Tag: Donovan mitchell

2017 NBA Re-Draft: Is Jayson Tatum or Donovan Mitchell the No. 1 pick?

In a re-draft of the 2017 NBA Draft, who would replace Markelle Fultz as the No. 1 overall pick?

At the time, the 2017 NBA Draft was regarded as one of the deepest and most talented drafts of the last decade. In the nearly three years that have played out since, those prognostications have been proven correct.

Already, three members of that draft have earned All-Star selections and that only begins to tell the story. Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Donovan Mitchell have carved out roles as budding stars while the likes of De’Aaron Fox, Lonzo Ball, Jonathan Isaac, Lauri Markkanen and others have developed into respectable starters.

None of that dives into the bizarre story of the No. 1 pick of that draft in Markelle Fultz. Calling his stint with the Sixers injury-filled would be an understatement but it remains hard to put into words how extraordinary his time with the Sixers was. But a trade and a chance to reset has allowed him to start to return to his University of Washington form.

A re-draft of the 2017 class would certainly have Fultz far from the top pick, but which All-Star would take the top spot?

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The HoopsHype Weekly: Behind-the-scenes issues between Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell persist

Although time apart could have eased tensions, that doesn’t appear to be the case with the simmering beef between Mitchell and Gobert.

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STILL HEATED: Sometimes, space and time apart can help mend semi-broken relationships. However, that certainly does not appear to be the case with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, as apparently, the relationship does not seem to be salvageable after the whole coronavirus-related drama the duo went through a month ago.

Here’s the full report, courtesy of The Athletic: “Considering all the efforts the Jazz had taken to educate their players on the matter and to ensure their safety, it’s not hard to see why there would be frustration with anyone who was still downplaying the disease [as Gobert was]. Now, though, they must find a way to move forward. The Jazz have already begun working on the Mitchell-Gobert relationship, but sources say Mitchell remains reluctant to fix what might have been broken. “It doesn’t appear salvageable,” one source with knowledge of the situation said.”

Regardless, the fact that there may be a lot of time before games start back up this season — if they do at all — gives people within the Jazz organization hope that Mitchell will get over his beef with his French teammate, something he should probably do anyway considering no one knows if Gobert gave coronavirus to Mitchell or vice versa. And, for what it’s worth, Joe Ingles tweeted a simple Lol in reference to the report and even joked about only being mad at Gobert because he can’t visit his house to enjoy Gobert’s chef’s great cooking.

No one knows how this issue between Utah’s two All-Stars will end, but if, in the absolute worst-case scenario, the Jazz end up having to choose between the two players, things could get dicey. Do they go with the elite defensive big man who is an underrated offensive player thanks to his finishing down low and outstanding pick-and-roll game? Or will they go with the super high-upside 2-guard who could one day blossom into one of the NBA’s best at the supremely important position?

Truly a tough call, though HoopsHype readers went with Mithcell pretty emphatically when polled yesterday.

CHANGES IN CHICAGO: Don’t look now, but it appears the Bulls are serious about making changes in an effort to try and give their fans a team worthy of rooting for.

This week, they hired a new executive vice president of basketball operations in Arturas Karnisovas, who has done an excellent job as an assistant general manager in Denver since 2013 and will now get the chance to call the shots in Chicago.

DRAFT TALK: Draft early entry declarations are coming in hot and heavy these days. To keep up with the latest and find out who’s declared so far, click here.

For more on the draft, check out the latest aggregate mock draft we put together, which averages out what all the top draft prognosticators are predicting to happen come draft time.

THERE TO STAY: Vet point guard Shabazz Napier, acquired by Washington before the trade deadline, is set to be one of the top floor generals available in free agency this summer (or whenever free agency actually happens). Well, the Wizards plan to do their best to keep him around for the long haul, per GM Tommy Sheppard.

END OF THE LINE: Not surprising, but this looks like it could be it for legendary Spanish big man Paul Gasol’s career. He says retirement is on his mind with all that’s been going on recently.

