The Sacramento Kings, losers of 14 straight and at the bottom of the league standings, lost stars Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine to season-ending surgeries on Wednesday, ESPN reported.
Sabonis, a three-time All-Star in the frontcourt, had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, ESPN reported. He had returned to action in mid-January after missing 27 games following the mid-November injury.
The 29-year-old averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 29.7 minutes in 19 games (15 starts) this season.
LaVine, a two-time All-Star guard who turns 31 on March 10, had been in and out of the lineup for 10 games because of a tendon injury in his right hand before selecting surgery.
He last played on Feb. 6 in a home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. LaVine averaged a team-high 19.2 points along with 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 31.4 minutes in 39 games (37 starts).
The duo are the highest-paid players for the Kings (12-44), ESPN reported, with LaVine having a $48.9 million player option next season and Sabonis having two years and $94 million remaining on his contract.
Sacramento hosts the Orlando Magic on Thursday night and a 15th straight loss would set a franchise record for futility. The franchise twice lost 14 games when it was known as the Cincinnati Royals.
Minnesota selected LaVine with the 13th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft out of UCLA.
LaVine, 30, averages 20.7 points per game for his career, with 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 32.7 minutes and 1,632 career 3-pointers in 693 regular-season games (602 starts) for the Minnesota Timberwolves (2014-17), Chicago Bulls (2018-25) and Kings. He represented the Bulls at the 2021 and 2022 All-Star Games.
The Orlando Magic picked Sabonis with the 11th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga and traded him the same day to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
For his career, Sabonis averages 16.1 points 10.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 30.8 minutes in 665 games (521 starts) for Oklahoma City (2016-17), Indiana Pacers (2017-22) and Kings (2022-present). He was an All-Star in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups — a Denver native and former basketball star at the University of Colorado and with the Denver Nuggets — allegedly participated in a years-long scheme to rig Mafia-led poker games through sophisticated technological means, scamming wealthy players out of millions of dollars, according to a sweeping federal indictment unsealed Thursday.
Billups was arrested Thursday in Oregon and faces federal charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The NBA said he was placed on immediate leave.
The 49-year-old coach appeared in court later in the day, and attorneys from both sides told the judge they had agreed on Billups’ release from custody on the condition he secure “a substantial bond,” though the amount wasn’t discussed in court. He is also prohibited from gambling-related activity.
Chris Heywood, Billups’ attorney, released a statement to ESPN on Thursday night denying the allegations.
“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his hall-of-fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” the statement read.
“Furthermore, Chauncey Billups has never and would never gamble on basketball games, provide insider information, or sacrifice the trust of his team and the League, as it would tarnish the game he has devoted his entire life to.”
The arrest came as part of a massive federal investigation into illegal, high-stakes poker games with ties to organized crime families. A second, related criminal case involved professional basketball players and coaches allegedly using inside information to set up fraudulent bets for their associates.
The 22-page indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleges the poker games began as early as 2019 and spanned New York state, Las Vegas and Miami.
Victims of the scheme thought they were playing in “straight” illegal poker games, according to the indictment.
In reality, a group of people — referred to as the “cheating team” — worked together to scam them out of more than $7 million, investigators said.
They used a variety of high-tech methods to rig the games, federal authorities alleged. Wireless technologies to read the cards dealt in each hand. Rigged shuffling machines. Electronic poker chip trays that could secretly read cards placed on the table. Card analyzers that could surreptitiously detect which cards were on the table. Playing cards that had markers visible only to people wearing specially designed contact lenses or glasses.
Billups, investigators allege, was known as a “face card.” He and other former professional athletes were used to attract victims to the poker games. In exchange, they received portions of the criminal proceeds, authorities said.
The indictment spells out one game in April 2019, in Las Vegas, when the group defrauded poker players of at least $50,000. Billups, along with four others, “organized and participated in these rigged games using a rigged shuffling machine,” according to the indictment.
‘Threats of force and violence’
Authorities say the games operated “with the express permission and approval of” members of certain organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra.
These individuals — with nicknames like “Spanish G,” “Flapper Poker,” “Sugar” and “Albanian Bruce” — provided support and protection for the games and collected debts in exchange for a portion of the illegal proceeds
The organized crime families used “threats of force and violence” to secure repayment of debts from these poker games, according to the indictment.
All told, the poker scheme defrauded participants of at least $7.15 million, investigators said.
“Using the allure of high-stakes winnings and the promise to play alongside well-known professional athletes, these defendants allegedly defrauded unwitting victims out of tens of millions of dollars and established a financial pipeline to La Cosa Nostra,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said in a statement. “This alleged scheme wreaked havoc across the nation, exploiting the notoriety of some and the wallets of others to finance the Italian crime families.”
Thursday’s indictment “sounds the final buzzer for these cheaters,” said Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The second criminal case involved NBA players and coaches divulging nonpublic information to their associates for the purpose of placing bets.
The 23-page indictment does not name Billups, but does list nine unnamed co-conspirators, including an Oregon resident who was an NBA player from about 1997 to 2014 and an NBA coach since at least 2021. Billups played in the NBA from 1997 to 2014 and was hired by the Blazers in 2021.
That individual, referred to as “co-conspirator 8,” allegedly told a bettor that several of the Blazers’ best players would be sitting out a March 23, 2023, game against the Chicago Bulls in order to increase their odds of getting a better draft pick.
The gamblers wagered more than $100,000 that Portland would lose the game. The Blazers lost by 28.
Chauncey Billups with the Denver Nuggets during practice at the Pepsi Center in Denver on April 6, 2010. (Photo By Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post)
The Denver-born phenom graduated from George Washington High School and played basketball at CU before being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.
Known as Mr. Big Shot nationally and the King of Park Hill locally in Denver, Billups also played for Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Billups won the Joe Dumars Trophy, the NBA’s sportsmanship award, in 2009 while playing for his hometown Nuggets.
Billups is in his fifth season as Portland’s coach, compiling a 117-212 record. The Trail Blazers opened the season Wednesday night at home with a 118-114 loss to Minnesota. Billups’ brother, Rodney, is currently the Nuggets’ director of player development and an assistant coach on David Adelman’s staff.
The Portland coach also serves as executive director of the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy, a summer program affiliated with Denver’s Regis University. The academy helps third through 12th-graders “cultivate character development through an extensive academic curriculum and exposes young leaders to career opportunities in their pursuit of individual success.”
Academy representatives said in a statement that they are “deeply troubled by the indictment against Chauncey Billups, co-founder of the Porter Billups Leadership Academy. We respect the legal process and will closely monitor developments as the facts emerge. Our unwavering commitment to the underserved youths through the PBLA program and our institutional integrity remains steadfast.”
Billups’ attorney indicated in the statement to ESPN that Billups planned to fight the charges made by the federal government.
“Chauncey Billups has never backed down. He does not plan to do so now,” the statement read. “He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court.”
