Gauchos

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; A&nbsp;fight broke out and punches were thrown&nbsp;during the game between the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Five players were ejected following the brawl, which started in front of the Orlando bench late in the third quarter. Minnesota guard Austin Rivers and Magic center Mo Bamba were the initial players involved, and it spilled over to include several others on the court.
Rivers, Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince were ejected from the Timberwolves. Jalen Suggs was tossed along with Bamba for Orlando, which went on to win 127-120.
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The Target Center Tussle 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaisedByWolves?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RaisedByWolves</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/7DPJwnELgS">pic.twitter.com/7DPJwnELgS</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1621704987012206595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t like a cool moment for me,&rdquo;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1621726026945396736" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rivers said after the game.</a>&nbsp;&ldquo;I feel embarrassed. I&rsquo;m the oldest on the team. I consider myself the leader of the team, or one of the leaders of the team. It was a weird game, and I don&rsquo;t think that helped at all. If anything right now, I&rsquo;m just (ticked off) that we lost, and that I had (something) to do with that. It doesn&rsquo;t make me feel good.&rdquo;
Bamba and Suggs were not available for comment after the game.
&ldquo;You obviously want to have your teammate&rsquo;s back and at the same time, you&rsquo;ve got to be a professional,&rdquo; said Orlando center Moritz Wagner, also involved in a skirmish with Detroit in December.
&ldquo;So, that&rsquo;s a challenge for a young team like us. I think this time around we did a good job compared to last time. So, yeah, I don&rsquo;t really know. It&rsquo;s a weird dynamic. You don&rsquo;t really want to be in those situations and it&rsquo;s not really the best look. You want to be professional. At the same time, there is something in me that appreciates the team sticking together like that.&rdquo;
Wagner appeared to get knocked out in that fight with the Pistons in Detroit. Wagner and Detroit&rsquo;s Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo were all ejected.
On this night, the fight began with Rivers right in front of the Magic bench as play was ongoing at the far end of the court. Bamba came off the bench and Rivers threw punches at him. Suggs later pulled Rivers away and swung him to the court. McDaniels and Prince joined the scrum.
&ldquo;Their guy came off the bench and threw a punch,&rdquo; Timberwolves coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1621722960921772033" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chris Finch said</a>. &ldquo;Pretty egregious. Then it&rsquo;s a melee, and somehow our guys get punished a lot worse. One guy got sent for not being a peacekeeper. I just looked at the film, and I didn&rsquo;t see any difference between what their guys were doing and what our guys were doing.&rdquo;
The altercation seemed to stem from talk from the Magic bench, particularly Bamba. A few moments earlier, Rivers missed a 3-point attempt in front of the Orlando bench, and Bamba and Markelle Fultz could be seen reacting to the miss.
Rivers said he approached the 7-foot, 231-pound Bamba about his comments.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not gonna snitch on the dude or whatever, but I just didn&rsquo;t like the way he was talking to me,&rdquo; said Rivers, listed at 6-4 and 200 pounds. &ldquo;For no reason, too. I don&rsquo;t even know that dude. I don&rsquo;t know anything about him. Obviously, I just know he&rsquo;s a player for the Magic. And he proceeded to talk, so that next possession, when I went down there, I just said, pretty much, &lsquo;Just keep it respectful, bro.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Rivers later added: &ldquo;I went up to him and I pressed him, and at that point, it can go one of two ways. I didn&rsquo;t think we were going to get in a fight. But when you stand up that fast and put your hands up &mdash; he threw a punch and missed, thankfully. At that point, I&rsquo;ve got to protect myself. Ain&rsquo;t no one worried about him.&rdquo;
The fight came one night after&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-donovan-mitchell-dillon-brooks-get-into-scuffle-cleveland-cavaliers-memphis-grizzlies-react-ja-morant-darius-garland-taylor-jenkins-jb-bickerstaff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an on-court altercation between Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.</a>
Brooks swung and struck Mitchell in the groin area during the third quarter Thursday after the Grizzlies guard had fallen to the floor. Mitchell retaliated by throwing the ball at Brooks and then shoving him.
Both players were ejected from Cleveland&rsquo;s 128-113 win. Afterward,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-donovan-mitchell-dillon-brooks-get-into-scuffle-cleveland-cavaliers-memphis-grizzlies-react-ja-morant-darius-garland-taylor-jenkins-jb-bickerstaff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitchell accused Brooks of being a dirty player.</a>
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dillon-brooks-suspended-one-game-donovan-mitchell-fined-20000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The NBA announced punishments for both players</a>&nbsp;Friday, with Brooks getting suspended one game without pay and Mitchell fined $20,000.

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In Orlando's win over Minnesota, Wolves guard Austin Rivers and Magic center Mo Bamba got into a fight that led to five ejections.

Magic top Timberwolves after 5 players ejected for fighting

DETROIT (AP) &mdash; Orlando&rsquo;s Moritz Wagner appeared to briefly get knocked out by a punch to the back of the head after starting a <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsFL/status/1608270161383129090?s=20&amp;t=KiMvkTY2s6s29tSA6g3TXw">fight in the first half</a> against the Pistons that led to three ejections Wednesday night in a scene that triggered memories of an ugly brawl in Detroit 18 years ago.
Wagner was ejected for a flagrant foul, while Detroit&rsquo;s Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo were thrown out for their actions during the ensuing scuffle in front of the Pistons bench.
With 34 seconds left in the first half, Wagner and Hayes chased an errant Magic pass into the backcourt. Wagner knew Orlando would be called for a backcourt violation as soon as he touched it, and as he slowed up to let it go out of bounds, Hayes tried to cut past him along the sideline.
Wagner hip-checked Hayes into the Detroit bench. starting a scuffle that involved every player on both teams.
Hayes got back up and swung his right arm and struck Wagner, who slumped over and appeared to be unconscious.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s fine,&rdquo; said Franz Wagner, Moritz&rsquo;s younger brother. &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t seen the video, but I know that&rsquo;s the last thing he wanted to do.&rdquo;
In 2004, a fight between the Pistons and Indiana Pacers became forever known as &ldquo;The Malice at the Palace&rdquo; after fans became involved in the wild melee.
Numerous Magic players could be facing suspension for leaving the bench area during an altercation. Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr, Gary Harris, Mo Bamba, R.J. Hampton, Terrence Ross and Admiral Schofield were the players out of the game as the Orlando bench emptied.
&ldquo;I need an explanation about the decision because my understanding is you can&rsquo;t leave the bench area and escalate a situation,&rdquo; Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s when really bad things can happen.&rdquo;
Franz Wagner said the Magic players didn't feel they had a choice.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re aware of the rule, but things like that usually happen on the court, not on one of the benches,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Your worry is that your teammate is down there amongst the whole other team.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Orlando’s Moritz Wagner appeared to briefly get knocked out by a punch to the back of the head by Detroit’s Killian Hayes.

