In The Paint Show Ballislife

On Episode 173 of Ballislife's "In The Paint Show", ITP hosts Ronnie Flores, Ani Umana and Chelsea Hopkins go hard on the recent Hoophall West, the college football playoff controversy and give a quick preview of the December tournaments the ITP crew will be scouting.
We tip-off the latest pod with some big off-court news from Ani and the NBA In-Season Tournament. Why is it working and whom will advance? Ani and Chelsea give their predictions!
The ITP Crew also dish on the college football playoff controversy surrounding the omission of unbeaten ACC champ Florida State from the four-team playoff. Why did the committee get this wrong and what was the reasoning? Did Georgia deserve to fall all the way out of the top four after an untimely loss to Alabama and will the will the FSU/Dawgs bowl game be the greatest non-playoff bowl game ever, or a major letdown?
The ITP Crew also give their personal takes on CFB and the irony of the Pac-12 doing so well in football and women's basketball in light of the conference's demise.
Ron and Ani then breakdown the Hoophall West, giving their takes on standout players and teams that need to re-bound. Ron breaks down star sophomore guard Kaden House of Desert Mountain (Ariz.), while Ani dishes on the spectacular weekend of Kentucky-bound guard Boogie Fland of Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.).
The fellas also dish on AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.) and Corona Centennial (Calif.) reaching a crossroads in their season. Will AZ Compass Prep turn it up and have a chance to challenge the top teams in the EYBL Scholastic and does Centennial have a chance to win a fourth straight CIF Southern Section open crown?
The ITP Crew also give their Hot Take on the Montverde Academy (Fla.) blowout of Columbus (Fla.). Was it surprising? Does FAB 50 No. 2 Link Academy (Mo.) have any chance at the upcoming EYBLS event in Las Vegas against FAB 50 No. 1 MVA after losing to No. 8 Prolific Prep (Calif.)? Ani breaks it down!
The ITP Crew also previews where they will be evaluating games at this month from Las Vegas at the NBA showcase event to Tarkanian Classic, down to Florida and the 50th Annual City of Palms Classic. What teams and players are Ron and Ani looking forward to watching the most?
The ITP Crew also dishes on the reality of few fans at high-level games involving EYBLS and other prep school teams vs. the traditional high school environment. What does it mean? Is it good or bad for the game?
This episode is No. 8 of season six of the ITP Show and offers som terrific insight on the high school scene and the holiday tournaments approach, so make sure to tune into Episode 173 from start to finish! Also make sure to check out our ITP Overtime shorts for more info, insight and behind the scenes stories!
(0:00) - Intro: Ani Goes For It! 

(2:57) - NBA In-Season Tourney: Instant Reaction  

(8:33) - NBA In-Season Tourney: Chelsea's Predictions! 

(11:01) - NBA In-Season Tourney: Ani's Predictions! 

(12:53) - CFB Playoff Mess: Reaction to FSU’s Omission 

(20:26) - FSU vs. Georgia: Great Bowl or Wash-Out?

(24:13) - ITP Crew Give Their CFB Background!

(30:23) - The Hot Pac-12! 

(32:40) - ITP Scouting Report: Hoophall West Standouts!

(38:04) - Hot Take: Most Underwhelming HS Team!

(44:28) - MVA-Columbus (FL) Result Reaction

(52:08) - EYBL Scholastic: MVA vs. Link Academy Preview! 

(53:19) - ITP Crew Holiday Tourney Schedules! 

