Tag: 2023 NBA Draft

Even as rookie, Amen Thompson ready to make immediate contributions to Rockets

“Leadership, defense, intangibles, being a good locker-room guy… I can bring that to the team immediately,” #Rockets rookie Amen Thompson says of his mindset entering the season.

During Monday’s press conference from Houston’s NBA home of Toyota Center, newly drafted rookie Amen Thompson (No. 4 pick in the 2023 first round) offered perspective on joining the Rockets along with expectations for his rookie season of 2023-24 and beyond.

Thompson took the stage alongside head coach Ime Udoka, general manager Rafael Stone, and fellow rookie Cam Whitmore (the No. 20 pick). To say the last, Thompson seemed to be enjoying the scene.

“I can bring leadership, defense, intangibles, being a good locker room guy… these things I can bring to the team immediately,” said Thompson, who declared that he was exicted to be a Rocket.

Eventually, though, he has higher goals.

“Hopefully a lot of championships,” Thompson said when asked what he wants his NBA career to look like. “A winning player. Someone who will do anything for his team. Some MVPs [Most Valuable Player], some DPOYs [Defensive Player of the Year].”

Here’s a roundup of key takeaways that Thompson told reporters. With Whitmore and Thompson leading the way, Houston’s 2023 summer league roster begins play on Friday, July 7, in Las Vegas.

Bulls’ Julian Phillips earns praise: ‘He did stuff you can’t teach’

The Chicago Bulls got a great young player in Julian Phillips, as his work ethic is reportedly phenomenal.

The Chicago Bulls went into the 2023 NBA draft with zero picks, but they decided to make some noise. Rather than sit on the sidelines and watch other teams add young talent, they traded into the 35th pick in a deal with the Washington Wizards and selected Tennessee forward Julian Phillips.

Phillips spent one year in college with the Volunteers after splitting his time in high school between Blythewood in South Carolina and Link Academy in Missouri. In a feature article written by Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, Rodney Perry, Phillips’ former coach at Link, recalled what it was like recruiting Phillips.

Phillips was his final recruit; he is an assistant at Kansas State, and he remembers the 19-year-old fondly, noting that he could do everything on the basketball court.

“He did everything,” Perry told Mayberry. “He did stuff you can’t teach. It’s just natural.”

Link had a great season with Phillips. He teamed with Jordan Walsh, who was drafted 38th by the Boston Celtics, and other top prospects, but they lost in the finals to Montverde Academy, which also had an elite roster.

Perry continued to praise Phillip, highlighting his amazing work ethic.

“He has a routine and a regimen that he sticks with every single day,” Perry said. “No matter what his day looks like he’s going to do the same thing. His work ethic is what separates him. There were plenty of days where we’d have a pretty full day and guys would be worn out. But no matter what, he still went to the gym and got his work in while other guys would go to bed or relax. … So you can expect him to have that military work ethic too.”

Based on Perry’s kind words, the Bulls have landed themselves a great young player.

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Ruta: Jordan Walsh will ‘do the little stuff that will impact winning’

New Celtic Jordan Walsh will impact winning for Boston, per his coach

If you ask Arkansas assistant Anthony Ruta what Jordan Walsh will bring to the Boston Celtics, his answer ought to prime the pump for Boston fans expecting a modicum of the defensive intensity they lost with the trade of Marcus Smart.

“I’d say his defense and his athleticism and his rebounding translate directly into the NBA right now, and he just plays so hard,” Ruta said in an interview with the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.

“The fan base is going to wrap their arms around him right away because he’s a guy who’s going to dive on the floor for a loose ball and do the little stuff that will impact winning,” he added with words that could have been used to describe a younger Smart. “He helped us win multiple games just by playing hard and fighting for loose balls”.