Three players ejected as Pistons-Magic scuffle in first half

DETROIT (AP) &mdash; Dalano Banton scored 27 points and Chris Boucher added 20 as the short-handed Toronto Raptors snapped a three-game losing streak with a 115-111 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
O.G. Anunoby added 19 points and seven rebounds for Toronto, which played without Fred VanVleet (non-COVID illness), Pascal Siakam (abdominal strain) and Gary Trent (hip).
Rookie Jaden Ivey scored 21 for Detroit, which lost its fourth straight. Bojan Bogandovic added 18 points.
Detroit trailed by as many as 14 point before Hamadou Diallo hit two free throws with 7:37 remaining to cut the deficit to 94-93. Banton hit a 3-pointer that put the Raptors up six with 4:54 remaining before Isaiah Livers' 3-pointer made it 103-100.
But, the Pistons committed a key turnover &mdash; their 19th of the game &mdash; and missed their 12th free throw, slowing their rally.
Pistons coach Dwane Casey juggled his lineup, going with two bigs in Isaiah Stewart and Marvin Bagley III, and using Saddiq Bey as a scorer off the bench. Stewart, though, played only 13 minutes before leaving with a sprained right foot.
The Raptors led 58-51 at halftime, thanks to 14 points from Banton and 13 from Boucher. Toronto then scored the first seven points of the third quarter. They led 88-77 going into the fourth quarter, aided by 10 missed free throws from the Pistons.
TIP INS
Raptors: Toronto won despite shooting 29.6% on 3-pointers and committing 17 turnovers that led to 24 points by Detroit.
Pistons: Detroit's reserves went 13 for 19 (68.4%) from the line and hit 4 of 13 3-pointers.
HONORING THE SAINT
The Pistons debuted their green jerseys designed to pay tribute to the mats on the walls of the gym at St. Cecilia's Church, located about five miles from Little Caesars Arena. The &ldquo;Saint&rdquo; opened in the 1960s and became the center of the Detroit basketball scene when Hall of Famer Dave Bing trained there during a holdout. He was followed by local stars like Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, George Gervin, Chris Webber and Glen Rice. It even hosted multiple generations, with Pistons star Jimmy Walker playing there in the 1970s before his son, Jalen Rose, arrived in the 1990s.

Dalano Banton scored 27 points and Chris Boucher added 20 as the Toronto Raptors scored a 115-111 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Blanton, Boucher lead short-handed Raptors past Pistons

