Category: 2025 NBA Draft

Kansas All-American Hunter Dickinson to return for 5th college season

Dickinson was named a consensus second-team All-American, averaging 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks.

Kansas senior Hunter Dickinson announced Friday on social media that he will return to school to play the 2024-25 season with the Jayhawks, his fifth season in college.

Dickinson was named a consensus second-team All-American this past season, averaging 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks on 54.8% shooting from the field. He ranked eighth in the country in rebounding and 12th in double-doubles (17).

He was also named to the All-Big 12 first team.

The 7-footer joined the Jayhawks last year after spending his first three seasons in college at Michigan. He was one of four active players in Division I this season with at least 2,200 career points and 1,100 rebounds, joining Zach Edey, Armando Bacot and Baylor Schereman.

Dickinson will return to a team with the sixth-ranked incoming recruiting class, headlined by top-50 prospects Flory Bidunga (No. 11) and Rakease Passmore (No. 50). Jayhawks coach Bill Self is also adding Rylen Griffin (Alabama) and AJ Storr (Wisconsin) via the transfer portal.

Kansas will likely be the front-runner to be the preseason No. 1 team in the country next season, with Dickinson back in the fold. The team also returns starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams, likely making it the favorite in the Big 12.

The Jayhawks (22-10) made their 51st appearance in the NCAA Tournament this past season as the fourth seed. They lost to No. 5 Gonzaga in the second round.

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LeBron comments on the basketball future of Bronny James at USC

LeBron James said Tuesday that his son, Bronny, has some tough decision to make regarding his basketball future.

On Tuesday, Hall of Fame sportswriter Dick Weiss reported USC freshman Bronny James had decided to enter the transfer portal after one season at USC.

However, Weiss has since retracted his initial report.

James’ future at USC came into question after head coach Andy Enfield left for the same position at SMU. Enfield had recruited James to join the team, resulting in the four-star prospect signing his national letter of intent on May 10, 2023.

After reporting that James would enter the transfer portal following the departure of Enfield on a now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Weiss said he could no longer confirm the story.

Bronny hasn’t publicly commented on his future, though the 19-year-old still has the Trojans in his bio on Instagram. However, his father, LeBron James, was asked about the report after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.

“I don’t know where (the report) came from but at the end of the day, Bronny is his own man,” James said, via Spectrum SportsNet. “He has some tough decisions to make and when he is ready to make those decisions, he’ll let us all know. As his family, we’re going to support whatever he does.”

Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 36.6% shooting from the field in 25 games with the Trojans this season. He scored in double figures three times, including a career-high 15 points and three assists on Dec. 30.

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5-star prospect Khaman Maluach has committed to play at Duke

Khaman Maluach joins a talented recruiting class for Duke coach Jon Scheyer, including Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba.

Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot center from the NBA Africa Academy, has committed to play at Duke next season, the five-star prospect told Jonathan Givony of ESPN on Wednesday.

Maluach, who was born in South Sudan, chose the Blue Devils over Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, the G League Ignite and the National Basketball League in Australia. He joins a talented recruiting class for coach Jon Scheyer, including Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba.

The 17-year-old started playing basketball roughly five years ago in Uganda. He joined the NBA Africa Academy in Senegal and has made a rapid rise up the rankings to become the third-ranked prospect in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports.

Maluach became the third-youngest player to play in the FIBA Basketball World Cup last year when he represented South Sudan. He totaled eight points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in four games to help South Sudan claim a berth in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

He was named an All-Star and Defensive MVP last month at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana. He measured in with a 7-foot, 4 1/2-inch wingspan and a 9-foot, 8-inch standing reach.

Maluach is considered a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NBA draft as an international prospect born in 2006. He is highly touted for his size and versatility as a player who can shoot and defend, with his length and mobility.

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South Sudan to make history with third-youngest player ever in FIBA World Cup

South Sudan is set to make history by having one of the youngest players ever in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

When South Sudan takes the court in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the men’s national team will make history with one of the youngest players ever to compete.

