Milwaukee Bucks

Blake Stern previews the NBA's Central Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and burning question entering the year.

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

The NBA App will stream the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5 on Saturday, Aug. 19, adding to the growing list of elite basketball programming available year-round on the new platform.&nbsp; 
The fifth annual basketball showcase at Rucker Park in New York City will feature 28 of the top high-school-age players in the U.S. Headlined by Jaloni Cambridge, Aaliyah Chavez and Kennedy Smith, the girls game tips off at 5 p.m. ET followed by the boys &ndash; featuring top high-school prospects Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Tre Johnson &ndash; streaming at 7 p.m. ET.&nbsp; Additionally, several members of the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/jr-nba-court-of-leaders-mentorship-program-provides-youth-with-voice" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/news/jr-nba-court-of-leaders-mentorship-program-provides-youth-with-voice&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692371005985000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FeYuKToXVUf2-KpS_2bVH">Jr. NBA Court of Leaders</a>&nbsp;will participate in the event.
The addition of the SLAM Summer Classic is part of the NBA&rsquo;s larger commitment to make the NBA App an all-in-one destination for global basketball programming. Over the past year, premier basketball content available on the app has included select WNBA, Basketball Africa League and NBA G League Ignite games, as well as Nike Elite Youth Basketball League&rsquo;s (EYBL) Peach Jam, Jr. NBA Showcase, LNB Betclic ELITE, top pro-am leagues such as the Drew League, Miami Pro League and AEBL, and more.
The NBA will produce and distribute the SLAM Summer Classic games on the free-to-download&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id=811567537499273278&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9UH0kAxAF91y5sfAAAA__;!!KLCbKzk!n3wSjvNMSkYR4lKoKVgXircttWOLy-0rXgpTSo-D1MmKcmHzay-SwIoaQ0lokaPc1PDUxBHGW6sN$" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id%3D811567537499273278%26_branch_referrer%3DH4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9UH0kAxAF91y5sfAAAA__;!!KLCbKzk!n3wSjvNMSkYR4lKoKVgXircttWOLy-0rXgpTSo-D1MmKcmHzay-SwIoaQ0lokaPc1PDUxBHGW6sN$&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692371005985000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2emDiwi7_0lf1Yxd60aUby">NBA App</a>&nbsp;and on NBA.com. Below are the full team rosters.&nbsp;
BOYS ROSTER
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Name
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Ace Bailey (Powder Springs, Ga.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Jalil Bethea (Philadelphia, Pa.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*AJ Dybantsa (Brockton, Mass.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
VJ Edgecombe (Brookville, N.Y.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Isaiah Evans (Huntersville, N.C.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Cooper Flagg (Newport, Maine)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Dylan Harper (Ramsey, N.J.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Jahki Howard (Atlanta, Ga.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Ian Jackson (Bronx, N.Y.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Tre Johnson (Dallas, Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Tahaad Pettiford (Jersey City, N.J.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Jase Richardson (Las Vegas, Nev.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Meleek Thomas (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Robert Wright III&nbsp;(Philadelphia, Pa.)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Member of the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders
&nbsp;
&nbsp;GIRLS ROSTER
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Name
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Izela Arenas (Chatsworth, Calif.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Mikayla Blakes (Somerset, N.J.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Jaloni Cambridge (Nashville, Tenn.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Aaliyah Chavez (Lubbock, Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Kendall Dudley (Centreville, Va.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
*Leah Harmon (Washington D.C.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Ariel Little (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Maddy McDaniel (Upper Marlboro, Md.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Me'arah O'Neal (Houston, Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Mackenly Randolph (Chatsworth, Calif.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Kennedy Smith (Etiwanda, Calif.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Chloe Spreen (Bedford, Ind.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Kennedy Umeh (Owings Mills, Md.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="354">
Allie Ziebell (Neenah, Wis.)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Member of the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders

The NBA App will stream the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5 on Saturday, Aug. 19.