A champion will be crowned in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) today, as Tunisia&rsquo;s US Monastir and Angola&rsquo;s Petro de Luanda face off at noon ET.
The game will reach fans in 215 countries and territories, and will air in Africa on ESPN, Canal+, VisionView TV and Voice of America (VOA) radio, and around the world on American Forces Network (AFN), ESPNews, NBA TV International, Tencent Sports, TSN, the NBA App and <a href="NBA.com">NBA.com.</a> The BAL featured the top 12 club teams from 12 African countries.
On May 22-23, Indiana Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce and Detroit Pistons assistant coach Bill Bayno led a BAL Coaches Clinic for more than 70 local basketball coaches in the Rwandan capital Kigali. The clinic offered tools and strategies to help the coaches enhance their player-development curriculum. Former NBA players Joakim Noah and Ian Mahinmi were in attendance along with BAL players from US Monastir.
BasketballNews.com caught up with Coach Pierce to discuss the camp, his growth as a coach, his experience as an assistant coach with Team USA, the Pacers&rsquo; young core and more.
You and Coach Bill Bayno just wrapped up the BAL Coaches Clinic. How did it go?
Lloyd Pierce: &ldquo;First and foremost, you have to give credit to the NBA and especially NBA Africa and the staff. [BAL President] Amadou Gallo Fall has done an amazing job of taking a vision and executing that vision to bring this together. The BAL league is really taking off over here in Africa, and I think the next layer of really trying to get this thing to grow and develop properly is teaching and trying to educate the coaches on the strategies and techniques so that they can not only coach it, but coach it better and find their passion. They have a huge impact by finding these players in the early stages in their career and teaching them and giving them the proper tools so that they can take off.
"So, this Coaches Clinic is probably as important as the games because it&rsquo;s education. It&rsquo;s educating an entire continent on the game of basketball that we all know so well, and they are eager to learn more and more about the different things that we have. I really feel blessed to be a part of this Coaches Clinic along with Coach Bayno and working with these coaches here and seeing the excitement that they have to teach the game, which really excites us as coaches as well.&rdquo;
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There was a classroom component and an on-court component. Can you walk me through each session and what kind of stuff you covered?
Pierce: &ldquo;Coach Bayno spoke in the classroom and really just gave them a ton of gems on player development and the different techniques that a coach needs to help a player get better. Using your imagination as a coach, the sweat equity &ndash; being able to get out there with your guys and work. But also the sweat technique &ndash; as you&rsquo;re working with those guys, giving them the proper technique and the essential tools to not just do it but do it correctly. The importance of that one-on-one relationship when it comes to connecting with players. Focusing on development, but being able to give them that same energy that you&rsquo;re expecting from them in return. He did a tremendous job on the player-development side.
"I tried to do more of a team-focused [lesson], both offensively and defensively. Offensively, we talked about some general principles and spacing &ndash; what spacing looks like, using cuts, using screens, using respace, our first three steps to open the floor up. These are a lot of strategies and techniques that we use in the NBA, but I think it&rsquo;s very important for young players too. There&rsquo;s commitment and a selflessness to spacing the floor that they have to learn and buy into. And defensively, we talked a lot about positioning, taking pride in being a good defender, understanding what a help defender looks like and just sticking to the basics &ndash; so a lot of shell-drill emphasis and a lot of one-on-one defensive emphasis.&rdquo;
The NBA has really prioritized globalization in recent years. What are your thoughts on the NBA&rsquo;s globalization efforts?&nbsp;
Pierce: &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s probably one of the most important things that we do. As the top professional basketball league in the world, I think it&rsquo;s an obligation of ours to help grow the game globally. Our game benefits from the globalization of [basketball] and from the millions of viewers who watch across the world, so it&rsquo;s our obligation to give back. And there&rsquo;s no shortage of talent on this continent, so our main contribution is not only discovering talent but helping develop that talent. You&rsquo;re looking at a guy like Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo or any of these players who have come from different countries. But [when it comes to] players with African heritage, the [talent pool] is plentiful on this continent. I think they&rsquo;ve done a great job of not only discovering these players, but also trying to get to them early about the right habits, techniques, nutrition and strength development. I don&rsquo;t know if there&rsquo;s a more important global impact that we can have in our sport than being here on this continent and helping spread the game.&rdquo;
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I want to discuss how coaches can develop over time. There are many examples of a coach struggling early on and then doing a much better job after they&rsquo;ve learned from their mistakes and gained experience. Someone like Jason Kidd was labeled a &ldquo;bad coach,&rdquo; but he&rsquo;s gotten better over the years and silenced those doubters. Do you think fans and media sometimes throw that label around prematurely and underestimate how much coaches can grow over time?
Pierce: &ldquo;Yeah. I&rsquo;m a reader, and I try to learn things that I think can apply to basketball. In Malcolm Gladwell&rsquo;s book &lsquo;Outliers,&rsquo; he talked about the 10,000-Hour Rule. If you spend enough time on something, you&rsquo;re going to get better at it. As coaches, that can be youth development, that can be personal development (or how to connect with players), that can be strategy and technique. As a former head coach and current assistant coach, you have to continue to work at your craft &ndash; whether it&rsquo;s decision-making, making reads, connecting with players or finding your joy and the energy that you bring to the game. That last one is important; there are a lot of coaches you hear from who burn out &ndash; they lose [their passion], have a lack of energy and aren&rsquo;t as motivating anymore. I think it&rsquo;s important to go and find ways to challenge yourself.
"For me to be over here in this beautiful city of Kigali, Rwanda &ndash; one of the cleanest cities I&rsquo;ve ever been in &ndash; to work with players who are excited about us being here, there&rsquo;s a renowned joy of coaching because it&rsquo;s purposeful for me. That helps us as coaches grow. So, you see a lot of coaches like Jason Kidd who get their second or third opportunities and find a renewed sense of energy and strength and strategy. They see the game a little differently. Things they may have over-complicated before, they simplify those things now. These things are important for us. I have a saying that I use all the time: For me, coaching is about getting better and helping others get better. And I truly, really mean that. I&rsquo;ll get better if I&rsquo;m helping others get better, and that&rsquo;s my purpose in coaching.&rdquo;
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From when you started coaching to where you&rsquo;re at now, how much do you feel you have improved? I&rsquo;m sure it&rsquo;s a night-and-day difference.
Pierce: &ldquo;It is! And I think the biggest joy that you get to experience as a coach who&rsquo;s been through the ringer is Summer League. Most coaches in Summer League are player-development guys or front-of-the-bench assistants that are constantly working their way up. I think when you&rsquo;re an assistant, you think you know all of the answers. Then, when you&rsquo;re forced into that head-coach seat, you gotta make all of the decisions so there&rsquo;s no one else to blame or be pissed at for not taking your idea. (laughs) You make the decisions. When I first started coaching, my voice wasn&rsquo;t as strong. The eye-contact wasn&rsquo;t as great. The conviction wasn&rsquo;t always there. Now, it&rsquo;s simple. It&rsquo;s not the ideas; I have lots of ideas and I love listening to ideas. It&rsquo;s the decision. And when you make the decision, you&rsquo;ve gotta believe it. Because if you don&rsquo;t believe it, they won&rsquo;t believe it. And if you don&rsquo;t believe it, they&rsquo;ll know you don&rsquo;t believe it. That comes over a period of time. You might be down 20 points and you&rsquo;ve gotta sell it to your guys that the game ain&rsquo;t over. You might be up 20 and you&rsquo;ve gotta convince your guys that we shouldn&rsquo;t be complacent. You&rsquo;ve gotta do those things with conviction, and that just comes with experience, you know? Maybe as a first-time head coach, in your first game when you&rsquo;re up 20, you relax. Well, guess who else relaxes? The players! So, that&rsquo;s a lesson learned.
"All of those things, I think, are hard to measure from the outside looking in. Everyone always paints the picture of a coach &lsquo;not making the right adjustments&rsquo; or they really hate his rotations, but some of those things, you&rsquo;ve gotta have conviction and sell it with conviction. And if it doesn&rsquo;t work out, you&rsquo;ve gotta live with it. But if you&rsquo;re wishy-washy and going back and forth, it really puts your team in a bad spot, and it also puts you in a bad spot because now you don&rsquo;t believe what you&rsquo;re doing; you&rsquo;re just trying stuff. That all comes with experience. You see these coaches [in the playoffs]: I love Jason Kidd&rsquo;s demeanor on the sideline, I love Steve Kerr&rsquo;s demeanor on the sideline, I love Spo and Ime Udoka&rsquo;s demeanor. Because they are confident in what they&rsquo;re doing, and their players are playing to their confidence and their strengths right now. And that&rsquo;s all you can ask. You&rsquo;ve done all of the preparation and now it&rsquo;s [late in a series] and these guys know each other extremely well, so the coach just has to sit back and stay the course and be extremely confident, so that the players can do the same thing.&rdquo;
You were part of Gregg Popovich's Team USA coaching staff alongside Steve Kerr and Jay Wright among others. What were your biggest takeaways from that experience and how did that help you grow as a coach?
Pierce: &ldquo;Pop didn&rsquo;t show his angst. Pop is always cool under pressure, but he preached to us &lsquo;appropriate fear.&rsquo; You fear your opponents out of respect, not out of fear so it&rsquo;s appropriate. And if you have that level of respect, you know that you need to bring it and not go into any game feeling overconfident against any opponent. I just thought being around guys like Pop and Jay Wright and Steve Kerr and Jeff Van Gundy and all of those guys was tremendous for my development. Because you not only got to see how their minds work and how they communicate with each other and the respect they have for the game, but you got to experience high-level conversations with the players and that connectivity and then apply it to the game. The level of experience that those coaches have, it was unfair that I was able to gain the advantage of learning from them during the two summers that we had together. It&rsquo;s a different game and it was a different challenge for all of us, but we embraced it. We came together, we had great dinners and great conversations, and the gold medal was rewarding.&rdquo;
I love the core that your Indiana Pacers are assembling, with Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Myles Turner and so on. What are your thoughts on the team&rsquo;s development throughout the season and how excited are you about this young core going forward?
Pierce: &ldquo;Extremely excited. I think we&rsquo;ve got some guys who, more importantly, want to be in Indiana. They&rsquo;re excited about starting and continuing their careers [here]. You&rsquo;re looking at a guy like Tyrese whose third year is coming up and he&rsquo;s now on his second team, and he&rsquo;s looking to make Indiana a home. Chris Duarte, after going through his rookie season, is looking to make Indiana a home and find some consistency. We&rsquo;re all excited about what we have, and we look forward to the draft and free agency. I&rsquo;ve talked to Coach [Rick] Carlisle often about this new group next year being his team and not the team that we inherited, and he gets an opportunity to really mold some young guys and some really talented guys and bring back some veterans who will get a fresh start with the youth and the guys that have talent. I think we&rsquo;re all looking forward to training camp and this summer of development to get back on the right track.&rdquo;
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Lloyd Pierce discusses the BAL Coaches Clinic, the Pacers' young core, his development as a coach, coaching Team USA and more.

