Bench Mob Blog is now in its sixth year of existence. Building and maintaining this blog has been an incredibly fun and rewarding journey for me, and one of the best parts of the journey has been all the connections I’ve made along the way. My strong presence on Twitter has allowed me to cross paths with so many awesome people in the content creation space. I love what I do, I love the game of basketball and I recognize the grind of being a small creator in a crowded and competitive industry. That’s why I find it so important to support the people who are not only putting out thoughtful, quality work, but also those who are in this for the right reasons. Passion and positivity stand out in an online sphere dominated by click hunting, trolling and even bigotry. Today, I want to shout out 10 writers, YouTubers, Tweeters and other creators who not only are connections of mine, but also are the exact type of people who I want to see succeed in the NBA media world.
Jacoblocks
If my memory serves me right, Jacob and I first connected circa 2023 through the now-defunct blog LG Hoops. Since then, he’s been one of my absolute favorite people in this space. Jacob is a dedicated YouTuber who gives knowledgeable and spirited commentary on his New York Knicks and the league as a whole. His channel is one of my go-tos when it comes to finding something to watch while I eat. He and I have collaborated a few times, both on his channel and on podcasts, and talking ball with him is always a great time. Jacob’s channel has just over 430 subscribers right now, but he deserves to see that number to double (if not quadruple) this year. Go watch Jacoblocks!
Roundball Renaissance
Roundball embodies the type of positivity that shines through in what can be such a negative space. Who else is making full-length videos just gushing about Jevon Carter and Miles McBride? His YouTube channel, which I have appeared on, is full of informed analysis from creative angles. He loves and appreciates this game, and the humanity and humbleness he displays feel genuine even through a screen. His usual closing to his videos, “be kind, tell somebody you love them”, always resonantes with me. What I said about Jacob’s subscription count applies to Roundball, too. Go join the Roundball Renaissance!
Eamon Cassels
My guy Eamon has been doing some really impressive work over the past year. When I first connected with him, he was covering the Celtics for Last Word on Basketball, but he’s since become the site expert for FanSided’s Dunking With Wolves, producing some of the best Timberwolves coverage out there. Even cooler, though, is his podcast, The Cassels Cast, where he discusses a wide range of NBA and NFL topics weekly with some fun guests, including myself, Jacoblocks and Bruce Veliz (who I’ll introduce shortly). If he wants it, a career in sportswriting feels fully attainable for Eamon at this point. Go read his work and listen to The Cassels Cast!
Zac Day (Brew Hoop)
All of my colleagues at Brew Hoop do fantastic work. I wanted to give a special tip-of-the-cap to our newest editor Zac because he’s written some uniquely captivating stories that I can’t get enough of. An English teacher by day, Zac has a virtually unmatched command of language and a knack for storytelling. His screenplay-style pieces are truly unlike any other sports article I’ve read and they rock. Go read Zac’s work, and every other Brew Hooper’s, too!
Shax
A lot of people in the NBA media space act like they understand the game but actually don’t (I’m looking at you, Awful Coaching). That’s why people like Shax who have unbelievable basketball minds are a breath of fresh air. Shax is incredibly dedicated to his craft. He hand-tracks a laundry list of Xs and Os stuff and other analytics for every single Knicks game, breaking down hoops at an extremely high level. A lot of his work is free, which is wild, and you should absolutely check it out while that’s still the case. Go follow Shax!
Josh Medeiros
If you’re into the history of the NBA, Josh is your guy in that department. He co-hosts a podcast called Once Upon a Dribble that tells the stories that matter from the league’s past. He often highlights forgotten primes from players many fans have only heard of through MyTeam on 2K, teaching the youth a thing or two about real ball knowledge. Josh is also just one of the all-around good guys in the NBA Twitter community. Go follow him and check out his podcast!
Bruce Veliz
Speaking of good guys, Bruce is a beacon of positivity on NBA Twitter. It seems like he loves what he does and it shows. He’s highly supportive of fellow creators, too. Bruce covers the Phoenix Suns for SBNation’s Bright Side of the Sun and the NBA as a whole for his YouTube, Swish City. He and I recently collaborated on an article about Jamaree Bouyea, one of this season’s best two-way contract breakout stories. Go follow Bruce and read his work!
TipOff
TipOff is one of the best in the graphic design game right now. They consistently churn out in-depth statistical analysis work that’s presented cleanly and effectively (my data storytelling professor would be proud). I’ve had the pleasure of working on a series of posts about two-way contract gems with them that have been noticed by the players we’ve highlighted. Accounts like TipOff’s give me hope that AI will never completely erase human design work. Go follow them!
Dizzle Dynasty Crew
Nobody is doing fantasy basketball coverage as thoroughly as the good folks at Dizzle Dynasty. Their extensive rankings and round-ups could turn anybody into a perennial champion in their fantasy leagues. The Dizzle crew are real hoops sickos— I did a podcast episode this fall with Zach and Brian all about two-way contract players. Go explore the Dizzle Dynasty universe!
Ben Sig
Ben doesn’t do any writing or YouTubing, but he’s one of my favorite Twitter follows. He knows as much about the G League as anyone I’ve come across, and he keeps tabs on and analyzes all the players and transactions that the average fan blips past. If I was a G League GM, I’d hire him to my scouting department. Go follow Ben!
After reading this article, I hope you not only check out these creators, but also approach your sports media consumption with smaller outlets in mind. People love to complain about the state of national media and how it’s more about hot takes and clickbait than uplifting basketball. If you want to see change, you should support Jacoblocks, Roundball Renaissance, Eamon Cassels and everyone else who’s in this lane for the love of the game. They can and will be the difference makers.
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