this year?

28:00 — Koby Brea is the most underrated shooter in the country 

32:00 — Can Ace Bailey Fall Out of the Lottery?

36:00 — A Dark Horse to win Big Big Ten Player of the Year

47:00 — Paul McNeil is a Top 10 Pick? 

Dan and Ahmed talk about four of the NBA's young rebuilding teams in the San Antonio Spurs, the Detroit Pistons, the Utah Jazz, and the Toronto Raptors, and how each franchise should approach the next few seasons. 

Timestamps:

3:00 — San Antonio Spurs

20:00 — Detroit Pistons

35:00 — Utah Jazz

46:00 — Toronto Raptors

55:00 — Listener Question on College NlL Deals

Dan and Ahmed break down the best players in the NCAA who decided to forgo the 2024 NBA Draft, and instead returned for one more season of college hoops. 

5:00 — Mark Sears

14:00 — Alex Karaban

20:00 — Collin Murray-Boyles

27:00 — Johni Broome

33:00 — Ryan Kalkbrenner

38:00 — Kam Jones

41:00 — Nique Clifford

Dan and Ahmed first revel in the opening weekend of college football, before breaking down some of the biggest NBA Draft prospects among the Big 5 college basketball teams, talking more about Cam Boozer and Tyran Stokes, and answering even more questions from listeners. 

2:00 — Big 5 Basketball Prospects + Picking The Draft Council's Official Philly Team

15:30 — Cole Anthony and Cam Boozer

30:00 — Tyran Stokes + Other 2027 Draft Prospects 

44:00 — Best High Upside Bets in the Upcoming Draft 

55:00 — Most Surprising Guys Who Could Sneak Into the Top 10 of the Draft

Dan and Ahmed talk through all the international prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft class, ranging from players who've stayed overseas, to those coming over to America to play college basketball this season. 

Use code BOOZER to join The Draft Council community on Cooler and interact with your two favorite basketball nerds on the regular. 

2:00 — Nolan Traore

14:00 — Rocco Zikarsky

23:00 — Kasparas Jakucionis + Will Riley

37:00 — Hugo Gonzalez + Egor Demin

46:00 — Khaman Maluach

Dan and Ahmed do a mock draft of the best young basketball players in the world, before Sixers legend PJ Tucker joins the show for a special interview .

0:30 — Yabusele Victory Lap

2:00 — Answering listener submitted questions

10:00 — Drafting the best 21 and Under basketball players

50:00 — PJ Tucker Interview

Dan and Ahmed run through a mailbag of questions submitted by listeners, including a surprisingly large amount of Guerschon Yabusele talk, a debate over who are the best defenders and shooters in the 2025 NBA Draft class, and predicting who might be the best under the radar players in college basketball right now. 

2:00 — Could Guerschon Yabusele make it back to the NBA?

11:00 — Picking the official teams for Season 1 of The Draft Council

25:00 — Best shooter in the '25 Draft class? 

34:00 – Best defenders in the '25 Draft class? 

53:00 — Favorite under the radar players in college basketball

Dan and Ahmed pick their top 10 players in the 2025 NBA Draft Class, break down just how historically great this year’s top pick could be, and why the ‘25 class should be a bit more fun to follow than the previous year’s players.

Dan and Ahmed break down the Summer League disappointments of Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, before highlighting Reed Sheppard’s star performance. Then, they explain why they’re not worried about Jared McCain, the oddity of how the Blazers plan to use Donovan Clingan, and pick the 2nd/3rd year players who proved they’re too good for Summer League.

Join Dan Olinger and Ahmed Jama on an NBA Draft Journey from high school to the NBA. Weekly episodes will follow the journey of future prospects, and how recent draftees are faring.