The 2024-25 NBA season is now over. The NBA offseason is about to begin. In fact, it already has. As midnight neared on the East Coast on Monday, news broke that the Boston Celtics agreed to trade two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Fears had the eighth-highest usage rate in 2024-25 among major conference Division I players as an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Oklahoma after reclassifying, showcasing elite skill for someone at such a young age. That the Sooners won 20 games and pushed into the NCAA Tournament with him leading the way is a testament to his potential.

However, every year, the NBA serves as a reminder that not all the attention is directed in the right places — the rest of the draft matters. The draft picks outside the lottery matter. The aperture for draft conversations needs to widen.