NBA App to stream the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5

Today, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced their continued partnership in hosting the fifth&nbsp;annual Top 50 Basketball Camp. The camp will take place July 27&ndash;29 at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. &nbsp; The best players from each conference will be featured at the camp in a model like the NBPA's Top 100 Camp. Players at the Top 50 Camp will participate in basketball skill training exercises and attend leadership and life development sessions off the court. &nbsp; "NBPA members have a true appreciation for HBCUs, and the Top 50 Camp is a great way for the NBPA to continue strengthening its connection with the HBCU community," said Purvis Short, the NBPA's Chief of Player Programs. "Our partnership with the SIAC and SWAC has given us a unique opportunity to host a productive learning experience for HBCU athletes to better themselves as men on and off the court." The camp also aims to cultivate and create coaching and talent pipelines for current and retired NBA players exploring the transition into careers in intercollegiate athletics. &nbsp; "The Southwestern Athletic Conference is elated to continue our partnership with the NBPA Top 50 Camp," said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland. "This partnership is an amazing opportunity for our student-athletes to participate in athletic and professional development initiatives that will positively impact them both on and off the court. This event has steadily grown and has quickly become a signature event that our student-athletes look forward to participating in on an annual basis." &nbsp; In addition to skill development and on-court drills, the camp will include a series of highly-competitive scrimmages and games, allowing the players to showcase their talent against the best of their neighboring conference. &nbsp; "I commend the NBPA for its commitment to HBCUs as The Top 50 Camp serves as a basketball combine for our student-athletes to showcase their talents while receiving instruction from current and former NBA players," said SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman. &nbsp; Camp participants from the SIAC include:
<table border="0" width="432" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">First Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Last Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">College or University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Aziel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Blackwell</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kentucky State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Devin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Booker</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Eleik</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bowles</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Savannah State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Gregg</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Boyd II</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Steven</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dulley</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ashton</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Hawkins</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Spring Hill College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Martez</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jones</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tuskegee University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Robert</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kendrick</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Fort Valley State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kong</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kong</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kentucky State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Myson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Lowe</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Fort Valley State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Steven</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Lyles</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Spring Hill College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Chris</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Martin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Clark Atlanta University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Joemel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">McNair</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Morehouse College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jamir</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Moore</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Albany State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Sean</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Paige</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Central State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ayjay</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Plain</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Savannah State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Antwoin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Reed Jr</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Central State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kerry</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Richardson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Morehouse College</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jordan</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Simpson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Albany State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Raevon</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Thomas</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Central State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Terin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Wofford</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Albany State University</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div>&nbsp; &nbsp; Camp participants from the SWAC include: &nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" width="432" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">First Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Last Name</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">College or University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Chase</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Adams</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jaylen</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bates</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Florida A&amp;M University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Eric</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Coleman</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Zeke</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Cook</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State university</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dhashon</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dyson</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bethune Cookman University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ken</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Evans Jr.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jeremiah</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Gambrell</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kolby</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Granger</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Texas Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Zion</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Harmon</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bethune Cookman University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">P. J.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Henry</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Texas Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Elijah</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Hulsewe</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Bethune Cookman University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Byron</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Joshua</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jeremiah</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kendall</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">T. J.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Madlock</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Romelle</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Mansel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Kylen</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Milton</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">University of Arkansas Pine Bluff</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Zytarious</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Mortle</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Texas Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Festus</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ndumanya</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Southern University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Omari</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Peek</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Dailin</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Smith</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">D. K.</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Thorn</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alcorn State University</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Cameron</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Tucker</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Ernest (EJ)</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Williams</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Alabama A&amp;M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Rashad</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Williams</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">University of Arkansas Pine Bluff</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Coltie</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Young</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Jackson State University</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The NBPA, SIAC and SWAC will host the fifth annual Top 50 Basketball Camp from July 27-29 in Atlanta.

NBPA, SIAC and SWAC to host 5th annual Top 50 Basketball Camp

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points, and the Charlotte Hornets erased a 21-point first-half deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 115-109 on Monday night behind a strong finish to snap a six-game home losing streak.
Terry Rozier added 23 points and Gordon Hayward had 22 for the Hornets, who outscored the Pacers 19-4 over the final six minutes to deal the Pacers&rsquo; postseason hopes a big blow.
Myles Turner and Buddy Hield each had 20 points for the Pacers, who fell 2 1/2 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bulls defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 109-105 in double overtime on Monday night.
&ldquo;Believe me, an opportunity lost for sure,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
Oubre said he and his Charlotte teammates are well aware that some Hornets fans don&rsquo;t want them to win at all at this point in the season with the team eliminated from playoff contention, hoping to have a better shot at the upcoming NBA draft&rsquo;s two prize prospects Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson.
But Oubre said the Hornets aren&rsquo;t bout to stop competing.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of backward when we people are commenting on how bad we played and when we lose they give up on us. But then when we win they say &lsquo;you&rsquo;re not supposed to win,&rsquo;&rdquo; Oubre aid. &ldquo;So it puts us in a uncomfortable position. But we are going to continue to play hard every night. ... We&rsquo;re in the mind frame of setting up something for next year.&rdquo;
The Hornets trailed 105-96 with 6:23 left in the game after Hield knocked down a 3-pointer.
But Svi Mykhailiuk&rsquo;s 3-pointer from the corner sparked a 13-0 Hornets run to put Charlotte in control as the Pacers were held scoreless for more than five minutes. Hayward&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 3:32 left put the Hornets ahead for good.
The Pacers turned the ball over 21 times resulting in 35 Charlotte points.
&ldquo;At that point, you&rsquo;re just giving it away,&rdquo; Carlisle said.
The Pacers (32-40) looked like they might blow out the Hornets early, bolting to a 40-22 lead behind Turner, who had 15 points in the first quarter on 9 of 9 shooting from the foul line.
The lead got as big as 21 in the second quarter, but the Hornets (23-50) battled back to take the lead in the third quarter when JT Thor buried a 3-pointer from the wing off an assist from Hayward.
&ldquo;Tonight, they were really good early, and we were really bad,&rdquo; Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. &ldquo;But you could tell in the huddle, guys were talking, &lsquo;stay with it,&rsquo; talking about the corrections they had to make. We played better and better, so they were rewarded tonight, which is great.&rdquo;
Nick Richards was strong in the second half for Charlotte, finishing with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
HIELD&rsquo;S ENDURACE
While some NBA players have missed a game here or there for load management reasons, Hield has now played in all 72 games for the Pacers.
&ldquo;He is very prideful about playing,&rdquo; Carlisle said before the game. &ldquo;He hates missing games, plays hurt, and is very unique. He has a tremendous level of endurance, stamina, and he works at it. He&rsquo;s also wired to love the game and he just loves to play.&rdquo;
BALL IN THE FALL
Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball said he expects to return for training camp in the fall after undergoing season-ending surgery on his broken right ankle on March 1.
Ball, who has been limited to 36 games this season, said he isn&rsquo;t sure if he&rsquo;ll begin wearing ankle braces next season after spraining his left ankle three times this season prior to sustaining a season-ending fracture in the other ankle.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Played without Tyrese Haliburton (right ankle sprain), Chris Duarte (left ankle soreness) and Kendall Brown (right tibia stress fracture). ... Bench outscored Charlotte&rsquo;s 45-18.
Hornets: Rookie center Mark Williams sat out his fifth straight game with a right thumb sprain, along with Ball and Cody Martin (left knee soreness).
UP NEXT
Pacers: Continue four-game road trip at Toronto on Wednesday night.
Hornets: At New Orleans on Thursday night.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points, and the Hornets erased a 21-point first-half deficit to beat the Pacers 115-109.

