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Rockets

This article was originally published on Jan. 16, 2021.
We&rsquo;ve all been here before.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s a random Wednesday. Full slate of games, hard to keep track of everything. Maybe you&rsquo;re peeping an ESPN matchup. Perhaps you&rsquo;re watching your favorite team on the local channel if you&rsquo;re in the market, or you&rsquo;re streaming it LEGALLY ON NBA LEAGUE PASS BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO IT. WINK.&nbsp;
But anyway, you&rsquo;re watching a game. You&rsquo;re roaming Twitter. And then a tweet catches your eye: PLAYER X HAS DUNKED ON LEBRON JAMES.
Your brow raises. You see a few tweets from your online pals big-upping the play. You&rsquo;re really interested now. You click on the video from a Big Social Media Account. And this is the dunk:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/brr.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The excitement drops a little bit. That&rsquo;s a nice dunk from Wendell Carter Jr. LeBron James is underneath the basket, and there&rsquo;s a challenge. But something doesn&rsquo;t feel right about it.&nbsp;
Then you see a different angle of the Dunk Heard &lsquo;Round The World.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/wendell-w-lebron-in-the-area.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
You feel betrayed. LeBron didn&rsquo;t get dunked on; LeBron&rsquo;s arm got dunked on as he jumps out of the darn play! This isn&rsquo;t <a href="https://youtu.be/xtOUpybXmzo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scottie Pippen on Patrick Ewing</a> or <a href="https://youtu.be/6kBWO82HUa4?t=28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vince Carter on Alonzo Mourning</a>! I can yell at these clouds if I want to!
If you&rsquo;re anything like me, you&rsquo;re tired of being misled. If I hear or read that a player got baptized, I want to see some Holy Water coming out of the rim after the aerial duel. And if you are like me, this is the piece for you. This is the guide of all guides, breaking down the different types of dunks. A universal standard of slams, if you will, so we can finally get on the same page about poster dunks.
A brief note before digging in. I am using a tier system so it&rsquo;s easier to separate the types of dunks. Like many things in life, the scale can slide on a case-by-case basis. For example, breakaway dunks are generally uncontested, which makes them the lowest tier of dunk for me. However, a breakaway dunk from 360-enthusiast Zach LaVine is different -- and much cooler -- than the two-handed flushes we see from Jimmy Butler. Each dunk is still its own thing.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: Alley-oops can fall under virtually all of these categories, with the obvious exception of put-backs.
TIER 10: BREAKAWAYS
Break-away dunks are pretty self-explanatory. There&rsquo;s a long rebound after a miss. A player leaks out early, and gets a dunk with no resistance. They&rsquo;re pretty basic with a few exceptions. LaVine, Paul George or Glenn Robinson III may bust out a 360 or windmill on occasion. LeBron has made the one-handed tomahawk a staple of his repertoire.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lebron-tomahawk.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
It&rsquo;s basic, but it&rsquo;s so darn cool. Power, a little bit of flair, the hang time. All that good stuff.
TIER 9: TIP SLAMS
I like the timing, positioning and coordination it takes to pull off a putback slam. The lower-level ones are uncontested, but can be rated higher depending on the work a player puts in before the ball comes off the rim. Take this multiple-effort possession from Larry Nance Jr. as an example:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/larry-nance-jr-putback.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 8: BUSINESS DECISIONS
The OG: Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal
Also popularized by: LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Zion Williamson
This is for the power dunkers. Whether it&rsquo;s in transition, flowing off of a broken play or rumbling down the lane after a high-ball screen, it&rsquo;s hilarious to watch players actively decide, &ldquo;Nope, I don&rsquo;t get paid enough for this.&rdquo; Take this play from the 2016-17 season, featuring Blake Griffin:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/willy-hernangomez-business-decision.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The key actor here is Willy Hernangomez (No. 14). He is watching this snug pick-and-roll all the way through. His man, noted three-point marksman DeAndre Jordan, is chilling above the break. Not only can Hernangomez make the rotation to cut off Griffin at the rim, he should make that rotation because Jordan is not a threat at all. Instead, he begins to load up, quickly realizes that Griffin will put him in the gulag, and decides against challenging the shot.
Hilarious sequence.
TIER 7: FLY-BYS
This is where having a discerning eye is important. When you think about it, this kind of dunk -- and the praise that these types of dunk typically generate -- is about deception.
A defender jumps across a player to make it look like he&rsquo;s legitimately challenging the dunk. There&rsquo;s no real threat of a block or swipe. The dunk happens because, again, there&rsquo;s no real threat to it otherwise. And somehow both players end up looking good. The dunker gets &ldquo;poster&rdquo; equity they don&rsquo;t deserve; the defender gets a slight pat on the back for giving effort instead of making a business decision.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/hhh.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
It&rsquo;s all a darn farce. A cool-looking farce at times, but a farce nonetheless.&nbsp;
TIER 6: SELF-LOBS
We&rsquo;ve reached the coolest of the non-contact dunks. It doesn&rsquo;t get much better than throwing the ball to yourself for a slam, man. Look at Jamal Murray getting himself out of trouble.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/jamal-murray-self-lob.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 5: &ldquo;IN THE VICINITY&rdquo; SLAMS (Also known as ITVs)
Folks, the rubber is starting to reach the road. The ITVs involve actual attempts at a contest and/or a little contact, a step up from the Fly-bys. This is where I&rsquo;d say the Wendell-on-LeBron dunk falls, though I wouldn&rsquo;t be mad at anyone that would classify it as a Fly-by. A better example would be this slam from Matisse Thybulle last season.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/mfff.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
There&rsquo;s an attempt at a challenge, but Thybulle still gets the better of Mason Plumlee. But Plumlee doesn&rsquo;t get dunked on. There isn&rsquo;t enough contact to call it a poster of the highest order.&nbsp;
This is also where failed chasedown blocks come in. With guys flying in from behind, the dunk-on element just isn&rsquo;t there most of the time. Take the famous Kobe-on-LeBron dunk from the 2011 All-Star game.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/kobe-on-lebron.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 4: PUTBACK POSTERS
I&rsquo;ve always gone back and forth with myself about where to place these types of dunks. On one hand, the blindsided nature of it makes it a bit unfair to defenders. You can&rsquo;t defend against what you can&rsquo;t see. However, there&rsquo;s enough contact at play, and a player Mossin&rsquo; a dude and flushing it down is generally some high level stuff.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/gerald-green-putback-poster.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Yes, that is the #BASED and #RARE Gerald Green in a Celtics uni. And yeah that&rsquo;s Mason Plumlee again. Sorry, man.
TIER 3: DUNK-ONS/CHARGE CRUSHERS
We&rsquo;ve reached the portion of the program where dudes are getting legitimately yammed on, but there are a couple of factors that keep it from ranking higher.
First, the level of contest still matters. A lot of these dunks feature dudes sliding over in an attempt to take a charge (hence the alternative name). The higher level posters feature someone trying to actually block the dunk. Sure, a charge and blocked dunk are functionally the same in terms of the result the defense wants -- taking away two points -- but we&rsquo;re talking about highlights here.&nbsp;
Secondly, and I admit we&rsquo;re splitting hairs a bit, size also matters. The first dunk I thought of was Nuggets-era J.R Smith yamming it over Gary Neal:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/jrs.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Objectively a good dunk, but Gary Neal is ground bound and short. You have to dock some points there. I&rsquo;m sorry. The famous DeAndre Jordan-on-Brandon Knight flush, while iconic, also falls in this category.
The higher end of this would be another classic involving the Spurs: LeBron dunking on Tim Duncan.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lebron-on-tim-duncan.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
That&rsquo;s more like it.
TIER 2: THE THROW-IN
THE OG: Blake Griffin
ALSO POPULARIZED BY: Derrick Jones Jr.
DUNK TRUTHERS DON&rsquo;T READ THIS!
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Dunk Truthers are stupid poopyheads.&nbsp;
Yes, we&rsquo;re well aware that dunks that involve the rim being grabbed -- or at least touched -- are more pure, whatever the heck that means. But you look at Blake Griffin embarrassing the life out of Timofey Mozgov and tell me it isn&rsquo;t one of greatest athletic feats you&rsquo;ve ever seen.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/blake-over-mozgov.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Derrick Jones Jr. has some gnarly ones in his bag as well, highlighted by this lob he converted against the Raptors that still doesn&rsquo;t make much sense to me.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/hyyy.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
TIER 1: THE PURE POSTER
Pippen on Ewing. Carter on &lsquo;Zo. <a href="https://youtu.be/tYpwjB0IzoU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baron Davis on Andrei Kirilenko</a>. Michael Jordan on, well, name almost any big man you can think of that played in the '90s.&nbsp;
We can go more modern, like Larry Nance Jr. doing this to pre-DPOY-candidate Brook Lopez:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/lrrr.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Another hidden gem: young DeMar DeRozan throwing the hammer down over Rudy Gobert:
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/derozan-on-gobert.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
The constant for these dunks: full-on, body-to-body contact with a legitimate attempt for a contest. You&rsquo;ll know it when you see it.
BONUS TIER: THE VINCE CARTER
Yeah, this is still the best dunk I&rsquo;ve ever seen.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/vince-carter-dunk-of-death.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
You clear a seven footer, you get your own dunk tier. Those are the rules.

Nekias Duncan has put together the guide of all guides, breaking down the different types of dunks and rating them on a tier system.

The Dunk-tionary: The official guide to ranking dunks

On Saturday, the Enemies and Triplets will battle for the BIG3 championship at The O2 Arena in London.
The Enemies feature Nick Young (the team's captain), Isaiah Austin (co-captain), Elijah Stewart (co-captain), Quincy Miller and Jordan Crawford, with Gilbert Arenas serving as the team's coach.
The Triplets have many familar faces, including Joe Johnson (the team's captain), Jeremy Pargo (co-captain), Larry Sanders, Jamario Moon, Damien Wilkins and Mo Charlo, with Lisa Leslie as their coach.
The Enemies earned a spot in the championship game by defeating three-time champions Trilogy, 50-37. All-Star standout Jordan Crawford led the way with 27 points. This is the Enemies' first-ever championship appearance.
The Triplets won the BIG3 championship back in 2019 and hope to earn their second title this weekend. They advanced to the title game after beating the Ghost Ballers, 50-45. The driving force behind their deep postseason run is back-to-back MVP Joe Johnson (who has a shot at winning a third-straight MVP award).
Prior to the championship matchup, the BIG3 All-Star game will also take place this weekend at The O2 Arena. The game will feature the following All-Stars: Michael Beasley, Jodie Meeks, Jordan Crawford, Mike Taylor, Donte Green, Glen Rice, Earl Clark, Ryan Carter, Joe Johnson, Jeremy Pargo, Leandro Barbosa, Gerald Green, Elijah Stewart, Royce White, Frank Nitty and Jason Richardson.
Both the All-Star game and championship game will be broadcast live on CBS. The All-Star game tips off at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the championship game at 2 p.m. ET.&nbsp;
This is the sixth season of Ice Cube's three-on-three league, and the BIG3 has experienced significant growth in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/big3-basketball-viewership-keeps-growing-as-sixth-season-continues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viewership</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/big3-sees-surge-in-tv-ratings-attendance-to-start-sixth-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attendance</a> numbers this year.

On Saturday at The O2 Arena in London, the Enemies will battle the Triplets for the BIG3 title.

