The Tank Commander Podcast

We are recording LIVE from Noah's house! Thanks to a timely business/fun trip to Jeffrey's old haunts, the two Tank Commanders are recording a live episode together!We discuss some overreactions to what has been some unexpected development from the rookies and sophomores, so tune in for all of our first impressions and hot takes. Recommendations: Noah - The electronic album "Holonomy" by Vorso, widely eclectic electronic album full of melodies for enthusiasts and noobs alike to enjoyJeffrey - Just the entire Okinawa prefecture. Live there if you can, but visit for a long time, at least once in your lifetime. Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

Karim Lopez has a tremendous range of outcomes, and this eval was really tough! Especially hot on the heels of the Bennett Stirtz episode. We break down a lot of his strengths and weaknesses, and still finish with wanting to see more from his season. 00:00 Introduction and Statistical Breakdown06:20 Defensive Analysis17:20 Offensive Analysis30:49 Player Comparisons33:58 Recommendations and Wrap-UpRecommendations: Noah - Another stellar sequel, "Hades 2" an addicting and super-polished indie roguelikeJeffrey - From the makers of Dungeons and Daddies, "Sons and Sensibility" a courtship TTRPG set in the Jane Austen timeframeFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

After a month long life-related break, we are officially back! And just like we're coming back, so too is Bennett Stirtz, coming back for his senior year and joining Iowa, after a stellar season from Drake. He's an incredible shooter and great passer. What's holding him back from the top? Is it just his age? Find out here!00:00 Welcome Back!01:20 Player Profile06:43 Offense25:08 Defense30:44 Comparisons39:43 RecommendationsRecommendations:Noah - Stellar sequel to the equally stellar prequel, "Ghost of Yotei"Jeffrey - Re-watching the Dragon Ball series, starting from the original and progressing to SuperFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

This week we look at Arizona State-turned-Kentucky all-purpose big man Jayden Quaintance, who brings a lot of athleticism, versatility, and skill to the draft's true-big roster of players. He has a lot going for him, with sky high potential as one of the youngest players in next year's draft, even if next year will be his second year of playing college hoops. Don't miss this one!00:00 Intro07:19 Offense23:56 Defense30:44 Comps42:00 RecommendationsRecommendations:Noah - The folk-ish electronic album "Worlds" by Porter Robinson, currently housed in Noah's Top 3 Albums of All TimeJeffrey - 1) "The Man from Earth" film series, mainly the first one 2) The Laver Cup, Team Europe v Team World team matchupFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

After discussing the top 3 prizes in next year's draft, we realized we needed some extra insight. We called in none other than friend of the show, the one and only Ben Pfeifer, to come out and chop it up with us about AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, and Darryn Peterson. He brought fresh perspectives from us and helped us put the Big 3 into context with each other, and with historical draft hauls. This was a lot of fun, and it brings so much insight into the huge prizes of next year's draft. Happy Tanking!Recommendations:Ben - 1) The latest season of the Australian-edition Survivor 2) Music! JID's new album "God Does Like Ugly"Noah - The latest collaboration album between Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA called "Scaring the Hoes"Jeffrey - "The Legend of the Galactic Heroes" epic space opera, both in light novel and anime formFollow Ben Pfeifer on Social Media!Read: Sportscasting/Basketball InsidersYoutube: https://youtube.com/@benpfeifer8192?si=k1cbThy0SM_KRk0zBlueSky: @bjpf.bsky.socialX: @bjpf_Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

We round out our 2026 Top 3 previews with the last, but not least, of Darryn Peterson. He is a gear shifting lead guard with incredibly mature offense and lot of defensive upside, who is currently in the lead this season and being mocked at #1 in a lot of draft sites. Let's dig into his game and see where he is worth this hype, and where he can still grow. 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Darryn Peterson07:15 Offense24:03 Defense40:18 Roles46:18 Comparisons and Player Comps53:28 RecommendationsRecommendations:Noah - Minor League Baseball games at any level, particularly the Omaha StormchasersJeffrey - The ENTIRE Mission: Impossible movie series, namely Final Reckoning but most especially the best of the series, Mission: Impossible III.Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