Lloyd Pierce opens up about BAL Coaches Clinic, his growth as a coach

This past week, the Tampa Bay Pro Combine was held in Wesley Chapel, Florida, hosting 36 draft-eligible prospects, 24 of which had an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of NBA scouts. BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock also serves as executive director of the combine.
Last year, Darryl Hepburn launched the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine. The event proved to be a success as we saw four participants play in the NBA in their rookie seasons: Terry Taylor (Indiana Pacers), Brandon Williams (Portland Trail Blazers), Micah Potter (Detroit Pistons) and Jordan Goodwin (Washington Wizards).
Thanks to title sponsor Florida's Sports Coast, Adam Thomas and Consuelo Sanchez, the event returned for a second year with hopes of helping more players find success as they transition from college to the pros. Last Friday, we wrapped up the event. Here is a recap of the 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine:
Arrival
Last year, we had nearly 50 players come to the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. However, we decided to change things this time around, bringing in a smaller group &mdash; 24 draft-eligible prospects &mdash; to participate in two days of simulated pre-draft workouts. Another big difference was that the workouts would be in front of NBA scouts and executives this year. We also welcomed 12 additional prospects to participate in some workouts and games. All in all, we had 36 players visit Tampa.&nbsp;
As we prepared our list of potential invites, we looked to put together a talented group of players with pro-potential, primarily fourth- and fifth-year seniors coming out of college who would be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft. We targeted players from all over the country. We brought players to Tampa from various schools, including Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, Kentucky, Oregon, Providence, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Washington State, West Virginia and more.
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Ready to get going - Let&rsquo;s run it. 🏀🏁<a href="https://twitter.com/deemintz1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deemintz1</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/_davwarr3n?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_davwarr3n</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/BallForever_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BallForever_</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/fulkerson_john?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fulkerson_john</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/AbuKigab?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AbuKigab</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/JericoleHellems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JericoleHellems</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/Mark_Smith_13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mark_Smith_13</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TampaBayProCombine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TampaBayProCombine</a> <a href="https://t.co/5z7XKUqMiS">pic.twitter.com/5z7XKUqMiS</a>
&mdash; Tampa Bay Pro Combine (@_TBPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/_TBPC/status/1518974087460184065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The players arrived throughout the day on April 25, and we arranged rides to our event hotel, the brand new Residence Inn in Wesley Chapel. We provided them with Adidas gear and had dinner before going to our rooms. A good night's sleep was in order as the next two days were important since the players would be showcasing their talents in front of NBA scouts. A lot was on the line!
NBA Sessions
The next day, April 26, NBA scouts from a wide variety of teams arrived at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus and sat along the sideline as trainers from Yo Murphy Performance warmed up the players for our first "NBA session." Shortly after, Coach Bob MacKinnon had the players and our staff huddle up, shouting out his signature "1, 2, 3&hellip; hard work!" before we broke off for the first workout.
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That day, the first group of six players started things off right. You could feel the intensity in the gym immediately. It was clear that the players and coaches were there with a purpose. After a series of shooting drills and skill work, MacKinnon directed the group as they transitioned into competitive play, starting with 1-on-1 and finishing with 3-on-3. I don't think there is any denying that the workout was challenging and competitive. The remaining groups matched the same level of competitiveness over the two days.

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As executive director of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, I'm responsible for inviting the players and convincing them to come. All of the young men that came to Tampa trusted me when I told them that we were putting together a platform that would help them gain exposure as they pursued their dream of playing professional basketball. Being able to contribute to helping them get closer to accomplishing their goals is beyond rewarding for me.
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Many players helped themselves those first two days, including Michael Flowers from Washington State, Noah Horchler from Providence, Nate Johnson from Xavier and Davion Warren from Texas Tech, just to name a few.
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Three-Point Shootout
After a couple of intense days working out in front of NBA teams, we put together an optional workout on April 28, which was light, and then former NBA player Shelden Williams interviewed a number of the guys throughout the day for BasketballNews.com.
In the afternoon, we gave guys plenty of time to relax, with many of them even taking advantage of Tampa's beautiful weather by lounging at the pool of the Residence Inn and enjoying the sunshine. Later that night, we had some fun. The facility hosted a local high school All-Star game and had one of our players, Taze Moore from the University of Houston, do some dunks at halftime &mdash; he put on a show!
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To finish up the night, we held a Three-Point Shootout. The participants included Jalen Adaway (St. Bonaventure), Michael Flowers (Washington State), Noah Horchler (Providence), Nate Johnson (Xavier), Davion Mintz (Kentucky), and Cole VonHandorf (Fairmont State). Mintz started hot in the first round, but it wasn't enough as Flowers ultimately won the shootout.
Double-Header
Our last session on the court was on April 29, with some 5-on-5 play. We had three-time NBA champion and current BasketballNews.com writer and podcaster James Posey and former college standout player at Arizona and South Florida Jesus Verdejo coach the teams in both games.&nbsp;
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The first game was competitive from start to finish, ultimately seeing Team 1 win over Team 2, 100-92. Davion Mintz and Davion Warren led Team 2 in scoring with 24 and 22 points, respectively. Team 1's Amadou Sow won game MVP, scoring 26 points and grabbing an impressive 12 rebounds.
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Team 3 started fast on Team 4 in the second game, leading 26-11 after the first quarter. Kalob Ledoux and Ronaldo Segu led Team 4 in scoring, with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Meanwhile, West Virginia's Malik Curry scored 24 points, earning himself MVP honors.
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Thank You, and Good Luck
To cap off the week, our title sponsor, Florida's Sports Coast, and their manager, Consuelo Sanchez, hosted our entire group at Chuck Lager in Wesley Chapel for dinner to celebrate the successful week before everyone flew back home the following day.
That's another year in the books for the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. As our players set out to make the next steps in the pre-draft process and their respective careers, I'd like to wish everyone the best and thank them for allowing us to play a small part in their journey. Thank you to all of our staff and partners who worked so hard to make this past week happen!
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BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock shares an outlined recap of the 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine.

