Tag: Video

Kansas All-American Hunter Dickinson to return for 5th college season

Dickinson was named a consensus second-team All-American, averaging 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks.

Kansas senior Hunter Dickinson announced Friday on social media that he will return to school to play the 2024-25 season with the Jayhawks, his fifth season in college.

Dickinson was named a consensus second-team All-American this past season, averaging 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks on 54.8% shooting from the field. He ranked eighth in the country in rebounding and 12th in double-doubles (17).

He was also named to the All-Big 12 first team.

The 7-footer joined the Jayhawks last year after spending his first three seasons in college at Michigan. He was one of four active players in Division I this season with at least 2,200 career points and 1,100 rebounds, joining Zach Edey, Armando Bacot and Baylor Scheierman.

Dickinson will return to a team with the sixth-ranked incoming recruiting class, headlined by top-50 prospects Flory Bidunga (No. 11) and Rakease Passmore (No. 50). Jayhawks coach Bill Self is also adding Rylen Griffin (Alabama) and AJ Storr (Wisconsin) via the transfer portal.

With Dickinson back in the fold, Kansas will likely be the front-runner to be the preseason No. 1 team in the country next season. The team also returns starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams, likely making it the favorite in the Big 12.

The Jayhawks (22-10) made their 51st appearance in the NCAA Tournament this past season as the fourth seed. They lost to No. 5 Gonzaga in the second round.

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Miami freshman Kyshawn George to forgo eligibility, declare for 2024 NBA draft

George was the only freshman in the ACC to average at least seven points and three rebounds in fewer than 25 minutes per game.

Miami freshman Kyshawn George told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the 2024 NBA draft.

George, born in Switzerland, averaged 7.6 points, three rebounds and 2.2 assists on 42.6% shooting from the field. He was the only freshman in the ACC to average at least seven points and three rebounds in fewer than 25 minutes per game (23.0).

The 20-year-old scored in double figures 12 times, including a season-high 20 points and eight rebounds on Jan. 6. He became the first Miami freshman to score at least 20 points in a game since Isaiah Wong produced 27 on Feb. 19, 2020.

George played four years with Élan Chalon in France before joining the Hurricanes. He was named to the All-U21 Espoir Pro B first team last season, averaging 17.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.4 steals for the under-21 team.

The 6-foot-8 guard is considered a potential first-round pick. He has impressed in spurts as a perimeter defender and his ability to space the floor, converting 40.8% from 3-point range on 4.2 attempts per game. He also has a good feel for the game and is a good passer.

George also represented Switzerland in the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship Division B, averaging 2.5 points and 1.3 assists in six appearances.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Watch new Broncos QB Bo Nix’s introductory press conference

New Broncos quarterback Bo Nix held an introductory press conference at the team’s facility on Friday.

After being picked by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, quarterback Bo Nix held an introductory press conference at the team’s Centura Health Training Center.

You can watch the quarterback’s 22-minute press conference in the below video, courtesy of the team’s official YouTube page.

Nix joins the team as a 24-year-old rookie after playing five years in college. He is expected to compete with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the starting quarterback job this summer.

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Spanish guard Juan Núñez announces decision to declare for 2024 NBA draft

Núñez is averaging 10.6 points, 5.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals on 49% shooting from the field in 45 games across all competitions.

Juan Núñez, a 6-foot-4 guard from Spain, announced Friday on social media that he is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft after two seasons with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany.

Núñez is averaging 10.6 points, 5.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals on 49% shooting from the field in 45 games across all competitions. He recently produced his best game of the season on March 9, recording 20 points, five assists and three rebounds.

The 19-year-old spent two years with the Real Madrid youth team to begin his career. He then played one season with the senior team and helped it win the Spanish League in 2022. Núñez signed with Ratiopharm Ulm and won the Basketball Bundesliga title last year.

Núñez is considered a potential first-round pick. He is viewed as perhaps the top point guard in the draft, given his tremendous court vision and ability to make every pass. He thrives in pick-and-roll situations, as a result, and can keep it himself and get downhill and finish at the rim.

He helped his draft stock last year with a strong showing for Spain in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. He averaged five points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds in five games on 37.5% shooting from the field as Spain finished in ninth place.

Núñez projects to fit in well with teams at the next level as a lead guard, though he will need to improve as a defender. However, he has the potential to be effective on offense and emerge as a walking highlight reel with his flashiness and passing.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Magic react to dominating win over Cavaliers in Game 3 of playoffs

After failing to lead in their first two games against the Cavaliers, the Magic cruised to a dominating win in Game 3 on Thursday.

ORLANDO, Fla. — After struggling to make shots in their first two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Orlando Magic knew things would eventually turn in their favor.

It finally happened on Thursday.

Playing behind their home crowd in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, the Magic shook off a slow start and dominated the Cavaliers to take Game 3 and bring their first-round series to 2-1 with a 121-83 victory at the Kia Center.