ONE-ON-ONE: Clippers big man Patrick Patterson told us people within the organization are confident the season will resume at some point this year.

OFFSEASON PREVIEWS: With not much else to talk about, we started a series of offseason previews recently. So far, we’ve talked about what the Timberwolves and Bulls might do after 2019-20 finally wraps up.

TOUGH ROAD: Our own Bryan Kalbrosky recently spoke to fringe draft prospect Desmond Bane out of TCU, to discuss his improved draft stock, what the process (which he’s been through before) is like — and much more.

FRESH POD: Meanwhile, Alex Kennedy interviewed author Yaron Weitzman, who recently released a book called Tanking to the Top about the Process-era 76ers. Great read, and a fun discussion between the two writers.

Joe Ingles joked about the idea that the Jazz have beef with Rudy Gobert

Joe Ingles just wants to come over for dinner.

There’s been talk about beef between the Utah Jazz players and Rudy Gobert for a while now.

Gobert’s careless behavior ahead of his coronavirus diagnosis rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including his teammate Donovan Mitchell who was diagnosed with the virus a day later.

That pot was stirred once again Friday morning when it was reported that the relationship between the two stars didn’t “appear to be salvageable,”according to reporting from The Athletic.

But his teammate, Joe Ingles actually seemed to indicate that wasn’t the case. In fact, he just wants to come over his house for a meal or two.

Gobert said he’s more than welcome, too.

Back to Ingles, he seemed to be pretty dismissive of the story. He tweeted “Lol” shortly after it broke and also made some jokes about sourcing.

 

Ingles is only one player and he doesn’t speak for the rest of the Jazz team, but it’s clear things are all good between him and Gobert.

What’s worth noting is that Mitchell still hasn’t come out and said anything about any beef recently. But the last time he did speak about Gobert in a Good Morning America appearance, it was clear that he was irritated by Gobert’s behavior.

Only time will tell how this thing turns out. And we’ve got more than enough of that between now and the time the NBA returns. Maybe, by then, Gobert and Mitchell will have hashed things out. That is, if there’s still anything that needs to be hashed out.

Rui Hachimura used a real waterboy in NBA 2K win over Donovan Mitchell

The Wizards rookie hilariously had a real waterboy provide him with a towel and water each timeout in the NBA 2K Players Only Tournament.

[jwplayer OvL4xDB2]

Washington Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura made his debut in the NBA 2K Players Only Tournament on Sunday night and made quite a splash during his matchup against Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell.

The contest went right down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter before Hachimura emerged with the 74-71 victory. The fourth-seeded Mitchell entered the contest as the favorite to win over Hachimura, the 13th seed in the tournament.

Hachimura had the honor of choosing his team first and decided to play with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers while Mitchell went with Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.

During the first half, it was revealed that Hachimura hilariously had a waterboy with him in his apartment that would provide a towel and a bottle of water during each timeout.

Mitchell managed to rally back to take the lead in the third quarter and the two players eventually traded baskets from that point forward. Mitchell had a chance to tie at the buzzer but missed the shot.

The winner will be crowned the ultimate NBA 2K20 champion and select a charity beneficiary to receive a $100,000 donation from 2K, the NBA and the NBPA in support of ongoing coronavirus relief efforts.

Hachimura will play the winner of Devin Booker and Michael Porter Jr. next in the single-elimination quarterfinal round set to take place on Tuesday night.

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Josh Hart helps lead team to win in SLAM’s third Call of Duty tourney

Josh Hart had another good showing in SLAM’s third Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tourney.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Josh Hart added to his flawless record Saturday in SLAM’s latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tournament.

Hart has played in each of the tournaments, and he picked up a third straight win in this weekend’s tourney. Hart’s team included Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons, Washington Mystics forward Aerial Powers and Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker. The four hoopers helped their squad to a sweep against a team led by Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard.