Recapping the 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine

Following last year's inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine, several participants &mdash; including Terry Taylor, Brandon Williams, Micah Potter and Jordan Goodwin &mdash; turned their dreams into reality by signing deals and playing in the NBA in their rookie season.
Now, the Tampa Bay Pro Combine is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tampa-bay-pro-combine-returns-with-24-nba-draft-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">back for another year</a>, and our new group of participants is looking to find the same level of success. The TBPC will be held from April 26 to April 29 at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida.
We are providing 24 draft-eligible prospects an opportunity to audition in front of NBA scouts, compete in a slam-dunk contest and three-point shootout on April 28, and play in a doubleheader on April 29.
NBA scouts and personnel will be allowed to attend workouts on April 26 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and April 27 from 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. EST.
Here is the list of participants:
Alex Barcello, BYU
Evan Battey, Colorado
Luka Brajkovic, Davidson
Savion Flagg, Sam Houston State
Michael Flowers, Washington State
John Fulkerson, Tennessee
John Harrar, Penn State
Noah Horchler, Providence
Nate Johnson, Xavier
Abu Kigab, Boise State
Kimani Lawrence, Arizona State
Kalob Ledoux, Santa Cruz Warriors
Davion Mintz, Kentucky
Taze Moore, Houston
Justyn Mutts, Virginia Tech
Tyler Polley, UConn
Taz Sherman, West Virginia
Jaylen Sims, UNC Wilmington
Mark Smith, Kansas State
Amadou Sow, UC Santa Barbara
Au'Diese Toney, Arkansas
Davion Warren, Texas Tech
Marcus Weathers, SMU
Jacob Young, Oregon
In addition to the 24 invitees, we will also be welcoming 12 additional draft-eligible prospects who will participate in workouts and games. Our video partner, <a href="https://event.veo.co/">Veo</a>, will record the action and distribute it via BasketballNews.com's YouTube channel, and <a href="https://instatsport.com/basketball">InStat</a> will also provide video and data from the event.
The 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine is presented by Florida's Sports Coast.

The 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine will be held from April 26 to April 29 at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine announces list of participants

March Madness is underway!
Across the country, teams are competing in conference tournaments and trying to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday is almost here, and then the tourney starts next Tuesday.
If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down on Thursday.
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Games of the Day
Indiana def. Michigan 74-69 &mdash; B1G Second Round
With 11:03 remaining, Michigan led 60-43 and appeared to be in complete control. The Hoosiers would go on a 20-2 run and took the life right out of the Wolverines, completing the comeback by winning 74-69. Trayce Jackson-Davis led all players with 24 points and 4 blocks in a stunner. Indiana faces No. 1 Illinois next.
Texas A&amp;M def. Florida 83-80 in OT &mdash; SEC Second Round
This one was wild. The Aggies dominated all afternoon and held a 9-point lead with 1:07 to play, but the Gators went on a 12-3 run of the next 50 seconds to tie it at 70-70, forcing the game into overtime. They stayed deadlocked at 78-78 with 1:10 left in overtime when Hassan Diarra hit a triple with one second on the clock to win 83-80. A huge win for a true Bubble Team in A&amp;M.
Arizona def. Stanford 84-80 &mdash; Pac-12 Quarterfinals
The largest lead either way today was 7 points &mdash; in a game where Stanford was given a whopping 5% chance of victory. The Cardinal took a 75-74 lead with just over three minutes to go, but the Wildcats had answers. Kerr Kriisa exiting with injury is important to monitor, but Christian Koloko led the team with 24 points as Arizona survives and advances.
Miami (FL) def. Boston College 71-69 in OT &mdash; ACC Quarterfinals
Kam McGusty led the Canes with 16 points in the nail-biter, as they avoided the upset in overtime. Only one basket was scored in the final 2:30 of the contest &mdash; a Jordan Miller layup that sealed the deal. A big save by Miami.&nbsp;
Villanova def. St. John&rsquo;s 66-65 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
The Red Storm let a 17-point second half lead slip away to end their season. Villanova was carried by its starting five, with only 7 points coming from the bench unit. Caleb Daniels led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Justin Moore added 15 points of his own.&nbsp;
Toledo def. Central Michigan 72-71 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
In a game where the largest lead was 7 points for each team, Toledo held on for the 1-point win. Harrison Henderson scored with 20 seconds remaining to make it 71-70 Central Michigan, but a RayJ Dennis layup with 10 seconds left would seal the deal. Setric Milner Jr. led the way with 22 points for the Rockets. It's a big win for Toledo who currently projects a No. 13 seed.
Providence def. Butler 65-61 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
This one was back-and-forth from the tip, as the teams traded leads the entire contest. Tied at 55 with 3:06 remaining, Simas Lukosius hit a big pair of free throws for Butler to take the lead, but Al Durham hit a huge triple with 43 seconds to go for the Friars to take a 61-59 lead. Durham would follow with a dunk at the end of the game to seal the deal at 65-61. Despite the loss, it was a hard-fought game by the Bulldogs.&nbsp;
Wyoming def. UNLV 59-56 &mdash; Mountain West Quarterfinals
The Cowboys held a 9-point lead in the second half, but allowed the Rebels to fight their way back into it. Xavier DuSell hit a huge three with 30 seconds, and then, Brendan Wenzel iced the game with a pair of free throws. A great game from UNLV&rsquo;s Bryce Hamilton comes up just short.&nbsp;
Akron def. Buffalo 70-68 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
This was a fight from start to finish. Led by Ali Ali&rsquo;s 19-point effort and a pair of Greg Tribble free throws with four seconds remaining, the Zips survive and advance. They will face No. 1 seed Toledo on Friday afternoon in the MAC semis.
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The Upsets, the Madness
Oklahoma def. Baylor 72-67 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Sooners took the lead with 11:51 to play and never gave it back. With a balanced offensive attack of five players in double-digits, Oklahoma shocked the Bears. Jacob Groves led the way with 15 points, while Marvin Johnson provided 12 off the bench.&nbsp;
Vanderbilt def. Alabama 82-76 &mdash; SEC Second Round
Bama led by 10 points at the break but Scotty Pippen Jr. and Co. had other plans. Vandy roared back to take a 68-67 lead with 4:26 to play, and was able to hold the Crimson Tide off the rest of the way. Jordan Wright hit a pair of free throws late to ice the game, and the Commodores advance. Pippen Jr. ended with 26 points and 7 assists.
TCU def. Texas 65-60 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Horned Frogs had a win probability of 29.3% entering this one, and that&rsquo;s all they needed. After being down 40-20 in the first half, TCU did a complete 180 and outscored the Longhorns 45-20 the rest of the way. Mike Miles and Co. are setting themselves up well, and will take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 semis.
Penn State def. Ohio State 71-68 &mdash; Big Ten Second Round
The Nittany Lions were given a 24.2% chance of winning today, and they did just that behind Sam Sessoms' 18 points off the bench. Jalen Pickett also had a huge game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Penn State moves on to play No. 3 Purdue.&nbsp;
Grambling def. Southern 60-58 &mdash; SWAC Quarterfinals
Led by Tra&rsquo;Michael Moton&rsquo;s 12 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, Grambling took the lead with 10 minutes left in the game and never gave it back. The Tigers will face Texas Southern next.&nbsp;
Tulsa def. Wichita State 73-67 &mdash; American First Round
The Golden Hurricane had four players with 10 or more points, including two with at least 20. After an 11-19 season, this was a nice win for Tulsa as it tries to make a late push in the conference. Tulsa will move on to face No. 2 SMU.&nbsp;
Portland State def. Southern Utah 77-65 &mdash; Big Sky Quarterfinals
The Vikings entered this game under .500 on the season, but put up 77 points on 51.9% shooting from the floor. They held Southern Utah to a lowly 36.8% from the floor and are able to advance.
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Standout Performers
Noah Fernandes (UMass): 29 points, 7 assists
Spencer Jones (Stanford): 28 points, 8 rebounds
Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse): 28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Grant Sherfield (Nevada): 25 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Joel Murray (Long Beach State): 25 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 10-17 FG
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
Nate Watson (Providence): 26 points, 7 rebounds, 9-14 FG
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt): 26 points, 7 assists
Tristen Newton (East Carolina): 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Jordan Walker (UAB): 26 points, 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Dillon Jones (Weber State): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Prentiss Hubb (Notre Dame): 23 points, 5 assists
Zyon Pullin (UC Riverside):&nbsp;23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Amadou Sow (UC Santa Barbara): 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Bryce Hamilton (UNLV): 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Mahki Morris (Abilene Christian): 22 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Chuba Ohams (Fordham): 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals
Darien Jackson (Tulsa): 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Brady Manek (UNC): 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Malique Jacobs (Kent State): 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Kowacie Reeves (Florida): 21 points, 6 rebounds
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2022 NBA Draft: Prospect Watch&nbsp;
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Tari Eason (LSU): 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Justin Lewis (Marquette): 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas): 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Trevor Keels (Duke): 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Jabari Walker (Colorado): 18 points, 16 rebounds
Iverson Molinar (Miss. State): 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Collin Gillespie (Villanova): 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
David Roddy (Colorado State): 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
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March Madness is underway! If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down during Thursday's games.