Enemies to face Triplets in BIG3 championship at London's O2 Arena

The 2023 NBA Draft could go down as a special class, with talented prospects such as Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller and the Thompson twins as well as some interesting depth pieces.
But will it ever be considered one of the best draft classes in NBA history? That remains to be seen.
Today, we're going to identify the cr&egrave;me de la cr&egrave;me of NBA draft classes.
The 2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft featured multiple generational talents that would come to define the NBA for the next two decades. Led by LeBron James, this class also included household names such as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Not only did this draft have star power, it was also very deep. Twenty-seven players from the 2003 class played at least 10 seasons in the NBA: James, Wade, Anthony, Bosh, Kyle Korver, David West, Zaza Pachulia, Nick Collison, Boris Diaw, Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa, James Jones, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, Dahntay Jones, Steve Blake, Mo Williams, Luke Ridnour, Willie Green, Matt Bonner, Travis Outlaw, Keith Bogans, Darko Milicic, Mickael Pietrus, Sasha Pavlovic, Josh Howard and Luke Walton. This class featured nine All-Stars and plenty of quality role players.
The 1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft stands as a legendary class, and some might argue that it's the greatest draft of all-time. Two of the top three picks &mdash; Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon &mdash; would ultimately etch their names in the annals of basketball history and redefine greatness. In addition to Jordan and Olajuwon, players like Charles Barkley, John Stockton and Alvin Robertson showcased their immense talent as well. This class produced five Hall-of-Famers and seven All-Stars.
The 1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft changed the landscape of the league, heralding the arrival of future Hall-of-Famers and icons. Led by the legendary Kobe Bryant and the enigmatic Allen Iverson, this class boasted an array of talent that reinvigorated the game. This class also featured Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Stephon Marbury, Peja Stojakovic, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker, Marcus Camby, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Derek Fisher. The 1996 NBA Draft was deep, producing 10 All-Stars and five Hall-of-Famers. Jon Finkel recently revisited this star-studded class in his book "1996," and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/revisiting-the-starstudded-1996-nba-draft-kobe-bryant-ray-allen-steve-nash-allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ran a terrific excerpt on Basketball News</a>.
The 1985 NBA Draft
The 1985 NBA Draft was certainly special. This class featured 10 All-Stars including Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Joe Dumars, Detlef Schrempf, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Oakley, &nbsp;AC Green, Terry Porter and Michael Adams. The class also featured Arvydas Sabonis, an overseas legend and terrific Portland Trail Blazer. Like the 1996 NBA Draft, this class has the star power and depth to be considered one of the best drafts in NBA history.
The 2009 NBA Draft
While not as immediately illustrious as some of the other classes on this list, the 2009 NBA Draft proved to be a treasure trove of talent. This class exemplified the importance of patience and player development, as Stephen Curry, James Harden, Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague would all go on to become All-Stars. Griffin missed his rookie year with an injury, but dominated as soon as he stepped on an NBA court. Curry battled injuries early in his career, but would become a four-time champion and two-time MVP. Harden went from being an elite sixth man to an MVP once he got the opportunity in Houston. This class also featured Brandon Jennings, Ricky Rubio, Tyreke Evans, Darren Collison, Ty Lawson, Patty Mills, Danny Green, Taj Gibson and Patrick Beverley among others.
Which class is the greatest in NBA history? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts</a>!&nbsp;

Basketball News examines the crème de la crème of draft classes throughout NBA history.

Exploring the 5 best draft classes in NBA history

Springfield, Massachusetts has been offering glimpses into the future of basketball since James Naismith put some peach baskets on a YMCA wall in 1891. Every MLK weekend, the town gives us another in the form of the HoopHall Classic, where dozens of the best high-school players in the country descend on Blake Arena.
The HoopHall Classic is also one of three high-school showcases this season that was given the green light for NBA scouts to attend. It's a prime opportunity for the elite talents to separate themselves from the pack &mdash; or for less heralded names to put themselves on the map.
I checked into the arena at 9 a.m. and watched all five contests. These standouts, among many others, caught my eye:
Girls &mdash; St. John Vianney (NJ) 81, &nbsp;Newington (CT) 38
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Zoe Brooks (NC State) went TRIPLE DOUBLE 🤩 The espnW 5 ⭐️ posted 25/14/10 with 4 steals in a St. John Vianney win. <a href="https://twitter.com/zoebrooks35?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@zoebrooks35</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/espnW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espnW</a> <a href="https://t.co/ezCJ2CSEhh">pic.twitter.com/ezCJ2CSEhh</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCNext/status/1615010130252255232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Zoe Brooks, St. John Vianney &mdash; The ninth-ranked senior in the country put on a show with a monster 25-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. Brooks played decisively and confidently, never over-dribbling or wasting shot clock. She tossed a few high-level dimes from the perimeter right through the Newtington defense for cutting layups.
"I'm just waiting for somebody to get open," Brooks told Basketball News postgame. "We move a lot without the ball; obviously [after] three or four cuts, somebody's gonna get open eventually."
When Brooks did decide to score, she slashed past defenders and was unfazed by contact. She explained that developing her power drives has been a taxing process involving difficult bungee and medicine-ball workouts as part of her lifting and strength training routines.&nbsp;
"I lift a lot. This offseason I lifted a lot, so I think I got a lot stronger to take contact whenever I drive," Brooks said. "I do a lot of agility work and footwork to help me."
Those sessions are paying off in high school and will continue to in college when Brooks joins NC State.
Boys &mdash; Camden (NJ) 90, Bishop Gorman (NV) 54
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Billy Richmond and Dasear Haskins made big plays look EASY vs. Bishop Gorman 😳 <a href="https://t.co/Y1aYOg9AdJ">pic.twitter.com/Y1aYOg9AdJ</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCNext/status/1615047591527600130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Billy Richmond, Camden &mdash;Based on the final score, you wouldn't notice that Aaron Bradshaw spent much of the game in foul trouble and DJ Wagner struggled to make shots away from the basket. Camden still rolled to a win because other contributors like Richmond shined in big moments.
The 6-foot-7 wing led his squad with 18 points, added 5 rebounds and made both of his three-point attempts. He says he watches a lot of Paul George and studies how the Clippers star slides between on-ball and off-ball prowess.
"[My coaches say] just be aggressive and attack the defense," Richmond said. "[Wagner and Bradshaw] are doing their part, which makes the defense act a lot on them. So it just makes me flow more."
Richmond's highlight moment came with one posterizing dunk in transition; he even cut his wrist on the rim from throwing down too hard. After sitting for a short spell on the bench, he came back and added another unassisted driving score.&nbsp;
Wagner and Bradshaw rightfully take a lot of the defense's focus, allowing Richmond to capitalize on his advantages and show off his versatile game. He credits his competitive friendship with the two for helping build his status as a 3-star junior.
"We always compete, and I feel like in practice, they make me better and I make them better," Richmond said.&nbsp;
Dasear Haskins, Camden &mdash;&nbsp;Bradshaw picked up his fourth foul early in the second half and Haskins had to step in and play major minutes in his absence. The senior wound up with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench, outhustling a smaller Bishop Gorman team on the glass and logging a pair of timely blocks. He's a really powerful attacking player and that should lead to success when he does pick his college path.
Boys &mdash; Christopher Columbus (FL) 47, Sierra Canyon (CA) 46
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Cameron Boozer ➡️ Cayden Boozer to start this game <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a>‼️ Tune in live on ESPNU 🏀🚨 <a href="https://t.co/K8LNXzUdgM">pic.twitter.com/K8LNXzUdgM</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCNext/status/1615049272206008320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Cameron Boozer, Christopher Columbus &mdash;&nbsp;After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hoophall-highlights-top-performances-from-saturdays-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dominating Saturday against San Ysidro</a>, Boozer ran into a tougher physical matchup against Sierra Canyon. The superstar sophomore still managed to rack up 18 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists, and was the vocal leader for Christopher Columbus in its comeback victory.
Boozer challenged his team to be physical and even gestured for teammate Malik Abdullahi to "play big" while they waited to rebound a free throw before their final possession. Abdullahi would go on to score the winning put-back layup with three seconds left.
"[Physicality] was super important," Boozer said. "They're a team that crashes really hard, they're physical, they're big and strong, so for us to play physical is a huge thing."
Boozer was more of an interior presence in this contest and only shot 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, but his makes looked cool and comfortable. It's impressive to see his play style adapt to the opponent and result in two wins.
Cayden Boozer, Christopher Columbus &mdash;&nbsp;Cameron had the bigger stat line, but Cayden Boozer's 11 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists felt huge in the context of the game. He faced off against a tough Sierra Canyon guard rotation that included Bronny James and Isaiah Elohim. Boozer said facing that competition forced him to play smarter.
"The pick-and-roll really worked for me, especially trying to get that switch or just a little bit of an advantage," he said. "Those two guys are really good defenders, so I just had to try to confuse them a little bit and get to my spots."
Amidst those scores was a neat layup off of a spinning drive that got a deserved response from the crowd. Boozer splashed his lone three-point attempt while using a screen from his brother. At this point, their two-man synergy is natural, and they create easy chances for each other.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Isaiah Elohim, Sierra Canyon &mdash;&nbsp;A 5-star shooting guard, Elohim turned on the heat when Sierra Canyon needed him to create as a scorer. He ran out in transition and finished off push-ahead passes from Bronny James. He slithered around in the half-court for mid-range pull-ups and hit a corner three off another James feed. Though he was 7-for-14 from the floor, Elohim was the only Sierra Canyon player to shoot over 50% on more than two shot attempts. He ended with 16 points.
Bronny James, Sierra Canyon &mdash;&nbsp;This matchup was a super intriguing mixed bag for the most popular player in the tournament. James scored 13 points on 17 shots and went just 1-for-9 inside the arc (and 3-for-8 on threes). He tried to score aggressively and though he could create space for himself on drives, he struggled to get all the way to the basket and finish.
At the same time, James was spectacular as a passer. His three assists harshly undersell how many needles he threaded to hit shooters and inside scorers. James wrapped this laser of a one-armed pass through two defenders in transition that went unrewarded. His active hands on defense also allowed him to aggressively guard the arc and jump passing lanes, leading to five steals. This was not the takeover game the Springfield crowd probably wanted, but it was nonetheless a fun outing to watch.
Boys &mdash; Montverde Academy (FL) 64, Sunrise Christian (KS) 51
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Liam McNeeley has one of the prettiest shooting strokes in the high school game. Great size at 6&rsquo;7&rdquo; / 6&rsquo;8&rdquo;. Stretch four big with a lot of skill. <a href="https://t.co/qK2s5OlePn">pic.twitter.com/qK2s5OlePn</a>
&mdash; Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) <a href="https://twitter.com/GlobalScouting_/status/1615085878556397568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Liam McNeeley, Montverde &mdash;&nbsp;Practically every member of the Eagles' rotation had at least a few standout moments. McNeeley was most impressive for how he created advantages off the dribble and made high-level passing reads as a 6-foot-6 wing. The 5-star junior picked up eight assists against one turnover with his 10 points.
His first step is legit, but he rarely drove into bad traffic without then hitting the appropriate cutter or shooter. McNeeley only shot 2-for-6 from the field (all threes), but he's proven himself as a perimeter threat throughout the weekend. He's one of the more fascinating fits on Montverde's loaded roster.
Miro Little, Sunrise Christian &mdash;&nbsp;Little helped Sunrise Christian rally to keep this game competitive with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-5 from distance. The Baylor-bound point guard hit some quality shots off of movement when Sunrise Christian was able to settle into its offense. He's strong for his size and held his own against a big Montverde squad. Baylor's had a lot of recent success with its guards and Little seems like a perfect addition to the trend.

Ethan Fuller recaps his top performances from the final day of the HoopHall Classic.