In our second prospect preview of this 2026 cycle, we take a look at the top-3 and almost-always #2-ranked prospect Cam Boozer, a power forward heading to Duke. We talk about his very skilled offensive game, and then get into more nuanced discussion about his defense and his fit. This was a pretty deep dive for this time of the year, and ends up being a very thorough look at Cam and his future developmental paths. 00:00 Cam Boozer Consensus02:11 Stats and Measurements04:52 Offense25:37 Defense31:12 Role and Things to Look For40:43 Comparisons45:24 Recommendations, including War of the Worlds ReviewRecommendations:Noah - The genre-bending electronic album "Unspoken" by LUOJeffrey - The British detective show and character study "Endeavour" on Prime VideoFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

Welcome to Season Two!We kick the season off with the player with possibly the highest potential in the Top 3 conversation for the 2026 NBA Draft: BYU commit AJ Dybantsa. He has a lot of talent and tools, with a refined skillset only made more impressive by his age and size. He has a few warts too on both sides of the ball, so we give our best early takes on AJ and his prospects to go #1 in next year's draft. 01:45 Physical Attributes03:24 Offense28:58 Defense38:53 Future Outlook45:05 Podcast Dynamics and Personal Biases47:38 Season Goals and Guest Appearances54:44 RecommendationsRecommendations:Noah - So bad it's good, very obviously COVID-produced and Amazon-funded project, "War of the Worlds" movie starring Ice Cube.Jeffrey - Part Presidential murder mystery, part **redacted for spoilers** Hulu mini-series "Paradise" starring Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden. Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

This week we go over seven standouts from all Summer Leagues and evaluate their games. Most were way too good, but others stood out and still had some things to work on. Not all reviews are glowing, but these players stood out for what they showed in their games and how they'll be able to shine on NBA rotations in the coming season. 01:13 Noah's Draft Combine Results05:07 Cooper Flagg08:31 Ron Holland12:18 Reed Sheppard16:46 Ace Bailey21:28 Derik Queen25:12 Yang Hansen30:04 Kyle Filipowski34:57 RecommendationsRecommendations: Two video games this week!Noah - Hades, dungeon crawling rogue-like/lite that is tons of fun for its replayability in short bursts and incredibly addicting gameplayJeffrey - American Truck Simulator, painstakingly recreates real-world highways all across America, to include Jeffrey's home region in the San Francisco Bay Area.Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

The thrilling sequel to our pod with Erik Ong AKA Rotomancer. We go through the rest of the first round and finalize the last picks of both drafts, going in-depth on each player's real-life and fantasy potentials. Don't miss it!Recommendations:Erik - "Somebody Feed Phil" globetrotting culinary tourism show on NetflixNoah - The mostly free and very helpful nutrition tracking app called CronometerJeffrey - 1) The College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, MO. Recreate your own NBA Draft Combine and test your hoop skills in this awesome museum. 2) The greatest match of all time, the 2008 Wimbledon Final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Follow Erik!@RotomancerFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

This conversation was so good we had to break it in two. In these next two episodes, we discuss rookie values using TWO REAL dynasty rookie drafts! You'll get a lot of insight on fantasy and dynasty from Erik, and get the Tank Commanders' takes on rookie values. You'll get a whole lot more in-depth than what we advertise, so tune in!Recommendations next episode!Follow Erik!@RotomancerFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

We review the 2025 draft! We break down each pick across both rounds, per team. We love certain rookies (see our big board episodes), and draft fit was a HUGE factor in our reviews, along with our ideation of draft value. The conversation gets interesting when we start talking about New Orleans, Brooklyn, and Toronto...01:27:50 RecommendationsRecommendations: Noah - The electronic/club/house-rooted but wider-appealing full album "Footpaths" by Former HeroJeffrey - Two restaurants in the Central Coast California: Mexican barbecue house Floriano's in Lompoc, and foodie friendly Full of Life Flatbread in Los AlamosFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