March Madness: Conference tournament Thursday recap

Etan Thomas speaks with Obinna Ekezie on Nigeria's massive win over Team USA over the weekend and the rise in talent in the nation.

OBN Academy founder, former Terp Obinna Ekezie Q&A on Nigeria beating U.S.

The NBA has formed a new entity, NBA Africa, that will conduct the league's operations in Africa including the Basketball Africa League &mdash; with investors Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Grant Hill, Dikembe Mutombo and Junior Bridgeman.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1396851017141080068" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/Twitter</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Basketball Africa League has gained recent popularity after kicking off its season, with rap star J. Cole among the players in the league. Chris Sheridan of BasketballNews.com detailed the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bal-news-amadou-gallo-fall-basketball-africa-league-seen-as-euroleague-alternative-not-nba-feeder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hopes of the league</a>, which now has increased backing from the NBA and notable former players.

The Basketball Africa League recently kicked off its inaugural season.

NBA forms NBA Africa branch with Grant Hill, Dikembe Mutombo among investors

The inaugural BAL season will tip off Sunday, May 16 at 4:00 p.m. CAT when Rwanda’s Patriots Basketball Club takes on Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.

Basketball Africa League announces broadcast partners, schedule

American rap star J. Cole is signing a deal in the Basketball Africa League with Rwanda's Patriots B.B.C.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1391769460206407681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/Twitter</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Charania also adds that Cole plans to play three-to-six games with the team, starting with a matchup against Nigeria on Sunday. The Basketball Africa league is a new endeavor led by Amadou Gallo Fall, and features 12 teams from around the continent. Chris Sheridan of BasketballNews.com wrote about the league's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bal-news-amadou-gallo-fall-basketball-africa-league-seen-as-euroleague-alternative-not-nba-feeder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans for sustained success.</a>

Cole plans to participate in 3-to-6 games for Rwanda's Patriots BBC

J. Cole signs deal to play in Basketball Africa league

Amadou Gallo Fall wanted to make one thing especially clear on the phone Thursday as he discussed the new Basketball Africa League: this is not going to be a feeder league for the NBA. It could eventually be a competitor to the Euroleague and the Chinese Basketball Association for Americans looking to play overseas.
&ldquo;We already have [six] national champions and six other teams that got through a 30-team qualifying tournament. From the jump, that&rsquo;s where we are,&rdquo; Fall, the president of the BAL, told BasketballNews.com via WhatsApp from Johannesburg, South Africa. &ldquo;The BAL is not looking to be a stepping stone.&rdquo;
There are currently 17 African Players on NBA rosters. Precious Achiuwa (Miami Heat) and Udoka Azubuike (Utah Jazz) were among eight 2020 draftees from or with at least one parent from Nigeria, including Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers), Onyeka Okongwu (Atlanta Hawks), Zeke Nnaji (Denver Nuggets), Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies via Boston), Daniel Oturu (Los Angeles Clippers via New York and Minnesota) and Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks).
&ldquo;We want as many players as possible to go to the NBA, but then to come back and play at home. Africa has stable leagues where players are not trying to get out,&rdquo; Fall said.
The BAL will begin play Sunday, May 16 at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, with 12 teams from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda.
One of those teams is all but certain to produce an NBA-caliber player, but the existing Africa-to-American pipeline that produced All-Stars Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam, along with dozens of others, will remain in place. What&rsquo;s different is that many retired NBA players are now part of the African domestic league and national team infrastructure, including Luol Deng (head coach and president of the national federation in South Sudan).
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Fall worked in the NBA league office after a stint with the Dallas Mavericks as Director of Player Personnel and Vice President of International Affairs. Prior to being named BAL President, Fall was Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Africa, where he worked with local federations, corporations, NGOs and other key stakeholders to grow the game of basketball across the continent.
This is his crowning achievement, and he repeatedly stressed that BAL is aiming to be one of the world&rsquo;s top destination leagues.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m confident that we will increase exponentially, and we will attract talent from around the world. They will want to come to Africa,&rdquo; Fall said. &ldquo;This is about building the ecosystem, not about growing the players so that they can play somewhere else.&rdquo;
Jonathan Kuminga of the G League Ignite is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and should be an NBA lottery pick next season. Baylor's Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua of Cameroon, Iona's Nelly Junior Joseph of Nigeria and Washington State's Efe Abogibi of Nigeria, are notable African players in college basketball.
Each team is permitted to have two players from a different African country. Also, they can have two "import" players, which will open opportunities for American players who typically try to find work in Europe or China if they are not quite NBA-ready.
Dikembe Mutombo, Manute Bol, Hakeem Olajuwon and Steve Nash (born in South Africa) are among the greatest NBA players of all time from the continent, and more will be coming from Africa. What&rsquo;ll be different from now on is that African players will have a league to return to should they choose to.
Nigeria (24) and Senegal (12) have produced the most NBA players. Former New York Knick Charles Smith has close ties to the federation in Cape Verde, and Tacko Fall of the Boston Celtics has been one of the league&rsquo;s most popular players over the past two seasons.
What is the next African hotspot?
&ldquo;Tunisia has to be talked about,&rdquo; Fall said, also mentioning Senegal, Mali, South Sudan and Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). &ldquo;They are the reigning Afrobasket champion and have a very strong federation and player development.
The man would know.
Fall has a whole continent of basketball players under his wing now, along with a pro league that, if successful, will draw players in from around the world.&nbsp;

