Tag: jalen harris

Commanders make roster moves after Efe Obada’s injury

Obada underwent surgery and was placed on season-ending IR. The Commanders signed some depth from the Bears practice squad.

On Sunday’s first series of Washington’s Week 11 game vs. the New York Giants, veteran defensive end Efe Obada went down with a leg injury. Players immediately knew it was, and the entire team surrounded Obada.

It was later revealed that Obada suffered a fractured leg. Head coach Ron Rivera offered an update Monday, saying Obada underwent surgery on Sunday night and was being placed on season-ending injured reserve.

According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, Obada suffered multiple lower leg fractures. Obada is not only excellent in his role, he’s one of the most beloved players on Washington’s roster.

As everyone knows, the Commanders must replace Obada’s spot on the roster. Washington was once deep at defensive end, but after the trades of Chase Young and Montez Sweat and the injuries suffered by Obada and James Smith-Williams, it was essentially Casey Toohill and a pair of rookies, Andre Jones Jr. and K.J. Henry.

Henry had an excellent game on Sunday against the Giants.

On Monday, after placing Obada on IR, the Commanders signed pass rusher Jalen Harris off the Chicago Bears practice squad.

Who is Harris?

An undrafted rookie from Arizona, the 6-foot-4, 257-pound Harris had five tackles and 1.5 sacks in the preseason for the Bears. Harris played 56 games for Arizona with 25 career starts. He finished his college career with 173 tackles, including 25.5 for loss and 13.5 sacks.

The Commanders also waived safety Troy Apke from IR.

Bears 2023 training camp preview: Edge rusher

Next up in our Bears training camp preview is edge rusher, which is arguably the weakest position group on the roster.

Chicago Bears training camp is less than a month away, so it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2023 training camp position previews, breaking down every player by position and examining the group’s biggest question.

Up next are the edge rushers, a noted weakness of the Bears’ defense. After finishing last in the NFL with 20 sacks, Chicago signed veterans DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green.

The Bears will aim to be two-deep at each position. Unless something changes, rookies D’Anthony Jones and Jalen Harris are probably fighting for the last roster spot. The winner will likely be the better pass rusher.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ edge rushers heading into training camp:

Report: Raptors’ Jalen Harris banned from NBA over drug violation

Raptors guard Jalen Harris has been reportedly dismissed and disqualified from the NBA after violating terms of the anti-drug program.

On Thursday, it was reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic that Toronto Raptors guard Jalen Harris has been dismissed and disqualified from the NBA after violating terms of the anti-drug program.

Harris can apply for reinstatement into the NBA in July 2022.

The details of the violation are not known, but players cannot be banned from the league for the use of marijuana. He will be required to enter a drug abuse program provided by the NBA and NBPA, and he will need to be cleared by a medical director to be reinstated.

Players with more than one year of playing experience in the NBA are subject to an automatic two-year disqualification. However, first-year players only receive a one-year disqualification for violating terms of the anti-drug program.

Harris was the 59th overall pick by the Raptors last year out of the University of Nevada. He averaged 7.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 13 games this season.

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2020 NBA Draft Big Board 5.0: Final update ranking Top 100 prospects

After numerous delays and postponements, front offices and draftniks have had more time to analyze the 2020 NBA draft than any previous year.

After numerous delays and postponements, front offices and draftniks have had more time to analyze the 2020 NBA draft than any previous year.

Originally scheduled for June, the ongoing pandemic pushed the big night back by five months. While this may cause some teams to overthink their decisions, it gave analysts plenty of time to study all of the top prospects eligible in this class.

This year, players had to participate in a mostly virtual pre-draft process. On the bright side, this meant that teams had the opportunity to interview more candidates than ever before.

However, the number of in-person visits were incredibly limited due to the restrictive parameters set by the league. Similarly, the NBA draft combine was conducted without the typical scrimmages where players can separate themselves from the others with impressive on-court performances.

Overall, the players that stood out in this pre-draft process had a different path to recognition than any other year. College basketball players did not have the opportunity to showcase themselves during March Madness. The nation’s top seniors did not get to participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

As such, executives will rely mostly on the existing game footage as well as the intel they gathered during their conversations with the prospects. We also depended on similar strategies, getting access to one-on-one interviews with more than three dozen prospects and exchanging our thoughts with various scouts across the league.

This helped us put together our final big board, looking at the Top 100 players ranked on their potential to make a difference for teams in the NBA.

Relevant statistics were pulled from Synergy Sports Tech, Bart-Torvik, KenPom, Open Look Analytics and RealGM. Note that the age listed for each player references how old they will be on the night of the draft.

Mountain West Basketball: NBA Draft Update

Mountain West Basketball: NBA Draft Update Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Let’s take a look at where some of our favorite MW stars stand going into June. As the world of sports seeks to get back to business as “normal” worldwide after …

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Mountain West Basketball: NBA Draft Update

 

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Let’s take a look at where some of our favorite MW stars stand going into June. 

