In this episode of The Matt Babcock Show, NBA draft analyst Matt Babcock shares his experiences as he begins his scouting season. He reflects on his first trip to Chicago in 1997, where he saw Michael Jordan play. He discusses his recent visit to Champaign, Illinois, to watch the University of Illinois basketball team. Matt highlights the prospects he evaluated, including Terrence Shannon Jr. and Coleman Hawkins, and shares insights into his scouting process and travel routines.
Matt Babcock: “As an NBA draft analyst, the beginning of each basketball season represents turning the page to a new chapter and journey. There's always a new group of players for me to research. First, I need to figure out who can play, but I also want to learn about their backgrounds, personalities, and what makes them tick. And each player is unique, with a different story of their own. To figure out who has what it takes to make it on the highest level of basketball, I have to research these prospects thoroughly. So in addition to watching film and researching on my computer in the comfort of my own home, I also have to get my eyes on these prospects in person. I have to get in the trenches. Well, it's basketball season, which means it's that time of year again when I often live out of my suitcase and go from city to city. The 2023 NBA draft isn't until June 22nd, but I feel the pressure to figure this out.”
“I have a lot of basketball to watch and a lot of ground to cover. I just made my first big trip of the season. So today, I'd like to share my thoughts on the basketball I've watched and some details about my travels. My latest scouting journey has begun, and I'd like you to join me for the ride.
"I'm Matt Babcock, and this is The Matt Babcock Show.
"Since I first got out of college, I have always held jobs that required me to travel often. My job responsibilities have changed over the years, but I've been zigzagging the map for a long time. Subsequently, I rarely visit new places.
“I'm usually the guy who gives friends suggestions about where to go and what to do when they travel. So I was recently on a flight, and they announced that we had begun our initial descent. I looked out the window and saw an all-too-familiar place, Chicago, Illinois. I thought about some of my previous experiences in the Windy City, and it felt like a million memories flashed through my head. I remember my first trip to Chicago like it was yesterday. It was 1997. My dad had just begun working for the Milwaukee Bucks, and my family had just moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about an hour and a half north of Chicago. My parents and little sister drove down right after Christmas. We decided to do things differently that year regarding Christmas gifts, as we went shopping on Chicago's famous Michigan Avenue to pick out gifts for ourselves.
“Since my family was new to the Midwest, we were in dire need of getting some winter clothes. My family had moved around quite a bit while I was growing up, but we had only lived on the west coast in California and Arizona, warm weather places. Before we moved to Wisconsin, I didn't own a winter coat or have any winter hats, gloves, or scarves, nothing like that. So there's no better place to get geared up for the cold winter than Chi-town. So that's what we did, and it was a lot of fun. Chicago is such a vibrant city. I love it there, and I still do. And although shopping on Michigan Avenue was a neat experience, that wasn't the main reason we came to town.
“It was to go to a basketball game. But not just any game, we were going to see the Chicago Bulls. It would be my first time seeing MJ play in person. Yes, that MJ, Michael Jordan, the GOAT. Luckily, we had great seats as the Bulls were playing the Atlanta Hawks, and my uncle, Pete, was their general manager, so he got us tickets. For someone who grew up around the time I did, there was nothing bigger than Jordan. He was larger than life. Honestly, I don't know if we will ever see an athlete that made as big of an impact as Jordan.
“And not even just on the court, but off of it too. He changed sports marketing forever. In Jordan's prime, he was as famous as probably anyone ever, anywhere. I couldn't believe I was gonna be able to see him in person with my own eyes. I was beyond excited. I remember walking into the United Center and hurrying to our seats. My eyes were wide open. My heart was pumping intensely. Then once we were in our seats, he suddenly appeared as he ran out of the tunnel onto the court.
“As soon as he was seen under the bright lights, the crowd instantly went into a frenzy and cameras flashed everywhere. I felt like I was in a movie. It was like seeing a godlike figure in the flesh. And once the game started, he didn't disappoint either, not even close. He dropped 47 and made it look like it was nothing. On top of that, he did it against Steve Smith, an all-star that year and a great player. I remember thinking, this guy isn't real. I saw MJ play several times that year, but that first time was extra special. At that point, watching Michael Jordan play for the first time in person was probably the best day of my life.”