HoopHall Highlights: Top performances from Monday's action

Springfield, Massachusetts has been offering glimpses into the future of basketball since James Naismith put some peach baskets on a YMCA wall in 1891. Every MLK weekend, the town gives us another in the form of the HoopHall Classic, where dozens of the best high-school players in the country descend on Blake Arena.
The HoopHall Classic is also one of three high-school showcases this season that was given the green light for NBA scouts to attend. It's a prime opportunity for the elite talents to separate themselves from the pack &mdash; or for less heralded names to put themselves on the map.
I checked into the arena at 10 a.m. and caught all eight contests. These standouts, among many others, caught my eye:
DeMatha Catholic (MD) 66, Bishop Loughlin (NY) 55
Mason So, Bishop Loughlin &mdash;&nbsp;So wasn't the leading scorer of the game or the team MVP, but he really impressed with the little things he did to help the Stags keep control. The UNC Greensboro commit finished with 14 points and operated as a secondary ball-handler and spaced the floor well.
So hit 2-of-5 three-point attempts, but his best play came when he initiated the offense, passed the ball away, snuck behind the Bishop Loughlin zone to the low block and got it back for an easy layup. The senior also hustled on the glass impressively for a 6-foot-2 guard and grabbed 7 total boards.
Mount St. Joseph's (MD) 54, North Laurel (KY) 48
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Mount St. Joseph wins by 6 over North Laurel! 😤 🏀 Mount St. Joseph - 54 North Laurel - 48 🏆 MVP - Tyonne Farrell 19 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 🏟️ - Hoophall Classic 2023 cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Spalding?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Spalding</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MSJ_Basketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSJ_Basketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/943lF8n6bW">pic.twitter.com/943lF8n6bW</a>
&mdash; Legit Sport Stats (@LegitSportStats) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegitSportStats/status/1614685273568288768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Tyonne Farrell, Mt. St. Joseph's &mdash;&nbsp;Farrell logged an awesome statement game in front of the college recruiters and NBA scouts: 19 points, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 4 rebounds. The forward (listed at 6-foot-6, though he seems taller) was a monster protecting the rim. Both squads talked trash back-and-forth throughout and Farrell's rejections made quite the statement.
"Scrappy game; they were talking a lot of smack," Farrell told Basketball News. "It was good to block shots and talk back."
He also nearly brought the hoop down with an emphatic designed alley-oop slam. But Farrell, a junior, was more than a rim-runner and cutter. He made 1-of-2 triples and was not afraid to power-drive from the perimeter. Farrell grew up playing guard but has grown and built out his frame. He lists Paul George and Jayson Tatum among his favorite pros to watch because of the way they can handle the ball and use their strength fluidly.
Farrell and Illinois-bound senior teammate Amani Hansberry teamed up for 5 assists apiece; each took turns dissecting North Laurel's zone from the middle of the half-court. Hansberry had a strong afternoon of his own with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.&nbsp;
"Me and Amani, we go well together because we both can pass," Farrell said. "So he'll catch the ball, I'll backdoor slip and he'll find me. And then, we'll set screens for each other, [and] we both can handle the ball pretty well for bigger people. So it's lovely playing with Amani. He's a great player."
Farrell didn't dive into his college situation, but he has publicly posted an offer from Rhode Island and said he's confident in the direction of his recruitment. He didn't even know NBA personnel could attend this year's Classic &mdash; but it added another boost of confidence when he learned afterwards.
"That makes me feel great; I didn't know that," he said with a laugh. "That's amazing... gotta get my name out there."
Reed Sheppard, North Laurel &mdash;&nbsp;Sheppard, a four-star senior bound for Kentucky, simply didn't have his shot falling (5-for-21 from the field, 3-for-14 from three-point range). But he still ended up with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals by impacting the game just about everywhere else. He played at a rapid pace that really worked in transition, but even his drive-and-kick passes occurred at blazing speeds. Sheppard follows in the footsteps on his father, Kentucky legend Jeff Sheppard, but the younger ballplayer looks more than capable of carving out his own path.
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Ss. John Neumann-Maria Goretti (PA) 55, Vashon (MO) 45
Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti &mdash;&nbsp;Alright, another smaller guard with a big day! Wright, a 6-foot junior, has already committed to Baylor and he posted 17 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals for Neumann-Goretti in the victory. He displayed some impressive passing reads and decision-making in the open floor. Wright didn't shoot all that well and did struggle in the half-court with some of the opposing size. But he's crafty and creative, and his 5-foot-10 teammate Khaafiq Myers helps form one of the most fun backcourts seen this weekend.
Simeon Career Academy (IL) 52, Archbishop Stepinac (NY) 39
Miles Rubin, Simeon &mdash;&nbsp;Rubin is a 6-foot-9, 3-star big man en route to Loyola Chicago. He finished with an efficient 17 points (8-for-10 from the field) plus 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, and was the beneficiary of some timely interior passing. His frontcourt partner and twin brother Wesley (7 assists) frequently caught the basketball around the elbow and threw it inside as Rubin cut to the basket.
The senior also added two blocks, one being an impressive help-defense rejection on 5-star guard Boogie Fland. Simeon tasked Rubin early with showing hard in pick-and-roll defense and it led to two fouls, so there's room to improve with his mobility on the perimeter. Still, Rubin was rock-solid inside and a safe bet as a decision-maker.
Also, I have to shout out Simeon guards Michael Ratliff and Rashard McKinnie. They took turns tracking Fland and neutralized his downhill speed and strength. Fland can get low and slide right by most defenders, but not these two.
AZ Compass Prep (AZ) 55, Oak Hill Academy (VA) 35
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Zayden High shot 100% from the field in AZ Compass&rsquo;s win over Oak Hill 55-35 🐉 <a href="https://t.co/oEPuA4L7hC">pic.twitter.com/oEPuA4L7hC</a>
&mdash; NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1614756786053218304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Zayden High, Compass Prep &mdash; &nbsp;Most of this high-caliber clash was pretty ugly, but High helped Compass Prep pull away late with some timely two-way moments. The 6-foot-10 power forward went a perfect 5-for-5 with 15 points, including a three, a one-dribble pull-up two and some interior scores. His one block was a monster rejection at the rim on Oak Hill big man Drayton Jones.
"I like to think of myself as a shot-blocker," High said postgame. "I'm really good at timing the ball before it goes to the rim. It's all about timing for me &mdash; timed it, blocked it, right point at the right time."
High took instruction from his coaches late in the game regarding screening angles on both sides of the ball. In his first year at AZ Compass Prep, the UNC-bound big man says he's learning a lot about the ins-and-outs of screening.
"Coming to AZ Compass, I've learned a lot about setting screens, shifting my hips and being able to re-screen," he said. "It's helped me out because I'm a pick-and-pop guy; I'm a pick-and-roll guy. So it's lethal to the defense."
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Paul VI Catholic (VA) 72, Roselle Catholic (NJ) 59
DeShawn Harris-Smith, Paul VI &mdash;&nbsp;The Maryland-bound senior absolutely rocked in a huge win for the Panthers. Harris-Smith compiled 23 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. He's quite strong for a wing listed at 6-foot-4 and used that strength to surge past defenders on his drives. Harris-Smith also showed some foresight as a vertical cutter and held his own defensively. He seems physically prepared and experienced enough to make the leap to college ball as a dynamic 4-star talent.
Simeon Wilcher, Roselle &mdash;&nbsp;Wilcher, with 21 points and 5 assists, was Roselle Catholic's scoring spark to keep this game competitive. The senior guard has all sorts of tricks in his bag, including one crab-dribble-type move that split two defenders and ended in a layup. Wilcher had a lot on his plate with 5-star teammate Mackenzie Mgbako struggling, so the 6 turnovers are understandable with the load he had to carry as a creator. He'll be the next top-notch guard to watch at North Carolina next season.&nbsp;
Prolific Prep (CA) 71, Westtown (PA) 33
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Top freshman Tyran Stokes and <a href="https://twitter.com/ProlificPrep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProlificPrep</a> lead Westtown 29-16 at halftime of their <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> matchup ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/tyran_stokes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tyran_stokes</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wds1Plac2V">pic.twitter.com/Wds1Plac2V</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCNext/status/1614787207159504899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Tyran Stokes, Prolific Prep &mdash;&nbsp;There was one moment late in the second half of Prolific Prep's blowout victory where Stokes caught his breath during a pause in action. A young fan exclaimed, "He's just a freshman!" from the bleachers and Stokes tossed a sly wink back.
"My game, I just come with a swag," Stokes told Basketball News. "My teammates come with it [too], so it's just a group thing."
Stokes will assuredly be among the top freshmen in the country whenever 2026 rankings drop, and he backed up his confidence with an easy 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. The 6-foot-7 wing threw down two alley-oop dunks from senior Aden Holloway and lobbed up one of his own to Zion Sensley.&nbsp;
Prolific Prep has several more experienced playmakers, so Stokes can get comfortable spacing the floor and cutting for the most part. He says his coaches and teammates have helped advance his overall processing speed as a cutter.
"[In] middle school it was a lot slower, but once I got to high school, it just became way faster. The game was faster, so I had to step my game up," he said.
Stokes already has swarms of colleges after him (just check his <a href="https://twitter.com/tyran_stokes/media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>), and HoopHall was a big test for his maturity under the eyes of college and pro scouts. He says his mother, Kee, is his biggest source of support and helps relieve some of the stress of his impending rise.
"Me and my mom, we just work as a team to block all the noise out," Stokes said. "People come at me, people come at her, and we just stick together and don't let nobody get to us."
Zion Sensley, Prolific Prep &mdash;&nbsp;Beyond throwing down that alley-oop from Stokes, Sensley earned his game's Most Valuable Player robe with with 18 points, canning 7-of-10 shots. He knocked down threes from the corner, ran the floor for layups and even added in some mid-range self-creation. Sensley has more game off the dribble than he got the chance to show in a dominant win, and his offensive versatility at 6-foot-8 is intriguing. He's a 4-star junior worth keeping an eye on.
Imhotep (PA) 62, Cardinal Hayes (NY) 59
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Justin Edwards puts the first points on the board for Imhotep. <a href="https://t.co/z6dhGBzqYJ">pic.twitter.com/z6dhGBzqYJ</a>
&mdash; Bella DiAmore (@belladiamore) <a href="https://twitter.com/belladiamore/status/1614805998539100160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Justin Edwards, Imhotep &mdash; Edwards made his case for the top billing in the 2023 high-school class with a dominant effort in a thrilling Sunday nightcap. The 6-foot-7 wing amassed 25 points, 12 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists.&nbsp;
The defense particularly impressed me. Edwards took on Ian Jackson (11 points, 4-of-10 from the field, 5 assists), one of the best juniors in the country, and stuck with him throughout the matchup. He sprawled out on the floor for one steal and used some quick-twitch hands to poach other passes and get running. Edwards includes a defensive emphasis whenever he tries to cultivate a well-rounded performance.
"When I have an all-around game, it's me locking in defensively and getting my teammates going, so that was just the main thing," he said postgame.
Of course, the scoring was pretty remarkable too &mdash; a combination of emphatic driving slams and lefty mid-range pull-ups. He even snuck in an impressive entry bounce pass that turned into a layup assist. If you want to call Edwards the best senior in the country, you'll get no complaints from me.
Steven Solano, Cardinal Hayes &mdash;&nbsp;Solano's final stat line (4 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks) might not pop off the page, but his impact far transcended the box score. The lanky 6-foot-11 center was an impactful rim protector even beyond his swats and consistently thwarted Imhotep with his length and timely rotations. He only got on the scoreboard twice, but one bucket was a nifty layup spinning out of the post, suggesting he has a bit more of a bag than we saw. Solano's a 3-star center with a host of high-major offers and he could be an underrated find wherever he ends up.

Ethan Fuller recaps his standout stars from Sunday's HoopHall Classic games in Springfield, MA.