The Sixers have made the most noise in free agency this year than any other team. This has been the free agency that Sixers fans have waited on for many years. Now that the bulk of the moves are completed, how does this year’s team stack up to last year’s?
Point Guard
2023:
Kyle Lowry
Cam Payne
Patrick Beverly
2024:
Kyle Lowry
Reggie Jackson
Jeff Dowtin Jr.
As of now, the point guard position looks about the same caliber of last year. With the talent at other positions, the Sixers need veterans that can distribute the ball and not turn the ball over at the point guard position. With Kyle Lowry and Reggie Jackson, they should get that style of play. Jeff Dowtin Jr. is on a two-way contract, so he probably won’t see the floor too much unless there are some injuries.
Some consider Tyrese Maxey a point guard, but with the addition of Reggie Jackson, him and Kyle Lowry should be taking the point, allowing Maxey to play at SG, his natural and more effective position.
The PG position should remain very similar to last year.
Shooting Guard
2023:
Tyrese Maxey
Buddy Hield
Ricky Council IV
De’Anthony Melton
Jaden Springer
2024:
Tyrese Maxey
Jared McCain
Eric Gordon
Ricky Council IV
The Sixers revamped their SG position with a new young player (McCain) and a new vet (Gordon). Tyrese Maxey will take most of the minutes at this position and could improve even more since last year. If Maxey gets better – like he has in every season of his career – then this could be the Sixers’ strongest position on the team. He already won most improved player in his 4th year and now has bulked up quite a bit in the offseason. Maxey will be the Sixers’ X-factor.
The Sixers also drafted Jared McCain this year. He is another undersized guard, but will have time to learn the game with Maxey ahead of him. There is no pressure for him to shine in the beginning of his NBA career which could help him grow.
In the summer league, Ricky Council IV looked very good. He obviously belongs in a league above the G-league and could start making some plays in the NBA. He could become a good player for the Sixers or they could use him as a trade piece if he excels this year.
Overall, the shooting guard position should look pretty good this year. If Maxey plays as well as last year (or better), then this will be a strong position for them and better than last year.
Small Forward
2023:
Robert Covington
Danuel House Jr.
KJ Martin
Kelly Oubre Jr.
Tobias Harris
2024:
Kelly Oubre Jr.
Paul George
KJ Martin
The biggest upgrade of the offseason came at this position with the acquisition of Paul George. Not many teams have a player with Paul George’s combination of scoring and defensive versatility. Paul George would upgrade the SF position on most of the teams in the NBA.
Not only does Paul George add a ton of skill, but it may be even more noteworthy that Tobias Harris is gone. Tobias was a non-factor in the majority of games that he played in. Losing him and his near-max contract is addition by subtraction. That allowed the Sixers to go out and make big moves in the free agent market.
Kelly Oubre could start for the Sixers, but it’s also possible that he may come off the bench. Kelly Oubre’s skill and energy off the bench will certainly provide scoring and defense for the team. We will have to wait and see what Nick Nurse decides the starting lineup will be.
Power Forward
2023:
Nicolas Batum
Marcus Morris
PJ Tucker
2024:
Losing Nicolas Batum is a bummer, but nobody should ever rely on a player with his skillset and age anyway. He had great defensive instincts, entry passes for Embiid, and could shoot the ball well. He will be missed, but the additions in other areas should make up for his loss.
There’s not much depth at this position right now, but Paul George can move over to the PF if needed. Depending on the lineups, expect to see George at the 4 throughout the season at different times.
Caleb Martin is a very underrated signing by the Sixers. He’s a hustle player that doesn’t need to score in volume and will provide solid defense and peskiness. Not only that, but he has historically raised his game in the playoffs which will come in handy for a team that lacks the mentality in the postseason. He’s undersized for his position, but having a strong defensive anchor like Embiid will help cancel that out.
With Martin and George sharing responsibilities at the PF spot, the Sixers should look improved in this position.
Center
2023:
Joel Embiid
Mo Bamba
Paul Reed
2024:
Joel Embiid
Andre Drummond
Adem Bona
If Embiid’s healthy, then the Sixers never have to worry about this position and they will have the best player, but that doesn’t happen. Recently, the Sixers have not prioritized the backup center position. This positional value is higher for the Sixers because of Embiid’s injury history. Signing Andre Drummond should help the defense stay strong while Embiid is off the floor while also helping with rebounding. Paul Reed isn’t a bad player, but he wasn’t cutting it for the Sixers. Drummond should be able to keep the Sixers even with opponents while Embiid rests instead of going negative every time.
Also, in the past the Sixers didn’t have any consistent offense coming from another position without Embiid. With Maxey’s improvements and now Paul George, they will not have to rely on a center to score points. The offense should be able to hold it down while Embiid rests.
Conclusion
Overall, the Sixers team looks a lot better on paper than it did last year. They’ve added a lot of pieces that look like they will fit with this team well. Obviously it comes down to whether they can get out of the second round of the playoffs, but for now we can look at a much improved team than last year. Adding Paul George should make this season a lot more fun to watch.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons updates his NBA tier list after the latest free agent moves and then discusses what he thinks Danny Ainge’s plan is with Lauri Markkanen, why the CBA is broken, and the thought process behind Wyc Grousbeck’s decision to sell his stake in the Celtics (02:06). Next, Bill is joined by Fox Sports’ Rob Stone to discuss the disappointing USMNT loss to Uruguay, debate whether Christian Pulisic is good enough to be the best player on a team, talk about the lost opportunities to capitalize on soccer interest in the country, and more (31:39). Bill is also joined by Van Lathan, and they talk through the drafting of Bronny James, the hope they have for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F to be decent, what will happen with Joe Biden, the Kendrick Lamar–Drake beef, and their thoughts on Season 3 of FX’s The Bear (55:24).
Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Rob Stone and Van Lathan Producers: Steve Ceruti and Jessie Lopez
It’s not often I jump into the NBA fray in this space, not because I’m not an NBA or Houston Rockets fan, but largely because my good friend Jeff Balke already does such a phenomenal job covering our squad. So you may not know that I’ve spent a large part of my childhood and adult life as a HUGE nerd for the NBA Draft. HUGE nerd.
Back in high school, in the run up to the 1984 NBA Draft, back when I was a card carrying Philadelphia Sixers fan, I would spend every study hall feverishly jotting down mock drafts in my notebook (when I DEFINITELY should have been actually, ya know, STUDYING). I loved the NBA Draft, like I loved nothing else in sports.
Through the years, the NBA Draft has become more tedious to follow, with so many players being one-and-done freshman, if not overseas players of whom I’ve watched practically zero film. This just in — a draft is way more fun to watch when you know who the players are!
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s changing any time soon. However, the NBA has done several other things to mangle and mutilate my beloved NBA Draft that are very fixable, and I am here to fix what can be fixed, and at least make my beloved NBA Draft remotely resemble the gathering I’d come to know and love back in the ’80s and ’90s.
