Ouija Wonderings Volume 8: 2/19-5/8
After a longer hiatus than last time, Rowan Kent is back to his Ouija Wonderings to break down draft entry decisions, portal moves, and the state of his personal 2025 NBA Draft Board!
Hello again!
I’d have loved for this column to have come out sooner, but in the eternal wisdom of Jurassic Park’s Ian Malcolm, “Life, uh, finds a way.” I don’t mean that I’ve been trapped on an island evading prehistoric predators; instead, no matter how often I sit down to write this column, I find myself pulled in a new direction or a more pressing piece of the scouting puzzle to try to fit into my draft board.
Since the last Ouija Wonderings column, March Madness has concluded, the NBA playoffs have started, and I’ve been all over the web to keep pace with the 2025 draft cycle! Although these volumes have come bi-monthly, not bi-weekly, that results from trying to fit most of my process into each column.
I’ll keep the beginning brief, as if you’ve been reading this column throughout the year, you have a solid idea of what you’ll get. I have thoughts on 2025 draft prospects, some stray NBA thoughts, and even my first public comments on the 2026 NBA Draft class. It’s the time of year when basketball has stopped and, arguably, the politics of draft season begin.
Through workouts, interviews, and combines, prospects' scrutiny will be turned up a few levels. The same, however, will also be done by players, as the transfer portal serves to counter the dissection players will face from pro teams. College basketball now serves as a true bridge and minor league for players unsure of their NBA credentials, as several players on my 2025 Ouija Board chose to return to college for major roles and gaudy payments over the allure of the NBA.
It’s also worth noting that this column isn’t the usual behemoth that it is, which is mostly due to a ton of my important words already being said on the draft. I’ve got more work to do, but the season's pace has accelerated past the point where I can even sort all of my draft thoughts on paper.
So, without as much ado as usual, let’s dig into the last few months of my scouting!
My Process, Briefly:
At this point in the draft cycle, basketball is winding down. There’s a lot of film to watch internationally and in the United States, so I’ll keep busy, but the conversations around prospects will shift. No longer will the focus be on “over the last five games” or “against Top 75 competition” as it is during conference play; instead, the nitpicking will begin in earnest.