“The bigger the stage got, the more responsibility Jordan was given, especially on the defensive end of the floor, having to lock down really good players night in and night out,” the Arkansas assistant said. “He did a tremendous job.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Mark Daigneault compares Cason Wallace to this Hall-of-Famer

“When he smells the ball, he’s a hawk on the ball.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder come away from the 2023 NBA draft with Cason Wallace as their top pick. The Kentucky guard was added to OKC’s roster following a trade up to the No. 10 spot with the Dallas Mavericks.

The 19-year-old is a defensive-first guard with offensive upside who has the makings of being a legit outside shooter. Playing at Kentucky should also excite fans. College players historically play closer to their floor than ceiling there.

Wallace has already drawn several high-profile comparisons to other great perimeter defending guards: Jrue Holiday, Marcus Smart and, even his own teammate, Lu Dort.

Following his introductory press conference, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault offered his own player comparison.

Ed Reed.

Yep. That’s right — the football player.

After establishing himself as one of the greatest safeties ever, Reed was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. The Hall-of-Famer spent most of his 11-year career with the Baltimore Ravens.

What about Wallace made Daigneault think of Reed when he was studying his tape in the pre-draft process? His defensive tenacity to cause havoc on the ball without leakage.

“He’s like Ed Reed out there,” Daigneault told reporters following the presser. “He’s just got a beat on the ball. He’s got great discipline. He’s where he’s supposed to be. He’s not reckless. He’s not doing his own thing, but when he smells the ball, he’s a hawk on the ball. He played football coming up, and he looks like a free safety out there.”

That’s quite the compliment — both with its praise and uniqueness. Daigneault also spoke glowingly about Wallace, saying he fits right in with their culture and is a great two-way player who has playmaking potential.

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WATCH: Brandon Miller talks joining the Hornets, message to fans

Brandon Miller talks joining forces with LaMelo Ball and his message to Hornets fans!

This past Thursday night, former Alabama men’s basketball star, Brandon Miller was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

Miller has since arrived in Charlotte and is already making his way through the media frenzy that comes with being a high selection in the draft.

On Saturday morning, Will Kunkel of Fox Charlotte released a short video clip on Twitter of Miller discussing joining forces with the Hornets and star guard, LaMelo Ball and would also deliver a message to the fans of Charlotte.

Take a look at what Miller had to say!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

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OKC Thunder sign LSU’s KJ Williams to Exhibit 10 deal

The Thunder continue to stay active in undrafted free agency.

The Oklahoma City Thunder continues to add talent to their roster in undrafted free agency. The latest addition is LSU forward KJ Williams, who signed an Exhibit 10 deal, per his Instagram.

The 23-year-old played in five college seasons from 2018 to 2023, where he spent the first four seasons at Murray State. Williams transferred to LSU to play his final season there.

In 33 games last season, Williams averaged 17.7 points on 49% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He shot 41.1% from 3 on an average of 4.3 attempts.

Williams joins Justice Sueing, Tanner Groves, Caleb McConnell, Adam Flagler and Hunter Maldonado as undrafted free-agent signings by the Thunder. All are expected to play in summer league as they attempt to defy the odds of making OKC’s roster for the start of the season.

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OKC Thunder 2023 rookie intro press conference: Biggest takeaways

Recapping Cason Wallace’s and Keyontae Johnson’s introductory press conference:

The Oklahoma City Thunder held their rookie introductory press conference on Saturday as rookies Cason Wallace and Keyontae Johnson spoke to local media for the first time since being drafted.

The Thunder came away with the 2023 NBA draft with the pair of rookies at the No. 10 and No. 50 spots of the draft. The Thunder completed a draft-night trade with the Dallas Mavericks to move up two spots to select Wallace.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti also spoke in the press conference.

Afterward, scrums were held with the media by Presti, Wallace, Johnson and Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault — who was in attendance alongside owner Clay Bennett.

Let’s look at the biggest takeaways and quotes from the presser and the post-presser scrums.

15 great photos of Victor Wembanyama in his new Spurs jersey

Check out the first photos of Victor Wembanyama wearing his Spurs jersey.

Victor Wembanyama is already in San Antonio as the newest member of the Spurs after being picked first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday.