So, here you go, Adam Silver! You’re welcome!
Make “who has what picks” less complicated Teams have been trading picks since the advent of the draft, either for players or for better picks. That’s nothing new. Somewhere along the way, though, in the last decade and change, teams trading first round picks have been include to attach “protections” to them, where the picks may not convey to their trade partner if their pick is in the top 4, or top 10, or whatever is agreed to. Additionally, teams have started using pick swaps as a poor man’s substitute to trading actual first round picks, where a team can choose to flip flop spots with a team in the first round. Well, this whole phenomenon, where it feels like half the picks have some contingency attached, has made the NBA Draft more difficult to follow, less fun to follow. I know NBA hyper-nerds may disagree, because they choose to enjoy the chess game of it all. I’m just saying, for the average person, it makes it all less understandable.
Stop this silly thing where trades aren’t acknowledged until July So the NBA’s actually business year doesn’t begin until several days after the draft. However, trades DO get made on draft night that go into effect at the start of the league year. So instead of just acknowledging the reported trades, the NBA does this stupid thing on draft night where players who are drafted with those traded picks, are still introduced as if the trades are not going to get made. Using a real life example, watch these videos of Luka Doncic and Trae Young getting drafted in 2017. Everyone knew that Luka was headed to Dallas and Young to Atlanta, but because the trade isn’t in acknowledged for another week, we have to stick them in a baseball cap of a team they’ll never play for: If you think I’m being petty about this, then imagine Will Anderson getting introduced on draft night in a Cardinals cap when the whole world knows he’s going to be a Texan. We’d have been robbed of the posterity of the incredible moment of Anderson putting on that Texans cap.
Take away Adrian Wojnarowski’s cell phone I’m someone who likes to have social media open during things like the NFL Draft or the NBA Draft. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the premier NBA insider, was the first insider to take “spoiling picks” on Twitter to the next level. Prior to joining ESPN, when Woj was with Yahoo, he would spoil selections two and three picks ahead. That’s how embedded he is with NBA front offices. Unfortunately, it ruins the experience for many folks, who like the drama of hearing the commissioner announce the picks. So when Woj got to ESPN, the network tried to get him to stop spoiling, so instead he does this snarky crap now where he uses phrases like “zeroing in” or “interest centered upon” to get around the demands of ESPN management. It’s annoying, and honestly unnecessary.
Minnesota is targeting Terrence Shannon at No. 27, source tells ESPN.
Do something about the draft telecast
I suppose there are enough alternate outlets on draft night, with streamers and such, to where it may be petty for me to complain about the telecast, but dammit, I like ESPN! I don’t want to go to some low level steak night at a dive bar, I want Morton’s! ESPN’s presentation was great back in the day, when someone like Rece Davis would steer the ship, tossing to Jeff Van Gundy, Jay Bilas, and usually some other former player. Now, the broadcast just lacks star power, and has become one more vessel to try to force feed Stephen A. Smith to us in gargantuan doses. I’d bring back Davis, and put him with Tim Legler, Kendrick Perkins and Jay Bilas, and let’s go.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) – Following the conclusion of the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night, Kings general manager Monte McNair explains why he chose to select Providence’s Devin Carter with the 13th overall pick, the surprise of him falling to Sacramento, what he sees Carter brings to the NBA level, Mike Brown’s recent contract extension, the opportunities still ahead to change the roster for next season and the future of Sasha Vezenkov with the team.
The second round of the NBA Draft will conclude on Thursday.
(FOX40.COM) The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft took place on Wednesday night, and the Sacramento Kings selected Devin Carter, a guard from Providence College, with the 13th pick.
WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards drafted French 7-footer Alex Sarr with the second pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, using their highest selection in 14 years to add some much-needed size to a team that won only 15 games last season.
Sarr played last season for the Perth Wildcats in Australia. He also spent two years in the U.S. with Overtime Elite, a developmental league.
The Wizards are a year removed from a front office overhaul and an offseason in which they traded Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. Their struggles last season — they set a franchise record for losses — were fairly predictable, and it’s not clear how much anyone in this draft can accelerate their rebuild.
Washington hasn’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 1979, and this is only the third time since then the franchise has picked in the top two of the draft. The Wizards used an ill-fated No. 1 overall pick on Kwame Brown in 2001. In 2010, they used the top pick on John Wall, ushering in an era of mild success that eventually ran its course.
The last time the team picked No. 2 it worked out beautifully — Wes Unseld, taken second in 1968, eventually led the organization to a championship.
Not only did the Wizards trade Porzingis, but they also dealt Daniel Gafford during the 2023-24 season, leaving a significant need for size. But more than that, Washington just needs any young star it can potentially build around.
Twenty years to the day after Washington’s NHL team drafted another Alex — Russian star Ovechkin — the Wizards can only hope Sarr will have a similar impact.
Atlanta had the No. 1 pick Wednesday and took French teen Zaccharie Risacher.
An absolute stunner broke late Tuesday night, with fewer than 24 hours remaining before the start of the 2024 NBA Draft: the New York Knicks will acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a package including four unprotected first-round picks, a lightly-protected first-round pick and a future first-round pick swap, as was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets have agreed in principle on a trade to send F Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick via Bucks, an unprotected pick swap and a second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/TEGsIpoa3b
Already referred to by many as the “Villanova Knicks,” New York now has four former Wildcats set to be critical pieces of their rotation moving forward: Bridges, superstar guard Jalen Brunson, sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo and do-it-all wing Josh Hart.
With the Boston Celtics firmly cemented as the Eastern Conference’s best for the time being, the Knicks have chosen Bridges as the piece worth cashing in the vast majority of their assets for in hopes of catching up to defending champions. And now, there is more than one team that is head and shoulders above the Sixers in terms of present day talent.
Perhaps the most obvious ripple effects this move has on the Sixers are that there is another team in their conference with the potential to seriously contend for a championship, and that Bridges — seen by many as an ideal fit alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — is officially off the table.
The intrigue of these four storied college teammates joining forces in the pros is fascinating, and the Knicks are filled with great players who are likable characters. But it is fair to wonder if four unprotected picks and several other assets for a player who has yet to make an All-Star team is the right path forward. Bridges is tremendous, and will fit like a glove in New York, but is he good enough to warrant a collection of draft choices like this? For what it’s worth, this archetype of trade has come back to bite the team acquiring the “star” more often than not.
But, to be fair, with the Celtics not going anywhere, New York doing all they can to maximize their championship window now that Brunson has emerged as a full-fledged superstar is understandable, and to a degree, even commendable.
Bridges, who the Sixers infamously drafted in 2018 before trading him to the Phoenix Suns during his introductory press conference in which he donned a Sixers hat, has become one of the most respected two-way wings in the entire NBA, and since being the centerpiece of the Kevin Durant trade that sent him to Brooklyn, he has made major strides as a scorer. He was overtasked as a go-to scorer in Brooklyn, and that will not be an issue anymore as he reunites with Brunson.