As the world of sports seeks to get back to business as “normal” worldwide after coming to a sudden halt in late March, the NBA is tasked with rescheduling their current season, free agency, and all draft-related activities in the coming months.

The anticipated early entrant withdrawal date on Wednesday, June 3rd has been pushed back like many other draft related deadlines. There hasn’t been any mention of a new deadline, but the NCAA said it would be set once a more concrete pre-draft schedule was announced by the NCAA. 

The early entry withdrawal deadline was not the only date pushed back as the draft lottery, scheduled for May 19th and the scouting combine, scheduled to be held May 21st-24th were also moved further back.

The only date that has remained untouched is the draft itself, which is still scheduled for June 25th, but likely to change. But one thing is for sure, and that is that time is winding down

There is definitely an unknown or mystery element to this year’s draft process, players who may normally opt to stay in the draft due to certain unforeseen

ESPN-Updated Friday 5/29/2020

NBADraft.net-Updated Tuesday 6/2/2020

CBS Sports-Published 5/12/2020

The Athletic-Published on 5/5/2020 *Subscription is needed to view The Athletic’s content

Sports Illustrated Top 80 Rankings-Published on 5/6/2020

The Ringer’s 2020 NBA Draft Guide-Updated May 19th, 2020

Guys who could return next season

© Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports(2)

Derrick Alston Jr. |Junior Guard |  Boise State

Projection: Late second round to undrafted

CBS Sports: 65th

ESPN: 95th

NBA Draft.net: 57th (big board)/58th Mock draft

The Athletic: 57th

Sports Illustrated: not ranked

The Ringer: not ranked

Alston Jr. is a legacy draft prospect, as his father was drafted in the second round and 33rd overall in the 1994 draft out of Duquesne. His father’s NBA career was short lived (a little over two seasons), but played almost two decades overseas and has since made a career in couching in the NBA and NBA G-League as the current head coach of the Westchester Knicks.

Alston Jr. is an intriguing prospect as a 6-9 guard who can handle the ball and get his teammates involved when he drives the lane.

NCAA Basketball: New Mexico at San Diego State

Matt Mitchell |Junior Forward | San Diego State

Projection: Undrafted

CBS Sports: not ranked

ESPN: not ranked

NBA Draft.net: not ranked

The Athletic: 82nd

Sports Illustrated: not ranked

The Ringer: not ranked

Mitchell was a terrific player on what may have been one of the best Aztec teams in school history. He began the season coming off of the bench for the Aztec’s first 13 games before reentering the starting lineup and never leaving. His development over the course of the season elevated Mitchell to a spot on the conference’s first team at the end of the season.

After declaring for the draft in late April, he spoke with Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune revealing anything but eagerness to jump to the NBA.

“I was definitely going back and forth on the decision to put my name in,” Mitchell said. “But at the end of the day, I felt it was the best thing to do for myself and help myself in the future. All I’m looking to get out of this is to get feedback about what I need to get better at, what they’re looking for me to do better next season.

“And if they do open for workouts, under God’s graces, I would take workouts if asked. That’s all I’m looking to get out of it. I don’t think I’m looking to leave this year.”

Mitchell is extremely self-reflective and understands the current situation globally and how it limits exposure and potential in-person contact with NBA teams. He also understands

Decided to stay in the draft

NCAA Basketball: San Diego State at Fresno State

Malachi Flynn | Junior Guard | San Diego State

Projection: Early first round to mid-second round

CBS Sports: 45th

ESPN: 38th

NBA Draft.net: 39th (Big Board)/41st (Mock Draft)

The Athletic: 37th

Sports Illustrated: 29th

The Ringer: 36th

Flynn had

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Jalen Harris | Redshirt Junior Guard | Nevada

Projection: Late second round to undrafted

CBS Sports: 70th

ESPN: 86th

NBA Draft.net: not ranked

The Athletic: 80th

Sports Illustrated: 60th

The Ringer: not ranked

The Seniors

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Sam Merrill | Senior Guard | Utah State

Projection: Undrafted

CBS Sports: 98th

ESPN: 67th

NBA Draft.net: not ranked

The Athletic: 71st

Sports Illustrated: 57th

The Ringer: not ranked

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Justinian Jessup | Senior Guard | Boise State

Projection: Undrafted

CBS Sports: not ranked

ESPN: 92nd

NBA Draft.net: not ranked

The Athletic: not ranked

Sports Illustrated: not ranked

The Ringer: not ranked

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2020 aggregate NBA mock draft 5.0: International prospects are rising

Scouting and preparing for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft is incredibly challenging due to circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Scouting and preparing for the upcoming 2020 NBA draft is incredibly challenging due to circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

As always, we examine the mock drafts from the most trusted analysts to give us the best idea of a consensus for what the upcoming class will look like in June. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from experts at ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic, SB Nation, Sporting News and USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.