Oubre, Hornets finish strong, beat Pacers 115-109

On the latest episode of The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by 15-year NBA veteran and Rex's former teammate Kendall Gill.
The Illinois native has returned to Chicago, and is now calling games for the Chicago Bulls. How did life in Chicago and Champaign help mold him into the man he is today? Also, Rex and Kendall revisit classic moments the two share from the early 1990's Hornets. Watch the full episode below:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A5DY7c4hWwo" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

On The Rex Chapman Show, 15-year NBA veteran Kendall Gill joins the guys to talk about Chicago, old Hornets memories and more.

Kendall Gill on ‘90s Hornets, Chicago’s hoops scene, Bulls broadcasting

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
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
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>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

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.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke scored 16 points and Aliyah Boston added 12 to help No. 1 South Carolina remain unbeaten with a 58-51 win over Mississippi State on Sunday.
The Gamecocks were held to a season-low point total but were able to find a way. Boston added 15 rebounds in the win.
South Carolina (16-0, 3-0 SEC) had a massive advantage at the free throw line where the Gamecocks were 14 of 24 while MSU was 2 of 5. The Gamecocks also dominated the boards with a 53-35 edge including 22 offensive rebounds.
Jerkaila Jordan led the way for the Bulldogs (12-5, 1-3) with 13 points and five rebounds. Jessika Carter had 11 points and nine rebounds.
NO. 2 STANFORD 60, CALIFORNIA 56
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Haley Jones scored the go-ahead layup with 1:17 to play, Cameron Brink had 25 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots as NBA pal Stephen Curry watched courtside, outdueling Leilani McIntosh down the stretch as Stanford held off California.
Jones wound up with 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Cardinal (16-1, 4-0 Pac-12) ran their winning streak to 11 games.
McIntosh finished with 19 points for the Golden Bears (10-5, 1-3).
Stanford won its 38th straight game against Pac-12 teams including the past two conference titles and postseason.
NO. 3 OHIO STATE 87, ILLINOIS 81
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Taylor Mikesell scored a game-high 31 points as Ohio State erased a halftime deficit and avoided an upset.
Mikesell shot 50% from the field and Cotie McMahon added 22 points for Ohio State (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten). Taylor Thierry had 12 points and swiped four steals.
Kendall Bostic notched her sixth double-double of the season behind 27 points and 15 rebounds. Genesis Bryant finished with 20 points, Makira Cook had 12 and Brynn Shoup-Hill tallied 10 for Illinois (14-3, 4-2).
NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 60, NO. 4 NOTRE DAME 50
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; First-year guard Paulina Paris scored 11 of her season-high 16 points in the fourth quarter to help North Carolina push past Notre Dame.
Deja Kelly added 14 points for the Tar Heels (10-5, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a four-game skid that had drained some of their early season buzz.
Olivia Miles had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Notre Dame (12-2, 3-1), which had entered Sunday as one of two unbeaten teams in ACC play.
NO. 6 INDIANA 72, NORTHWESTERN 50
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) &mdash; Mackenzie Holmes scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Indiana beat Northwestern.
Grace Berger finished with 16 points and five assists for the Hoosiers (14-1, 4-1).
The Wildcats got a boost off the bench as Jasmine McWilliams added eight points on 3-for-3 shooting in the third. McWilliams and Sydney Wood led Northwestern (6-9, 0-5 Big Ten) with 10 points each in their seventh loss in nine games.
NO. 7 LSU 67, KENTUCKY 48
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Flau&rsquo;jae Johnson scored 26 points, including eight during a 12-0, second-quarter run to break the game open, Angel Reese also scored 26 and LSU earned its best start in school history.
Reese had 13 rebounds for her nation&rsquo;s-best 16th double-double. The Tigers (16-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) outshot Kentucky just 40%-35% but dominated nearly every other statistical category including rebounding (45-23).
Maddie Scherr had 22 points for Kentucky (8-8, 0-4), which dropped its fourth in a row and lost its second game this season in Rupp Arena, home of the men&rsquo;s basketball team.
MIAMI 77, NO. 9 VIRGINIA TECH 66
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Jasmyn Roberts scored a career-best 23 points, Haley Cavinder added 19 and Miami held off Virginia Tech.
Roberts was 8 for 12 from the field, 5 of 7 from 3-point range for the Hurricanes (10-6, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their third straight game. Cavinder was 6 for 12 from the field, and Miami shot 54%.
Elizabeth Kitley scored 20 for Virginia Tech (13-3, 3-3), which had beat Miami five consecutive times. Georgia Amoore added 13 for the Hokies.
NO. 10 NC STATE 87, VIRGINIA 62
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Jada Boyd scored 13 points and No. 10 North Carolina State snapped a two-game home losing skid.
Camille Hobby and Mimi Collins both had 12 points, and Diamond Johnson and River Baldwin added 10 points apiece for the Wolfpack (13-3, 3-2). Jakia Brown-Turner and Madison Hayes each finished with nine.
Camryn Taylor scored 16 points, Taylor Valladay had 13 and Sam Brunelle 12 for Virginia (13-3, 2-3), which dropped a game to a top-10 team for the second time in four days after losing Thursday at No. 9 Virginia Tech.
NO. 17 OKLAHOMA 82, NO. 11 IOWA STATE 79
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) &mdash; Ana Llanusa scored 23 points, Skylar Vann hit the final go-ahead basket, and Oklahoma defeated Iowa State in a matchup of the Big 12&prime;s top two offenses.
In a game with 25 lead changes, Oklahoma struck last.
Vann finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Oklahoma (12-2, 2-1 Big 12). Nevaeh Tot also scored 13 points, and Taylor Robertson finished with 10.
Ashley Joens finished with 27 points and nine rebounds. She made 12-of-13 free throws. Lexi Donarski scored 20 and Nyamer Diew 14 for the Cyclones (10-3, 2-1).
NO. 12 UCLA 61, SOUTHERN CAL 60
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Freshman Londynn Jones scored 13 of her career-high 22 points in the second half and UCLA used a big fourth-quarter run to beat Southern California.
Emily Bessoir hit 3 of 5 from 3-point range and finished with 11 points for UCLA (13-2, 2-1 Pac-12). Charisma Osborne scored six of her nine points in the fourth quarter.
Rayah Marshall had 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for Southern Cal (11-4, 1-3) and Kayla Williams also scored 15 points. Okako Adika added 11 points and Destiny Littlejohn 10.
NO. 15 ARIZONA 79, NO. 18 OREGON 71
TUSCON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Madison Conner scored 16 second-half points to lead five Arizona players in double figures and the Wildcats beat Oregon.
Shaina Pellington had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists, Jade Loville scored 13 points and Esmery Martinez 11 for Arizona (14-2, 4-1 Pac-12). Kate Reese had 10 points.
Grace VanSlooten led Oregon (12-4, 3-2) with 18 points. Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers scored 17 apiece, Chance Gray added 10 and Phillipina Kyei had six points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-8 Kyei has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in eight consecutive games.
NO. 24 ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 71, XAVIER 52
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jayla Everett scored a season-high 26 points and St. John&rsquo;s bounced back after its first loss of the season.
Jillian Archer had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Red Storm (14-1, 5-1 Big East Conference).
Mackayla Scarlett had 18 points for the Musketeers (7-9, 0-7), who have lost six straight as well as 15 straight to St. John&rsquo;s.
NO. 25 CREIGHTON 68, MARQUETTE 42
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) &mdash; Lauren Jensen scored 19 points and Creighton defeated Marquette after holding the Golden Eagles to 14 points in the first half.
Chloe Marotta scored 20 points for Marquette and Jordan King added 13. Only four players scored for the Golden Eagles (10-6, 3-4 Big East).
Jensen made 9 of 14 shots and added three rebounds and five assists. Morgan Maly had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Emma Ronsiek scored 10 for the Bluejays (10-5, 4-3) who had lost four of their last five games.

