Tag: USC

Former Warriors’ big man Andrew Bogut breaks down LaMelo Ball’s game

In a recent interview, former Warriors’ center Andrew Bogut offered a scouting report on LaMelo Ball.

With the college basketball season over due to the coronavirus, the NBA has turned attention to the upcoming draft. Anthony Edwards, Onyeka Okongwu and Obi Toppin are currently billed as top prospects from the college level.

Yet, there is a steady crop of prospects coming from outside of the NCAA’s realm. Names like Killian Hayes, Deni Avdija and RJ Hampton will be popular when the draft rolls around in June.

Another name ready to make the jump to the NBA is LaMelo Ball. The youngest Ball brother spent the past season playing for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s National Basketball League.

In the NBL, Ball and the Hawks faced off against the Golden State Warriors’ former center Andrew Bogut.

With the Warriors slated to own a top pick in the 2020 draft, Bogut offered up a scouting report on Ball in an interview with Damon Bruce, Ray Ratto and Matt Kolsky on San Francisco’s 95.7 The Game.

I saw a little bit of him. He played really well against us one game. He has a great ability to get into the paint from the guard position — can handle the ball very, very well and I think his passing and playmaking is at an elite level already. Obviously, his jump shot — which has been talked about a lot — will determine on how well he goes in his career. I think it’s very inconsistent from three, and it’s kind of a herky-jerky shot that he’ll probably have to fix much like his brother has. His brother is shooting the ball very, very well with New Orleans this season. I think his playmaking and the way he runs a team for a guy that young really stood out for me. The defense has to improve, but I think that’ll change with coaching and development in a good NBA program. But he’s looking at a chance to be a No. 1 pick or a top-five, top-ten pick. It’s great for our league to know that he came over here and played and we hope he does very, very well in the NBA.

In one game against Bogut and the Sydney Kings, Ball tallied 16 points on 7-of-19 shooting from the field in 27 minutes. The Chino Hills product added six assists and six rebounds for the Hawks. Bogut recorded five points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes for the Kings.

With Golden State’s need for a scoring option behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Ball could be an intriguing option at the top of the draft for the Warriors.

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Potential Warriors top prospect target declares for the 2020 NBA Draft

Top-prospect Anthony Edwards has officially declared for the 2020 NBA draft.

For the first time in years, the Golden State Warriors are in line to hold a top-pick in the NBA draft. With no March Madness tournament and the college basketball season over due to the coronavirus pandemic, prospects are starting to declare for the NBA draft.

Star freshman Anthony Edwards has officially entered his name into the 2020 draft. In his first season of college basketball, the potential first overall pick averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 32 games for the Bulldogs.

The 18-year-old guard shot 40.2 % from the field and 29.4 % from beyond the arc during his first season in the SEC. Edwards racked up three games of 30 or more points for the Bulldogs, with his career-high of 37 coming against the highly ranked Michigan State Spartans in the Maui Invitational Tournament.

The freshman is a streaky shooter, drilling six and seven 3-pointers in single games this season, but he did finish the final 10 games of his college career, only shooting 21.9% from long distance.

The Atlanta native is valued for his playmaking skills, whether he’s slashing downhill to the basket or trying to open up the floor for his teammates. The young combo guard was the focal point in Athens, yet he only recorded over five assists once in his career. At the next level, his passing numbers could rise. Still, the freshman’s explosive nature will quickly catch the attention of the NBA.

At 6-foot-5 225 lbs and only 18-years-old, Edwards would give Steve Kerr a piece of clay to mold into the Warriors core. Whether he’s riding next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the backcourt or leading the offensive attack for Golden State’s bench unit, Edwards is an exciting name to watch leading up to June.

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Why Everson Griffen would be good fit for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks need pass-rushing help and they might find the help they need in the form of free agent Everson Griffen.

Free agency season is here and the Seattle Seahawks, unsurprisingly, are looking for pass-rushing options.

Even after adding Bruce Irvin and re-signing Jarran Reed, they are continuing to look for help off the edge. One name being considered is the newly available defensive lineman Everson Griffen. The four-time Pro Bowler is an unrestricted free agent after spending a decade in a Vikings uniform.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll recruited and coached Griffen at USC so there is a connection there worth considering.

Griffen, 32, amassed eight sacks and 41 tackles last season to secure his fourth Pro Bowl selection. He has played in 15 or more games in eight of his 10 seasons, and he took personal time away from the team in 2018.

The connection between Seattle and Griffen hinges on what happens with Jadeveon Clowney. The Seahawks could look to bring both players into the mix if the price is right. Reportedly, it seems there aren’t many big offers coming Clowney’s way.

Pass rush remains the main item on the Seahawks’ agenda. Griffen fits the bill, and although it might depend on Clowney’s availability – it wouldn’t be surprising if they try to bring him in.

