Tag: Pro Dawgs

Isaiah Thomas drops 40 points in his 2025 G-League debut

Isaiah Thomas showed out in his return to the G-League.

In his return to the G-League, Washington legend Isaiah Thomas proved he hasn’t lost a step.

Just one day after signing a contract with the Salt Lake City Stars, Thomas showed up and showed out in his first professional game of 2025. The two-time NBA All-Star dropped 40 points while shooting 4-for-10 from behind the three-point line, adding 8 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals to his bottom line.

The 35-year-old played 33 minutes and went 13-for-28 from the floor as the Stars fell 122-115 to the Valley Suns, who have another former Husky on the roster, Moses Wood. The sharpshooter posted 7 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal as Thomas stole the show in his return.

If Thomas can sustain his high level of play over a few weeks with the Stars, he could see NBA teams come calling just like they did in 2024, which led to him signing a few 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns before the organization ultimately took him on for the remainder of the season.

“No one is in the gym more than IT,” Washington head coach Danny Sprinkle said of Thomas in a post on X (formerly Twitter) after news broke that Thomas would return to the G-League. “I’ve seen it firsthand since we stepped on campus. He’s earned every piece of this opportunity!”

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Jake Lamb inks minor league contract with San Francisco Giants

Jake Lamb is looking to make a return to the major leagues.

Former Washington Huskies star Jake Lamb is looking to make an MLB comeback. On Monday, the former All-Pac-10 and All-Pac-12 honorable mention signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants that could help him be promoted to the major league club if he makes the team out of spring training.

The 34-year-old journeyman has had a successful MLB career, including an All-Star appearance for the third baseman during the 2017 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lamb, who is a career .235 hitter with 96 home runs, spent his first six seasons with the Diamondbacks before the organization chose to release him in 2020. Since then, he’s seen time at the big league level with the Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Angels.

He’s also signed minor league deals with the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, but hasn’t seen MLB action since June 2023 when he was desginated for assignment by the Angels.

Lamb will be fighting for a bench spot with the Giants, who signed Matt Chapman to a six-year contract extension during the 2024 season, and Wilmer Flores manning the designated hitter spot. He could share some time with Lamont Wade at first base, but if he’s able to make the big club, Lamb projects as a solid option off the bench for manager Bob Melvin against right handed relievers.

Chicago Bears hire Antwaan Randle El as wide receivers coach

Rome Odunze will have an opportunity to work with one of the NFL’s best wide receivers coaches.

As head coach Ben Johnson tries to utilize all the young talent the Chicago Bears have compiled ahead of his first season at the helm, he brought in one of the league’s best wide receivers coaches to assist him and help develop one of general manager Ryan Poles’ most valuable assets, former Washington Huskies star Rome Odunze.

One of Johnson’s first hires was former Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, who should be a perfect addition for Odunze and fellow pass catcher DJ Moore. The former All-Pro receiver and Super Bowl champion compiled 370 catches for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career and oversaw stellar production with the Lions.

Randle El spent four years under head coach Dan Campbell as the team’s wide receivers coach, where he oversaw the development of one of the league’s best pass catchers, Amon-Ra St. Brown. The former fourth-round pick has had three 100-plus catch, 1,000-yard seasons during his four years in the league, and was named to the NFL’s All-Pro First Team in both 2023 and 2024.

Former first-round pick Jameson Williams also broke out under Randle El’s watch in 2024, tallying his first 1,000-yard campaign. Now as the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach, Randle El should mesh very nicely with Odunze as Johnson installs his offense.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Rome Odunze play more from the slot,” Dan Pizzuta wrote of Odunze’s role for The 33rd Team. “In a role similar to Amon-Ra St. Brown. That could give Williams a trusted target for some of those middle-of-the-field routes and and a go-to receiver on slants for an easy completion.”

“Odunze was more effective in the slot as a rookie (1.55 yards per route run to 0.97), and his size could work as a power-slot role while still getting opportunities to work outside.”

With a new role and better coaching, Odunze’s development could take a big step forward in year two.

Isaiah Thomas signs with Salt Lake City Stars in pursuit of NBA comeback

Isaiah Thomas is looking to make another NBA comeback.

Don’t count out Isaiah Thomas just yet. On Monday morning, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 35-year-old inked a deal with the Salt Lake City Stars, the G-League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, for the second consecutive season as he pursues another NBA comeback.