The next domino to fall here is the status of soon-to-be Knicks free agent OG Anunoby. As recently as Tuesday evening, it appeared Anunoby had enough negotiating leverage to receive just about any contract he desired from New York this summer. Now, with Bridges in the fold, the Knicks are not exactly desperate to bring Anunoby back.
If the Knicks were to let Anunoby fetch offers elsewhere and contemplate leaving New York, the Sixers loom as a potential fit for the acclaimed two-way wing.
Early indications are that the Knicks will prioritize reaching a deal with Anunoby in the near future, which would signal the exit of incumbent starting center Isaiah Hartenstein. But it is not difficult at all to imagine a world in which the Knicks —with DiVincenzo, Bridges, Hart and Julius Randle all under contract moving forward — opt not to give Anunoby the massive deal he is seeking and instead solidify their center position by bringing back Hartenstein.
As for the Nets, this was the right move: Bridges is a tremendous player, but was not leading the Nets anywhere promising in the near future given his lack of support. Accumulating as many draft picks as possible and accelerating the team’s rebuild was always the right call, and they furthered those goals by promptly trading a few of Phoenix’s future picks to the Houston Rockets to regain some of the draft capital they sent Houston when they acquired former Sixer James Harden a few years back. Word quickly trickled out that Houston wants to offer those picks back to Phoenix to try to get Durant.
We have reached maximum levels of chaos, and tonight I am grateful I do not cover the Brooklyn Nets or Houston Rockets.
Another question: how does all of this impact the free agency of Paul George? First the Sixers seemed like a very possible destination for the nine-time All-Star, then they were out, now there are conflicting reports regarding their interest in the star wing who has yet to strike a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Over the last few days, there was steam behind the idea of George forcing a sign-and-trade from the Clippers to a contending team without the requisite cap space to sign him on their own — perhaps using the threat of heading to Philadelphia as leverage to force the Clippers’ hand — but many speculated that destination would be New York. They are almost certainly out of those talks now (if they ever took place to begin with), which could reopen the George-to-Philadelphia door.
If the events of late Tuesday night are any indication, nobody actually knows what is in store over the course of the coming days and weeks. But it is going to be madness, and the Sixers could end up being right at the center of it all.
The San Antonio Spurs haven’t been to the playoff in four years. Now, they’ve called on 7-foot-4 phenom Victor Wembanyama, the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. Jericka Duncan reports.
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama was the presumed No. 1 pick for months, the rare certainty in an NBA draft process that’s often a guessing game.
Yet as the clock above the stage he was facing ticked all the way down to zero, butterflies set in.
“Longest five minutes of my life,” Wembanyama said.
The San Antonio Spurs are confident he will be worth the wait.
The Spurs took the 19-year-old from France who arrives with enormous expectations to become basketball‘s newest sensation on Thursday night, triggering chants of “Wemby! Wemby” from a group of Spurs fans waving signs from the first row of seats in Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Wembanyama comes with far more height and hype than most No. 1 picks. Listed at 7-foot-4, he dominated his French league in his final season there, leading all players in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
Now he makes the move to the NBA, perhaps as the best prospect since LeBron James came out of high school in 2003. Wembanyama brings a package of skills that seem perfect for the modern NBA and too vast for one player, with the size of a center and the shooting and ballhandling ability of a guard.
He teared up as he left the stage with his Spurs cap on and hugged his siblings, then joked afterward about how quickly he was handed a white-and-black No. 1 jersey with his name already on the back.
“Someone knew this was happening somehow,” he said.
Just about everyone did.
Wembanyama was the center of attention throughout the draft process and sat in the middle of the green room — for the short time he was there, anyway. He smiled for young fans who screamed “Victor!” as he walked around the arena, even encouraging one to throw him a basketball that he signed and tossed back up into the stands.
The Charlotte Hornets took Alabama freshman forward Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick.
Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite, whose bling-filled jacket stood in sharp contrast to Wembanyama’s solid green look, was the No. 3 pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.
It was during a two-game series between teams featuring Wembanyama and Henderson last October in Las Vegas that Wembanyama solidified himself as the main man in this draft, scoring 37 and 36 points in front of scouts and some future opponents. His highlights, such as a follow dunk of his own missed 3-pointer, became can’t-miss content for basketball fans during the past season.
Wembanyama is the Spurs’ third No. 1 pick and the first since Tim Duncan in 1997, which led to a stretch of five NBA championships through 2014 before they struggled in recent seasons.
He became the first international player drafted No. 1 without playing any college basketball since Andrea Bargnani in 2006 and ended a run of 13 straight years where a college freshman went first. Blake Griffin, a sophomore in 2010, was the last No. 1 who wasn’t a one-and-done.
Henderson was originally considered the likely No. 2 pick before Miller passed him after his outstanding season for the Crimson Tide. But the 19-year-old believes the two years he played in the NBA’s minor league has him more ready for NBA success.
“I’m the most prepared player in the draft. That’s what I say,” Henderson said. “The fact that I went there for two years just taught me so much. On the court, as well, but a lot of things off the court.”
Draft history was made with the Nos. 4 and 5 picks. Twins Amen and Ausar Thompson of Overtime Elite became the first brothers to be selected in the top 10 of the same draft, with Amen going to the Houston Rockets and Ausar following to the Detroit Pistons.
“Means a lot to my family,” Amen Thompson said. “We were going to be happy whoever went first. For us to go back-to-back, be the first twins to go back-to-back in the top five means a lot.”
Anthony Black of Arkansas was taken sixth by Orlando, ending the run of three straight players who hadn’t gone to college. But then it was right back to the international ranks when Indiana picked Bilal Coulibaly, Wembanyama’s teammate with Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 whose stock soared in the postseason as the team reached the finals in the Pro A League.
The Pacers dealt Coulibaly’s rights to Washington for Houston forward Jarace Walker, who was taken at No. 8.
The Nos. 10 and 12 picks were also swapped, with the Dallas Mavericks taking Kentucky guard Cason Wallace and dealing his rights to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had taken Duke big man Dereck Lively II.
Gradey Dick of Kansas, whose dazzling red jacket resembled Dorothy’s shoes from “The Wizard of Oz,” went to Toronto with the No. 13 pick before Jordan Hawkins of national champion UConn was taken by New Orleans to end the lottery.
There were few trades in the first round, with the Utah Jazz making all three of their picks. They took Taylor Hendricks of UCF at No. 9, Baylor’s Keyonte George at No. 16 and Brice Sensabaugh of Ohio State at No. 28.
The surprise of the first round was Villanova forward Cam Whitmore, projected to be a top-10 pick, falling to the Rockets at No. 20. Nick Smith Jr. of Arkansas went to Charlotte at No. 27 after being considered a lottery selection.