Special note: We have made it to ONE YEAR of podcasting!! Thank you to everyone who supports us!! We have finally made it to the last episode before the REAL NBA draft! This time, we do our first and final FULL first round mock draft, featuring some of our favorite guests straight out of the Center Hub: 3-time guest Jeremy AKA On Ball Creator, and the guest of our most popular episode Corban Ford!We have an awesome and surprising mock draft that starts at the #3 slot to the 76ers all the way to the Clippers at #30. Come for the draft insight, stick around for the banter, and deep dive for some great recommendations and Tidjane Salaun talk. PLUS, thanks to Corban's keen eye, we reacted LIVE to the Celtics trading Jrue Holiday for Anfernee Simons + Picks from the Blazers!This was huge fun, so we hope you enjoy it!00:00 Introducing Jeremy and Corban02:40 Mock Draft Overview03:20 Draft Order RNG Determination03:36 Consensus Picks 1 & 2 Discussion07:02 Starting the Mock Draft at 301:22:49 Draft Surprises and Honorable Mentions01:26:30 Draft Night Expectations and Wild Predictions01:27:27 Setting Over/Under Predictions for This Year01:28:38 Inside Look at NBA Draft Rooms01:29:21 The Tidjane Salaun Discussion01:33:02 Final Thoughts and Draft Anticipation01:33:26 Recommendations and Closing Remarks01:50:08 Reacting to late breaking Celtics/Blazers TradeRecommendations:Jeremy - Classic and hilarious 1968 movie "The Party" starring Peter SellersCorban - The highly addicting and very apt hidden gem browser-based game "Basketball GM," spanning players and transactions with real data from 1947 to today. https://basketball-gm.com/Noah - So bad it's good, the entire filmography of director, actor, writer, producer, Neil Breen, particularly the film "Double Down"Jeffrey - The classic HBO crime and procedural series revolving around the Baltimore drug scene "The Wire"Follow our friends!Jeremy AKA On Ball Creator@onballcreatorCorban Ford@corbanfordTheir team:@thecenterhub_bbhttps://the-center-hub.com/Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

At long last, Noah and I do our FINAL **public** big board of the 2025 draft class! We got through the first round, in batches of five and talk about the prospects that we like/don't like, where we're higher/lower than consensus, and where we differed from each other.If you only listen to one catch-up episode on these prospects, this is the one to listen to!00:00 Introduction and Overview01:40 Top 1-30 Big Board01:15:46 Recommendations (recommend you stick around for the music conversation)Recommendations: Noah - The experimental dubstep/electronica musical album "Led by Ancient Light" that also pairs with a 5000-page sci-fi novel of the same name.Jeffrey - The 2005 Australian Open Men's Semi-Final match between Roger Federer and Marat Safin. Truly one of the best matches of all time. Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

With Cooper Flagg followed by Dylan Harper being universally mocked as the consensus top-two picks, we wanted to see how good this 2025 pairing was in context with the best 1-2 pairings since 2015. As a pair, are they better than Wemby/Brandon Miller? Better than KAT and D-lo? Find out as we rack and stack the classes!Recommendations:Noah - The addicting and infinitely-replayable Baldur's Gate 3Jeffrey - "Best Served Cold" a vengeance tale continuing Joe Abercrombie's grimdark fantasy worldFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

These may very well be our last prospects of this draft cycle! These gentlemen take us to 31 prospects total this season, with all but one of them, Labaron Philon, sticking around in the draft.This time around, we take it back to the United States and look at the late-rising NCAA prospects: Arizona's Carter Bryant, Washington State's Cedric Coward, Florida's Walter Clayton Jr, and Arkansas' Adou Thiero. This was more thorough than we intended, but we hope it helps you round out your scouting for this year's draft!00:00 Introduction01:42 Carter Bryant22:26 Cedric Coward39:57 Walter Clayton Jr.56:29 Adou Thiero01:13:37 RecommendationsRecommendations:Noah - Underappreciated, and sometimes misclassified hyper-pop susperstar UnderscoresJeffrey - The best craft beer in Central Coast California: Figueroa Mountain Brewing CompanyFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

