Tag: for the win

Aryna Sabalenka wins the Australian Open women’s singles final to earn first Grand Slam title

What a moment!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new Australian Open women’s singles champion. On Saturday in Melbourne, Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets to claim the tournament’s title.

Rybakina took the first set 6-4, putting Sabalenka in an immediate hole that she hadn’t faced yet in the lead-up to the final. But Sabalenka responded with an impressive 6-3 win in the second set before returning the favor to Rybakina and taking the third set 6-4 to win the championship match.

The championship match marked the only of Sabalenka’s seven total matches at the Open where she dropped a set, making her run to her first-ever Grand Slam title an outstanding one.

Here is her special moment:

The 24-year-old Belarusian champion had to lay down for a moment, shed some tears and soak it all in. What a feeling.

[mm-video type=video id=01gqv0t1jkgzdrtafrpa playlist_id=none player_id=01gp1x90emjt3n6txc image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gqv0t1jkgzdrtafrpa/01gqv0t1jkgzdrtafrpa-d0f94e42cf7ffe8e5460deaea6ce9dbd.jpg]

[listicle id=2009086]

5 NBA players (Joel Embiid?) who were snubbed from being named 2023 All-Star Game starters

Biggest snubs!

The starters for the NBA’s 2023 All-Star game were announced live on TNT this Thursday evening before the network’s doubleheader.

TNT had a similar reveal a year ago that packed many surprises, including Andrew Wiggins’ inclusion in the starting lineup and Devin Booker’s and Chris Paul’s exclusions from the West’s top 5 despite owning the best record in the NBA.

Thursday’s reveal brought more debate, which is expected when so many elite players are battling for 10 spots. Some players who weren’t mentioned during Thursday’s reveal will go on to be named All-Stars around this time next week, but it won’t take away from the fact that they were snubbed from being starters.

Here are the few who missed out on being named as All-Star starters this season but probably shouldn’t have.

FTW: Two Thunder players ranked among top 23 under 23 years old

The Thunder had two players ranked in the top 23 of players in the league who are 23 years old or younger.

The NBA is rich with young talent as each draft class produces phenomenal players.

For rebuilding teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, that is definitely the case. They acquired several high-lottery picks in the last couple of draft classes.

For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky decided to go against the grain a bit and ranked the 23 best players in the league who are 23 years old or younger.

Traditional young star rankings usually include players who are a bit older, but with most players already on their second contract by the time they’re 25 years old, it was important to put a reasonable cutoff age for players that are solely on their rookie deals still.

As one can imagine, the Thunder had multiple entries on this list. Let’s take a look at which Thunder players made the cut.

For The Win: OKC Thunder ranked No. 1 in entire league for most future first-round draft picks in 2020s

The Thunder have the most potential first-round draft picks in the entire league for the remaining 2020s NBA Drafts.

For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky ranked all 30 NBA teams based on how many draft picks they own during the remainder of the 2020s.

As Kalbrosky mentioned in the article, draft picks are the easiest way for teams to acquire a star player that’ll stay in the long term due to their rookie contract and first extension.

That is especially the case for small-market teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will never be big-time free agency players due to their location. It seems the Thunder front office are believers of this theory: They own the most first-round draft picks of any team for the remainder of this decade.

Thanks in large part to the Paul George and Russell Westbrook trades from 2019, the Thunder have stocked up with 15 first-round picks.

  1. 2023: Own (can swap w/ LAC)
  2. 2024: Own
  3. 2024: via HOU (protected 1-4)
  4. 2024: via UTA (protected 1-10)
  5. 2024: via LAC
  6. 2025: Own (can swap w/ HOU if 11-30 or LAC)
  7. 2025: via MIA (protected 1-14)  
  8. 2025: via PHI (protected 1-6) 
  9. 2026: via HOU (protected 1-4)  
  10. 2026: Own
  11. 2026: via LAC
  12. 2027: via DEN 1-5
  13. 2027: Own
  14. 2028: Own
  15. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 2

The Thunder already have a nice core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Josh Giddey and Lu Dort. Having 15 first-round draft picks down the line increases the ceiling of the franchise in multiple ways — whether by the team drafting its next franchise player or acquiring one via trade.

To see where the other 29 NBA teams stack up, click here for the full list.

[mm-video type=video id=01gct3h30q38jx13k18p playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gct3h30q38jx13k18p/01gct3h30q38jx13k18p-d4194e59fbbe376cd1ee9881421b8867.jpg]

[listicle id=460607]

Where does the Lions WR corps rank?

Two different outlets ranked the Lions WR corps in the lower-middle of the NFL

Last season was a rough one for the Detroit Lions at wide receiver, at least to begin the year. Late-season addition Josh Reynolds and a fantastic finish by rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown helped salvage some dignity, but the Lions’ WR corps was consistently–and accurately–rated near the bottom of the NFL.

That’s changed in 2022. Reynolds is back, St. Brown is more established. And that duo is joined by speedy free agent DJ Chark and first-round rookie Jameson Williams, with his sky-high talent ceiling once he returns from knee surgery. Last year’s Week 1 starter, Quintez Cephus, sits no higher than fifth on the depth chart.

[lawrence-related id=76075]

The folks over at For The Win ranked the wide receiving corps of all 32 NFL teams. The revamped Lions came in 18th overall.

It might seem a little lower than expected given the talent infusion, but the explanation hints at why 18th is right for now and why the Lions could exceed that middling rank,

Detroit has an eclectic mix of players all capable of outperforming expectations. The questions that remain are: a) whether Jared Goff can get them the ball b) whether St. Brown can keep up his torrid pace from the end of ’21, and c) how Williams will look after last winter’s torn ACL.