The Miami Heat, who lost in the NBA Finals, took UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. at No. 18.
Familiar names in the second round included UCLA’s Amari Bailey to Charlotte at No. 41, Emoni Bates of Eastern Michigan to Cleveland at No. 49 and Isaiah Wong of Miami to Indiana at No. 55.
The draft was shortened to 58 picks because Chicago and Philadelphia forfeited second-round selections for violating league rules with the timing of their free agency discussions.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Brandon Miller rapidly became an elite NBA draft prospect in his lone season at Alabama.
He headlines The Associated Press’ list of forwards and could go as high as second overall behind presumptive No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama. There are other one-and-done prospects such as Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Houston’s Jarace Walker and Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks as potential top-10 picks.
Here’s a look at the top forwards in the draft:
BRANDON MILLER, Alabama
STRENGTHS: Miller, 20, went from McDonald’s All-American to AP first-team All-American. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 38.4% from 3-point range and 85.9% from the foul line. He also showed the ability to play off the dribble or attack the rim, along with quality play on the defensive end behind the length to chase multiple positions. It adds up to a mix of shooting, athleticism and size suited for today’s NBA game that demands versatility on the wing.
CONCERNS: He needs bulk on a 200-pound frame to handle bumps and physical play at both ends. He faded late after dealing with a groin injury, including averaging 9.3 points on 8-for-41 shooting (19.5%) and going 3 for 19 from 3-point range in three NCAA Tournament games as the Crimson Tide fell in the Sweet 16 despite being the top overall seed.
There’s also his ties to a significant off-court issue: A murder case that led to former Tide player Darius Miles and another man being indicted on capital murder charges. A police investigator testified in February that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun that night. Miller hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing and continued to play, though the ongoing case brought intense scrutiny through the second half of the season on Miller and the Alabama program.
CAM WHITMORE, Villanova
STRENGTHS: The McDonald’s All-American got a late start to the season due to thumb surgery, but became the Big East freshman of the year. Whitmore, who turns 19 in July, has an NBA-ready frame (roughly 6-6 without shoes, 235 pounds) and athleticism to attack off the dribble. He ranked tied for third at the NBA combine in max vertical leap (40.5 inches). And he shot 37.3% on 3s after becoming a starter for the final 20 games.
CONCERNS: He shot just 65.9% at the foul line as a starter and didn’t consistently create opportunities, having nearly as many games with no attempts (six) as those with three or more (seven).
JARACE WALKER, Houston
STRENGTHS: The McDonald’s All-American joined Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars program built on defense, rebounding and toughness — a formula typically better suited to older players. Yet the 6-7 forward fit right in as a 250-pound presence. He measured with a better than 7-2 wingspan at the NBA combine, ranked tied for third in standing vertical leap (34.5 inches) and tied for ninth in max vertical leap (38.0). Walker, 19, is strong enough to tussle with bigger opponents and nimble enough to switch onto wings.
CONCERNS: Walker’s stroke is still developing. He shot 34.7% from 3-point range and just 66.3% from the foul line.
TAYLOR HENDRICKS, Central Florida
STRENGTHS: The four-star recruit was a surprise, averaging 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 47.8% from the field and 78.2% from the line. Notably, he shot 39.4% from behind the arc and had only four games out of 33 in which he failed to hit a 3. Measuring slightly taller than 6-8 without shoes at the combine, Hendricks has athleticism and length (better than a 7-foot wingspan) that could help him become a two-way power forward for today’s floor-spaced game.
CONCERNS: The 19-year-old needs strength to a slender 213-pound frame. He also faced an AP Top 25 opponent twice all season, offering only a glimpse of how he handles top competition.
OTHERS OF NOTE
— GRADEY DICK: The Kansas one-and-done wing made 40.3% of 3-pointers as a potential lottery pick who can space the floor and potentially play as a guard. The 19-year-old measured at better than 6-6 without shoes at the NBA combine, though his minutes could depend on how he holds up defensively.
— BILAL COULIBALY: Wembanyama’s teammate in France offers his own intriguing skillset. Still just 18, the athletic 6-8 wing is a first-round prospect with disruptive-defender potential and the potential to be a quality 3-point shooter.
— G.G. JACKSON: The 18-year-old was set to be the nation’s No. 1 recruit for this season at North Carolina. Instead, he reclassified to enroll early and played a sometimes-frustrating season at South Carolina. The first-round prospect has a 6-8 frame with a nearly 7-foot wingspan, athleticism and shot-creating potential.
— KRIS MURRAY: The twin brother to Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray more than doubled his scoring at Iowa last season (20.2, up from 9.7). The wing — who measured nearly 6-8 with a nearly 7-foot wingspan at the combine — turns 23 in August, hit 35% of his 3s over the past two seasons and could go in the back half of the first round.
___
Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Victor Wembanyama is now set to begin his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, after they won the NBA draft lottery and the No. 1 overall pick on Tuesday night.
The Spurs were one of three teams with the best odds — 14% — to land the No. 1 pick, which they’ll almost certainly use on Wembanyama. The 7-foot-3 French 19-year-old is one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history and will be expected to make an immediate impact on the league.
Immediately following the lottery results, an excited Wembanyama, who was in France surrounded by family and friends, told ESPN that he “loves Texas.”
“I’ve been there before. I’m really happy,” he said. “I really can’t wait to meet the fans and to meet the team, hopefully, I’m going to join in June.”
Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitan92 in action during the LNB Pro A Betclic Elite basketball match between Boulogne-Levallois v Paris Basket at Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan in Paris, France, on 16 May 2023.
Christian Liewig – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
It’s the third time the Spurs have won the lottery, and on both previous occasions they made picks that paid off for decades. They chose David Robinson in 1987, Tim Duncan in 1997, and those selections were a major part of how the Spurs became a team that won five NBA titles under coach Gregg Popovich.
“I’m so excited,” Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt said.
Charlotte will pick second, Portland will pick third, and Houston will pick fourth.
“He’s an incredible young man,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN as part of its draft lottery broadcast. “He’s 19 years old and I didn’t take out a yardstick or meter stick or whatever they use in France, but he seemed all of 7-4 to me. … He clearly appears to be a generational talent.”
The Spurs were 22-60 this season, tied for the second-worst record in the NBA. Popovich and the Spurs have had incredible success with international players in the past – most notably, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who owns the French team that Wembanyama played for last season.
Wembanyama finished his regular season with Boulogne-Levallois of France’s top pro league earlier Tuesday, his 22-point effort good enough for him to clinch the league’s scoring title. It was shortly past 2 a.m. Wednesday in Paris when the lottery results were revealed, and Wembanyama was gathered with family and friends for a celebration.
Finally, they know where his NBA journey will begin.