In March 2024, Thomas signed with the Stars and played in four games, averaging 32.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 3 rebounds per contest before the Phoenix Suns took notice after a few injuries in their backcourt and inked him to a 10-day contract to add some depth to their bench.

The Washington Huskies legend would remain with the Suns for the rest of the season, although he didn’t see much playing time before Phoenix was eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Thomas played in six games with the Suns last season, averaging 3.2 minutes and 1.3 points while mainly serving in a mop-up role.

If he’s able to make his way back onto an NBA roster, it will be Thomas’ 13th NBA season, a remarkable achievement for the last pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Over his career, he has played for 10 teams, made two All-Star appearances, both with the Boston Celtics and averaged 17.5 points per game.

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Trent McDuffie reaches third consecutive Super Bowl

All Trent McDuffie does at the NFL level is win.

At this point, it seems inevitable that Trent McDuffie and the Kansas City Chiefs will reach the Super Bowl every year. On Sunday night, the former Washington Huskies star helped his team secure its third consecutive berth in the big game with a 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills.

It wasn’t the strongest game for McDuffie, who is also coming off a Second Team All-Pro selection. The former first-round pick finished with 4 tackles and allowed a 34-yard touchdown to wide receiver Mack Hollins with less than 30 seconds to play in the first half, but came through when his team needed him most.

With two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, on fourth down and five near midfield, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo sent McDuffie after quarterback Josh Allen as part of a blitz to put pressure on the favorite to win the 2024 NFL MVP award. McDuffie filled the gap correctly before dropping off to prevent the mobile quarterback from escaping and finding the line to gain, forcing an errant throw that fell off the hands of tight end Dalton Kincaid and to the turf.

Then, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to pick up a few first downs, punching Kansas City’s ticket to Super Bow LIX in New Orleans, where the Chiefs will face off with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Washington legend Kelsey Plum involved in blockbuster trade

Washington legend Kelsey Plum is a headliner in a blockbuster WNBA trade.

Just a week after the Washington Huskies retired her jersey, Kelsey Plum is on the move. On Sunday evening, the Las Vegas Aces star and two-time Olympic gold medalist was involved in a blockbuster three-team trade, headlined by the Seattle Storm sending All-Star Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas, and Plum moving from Vegas to the Los Angeles Sparks.

In a deal that was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Storm will receive the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and Sparks center Li Yireu. Along with Plum, the Sparks will receive the No. 9 pick, while the Aces moved to No. 13 in April’s draft.

After averaging 17.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on one of the best teams in the WNBA, Plum will now have to try and turn around one of the league’s worst. The Sparks finished last in the Western Conference in 2024 with an 8-32 record, which should make Plum a more than welcome addition.

The three-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion should form a solid core for the Sparks alongside the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Cameron Brink. However, the organization will have to wait a while before the two will hit the floor together for the first time, as Brink suffered a torn ACL in June 2024 and isn’t expected to play during the 2025 season.

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Taylor Rapp ruled out of AFC Championship Game

After leaving early against the Baltimore Ravens, Taylor Rapp will be unable to suit up against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Former Washington Huskies standout Taylor Rapp has had some bad luck in the NFL playoffs. Of the 11 games he’s been eligible to play in across his six seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills, he’s only been healthy enough for three of them, including Sunday’s matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

Rapp was ruled out on Friday with hip and back injuries after he had to be carted off during Buffalo’s 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens and was taken to get X-rays done.

After signing a three-year contract extension with the Bills in the offseason, the former second-round pick has been productive in 2024, tallying 82 tackles, 6 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble in 2024.

With Rapp sidelined, rookie Cole Bishop will take his place.

“It’s easy to say it’s just like any other game, but everybody knows it’s really not,” Bishop said. “So being able to just prepare throughout the week, and then once Sunday comes, like you’ve done everything you can, so at that point there is really nothing you can be nervous for. You prepared, and now you’ve just got to go make plays.”

Three former Huskies may have a new offensive coordinator in 2025

Three former Huskies will have a new offensive coordinator calling the shots in 2025.

The NFL coaching carousel continued to spin on Thursday afternoon when Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, one of the hottest names on the market, is rumored to be close to agreeing to a deal to take the head coaching job with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That would have a big impact on three former Washington Huskies that make up a good portion of the Buccaneers offense.