A recap of Sunday's women's college basketball slate features the top-ranked Gamecocks in a battle with the Bulldogs.

No. 1 South Carolina battles back to beat Mississippi State

When defending its national championship last season, Baylor lost a top newcomer to an injury in the first scrimmage. A lingering foot injury eventually shut down a leading scorer, and the player known as &ldquo;Everyday Jon&rdquo; suffered a devastating knee injury.
Through all of that, after the departure already of a talented trio of guards from the title team, the Bears still won a share of their second consecutive Big 12 regular-season crown and were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They overcame a 25-point deficit in the second half of their second-round game not far from home before falling in overtime to the eventual national champion.
Even with another restructured roster, Scott Drew goes into his 20th season as the Baylor coach with his fifth-ranked Bears the preseason Big 12 favorite.
&ldquo;Really like the returning upperclassmen,&rdquo; Drew said. &ldquo;The new guys are really bought in, and really great additions. The chemistry has been tremendous, and our staff really enjoys going to practice every day, working with our guys because they want to get better. Couldn&rsquo;t ask for more.&rdquo;
Leading scorer Adam Flagler (13.8 points per game) and big man Flo Thamba (6.2 points, 5.6 rebounds in 20 minutes per game) are the only returning starters. Guards LJ Cryer and Langston Love were cleared for practice, though post Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua is still recovering from surgery to repair multiple torn ligaments in his left knee.&nbsp;
The Bears added transfer forwards Jalen Bridges (West Virginia) and Caleb Lohner (BYU), and their highest-ranked recruit ever: Keyonte George, a Texas kid who was a five-star guard at IMG Academy in Florida and was picked as the preseason Big 12 freshman of the year.
Cryer was in and out of the lineup because of his surgically repaired right foot, but still led the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) when he played his last game in mid-February. Drew expects Love, the 6-foot-5 guard who tore his ACL in the first scrimmage before last season, to have a big impact on the program though he will need some time to get back to game speed.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a tremendous competitor,&rdquo; Drew said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a connector. He brings people together &mdash; everybody, upperclassman, new players, staff have such respect for him.&rdquo;
FLAGLER ON POINT
The versatile Flagler is set to take over at point guard.
&ldquo;We all know he&rsquo;s a great shooter, scorer, but he&rsquo;s going to have an opportunity to show that he can run a team,&rdquo; Drew said. &ldquo;He can play on and off the ball, but he really takes care of the ball and he really does a great job pitching ahead in transition. ... Guys like playing with someone who moves the ball like he does.&rdquo;
GUARD PLAY
During their championship season, the Bears had the selfless trio of standout guards Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague. Baylor now has another pretty talented backcourt with Cryer, Flagler, George, Love and Dale Bonner, the transfer from Division II Fairmont State who turned into a key rotation player last season.
ONE AND DONE
Baylor lost a pair of one-and-done players, with forward Jeremy Sochan and guard Kendall Brown being NBA draft picks after their freshman seasons. Point guard James Akinjo was also there only one season after being a graduate transfer from Arizona.
OH CANADA
All the newcomers were part of the Bears&rsquo; summer trip to Canada for GLOBL Jam, where they represented the United States and advanced to the finals after upsetting host Canada.
&ldquo;I just feel like we came together as one early,&rdquo; said George, who averaged 22.8 points in those games. &ldquo;So we&rsquo;re better than a lot of college teams right now.&rdquo;
TITLE REMATCH
Baylor will be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Dec. 2 to play second-ranked Gonzaga in a rematch of the 2021 NCAA championship game that the Bears won 86-70. After three consecutive home games to open the season, they go to Las Vegas to play No. 18 Virginia on Nov. 18, then No. 8 UCLA or No. 23 Illinois two days after that. Their Big 12 opener is at Iowa State on New Year&rsquo;s Eve.&nbsp;

Even with another restructured roster, Scott Drew goes into his 20th season as the Baylor coach with his Bears the conference favorite.