Chris Sheridan speaks with BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall about the goals of the new league and African basketball.

Basketball Africa League could be Euroleague, China alternative

Kyle Lowry or Rudy Gobert, anyone? Or perhaps, Victor Oladipo or Andre Drummond?
Assuming that Kawhi Leonard is going to come off the market by signing an extension with the Los Angeles Clippers, similar to what Paul George just did, the unrestricted free-agent class of 2021 got depleted in an extraordinary way yesterday with the news that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-milwaukee-bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-signs-five-year-228-million-contract-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo is signing his five-year, $228 million supermax</a> extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Any team hoping to save space for an offseason spending spree just got kicked in the gut. And as a result, there is probably going to be a huge benefit for a class of restricted free agents who will be able to cash in as a result of the dearth of available veteran talent.
The San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder are currently projected to be the teams with at least $50 million in salary cap space if we project a salary cap of $112 million, which would be a slight rise from this year&rsquo;s number of $109.14 million. (There is a bit of guesswork here because the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact on the NBA over the course of the upcoming season has yet to be determined.)&nbsp;
So those teams were the ones theoretically in the mix for Giannis had the Greek Freak not re-upped with Milwaukee, which finally has a superstar who wants to stay there long-term (take it from a columnist who was a Milwaukee resident at age 8 in 1973 when the Bucks last won a title, but then lost Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers because of his distaste for the city.)
&ldquo;This is my home, this is my city... I&rsquo;m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let&rsquo;s make these years count. The show goes on, let&rsquo;s get it,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34/status/1338912608662003715" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antetokounmpo posted on Twitter</a>.&nbsp;
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But the Spurs, Knicks, Bulls, Pelicans, Cavs, Grizzlies and Thunder are only the tip of the iceberg as far as cap space is concerned. Teams with significant cap space (not including cap holds on their own free agents) include Orlando, Indiana, Utah, Toronto, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta and Charlotte.
And because teams are required under the Collective Bargaining Agreement to spend at least 90 percent of the cap on player salaries, there will be a lot of money to be spread around a free agency pool that ain&rsquo;t all that deep.
That&rsquo;s where things get rewarding for restricted free agents, a list that includes: John Collins (Hawks), Jarrett Allen (Nets), Devonte&rsquo; Graham (Hornets), Lauri Markkanen (Bulls), Svi Mykhailiuk (Pistons), Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker (Lakers), Luke Kennard (Clippers), Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn (Heat), Lonzo Ball, Nicolo Melli and Josh Hart (Pelicans), Mitchell Robinson (Knicks), Justin Jackson, T.J. Leaf and Hamadou Diallo (Thunder), Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac (Magic), Zach Collins and Gary Trent Jr. (Blazers), Derrick White (Spurs), OG Anunoby (Raptors) and Isaac Bonga (Wizards).
Not that anyone was going to put together a better team than what the Lakers will put together, but that is beside the point.
Hope is the lifeblood of every NBA fan who does not root for the Lakers, and the hope that a franchise player might somehow come aboard has been lessened considerably by Giannis coming off the market. It takes years and years and years to build through the draft, and it is rare to find a team (although Atlanta comes to mind this season) that has the patience to build slowly, but surely without trying to hit a home run through free agency.&nbsp;
But that will be the new normal in the years ahead, and the teams that have drafted well over the past half-decade are the teams that will become preeminent, as the NBA eventually moves to a post-LeBron era in which the next translucent superstar has not yet emerged from the pack. It could be Luka Doncic in Dallas, it could be Devin Booker in Phoenix, it could be Trae Young in Atlanta or Zion Williamson in New Orleans. We just don&rsquo;t know yet.
But what we do know is that the Bucks will be led by the two-time reigning MVP for another half-decade, but whether that ever translates into playoff success may depend more upon Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton than it does on Giannis.
The big winners here are the Bucks, along with the restricted free agents who will come up for new deals in the next two years -- and whoever gets James Harden, if he is traded. We did not exactly get clarity on that Tuesday night as Harden stayed silent after making his preseason debut for the Rockets, but the former MVP <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-james-harden-breaks-silence-speaks-media-houston-rockets-trade-rumors-stephen-silas-rafael-stone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke his silence today</a>. 
Once Houston general manager Rafael Stone and owner Tilman Fertitta decide where the Harden thing is going to go, a clearer picture of what the 2020-21 season looks like will emerge. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that anything could happen at any moment. Kyle Guy of the Kings gave us an example late Tuesday night by draining a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Sacramento Kings a preseason victory over Golden State.
Tonight, LeBron James and Anthony Davis will see the court for the first time since the Lakers finished off the Heat in the NBA Finals in the bubble. Pretty much everyone expects them back in the Finals next spring, but the NBA season always brings surprises. At least the folks in Milwaukee will not have an unpleasant one as they hunker down for the winter. Giannis will be their rock for the next half-decade.&nbsp;
Moving forward, it&rsquo;s just a matter of seeing which are the best pieces the place around him... and whether the Bucks are good enough to beat out Brooklyn and Miami. Lest we forget, Milwaukee lost three straight before the pandemic hit, then went 3-5 in the bubble and 5-5 in the playoffs. So they&rsquo;ve lost 13 of their last 21 games. A supermax extension does not change that fact.
For now, this league still belongs to the Lakers and LeBron. A season down the road, it belongs to the restricted free agents.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's supermax extension with the Bucks will have plenty of impact on next offseason, writes Chris Sheridan.