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NBA Draft: USC freshman Onyeka Okongwu is a name to watch for the Warriors

USC freshman Onyeka Okongwu is a name to know for the Golden State Warriors.

Instead of preparing for a deep playoff run, the Golden State Warriors are lining up for a top pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

With the NBA schedule on pause and the college basketball season over due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Warriors’ front office, it’s time for Steve Kerr and Bob Myers to turn their attention to the upcoming draft class.

While James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards might lead many mock drafts, the 2020 prospect pool has a bit of mystery to it. With there being no consensus top pick, Golden State scouts in the front office will need to do their homework.

A prospect that is quickly rising up draft boards is USC big man Onyeka Okongwu. The 6-foot-9 freshman was a teammate of the Ball brothers at Chino Hills high school and is now making a name for himself at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

Could Onyeka fit with Golden State at the top of the draft? Warriors Wire looked at how the Trojan freshman could fit in the Bay Area.

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Prospects for Jags fans to watch: USC WR Michael Pittman Jr.

The Jags need some help at receiver and Michael Pittman Jr. offers some tools that could help in the red-zone.

It certainly is an interesting time in history to be covering sports. The athletic world has all but stopped as most leagues have been postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus that has plagued thousands around the nation. That said, the NFL has stated that it will continue moving forward (at least for now) with the new year just four days away.

If all remains the same, we still expect the NFL Draft to occur in late April, giving teams just under a month to finalize boards and figure out their plan of attack. The Jacksonville Jaguars will enter free agency with a total of 10 selections and likely will try to accumulate as they look to make more trades before draft day.

As teams finalize their draft boards, I will be as well. One of the players that I am higher on than most is USC’s wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Specifically for the Jags, he could be a slam dunk pick on the second day of the draft.

Michael Pittman Jr. (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) burst onto the scene his senior season at the University of Southern California, catching 101 balls for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns. His impressive physicality at the catch-point and savviness as a route runner helped the young Trojan become one of the draft’s top receivers.

At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Pittman Jr. posted a solid week under the careful eye of 32 NFL teams. At a quite heavy 223 pounds, Pittman Jr. didn’t let that slow him down, running a 4.52 40-yard dash, which isn’t a bad time at all for a man of his stature.

Speed isn’t Pittman’s trump card, however, he’ll go up to snag the ball out of the air when a play is needed. In his senior season, Pittman hauled in 11 touchdowns for a struggling USC team. Against the Pac 12 Champions, the Utah Utes, Pittman put on a show, accumulating 10 catches for 232 yards and a touchdown. Here’s a clip of that impressive performance and Pittman’s 78-yard touchdown.

That clip from the Utah game beautifully encapsulates Pittman’s talents and is one of the most impressive games of tape that I saw from any prospect at any position. It was simply a clinic from the 6-foot-4 receiver.

After the catch, Pittman Jr. is just as physical, pushing for every yard he can get. He uses his size to his advantage and fights for that extra yardage that so many do not. He’s just as physical while running routes as well, creating space with his impressive stature.

Pittman would be the perfect fit for the Jaguars. The team struggled mightily in the red-zone in 2019, finishing 31st in the league. The USC standout would clear that issue up for the young Gardner Minshew II. Pittman would give the Jaguars a different type of receiver, one that uses their body to create separation and a reliable receiver with soft hands. Look for Michael Pittman Jr. to be under heavy consideration as the Jaguars enter Day 2 of the NFL draft, on the search for another weapon for Minshew.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s Jags Wire’s James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast, Bleav in Jags. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

Ep. 6

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Austin Davis set to become NFL’s youngest quarterbacks coach

The Seattle Seahawks promoted Dave Canales to pass-game coordinator and Austin Davis to QBs coach, making him the youngest in the NFL.

The Seattle Seahawks are making some personnel changes on the offensive side of the ball, promoting Dave Canales from quarterbacks coach to pass-game coordinator and Austin Davis from offensive assistant to quarterbacks coach.

With the promotion, Davis becomes the youngest quarterbacks coach in the NFL, having served as quarterback Russell Wilson’s backup as recently as 2017. Davis is six months younger than Wilson.

In addition to reporting the changes, NFL Insider Albert Breer also reported that Davis was drawing interest from other teams, part of what prompted coach Pete Carroll to hand him a promotion.

Davis, 31 in June, played in parts of four NFL seasons between 2012 and 2017. He appeared in 16 games, starting 10, and completed 236 passes on 378 attempts with 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

He was released by the Giants in February of 2019 and caught on as an offensive assistant with Seattle, evidently impressing enough to get promoted after just one season.

Canales has been with the Seahawks since 2010, spending one year as an administrative assistant at USC with coach Carroll in 2009 before joining him in Seattle.