“I think the team that has the first choice isn’t going to get it wrong,” said Vincent Collet, Wembanyama’s coach in France and also the coach of the French national team — which Wembanyama is expected to play for this summer at the World Cup and next summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Detroit had the worst record in the NBA and was one of the three teams with the best odds of winning. The Pistons wound up falling all the way to fifth, the worst of their possible outcomes.
The rest of the lottery order: Orlando will pick sixth, Indiana seventh, Washington eighth, Utah ninth, Dallas 10th, Orlando (from Chicago as part of an earlier trade) in 11th, Oklahoma City 12th, Toronto 13th, and New Orleans 14th.
Wembanyama is wrapping up his third professional season in France and has been the consensus top pick for months. He has the height of a center, the shooting touch of a wing and the passing ability of a point guard.
He wasn’t at the lottery because of his game schedule in France. But many of the other top prospects — Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite, Brandon Miller of Alabama, twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson of the Overtime Elite program — were in the room to watch the lottery results get unveiled and get a little better idea of where they may be heading to start their NBA careers.
University of Alabama men’s basketball star Brandon Miller has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 20-year-old freshman forward Miller is considered one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class. Miller averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 37 games played.
Miller said he thanks “God, my family, my fans and all the coaches at the University of Alabama,” in a statement to ESPN.
Miller helped lead the Crimson Tide to a 31-6 record and the top overall seed in the men’s NCAA tournament. Miller, playing through an injury, struggled in the tournament and Alabama would go on to lose in the Sweet 16 to San Diego State.
CNN has reached out to the Alabama athletic department for comment but did not immediately hear back.
The embattled star did not miss a game for the Crimson Tide this season, despite a fatal shooting near campus which the school said he is a “cooperative witness” in.
A law enforcement officer testified that another man had texted Miller to bring the man’s gun to the scene, where Jamea Jonae Harris was shot dead in January, according to CNN affiliate WBMA.
Two men have been charged with murder.
Miller has not been charged with any crime.
The Alabama athletic department said in February that Miller is “not considered a suspect … only a cooperative witness” in the murder case.
The 2023 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Justice Department investigation finds Louisville police violated civil and constitutional rights; Rutgers star shares strong bond with mentor who helped him find basketball
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Cliff Omoruyi only started playing basketball at age 14, just before his family in Nigeria sent him to New Jersey. The Rutgers basketball star said he owes his success to his mentor. Nancy Chen has his story.
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
First it was Kyrie Irving to Dallas. Then came Kevin Durant to Phoenix.
The breakup in Brooklyn is rebuilding some contenders in the West.
Trade deadline day in the NBA arrived Thursday with news of a blockbuster. The Nets had agreed overnight to deal Durant to the Suns for a package that included Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder — who later tweeted he was headed to Milwaukee — four first-round picks and additional draft compensation.
A day earlier, the Lakers agreed to send Russell Westbrook to Utah as part of a three-way deal with Utah and Minnesota that brought D’Angelo Russell back to Los Angeles.
“Just like that it’s a war in the West!” Sacramento Kings guard Terence Davis II tweeted.
The Lakers stayed busy up until the deadline with a couple more moves as they try to build a contender around NBA career scoring leader LeBron James. They added another big man in Mo Bamba from the Orlando Magic for Patrick Beverley, a second-round pick and cash considerations, according to a person with knowledge of those negotiations. The Magic are not expected to keep Beverley, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition anonymity because the trade did not yet have league approval.
The deadline was 3 p.m. EST, though most of the deals won’t be approved by the league office until much later; agreed-to deals were confirmed to AP on condition of anonymity because they were not yet official.
“I’ll show you how wrong I was,” said Cleveland president of basketball operations Koby Altman, whose team was one of few that made zero moves. “I thought it was going to be a quiet, quiet deadline. But this is the NBA, and the NBA never stops. And, it’s really fragile. It’s a really fragile industry, and you don’t know what’s going to tip one way or the other.”
Phoenix could end up being more powerful than last season’s squad, which won an NBA-best 64 games then flamed out with a second-round loss to Dallas. The Suns just got Devin Booker back from a groin injury that had sidelined him since Christmas and soon will add Durant to the lineup when he recovers from a sprained knee ligament. That’s on top of Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
Phoenix has won nine of 11 and shared the fourth-best record with Dallas entering its game Thursday night in Atlanta.
The Mavericks also may be stronger after acquiring Irving to pair with Luka Doncic. Irving asked out of Brooklyn last week, frustrated by his negotiations for a contract extension, and he was headed West a few days later.
Then it was Durant, who had gone to Brooklyn with Irving in 2019.
“I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference,” Irving said.
The Lakers are still hoping they can make some noise. They acquired Russell — who began his career with the franchise — from Minnesota, and guard Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz. The deal sent Westbrook to Utah after the 2017 NBA MVP never thrived alongside James and Anthony Davis.
Minnesota got Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah, along with three second-round picks.
The Lakers made yet another move Thursday, sending center Thomas Bryant to Denver for Davon Reed and three second-round picks. Bryant, who started 25 games and is averaging 12.1 points, could be a good backup to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
San Antonio added more assets to its rebuilding project by trading center Jakob Poeltl back to the Toronto Raptors for Khem Birch plus a first-round pick in the 2024 draft and a pair of second-round selections.
Poeltl was one of the most-wanted centers on the market. He’s averaged 12.1 points and a team-high 9.0 rebounds for the Spurs, who acquired Poeltl from the Raptors as part of the Kawhi Leonard-DeMar DeRozan trade in 2018.
The Philadelphia 76ers are set to acquire forward Jalen McDaniels from Charlotte and send forward Matisse Thybulle to Portland as part of a multi-team trade that also involves multiple draft picks.
Thybulle twice made the NBA All-Defensive second team but he has averaged just 4.4 points over four seasons with the Sixers. The 25-year-old McDaniels is averaging a career-best 10.6 points for the Hornets in his fourth season.
It was the second move in two days for the Blazers, who sent Josh Hart to the New York Knicks on Wednesday for Cam Reddish and a protected first-round draft pick.
The Hornets also made another deal, sending center Mason Plumlee to the Los Angeles Clippers for point guard Reggie Jackson and a 2028 second-round draft pick.
___
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds and AP Sports Writers Dan Gelston in Philadelphia, Beth Harris in Los Angeles, Steve Reed in Charlotte, N.C. and Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Armando Bacot didn’t bolt early from North Carolina after a memorable run to the NCAA championship game to chase a professional playing career. Neither did Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, an All-American star of one of the nation’s top programs.
No, business is already good for men’s and women’s college basketball players able to cash in on their fame now.
The option to remain in school is more enticing than ever since the NCAA permitted college athletes to profit from use of their name, image and likeness in summer 2021.
“It definitely is a factor, definitely something that helped,” said Timme, a two-time Associated Press second-team All-American and a preseason pick this year. “If you look across the landscape of not only college basketball, but all college sports, it’s a big reason a lot of people are inclined to come back.”
