The Life of an Independent NBA Draft Analyst: Behind the Scouting Lens
The Hidden Hustle: Balancing Film, Travel, and the Politics of Draft Scouting
With most NBA teams kicking off training camp this week following today’s media day, the 2024-25 basketball season is officially underway—at least domestically. Overseas, teams in Europe and Australia have already begun their regular season, which means I’m in full scouting mode. Before the madness of the season fully kicks in, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my journey and share some insights into what it’s like to live out my childhood dream of covering the NBA Draft.
I often tell people, if someone handed me $10 million tomorrow, not much would change for me career-wise—aside from upgrading from economy to first class and maybe a bigger travel budget.
I hope you’ll enjoy these brief stories from my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned over the years.
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The Journey Across Borders: From Major Cities to Remote Gyms
One of the highlights of covering NBA prospects is the travel. While it may be grueling for some, I still find it exciting and love being on the road. From iconic basketball hubs like Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris to the smaller, less glamorous towns tucked away in Europe, every trip offers a unique experience. Basketball is always the main focus, but I make a point to immerse myself in the culture, renting a bicycle to explore historic landmarks when I have downtime. It’s my way of blending work with life and finding moments to appreciate the journey beyond the court.
Of course, the grind of international scouting is real. Navigating train schedules and transportation in unfamiliar countries isn’t always smooth. I once missed a connection and had to drop $160 on an Uber ride just to make it to the game on time.
I try to catch EuroLeague games during these trips— the second-best basketball in the world. While young prospects don’t typically get significant minutes in these games, soaking in the atmosphere is worth it. There’s nothing quite like the raucous energy of fans in Turkey, Serbia, or Greece.
The passion of the fans in those countries is unrivaled, sometimes to the point of creating safety concerns. When a player on the road team provides tickets, I’m often caged in with the other opposing fans, locked in one section, unable to access concessions or even restrooms. At times, it feels like a hazard—especially when emotions run high. But it’s all part of the experience.
Then, there are the moments when all the planning and travel feels like it’s for nothing. You fly halfway across the world, only to see a prospect you’ve been tracking barely get any playing time. These are the moments when being an independent scout with a limited budget hits hard.
The Independent Grind: The Challenges of Going Solo
Being an independent scout means there’s no cushy corporate expense account and no guaranteed media pass. You have to hustle to get in those doors. Last year, I made the mistake of assuming I could easily attend a matchup between French prospects Zaccharie Risacher and Melvin Ajinca in Saint-Quentin, about two hours north of Paris.
I arrived two hours early, thinking I was in the clear, only to find out the game was sold out. There wasn’t even a ticket office on-site; tickets had to be purchased through the team’s Facebook page, which, of course, was all in French. I ended up freezing outside for 45 minutes, scrambling to find someone who knew someone that could help me get in. I finally made it inside, only to see Risacher and Ajinca barely defend each other and combine for 18 total points. Risacher had 13, but 11 of those came in garbage time when his team was already down by 20.
That’s the reality of scouting—it’s unpredictable, and sometimes it feels like I’ve wasted money.
I’ve had entire trips planned out meticulously, only to have things fall apart. On that same trip, after Saint-Quentin, my plan was to spend a few days in Paris scouting young prospects at INSEP (National Institute of Sport Expertise), which has produced NBA talent like Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, and Clint Capela. From there, I intended to go to Cholet to scout Tidjane Salaun, and then fly to Madrid to watch Hugo Gonzalez and Egor Demin on Real Madrid’s U18 squad.
But as often happens in scouting, things didn’t go according to plan. Salaun was a game-time decision due to illness, so I didn’t risk the three-hour train ride to Cholet.
When I got to Madrid, I had planned to watch Gonzalez and Demin over a five-day span, starting with a U18 practice, followed by a game, and then attend a EuroLeague game to watch Real Madrid’s senior team.