The French phenom has already dined with a few Spurs legends and is eyeing some delicious San Antonio breakfast tacos as he gets acclimated to his new city.

On Saturday, the Spurs introduced Wembanyama to the fan base and gave a first look at the basketball player in his No. 1 San Antonio jersey.

If you want to get an early glimpse at Wembanyama in action on the basketball court in his Spurs gear, we’ve got 15 great photos from Saturday’s media availability.

We’ve got photos of him shooting the ball, going in for a layup and just soaking in the atmosphere at San Antonio’s AT&T Center.

Whether you’re a die-hard Spurs fan or just a casual NBA watcher, it’s worth it to get your first glimpse at the Wemby era of San Antonio basketball.

Victor Wembanyama raved about his dinner with a few ‘generous’ Spurs legends

A handful of Spurs greats have already taken Victor Wembanyama under their wing.

Not even two days removed from the 2023 NBA Draft, San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama has already learned from some of the franchise’s great players.

Wembanyama reportedly dined with Spurs legends Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Manu Ginobili on Friday night, and the rookie raved on Saturday about how much they taught him and invested in him for their few hours together.

“In probably a couple hours, I learned more about the NBA than in my whole life,” Wembanyama said. “It’s comforting to see that these people, who are so important to the city of San Antonio and to the franchise, are such kind people, and generous, because they genuinely wanted to share with me their experience.”

What a cool moment it must’ve been for Wembanyama to get to engage with those Spurs legends in such an intimate setting.

The new San Antonio franchise face also has support from his fellow countryman and Spurs legend Tony Parker, as the two already had an established relationship with each other before Wembanyama was drafted.

“I know he wanted to go to San Antonio, and so it feels like it was destiny, with the French connection we built over the years,” Parker told AP. “And he is going to keep the legacy going. It’s pretty cool.”

Wembanyama is going to carve out his own legacy in San Antonio history, and it’s already so neat to see the Spurs greats of yesterday already embrace the franchise’s future star.

ESPN draft analyst raves about Kris Murray’s arrival, Portland Trail Blazers’ NBA draft

ESPN analyst Jonathan Givony loves the Portland Trail Blazers’ NBA draft and the selection of Iowa’s Kris Murray.

NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony of ESPN recently extolled praise for how the Portland Trail Blazers approached this year’s NBA draft.

Givony raved about the Trail Blazers’ draft in a video on Twitter, captioning it, “I love how the Portland Trailblazers drafted last night; picking Scoot Henderson and Kris Murray in the first round, and then positioning to snag Rayan Rupert in the second.”

Of course, everyone has nothing but good things to say about the Blazers’ third-overall pick Scoot Henderson. Many saw him as the second-best player in the draft, one worthy of a first-overall selection in a non-Victor Wembanyama year.

Whether or not they look to pair Scoot with star point guard Damian Lillard to create a dynamic backcourt, or if they see Scoot as Dame’s successor we will have to see. Whatever direction they go with, Murray is the perfect complementary player, as described by Givony in the interview.

“He’s a very good complementary player for Portland to add. A guy like Damian Lillard looks at him and says ‘Okay, this guy’s turning 23 in August, I can work with this. This isn’t a teenager,” Givony said.

That is a very important thing to note. Murray is not the youngest player in this draft, but for the type of player he is, that experience actually works to his advantage. The Trail Blazers aren’t drafting Kris Murray to be a superstar or someone to carry the team. They already have Damian Lillard and they just drafted Scoot Henderson with that type of future in mind.

What Portland needs now is to start constructing a cohesive roster around their stars. They already have some pretty good guard play, especially with recent draft picks Shaedon Sharpe and now Scoot Henderson.

What they need are those glue guys. The role players who can come in, play off the stars, and help the team in multiple areas. As Givony pointed out, Murray is just that type of 3-and-D wing player.

Whoever Portland decides to build their franchise around, you can be sure that Kris Murray will be a great complementary fit.

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