(56:25) - HSBB: Talent-Laden vs. Traditional HS Games

(1:02:58) - City of Palms/Tark Preview  
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On Episode 172 of Ballislife's "In The Paint Show", ITP hosts Ronnie Flores and Chelsea Hopkins go hard on plenty of topics, including the NBA Rookie of the Year race between the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama and Thunder's Chet Holmgren and discuss the media push of young player highlights vs. contributions to winning teams. Is Holmgren, who was injured all of last season, now the ROY front-runner over the presumed favorite? Did sitting out last season actually help Holmgren?
Ron and Chelsea talk young player development on fairly poor teams. Many rookies and second-year players are getting social media praise for their play, but on teams that have poor records. Does this paint an accurate picture of their development? Is the value of young players over-stated because of the media's push to promote highlights? Ron and Chelsea dish on the important subject!
The ITP Crew break down the announcement of the new 14-team Nike EYBL Scholastic League, which was formally known as the NIBC (National Interscholastic Basketball Conference). What does this mean for the high school landscape? What does this announcement mean for parents and players who strive to make it to the highest levels of the game? What could be in store in the league's future?
The McDonald's All-American Game has been dominated in recent years by players who participate on Nike-affiliated grassroots teams. Now that plenty of the McDonald's selections hail from EYBLS programs, does that change the dynamic of the selections? Does that change the thinking of the selection committee? The game has been around since 1978 and 1989 was the first time two players were selected from the same high school. 2019 was the first time three were selected from the same program in the same year. Ron and Chelsea break down the chances of this year's Montverde Academy (Fla.) team having more than three. Do all five of MVA's starters deserve to make the prestigious game?
Ron gives Chelsea a Pop Quiz of the tumultuous situation between LSU women's basketball star Angel Reese and Tigers coach Kim Mulkey. Will her suspension be lifted and will she come back to the team? Can the player-coach relationship be salvaged and LSU make another NCAA title run? Will Reese lose NIL value once she takes off a Tigers' uniform? Chelsea is put to the test!
Ron and Chelsea also give their hot takes on Bryce James returning to Sierra Canyon, the demise of Sports Illustrated and the once proud sports media giant creating AI-generated stories, a parent at Hinsdale South (IL) High School suing because her returning all-conference son was cut from the basketball team and the ramifications of the House vs. NCAA case. Does the NCAA have a future if it loses this lawsuit?
This episode is No. 7 of season six of the ITP Show and breaks down important topics in high school and NBA basketball, so make sure to tune into Episode 172 from start to finish! Also make sure to check out our ITP Overtime shorts for more info, insight and behind the scenes stories!
(0:00) - Intro 

(1:54) - Bryce James Back At Sierra Canyon!  

(6:03) - Sports Illustrated: Using AI For Stories? Say It Ain’t So! 

(12:20) - Wow: Parent Suing School for Cutting All-Conference Son!

(20:50) - ITP Hot Take: House vs. NCAA Lawsuit (Is NCAA Over?)

(30:08) - Cheslea’s ITP Final Exam: LSU’s Angel Reese & Kim Mulkey! 

(40:13) - NBA Young Stars: ROY Race & Highlight Driven Media Push

(42:53) - Did Chet Holmgren Benefit From Sitting Out? 

(44:34) - Highlight Culture: Are Young NBA Players Over-Valued? 

(49:09) - A Pro’s Perspetive: Adapting To Losing 

(53:23) - EYBL Scholastic: What’s In Store For This League?

(59:36) - Nike Grassroots Dominance in McDonald’s Game 

(1:02:08) - Montverde Academy: 5 McDonald’s All-Americans?!
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On Episode 171 of Ballislife's "In The Paint Show", ITP hosts Ronnie Flores, Ani Umana and Chelsea Hopkins go hard on the situation involving LSU women's basketball star Angel Reese and the dynamic between star player and coach in this current NIL era of college basketball. Many online are trying to pit Reese against her coach Kim Mulkey, but this topic is much bigger in scope than just the defending NCAA champs and its star player and its lighting-rod coach.
A.R. is currently suspended from LSU's team, but the ITP crew goes deeper on this topic, including the issue of student-athlete confidentiality rights, player-coach relationship as it pertains to protecting players from media onslaught and social media rumors, treating players different based on how much money he or she is earning through NIL, making star players available to the media after games, the locker room dynamics and how that has changed because of NIL, and treating players as student-athletes rather than pro athletes.
Chelsea talks about Mulkey flaming the fires of Reese's suspension by avoiding the suspension with the media and Ronnie questions the importance of the relationship between star and coach. How important is it for rotation players to be on the same page with the coach both on and off the court? Ani and Chelsea give their hot takes! The locker room dynamic is a big topic now that star players have the potential to earn as much or more than some on the coaching staff. Can a team win big if the players and staff are not on the same page off-the-court?
The crew then break down what makes a great coach at the collegiate level. Is Mulkey a great coach, or does she have great players?
The ITP Crew also talks about media availability and Ani breaks down how it can hurt branding and draft status by declining. Should it be mandatory that players are made available to media if they are requested?
Ronnie closes the topic by dishing on the future of big-time college sports. Are the players in the revenue sports headed toward employment? What is going to happen in the near future?
Switching gears, Ronnie reveals the results of the preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, which tracks the progress of the nations top high school basketball players. Duke-bound Cooper Flagg of preseason FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy (Fla.) leads a two-horse race in the 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by Ballislife.com. The 6-foot-9 forward edges last seasons Mr. Basketball USA honoree, Cam Boozer of Columbus (Fla.), in a close race between the two elite prospects among 20 national candidates.
Flagg garners six first-place votes, Boozer collects two while two other candidates receive one first place vote. The two other candidates to receive a first-place vote (one each) was undecided guard Dylan Harper of FAB 50 No. 18 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) and Rutgers-bound forward Airious "Ace" Bailey of FAB 50 No. 21 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). Will Harper join Bailey at Rutgers in the fall of 2024?
This episode is No. 6 of season six of the ITP Show and breaks down important topics in collegiate sports, so make sure to tune into Episode 171 from start to finish! Also make sure to check out our ITP Overtime shorts for more info, insight and behind the scenes stories!