Giannis extension depletes 2021 NBA free-agent class

Last week, the NBA lost an amazing person and friend in Brent "BJ" Johnson. BasketballNews.com extends its sincerest sympathies and condolences to BJ's family and friends. BJ, who tragically passed away from a bike accident, was 65 years old.
BJ spent 26 seasons as a scout with the Houston Rockets and he had an incredible impact on many people around the league. The NBA family is grieving right now, but they are also paying tribute to this great man and appreciating the time that they got to spend with him. Over the last week, many people have shared touching stories and heartfelt words as they pay their respects to BJ:
Gersson Rosas, Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations
&ldquo;Our hearts break to hear of the passing of BJ Johnson, someone who not only I, but our entire NBA family, looked up to as a big brother. With BJ, there were never any strangers, he made everyone feel welcome with his innate ability to include people and show his love to everyone. He was and will always be a large part of our NBA family &ndash; to players, coaches, scouts and anyone he crossed paths with. BJ was an incredible basketball mind and representative for the NBA because of his passion, the way he loved the game and how he treated everyone he encountered. As one of the finest basketball evaluators in the league, he brought a human touch to being a scout by always giving more to the game than he received back. BJ was an inspiration to me and many within the Minnesota Timberwolves organization and across the NBA &ndash; a presence that will never be replaced and will surely be missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his wife, Claudette, and his children, Bijon, LeDon and Ciara.&rdquo;
Amadou Gallo Fall, NBA Africa VP &amp; President of BAL
&ldquo;More than a basketball lifer, a mentor, a teacher and a friend, BJ Johnson was simply an exceptional human being. I am stunned by his sudden passing. We have all lost a driving force for good in the game. He has been a friend to all of us in growing the game in Africa. He contributed to seed project, was a driving force of Basketball Without Borders, instrumental in supporting the launch and growth of NBA Africa and now the BAL (Basketball Africa League). His legacy went beyond the court and into the homes and the hearts of young people and their families that he touched. My heartfelt condolences to his wife, Claudette, and the rest of the family, the Houston Rockets organization and all those he loved and who loved him. BJ, you are forever with us.&rdquo;
Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors President of Basketball Operations
&ldquo;Many basketball fans may not know his name, but BJ Johnson was one of the best scouts in the NBA and that&rsquo;s not close to the best thing about him. He was an incredible human being. It is just impossible to describe what he meant to all of us and our league: An NBA life. He was good to the game. The NBA story will not be told without BJ. Since 2003, BJ came to every single Basketball Without Borders in Africa. He was also in every single college gym. Believe me when we say today that many hearts are broken. To his wife, Claudette, to his family, and to the Rockets, the Raptors and the whole NBA sends our deepest condolences, Go well, BJ. I hope you are scouting Kobe and Gigi already. And talking David Stern&rsquo;s ear off because he said you are not allowed in the gym. RIP.&rdquo;
Daryl Morey, Former Houston Rockets GM
"Before I came to the Houston Rockets, Chris Wallace told me the greatest scout in the NBA was BJ Johnson and I should talk to him first. I followed his advice and what followed was an amazing 14-year friendship. He was by my side for every key decision. I can't believe he is gone. RIP BJ"
Kim Bohuny, NBA Sr. VP of International Basketball Operations
&ldquo;BJ was truly one of the NBA&rsquo;s greatest ambassadors. He always greeted you with a big smile and warm handshake or hug. BJ was a basketball lifer who provided guidance and insight to everyone he met in the game. I will dearly miss my friend.&rdquo;
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Matt Babcock, NBA Draft Analyst, BasketballNews.com
&ldquo;I had known BJ since I was a teenager, more than 20 years. Once I finished college and tried to find my way working in the basketball world, I always felt that BJ was one of my biggest supporters. I&rsquo;m sure many people in the basketball industry had that feeling, as he just had that way about him. BJ had a zest for life and his positivity was contagious. There was not an arena in the world that wasn&rsquo;t filled with people that loved him. I was extremely saddened to learn the news of his tragic passing but I&rsquo;m certainly thankful to have known him, for the time that we had together, and to be able to call him my friend. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Rest in peace, BJ.&rdquo;
Darvin Ham, Former Player and Milwaukee Bucks Assistant Coach
&ldquo;I would start by saying that, without B, there would be no me. &nbsp;At the beginning of the journey, [with] him entering my life 25 years ago, he told me three key things that are still with me today. One: Hard work has never killed anyone. Two: You&rsquo;re only going to get out of something what you put into something. Three: God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason; always listen to learn, brother! It saddens me to know that my big brother is no longer here in the flesh, but it brings me joy to know that I will still see his loving spirit everywhere. &nbsp;I LOVE YOU, BJ! Rest In Power, Big Brother!&rdquo;
James Posey, Former Player and Assistant Coach, BasketballNews.com
&ldquo;Man... BJ was someone who I never saw have a bad day. If you were having a bad day or moment and he entered your space, your mood would change by the end of y&rsquo;all conversation. He was just so full of energy and positivity... so full of knowledge for the game and life. I&rsquo;ve never known a person who was just always so happy to see everybody! The first time I met him, I was at the old practice facility, WESTSIDE TENNIS CLUB, and I was getting shots up, working on my shot. He was looking down from the track and the next thing I hear behind me is BJ saying, &lsquo;WE GONNA GET THAT JUMPER RIGHT!&rsquo; I had never met him before and I wasn&rsquo;t even on the Rockets; I was still with the Nuggets! That&rsquo;s just who he was - always willing to help, and always there to give you the confidence you needed. He believed in you, even if you didn&rsquo;t believe in yourself.&rdquo;
Jamal Crawford, NBA Veteran
"When I was an unproven rookie, he helped give me a lot of confidence that I had a bright future, even when I didn't see it. I wasn't even on his team. He always had some words of encouragement, or just kept it real with me. Prayers to his family."
Rudy Gay, NBA Veteran
"One of the most genuine people in NBA basketball passed tonight. RIP BJ Johnson!"

The NBA family is grieving after the tragic death of Houston Rockets scout BJ Johnson. BJ, who was 65 years old, impacted many people.