However, I quickly learned that Gonzalez had been promoted to the senior squad and wouldn’t be playing in the U18 game. Instead, I was only able to catch glimpses of him during pre-game and halftime warmups, as he was buried deep in the rotation behind international stars and former NBA players. I did, however, get to see Demin, and I was impressed with his performance, which solidified my belief that he's a legit first-round pick, possibly even a lottery selection, in the 2025 NBA Draft.
These are the moments that truly test the grit of an independent scout. My income is 100% dependent on the draft content I provide for my subscribers and podcast listeners, so there’s always a risk that I’ll travel across the globe and come back with little to show for it in terms of on-court insights. But that’s the nature of the business.
Film Study: The Backbone of My Process
You might ask, "Why not just watch the film instead of traveling?" It’s a fair question, and honestly, film study is more practical and cost-effective. However, there are nuances in a prospect’s game that only reveal themselves when you watch them live—their demeanor on the bench, how they communicate with teammates, and their reaction to pressure. There’s value in seeing a player in their natural environment that film can’t always capture.
That said, I still spend an absurd amount of time watching film. My process begins with watching full games, focusing on every minute the prospect is on the floor. I take detailed notes, laying out bullet points on physical attributes, strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, what I believe will be the prospect’s defined NBA role. One of the core questions I ask myself is, “Can this player complement a Luka Doncic, LeBron James, or Giannis Antetokounmpo?” Sure, not every team has an All-NBA talent, but outside of 10-15 elite players, everyone else is playing a supporting role. Identifying that potential role is crucial.
After noting 10 or more strengths and weaknesses, I dive deeper. I use Synergy Sports to pull 50-100 random possessions to see if I missed anything during my initial watch. It’s a way to check my work, making sure my evaluation isn’t skewed by limited sample size. Then, I review advanced stats, comparing the numbers with what my eyes are telling me. I’ve learned that it’s easy to over-focus on what a player can’t do, so I always make it a point to re-watch all of a prospect’s made baskets—reminding myself of what they can do.
The Gut vs. Consensus: Trusting My Eyes
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in scouting is trusting my gut over the consensus. Too often, I’ve seen analysts fall into groupthink, hyping up a prospect simply because everyone else is doing the same. It’s a trap I’ve fallen into before, and I’ve learned the hard way that sticking to your own evaluation is critical.
I recall a highly touted high school prospect who was universally loved by recruiting experts and draft enthusiasts. I had watched him in person at least 30 times over his high school career, including the summer circuits. He had the athleticism and physical tools that screamed "NBA potential," but he lacked consistent ball-handling and was a streaky shooter who’d occasionally catch fire, making his shooting splits look better than they were.
At first, I stuck to my evaluation, ranking him lower than the consensus. But over time, I began to second-guess myself. Maybe I was missing something? Maybe I was overanalyzing because I’d seen him play so much? Eventually, I caved and ranked him higher—closer to where everyone else had him. But once he turned pro, his flaws were magnified. Turns out, I was right all along.
On the flip side, there’s Max Strus. I watched him live a few years back and felt he had the tools to carve out a role in the NBA. But since no one else seemed to be talking about him, I figured I was being overzealous. Fast forward to today—Strus is a key rotational player in the NBA.
Those two experiences taught me invaluable lessons: trust my gut, stick to my evaluations, and don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Of course, when you’re wrong, the internet never forgets—but the key is being comfortable with that risk.
Learning From Misses: Lessons Over the Years
Scouting is humbling. Over the years, I’ve had my share of players I was wrong about. It happens. Sometimes, no amount of film study or in-person evaluation can prepare you for how a player will adapt to the NBA lifestyle. I’ve been wrong about prospects who had the talent but lacked the maturity, and others who struggled with the pressure of being the "breadwinner" for their family at just 18 or 19 years old.
In many cases, when a high draft pick doesn’t pan out, it has very little to do with their skill level. Outside factors—mental toughness, family dynamics, the weight of expectations—often play a bigger role in why they don't live up to their potential.
I still remember one of my earliest conversations with a high-ranking NBA decision-maker. It was around the time the 2003 NBA Draft class was in the early stages of their careers. I made a casual remark about the infamous decision by the Detroit Pistons to draft Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony, and how I couldn’t understand how anyone thought Darko was even in the same tier as Melo.