We made it to episode 50!!This week we try and do a little bit of a speed-run catch-up scouting session for everyone. This time, we round out our scouting with four rising French prospects: Maxime Raynaud, a skilled forward/big out of Stanford; Noa Essengue, a rangy athletic wing; Noah Penda, a crafty passing wing; and Joan Beringer, an uber athletic defensive big. We provide the essential breakdowns for each player and help you catch up on your scouting for this year's draft. Use this knowledge of deeper cuts to outdraft your friends, enemies, and frenemies!00:00 Introduction01:52 Maxime Raynaud17:31 Noa Essengue34:32 Noah Penda51:52 Joan Beringer01:02:46 RecommendationsRecommendations:Noah - Underappreciated, overlooked Soundcloud-exclusive dubstep artist Modal NodesJeffrey - The addicting and stress-inducing spy show Patriot, on Prime VideoFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

In the second part of our recording, we conduct our first mock draft of this season, with the real lottery order and with team needs in mind. It gets a little chaotic, but that's the fun of this exercise!00:00 Introduction and Setup00:54 Deciding the Draft Order02:22 1. Mavericks07:06 2. Spurs08:20 3. 76ers10:23 4. Hornets13:16 5. Jazz15:23 6. Wizards18:01 7. Pelicans20:33 8. Nets23:27 9. Raptors25:46 10. Rockets27:47 11. Trailblazers30:47 12. Bulls32:47 13. Hawks35:18 14. Spurs39:54 Mock Draft Recap41:08 RecommendationsRecommendationsNoah: 1) Re-iterating Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 now that he's beaten the game. 2) Swiss Army Man, a surreal Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano movie from 2016, with the former as a very useful corpse.Jeffrey:1) Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, both the 2013 Broadway version and the 1998 made-for-tv classic starring Brandy and Whitney Houston. 2) The book "The Inner Game of Tennis" by W. Timothy Gallwey. Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

This week was a special week, with both of our teams being eliminated in the playoffs, plus the Draft Lottery and Combine. We react to everything in this first episode for the week, and do a quick analysis on Nique Clifford. In Part 2, we do our lottery Mock Draft!00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview01:45 Noah's Celtics Cope Pod11:58 Jeffrey's GSW Cope Pod--17:26 Draft Combine Quick Reactions--25:50 Nique Clifford Intro 28:25 Nique Clifford's Offensive Skills37:14 Nique Clifford's Defensive Skills41:31 Comparisons and Big BoardFollow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR

We bring back Jeremy AKA On Ball Creator back to our show to help us talk about Israel/Ratiopharm Ulm point guard Ben Saraf, as well as break down some draft sleepers. Jeremy is always a fun and insightful guest, so don't miss this one! Ben Saraf required help in analyzing his strengths and weaknesses because his game has some good nuance. 00:00 Introducing Ben Saraf and our guest On Ball Creator01:16 Player Stats and Analysis06:51 Comparisons and Draft Potential28:05 Analyzing Player Roles and Comparisons32:05 Defensive Potential and Versatility34:54 Future Projections47:03 RecommendationsRecommendations:Jeremy - Underground hip hop artists: Louis Logic, Brother Ali, and Masta AceNoah - The full album, "The Fox and the Bird" by Ok Goodnight.Jeffrey - Kathmandu Momo Station, Nepalese food with two locations in Omaha, NE. Follow On Ball Creator on Twitter/X!@onballcreatorHis team:@thecenterhub_bbhttps://the-center-hub.com/Follow us on Twitter/X!Jeffrey: @Podlaoan, and @podlaoan.bsky.socialNoah: @BBallTankNoahOld Man Squad Podcast Network: @OldManSquad**Join us in Discord! https://discord.gg/8Ss9PCYRuR