No. 5 Baylor preseason Big 12 favorite for Drew’s 20th season

The Indiana Pacers have signed Kendall Brown, the No. 48 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, to a two-way contract, league sources told Basketball News.
Indiana traded up to acquire Brown, an athletic forward with intriguing potential. During his freshman season at Baylor, Brown averaged 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 34 games.
Brown showed some enticing moments during his NBA debut at Las Vegas Summer League in July, where he averaged 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.8 assists in 21 minutes per game.
As Indiana begins a youth movement, Brown's development will be a key long-term note to follow.

League sources told Basketball News that the Indiana Pacers have signed Kendall Brown to a two-way contract.

Pacers sign second-round pick Kendall Brown to two-way contract

Alex Kennedy goes 1-on-1 with Tyrese Haliburton, who opens up about getting traded, the Pacers' future, his offseason training, etc.

Tyrese Haliburton won’t let trade 'resentment' define new Pacers era

NBA champions Patrick McCaw, Norris Cole and Jodie Meeks are among the 15 players who have been invited by USA Basketball to training camp for the FIBA AmeriCup tournament.
The camp starts Tuesday in Las Vegas. The AmeriCup, the FIBA Americas region championship tournament that was last held in 2017, takes place Sept. 2-11 in Brazil.
Cole won two rings as a member of the Miami Heat. McCaw has been part of three championships &mdash; two with Golden State and another with Toronto &mdash; while Meeks was with the Raptors team that won a title in 2019.
Also invited to the camp: Zylan Cheatham, Gary Clark Jr., Derek Culver, Will Davis II, Orlando Johnson, Anthony Lamb, Frank Mason III, Jeremy Pargo, Elijah Pemberton, Kendall Smith, Craig Sword and Stephen Zimmerman.
Of the 15 invitees, 11 have appeared in the NBA. Meeks (539 games), Cole (360), McCaw (199), Clark (170) and Johnson and Mason III (103 apiece) have the most NBA experience among those on the training camp roster.
&ldquo;Our goal is to always put together a roster of athletes who are ready to play the international style of basketball at the highest level,&rdquo; USA Basketball men&rsquo;s national team director Sean Ford said. &ldquo;These players have a mix of USA Basketball and professional experience that will help us achieve that goal.&rdquo;
Alex Jensen will coach the team in the AmeriCup, assisted by Mike Williams, Steve Wojciechowski and Nathan Peavy.
The U.S. is the defending AmeriCup champion and has won the event seven times overall, more than any other nation. It will face Mexico on Sept. 2, Venezuela on Sept. 4 and Panama on Sept. 5 in group play.
There are 12 nations that have qualified for AmeriCup, and they were split into three different four-team groups. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-place teams, will advance to quarterfinal play on Sept. 8. The semifinals are Sept. 10 and the championship game is Sept. 11.

The camp for AmeriCup preparation starts Tuesday in Las Vegas.

McCaw, Cole, Meeks among USA Basketball AmeriCup invitees

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?