HoopHall Highlights: Top performances from Sunday's action

Springfield, Massachusetts has been offering glimpses into the future of basketball since James Naismith put some peach baskets on a YMCA wall in 1891. Every MLK weekend, the town gives us another in the form of the HoopHall Classic, where dozens of the best high-school players in the country descend on Blake Arena.
The HoopHall Classic is also one of three high-school showcases this season that was given the green light for NBA scouts to attend. It's a prime opportunity for the elite talents to separate themselves from the pack &mdash; or for less heralded names to put themselves on the map.
I checked into the arena at noon and spent 11 hours inside, sticking around until the penultimate contest. These standouts, among many others, caught my eye:
Boys &mdash; IMG Academy (FL) 61, Newton (GA) 52
Khani Rooths, IMG Academy &mdash;&nbsp;A 2024 wing, Rooths' impact on IMG's win far outshone his box score (11 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists). The 6-foot-6 wing kept the ball moving with some savvy passing versatility, making the right skip reads and interior decisions. He went 2-for-3 beyond the arc and seemed more comfortable spotting up and passing from a standstill versus attacking off the dribble.
Rooths also defended Newton star Stephon Castle for large portions of the game and made the 5-star guard's life pretty challenging. He can slide with relative success and deal with physicality without fouling. Rooths, a 4-star guard who is uncommitted, fits in all sorts of contexts and is a player who can thrive with today's direction of basketball.
Marcus Whitlock, Newton &mdash;&nbsp;Whitlock was one of the early head-turners of the weekend. He's a 6-foot-2 guard who plays with relentless confidence. The senior only made 4-of-12 threes but looked poised shooting off movement and spot-up attempts, finishing with 22 points.
He's not a half-court creator, but Whitlock did get chances to run and finish at the rim in transition. He also dove for loose balls on defense and wound up with three steals. Whitlock isn't ranked by most sites and hasn't chosen a school yet, so this effort might have put him on some college radars.
Girls &mdash; Sierra Canyon (CA) 67, Sidwell Friends (DC) 55
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The legend of Juju Watkins at Sierra Canyon continues to grow, as well. She missed a big stretch of the first half after tweaking her ankle, went down for a few moments again late on, and still put up 29/14/5/3/3 in 26 mins. Her physicality never wavered either. Generational. <a href="https://t.co/VGuq1TuqcT">https://t.co/VGuq1TuqcT</a> <a href="https://t.co/wVUIgv0fHd">pic.twitter.com/wVUIgv0fHd</a>
&mdash; Wilko (@wilkomcv) <a href="https://twitter.com/wilkomcv/status/1614365704995868673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon &mdash; The No. 1 senior in the country had the performance of the day. Watkins missed time twice with injuries to both ankles, but you wouldn't notice from her final stat line: 29 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals. (She said postgame that she's feeling alright).
Watkins relished the chance to beat another nationally-ranked opponent and the challenge of matching up against 6-foot-1 junior Kendall Dudley.
"It's definitely an adjustment playing against other players my size, learning how and when to get to my spots," Watkins told Basketball News in her postgame presser. "I just had to make that adjustment mentally, but when I made it, it was easier."
Though Watkins battled for rebounds and showed off limitless range, she also demonstrated a unique blend of speeds and gears, often warping time around her defenders and finishing with a teardrop floater. That's one of the young star's newest weapons.
"I worked on it a lot this summer &mdash; just learning how to change pace better and get my defender on their heels. I've been working on that a lot, and I went out there and showed it today," Watkins said.
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Mackenly Randolph, Sierra Canyon &mdash;&nbsp;The 5-star junior finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds and was critical in helping Sierra Canyon close out a 67-55 win. Randolph dominated on the glass against a physically imposing Sidwell Friends squad; it's no surprise that her dad is Zach Randolph. She also slashed through the lane for some impressive interior buckets.&nbsp;
Kendall Dudley, Sidwell Friends &mdash;&nbsp;Dudley is the No. 13 player in ESPN's 2024 rankings and she showed off the versatility that earned her the billing. The 5-star talent was cool and collected driving the basketball and kicking out. She can play physically at 6-foot-1, but doesn't need to, and her comfort off the bounce was apparent. She also led the defensive attack and did about as well guarding Watkins as her team could ask.
Dudley hasn't chosen a college yet and should be one of the most highly-anticipated commits in the coming year. She finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals in the loss.
Boys &mdash; Long Island Lutheran (NY) 64, Oak Hill Academy (VA) 56
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FLOOR GENERAL 👏 Jayden Reid always in control as LuHi beats Oak Hill 64-56 <a href="https://twitter.com/LuHiBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LuHiBasketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jaydenreid0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaydenreid0</a> <a href="https://t.co/PzVFy12thm">pic.twitter.com/PzVFy12thm</a>
&mdash; NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1614391132728836097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Jayden Reid, Long Island Lutheran &mdash;&nbsp;A 5-foot-10 playmaker who shined is going to land on this list all day. Reid, a 3-star senior point guard, showed total command of the offense with wraparound dimes and pocket passes in the pick-and-roll. He knocked down a pair of threes and finished off one fast break with an impressive double-clutch layup. The guard play from both squads was really excellent, but Reid stood out with 16 points, 7 assists and 4 steals.
Kaden Magwood, Oak Hill &mdash; Magwood caught fire off the bench, going for 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting. He made both of his threes and finished <a href="https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1614385220500725760" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a stunning layup on the fast break</a> to help keep Oak Hill in the game. Magwood is only a sophomore and not in the early class frontrunners yet; I expect that to change pretty soon. He plays with a ton of fight for a guard listed at 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds.
Boys &mdash; Montverde Academy (FL) 85, La Lumiere (IN) 63
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Cooper Flagg is that guy 😎 (No. 2 ESPN 25) put on a show in Montverde&rsquo;s 85-63 win over La Lu <a href="https://twitter.com/MVABasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MVABasketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CooperFlagg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CooperFlagg</a> <a href="https://t.co/VGOxQpkMy7">pic.twitter.com/VGOxQpkMy7</a>
&mdash; NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1614417408323723265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Cooper Flagg, Montverde &mdash;&nbsp;It's remarkable how polished Flagg plays despite being just a sophomore and in his first year with one of the most successful programs in the country. Flagg had 21 points in 25 minutes on 8-for-10 shooting (3-4 3PT). The shots came in all types: cutting via baseline out-of-bounds plays, spacing the floor in the corner and initiating the attack himself.&nbsp;
Then you add the defense, which included five steals and a few ticky-tack fouls that could have been blocks. Flagg is aware and active on both sides of the ball, and it's easy for him to string productive plays together regardless of whether he's getting buckets.&nbsp;
Flagg certainly matched the hype as one of the top players in the 2025 class. After leaving his hometown Nokomis High in Maine and transferring all the way to Florida, he's fit right in with the Eagles. He said approximately 100 friends and family made the four-hour drive down to western Massachusetts.
"I think it's kind of similar to my team back in Maine. We all trust each other. I think that's helped to elevate me too, is playing at the highest level and having a team [where] everybody trusts each other," Flagg said after his performance. "We know that every night it's gonna be someone else [stepping up]."
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KJ Evans, Montverde &mdash;&nbsp;The Oregon-bound senior quietly worked his way to 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, but punctuated his effort with a powerful putback slam. Evans found most of his success around the basket and demonstrated syngergy with Flagg and other playmakers when cutting. The 5-star forward thrived in his role as Montverde tore apart La Lumiere with its decisive passing.
Boys &mdash; Centennial (CA) 66, Camden (NJ) 62
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Off the screen. A little head fake frees up Jared McCain for a deep 3ball. It&rsquo;s his fifth 3 of the night. Corona Centennial leads Camden (NJ) 50-45 after three quarters. <a href="https://t.co/me3L1dEpYo">pic.twitter.com/me3L1dEpYo</a>
&mdash; Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tarek_Fattal/status/1614435225085304838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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DJ Wagner, Camden &mdash;&nbsp;It is all-but impossible to stop Wagner at this level when he bombards the basket. The 5-star senior slithered his way through space and sliced open double-teams with jump-stop attacks, finishing with 27 points. Though he struggled to shoot it from outside, his craft and touch around the rim are superb, and his functional strength is light-years from when I first got the chance to watch him at HoopHall as a freshman.&nbsp;
Wagner will team up with fellow 5-star classmate Aaron Bradshaw (15 points, 8 rebounds) at Kentucky, and he's excited to keep the momentum rolling with his 7-foot teammate.
"It's great. We've been playing together for a long time now," Wagner told reporters postgame. "Off the court, that's like my brother, so it's just fun to be able to go to the next level and play on the same floor with him in college."
Jared McCain, Centennial &mdash;&nbsp;McCain was money as a shooter and finished with 27 points, including six made threes. Centennial used him off of creative screening actions and as a spot-up threat, but the Duke commit also pulled up for a couple of self-created makes. He added an impressive driving layup and a fadeaway make from the free-throw line. A 4-star guard, McCain brought a really positive energy to Centennial's win with his confidence.
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Boys &mdash; Christopher Columbus (FL) 74, San Ysidro (CA) 67
Cameron Boozer, Christopher Columbus &mdash;&nbsp;Boozer was the second top sophomore to look far beyond his years on Saturday. The son of Carlos Boozer, Cameron finished with an effortless 33 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks &mdash; and still showed displeasure with his squad's defense &mdash; as Christopher Columbus led wire-to-wire. His twin brother Cayden, a guard, also had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
Boozer is listed at 6-foot-9, 215 pounds online. He seems even more physically imposing in person. Yet he's not a bowling ball; Boozer calmly settled into three-pointers (3-for-5) and comitted just one foul while still battling around the basket.&nbsp;
"When I was younger, I got in foul trouble a lot swiping down," Boozer told Basketball News in his postgame scrum. "It's something I've learned: just stay vertical and contest guys so it's kind of tough to finish over me &mdash; using my size and my length to my advantage."
Boozer mentioned in the scrum that his favorite player is Anthony Davis, and he admires the Brow's full arsenal of two-way weapons.
"I feel like he can do it all," Boozer said. "He can rebound, he can pass, he can shoot it, he finishes well... When he's healthy, he's one of the best players in the league."

Ethan Fuller shares his scouting report from Saturday's action at the HoopHall Classic.

HoopHall Highlights: Top performances from Saturday's action

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) &mdash; J&rsquo;Wan Roberts scored 15 points, Marcus Sasser added 13 and top-ranked Houston held on to beat Saint Mary&rsquo;s 53-48 on Saturday night.
The Cougars (8-0) won twice in their first week as the No. 1 team since the final poll of the 1982-83 regular season, when Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon led high-flying Phi Slama Jama.
Logan Johnson scored 17 points and Aidan Mahaney had 14 for the Gaels (6-3), who lost their third in a row following a 6-0 start.
Houston was the favorite to win it all in the second of three consecutive trips to the Final Four nearly 40 years ago, but lost to Jim Valvano and North Carolina State in one of the iconic championship games.
Coach Kelvin Sampson&rsquo;s first top-ranked team is coming off trips to the Final Four and Elite Eight the past two seasons.
For the third straight year, the postseason path will start at Dickie&rsquo;s Arena, where Sampson likes to bring his team during the regular season as prep for the American Athletic Conference tourney.
NO. 3 VIRGINIA 62, FLORIDA STATE 57
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark scored 18 points and Virginia overcame poor shooting to beat Florida State and win its 15th straight Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
Virginia (7-0) trailed 22-21 after both teams shot under 30% in the first half. The Cavaliers started the second half with a 22-9 run to lead 43-31 midway through the half.
Florida State (1-9) scored the next six points, then didn&rsquo;t score again for five minutes as the Cavaliers rebuilt their advantage.
Darin Green Jr. scored 17 points in the Seminoles&rsquo; fifth straight loss.
RUTGERS 63, NO. 10 INDIANA 48
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) &mdash; Freshman guard Derek Simpson scored 10 straight points in a game-deciding run and Rutgers beat Indiana for the sixth time in a row.
Caleb McConnell had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Scarlet Knights (6-2, 1-0 Big Ten). Simpson finished with 14, all in the second half.
Miller Kopp scored a season-high 21 points for Indiana (7-1, 0-1) . Star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was held to 13 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late. The rest of the team had 14 points.
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NO. 11 ARKANSAS 99, SAN JOSE STATE 58
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) &mdash; Trevon Brazile scored 23 points and Arkansas broke away in the second half to beat San Jose State.
The Razorbacks (7-1) led 40-35 at the break before erupting. It was the first men&rsquo;s basketball matchup between the schools.
Ricky Council IV had 17 points for Arkansas. Heralded freshman guard Nick Smith, Jr. contributed 16 points and five assists in his first career start in only his second game as a collegian.
Omari Moore scored 21 for the Spartans (6-3).
NO. 11 ALABAMA 78, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 65
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Freshman Noah Clowney&rsquo;s breakout game &mdash; 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a steal &mdash; helped Alabama recover from blowing a 20-point lead and beat South Dakota State.
Clowney shot 8 of 17, including 5 of 12 on 3s, in his highest-scoring game of the season.
Alabama (7-1) led 37-17 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first half. South Dakota State (3-6) rallied to go ahead 51-50 on Alex Arians&rsquo; 3-pointer with 11 1/2 minutes remaining.
Charlie Easley and Arians each scored 17 points for the Jackrabbits.
NO. 17 DUKE 75, BOSTON COLLEGE 59
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Mark Mitchell scored 15 points and Kyle Filipowski posted 13 points and 10 rebounds for the freshman&rsquo;s fifth double-double as Duke beat Boston College in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.
The Blue Devils (8-2), who shot 52.8% from the field, are unbeaten in six home games under first-year coach Jon Scheyer.
CJ Penha scored 16 points and Jaeden Zackery had 14 for Boston College (5-4), which has lost eight straight to Duke.
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NO. 25 OHIO STATE 96, ST. FRANCIS (Pa.) 59
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Brice Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes with 15 points and Bruce Thornton added 13 as Ohio State surged in the second half to be St. Francis.
The Red Flash trimmed a 16-point deficit to eight in the first half, with Josh Cohen getting the first points after the break. But Ohio State (6-2) went on a 13-5 run, held St. Francis (2-7) scoreless for about five minutes in the second half and at one point went up 39 points.
Roddy Gayle Jr. had 12 points, Zed Key had 11 and Sean McNeil and Felix Okpara scored 10 apiece for Ohio State, which shot 50.7% from the field.
Cohen finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Cam Gregory added 15 points and Maxwell Land scored 14 for the Red Flash.