That’s particularly true on the women’s side, where NIL deals and chartered travel offer more appeal than rookie salaries and much-debated commercial flights in the WNBA.
The women’s game has seen stars like Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers – who is sidelined this year by a knee injury but will return in 2023-24 – and Iowa State’s Ashley Joens opt to stick around. Other prominent names like Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith and North Carolina’s Deja Kelly soon face choices; they become draft eligible by turning 22 next year.
“If you’re an influencer, especially as a student-athlete in college, and that’s your appeal for NIL, you’re going to want to stay in college because that’s how you’re going to make your money,” Van Lith said. “But I think when it comes to people who are going to pursue professional (playing) careers, I don’t know if it’ll make much of a change.”
Deals have come fast from businesses seeking the most marketable of athletes, many of whom have hired agents to manage those opportunities. College-town businesses have looked for ways to partner with an athletes to tap into local notoriety. National companies have done it with social-media promotions or ads.
Athletes are given wide latitude provided they provide some type of service in exchange for compensation. While deal terms aren’t public, they’re estimated to be in some cases six figures or more – with some of the most well-known athletes even pushing past million-dollar projections.
“The difference in college sports, and we’ve seen this time and again, is: do they follow individuals?” said Columbia University lecturer Joe Favorito, a sports and entertainment marketing consultant. “Kind of. But they really follow the school.
“So there are people investing in Duke or North Carolina or Notre Dame because that’s part of the school. So if you go from St. John’s and transfer to Villanova, does that mean all the brand equity is going to come along with you? Maybe not.”
Favorito added: “That’s the challenge of college athletics. It’s much more about community and the collective than it is about individuals sometimes.”
Yet that also explains why there’s value in sticking around to stay tied to the college’s brand, especially in the annual spotlight of March Madness.
On the women’s side, Bueckers’ partnerships include Gatorade. Van Lith has deals with adidas, Dick’s Sporting Goods and JCPenney – which led to a back-to-school shopping spree for Louisville-area kids over the summer. Kelly’s partnerships include Dunkin’ Donuts and Beats By Dre – even presenting her team with custom headphones from the company – and she modeled a Sports Illustrated-themed swimsuit line for retailer Forever 21.
“It’s kind of just taking that (NIL) into consideration as far as I definitely do want to play professionally,” Kelly said. “But it’s just seeing what the best option is as far as what’s going to set me up best successfully, financially in that moment. So I guess we’ll talk about it when the time comes.”
Joens, a preseason AP All-American, returned to Iowa State instead of entering the WNBA draft. While NIL money and chartered flights factored into her decision, the biggest motivator was getting her finishing her graduation requirements this fall.
“It was a long process and I went back and forth,” she said. “I didn’t think about it much last year because you’re focused on the season. I talked to my family a little more and they said what’s more important to you right now? I knew being able to graduate and have a degree was a big.”
Dynamics differ on the men’s side with players eligible for the NBA draft at age 19. There’s also the fact that big men who formerly were surefire first-round draft picks have seen their value slide as the pro game evolves to more floor spacing and 3-point shooting.
Neither Bacot nor Timme were considered first-round prospects. Nor was Kentucky big man Oscar Tsheibwe, last year’s AP national men’s player of the year. All three are back in college and making money from NIL partnerships, notably with Timme turning his handlebar mustache into a deal with Dollar Shave Club.
And then there’s Bacot. The 6-foot-11 fourth-year center suffered a bad ankle sprain in the Final Four and limped his way through the NCAA title-game loss to Kansas, so he wouldn’t have been healthy enough for NBA pre-draft workouts.
But NIL mattered, too.
The preseason AP all-American’s long endorsement list includes local outlets such as having a burger named for him at Town Hall Burger and Beer and helping the local Me Fine organization raise money for families with children suffering a medical crisis.
Expanding beyond North Carolina, Bacot partnered with Arkansas-based Bad Boy Mowers and Kentucky-based horse thoroughbred and breeding facility Town & Country Farms – which ultimately had him travel to this year’s Kentucky Derby.
“Because of the success we had at the end of the year and me, just having a pretty big name in college, it allowed me to leverage that and capitalize on those big opportunities,” Bacot said. “It definitely was something that weighed into coming back.”
And Bacot’s not done. Over the summer, he filmed a role in the upcoming season of Netflix’s “Outer Banks,” a teen adventure series set on the coast of the Carolinas.
The only problem? His summer practice schedule interfered with filming dates, prompting him to joke that Netflix was “probably pissed at me” and might write him out of the show.
If he sticks around long enough, he even might get his own IMDB page.
Not a bad haul for sticking around to play for the preseason No. 1-ranked team.
“It allowed me to know I have some security and I had a little money, which is better than having no money,” he quipped. “That’s great.”
———
AP Basketball Writer John Marshall in Phoenix contributed to this report.
———
Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap
Denver Nuggets rookie Christian Braun is quickly earning the trust of back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic … [+] with his high IQ, fundamentally solid play.
Denver Post via Getty Images
At first glance on the basketball court, there may not seem to be a whole lot in common between Denver Nuggets rookie Christian Braun, a defensive wing known for his toughness, athleticism and hustle, and his second-year teammate Bones Hyland, a long-range sharpshooting guard who’s a hooper to the core.
But one trait which it’s looking increasingly likely that they share is that both may ultimately prove to have a substantially higher on-court value in their NBA careers than the late first round position of the draft picks they were chosen with might suggest.
Simply put, the Nuggets may have landed themselves significant draft steals in two consecutive years.
Hyland was selected with the 26th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft after an impressive two-year run with the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, and upon joining the Nuggets, wasted little time in quickly becoming a beloved fan favorite with both his infectious personality and the positive on-court impact he created for Denver as a rookie, especially flourishing after taking over backup point guard duties midway through the season.
Braun, drafted with the 21st pick in June, and now just three games into his professional NBA career, is already making a significant mark for Denver, particularly on the defensive end, and has done so sooner than many expected even considering the championship pedigree he earned earlier this year with the Kansas University Jayhawks.
Before being drafted, both players were projected by most prominent draft analysts to be picked in the late-first or early-second round, and both were indeed eventually selected in the 20s, near the upper end of that range. But certainly in the case of Hyland (with a much larger sample of games at this point), there’s a strong case to be made that he in actuality is at minimum a late-lottery caliber talent who merited (but did not receive) on of those coveted NBA draft green room invitations.
And early as it is, now Braun as well is showing signs that he might have more fittingly been drafted higher than he actually was.
And based on the results from a collection of mock 2021 “redrafts” in which draft analysts go through the process of re-selecting the class in the order they “should have” been chosen in retrospect, Hyland has indeed performed at a level where he’s now esteemed as a significantly higher quality player than the 26th pick he was actually taken with.