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Currently, the first three players expected to be selected (Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman) have remained in the exact same order for the third aggregate mock draft in a row.

After dropping from No. 5 all the way to No. 11 between December and January, Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Deni Avdija has jumped back to No. 4 for this version.

He played well recently at the 2020 Eurobasket Qualifiers, scoring 21 points with eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal while also shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. This was a welcome change of pace for scouts hoping to learn as much as possible about Avdija as he had averaged just 4.0 points in 14.3 minutes in Euroleague games earlier this season.

Several other prospects playing overseas have seen their stock increase as well. This makes some sense considering many in the NCAA rely on their performance in March Madness to solidify their draft position whereas the international players gain momentum in other ways.

Killian Hayes, who was ranked No. 18 overall on our last aggregate mock draft, jumped up to No. 8 for this edition. The 6-foot-5 guard was 14-for-61 (39 percent) from 3-point range while also connecting on 90.9 percent of his free-throw attempts during Eurocup action. Several outlets are currently projecting him as a Top 5 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Another prospect playing outside of the United States but currently making waves is Leandro Bolmaro. He debuted on our aggregate mock draft in the most recent edition before this one but has jumped all the way to No. 29 this time around.

Meanwhile, in the NCAA, some college basketball players managed to make some serious momentum for themselves before the season was unexpectedly cut short. Some of those players are seniors Killian Tillie (Gonzaga), Grant Riller (Charleston), Udoka Azubuike (Kansas) and Desmond Bane (TCU).

As mentioned here, it makes sense for upperclassmen to be more appealing in this class than in previous years. Seniors have far more game film to draw film which may be necessary considering individual team workouts and even the 2020 NBA Draft Combine may be canceled. Plus, older players are likely more ready to contribute immediately.

On the flip side, there are freshmen around the country who have seen their draft stock drastically decline in recent months.

Oregon’s N’Faly Dante has fallen off our boards completely after playing just twelve games and making no appearances in the starting lineup. Kahlil Whitney, who was considered a lottery pick when we did this exercise in October 2019, also dropped off after withdrawing from Kentucky.

Some other freshmen who saw their draft stock fall: Duke’s Matthew Hurt was ranked No. 16 overall back in October but is now at No. 76 overall. LSU’s Trendon Watford was ranked No. 14 in October but has fallen to No. 63. Florida’s Scottie Lewis was No. 9 in July and is currently No. 53 overall.

Less drastic but still valid: Arizona’s Nico Mannion has fallen from No. 6 back in January 2020 all the way to No. 16 now in April. Likewise, UNC’s Cole Anthony dropped from No. 2 back in July 2019 to No. 10 in our new study.

But some encouraging news for prospects who were considered Top-25 recruits coming out of high school but had a disappointing freshman year (e.g. Duke’s Wendell Moore as well as the aforementioned Dante, Whitney, Watford, Hurt and Lewis) can be found in Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley.

The 6-foot-3 guard was the No. 13 overall recruit in the nation coming into Kentucky as a freshman. But after averaging just 5.2 points as a freshman, he returned for his sophomore campaign.

Fortunately, the SEC Player of the Year dramatically improved his draft stock in 2019-20. His season was highlighted by 21.3 points per game in February and a free throw percentage (92.3%) that ranked as the sixth-best among all underclassmen. This month, he debuted on our aggregate mock draft at No. 42 overall.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.

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2020 NBA mock draft: Obi Toppin, LaMelo Ball offer intrigue

Rookie Wire breaks down the film and crunches all the relevant statistics to predict all 60 picks of the 2020 NBA Draft.

Like much of the world right now, the 2020 NBA Draft is full of uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The cancellation of the NCAA Tournament changes the evaluation process and denies NBA teams the opportunity to see how players react to the pressure of performing on college basketball’s biggest stage. Nevertheless, scouts and front offices are doing their homework on this year’s top prospects.

As of now, the draft remains scheduled for June 25 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. However, the event could be pushed back in reaction to the pandemic.

Meantime, our two-round mock draft accounts for potential fit for every team that currently owns picks. Some teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics, have enough picks to trade up or turn them into higher picks for future years. Others, such as the Golden State Warriors, may want to trade down to select a player based on roster fit.

That said, we made our selections without trying to predict trades.

A few quick notes: Some notable freshmen (such as Florida’s Scottie Lewis, Villanova’s Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Duke’s Wendell Moore and Matthew Hurt) have been omitted because Rookie Wire expects them to return to school.

Similarly, top juniors (such as San Diego State’s Malachi Flynn, Iowa’s Luka Garza, Georgetown’s Omer Yurtseven) were excluded because we expect them to return for their senior year.