For years, the trade rumors have been nonstop between Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers.
But in this latest chapter, things appear to be different.
After weeks of flirting with Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, Indiana stunningly extended a four-year, $133 million max offer sheet to the Bahamian big man. And although the Suns matched and retained Ayton right away, Turner&rsquo;s long-term stance with the Pacers now feels crystal clear.
The 26-year-old center doesn&rsquo;t look to be in the Pacers&rsquo; plans, and it feels like it&rsquo;s in the best interest of both parties at this point to finally break off from one another.
Even if it didn&rsquo;t lead to an actual transaction, the Pacers&rsquo; aggressive pursuit of Ayton speaks volumes to the tune changing within Indianapolis recently. Extending max offer sheets, let alone to restricted free agents? That's unheard of throughout the ownership tenure of Herb Simon, but the tides seem to be turning towards a new era when the opportunity presents itself the Pacers are going to go for it no matter the price.
So, where do the Pacers and Turner go from here? It&rsquo;s going to be a rocky road to reconciliation, one that might actually pick up trade conversations around the league instead. How else should Turner view the latest chapter besides seeing the writing on the wall? Indiana did right by Malcolm Brogdon, cooperating with his agent to ship him off to the best win-now destination. We could soon see deja vu with Turner instead being moved by the rebuilding Pacers in short order.
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Since the midpoint of last season, Indiana has decided to finally embrace a long-overdue rebuild attempt. Trading away two-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, the shift to becoming sellers and prioritizing a full-on youth movement was instant. Post-Haliburton, the Pacers brought aboard Jalen Smith and Aaron Nesmith via trade, and selected Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin at No. 6 overall to pair alongside their star young point guard.
All of a sudden, Turner now feels like a clunky long-term fit within the Pacers&rsquo; new nucleus of talent all under age-25, sans Chris Duarte (25): Haliburton, Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, Smith, Nesmith, Oshae Brissett, Andrew Nembhard, Kendall Brown, Goga Bitadze.
When Indiana instead chose to chase Ayton at max dollar figures, the franchise kind of already answered the question of whether or not to pay Turner. Smith was re-signed to a team-friendly contract &mdash; which included a promised starting spot at power forward &mdash; and the internal development of Isaiah Jackson begins to become a pivotal storyline to monitor with his immense two-way upside. With Smith and Jackson ready to absorb heavy minutes on a roster nowhere close to competing next season, it&rsquo;s a plausible reality to predict that a Turner trade will be the next notable NBA domino to drop.
The curious case of Turner&rsquo;s value now goes under the microscope because it&rsquo;s a complicated situation. There&rsquo;s no denying the game-changing impact Turner brings as one of the best shot-blockers in the league, but his availability has become a recent concern. It&rsquo;s especially dicey because Turner&rsquo;s last two seasons were cut short due to foot injuries, which is never something you want to see for a big man.
Also, with Turner now on an $18 million expiring contract, Indiana missed its window awhile ago to flip him at his potential peak value. Now, a potential return for Turner in a trade likely falls into the same category as Brogdon, which features a late first-round pick and maybe a prospect unable to crack a team&rsquo;s rotation yet.
Here's a hypothetical example of a framework regarding the Charlotte Hornets, an often-rumored Turner destination that could bring back realistic value to the Pacers.
Pacers receive: Mason Plumlee, Kai Jones, JT Thor, 2023 first-round pick (via Nuggets)
Hornets receive: Myles Turner
It's certainly not a package that would make Pacers fans giddy with enthusiasm, but it&rsquo;s the hand dealt for the team's current situation. If the Pacers were to add a fourth first-round pick for next year&rsquo;s draft, it could further shape their vision as a team fully plunging into the tank race for Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and other top prospects in the Class of 2023.
Although Turner may not fit the Pacers&rsquo; window anymore, his role would make him an easy fit for any win-now organization.
Over the last four years, Turner&rsquo;s statistics help display his impact while also playing alongside another big in Sabonis: 12.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game on 35.0% from three-point range. Being able to protect the rim as well as anyone, while also adequately spacing the floor for others, Turner&rsquo;s presence has the potential of elevating a team looking to be a Finals contender. (Teams like the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors immediately come to mind as potential Turner suitors.)
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Indiana&rsquo;s rebuild has started off strong, much in part to the presence of Haliburton making it easier for everyone else. If Mathurin becomes a hit, the Pacers' backcourt will be set for years to come, and other young pieces to the puzzle should continue to find their footing. And if they were to somehow get some lottery luck next year, this Indiana rebuild projected to take a long time might be much quicker than everyone expects.
Moving away from a stagnated core, Turner is the lone piece remaining for the time being still in Indiana. Caris LeVert is in Cleveland. Sabonis is alongside De&rsquo;Aaron Fox on the Kings. Brogdon recently joined a top title threat in Boston.
Where exactly will Turner end up soon enough? That&rsquo;s the biggest question looming out there, as the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant sagas continue to lead nowhere.

After a failed aggressive pursuit for Deandre Ayton, the Pacers may have finally provided their answer to the Myles Turner question.

Have the Pacers already determined Myles Turner's future in Indiana?

LAS VEGAS (AP) &mdash; Brandon Williams scored 22 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an 85-77 victory over the New York Knicks in the NBA Summer League championship game on Sunday.
It was the third time Portland played in the championship game since 2017, and its second title since.
The Trail Blazers got 36 points from their reserves, led by Jabari Walker, who finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Trendon Watford finished with 19 points and seven rebounds for Portland and was a unanimous choice for game MVP honors.
&ldquo;They made a run in I think the late third or the fourth," Watford said. "We stuck together and when we came back in, we turned it up and I&rsquo;m just proud of all these guys man.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It was big time, our chemistry came together since day one and I&rsquo;m just proud of all these guys.&rdquo;
The Knicks, with coach Tom Thibodeau sitting courtside, had five players finish in double figures, led by Quentin Grimes, who scored 19 points.
Miles McBride scored 17 points, while Jericho Sims added 13 and Feron Hunt and Micah Potter each chipped in with 10 for New York.
Portland, which came into the game ranked third during the summer league with 42.8 rebounds per game, outrebounded the Knicks, 37-32.
The Blazers, who defeated New York 88-77 earlier in the event, didn&rsquo;t find their rhythm until the start of the second quarter of the championship, when they opened with three straight 3-pointers that gave them a 21-14 lead. They went on to hit seven 3-pointers in the quarter to build an 11-point lead they&rsquo;d take heading into the locker room, 41-30.
The Blazers pushed their lead to 16 in the third quarter, with a 60-44 lead built on the strength of 10 points at the rim.
Portland rode its defensive tenacity to the championship, but it was New York&rsquo;s defense that frustrated the Blazers to start the game. Both teams came out relatively sluggish, with a splash of sloppiness mixed in, as the Knicks shot 5 of 15 (.333) from the floor and the Blazers were just 3 of 12 (.250) from the field.
RAPTORS 80, BUCKS 69
Abu Kigab scored 15 points to lead six Toronto players in double figures and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Raptors beat Milwaukee.
Christian Vital, Ryan Hawkins and Christian Koloko added 11 points apiece for Toronto and Alex Barcell and Ron Harper Jr. each scored 10.
Lindell Wigginton led the Bucks with 11 points and Dewan Hernandez scored 10.
SUNS 84, PACERS 69
Louis King hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points, Tyson Carter scored 12 and Phoenix beat Indiana.
Kameron Taylor and Ish Wainwright added 11 points apiece for the Suns.
David DiLeo, Jermaine Samuels Jr. and Kendall Brown each scored eight points for Indiana.

Brandon Williams scored 22 points to lead Portland to an 85-77 win over New York in the NBA Summer League championship game.

