As the 2025 NBA draft approaches, we welcome a special guest to the show and conduct our own mock draft for the lottery. We offer our assessments of each draftee and clarify the reasons for our conviction that they will or will not be successful NBA players, as well as their potential contributions to their respective teams.

Bryce Dejean-Jones, a former Runnin' Rebel and NBA player, was known for his exceptional talent and unwavering competitiveness. One early morning, on May 28, 2016, after breaking into an apartment, which he mistakenly thought was his girlfriend's, Dejean-Jones was shot and killed. This episode is the narrative of a young man who, despite possessing an abundance of potential, was unable to achieve his goals due to his emotions and anger. R.I.P. BDJ

In this episode, I talk about Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, a brand-new Netflix documentary, and what a crazy story it is. I then discuss UNLV's decision to remain in the MWC and the reasons I agree with it. I subsequently address the emergence of UNLV football and the enthusiasm surrounding the program's future. Lastly, I pose the question: Is it possible for the Las Vegas Aces to defeat a strong high school boys' team?

This episode features a special guest who joins the show to discuss the incoming Alabama transfer, Naas Cunningham. The discussion centers on his talent level, skillset, and ultimate potential as a recruit. Following this, TK and I engage in a conversation regarding the NBA playoffs. We share our opinions on our preferred teams (the Nuggets and Lakers), engage in a conversation regarding the excessive number of blowouts, and address Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the online animosity directed at him. Finally, we discuss the top five players in the world. 

Parents today are crazier than ever when it comes to their behavior toward their children's sports of choice. Overzealous parent behavior can contribute to issues like performance anxiety and burnout in children, but positive parent involvement is crucial for the functioning of youth sports leagues. This episode dives deep into everything that directly correlates to the following topic: what it actually takes to become a professional athlete. Becoming a professional athlete is incredibly difficult. Only a small fraction of athletes who participate in high school or college sports make it to the professional level. The odds are estimated to be as low as 1 in 5,000 for high school athletes to reach the professional stage. I talk about what is required to make it to the top level. 

This is the story of Dave Rice, from his unexpected appointment as head coach to the success and excitement that captivated the Las Vegas community to the underachieving results that ultimately resulted in the dismissal of a beloved former Rebel and the beginning of the downfall of a once historic basketball program. 

This episode of TRP covers a few different topics. As my excitement for football season grows, I wanted to briefly discuss Mullen's recruiting class, what life is like when you are tall, and a few other subjects. The following topics are covered in this episode:

1. 117 More Days Till Football Season!
   1. Tweet of the day
   2. “Guys like Mullen and Pastner are built for recruiting in today’s college sports world. This isnt 5-10-15 years ago, it’s a whole different animal nowadays.”
      1. While other coaches complain, Dan and Josh embrace.
         1. Because of their salesman personalities
         2. Josh said this way is more efficient
         3. Both caches took time off and learned this new style of recruiting
2. What it’s like being a tall
   1. Pros
      1. Helped me with dating
      2. You look better when youre muscular 
      3. Helped me be better at basketball (idiots thinking they would play in the NBA if they had my height) 
   2. Cons
      1. Health issues: tall people’s heart struggle and strain in order to pump blood throughout their elongated bodies, tall people also have more stress on their joints and lower life expectancy
      2. Comments from people
         1. Why are you so tall?
         2. Annoying nicknames (sasquatch, Shrek, giant)
         3. Asked my buddy what he says.. “Genetics, dummy.”
      3. Buying clothes (shoes, shirts, pants)
         1. People always send me to Big and Tall section of the store
3. Dan Mullen recruiting
   1. #1 class in the MWC for the 2026 recruiting class and 50 overall
   2. 17 transfers who were 4-5 star recruits out of HS, 24 transfers from P4 programs
   3. Justin Flowe - number one linebacker in the country coming out of HS
   4. People saying these transfers are not that good
4. Rob Whaley commits to Kent State and Hicks to Montana
5. What the Rebels need with their last roster spot

To commemorate the 50th episode of TRP, I am conducting a player spotlight on Marcus Banks, one of the most talented and electrifying athletes to have ever played for UNLV basketball. The subject of this episode is Marcus's basketball career, which encompasses my personal favorite memories, statistics, awards and honors, and any narrative that is associated with him. Enjoy! 

MBA link: https://www.mb3basketball.com/

In this episode, I address a variety of topics and provide my perspectives on each one, rather than concentrating on a single subject. The following subjects are addressed:

1. Gorilla vs Grizzly Bear
2. EvanMiya transfer class ranking has UNLV #1
3. New YouTube video about JP
4. Pastner creating his own scouting service at 13
5. Jailen Bedforn transfers to V Tech
6. Barry Poaching our players?
7. What was your moment when you knew you weren’t a pro
8. Shedeur Sanders drama

This episode is somewhat brief; however, it serves as a summary of Josh's initial month at HC and his exceptional performance thus far. I elaborate on the reasons why Rebel fans should be enthusiastic about the program's future and how he differs from other coaches we have had in the past. Go Rebels!!