The 2026 PIT Diaries: Day Two
Jam Hines and Stephen Gillaspie are BACK with a recap of their second day scouting in Portsmouth!
Stephen: Day Two in Portsmouth was another awesome day! The day started off a little earlier, with the first game kicking off at 3:30 pm ET. Jam and I podded around noon, hit up a restaurant at the casino (the closest I’ve ever been to being inside a casino, by the way). and then made our way inside as the game kicked off. Of course, getting to link up with some scouts, media, and agents made the day more fun than it otherwise would have been…but I’m ready to talk HOOPS!
Jam: It was Day Two in Draft Sickos paradise! After a strong opening slate, we finally got to see every team compete and were treated to more excellent performances. After Day Two, there is a real possibility that we begin to see players enter “shut it down mode” after all but locking up invites to the next stage of pre-draft events (the G-League Elite Camp and the NBA combine.
Most Impressive Players
Jaden Henley | Wing | Grand Canyon | 6’7” | 210
Stats: 19 PTS, 4 REBS, 1 AST, 6 STLS, 6/110 FG, 1/3 3P, 6/6 FT
Stephen: I left off in my Henley write-up yesterday by saying that I wanted to see if Henley could sustain his stellar play from his first game. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Jaden was absolutely the best player today, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to deny it either. While it took him a little bit to get into the flow yesterday, Henley got cooking quickly, converting a mid-range fade on his team’s second possession. He continued to attack the basket and draw fouls, while also maintaining his aggressiveness in going after rebounds. Defensively, he didn’t get the six steals he logged yesterday, but his effort was still good. It would be nice for him to do a smidge more connective playmaking, but his team routinely went to him when they just needed to get points on the board. If I had to pick someone who is most likely in “Shut It Down” status, it may be Henley, but like my guy Jam told me in a conversation, NBA teams may want to see more of him. Whether or not he continues to play, Jaden has made the most of this opportunity in Portsmouth.