Khaman Maluach, 16, was named to South Sudan’s 12-man roster for the World Cup on Thursday. He will be the third-youngest player to suit up in the tournament, which started in 1950, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 7-foot-2 Maluach started playing basketball roughly four years ago in Uganda. He then joined the NBA Africa Academy in Senegal and is one of four players from the academy competing in the World Cup, joining Cui Yongxi, Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels.

Maluach is on pace to graduate high school in the summer of 2025. He has received college offers from Duke and UCLA and will be eligible to enter the draft immediately because he is an international prospect born in 2006.

South Sudan became a sovereign state from Sudan in July 2011 and joined FIBA two years later. The team, whose president is Luol Deng, will be competing in its first international event outside of Africa at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The group will open its tournament on Saturday against Puerto Rico in Group B in Manila, Philippines (4 a.m. EDT, ESPN+). The team will also face China on Monday (4 a.m.) and Serbia on Wednesday (4 a.m.) to round out the group phase.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the second round.

South Sudan is headlined by free agent Wenyen Gabriel, Chicago Bulls guard Carlik Jones, Maine Celtics guard Marial Shayok and Peter Jok, who attended Iowa. The group went 3-2 in its exhibition schedule ahead of the event.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup will help seven countries qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The seven spots include the top two teams from both the Americas and Europe (not including host France) and one team from Africa, Asia and Oceania.

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No. 1 prospect Cooper Flagg sets first three official college visits

Flagg, the consensus top-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, has his first three official college visits planned out.

Five-star prospect Cooper Flagg, the consensus top-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, reportedly has his first three official college visits planned for this fall.

Flagg announced this month he planned to reclassify from 2025 to 2024 after a productive summer of performances in competitions across the country. The reclassification was expected given rumors of the potential move emerged months ago.

The 6-foot-8 forward from the Montverde Academy has apparently identified his first visits after his reclassification. His mother, Kelly, told Travis Branham of 247Sports that he has visits to Duke, Kansas and UConn scheduled.

Flagg is expected to be a highly recruited one-and-done college prospect. He recently took an unofficial visit to Duke and will take his official trip to Durham this fall. He has also been offered by Michigan, Texas, UCF and Villanova among other programs.

He was the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year while playing for Nokomis Regional High School prior to arriving at the Montverde Academy. He is highly touted for his defensive ability and has an evolving offensive game that will translate well to the next level.

Flagg will meet the cutoff date to be draft-eligible in 2025; he turns 18 in December 2024. He will likely be projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft ahead of Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Tre Johnson and Dink Pate among others.

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Cooper Flagg will become No. 1 prospect after reclassifying to class of 2024

Flagg, a 6-foot-8 forward from the Montverde Academy, announced on Friday that he will be reclassifying to the class of 2024.

Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-8 forward from the Montverde Academy, announced on Friday that he plans to reclassify to the class of 2024, a move that will make him eligible for the 2025 NBA draft.

Flagg was initially listed as the No. 2 prospect in the class of 2025. However, he will be the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2024 in 247Sports’ rankings after a productive summer of performances in various competitions across the country.

The reclassification was expected after rumors of the potential move emerged months ago. He is expected to be a highly-recruited one-and-done college prospect and recently took an unofficial to Duke. He has also been offered by Kansas, Texas, UCF and UConn.

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Flagg was the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year while playing for Nokomis Regional High School prior to arriving at the Montverde Academy. He is highly touted for his defensive ability and has an evolving offensive game that will translate well to the next level.

He was named MVP in June of the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp in Orlando, Florida. He dazzled at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, averaging 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 6.9 blocks in seven games.

Flagg will meet the cutoff date to be draft-eligible in 2025; he turns 18 in December 2024. He will likely be projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft ahead of Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Tre Johnson and Dink Pate among others.

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