J’Wan Roberts scored 15 points, Marcus Sasser added 13 and top-ranked Houston held on to beat Saint Mary’s 53-48 on Saturday.

No. 1 ranked Houston Cougars hold on to beat Saint Mary’s 53-48

EuroBasket 2022 is in the books, and this year's tournament was another reminder that a well-oiled team machine can still outlast the brightest individual stars on the planet.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic instantly made their countries favorites to win gold, and even had some of the best supporting casts in the field. But the final four squads &mdash; France, Germany, Poland and Spain &mdash; had one NBA All-Star on their rosters combined. The bracket stage was a true display of just how much basketball talent is spread around the globe.
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These six particularly stood out with some remarkable performances over three weeks. No former NBA All-Stars were considered; they obviously were among the best of the best. The following players might be less heralded in the United States, but any basketball fan should appreciate the runs they put together at EuroBasket.
Lorenzo Brown, Spain
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Spain took home the gold medal against France behind 27 points from Juancho Hernangomez. His brother Willy led the team in per-game scoring across the whole tournament. But Spain does not get to gold without Brown, an NBA castoff who has carved his niche in Europe over the past several years.&nbsp;
The 32-year-old guard averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 assists per contest. He dropped 29 points in a massive semifinal win against Germany, then had 14 points and 11 assists in the title bout. His veteran experience is apparent, and Spain creatively used Brown to keep France on its toes by running him off of ball-screens and mixing in pick-and-roll possessions. Brown in turn knew just when and where his teammates would be when France rotated. The above passes are exquisite; the third clip is my personal favorite.
Simone Fontecchio, Italy
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
For one last time in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> 2022: Pasta. Pizza. Fontecchio. 🇮🇹 21 PTS 5 REB 4/7 3FG% SIMONEFONTECCHIO gave a hard fight against France 💪 <a href="https://t.co/qT6FEkdMzm">pic.twitter.com/qT6FEkdMzm</a>
&mdash; FIBA (@FIBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1570104678653779968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Want to talk about an underrated offseason signing? The Utah Jazz added Fontecchio, a 6-foot-8-inch wing, on a multi-year contract this summer, and if Utah fans checked in on Italy, they saw Fontecchio lighting it up beyond the arc. The 26-year-old canned 45.1% of his 7.3 threes attempted per game and averaged 19.4 points across the tournament.
Fontecchio is simply an entertaining scorer. He can pull up from long range with all sorts of dribble and spin moves and still get into his sweet shooting stroke. He's a solid cutter and transition player, and while not a highlight-reel dunker, he has an underrated level of explosion. I really think Fontecchio's going to suprise fans next season if the Jazz give him extended minutes.
Lauri Markkanen, Finland
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Most U.S. fans probably picture Markkanen as your prototypical stretch forward. At EuroBasket, he was&nbsp;so&nbsp;much more. Markkanen was one of the tournament's most dominant players, putting up 27.9 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 61.5% from two-point range and 40.5% behind the arc.&nbsp;
Talk about emptying the bag &mdash; Markkanen was posting up, facing up, flying off cuts, initiating with drives, stepping back and finishing. He had a massive 43-point showcase against Croatia where he appeared blatantly unstoppable. Maybe a run like this encourages Utah to experiment more with Markkanen's usage stateside.
Dzanan Musa, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Once a first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets, Musa fell out of the NBA, but has settled in overseas. He averaged 21.4 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game with his home country and really applied pressure as a driver. Musa frequently went at bigs in conservative coverages &mdash; including guys like Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas &mdash; with his combination of quick-twitch handle and finishing touch.&nbsp;
Musa also made a noteworthy 45% of his triples. He's never had much of a three-point stroke up until last season in Liga ACB play, but it seems the swingman is really developing confidence. Musa is still just 23 and definitely has the ability to jump back into the NBA should teams pursue him.
Alperen Sengun, Turkey
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Turkey had a really fun run to the EuroBasket quarterfinals with the 20-year-old fueling the success. Sengun is on the smaller side of NBA centers, but against these opponents, he had more chances to physically dominate and go to work in the post. His speed on some of these spin moves is still incredible &mdash; just look at Hernangomez's reaction after this first bucket.
Sengun stymied teams with his post play and interior passing en route to 16.5 points per game. He's a secure cornerstone for the Houston Rockets at this point. Sure, it's fair to wonder how Sengun's skill set helps Houston once it reaches contender status. But there's no denying Sengun is amazing, regardless of his age, as a post scorer and passing big man.&nbsp;
Aleksandar Vezenkov, Bulgaria
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"Sasha" Vezenkov only played five EuroBasket contests after Bulgaria went 1-4 and missed out on the bracket stage. But he deserves a shoutout because he absolutely dominated his matchups. Vezenkov's box score line is bonkers: 27.0 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 56.6% on twos and 40.5% on nearly 8 threes per game.
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The perimeter scoring is frankly ridiculous. Vezenkov is more than a stretch forward or a movement shooter. At 6-foot-9, he's got a stable enough handle to threaten teams by putting the ball on the floor. At the same time, he's got this absurd, quick lefty shot, and can contort himself all sorts of ways without compromising his form.&nbsp;
The Sacramento Kings quietly acquired the rights to Vezenkov from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for the No. 49 pick in this summer's NBA Draft (which became Isaiah Mobley). The 26-year-old reportedly won't come to the U.S. this summer, as he looks to defend a Greek League title with Olympiacos Piraeus and back up his All-EuroLeague First Team selection. But if you're thinking of tuning into some European hoops, Vezenkov should be considered a must-watch talent.

Alperen Sengun, Lauri Markkanen and Dzanan Musa were among the brightest stars at EuroBasket 2022.

EuroBasket 2022: 6 players who stood out in the tournament

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes the offensive splendor of Dirk Nowitzki and the dramatic evolution of his career.

Blazing the Trail: Dirk Nowitzki, the unicorn that became world champion

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

Here&rsquo;s a bit of trivia for you: Which rookie from this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-they-are-all-special-a-guide-to-the-best-rookies-of-the-2021-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stacked</a> 2021 NBA Draft class has played the most minutes in the Conference Finals?
Considering most of the top rookies didn't advance very far, surely the answer has to be the Golden State Warriors' heralded No. 7 overall pick, Jonathan Kuminga &mdash; the same player who earlier this postseason was <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-jonathan-kuminga-vows-learn-despite-historic-nba-playoff-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the youngest rookie to start a playoff game since 1971</a>, right?&nbsp;
Wrong!
The answer, with an impactful 64 minutes played over the course of five games, is none other than Golden State&rsquo;s other rookie: the No. 14 overall pick Moses Moody.
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Our story begins in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, where a 104-76 score prompted both the Golden State and Dallas coaches to empty their benches for the home stretch of the blowout series opener.
In response, Reggie Miller on the call proclaimed: &ldquo;I have a sneaky feeling. I think these minutes are going to be important for [Nemanja] Bjelica and Kuminga because, at some point, those two guys are going to have to play significant minutes in this series.&rdquo;
Unbeknownst to him, he made a glaring omission in his statement; the player who really needed these repetitions was Moody. And during that seemingly meaningless stretch, Moody flashed two features that would prove useful to Golden State later in the series &mdash; his play-finishing and defensive versatility.
Play-Finishing&nbsp;
Nowadays, NBA offenses are so prolific that even the most venerable defenses can&rsquo;t eliminate every piece on the board. This leads to teams having to strategically <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-playoffs-and-the-art-of-concessions-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concede</a> certain shots in order to hone-in on the player(s) they deem the most dangerous (see the Milwaukee Bucks' defense vs. the Boston Celtics in Round 2).
When you&rsquo;re going up against the Warriors, the Splash Trio receives the highest priority, and these standards lead to open looks for the group&rsquo;s least esoteric marksman.
As of this moment, Moody falls under this designation. And to his credit, he did an excellent job of burning the Mavericks for their negligence in defending him, draining 50% of his triples (albeit in a miniature sample size).
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Cutting and movement rule the day in Golden State's perpetual motion offensive system. Moody got the memo, and he did a great job of knowing when it was appropriate to shag back and maintain his spacing on the perimeter, and when it was time to fill the lane and shake the Golden Gate bridge with a <a href="https://streamable.com/k3xuy0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seismic eruption</a> at the rim.
Defensive Versatility&nbsp;
As Seth Partnow noted in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/seth-partnow-qa-a-sitdown-with-the-author-of-the-midrange-theory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent book</a>, "The Midrange Theory," versatility is the key to playoff success &mdash; the ol' Carlos Boozer and Robert Horry paradigm.
This maxim reigns especially true in defense, where we&rsquo;ve already seen multiple playoff runs abbreviated due to a lack of scheme versatility. (I hope the folks in Utah are doing well on this fine Friday afternoon.)
Moody was far from the anchor out there, but the Warriors&rsquo; defense stayed afloat during his minutes, partially because of his ability to wear multiple hats on that end of the floor.
We&rsquo;ll start with his off-ball work and this snag-tastic reception:
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Moses Moody legit Odell Beckham-ed this ball. <a href="https://t.co/tC54YzUzhG">pic.twitter.com/tC54YzUzhG</a>
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1530189122886897664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Along with that reception, Moody deflected two additional passes in that very same quarter, prompting Warriors writer Marcus Thompson to cite Moody&rsquo;s contributions as an <a href="https://theathletic.com/3332392/2022/05/25/warriors-mavericks-young-game-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">integral part of the team&rsquo;s Game 4 comeback</a>.
Despite only authoring 2 steals the entire series, spurts like the one he demonstrated in Game 4 leave room for potential growth into a future defensive playmaker.
Moody also did surprisingly well navigating the <a href="https://medium.com/the-basketball-dictionary/2-9-6fb93080023c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.9 spot</a> as a low-man. He was well attuned to his positioning, consistently swaying in and out of the paint to avoid garnering a three-second call, while also timing his re-entries in a manner that enabled him to wall off forays at the rim when the moment presented itself.&nbsp;
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Lastly, Moody even showed some chops as a man defender. On <a href="https://streamable.com/b6cjoa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this play</a>, he manages to stay attached to Jalen Brunson amid Jordan Poole&rsquo;s hedge endeavor, and then mirrors his movements before hindering his attempt at the rim.
Moody&rsquo;s point-of-attack prowess is more apparent when you understand the amount of leeway he was granted within the Warriors&rsquo; scheme. In my <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2022/05/western-conference-finals-can-the-golden-state-warriors-continue-to-slow-luka-doncic-and-the-dallas-mavericks/">recent article</a> on this series, I looked into how Golden State has specific principles for Luka Doncic ball screens. Well, Moody was one of the few players given the green light to switch onto him immediately.
He was also empowered by Steve Kerr to captain the ship of the Warriors' revered Box-and-1 alignment a few times during the third quarter of Game 3. And Moody even got the chance to moonlight as the team&rsquo;s defensive coordinator, <a href="https://streamable.com/a8geaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling for a zone formation on defense</a> at one point in Game 4. (For the Warriors, you can tell it's a zone when the signal-caller executes a <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2022/5/21/23133463/warriors-mavericks-game-2-steph-curry-kevon-looney-luka-doncic-film-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised double fist</a>).
To conclude our tale, let&rsquo;s take a gander at Moody&rsquo;s best two-way sequence of the series, where he blocks Doncic and then proceeds to commandeer free-throw attempts at the other end of the floor. A perfect encapsulation of his imprint on this series.
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Nice.
In a class as talent-laden and promising as the 2021 draft pool, who would have guessed that the player picked last in the lottery would be the last rookie standing.
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Mat Issa gives props to Moses Moody for his finishing and defensive contributions to the Warriors when his number was called upon.

