On this episode, we get an inside look at the G League Ignite with head coach Jason Hart. Coach Hart is a California native with a wealth of knowledge of the game. After a stellar college career at Syracuse, Hart played ten years in the NBA. Before taking over as the head coach of the Ignite, Hart spent nine seasons as an assistant coach with Pepperdine and USC. Last summer, Hart took over as the head coach for the Ignite in their second season. Harts's passion and investment in developing these young men is helping to play a big part in shaping their careers. After a promising first season, Hart is gearing up for year two. Listen close to his in-depth breakdown of some of their top draft prospects and how the G League Ignite can help shape the culture of the NBA draft.

On this episode overseas pro Carlos Dune breaks down his unbelievable experiences fleeing the war in Ukraine. Dune was in the middle of the season preparing for a game and was interrupted by bomb sirens the next morning. We dive deep into Dune’s career and how his professional basketball journey lead him to Ukraine. Listen here for an in-depth explanation to what people are dealing with in Ukraine.

On this episode we dive deep into the career and journey of Ben Uzoh. After going undrafted in the 2010 NBA draft Uzoh landed a guaranteed contract with the New Jersey Nets. Throughout his pro career he has also spent time with with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors. For years Uzoh has helped lead the Nigerian national team to much success. After eleven years of pro experience Uzoh decided to take his game and impact back to Africa to play in the Basketball African League (BAL). This past season was the first year of the BAL who was headlined by iconic rapper J. Cole. Having a former Nigerian NBA player with experience and knowledge was a big deal for the BAL.

On this episode, we dive deep into the journey of 12-year vet Jordan Crawford. Crawford is one of the best pure professional basketball scorers in the world. He had an unusual career path, facing adversity in high school, leaving a mark in college playing for Indiana University and Xavier University. Then getting selected as the 27th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. As a professional, Crawford has played with All-Stars such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and John Wall and has competed at the highest levels around the globe through his time overseas. Crawford shares wisdom for high school kids and their families on how to help navigate through challenges and reach for a brighter future. Crawford also breaks down today's NBA game and the business of basketball. Take a listen to hear what gems he drops next.

On this episode we discuss the impact of being ranked and what it can do for your career. The million dollar question is does being ranked matter or not? The era we are currently living in as athletes you are always numbered and labeled. Some people strive to earn that top spot where others are patiently waiting for their opportunity. We dive deep and discuss the benefits of being ranked and marked as that top prospect coming out of high school. The real debate is wether or not your ranking out of high school is that important. We discuss the pros and cons that some of the top guys face compared to the late bloomers. Take a listen to hear our thoughts so you can join the debate.

On this episode we break down the different NBA contracts. Over the last couple of years the terms Two-way and exhibit 10 and used a lot with young players while signing with NBA teams. Your average fan doesn’t understand the structure of these contracts. We give you and in-depth look of what these terms mean and the structure of these deals.

The Hidden Gems Basketball Podcast takes a dive into the unbelievable journey of Shannon Shorter. The 6’4 point guard out of Houston,Tx has a inspiring story about how to take advantage of your opportunities and make them work for you. This is a testament of how Shorter’s basketball career started and continues today. After graduating from The University of North Texas in 2011 the four year guard had to patiently wait a year and a half before getting his first professional basketball job in Mexico. Shorter has been battle tested his whole life and he made sure to turn this first opportunity into future success. Shorter just entered his 10th professional season with Afyon Belediye S.K in Turkey. Last season Shorter won a championship with the Chiba Jets, which is one of the top teams in Japans highest division. This season Shorter will compete in the Turkish league which is one of the best leagues in Europe. Listen to all of the obstacles Shorter had to face and how he never gave up to get to this point.

On this episode we dive deep into the journey of Lorenzo Brown. Brown is a 6’5 veteran point guard with basketball experience at the highest levels around the world. Not many players can say they have the resume as Brown. He was a second round pick selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA draft. As a second round pick normally that means your contract isn’t guaranteed. This was the case for Brown and he’s had to work and earn every opportunity during his NBA career. Brown describes his mindset heading into training camp and how to keep a roster spot in the NBA. Brown had four successful seasons in the NBA and was crowned as the 2018 NBA G League MVP. Throughout his four year stint in the NBA Brown also spent parts of those season in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). The CBA is the highest professional basketball league in Asia, which also comes with a lucrative contract. After finishing two strong seasons in the CBA Brown makes the jump to the Europe. In the summer of 2019 Brown signs with Euroleague powerhouse Crvena Zvezda also known as Red Star. After completing his first successful season in Europe he later than joined Fenerbahce for the 2021 season. Fenerbache is also one of the most prestigious clubs in Europe. In his first two seasons in Euroleague Brown has established himself as one of the best point guards in the competition. This season Brown is ready for another big year with UNICS Kazan in Russia. Let’s listen to how Brown has been able to keep competing at the highest levels around the globe and his plans for this season in Russia.

Big news today Nico Mannion former McDonald’s All-American and NBA draft pick decides to head overseas to Italy before entering his second NBA season. Mannion is of Italian decent and is currently coming of a strong summer in the Olympics with Italy. After being drafted in the second round of the 2020 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors he was given a two-way contract. By Mannion choosing this path to go play for Virtus Bologna in Italy this allows him to receive a lucrative contract and a substantial role. He’s going to be playing with some of Europe’s top players such as Epke Udoh, Marco Belinelli, and Milos Tedosic. On this week’s episode of the weekly update listen to our remarks on Mannion’s journey

We dive deep into Kevin Punter Jr. pro journey which is like no other. Punter Jr. has been out to prove himself since coming out of the Bronx. His path hasn’t been the easiest but the challenges he’s faced have turned him to the tough hard noise player he is. KPJ attended State Fair Community College from 2012-2014 before ended his college career at The University of Tennessee. In 2016 the 6’4 guard made the Second Team - All SEC, finishing third in scoring with 22.1 points per game. Normally a player coming out of the SEC averaging these type of numbers has NBA written all over them. Unfortunately Punter Jr went undrafted in 2016. Instead on trying to make an NBA roster through the NBA G League he decided to take his game over to Europe. Over the past six seasons KPJ has been battled tested and grinder his way from the bottom to the top. He is now arguably one of the best American guards in all of Europe. This summer he just signed the largest contract in Serbian history for an American with power house Partizan. Let’s hear what it to for Punter Jr to get here.