The rest of the opposing team consisted of De’Aaron Fox, Mario Hezonja, Grayson Allen, Donovan Mitchell and Kentucky commit Terrence Clarke.

Hart was particularly effective in his team’s last two wins of the sweep. The third game was Domination on the map Hackney Yard. Hart and company won the game, 200-181, and Hart had the second-highest number of kills with 36.

The last game in the series was Capture the Flag on Vacant. Hart and his squad snagged a close 3-2 win to seal the series. He finished with a score of 1,675 and 13 kills.

Hart has been a key part of each winning team in the Call of Duty matches. He’s been on Simmons’ team twice, and during the second week of tournaments he was with Leonard’s squad.

Though Hart hasn’t necessarily been a star on his teams, he has thrived in his role as a player who can tally fairly high scores.

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Ben Simmons and squad earn sweep in SLAM’s latest Call of Duty tourney

Ben Simmons and his team did the sweeping this time around in SLAM’s latest Call of Duty tourney.

Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons had his squad rolling from the jump in SLAM’s latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tournament.

After his team was swept in SLAM’s second Call of Duty tourney, Simmons and company earned a sweep Saturday in week three of the tournaments. Simmons was joined by Washington Mystics forward Aerial Powers, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and New Orleans Pelicans guard Josh Hart.

The opposing team included Meyers Leonard, De’Aaron Fox, Grayson Allen, Donovan Mitchell, Mario Hezonja and Kentucky commit Terrence Clarke.

With the win, Simmons now has two wins total in SLAM’s Call of Duty tourneys. Booker and Powers were both newcomers, playing in their first round of tournaments.

Both proved to be quality teammates alongside Simmons, one of the NBA’s best Call of Duty players.

Like Simmons, Booker is a top-tier Call of Duty gamer. He showcased his skill set during the first game, boasting a team-high 18 kills in Search and Destroy on the map Arklov Peak.

After the win in Search and Destroy, Simmons’ team had their closest match of the series. Leonard and his team was most competitive during Headquarters on Rammaza, where Simmons’ squad got a 199-182 win. Time ran out before any team got to the typical winning score of 200.

Leonard finished with a team-high 53 kills in Headquarters, and Hezonja had the most captures on the team with nine.

Powers was a quality contributor during the team’s win in Domination on Hackney Yard. Powers finished 11 kills and six captures, tying for the second-highest number of captures on her team.

The series-clincher came in Capture the Flag on Vacant, where Simmons’ squad won 3-2. This game was arguably Simmons’ best. He ran all over the map, covering different areas so his teammates could return the flag. Simmons finished with a team-high 35 kills, and Booker was not far behind with 30.

The two teams played out the rest of the series’ matches, with one of the remaining three being Free for All on Rust. Simmons finished in fifth place, with Booker coming in first and Leonard placing second.

With SLAM’s Call of Duty tournaments, fans are getting to see how hoopers are skilled in other areas off the court. As physical distancing continues, the tournaments are also a good outlet for the players to have while they stay at home.

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Trio of former Warriors to participate in players-only NBA 2K tournament

Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Harrison Barnes will compete in a players-only NBA 2K20 tournament.

NBA action is still on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, a form of basketball will be returning to national television soon. Representatives from across the league will gather on Friday for the first installment of a players-only NBA 2K20 tournament.

The competition will air on ESPN over 10 days. Sixteen different players, including three former members of the Golden State Warriors, will participate in the video game tournament.

Players were seeded one through 16 with league tenure and 2K rating determining their position. Former Dub Kevin Durant is at the top of the list, with Demarcus Cousins at 11 and Harrison Barnes at 15. The rest of the field is mixed with young players and All-Stars like Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, Devin Booker and Domantas Sabonis.

Odds would point towards each player using their squad in the tournament. However, with no current Warrior represented, Golden State’s 2k team is up for grabs. While the Warriors record currently sits at the bottom of the NBA, their 2K roster is stocked full of top-rated players.

