Mike goes solo and picks one fact for each of the 30 NBA teams to show where every season is headed. Early standouts include the 7-1 Philadelphia 76ers behind Tyrese Maxey's 29.1 points per game, Luka Doncic at 38.3 points per game for the Lakers, and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, whom Mike calls the Rookie of the Year front-runner. He also flags big concerns, such as Anthony Edwards missing about two months with a knee injury, Oklahoma City's injuries to Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren, and Nikola Jokic's 22 percent shooting from three. Along the way you hear his takes on the Zion Williamson question in New Orleans, Cooper Flagg's start in Dallas, and the rookie guards drafted in the same range, including Darius Acuff in Sacramento and Mikel Brown in Brooklyn. If you want a fast, opinionated lap around the whole league, this is your episode.

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The Hoop Heads Podcast was recently selected as #4 on a list of the 47 Best Basketball Coaching Podcasts. Check out the list here - https://podcast.feedspot.com/basketball_coaching_podcasts/

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Jean Bain is in his 8th season as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Brandeis University, compiling over 100 victories during his tenure. Bain previously held assistant coaching positions at Columbia University, Dartmouth College, the University of New Hampshire, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Bain played college basketball at Northeastern University where he was named America East Rookie of the Year in 1999, served as team captain in his junior and senior years, and received All-America East honors in 2002.

On this episode Mike & Jean discuss how pickup games, mentors and years of unpaid assistant work shaped the coach he is today. The conversation moves from Medford parks, where older player Tom Blanchard brought Jean along, through prep school and Northeastern, then to WPI, New Hampshire, Dartmouth and Columbia before he landed the Brandeis job. Bain shares how he recruits nationally for academics and financial fit while looking for high character and selflessness, and how he builds player development and five-on-five practices at the Division III level. He also explains what loves about competing in the UAA, which has no conference tournament, unique travel, and often sends multiple teams to the NCAA tournament.

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Have a notebook handy you listen to this episode with Jen Bain, Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Brandeis University.

Website - https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/mens-basketball

Email - jeanbain@brandeis.edu

Twitter/X - @JFBAIN5

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Aaron Jacobs is entering his first season as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Rockford University. Jacobs previously served as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at North Park University.

Prior to North Park, Jacobs served as an assistant coach at Wabash College from 2022-24. Jacobs began his collegiate coaching career at Wisconsin Lutheran College during the 2021-22 season.

As a student-athlete, Jacobs competed at Holy Family College from 2017-20, where he helped lead the program to the best record in school history and its first national tournament appearance in 2020. Jacobs later attended Lakeland University, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration while serving as a student-athlete and member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

On this episode Mike & Aaron discuss how he rebuilt the Rockford roster that started at nine players into a team with eighteen new faces, including twelve transfers, and shares the daily habits that build trust, from an open-door office stocked with snacks to "family announcements" and a practice plan built around competition. He closes by defining year-one success by habits instead of wins and naming his biggest challenge (building slowly) and his biggest joy (his players), which is essential listening for any coach thinking about the leap to head coach.

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Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.

Grab pen and paper before you listen to this episode with Aaron Jacobs, Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Rockford University.

Website - https://rockfordregents.com/sports/mens-basketball

Email - ajacobs@rockford.edu

Twitter/X - @CoachAJacobs

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On this episode Mike & Jason react to the first week of the NBA season and its wave of injuries. They ask whether the cause is AAU basketball, wear and tear, or just heavier media coverage. Then they go team by team through the big injuries: Orlando losing Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, Oklahoma City losing Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, Minnesota's Anthony Edwards sidelined for two months, Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely, and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s torn MCL in Utah. They then cover Utah's slow start and the big four rookies, Miami's shooting and spacing problems around Giannis, and the Knicks' rough opening. They also give brief takes on Houston's strong start, Cooper Flagg in Dallas, and the Pacers and Hornets. The show ends with a detour into the Browns' 5–2 start, where Jason says a win on Sunday makes them a playoff team.