“Well, that was my first trip to Chicago. Since then, I've been to the city countless times. I remember tagging along with my dad when he went to scout DePaul, when they had talented teams with players like Quentin Richardson, Bobby Simmons, and Stephen Hunter. And then for several years, I volunteered at the NBA Draft Combine. I did all types of stuff, from wiping sweat off the court, to rebounding for the players, and assisting the trainers with gathering the players' measurements. And I had so many great times of being a tag along with my dad and various NBA execs when they go to some of Chicago's best restaurants. I remember going to steakhouses like Gibson's and Ditka's and getting Italian food at Rosebud. And then I have many memories in Chicago from when I was an agent recruiting players. The go-to was booking a room at the Peninsula Hotel for meetings and then walking across the street to Rosebud for dinner.
“And I remember being in Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine while writing for Sports Illustrated a few years ago. And this was a sad memory. I woke up to a call from my dad. It was a tough call. He was calling to let me know that my uncle Rob had passed. Rob had a long career working in the NBA. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and battled it for a couple of years. So we knew it was coming, but still, that was a tough day. However, I still attended the combine.
“And as I sat there watching it, it felt like everyone in the league came over to give condolences at one point or another. So although it was an emotional day, it was great to see and feel how much support my family had from people throughout the league. Well, as you can see, I've been to Chicago many times and have a lot of memories. In recent years, I've gone there for scouting, which leads me back to my recent trip. So my flight landed in Chicago. However, this time, I wasn't staying in Chicago.
“I was heading south. And I mentioned that I rarely go to new places these days, but ironically, on this trip, I was visiting somewhere new, which was Champaign, Illinois, the home of the University of Illinois and the Fighting Illini. So as I stepped off the plane, I pulled up my phone, opened the Avis app. I'd already reserved a car, but I was given the option to select a specific car on the app once I arrived. Options were somewhat limited, and I picked a Ford Mustang, which is not perfect for a trip in the midwest in November, especially if it snowed, but I went with it anyway. I mentioned in our last episode that my key to being an effective scout is organization and efficiency. Well, that's not just the basketball part. It's also the travel.
“So I headed to the rental car center, hopped in my car, and before I knew it, I was outside the city, cruising south on I-57. Next stop, Champaign, Illinois. I planned things out so that I'd land in Chicago around noon, and since the drive is about two and a half hours, I could arrive in Champaign mid-afternoon. I was set to attend Illinois' game vs. Monmouth that night, which didn't start until 8 p.m., so I had a bit of a cushion and hopefully have some time to sit down at the hotel for a minute to catch my breath, get cleaned up, and grab a bite to eat before going to the game. Luckily, there were no hiccups with my travel, so things unfolded just as I had hoped, which is not always the case. I stayed at a Marriott hotel near the campus. I always stay at Marriott hotels, so like Avis, I also have status with Marriott, and I rack up the points. For example, I took my wife on a beach vacation in Mexico this past off-season to celebrate our anniversary.
“We stayed at a five-star hotel, and I paid for the entire trip with points. It's probably the best benefit for someone that travels as much as I do. My hotel in Champaign was in the heart of town and close to the arena. It was a little chilly out, but I decided to walk to dinner and then get a ride using Lyft from there. I prefer walking as much as possible when I'm on the road. It's a great way to get my steps in and get my blood flowing. But it's also a great way to explore and get a feel for the places I visit. And especially since it was my first time in Champaign, I wanted to see what it was all about. Before my trip, I sent out a message on social media asking for restaurant recommendations and received a ton of feedback.”
“I narrowed it down to two spots, an Italian restaurant named Nando Milano and a place called Seven Saints. Although the Nando restaurant looked incredible, it felt like a bit much before scouting a game. So I decided to head to Seven Saints, which I'm glad I did because it was great. I grabbed a spot at the bar and asked the bartender what he suggested. He said they were known for their sliders and their blackened ribeye sandwich. I told him, sold. I will have the ribeye sandwich with an iced tea. He closed me out right away because I was attending the basketball game and need to get out of there quick. Once my food came out, I pretty much devoured it.
“The sandwich was so good. I'll go back to Seven Saints next time I go to Champaign, but I'd also like to try the Italian restaurant. So maybe I'll stay in town a little longer next time. So after a full day of planes, trains, and automobiles, I finally arrived at the State Farm Center for the game. Before my trip, I requested media credentials through the Illinois Athletic Department, which is standard procedure. In most cases, schools or event operators grant my request, leave me a credential and parking pass and reserve a media seat. However, the Illinois Athletic Department responded by saying that they do not provide credentials to scouts, but would be happy to send me a ticket. So although I was surprised they didn't consider me as media, it didn't really matter because the ticket they left me was perfect as it was near the court. So I got to my seat, and it was finally game time.
