Cooper Klein says he was in borderline tears when Derrick Queen was drafted.
1. Upside Swings NBA Draft Podcast uses the 25-26 rookie class to build a set of fake awards, Rookie of the Year picks, and All-Rookie teams.
2. Bryce Hendricks hosts with Cooper Klein and Stone Hanson, and all three are weighing rookie impact, minutes, and team context.
3. The episode asks which rookies will actually produce value this season, not just who has the best long-term talent.
4. The first debate centers on best defensive rookie, with Cooper Flagg, Carter Bryant, Khaman Maluach, and Ryan Kalkbrenner all entering the discussion.
5. Bryce ends up on Cooper Flagg because Dallas can use him as a defender on wings and as a help-side piece next to Anthony Davis.
6. Stone also lands on Cooper Flagg, but he adds Amari Williams, Javon Small, and Thomas Sorber as other names he would consider.
7. Cooper Klein takes Ryan Kalkbrenner for the literal definition of defensive impact, pointing to Charlotte's weak interior defense and Mark Williams' departure.
8. The next category asks which rookie will have a fluke season, defined as a player who posts flashy rookie numbers without matching real long-term value.
9. Bryce worries about Kasparas Jakucionis because Miami may lean on Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, and Terry Rozier ahead of him.
10. Cooper chooses Danny Wolf, saying Brooklyn could give him too many minutes, which could produce counting stats without strong defense or efficiency.
11. Stone also picks Ryan Kalkbrenner, saying the rookie year could look better on paper than it really is.
12. The disappointment question turns to Murray Boyles, Derrick Queen, and Jakucionis as rookies whose landing spots may limit opportunity or clarity of role.
13. Stone says Murray Boyles needs spacing in Toronto, but Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, and other non-spacers make the fit awkward.
14. Cooper attacks New Orleans as a landing spot for Derrick Queen and says Zion, Trey Murphy, and Jeremiah Fears could all crowd him out.
15. The scoring race becomes a debate between Trey Johnson, Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Ace Bailey.
16. Bryce and Cooper eventually settle on Trey Johnson as the likeliest scoring leader, while Stone backs Cooper Flagg and mentions VJ Edgecombe as a dark horse.
17. The tone stays argumentative and specific, with each host repeatedly interrupting, correcting, and revising the other host's player evaluations.
18. The format moves in quick category blocks, so the episode feels like a live draft-board exercise rather than a single long-form interview.
19. Fans who follow draft projections and rookie role debates will get the most out of this episode.
20. Listeners who want team-by-team NBA game breakdowns instead of draft superlatives may skip it.