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2020 Pac-12 College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 Pac-12 Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 Pac-12 Conference Tournament starts Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The tournament features four games Wednesday, and four more battles Thursday. The Oregon Ducks earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, while UCLA, Arizona State and USC also secured first-round byes as the next three top seeds. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the Pac-12 tournament, which has eight teams tipping off the action Wednesday.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, March 11 at 10:20 a.m. ET.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Oregon Ducks (+175)

Regular season record: (24-7, 13-5 Pac-12)

The Ducks were the class of the Pac-12, scratching out a regular-season conference title. While that’s all well and good, they were a perfect 17-0 at home, but just 7-7 in their 14 games either on the road or on a neutral-site court. Oregon rolls into the tourney on a 4-0 straight up and against the spread run, and they’re 6-1 SU/ATS across their past seven games, with only a loss at Arizona State in the mix.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

G Payton Pritchard is a stud, rolling up 20.5 points and 5.5 assists per game this season. The Ducks are among the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation, hitting at a 39.6% clip from behind the arc.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +175, as Oregon is playing better ball than anyone in the conference.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Arizona Wildcats (+340)

Regular-season record: (20-11, 10-8 Pac-12)

The Wildcats have rather short odds considering they stumbled hard down the stretch. Arizona dropped four of its final five regular-season games, also going 1-4 ATS during the run.

There is just no value here, as the Wildcats are ice cold. ARIZONA IS A TERRIBLE PLAY AT +340, AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Colorado Buffaloes (+350)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 10-8 Pac-12)

The Buffaloes were at or near the top of the Pac-12 standings all season, but they ended the campaign on a four-game skid, and they failed to cover in five straight and eight of their final nine games. Confidence is EXTREMELY low they’ll win one game in the tourney, let alone a championship. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: UCLA Bruins (+600)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 12-6 Pac-12)

The Bruins really got their act together down the stretch, winning seven in a row before losing a defensive nail-biter at USC in the regular-season finale. The Bruins might need a win to feel more confident on Selection Sunday, and it’s possible this team is one of the First Four teams. A conference title would go a long way in seeding, and they’re playing the second-best basketball of anyone in the conference besides Oregon. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY AT +600 IS WARRANTED.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Arizona State Sun Devils (+800)

Regular-season record: (20-11, 11-7 Pac-12)

The Sun Devils dropped three in a row at UCLA, at USC and at home against lowly Washington, splashing cold water on their momentum after a seven-game winning streak from Feb. 1-22. The Sun Devils are a very mediocre team who will be NIT-bound barring a championship. It’s not happening. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: USC Trojans (+1200)

Regular-season record: (22-9, 11-7 Pac-12)

The Trojans are a tremendous sleeper most people give little credit. They rattled off a three-game winning streak against Arizona, Arizona State and UCLA to close out the season, and if you’re looking for a mid-tier value, they’re it. They lost their only meeting against Oregon in Eugene Jan. 23, but they took the Ducks to overtime before falling 79-70. USC IS A TREMENDOUS VALUE WITH UPSIDE AT +1200.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Stanford Cardinal (+1500)

Regular-season record: (20-11, 9-9 Pac-12)

The Cardinal split the season series with Oregon, they split with Colorado and they also had a win at UCLA, while losing an OT thriller at USC. Stanford has a strong defense, and it slows it down with a methodical offense. The Cardinal are a good 3-point shooting team when they do hoist them up, and they’re accurate from the floor. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY AT +1500 ISN’T A WASTE OF MONEY.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Oregon State Beavers (+5000)

Regular-season record: (17-13, 7-11 Pac-12)

The Beavers topped the top-seeded Ducks by a 63-53 count, but could they do it in Vegas? They were swept by Arizona State, but played them tough, too. The Beavers can hang around and be a pain, but they’re likely one-and-done after running out of steam in the second half. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Washington Huskies (+5000)

Regular-season record: (15-16, 5-13 Pac-12)

Washington stunned Arizona State and Arizona on the road to close out the regular season, and has the talent to give anyone fits, but can they go 4-for-4 to win a title? Nah. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Utah Utes (+7000)

Regular-season record: (16-14, 7-11 Pac-12)

The Utes ended the season on a high note, adding to Colorado’s woes. They upset USC Feb. 23, but they also lost to California, and were dusted by Oregon State. Utah is too inconsistent, thus the long odds. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: Washington State Cougars (+7000)

Regular-season record: (15-16, 6-12 Pac-12)

The Cougs closed the season on a 1-6 SU/3-4 ATS run in the final seven regular-season games. They have wins against Arizona State, Oregon and UCLA this season, but they were also swept by Cal and Stanford. AVOID.