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Mike Grey is the co-founder of Bravara, a youth sports league management tool that streamlines evaluations, team building, scheduling, communications, and player development.

On this episode Mike and Mike discuss how technology can improve the youth sports experience for coaches, players, families, and league administrators. Grey explains how digital evaluations and team-building tools can reduce paperwork, address rating bias, and help create more balanced basketball teams. The conversation also covers scheduling tools designed to account for coach and parent conflicts, player availability, venues, and rescheduling needs. Grey describes Bravara Reps and Playmaker, which coaches can use to assign drills and plays, support at-home learning, and track player engagement. Looking ahead, he argues that better use of game and player data could help match teams more fairly, support player development, and give more kids a positive place to keep playing.

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Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.

Pay close attention and jot down some notes as you listen to this episode with Mike Grey, co-founder of Bravara.

Website - https://bravara.com/

Email - mike@bravara.com

Twitter/X - @bravara.app/

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Dr. John Wiley Bryson is the author of the new book “Billy: Coach. Leader. Legend. Friend.” which tells the story of Billy Hicks, Kentucky’s winningest high school basketball coach. Billy is the powerful biography of a man whose impact stretched far beyond the scoreboard and into locker rooms, living rooms, and lives across the state of Kentucky.

On this episode Mike & John discuss the life and coaching legacy of Billy Hicks, Kentucky’s all-time winningest high school coach. Bryson explains how research, interviews, and memories from former players, colleagues, and family members came together to tell Hicks’s story. The conversation examines how Hicks’s upbringing and early coaching experiences shaped his approach, including his emphasis on fast play, man-to-man defense, preparation, and personal relationships with players. It also reflects on the pressures of Kentucky high school basketball, Hicks’s rivalry and respect with Bobby Keith, and the joys and heartbreaks of coaching alongside his family. Throughout, the episode asks what makes a coach’s influence last beyond wins: the people they develop, the culture they create, and the stories others continue to tell.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.

Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.

You will want to have a notebook by your side as you listen to this episode with Dr. John Wiley Bryson, the author of the new book “Billy: Coach. Leader. Legend. Friend.”

Website - https://www.johnwileybryson.com/

Email - jwileybryson@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnwbryson/

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On this episode Mike & Jason sort the league into tiers and make their wins and losses picks across the standings. They discuss why Oklahoma City and San Antonio look like top contenders, while teams such as the Knicks, Cavaliers, Celtics, and Pistons face a more uncertain path to 50 plus wins. The conversation explores roster questions and high-variance outlooks for teams including Minnesota, Houston, Orlando, Indiana, and Philadelphia. Injuries, depth, roster fit, coaching, and a team’s willingness to compete all emerge as factors that could shift the standings. It’s an argumentative, team-by-team look at who may thrive through the 82-game season and who could fall short of expectations.

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Zack Odell is the Founder XCIV.ai A tool built for high school, middle school, and AAU coaches. Using XCIV coaches upload film, box scores, or play diagrams. XCIV.AI builds your scouting reports, game plans, and practice schedules.

On this episode Mike & Zack discuss how XCIV.ai can help basketball coaches organize stats, scouting, and player development. Zack shares how keeping box scores and notes for his daughter inspired him to build a tool that turns game data and film observations into searchable scouting insights. He explains how coaches can use those insights to identify opponent tendencies, plan practices, and assign targeted training, such as a four-week free-throw program. The discussion also highlights the importance of coach feedback and human review so recommendations fit each team’s philosophy rather than replacing coaching judgment. Zack’s broader goal is to make practical coaching support more accessible, especially for smaller programs with limited staff and resources.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.

Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.

Be sure to grab pen and paper as you listen to this episode with Zack Odell, Founder XCIV.ai

Website - https://xciv.ai/

Email - zack@xciv.ai

Twitter/X - @XCIVAI

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