Detroit’s NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears, came in last. Tampa Bay edged out Cincinnati for the top ranking.

Pro Football Focus also ranked the receiving crops (including TEs as well) earlier this offseason and placed the Lions at No. 21 overall. Again, the commentary reflects optimism that the Lions can be a lot better than that spot.

This receiving corps is on the rise. The Lions have two solid pieces returning from last season in T.J. Hockenson and Amon-Ra St. Brown and also added a few more options in the draft and free agency, specifically players who could stretch the field.

D.J. Chark Jr. brings a unique combination of size (6-foot-4) and speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash), and Jameson Williams’ impact can be seen in his production against a seemingly infallible Georgia defense last year. That infusion of speed was necessary for a Lions offense that ranked dead last in average depth of target in 2021 (6.8 yards).

The potential cited by both For The Win and PFF shows considerable progress. If the Lions achieve what they’re capable of in 2022, this unit could very well be in the top 10 in next summer’s surveys.

Victor Wembanyama goes to Thunder in FTW’s first 2023 NBA mock draft

The Thunder win big time in @ForTheWin ‘s first 2023 NBA mock draft.

With the 2022 NBA draft now behind us, the cycle restarts as draft experts begin to change their focus to the 2023 NBA draft — with Victor Wembanyama seen as the ultimate prize.

In For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky first 2023 NBA mock draft, he has the Oklahoma City Thunder landing the generational prospect with the No. 1 pick:

“He’s so good that longtime contenders (like the Spurs, Pacers, and Jazz) are suddenly willing to rebuild. Even the slight chance of landing Wembanyama might be worth it. But in this mock draft imagination, the big man will call Oklahoma City his new home.

Wembanyama is the ultimate reward for years of tanking by Sam Presti’s Thunder, and a frontcourt pairing of Wembanyama with Chet Holmgren would be nightmarish on both sides of the ball for opponents. The two players, who faced each other in the U19 World Cup, have a combined wingspan of more than 15 feet.”

If the Thunder end up with a core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama, then the three-year-long will ultimately be worth it.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8k3d0wwpr68typ2fr playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8k3d0wwpr68typ2fr/01g8k3d0wwpr68typ2fr-f989a599f5efffd647ca124f2b6f0f9d.jpg]

[listicle id=459955]

For The Win hands out offseason grade for the OKC Thunder

The Thunder received a grade for the offseason from @ForTheWin

USA Today’s For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky took out his highlighter and handed out a grade for all 30 NBA team’s offseason thus far in an article that dropped on Tuesday.

While there are still big dominos to fall, the busiest days of the offseason are behind as the NBA calendar flips to the slowest time of the year. Barring something huge, right now is an appropriate time to reflect and give thoughts on the offseason.

That includes the Oklahoma City Thunder who received an “A” grade.

“I’m head-over-heels about Oklahoma City’s offseason. They now have three guys who could be All-Stars with Chet Holmgren now in the mix alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.

This is a team with extraordinary length and ball-handling ability, and while they’re incredibly talented, they’re not ready to contend quite yet. That means they could add yet another top prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft.”

Besides the draft, the Thunder also extended Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams to long-term deals along with bringing back Mike Muscala on the veteran’s minimum.

[mm-video type=video id=01g7qvbrncmkg313q42c playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g7qvbrncmkg313q42c/01g7qvbrncmkg313q42c-ac200c829d562a794f332c1a9e683afe.jpg]

[listicle id=459927]

2022 NBA mock drafts: Oklahoma City Thunder post-lottery picks projections

Here are who the big mock drafts project the Thunder to take 2nd and 12th overall in the 2022 NBA draft.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will select 2nd and 12th overall in the 2022 NBA draft following Tuesday’s lottery results. The Thunder ended up jumping in the lottery after entering the night with the fourth-best and 12th-best (via the LA Clippers) odds.

The Thunder will be selecting second overall for the second time in franchise history, and considering the first time resulted in Kevin Durant in 2007, I’d say general manager Sam Presti has a good track record with top picks.

The team will be able to add another elite talent to its core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey on June 23. Here are what some national mocks are projecting who the Thunder will take as of May 17.

OKC Thunder news: The Thunder selections in latest USA Today 2022 NBA Mock Draft

. @ForTheWin released its latest 2022 NBA Mock Draft, let’s see who the Thunder ended up with.

USA Today’s “For The Win” released its latest full 2022 NBA Mock Draft last Thursday. This is the fifth version of the mock. With the Oklahoma City Thunder slated to most likely finish with the fourth-best lottery odds — especially following its win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday — the team will pick fourth overall in this mock.

The Thunder had four selections overall — three first-round picks and a second-round pick. The Thunder own its own first-round pick as well as the LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns. Let’s take a look at the four new additions to the roster in this mock.

Kennedy Chandler projected as a first-round pick to Chicago

Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler projected as a first-round pick to Chicago.

Freshman guard Kennedy Chandler appeared in 34 games for the Vols during the 2021-22 season.

Chandler averaged 13.9 points, 4.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game for Tennessee.

The 6-foot, 170-pound freshman is projected as a first-round NBA draft pick by For The Win. Chandler is listed as a No. 20 overall selection by Chicago in For The Win’s 2022 NBA mock draft 5.0.

The Bulls have had an awesome ascension into contending status this season, and they have star power with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on the perimeter.

If they could add another player who can orchestrate the offense, a more reliable option to serve as a floor general, this could go a long way to bolster their long-term potential.

There are some size concerns surrounding Chandler. But during his March Madness game against Michigan, he showed exactly why he can make an impact in the pros, offering 9 assists for Tennessee. –For The Win

[vertical-gallery id=57771]