Moses Moody: The last rookie standing in the 2022 NBA Playoffs

The NBA G League today announced that the Rio Grande Valley Vipers have earned three annual performance awards for this season, including&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8htEopW0yJ8" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8htEopW0yJ8" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">guard Trevelin Queen being named the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Most Valuable Player</a>. Additionally, head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah is the recipient of the Dennis Johnson Trophy as the 2021-22 NBA G League Coach of the Year, while General Manager Travis Stockbridge has been named the 2021-22 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year.
NBA G League Head of Basketball Operations Malik Rose will present all three winners with their awards tonight before the Vipers host the Texas Legends in the Western Conference Semifinals at the Bert Ogden Arena (8 p.m. ET, ESPNews).
Rio Grande is the second team in NBA G League history to earn MVP, Coach of the Year and Basketball Executive of the Year accolades in the same season. The MVP and Coach of the Year awards were voted on by the league&rsquo;s 28 head coaches and general managers, while Basketball Executive of the Year was voted on by the general managers only.
Queen, a two-way player with the Houston Rockets, averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.3 steals in 19 games.Queen (6-6, 190, New Mexico State) received an NBA GATORADE Call-Up when he signed his two-way contract with the Rockets on Dec. 18, 2021, and has appeared in 10 games for Houston this season. He is the third Rio Grande Valley Vipers player to win the Kia NBA G League MVP award, joining Mike Harris (2009-10) and Andrew Goudelock (2012-13). In his third season as head coach of the Rockets&rsquo; NBA G League affiliate, Abdelfattah steered the Vipers to the top regular-season record in the Western Conference (24-10), earning a bye in the NBA G League Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. Under Abdelfattah, the Vipers led the league in points per game (124.5), free throws made (12.4), offensive rebounds (16.5) and total rebounds (51.4).Since being named head coach prior to the 2019-20 season, Abdelfattah has led the Vipers to a record of 48-43 and two consecutive playoff appearances. He is the second head coach in Rio Grande Valley history to earn Coach of the Year honors, joining current Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch (2009-10).
Stockbridge becomes the first executive in Vipers&rsquo; history to win the Basketball Executive of the Year award. Key player acquisitions by Stockbridge included Marcus Foster (18.7 ppg, 4.3 apg), Mfiondu Kabengele (17.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg) and 12-year NBA veteran Gerald Green (16.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg). Since Stockbridge became general manager in 2019, five Rio Grande Valley players have earned GATORADE Call-Ups: Queen, Armoni Brooks, Anthony Lamb, Ray Spalding and Brodric Thomas.
The Sioux Falls Skyforce is the only other NBA G League team to win all three awards in the same season. Sioux Falls accomplished this feat for the 2015-16 season, with Jarnell Stokes winning MVP, Dan Craig earning Coach of the Year and Adam Simon receiving Basketball Executive of the Year honors.
Motor City Cruise guard Saben Lee, who was on assignment from the Detroit Pistons, and South Bay Lakers two-way guard Mason Jones finished in second and third place, respectively, in voting for Kia NBA G League MVP.
Raptors 905 head coach Patrick Mutombo and Agua Caliente Clippers head coach Paul Hewitt finished in second and third place, respectively, for NBA G League Coach of the Year.
Delaware Blue Coats General Manager Prosper Karangwa and Raptors 905 General Manager Chad Sanders finished in second and third place, respectively, for NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers have earned three of the G League's end-of-season awards, including MVP for guard Trevelin Queen.

Vipers' Trevelin Queen named NBA G League Most Valuable Player

Nekias Duncan dives deep into the rise of guard-screening in the NBA through the lens of NBA players, coaches and more.

Changing of the guard: The future of screening is here

Gerald Green will join Rockets G-League affiliate and attempt an NBA comeback as a player.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1479498914562727941?s=20">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
12-year veteran Gerald Green started off this season on the Rockets coaching staff, but still held the belief he could contribute as a player.
The rise of replacement players seemingly gave credence to those beliefs, and the 35 year-old will attempt a comeback in the G League.
Green was an All-Star in the D-League in 2012, helping him re-enter the NBA.

Gerald Green will join Rockets G-League affiliate and attempt an NBA comeback as a player.

Gerald Green to join Rockets G-League affiliate, attempt comeback

Houston Rockets assistant coach Gerald Green is unretiring and plans to sign in the NBA G League, sources tell&nbsp;The Athletic.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1479095030715461636" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The 12-year vet reportedly hopes to make an NBA comeback. Green has not played at the NBA level since 2018-19, when he averaged 9.2 points per game in Houston. The high-flying wing has suited up for eight NBA teams to date.

Green has not played at the NBA level since 2018-19, when he averaged 9.2 points per game in Houston.

Gerald Green to unretire, plans to sign in G League

No baseline roaming today, folks, but I did want to take a page from that particular book. I recently wrote a piece on my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/opening-weekend-thoughts-on-nba-2k22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initial thoughts on NBA 2K22</a>. It was a mostly positive experience at the time, and I'm proud to announce that I still feel that way after more time with the game.
This is the most fun I've had with a 2K since probably 2K19. There's a lot of depth to this year's edition, and the gameplay tweaks to defense have appealed to my nerdy side. We're on the up-and-up.
While I'm having fun and generally believe the game to be good, that doesn't mean there aren't flaws to poke at. In what feels like a yearly tradition on my end, I must dig into the ratings.
This is a "duh" thing to say, but the most important part of a basketball game are, well, the basketball players. The appeal of 2K is supposed to be it's realism at the end of the day: from the player models, to their signature moves and styles, and ultimately, how closely they perform to their real-life counterparts.
The good folks at 2K nail most of this stuff. You can honestly get lost in the amount of animations available to make players shoot, dribble, and even dunk like they do in the real world. The actual player models are tremendous. As much as the "added sweat" meme is a thing, you have to tip your cap at how realistic the players look.
(Well, the NBA players at least. I'd love to see more done on the WNBA side. Seriously, <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1436189173522878464?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">look at Atlanta Dream guard Chennedy Carter</a>. I get the Dream want to pretend like she doesn't exist, but she does, and that should be apparent in the game.)
Where the game falls a bit short for me is how the players are rated. I don't necessarily mean the overall ratings; that's arbitrary enough to where it genuinely doesn't mean much. It's a yearly tradition to get upset about the early rating releases before the game officially dropped.
Here's a thought exercise, though: give a detailed explanation of the difference between an 87 overall and an 88 overall. I'll give you some time.
Go on.
Uh huh.&nbsp;
I rest my case.
When I say player ratings in this context, I mean the nitty gritty stuff. The individual stuff like "perimeter defense." Not the just badge layout, but the badge level given -- or not given. I mean player tendencies most of all. Having the James Harden (double) stepback in the game means nothing if he actually doesn't do it when you face him, for example.
I found myself getting so frustrated with botched tendencies and higher-than-it-should-be ratings that I started making my own rosters. I'm in the midst of doing so now, but I wanted to peel the curtain back into some of the things that have to be altered. I starteed a <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1440043942427299840?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter thread</a> detailing some of the mishaps, but here are a few more that have stood out as I've begun the roster editing process.
KINGS CENTER RICHAUN HOLMES: NO "TEAR DROPPER" BADGE
I'll start here because this is the one I can be swayed to leniency on. Holmes does have a 95 "Close Shot" rating, with the stat being defined as the "ability to shoot when standing still out to 10 feet from the basket."&nbsp;
Within that context, I could see why they went that route versus giving him the badge. How exactly do you define Holmes' push shot in the game? Is that just a close shot animation, or is it an actual floater that gamers should be looking to trigger?&nbsp;
Considering you can't choose specific floaters like you could in past games -- why can't you do this anymore, by the way? -- it would appear 2K played it safe. It's just a bit odd that a guy who, per Synergy, converted over 61% of his runners on the fifth-highest volume in the league (184 attempts) doesn't have a badge to show for it.
PISTONS GUARD CADE CUNNINGHAM: "DISH TO OPEN MAN" TENDENCY IS A 35
Cade Cunningham has yet to play in an official NBA game to this point, but he's one of the most heralded prospects in recent memory. Arguably his most prolific trait as a player is his passing ability. At 6-foot-7, he has the luxury of seeing over the top of defenses and flinging darts across the lot. There isn't a pass that he doesn't have in his bag, so it's a bit baffling that the 2K read on him is that he just ... won't hit open guys.
This feels like a case of inputing his assist numbers from his lone year at Oklahoma State without even a hint of context.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there aren't ten Pistons more willing to hit open teammates than Cade.
LAKERS GUARD RUSSELL WESTBROOK: HIGH LEVEL DEFENDER
I feel like we do this every 2K with Russell Westbrook. I honestly feel for the ratings guys because it's not an easy needle to thread.
On the right night, or even in the right quarter, Westbrook can be an absolute menace on the defensive end. He moves incredibly well laterally, has quick hands, is strong, and can flat-out bully opposing guards.&nbsp;
In that same game, he can die on a screen and flat-out give up on it. He can offer weak contests. Teams can exploit him off the ball due to his tendency to ball-watch.
The "best" solution here would be to give him a solid on-ball rating, a relatively low one in the "help defense IQ" one, and a middling rating in "defensive consistency" since the possession-by-possession variance is pretty high with him.
Instead, Westbrook has an 83, an 80, and an 80 in the three ratings, respectively. I can't say I get that. The 83 in perimeter defense is even wilder when you consider he outpaces guys like Mikal Bridges (82), De'Anthony Melton (81), TJ McConnell (82), and Pascal Siakam (79); he also shares that 83 with Lu Dort, Draymond Green, and Fred VanVleet.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Jimmy Butler had the worst shooting season of his career and was rewarded with an 84 mid-range rating and a 75 3-ball. Sure.</li>
<li>On top of Bridges' defensive rating being too low, having that while giving his teammate Chris Paul a 90 is ... I'll be respectful, but come on. We know what we watched.</li>
<li>Karl-Anthony Towns having a 60 in pass accuracy, which puts him 11th on his own team, is pretty freaking wild.</li>
<li>Based on his tendencies, Trae Young is more likely to receive an alley-oop (25) than he is to throw one (10). I don't think I need to say more than that.</li>
<li>Bouncing off the Cade point, 2K cover boy Luka Doncic (60) is not the most willing passer on his own team. That honor belongs to Tyrell Terry (65). Sure.</li>
<li>Keldon Johnson's "attack strong on drive" tendency being a 50 seems woefully low based on the way he plays. He only passed on 21.2% of his drives last season, per <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612759&amp;sort=DRIVE_PASSES_PCT&amp;dir=-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Second Spectrum tracking data</a>.</li>
<li>I am amused by Dwight Howard not having the highest "hard foul" tendency (41). With a 76, that honor belongs to [checks notes] Wolves rookie Leandro Bolmaro???</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan gives his thoughts on some controversial ratings in NBA 2K22.