Results for Bones Hyland in five 2021 NBA redrafts point to his being a definitive draft steal for … [+] the Denver Nuggets
Chart by Joel Rush, data via NBA, Bleacher Report, CBS, Rookie Wire and The Athletic
As the chart above shows, and average of five different 2021 redrafts lands Hyland on the cusp of lottery pick territory, just over 11 spots above his true draft position. This puts him squarely in “draft steal” territory, a status well-earned by his commendable play as a rookie which earned him a larger role this season.
And while it’s far too soon to do a similar re-draft exercise with the 2022 class, the nascent indications of the direction Braun’s developmental track is heading are nearly all pointing up in meaningful ways, and his level of NBA-readiness seems to be off the charts, even if a few youthful mistakes show up here and there.
“Christian Braun is a rookie who is growing up pretty quickly in this league,” head coach Michael Malone said after Denver’s recent home-opening win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. “It’s great to see him step in and shoot those shots with confidence.”
Those shots Malone refers to were a trio of three-pointers in Braun’s second-half stint against OKC, the first of which was his first made three in the NBA, but all of which were critical in helping the Nuggets stay afloat in what ended up being an uncomfortably close game.
“They made good passes, and [OKC] played off of me,” Braun said after the game. “Jok [Nikola Jokic] had skips to the corner. When Jok hits you with them skip passes, you have to shoot them.”
Malone expanded on how he had urged Braun to keep shooting: “When he came out, I said, ‘listen, make or miss, you have to take that shot because it’s a good shot and you work your ass off every day.’”
“And tonight, he stepped in with great confidence and that was fun to watch,” Malone added.
In addition to the value of Braun hitting his shots, something which will only help to solidify his place in Denver’s rotation, he has perhaps just as importantly very quickly begun earning the trust of back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, which is critically essential for any player he shares the court with, as well as Malone and seasoned veterans like Jeff Green.
A huge part of gaining that trust from his teammates and coaches is just how smart, fundamentally sound, and within-the-flow Braun has proven to play nearly from moment one.
In the sequences below, for example, there are about 20 things he just “does right” as these plays unfold, from consistently feeding the ball to Jokic in the post, to getting straight to his (correct) spots on the floor, to denying the ball to his defensive assignment at the perimeter, to monitoring the passing lanes for the steal, to selflessly passing up worse shots to create better ones for his teammates, and much more, all in the span of about two minutes of playing time.
Although both Malone and Jokic have reputations (whether fairly earned or not) for having confidence issues with younger, less-experienced players, it surely seems they have both already opened the door to let Braun into their circle of trust.
In Malone’s case, this is in no small part because of Braun’s relentless effort, hustle and (importantly) effectiveness on the defensive end of the court, which was on full display in Denver’s hard-earned road win at the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
The fact that Malone entrusted Braun with guarding not only microwave scorer (and sometimes Nuggets-killer) Jordan Poole, but also two of the greatest shooters in NBA history in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, speaks volumes about just how much faith he has in the rookie.
Last season, from January 28 onward when he took over the role as the Nuggets’ full-time backup point guard, Hyland averaged 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists with 2.1 made three-pointers on a .392 percentage from deep on his way to being named to the NBA All-Rookie second team.
Because so much of Braun’s impact and effectiveness on the court shows up more in the eye test than on the stat sheet, it’s hard to know at this early stage whether he will get the same kind of recognition as Hyland even if he qualitatively has just as good of a rookie season.
But one of my 2022-23 Nuggets predictions was that Braun would pass fellow wing Davon Reed in Denver’s rotation by the All-Star break, and judging by their minutes totals so far (41 and 19, respectively), he’s already ahead of schedule in cementing a regular spot. And assuming that continues, which is reasonable based on just how well he’s started his young NBA career, Braun should have every opportunity to prove that he, like Bones, was yet another Denver Nuggets draft steal.
ORLANDO, Fla. — (EDITOR’S NOTE: Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, will do a periodic diary for The Associated Press to chronicle his first season in the league. Banchero plays his first regular season game Wednesday when Orlando visits Detroit.)
Everything counts now. The season is starting and it’s the real thing. Every win, every loss counts, so this is another level of seriousness that you’ve got to bring. You’ve got to focus while also embracing it and having fun.
It’s not like college, and in a good way. You have all day to focus on your job and your craft, your body and yourself. We’re here in the AdventHealth Training Center probably for three, four hours out of the day. Other guys have a wife and kids or other obligations, but myself, I don’t have anything else to do but this.
I’m spending that time getting a massage or stretching, making sure I get the right amount of sleep that I’m supposed to get, trying to do all the little things right. When I walk into the facility or walk into game day, I want to know I’m prepared and in the best possible state mentally and physically that I can be. That’s the best thing about being a professional. You’ve got all the time in the world to just be your best self. That’s what I’ve been trying to do.
We have goals. We want to compete in our conference, whether it’s for a play-in or playoff spot, just trying to get there and play meaningful games later on in the season. We want to grow as a team, be better than we were the game before and, hopefully, every step we take will be in the right direction this year. For myself, I want to play free, play instinctive and if I do that, everything else is going to take care of itself. I think that’s how it’s always been for me.
One of my goals is to be rookie of the year. That’s not THE goal. The goal is to get to the play-in, or playoffs. But obviously, I expect myself to play well. I feel like I’m the best rookie. Winning that award would mean a lot, but it’s not the end-all, be-all for me. It’s something I would like to win, for sure.
I like our team. I could go on about every player, but I feel like Franz Wagner just brings a certain level of seriousness to the team. He’s focused, smart, student of the game, very, very smart player. Him and his brother, Moritz. I picked up on that pretty early because I’m kind of the same way in terms of just being focused and having a serious approach and just trying to do whatever it takes to win. I think we align a lot mentality-wise and just the way we see the game or how much we want to win. Wendell Carter Jr., too. Really everyone, but I’d say Franz and Wendell are two guys who I immediately got that vibe from. We’re all forwards who can handle, pass and shoot. I think we have an understanding of what we all want to do and where we can get to with this team.
Orlando, the city, has been great so far. I wouldn’t say I go out a lot or even go out to eat a lot. But just driving around the city, being around the city, it’s a nice city to be in and I feel like people here are very welcoming. The city’s not too busy, but it’s also not boring. It’s not quiet and not packed with people. It’s got a nice vibe to it.
As far as like what I do, I’m really in my place, just chilling. I like to leave the balcony door open because it’s always got a nice breeze. Little stuff like that is what I like. I really don’t have anyone out here with me right now, even to do stuff with.
We’re all young. Everyone on this team kind of has something to prove. Whether it’s their own agendas or the team agenda, with the recent struggles around here, we want to just put the Orlando Magic back to where they should be, which is the playoffs and in contention for championships. I mean, it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not going to happen in a week. It’s a long process. It’s a marathon. I think we all embrace that.
And I think we’ll surprise people this year.
———
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