The exec looked at me and said something that’s stuck with me: he was thankful he wasn’t in Joe Dumars’ position because he likely would have made the same mistake. He was a big believer in Darko’s talent.
Over the years, through conversations with people connected to the Pistons or through stories I’ve read, I gained a better understanding of why Darko didn’t live up to the hype. It wasn’t a lack of talent—it was the overwhelming culture shock and the pressure of adapting to the NBA as an 18-year-old kid from Serbia.
It made me think: How many 18-year-olds from the U.S. could succeed if the roles were reversed? Could a highly-touted American prospect go straight from high school to play for Partizan or Crvena Zvezda, in front of passionate Serbian fans, while dealing with demanding, old-school coaches who expect perfection? Think Bobby Knight, but with less patience and a relentless win-or-bust mentality. The cultural adjustment alone would be massive.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Darko could have been as good as Carmelo, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh. But I do believe his failure had more to do with losing confidence and struggling with the off-court aspects of NBA life than his raw talent.
Thankfully, the league has improved dramatically in providing structure for young players. Most teams today are equipped to handle the developmental needs of teenagers. But even now, I see cases where prospects are ready from a talent perspective but far from ready to handle the lifestyle, the pressure, or the inevitable adversity they face for the first time in their basketball careers.
Which brings me to the importance of intel…
Balancing Intel: Agents, Parents, and Draft Politics
Navigating the murky waters of intel is a whole different part of the game.
I’ll be honest—balancing how to incorporate intel into my draft boards and mock drafts is one of the toughest challenges I face. Should intel really matter on my personal big board? Should my rankings reflect what I believe based on film and live evaluations, or should I adjust based on what I’m hearing from NBA scouts, agents, and other insiders?
There have been times where I’ve ranked a prospect in the lottery range, only to receive calls or messages from multiple sources within hours of publishing, telling me it’s unlikely the player will go that high because of bad intel. It could be anything from bad practice habits, negative influences in the player’s inner circle, concerns about lifestyle choices, or questions about mental toughness and work ethic.
For example, I’ve heard from sources about players who couldn’t remember plays or sets but managed to get away with it at the college level. In college, they could rely on their raw ability and athleticism to compensate, but in the NBA—especially in a reduced role—there’s no such luxury. That’s something I would never know from watching film alone, so I have to weigh whether this intel justifies moving a player down on my board.
And then there’s the agent side. Sometimes, intel comes from agents who were cut out of the recruiting process. I have to ask myself: Is this agent bitter and trying to sabotage the player, or do they genuinely know the kid and the parents, and are raising valid concerns? It’s a tough line to walk.
Speaking of parents, one of the most common things I’ve encountered is frustration over marketing. Many parents feel that their child isn’t being marketed properly, whether it’s by their agency or the mainstream media. And that’s if their child is getting consistent playing time. If not, the narrative shifts to blaming the coach or team for holding their son back. In some cases, they’re right—changing representation or transferring schools can completely change a player’s trajectory.
But there are other times when the expectations are unrealistic. I’ve had parents reach out to me, desperate to create a narrative around their child to build up draft buzz. One time, a parent of a player who wasn’t on anyone’s radar called me, asking for advice on how to attract NBA scouts. Mid-conversation, I received a $250 Zelle payment labeled “Draft Board.” He wanted me to rank his son in the mid-50s on my mock draft. I refunded the money, but it was a stark reminder of the game within the game—the politics of the draft.
Trusting the Process and Embracing the Grind
At the end of the day, being an independent draft analyst is a labor of love. It’s a constant hustle, balancing gut instinct with data, navigating the world of agents, and grinding away at film breakdowns. It’s traveling the world and being away from my family, balancing podcasts and scouting reports, and learning from both the wins and the losses.
It’s a unique job, no doubt. But it’s one I wouldn’t trade for anything.
RB keep Pushing Brother, your work, dedication and Gift will eventually put you where you belong.
Excellent article. Really appreciated the behind the scenes view. Yes, trust your gut.