“Monmouth is a smaller school and didn't have any players that are hot on my radar, but Illinois was stacked with talent, which is why I was there. The main prospects I was there to see were Terrence Shannon Jr., Coleman Hawkins, and Matthew Mayer. But I was also interested in watching freshman Skyy Clark and Ty Rogers, who had caught my eye while they were in high school. Illinois' top NBA prospect is probably Terrence Shannon Jr., who's also a part of Damian Lillard's Formula Zero, like I am. So I've gotten to know Terrence personally in the last few months. So I was excited to see him, and he played great. I think he's finally making the jump in his development that I've hoped he would. He seems to be on the fast track to becoming a potential All-American and NBA draft pick. I think the Illini team will likely go as Terrence goes, but I think he's ready to take on that role and the burden that comes with it.
“It was a bit of a different story for Coleman Hawkins, who I currently have projected as a second-round pick. After having a monster season opener where he scored 23 points and knocked down five of eight shots from three, Coleman had a pretty underwhelming game versus Monmouth. He only shot one for five from the field, didn't play with a ton of confidence, and seemed pretty frustrated. I've known Illinois head coach Brad Underwood for a long time as he's friends with my dad, and actually, he showed interest in signing me out of high school when he was the head coach at Daytona Beach Community College in Florida. I think coach Underwood is a great coach, but he's old school and you have to have thick skin to play for a coach like him. He was on Coleman pretty hard that night, but from the outside looking in, it seems to me that Underwood was using that game to set the tone and use it as an opportunity to develop Coleman.
“I remember when I was in high school, I was with former NBA coach and hall of famer George Karl and his son, Coby, who was a friend and teammate of mine. George told us a story about taking a similar approach with a young player when he was the head coach of the Seattle Supersonics. He said something along the lines of, this player was bitching and moaning about me riding him all the time. But I told him, when you really need to worry is when I stop yelling at you, because that's when I've given up. Well, George's story has always stuck with me. And I think that's what was going on between Underwood and Coleman that night. He was just giving some tough love, trying to get him to maximize his potential. And I can appreciate that. Honestly, I hope it works out for Coleman. He has NBA talent and fits the modern NBA well, as he's a versatile stretch big. And although I don't let personal relationships affect my evaluations, I am rooting for him as we have strong family ties. I've known Coleman's dad for years because he played at San Diego State while my dad was an assistant coach there.
“Matthew Mayer, who I've been intrigued by for a couple years now, didn't have a great game, but I love his talent. He has excellent size, he can do many things on the offensive end. I like to see him turn things up this season. And I like Illinois' two freshmen, Skyy Clark and Ty Rogers. Skyy Clark is already the team's floor general. He's so crafty. His biggest problem regarding the NBA will be his lack of size. Smaller guard's values have seemed to drop more and more in the NBA as coaches prefer switchable players on the defensive end. And with Ty Rogers, I'm not sure when it will be, but I'd be willing to bet that he plays in the NBA.
“He's a tough-nosed, no-nonsense player with a well-balanced skill set. He's one of those types of guys that does a lot of little things that contribute to winning. I'm a big fan. Anyway, I think Illinois will be one of the better teams in the country this season. The game I attended wasn't close, but I'm glad I saw them play, nonetheless. After the game, I caught up with a young writer named Brandon Simberg, who writes for FanSided. I met Brandon a couple of years back at the NBA Draft Combine when he was covering former Illini Kofi Cockburn. Anyway, Brandon is a great guy that has a bright future. He really knows hoops.”
“And since he's an Illinois alum, he was the perfect person to show me around Champaign. First, we grabbed a beer at Murphy's Pub, and then walked over to a bar named The Red Lion, which was a cool place that was packed, but considering I was almost 20 years older than everyone else there, I wisely sent myself home so I could get a decent night's sleep. After all, I had a big day ahead of me, as the next day I would be driving up to Indianapolis for the State Farm Champions Classic, where I'd see a doubleheader with Kentucky facing Michigan State and Duke versus Kansas. So after a great night's sleep, I woke up early that next morning, grabbed a quick breakfast at Mary Ann's Diner, a coffee to go, and hit the road. Which leads us to our next episode, where I'll share details about the next stop of my most recent trip, Indianapolis, Indiana.
"I'm Matt Babcock, and this is The Matt Babcock Show.”