Paolo Banchero produced a game-high 31 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, Jalen Suggs scored 24 points and Franz Wagner added 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds to lead the Magic to their first home playoff victory since April 26, 2011.

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley knew Banchero was due for a big game.

“We felt it from the beginning of the game, honestly,” Mosley said. “The moment he stepped into his first shot, it didn’t go in; there was no hesitation in his next one. I think that’s a sign of a young man who is continuing to get better and continuing to grow into who he is becoming. He does not let a make or miss rattle what he is doing.”

The Cavaliers didn’t trail against the Magic in the first two games after picking up consecutive wire-to-wire wins in the playoffs for the first time since May 2017. They collectively held the Magic to 36.2% shooting from the field, including 25.7% from 3-point range, in those two games.

Orlando continued its cold streak on Thursday, missing 10 out of its first 11 shots to fall into an early seven-point hole in the first quarter. The group responded and ended the period on a 28-11 run to take a 10-point lead into the second quarter.

From there, the Magic erased any doubt about their shooting woes by  connecting on 51.1% of their attempts from the field, including 35.1% from beyond the arc. They led by 43 points in the second half before the Cavaliers cut the margin of victory to 38 points, the third-largest in Magic playoff history.

“I just knew I was just going to have to stay in attack mode,” Banchero said. “Obviously, the difference being down 2-1 and 3-0 is ginormous, so I knew that this game was kind of a do-or-die game, and I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. I wanted to just go out there and hoop and be aggressive from the start.”

Banchero became the first Magic player to score at least 30 points in the playoffs since Nikola Vucevic on Aug. 24, 2020. He became the first player in franchise history to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in fewer than 30 minutes (29 minutes, 19 seconds).

The first-time All-Star and reigning Rookie of the Year registered his first career playoff double-double on Thursday. He also became the second-youngest player in history to begin his playoff career with three straight 20-point performances (21 years, 165 days).

“The shot-making — that was pretty special,” Wagner said of Banchero. “Some extremely tough shots, some against two defenders. It makes the game pretty easy for the rest of us.”

The Magic, who were outrebounded by 21 over the first two games, held a 51-32 advantage on the glass in Game 3. They hauled 14 rebounds on the offensive end — compared to five for the Cavaliers — and outscored them 22-9 in second-chance points.

Jarrett Allen, who had a playoff-career-high 20 rebounds in Game 2, led the Cavaliers with 15 points, eight rebounds and one block. Caris LeVert scored 15 points off the bench and Donovan Mitchell added 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

The Magic didn’t want to get outrebounded again.

“We knew that was kind of the killer in the first two games,” Banchero said. “We thought we were playing pretty good defense but we’ve been giving up way too many rebounds and getting dominated on the glass. We really wanted to put an emphasis on neutralizing their bigs and keeping them off the boards.”

Orlando will look to keep its momentum heading into Game 4 on Saturday (1 p.m. EDT, TNT). The group understands it can’t get too high off of its win, just like it didn’t get down too low after dropping the first two games of the series.

It appears they will be ready for the challenge.

“(We just have to) stick with it and understand that it is a long game and an even longer series,” Wagner said. “We did our job tonight and we gotta do the same on Saturday and just keep chipping away.”

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Check out these highlights of new Broncos QB Bo Nix

The Broncos have their quarterback of the future! Check out Bo Nix’s highlights here.

The Denver Broncos made a first-round pick in the NFL draft for the first time since 2021 on Thursday night, selecting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix 12th overall.

Nix was a three-year starter at Auburn, before transferring to the University of Oregon for two seasons. Nix finished third in the 2023 Heisman Trophy voting, after a season of career highs.

In 2023, Nix passed for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions with a 77.4 percent completion percentage.

In two seasons with the Ducks, he had almost as many completions as he did in three seasons with the Tigers (628 at Auburn, 658 at Oregon).

Check out his highlights below:

Nix joins a quarterback room that recently added former first-round draft pick Zach Wilson in the past week.

Nix was the sixth quarterback selected in the first round (as of publication),  behind Michael Penix Jr, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy, which ties an NFL record. The number of quarterbacks ties the famous 1983 NFL draft, when former Broncos quarterback and future Hall of Famer John Elway was taken first overall.

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Tidjane Salaün, a projected first-round pick from France, declares for NBA draft

Salaün, who will turn 19 in August, is averaging 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and one steal with Cholet Basket in France.

Tidjane Salaün, a 6-foot-9 forward from France, told Jonathan Givony of ESPN on Thursday that he had declared for the 2024 NBA draft after three years with Cholet Basket.

Salaün, who will turn 19 in August, is averaging 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and one steal on 33% shooting from 3-point range in 48 games. He started 48 games between all competitions and is among the team leaders in scoring and rebounding.