Blazers top Knicks 85-77 to win NBA Summer League title

We're entering the home stretch of Summer League in Las Vegas, and some players who are fighting for their NBA futures have maximized these final days.&nbsp;
Four undrafted players made the "studs" list from Friday's action. As teams continue to pull their top picks from the rest of the competition, these longshots are receiving the minutes and audiences they need to make a statement. I personally enjoy seeing new names pop up with a statement performance.
It may just be Summer League, but these efforts can propel players to training camp invites and positive impressions on coaching staffs.
Let's see which players made a name for themselves on Friday:
STUDS
Brandon Boston Jr., Los Angeles Clippers
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Another big game for <a href="https://twitter.com/bboston_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bboston_</a> 🏀 Brandon Boston Jr. powers the <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LAClippers</a> in their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win with 22 PTS, 8 REB and 2 STL! <a href="https://t.co/hKRKMdRBBT">pic.twitter.com/hKRKMdRBBT</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548083741532180481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
Box score stats: 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 8/14 FG, 3/6 3PT
Boston has played through some growing pains as a lead option for the Summer League Clippers' offense. Friday felt like a noteworthy step forward for the 2021 second-round pick. Boston slid confidently into pull-up threes and mid-range shots, taking what the defense gave him. He also used his 10 added pounds of weight to absorb contact at the basket.
Boston's long arms and strides make him difficult to contain when he gets a driving lane. He dished out dump-off passes and corner kick-outs as well to complete the stellar offensive showing.
Trevelin Queen, Philadelphia 76ers
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Things the Summer <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> did in Q3... 👀 (courtesy of Isaiah Joe, Trevelin Queen, and Grant Riller) <a href="https://t.co/otLR2mE8Wx">pic.twitter.com/otLR2mE8Wx</a>
&mdash; Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaurenMRosen/status/1548088438947098624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5/7 FG, 3/5 3PT
Queen earned G League MVP honors while with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers last season. This game helps build his case for a role at the next level. Queen drilled tough triples and took off on one driving layup with a nice hesitation crossover. He made some great passing reads when he drew two defenders, and displayed some apparent synergy with backcourt mate Isaiah Joe. Queen agreed to a two-year contract with Philly on the first day of free agency, so the 76ers obviously wanted to get the 25-year-old involved with the team.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Love the pass from J-Will here, incredible Jeremiah Robinson-Earl finish 👨&zwj;🍳 <a href="https://t.co/8J9VM9T43E">pic.twitter.com/8J9VM9T43E</a>
&mdash; Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rylan_Stiles/status/1548229417914155009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
Box score stats: 15 points, 14 rebounds, 7/11 FG, 0/1 3PT
A different Thunder player seems to step up in just about every Summer League game. This time, it was the 2021 second-round big man. Robinson-Earl gobbled up rebounds and outworked Golden State inside. His footwork and craft around the basket were extremely impressive. My favorite play came when JRE attacked a Jonathan Kuminga closeout and worked along the baseline all the way to a reverse layup. He might not be an overwhelming vertical athlete, but Robinson-Earl is quick and shifty for a shorter big man.
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
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Just another bucket for Keegan Murray 😎 The buzzer-beater gives him 8 PTS to go with 6 REB as the <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> lead after 1 on NBA TV! <a href="https://t.co/883Ij24TGI">pic.twitter.com/883Ij24TGI</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548102627996491777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 8/14 FG, 4/8 3PT
Another day, another Keegan Murray showcase. The No. 4 pick pulled down his highest rebound total in a Summer League game to date, and once again demonstrated versatility as a scorer. Murray used screens and cuts to build downhill momentum and finish layups, but also took players off the dribble by himself. His highlight play came on the above shot, when Murray fired home a contested turnaround three-pointer to beat the first-quarter buzzer. Kings fans have received just about everything they could have hoped for in Murray's Vegas run to date.
Jordan Schakel, Washington Wizards
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Jordan Schakel (21 PTS) and Jordan Goodwin (19 PTS) lead the scoring charge in the <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WashWizards</a> dub 🪄 <a href="https://t.co/q8UQuXNxK8">pic.twitter.com/q8UQuXNxK8</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548146150993080323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 7/12 FG, 1/5 3PT
Schakel logged his second Summer League outing of 20-plus points in Washington's win against the Pacers. The 24-year-old knocked down two floaters as he felt his way through Indiana's defense. He also cut and relocated expertly to find easy paint chances and drilled one step-back three-pointer. Schakel picked up one significant block where he switched inside and met Simi Shittu at the rim. A 6-foot-6 wing, Schakel played last season on a two-way contract with Washington. &nbsp;
Cole Swider, Los Angeles Lakers
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Cole Swider comes through with 21 PTS to pace the <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lakers</a> in their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> victory! <a href="https://t.co/g0spJ502JB">pic.twitter.com/g0spJ502JB</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548170565520830464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 8/15 FG, 5/11 FG
Swider caught fire from long range, leading the Lakers to a win with his perimeter prowess. His made threes mostly came off of movement and relocation. Swider can easily square himself up to the basket and has a quick, repeatable form. At 6-foot-9, he can also rise over smaller defenders and appears unfazed by contests. Movement three-point shooting will always be a need for today's NBA teams &mdash; particularly next to guys like LeBron James. Swider is a worthwhile flier as an undrafted rookie.
Jeff Dowtin, Toronto Raptors
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Raptors</a> hold on for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win as Jeff Dowtin fills the stats sheet with 16 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST and 2 STL! Dalano Banton: 18 PTS, 6 REB Armoni Brooks: 17 PTS Ron Harper Jr.: 14 PTS, 7 REB <a href="https://t.co/6KnBfbdSPJ">pic.twitter.com/6KnBfbdSPJ</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548156699827064832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 4/9 FG, 1/2 3PT
I have waited so long to give Dowtin his flowers and now is my chance! The 6-foot-3 guard has been one of my favorite players to watch in all of Summer League, and on Friday he put down another rock-solid effort. Dowtin is just such a smart offensive player. He knows how to use his body to create and absorb contact, and shot 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in this one.
Dowtin is showing shooting improvement (36.4% on threes in Vegas) and makes quick, smart passing decisions (two turnovers in Vegas). I'm such a fan of the pace and poise at which he plays.&nbsp;
Other notable performers: Leandro Bolmaro (Jazz), Isaiah Joe (76ers), Grant Riller (76ers), Christian Braun (Nuggets), McKinley Wright IV (Suns), Isaiah Todd (Wizards), Jordan Goodwin (Wizards), Kendall Brown (Pacers), Kyle Allman Jr. (Heat), Dalano Banton (Raptors), Javante McCoy (Lakers), Jared Harper (Pelicans), John Petty Jr. (Pelicans), Tyrique Jones (Pelicans), Deividas Sirvydis (Pelicans)
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DUDS
Julian Champagnie, Philadelphia 76ers
Box score stats: 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1/7 FG, 0/2 3PT
Champagnie was one of the more efficient all-around shotmakers in college at St. John's, but he hasn't found his touch at Summer League. The 21-year-old rookie mostly attempted spot-up looks near or beyond the arc, and only got one stop-and-pop attempt to fall. He was not a threat at the basket or as an off-dribble connector. Philly has inked Champagnie to a two-way contract, so he'll have time to settle in with the Delaware Blue Coats.
Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets
Box score stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1/7 FG, 0/2 3PT
Watson has been a solid overall defender in my view, but his scoring efficiency is an eyesore. Outside of one 19-point game, the first-round pick is a combined 8-for-35 from the floor in his other contests. Here, he took some wild layup attempts and lost his mojo from beyond the arc. A lot of the correct processing and shot selection is there with Watson, but it's going to take time for him to iron out some consistency.
Louis King, Phoenix Suns
Box score stats: 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3/11 FG, 1/5 3PT
This was another rough, inefficient performance from one of the last year's best Summer League players. King missed threes he needs to make and rarely attacked closeouts. When he did, King often didn't explode quickly enough, and defenders could catch up to force bad shots. He missed some passing reads I thought he should have made. It was difficult to watch because I've been a fan of King's game since he went undrafted in 2019. He's shown enough in past years to earn some shot at the NBA level, but this week has not helped his case.