Jalen McMillan

The former All-Pac-12 wide receiver and third-round pick was a revelation during his rookie season, scoring 7 touchdowns in the team’s final five games while filling the hole left by Chris Godwin, who was lost for the season with a dislocated ankle.

Coen did a great job putting McMillan in opportunistic matchups down the stretch as he finished his first NFL campaign with 37 catches for 461 yards and 8 scores.

Cade Otton

Coen helped develop Otton into one of the league’s most reliable targets in 2024. After Godwin and fellow All-Pro Mike Evans, the former fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft turned into a star for the Buccaneers, setting new career-highs with 59 catches for 600 yards, adding 4 touchdowns to a season where he lost three games with a knee injury.

Devin Culp

The seventh-round pick in April’s draft was inactive for most of the season, but when Otton went down, his college teammate stepped up. The offensive coordinator utilized the NFL combine star’s stellar athleticism and turned it into 5 catches for 88 yards, an average of 17.6 yards per reception.

Rome Odunze will be a big part of Ben Johnson’s plans in Chicago

Rome Odunze should thrive in Ben Johnson’s offense.

The Chicago Bears made one of the best hires of the NFL’s coaching carousel, adding former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach. General manager Ryan Poles has put together a strong infrastructure in Chicago, pairing former Washington Huskies star Rome Odunze with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, quarterback Caleb Williams.

On Wednesday, Johnson took to the podium for his introductory press conference to discuss his plans for Williams and Odunze, who were both looking on from the front row.

“Modern football in the NFL is quarterback driven,” Johnson said. “Quarterback success is a higher predictor of winning and losing than turnover ratio, which its been for 20 plus years. That’s changed. There’s no doubt Caleb played a large component into my decision, he’s a phenomenal talent that had, as many quarterbacks do, an up and down rookie season.”

Williams looked to Odunze often during his first season, as the former Husky and No. 9 overall pick finished with 54 catches on 101 targets for 734 yards, which were all good for third on the team, and 3 touchdowns, which placed the former All-American fourth.

Johnson was known for his inventive offense in Detroit, which finished No. 1 in the NFL in 2024, averaging 521 yards per game and created two 1,000 yard receivers in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, which should greatly benefit Odunze. He emphasized that, like in Detroit, he’s confident in the talent on the roster.

“I feel really confident about the talent level that’s already in the building,” Johnson said. “I really felt like this place was a sleeping giant…seeing all the weapons they have on offense here was really, really encouraging.”

With veteran receiver Keenan Allen preparing to hit free agency, Odunze should be expected to take a central role in Johnson’s scheme, which he said will look different from his three years in Detroit and is going to be tailored to his players.

Former UW star Roger Rosengarten named to PFWA All-Rookie Team

Roger Rosengarten was recognized as one of the NFL’s top rookies on Tuesday.

Former Washington Huskies star tackle Roger Rosengarten found his way into the Baltimore Ravens starting lineup in week 4 of the 2024 season and commanded the position for the rest of the year. Taken as the ninth offensive tackle off the board, the second-round pick has proven that he was the hidden gem of the draft for his position.

On Tuesday, he was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team alongside the first tackle taken in the draft and No. 5 overall pick, Los Angeles Chargers standout Joe Alt Jr.

With the selection, Rosengarten became the first Husky named to the team since linebacker Ezekiel Turner in 2018.

The Highlands Ranch, Colorado native adapted quickly to offensive coordinator Todd Moken’s scheme and was a driving force in a record-setting season for two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. He was also an integral part of the second-best season of star running back Derrick Henry’s career.

Rosengarten also had one of the most touching player moments of the season when he asked for a jersey swap with Cleveland Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, calling himself a “nobody” in comparison to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The veteran assured him he was anything but a “nobody.”

Rosengarten and the Ravens lost in the divisional round to the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday, but as he cleaned out his locker on Monday, he reflected on a successful first season.

“I’m here for a reason. I can be the most dominant player I want to be at offensive tackle,” Rosengarten said in a press release. “My goal is to try to help this team get as many wins as possible and help guys like Lamar, Derrick, and [tight end] Mark [Andrews] win that Super Bowl they’ve all been chasing, because they laid the groundwork for this organization. I’m going to do everything I can to help that happen.”

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