Things That Make You Go 'Hmmm': 2K Edition

Over the span of roughly six months, the Houston Rockets acquired a bevy of youthful talent. They traded for Kevin Porter Jr. in late January and during July&rsquo;s draft, spent four first-round picks on Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher. Once a team led by perennial MVP candidate James Harden and flanked by veterans, Houston has now oriented itself toward a rebuild.
Such as last season, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Porter will be granted reps as a lead creator</a>. Green, the second overall pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, surely will too. Maybe even Christopher will work on the ball in spurts. The sustainable utility of Sengun&rsquo;s post game will be explored. Garuba is heralded as a defensive stalwart whose offensive functionality needs crystalizing.&nbsp;
The Rockets&rsquo; hope is that all, or at least some combination, help shape the franchise&rsquo;s future in coming years. All of them, in varying manners, will benefit from the services of Christian Wood, Houston&rsquo;s best player and one who seems underappreciated, despite consecutive breakout seasons.&nbsp;
After inking a three-year, $41 million deal prior to 2020-21, he averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks on 59.1% True Shooting (.514/.374/.631 split). Had he not sprained his right ankle in early February, there&rsquo;s a chance he would&rsquo;ve garnered deserved All-Star buzz. Prior to that injury, he averaged 22.0 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 63.4% True Shooting (.558/.421/.688 split). Sprained ankles are quite challenging to fully rehabilitate on the fly midseason, so there&rsquo;s a chance his production skews closer to pre-injury numbers, although that three-point clip seems like an outlier.
The basis of Wood&rsquo;s allure, both generally and in the context of accentuating Houston&rsquo;s young core, is his offensive versatility. He&rsquo;s a preeminent roller and popper in ball-screens, providing rare duality among big men across the league. According to Cleaning The Glass, he ranked in the 86th percentile at the rim (76%) and 60th percentile on above-the-break triples (37%) last season. A year earlier, he finished in the 89th and 80th percentiles, respectively.
He&rsquo;s a bouncy, coordinated finisher and keenly spots when to slip screens with the proper angles or cut as an off-ball cog. As one of just five centers (Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Vucevic and Nikola Jokic are the others) to launch at least three long balls and convert them at 37% or better in 2020-21, the threat of Wood&rsquo;s jumper spurs consistent closeouts from defenses. That provides avenues to leverage his fluidity and slithery, distinguished ball-handling while operating inside the arc.&nbsp;
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There might not be a center who covers all three bases in ball-screens &ndash; rolling, popping and driving &ndash; better than Wood these days (well, perhaps Jokic). He is that valuable offensively, and pick-and-roll acumen is not the extent of his equity. Only Jokic, Towns and Embiid are definitively superior offensive centers. Vucevic has a case, but it is not inarguable by any means. That sort of presence for three 21-and-under creators in Porter, Green and Christopher is such a luxury for their growth. It&rsquo;s an uncommon windfall in many rebuilding circumstances, especially in what will be Houston&rsquo;s first full year of its youth movement.&nbsp;
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The dude touts legit self-creation chops, parlaying his dexterity and mobility on closeouts into face-up scoring. He&rsquo;s even netted 20-of-54 (37%) pull-up threes the last two seasons as a periodically mystifying wrinkle for a 6-foot-11 center. Despite a slender 215-pound frame, he&rsquo;s moderately comfortable playing through contact and converting funky, off-balance shots as a driver with delicate body control and feathery touch. Give him a mismatch and he&rsquo;ll cook, gliding past plodding bigs or overwhelming smaller, ill-equipped wings.&nbsp;
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The ability to generate mismatches, and their frequency, in the pick-and-roll could be central to Houston&rsquo;s relative offensive success, both for Wood&rsquo;s individual profits and the signifier it represents for wide-eyed ball-handlers. If Porter and Green (and Christopher) establish the proper cadence and discernment as initiators, they&rsquo;ll drastically benefit from Wood&rsquo;s gravity and talents. His rolling and popping will carve openings if applied correctly and a release valve will consistently be available if the set transpires smoothly.
Together, those sorts of actions could induce preferable matchups for the initiator and finisher. Their success, or lack thereof, might help illuminate the developmental progress of Porter and Green&rsquo;s creation decision-making as it pertains to the manipulation of screens, delivery of passes and balance of shooting vs. facilitating.
Wood serving as a connector doesn&rsquo;t just have to occur directly with the young guards. He can merely drift into the background to space the floor, firing and slashing when the ball rotates his way or darting in for cuts. The Rockets&rsquo; offense will certainly depend on him considerably. Yet empowering the young dudes to gauge their advantage-creation threshold at this juncture and how they&rsquo;re equipped to set up the big fella as a result seems prudent if the franchise GPS is prioritizing a long-term destination.
Another means of forging their maturation as lead creators is utilizing Wood&rsquo;s comfort flowing through off-ball screens. Houston drew up a number of flare screens for him last season, which seems likely to continue this year. Rather than largely having Porter, Green or Christopher stand atop the key and await its unfolding, it makes sense to incorporate a counter or weak-side action to let them sift through various options.
This doesn&rsquo;t have to occur every time, but mixing them in to avoid autopilot decision-making and actually emulate the responsibilities of an offensive engine could prove beneficial. Regardless, though, Wood offers another path to complement Houston&rsquo;s cornerstones via his versatility, and it further emphasizes his multifaceted scoring package.
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An overreliance on Wood will be detrimental to all involved. He is not ready to be some domineering offensive nucleus, nor would that fashion a favorable ecosystem for Porter, Green or Christopher (or Sengun). At the very least, the former two should be thrust into roles that test the depths of their offensive value in differing outlets, both as fire-starters and play-finishers.&nbsp;
Asking Wood to constantly toggle across all those roles would limit their reps and extend him too far. He is not a particularly impactful passer, struggling with processing speed and vision, which leaves him behind the defense and chasing reads no longer available. While he does play through physicality and contact, it&rsquo;s sometimes too much for his wiry build and stymies his individual scoring. That&rsquo;d be less of a concern if he was a better passer, but <a href="https://streamable.com/qi0dv4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">those flashes of intrigue</a> are blanketed by turnovers resulting from delayed court mapping and inhibit the ceiling of his usage load.&nbsp;
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One of the more vital dynamics to effectively scale during a rebuild is how much to lean into the youth vs. surrounding them with auxiliary, well-established talent. The Rockets had to navigate that in real-time last season and the same phenomenon confronts them this year. They&rsquo;re welcoming an assortment of promising players to the Lone Star State, while already rostering the likes of Wood, Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate, Danuel House, David Nwaba and others (remember: auxiliary).&nbsp;
Some of them will likely have new homes by midseason. Wood, though, should remain around. He is very good, existing on the fringes of All-Star conversations, and offers an assortment of skills to aid those who figure prominently into Houston&rsquo;s plans. His 2020-21 campaign was overshadowed by the Harden trade and the team&rsquo;s subsequent struggles. Maybe the latter will bury him in the news cycle again. But there he&rsquo;ll be, hammering dunks, splashing threes and exemplifying the equity of very good players alongside enticing prospects.

Christian Wood had consecutive breakout seasons. Now, his strong play and versatility will make life much easier for the Rockets' young core.