Stephen Curry is rated 95 overall with a 99 when it comes to 3-point shooting. Although he’s still injured, Klay Thompson sits at 86 with a 95 rating from beyond the arc. Behind the Splash Brothers, Andrew Wiggins is rated 82 with both Draymond Green and Eric Paschall holding 79s.

With the Los Angeles Lakers waiving Cousins before he ever suited up in yellow and purple, the Kentucky product could be a candidate to run with his old squad in the 2K showdown.

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Rui Hachimura and Michael Porter Jr. to play in NBA 2K tournament

Rui Hachimura and Michael Porter Jr. will get an opportunity to showcase their NBA 2K skills.

[jwplayer WXGWptic]

The players and matchups for the players-only NBA 2K20 tournament were released on Tuesday, and the NBA’s rookies will have some representation from two of their peers.

Per a tweet from The Boardroom, Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura and Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. will compete in the tournament, which the league hopes to start Friday. According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, the tourney consists of 16 players and will be held over the course of 10 days. It will be televised on ESPN.

Hachimura is slated to play Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell in the first round, and Porter is set to play Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker.

The tournament’s seeding was made by players’ 2K ratings, and then by tenure in the league. Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has the top seed, and the rest of the top five consists of Trae Young, Hassan Whiteside, Mitchell and Booker.

Hachimura and Porter are both going up against gamers in Mitchell and Booker, respectively. Mitchell has streamed some 2K clips during the hiatus, and Booker has been streaming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

With the NBA’s season on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans watching some of the game’s top players virtually compete could be entertaining. It’s going to be interesting to see the different styles each player utilizes on the sticks to try and snag a win.

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Report: Kevin Durant to participate in NBA players-only 2K tournament

The NBA is planning something with 2K sports for fans. It looks like Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant will be involved in the event.

On Monday, the NBPA Twitter account released a statement announcing they, the NBA and 2K Sports were set to hold the first-ever “NBA 2K20 Players Tournament” starting on April 2 (Thursday). Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant was among the players lined up to participate, as well as Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, per the release.

However, that same morning, the tweet was deleted and the release was removed from the site. But there has still been chatter that the event will take place and it will be featured on a national broadcast.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the event is still planned to go down, but on Friday. He is also reporting Durant will be one of the players involved in what he says will be a 16-player tournament.

Haynes is reporting Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers big man Andre Drummond will also be involved, and that the tournament will be broadcast on ESPN.

Who should represent the Warriors in the players-only NBA 2K tournament?

What member of the Golden State Warriors has the best NBA 2K skills on the sticks?

Although the NBA is still on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, a different form of the game will soon be available. To help feed basketball cravings, the NBA is getting creative.

Video games have been a popular time-filler during the NBA hiatus, and now players will have a chance to show off their skills for everyone to see.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the league will host players- only NBA 2K20 tournament that will air live on ESPN over 10 days.

The NBA’s version of a March Madness tournament will have 16 entrants. Donovan Mitchell and former Warrior DeMarcus Cousins are expected to be behind their controllers for the event, according to Haynes.

With the full field yet to be set — who should represent the Golden State Warriors in the 2K showdown?

After a look into social media, Eric Paschall could be the favorite to handle the sticks for the Warriors. The second-round draft pick tweeted he “always dreamed” to be in the basketball video game.

Paschall is confident when it comes to his 2K skills. After an early-season loss to the Utah Jazz, the second-round draft pick mentioned the video game in his postgame press conference.

Via @957TheGame on Twitter:

I mean, if you put me in a chess game, put me in a Fortnite game, put me in a 2K game — I’m going to win.

Another factor swaying towards the favor of Paschall is the fact his 2K game is fresh. During the NBA’s hiatus, the Villanova product shared on Instagram that he was playing the game alongside Utah’s All-Star guard.

If a member of the Dubs wants to enter the contest, they’ll have to act fast. According to Haynes, the NBA want’s to launch the 2K tournament as soon as Friday.

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