(0:00) - Intro 

(0:51) - LSU’s Angel Reese Suspended: Surprising?  

(6:23) - Coach Kim Mulkey: Not Protecting Her Player? 

(12:59) - Coach-Player Dynamic: Does Off-Court Matter Much?

(20:18) - Is Mulkey a Great Coach? What Matters Most in CBB? 

(30:20) - Bobby Knight Parallel: Does Mulkey Need to Adapt?

(35:11) - NIL Era: Pro-Type Scrutiny For Student-Athletes?

(43:24) - Star Player Media Availability: What’s the Obligation?

(48:39) - ITP Hot Take: Are Colleges Going to Employee Athletes? 

(52:27) - Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Results: Cooper Flagg!
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On Episode 170 of Ballislife's "In The Paint Show", Ronnie Flores and Ani Umana give their hot takes on the young risers and early standouts of the 2023-24 basketball season at all levels, from the NBA, college and high school ranks!
The ITP crew starts off with their dish on hoop hot takes that are meant as click-bait and how impressionable those are to young players and fans. Ron and Ani dish on the hot take that preseason FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy (Fla.) can beat a number of D1 college programs and win some CBB conferences. Ron contends that both levels of the game should be respected more and Ani's take is that grown men have a different outlook and motivation when it comes to the game. The fine line between success and failure is much thinner at the college level and Ron also stresses the talent level at quality D2s while Ani also discusses the impact of college-level scouting reports.
The fellas also dish on the ridiculous notion that NBA all-time great Hakeem Olajuwon is "stealing money" teaching old 1990s moves and the surprising assertion by Louis Williams that the Clippers lost motivation and interest during the 2020 bubble because outsiders didn't consider it a legitimate NBA championship.
Ron and Ani tell it like it is!
In their ITP Scouting Report segment, the fellas dish on young players who have stood out so far in the NBA and college and on a number of 2026 and 2027 high school prospects who they expect to have break out seasons. The fellas break down the Thunder's Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren, the Jazz's Keyonte George, USC's Isaiah Collier, Arizona's Kylan Boswell and many more.
The fellas also dish on standouts from the Pangos All-South and All-East Camps whom should be 2023-24 high school standouts whole Ron breaks down the big-time matchup between young 7-foot bigs Keiner Asprilla of FAB 50 ranked Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) and Akol Nyok of Glenelg Country School (Md.).
This episode is No. 5 of season six of the ITP Show and breaks down what we've seen so far in the 2023-24 season, so make sure to tune into Episode 170 from start to finish! Also make sure to check out our ITP Overtime shorts for more info, insight and behind the scenes stories!
(0:00) - Intro 

(0:37) - Game Focus (Too Many Fall Leagues?) 

(3:29) - Can a HS Team Peak Early

(4:46) - ITP Hot Take: Can MVA Beat a D1 Team? 

(16:01) - Hot Take: Ridiculous Takes By Pros!  

(21:00) - Hot Take: Lou Will On The Bubble!  

(24:25) - ITP Scouting Report: NBA Breakout Guys!

(21:03) - Scouting Report: CBB Frosh Eye-Catchers!

(39:32) - Scouting Report: Young HS Players To Look For!
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On Episode 169 of Ballislife's "In The Paint Show", Chelsea Hopkins hosts a special ITP episode, the "2023-24 Preseason FAB 50 Rankings Release Show" to coincide with the release of the complete rankings on Ballislife.com.
Chelsea’s fellow ITP hosts, FAB 50 compiler Ronnie Flores and BIL associate editor Ani Umana, break down the preseason poll, talk "Teams on the Rise", "Teams on the Hot Seat", players to watch for 2023-24 and more!
Chelsea puts Ron and Ani under the gun about the big rule changes involving the elimination of the one-and-one foul shot, how teams get ranked, the bubble clubs that just missed and the big matchups to look forward to during the 2023-24 regular season.
Ron and Ani break down the nation's best high school teams in three segments: Teams 31-50 (those looking to maintain their ranking and win section/conference titles), Teams 16-30 (those with legitimate shots to win state titles and move into the Top 15 because of their size and/or depth) and Team 1-15 (the top FAB 50 title contenders with future D1 prospects coming off the bench and loaded schedules).
This episode is No. 4 of season six of the ITP Show and tips off our coverage of the 2023-24 high school basketball season around the country. This special episode compliments the detailed writeups of all 50 teams on the website, so make sure to tune into Episode 169 from start to finish! Also make sure to check out our ITP Overtime shorts for more info, insight and behind the scenes stories!