2020 Pac-12 odds: California Bears (+8000)

Regular-season record: (13-18, 7-11 Pac-12)

The Bears won just three of their final 10 games, and they closed out the season with a 24-point loss in Oregon and 18-point loss in Oregon State. There’s a reason they have the worst odds. They’re skidding hard. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Alabama QB Bryce Young shares why he chose the Crimson Tide over USC

Will Bryce Young win the battle in Tuscaloosa for the starting quarterback position come September?

There’s no doubt that the quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa will be one of the most fascinating college football stories this season, especially since more than likely, Mac Jones and Bryce Young will be battling it out for the QB1 position.

Bryce Young, although young, is incredible talented. Not only was named the national high school offensive player of the year, he is also the No. 1 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class. In his senior year alone, Young threw for 4,528 yards and 58 touchdowns with another 357 yards and 10 TDs on the ground. In his career,  he threw for 12,895 yards, 147 TDs, and 18 INT.

But how did Young end up at Alabama, especially at one point, he was sold on USC?

In an interview with USA Today’s Paul Myerberg, Young explains his reasoning for choosing the Tide in the end.

“I’m definitely blessed to be able to go to Alabama where we have the best resources in college football. I’ve just been trying to take advantage of it”

“I just wanted to do what was best for me, football-wise. I felt that Alabama was the best fit for me. It was somewhat difficult facing the fact that I’m not going to be going to school 20 minutes away from my house. But at the end of the day, I just wanted to do what was best. It wasn’t really too big of a deal. It was, for me, whatever I could do to put myself in the best position.”

As Myerberg explains in his article, “Alabama could offer continuity and security at a time when USC seemed headed toward a coaching change, though Helton was able to lead the Trojans to eight wins and secure his position for at least one more year, with several changes to his coaching staff.”

Young is excited, and knows the best is yet to come:

“I just want to maximize myself and listen to my coaches. Really, for me, it’s whatever the coaches ask of me. I’m just trying to get better and push myself to be the best I can. Just listen to the coaches. They’re not going to steer me wrong.”

Will Bryce Young win the battle in Tuscaloosa for the starting quarterback position come September?

Only time will tell. But one thing is for certain: Young is right where he is supposed to be.

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Notre Dame’s Rivalry with USC Ranked Among Best in all of NCAA Athletics

Notre Dame against USC make top 10 list of rivalries in all of college athletics.

When you have a rivalry as heated as the Irish and Trojans have, it comes as no surprise that it is among the intense rivalries in the NCAA, on the gridiron or hardwood. Brad Crawford of 247Sports ranked the fiercest rivalries  in all of collegiate athletics and Notre Dame’s annual contest against USC was among them.

Ranked as the 9th fiercest, Crawford noted that the rivalry between the two schools “is defined by it’s series of high stakes meetings as two of college football’s most stories programs.” Crawford is right by that as the game normally has national implications for the winner of the contest.

In recent memory It has been the Irish who have owned the rivalry, winners of seven of the last ten, including the last three years in a row. Prior to that ten-game stretch, it was USC who owned the rivalry, winning eight of the ten games in the 2000’s.

The hated between the two schools is strong, which is why I believe that Crawford ranked it a bit too low. At worst USC/Notre Dame is a top 5 rivalry in all of major collegiate athletics, and clearly it is up for debate. This year’s game will be played in LA Memorial Coliseum and is the final game on the schedule for both teams. Although the time is undecided right now, it should be a prime-time match-up as both teams should be highly ranked coming into the season.

LaMelo Ball sits courtside at USC-UCLA game, cheers on former Chino Hills teammate Onyeka Okongwu

LaMelo Ball’s tour around the country attending basketball games returned home on Saturday. as he was in attendance courtside for USC-UCLA.

LaMelo Ball’s tour around the country to take in all sorts of basketball games returned home on Saturday. Ball was in attendance courtside for the thrilling USC-UCLA regular season finale.

The game ended on an exciting game-winner by USC’s Jonah Matthews with a second left on the clock as the Trojans shocked a Bruins side that has been among the best in the Pac 12 this season.

Ball, though, wasn’t there to simply take in the rivalry but to also support and cheer on former Chino Hills teammate Onyeka Okongwu. As a freshman for the Trojans this season, Okongwu has burst onto the scene and looks primed to be a lottery pick in June’s NBA Draft.

On Saturday, Okongwu finished with 16 points and six rebounds for USC. That line nearly matched his per-game production for the season on the nose as the forward is averaging 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Ball and Okongwu are both set to earn spots in the NBA and with LiAngelo Ball getting a professional contract on the weekend as well, the 2015-16 Chino Hills team could soon become a high school side that rostered four future NBA players.

Even the fifth starter of that team, Eli Scott, is putting together a strong season for Loyola Marymount by averaging 15.5 points and 6.7 rebounds as a junior.

The best part of it all is it seems like the Ball brothers, Scott and Okongwu all have remained close after developing a bond that can’t be replicated during their season at Chino Hills.

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