Christian Wood's offensive versatility will benefit Houston's core

Earlier this week, <a href="https://twitter.com/lucarosano3/status/1419780470636679170?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Jake Fischer reported</a> that the Toronto Raptors are gauging the trade market for Pascal Siakam. If available and actively involved in trade discussions, the 2020 All-Star and All-NBA Second Team honoree instantly becomes a significant needle-mover for many teams.&nbsp;
The past year or so &ndash; featuring rather abnormal circumstances including the Orlando Bubble and the 2020-21 season, which the Raptors spent in Tampa, Florida (1,300 miles from home) &ndash; has clouded much of the analysis surrounding him.&nbsp;
But Siakam is a star. He deservedly earned his 2020 accolades, was the 2B on a well-balanced title team in 2019 and became arguably the best player on a 60-win-pace squad the next season. There should not be mystery around his impact on a championship contender or top-three seed. He is quite good and conducive to high-end winning. The results literally exist to validate these statements.
After Kawhi Leonard&rsquo;s 2019 departure, Siakam expanded his offensive repertoire to try and satisfy elevated duties. Due to the absence of a certified lead ball-handler, the Raptors embraced a creation-by-committee approach, leaning heavily on Siakam, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, along with Marc Gasol&rsquo;s passing magic (for a year) and OG Anunoby&rsquo;s scoring increase, to fashion a reliable offense.&nbsp;
However, that has still left Siakam in an overextended role, where his relative true shooting (how far above or below league average one&rsquo;s true shooting percentage is) fell from plus-6.8 in 2018-19 to minus-1.1 in 2019-20 and minus-2.5 this season. Unsurprisingly, the discourse resulting from that declining efficiency and poor 2019-20 playoff run (averaging 17.0 points on 46 percent true shooting) was dominated by an indictment of his entire ability rather than merely acknowledging he&rsquo;s unfit as a primary creator, which even the majority of stars are.
The increasingly arduous responsibilities are portrayed through divergent statistics between his 2018-19 and 2020-21 campaigns. His isolation frequency spiked from 9.9% to 15.1% (per Synergy Sports). Only 13 players registered more isolations this season. His rim frequency slipped from 51% to 38% (per Cleaning the Glass). He took 63 pull-up jumpers in 2018-19 and 220 this year (per NBA.com). Just over 43% of his baskets were unassisted in 2018-19, compared to 57.7% in 2020-21 (per NBA.com).
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All of this is to underscore that there are easily discernible factors explaining Siakam&rsquo;s efficiency slide and none of them are because of suddenly depreciating skills. His job grew more complex. On a team with a bona fide initiator that could allow for a situation closer resembling 2018-19 while incorporating his self-creation strides, he&rsquo;d quickly remind everyone why he is such a heralded player.
Siakam is best treated as a selective creator. He&rsquo;s not diverse enough stylistically to routinely commandeer possessions individually, but can attack mismatches of varying sizes. A different team where he&rsquo;s not the headliner of every opponent would invite more favorable matchups. His scoring volume could look similar to the last couple years, just tinkered to better reflect a preferred shot profile yielding higher efficiency.
More regularly, he&rsquo;d have chances to leverage his slippery handle, quickness, body control and length to target slower bigs in ball-screens/off the bounce as a slasher. Or, he could punish undersized wings with length and interior touch, adept at converting off-balance leaners from distinct angles. These should be components of his scoring, not the bedrock as his context necessitated over the past couple seasons. An upgrade in surrounding offensive talent would enable that.
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Broadening the scope of his on-ball equity was a substantial passing leap this year. Siakam is one of the NBA&rsquo;s premier 6-foot-9 or taller facilitators nowadays. He&rsquo;ll elicit help in the post and on drives before threading an assist to a cutter or teammate already stationed on the interior. He&rsquo;s a fulcrum from the elbows. He&rsquo;s a connective passer, transition catalyst and short-roll firestarter.&nbsp;
His decisions are expedient. Offensive inclusion, on and off the ball, is not limited to scoring as an endpoint. A change of scenery that placed him in advantageous situations or eased his production of them would further showcase this malleable playmaking.&nbsp;
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The grandest exploit to playing alongside a star-level initiator again would be the revival of Siakam&rsquo;s frenzied, kinetic off-ball game that torched teams during Kawhi&rsquo;s Canadian pitstop. He&rsquo;s a menace attacking tilted defenses following paint pressure from a teammate. Swing the ball his way and draw a closeout; his intersection of wiggle, length and bounding strides will capitalize.&nbsp;
In 2018-19, Toronto had the primary ball-handler, another downhill threat via Lowry and a wise, snappy passer in Gasol. The floor-spacing of Gasol and Serge Ibaka pulled rim protectors away from the basket for the downhill-inclined Siakam.&nbsp;
Advantages were forged independent of him. He was the leading beneficiary of the attention Kawhi and Lowry drew by regularly logging paint touches. He frequented gaps in the defense as an instinctive cutter; the low-post playmaking of Kawhi and Gasol augmented his cutting.&nbsp;
Defenders recovering from help rotations struggle to contain him. He enjoyed vastly more runways of space to apply his physical tools and strike inside. Any actions (inverted pick-and-rolls, handoffs) merging this aptitude of operating in space toward the rim with his budding creation are a prudent strategy to bridge the past and present versions of Siakam.&nbsp;
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Raptors personnel over the last couple years have curtailed the ideal balance. A new employer aptly organized to deploy him in space and feature his polished on-ball juice without relying on it is one manner in which Siakam can remind everyone of his All-NBA form.
What has remained steady, however, is Siakam's defensive aptitude. During a 2020-21 campaign curtailed by injuries, COVID-19, and moving parts around him due to those factors, Siakam was still able to put together a strong season on that end.
Consider this: Among 47 players to log at least 2000 minutes last season, Siakam ranked 15th in BBall-Index's <a href="https://www.bball-index.com/2020-21-lebron-data/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D-LEBRON metric</a> (+0.60). Of the 14 players ahead of him, only three -- Giannis Antetokounmpo (+1.98), Jayson Tatum (+0.63), and Nikola Jokic (+0.61) -- logged a higher usage rate.
In short: it's hard to play a lot, have a lot of offensive responsibility, and also provide positive impact on the defensive end.
Then consider that Siakam wasn't just deployed as an on-ball stopper, or just a weakside helper. He didn't just lock-and-trail over screens, nor was he solely operating in a switch scheme.
He did it all.
Head coach Nick Nurse deployed the most versatile defense in the league from a scheme perspective; Siakam had to wear just as many (if not more) hats on the defensive end as he did on the other side of the floor.
Luckily, he was and is equipped for that. The term "rangy" gets thrown around a little too loosely sometimes, but it's an apt moniker for Siakam. When he's operating off the ball, the Raptors have more freedom to get aggressive. They trust that Siakam can cover ground behind the initial action, whether that's providing nail help on a drive or tagging the roller while working as the low man.
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Siakam is more comfortable sinking in and flying back out to the perimeter for close-outs. There is some weakside rim protection present, though. He's not a consistent shot blocker, but Siakam's ability to change directions allows him to beat drivers to their spots and alter shot attempts with verticality.
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On the ball, Siakam can mirror perimeter players in space. I'd describe his range as 2-through-4, though he can hang with 1s in a pinch. Screen navigation against the twitchiest ball-handlers can be a struggle for Siakam; you don't want him on your Stephs or Dames of the world. His screen navigation in general slipped last season, though the hope is that it bounces back with a lower workload.
Siakam also isn't a powerful defender. That shows itself in traditional post-ups when lined up against beefier matchups. It's also apparent in pick-and-roll when he's asked to drop. Siakam is inconsistent in high-pointing lobs when backpedaling; drivers are also able to get into his body and generate good finishing angles. Those limitations -- I won't call them issues -- lower his value as a small-ball 5 against certain matchups.
The good news: Siakam doesn't have to be perfect in every scheme. The fact that there are so many avenues for success with him is entirely the point.&nbsp;
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POTENTIAL LANDING SPOTS
If the question is "how many teams could use a slashing, playmaking 4 who can defend multiple positions and fly around as a help guy?", the answer is some variation of "absolutely." There is not a team in the league that couldn't use Siakam.
What gets tricky is figuring out the price point. It's easy to understand the Raptors being willing to move Siakam for another centerpiece -- think Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal (if you view him that highly). They'd be buyers in this case.
If we're operating under the belief of the Raptors being sellers -- barterers, maybe? -- what would the ideal package look like? Do you go youth movement to add to an OG Anunoby and No. 4 pick core? Do you go 2-for-1 in a deal for win-now pieces? Some combination of the two?
Below is a mix of teams that can use Siakam. More importantly for this excercise, it's a mix of teams that provide different types of packages for the All-Star forward.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
It's no secret that the Warriors want to maximize their title-winning core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson as they begin to age out. Having a pair of lottery picks (No. 7 and No. 14) gives them a pretty simple pathway to getting into rooms for win-now pieces.
Those picks, Andrew Wiggins -- the contract still ain't great, but he showed enough on both ends last year to graduate from the "salary dump/match" class -- and another piece (Jordan Poole, perhaps?) could make the Raptors raise their brows.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Speaking of Lillard, the Blazers have their own trade stuff to sort through. Their superstar wants help, and Siakam certainly could fit as a second option.
The easy piece to send out from the Blazers' side would be CJ McCollum, a bonafide three-level scorer who probably profiles a little better as a number-one option than Siakam does. The issue: factoring in defense (and age, for that matter), McCollum is not more valuable than Siakam is.
The Blazers would need to throw in more, and that's where it gets a little tough. Aside from this year's draft, the Blazers have all of their first-round picks moving forward. Two of them plus a swap could intrigue the Raptors.
Would two of the Anfernee Simons/Nassir Little/Derrick Jones Jr. triumvirate be enough? Would the Blazers even be willing to include Simons at all if they're giving up McCollum and pick capital? It's a tough needle to thread, but it would behoove the Blazers to at least try to thread it.
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INDIANA PACERS
Indiana is intriguing in that they best fit the "take-this-$20-bill-for-two-$10s" model in this discussion. They don't have a player as good as Siakam -- love Domantas Sabonis as an engine, but the defense (yes, I'm aware #BadNate had him doing too much this year) is tough to ignore -- but the roster is littered with good players.
What does a Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner package for Siakam look like?
What does a Turner and TJ Warren and 13th pick package for Siakam look like? And if the Raptors were able to nab the 13th pick in addition to the pick (No. 4) they already own, does that give them enough ammo to FaceTime the Cavs to discuss the No. 3 pick (read: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/evan-mobley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evan Mobley</a>)?
I don't know, but it seems like there are a few pathways for these teams to make some magic happen.
ATLANTA HAWKS
While we're discussing consolidation, the Hawks remain a prime candidate to do so. While they may not have a lottery pick to offer like the Warriors or Pacers, they do have lottery talent to dangle. De'Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, and Cam Reddish all offer differing levels of two-way intrigue.
It's hard to imagine the Raptors could get two of those guys, but they should make the push. Even if it's one -- say, Reddish -- the Hawks still have a nice blend of picks, young talent (John Collins or Kevin Huerter sign-and-trade, anyone?) and veterans (Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari) to put an intriguing package together.
OTHER FUN SPOTS
<ul>
<li>How many forwards would pair better alongside Nikola Jokic defensively than Siakam? The list ain't long. At the risk of sounding take-ish: a package headlined by Michael Porter Jr. for Siakam would make sense, especially if you don't believe in the long-term health or defensive growth getting where you ultimately need it to... or both. Even if Denver makes that leap, making salaries match from there would be tough to do.</li>
<li>A similar case can be made for the Suns. If you're not all the way in on Mikal Bridges having hidden potential as an on-ball creator, you can talk yourself into using him as a headliner to get Siakam. But again, salary matching beyond Bridges (extension-eligible this offseason, but the big money wouldn't kick in until next year) would get tough.</li>
<li>If the "get-a-bunch-of-good-players" model intrigues the Raptors more than prospects and picks, the Spurs have plenty of guards and wings. Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson (more forward than wing, but, you get my drift)... there's a conversation to be had. At that point, I'd imagine the Raptors would have to go with a forward with their No. 4 pick (they've been linked to Scottie Barnes and Jonathan Kuminga, for what it's worth).</li>
<li>The Lakers could offer K- ahahahahahahahahahaha.</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan and Jackson Frank dissect Pascal Siakam's game, then look at possible trade partners if Toronto decides to move him.

The curious case of Pascal Siakam: What he is, and where he fits

Overtime, a company that focuses on basketball and is planning on launching Overtime Elite, an alternative to college basketball for star high school players, has announced that it has raised $80 million in Series C funding.
Notable investors for this round of funding include some pretty big names, including Jeff Bezos, Drake and 25+ NBA players (including Devin Booker, Trae Young, Zach LaVine).
The company announced the following on Friday:
Overtime, the leading brand for the next generation of sports fans, announced today that it has raised $80 million in Series C funding led by return investor Sapphire Sport, Black Capital and a diverse syndicate of distinguished leaders in technology, sports, finance and music.
Notable investors in this round include Bezos Expeditions (the personal investment company of Jeff Bezos), Drake, Micromanagement Ventures (the family of the late David Stern), Alexis Ohanian, Jeff Kearl (via Pelion Capital), Morgan Stanley Counterpoint Global, Blackstone Strategic Partners, and more than 25 current and former NBA stars, including Trae Young, Devin Booker, Klay Thompson and Pau Gasol.
&ldquo;The breadth and diversity of this investment group, including leaders from business, entertainment, technology and sports, speaks to Overtime&rsquo;s remarkable growth and our future trajectory,&rdquo; said Dan Porter, Overtime&rsquo;s CEO and co-founder. &ldquo;We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg, as we develop new ways for Overtime to engage with and entertain the next generation of athletes and fans."
Other notable investors include Gaingels, PROOF, Concrete Rose Capital, Dentsu Ventures, Intersect Capital, LightShed Ventures, WNBA All-Star and commentator Chiney Ogwumike, Rogue Insight Capital, Bakari Sellers, 10X Capital, True Capital Management, and Ares Management&rsquo;s Nate Walton. In total, Overtime has now raised more than $140 million in funding.
This new funding will be used towards the expansion of Overtime, including building internal capabilities around NFTs, trading cards and the company&rsquo;s unique approach to content and community to develop sports betting tailored for the next generation of fans. In addition, Overtime will continue investing in its sports app, where fans can get stats, scores, hot insights, humor, culture, kicks and more, with the goal of having the number one sports app in North America.
Overtime will also make a significant investment into the development of OTE (<a href="https://www.prweb.com/releases/overtime_launches_ote_a_pro_league_for_the_next_generation_of_basketball_stars/prweb17771416.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Overtime Elite</a>), the company&rsquo;s transformative new basketball league. This will include guaranteeing salaries for all OTE athletes, hiring a dedicated staff of more than 80 league employees, and making other investments critical to launching a new league. OTE&rsquo;s inaugural season begins in September.
More than 25 current and former NBA players invested in this round, including Deandre Ayton, Lonzo Ball, Will Barton, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Pau Gasol, Aaron Gordon, Danny Green, Zach LaVine, Kyle Lowry, Kenyon Martin, JaVale McGee, Khris Middleton, Kelly Olynyk, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Domas Sabonis, Garrett Temple, Isaiah Thomas, Klay Thompson, Thaddeus Young, Trae Young, Gerald Wallace, Hassan Whiteside, Andrew Wiggins, and Nick &ldquo;Swaggy P&rdquo; Young.
&ldquo;When Overtime first launched, we were known for our raw and authentic sports highlights from across the globe,&rdquo; said Zack Weiner, Overtime&rsquo;s President and co-founder. &ldquo;Five years later, we&rsquo;re the leading brand for the next generation of sports fans, reaching them through our social channels, our long-form series, our e-commerce business, and now a sports league. Sports consumption is changing at a rapid pace and Overtime will continue to be at the forefront.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Overtime has built an unrivaled brand and global community from scratch in just five years. This fundraise reflects the incredible growth opportunities associated with such a market leading position, including the opportunity to bring Overtime Elite into the world,&rdquo; said Sapphire Sport Partner Michael Spirito, who led the round. &ldquo;We are thrilled to welcome this diverse and impactful group of institutional and individual investors to the Overtime family, further enabling the team to continue to build as only they know how.&rdquo;Since its founding in 2016, Overtime has become synonymous with sports for a new generation of athletes and fans, with programming that is viewed more than 14 billion times a year and an audience of almost 50 million social media followers. The company now has more than 125 employees."

Investors include Devin Booker, Trae Young, Klay Thompson, Zach LaVine, Pau Gasol, De'Aaron Fox, Kyle Lowry, Domas Sabonis.

Drake, Jeff Bezos and 25+ NBA players invest in Overtime

The Chicago Bulls have traded Mo Wagner to the Boston Celtics for Daniel Theis.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1375165416826413062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Wagner gets flipped from the Washington Wizards, who traded the third-year big man earlier in the day. The 23-year-old was averaging 7.1 points and 2.9 rebounds as a bench player in Washington. Chicago gets back a veteran center in Theis who should slot in as the backup to fellow acquisition Nikola Vucevic.
According to <a href="https://twitter.com/Murf56/status/1375167089468641286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald</a> and others, Celtics wing Javonte Green is also in the deal, which could become a three-team trade.
&nbsp;

The Bulls had acquired Wagner earlier in the day from Washington.