He started playing with the Cholet Basket youth team in 2021 before joining the senior roster for this season. He is producing at a high level against some of the top teams across Europe and is emerging as one of the top international prospects.

Salaün is considered a potential lottery pick. He has dazzled with his ability to handle the ball in transition, drive and finish at the rim. He crashes the glass on both ends of the court with force and can also defend multiple positions with his reported 7-foot, 2-inch wingspan.

He represented France last year in the FIBA U18 European Championship, averaging 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.4 assists in seven games. It was his first time playing for his country after he was previously cut from its under-17 team.

With Cholet Basket still in its season and competing for a playoff spot, Salaün likely won’t arrive in the United States until later in the pre-draft process. He will have the opportunity to meet with teams for interviews and workouts once his season is over.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Ronda Rousey on the red carpet: Photos through the years

Ronda Rousey, the biggest women’s MMA star of all time, made the most of her work inside the UFC cage.

[autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag] took the world by storm from the moment she became one of the first two women to compete in the UFC on Feb. 23, 2013. She was an instant sensation and a force inside the octagon, racking up six consecutive women’s bantamweight title defenses. Her work didn’t go unnoticed outside of the MMA world, which turned her into a mainstream star and afforded her movie roles that would land her on many red carpets. Take a look back at these images. (Photos via Associated Press and Getty Images)

Heat, Jaime Jaquez Jr. react to defeating Celtics in Game 2 of playoffs

The Heat set a playoff franchise record on Wednesday by hitting 23 3-pointers to defeat the Celtics in Game 2.

Tyler Herro scored 24 points and 14 assists, and Caleb Martin and Bam Adebayo each had 21 points, leading the Miami Heat to a 111-101 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The Heat, who were 14.5-point underdogs, bounced back to even the series after an abysmal showing in Game 1 on Sunday. The group struggled to shoot in that game, converting just 12-of-37 from 3-point range, and was outrebounded 44-34 by the Celtics.

On Wednesday, the Heat couldn’t miss.

They set a playoff franchise record by hitting 23 3-pointers in the contest, tied for the third-most by any team in history. Herro and Martin combined for 11 of them, while rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. (14 points) and Nikola Jovic (11 points) added three apiece.

The team knew it had to play with more urgency in Game 2.

“I think, as a collective, we just came together and knew we needed a better effort than we played in the first game, and that was just our mentality,” Jaquez said. “We had to give a much better effort — it is the playoffs. We kind of got punched in the mouth and then I think we responded great.”

Playing without Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck), the Heat were run out of the gym in Game 1. They never led in the contest and trailed by as many as 34 points before chipping the final deficit down to 20 points at the buzzer.

With two days off between games, the Heat had ample time to formulate a game plan for Wednesday. Part of the challenge was also preparing the group to be prepared and to erase any memory of Game 1, and the players responded to the challenge.

“When you have some younger players, you just have to constantly remind them that one game is one game, just like this win is just one win,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Series are potentially long and tough and you have to stay emotionally and mentally stable throughout all of it. You just have to focus on competing at a high level together and doing things that lead to winning.”

The Heat still have most of the players who advanced to the NBA Finals last year. That group advanced through the Eastern Conference out of the play-in tournament and became just the second team to make it past the second round of the playoffs as an 8-seed.

Many of those players still have that memory fresh in their minds and are leaning on that improbable run this year. That experience has proven to be invaluable and showed up once again on Wednesday.

“I just think it speaks more to the mentality of the group,” Martin said. “No matter what, we’ve been in these situations many times before. Just staying with it through bad games and slumps and having the confidence in our group and our staff to put something together to put us in the right position to play well.”

Game 3 will tip off at 6 p.m. EDT on Saturday in Miami on TNT.

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Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. received a vote for Sixth Man of the Year

Jaquez finished fifth in total scoring among all rookies and was one of eight first-year players with a 30-point game.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Wednesday, narrowly topping Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk for the award.

Reid garnered 45 first-place votes and 352 total points from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Monk finished with 43 first-place votes and 342 total points, making it the smallest margin of victory under the current voting format, which began in the 2002-03 season.

Milwaukee Bucks center Bobby Portis Jr. finished in third place, while LA Clippers forward Norman Powell and Atlanta Hawks forward Bogdan Bogdanovic rounded out the top five. Several other players received votes for the award, including Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Jaquez averaged 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and one steal on 48.9% shooting from the field in 75 games this season. He finished fifth in total scoring among all rookies and was one of eight first-year players with a 30-point game.

The 18th pick emerged as a key player off the bench for the Heat, ranking 19th in total scoring among all reserve players in the league. While he played mostly off the bench, he made 20 starts and would often be on the floor to close games.

Jaquez projects to be a lock to make an All-Rookie team after his stellar season. With his energy and scoring, he has contributed at a high level throughout the year in various roles and should be a foundational player next season and beyond.

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