Generally speaking, players who have already declared for the draft or are testing the waters were given priority over prospects who we may rate a bit higher but have not officially put the name into the draft pool.

Draft order is based on NBA standings when the league went on hiatus.

1. Golden State Warriors: Anthony Edwards, Georgia

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Wing, 6-foot-5, 18 years old

The Warriors, obviously, have little need for a player who needs the ball in his hands as often as Anthony Edwards does. But the SEC Freshman of the Year arguably has the most star power of anyone in this draft class. Edwards averaged a strong 21.8 points per game in February and is a highlight-reel in transition. Edwards could conceivably be traded, which would allow Golden State to collect another asset while also selecting a player (perhaps either Obi Toppin or Deni Avdija) who fits better with the Warriors’ core.

Second pick | Third pick | Fourth pick | Fifth pick | Remainder of lottery | Remainder of first round | Second round

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2020 NBA Draft Big Board: Latest updates after NCAA regular season

With the near conclusion of the 2019-20 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regular Season, it is worth taking another look at the 2020 NBA Draft prospects.

With the conclusion of the 2019-20 NCAA men’s basketball regular season fast approaching, it’s worth taking another look at the 2020 NBA Draft prospects.

While quite a bit will change on big boards and mock drafts following the conference tournaments and March Madness, some of the top players have already convinced NBA teams that they deserve serious consideration when the draft rolls around on June 25, 2020.

Others still have plenty of time to improve their draft stock on the floor and in workouts and interviews. For what it is worth, former top prospects coming into their freshman campaigns who could go back to school for their sophomore campaigns (for example, Florida’s Scottie Lewis and Duke’s Wendell Moore) were not included on this list.

Note that statistics are pulled from Synergy Sports Tech, Bart-Torvik.com, KenPom.com, RealGM or Sports-Reference.

1. LaMelo Ball, USA

(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years old

The main reason to believe in Ball as the top player in the 2020 NBA Draft is because of his ridiculously high upside. With his unique size, he can put up a triple-double on any given night. Even when Ball was playing against much older professional competition in Australia’s NBL, Ball nearly averaged a triple-double per 36 minutes. Meanwhile, his defensive stats were also much better than expected, and his basketball instincts are strong. It is difficult to find an accurate read on Ball, given how many different teams he has played for in recent years. However, there should be enough to like about him for a team to select him with one of the first few picks.

2. Onyeka Okongwu, USC

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Big, 6-foot-9, 19 years old

While he’s a bit undersized at 6-9, he can play bigger than his height, given his 7-foot-2 wingspan. For example, his block percentage (10.0%) ranks among the top five of all freshmen this season. He is more celebrated for his defensive ability, but the offense is there, too. Okongwu is averaging 1.14 points per possession as an offensive finisher, per Synergy, which ranks in the 98th percentile among all NCAA players. Put it all together, and the USC big man currently has the best box plus-minus in college basketball. Even if there might not be as much star potential as a player such as Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, he feels much closer to a sure thing in the NBA.

3. Anthony Edwards, Georgia

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Wing, 6-foot-5, 18 years old

Under head coach Tom Crean, the University of Georgia freshman has been a revelation in transition offense. Edwards ranks among the top five nationally in total scoring on these plays, per Synergy, averaging 5.7 points per game. He looks his best when his shot attempts come closer to the rim, especially considering his 6-foot-9 wingspan. Farther from the basket, meanwhile, more than half of his 3-pointers have been unassisted. This shows he is capable of creating his own shot. Edwards, however, is shooting just 30.3% from beyond the arc on the season. But the reason to like him as a top-three pick is more about flashes of greatness, and he is averaging 21.8 points per game in February.

4. Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Guard, 6-foot-5, 20 years old

Haliburton is a skinny, lengthy guard measured with a 7-foot wingspan though and 170-pound frame. But most important is his valuable 3-and-D skill set. Before his injury, his 3-point percentage (41.9%) and steal percentage (3.8%) were both among the best in the NCAA. As a distributor and lead ballhandler, despite an unusually low usage rate, his assist rate still ranks in the top 10 among all underclassmen at high-major programs. Haliburton has been productive enough to suggest he can take over as the starting point guard in the NBA as soon as next season. There may be a low ceiling, but there is also a very high floor.

5. Killian Hayes, Ratiopharm Ulm

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Guard, 6-foot-5, 18 years old

Much like Ball, there is a lot to like about Hayes due to his size and overall upside. He can be a lead ballhandler and has been measured with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. Hayes led France to the silver medal in 2018 at the U17 World Cup, averaging 21.4 points and 4.4 assists with 3.6 steals per 36 minutes. He is shooting 39.0% from beyond the arc in Eurocup action and has been able to produce well as a scorer as he has grown into a bigger role.

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