(0:00) - Intro 
(0:58) - New NFHS Foul Rules (1-and-1 Elimination) 
(4:57) - How to Get Ranked 
(6:42) - Teams No. 31-50 Released 
(13:07) - How Teams Get in 31-50 Range 
(17:52) - Teams No. 16-30 Released 
(19:46) - Difference Between 31-50 & 16-30
(21:03) - Teams/Players To Watch (16-30)
(28:08) - FAB 50 Guidelines 
(35:25) - Teams No. 1-15 Released 
(39:36) - Teams/Players To Watch (Top 15)
(44:03) - Teams On The Rise (Top 15)
(48:40) - Players To Watch (Top 15)
(1:00:00) - Ceiling For Cooper Flagg/MVA
(1:05:20) - Breakdown Of More Teams  
(1:11:24) - BUBBLE Teams Breakdown
(1:15:49) - Big FAB 50 Games
(1:22:47) - Key Preseason Content Dates
(1:24:56) - Complete Preseason FAB 50 List 
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On Episode 168 of the new and improved Ballislife In The Paint Show, hosts Ronnie Flores, Ani Umana and Chelsea Hopkins give their hot takes on three main topics: USA Basketball coming up short and not medaling at the FIBA World Cup, the 2023 WNBA season and the recent G League Ignite games with its plethora of 2024 NBA hopefuls.
In the ITP Overseas segment, Ron asks Ani and Chelsea some hard-hitting questions on the state of USA Basketball, which failed to medal for the second consecutive FIBA World Cup and finished the event losing three of its last four games. Is it simply a need for more ALL-NBA type players on the roster, or is the gap in talent so small now that FIBA rules make all the difference? The ITP crew break down some of the names that should be on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. The big question is, what changes will be made to the USA Basketball program?
Ron and Ani put Chelsea under the gun in a ITP Final Exam segment on the 2023 WNBA Regular Season. Who is the league's MVP? Who is most improved? Who is the second best rookie after Aliyah Boston? Is the league making the slow but necessary changes to eventually turn a profit? Chelsea gives straight forward answers to these questions!
In our scouting report segment, Ani and Chelsea dish on the recent G League Ignite games, which opened their fourth season on September 6 and 8 against the Perth Wildcats. The G League Ignite team has its deepest roster of NBA Draft hopefuls yet, including highly-regarded draft prospects Ronald Holland and Matas Buzelis.
What was the environment like to scout these prospects, compared to a college basketball game? Is a pro structure and setting beneficial for all the prospects on the team, as compared to the college game? Is it too early to tell just where these prospects will land in the 2024 NBA Draft? Ani and Chelsea break it all down!
This current episode is No. 3 of season six of the ITP Show and the second in our re-vamped format with specific segments and topics. Our pods are a bit shorter and more to the point, so make sure to tune in to each segment of Episode 168 from start to finish! Also make sure to check out our ITP Overtime shorts for more info, insight and behind the scenes stories!

(0:00) - Intro

(2:10) - ITP Overseas: USA Basketball Doesn’t Medal

(5:47) - Overseas: Too Many Excuses? Or Poor Makeup? 

(11:15) - Overseas: Who Should Be On ’24 Olympic Team?

(18:37) - ITP Final Exam: Chelsea’s On The WNBA Hot Seat!

(27:50) - Final Exam: Why There’s Few Underrated W Players?

(31:08) - Final Exam: Chelsea On WNBA Tanking?! 

(37:11) - ITP Scouting Report: G League Ignite Insight

(43:31) - Scouting Report: Chelsea’s Take On G League  

(47:41) - Scouting Report: Ani On G League Practice

(49:05) - Scouting Report: G League Or College?  

(52:57) - Scouting Report: Ron’s Matas Buzelis Insight

(54:45) - Pod & .Com Promo Plugs
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