Keegan Murray, Brandon Boston Jr. and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl starred in Friday's slate of games.

10 studs and duds from Day 9 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

Brandon Boston Jr. had 22 points and eight rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers used a 32-9 fourth quarter to beat the Utah Jazz 82-65 on Friday in the NBA Summer League.
Los Angeles scored just 11 points in the third quarter before opening the fourth on a 24-4 run for a 74-60 lead.
Jay Scrubb added 14 points and Cameron Reynolds had 12 for Los Angeles (2-2).
Leandro Bolmaro led Utah (2-2) with 19 points. Johnny Juzang scored eight of Utah&rsquo;s opening 12 points, and finished with 14. Tacko Fall, a 7-foo-6 center, had eight points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
76ERS 97, NUGGETS 71
Grant Riller scored 18 points and Trevelin Queen added 17 as Philadelphia routed Denver.
Riller scored 13 points, in just six first-half minutes, to help Philadelphia build a 48-27 lead. Denver shot just 25.6% from the field in the first half, including 4 of 17 from 3-point range. The 76ers led 69-39 late in the third quarter.
Isaiah Joe had 14 points and four 3-pointers for Philadelphia (2-2). Justin Smith and Aminu Mohammed each scored 10 points.
Mbaye N&rsquo;Diaye scored 12 points and Christian Braun had 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals for Denver (2-2).
THUNDER 90, WARRIORS 82
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl had 15 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Williams had 10 points with six assists and Oklahoma City beat Golden State.
Gabe Brown and Jaden Shackelford each scored 12 points for Oklahoma City (3-1). Eugene Omoruyi scored 11 points and Vit Krejci had 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Chet Holmgren did not play.
Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points and James Wiseman added 14 for Golden State (1-3). Quinndary Weatherspoon added 11 points and Gui Santos had 10.
KINGS 82, SUNS 69
Keegan Murray continued his strong Summer League showing with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Neemias Queta added 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting and also grabbed 10 rebounds to help Sacramento beat Phoenix.
Murray, picked No. 4 overall in June's draft, is averaging 23.3 points and 7.3 rebounds after four games in Las Vegas. DJ Steward added 14 points for the Kings.
Ish Wainright led Phoenix with 13 points and McKinley Wright IV added 11 points, eight rebounds and two steals.
WIZARDS 97, PACERS 79
Jordan Schakel scored 21 points with seven rebounds and five assists, Jordan Goodwin added 19 points and three steals and Washington beat Indiana.
Isaiah Todd hit three 3-pointers and finished with 17 points and eight rebounds for Washington. Tahjere McCall scored 13 points, Jaime Echenique added 10 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for the Wizards.
Kendall Brown led Indiana with 14 points and Aaron Nesmith added 12.
Johnny Davis (back tightness), picked No. 10 overall by the Wizards in last month's draft, and Bennedict Mathurin (toe), who Indiana selected No. 6 overall, did not play.
RAPTORS 88, HEAT 78
Dalano Banton scored 18 points, Armoni Brooks 17 and Jeff Dowtin added 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists to help Toronto beat Miami.
Ron Harper Jr. scored 14 points and Rodions Kurucs 13 for the Raptors.
Kyle Allman Jr. led the Heat with 17 points, Orlando Robinson added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Javonte Smart also scored 13 points. Haywood Highsmith scored 10 points.
LAKERS 102, PELICANS 94
Cole Swider hit five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, Javante McCoy added 14 points and seven assists to help Los Angeles beat New Orleans and eliminate the Pelicans from Summer League championship contention.
Max Christie scored 12 points, Mason Jones added 11 and Jay Huff had 10 points and four blocks for the Lakers. Scotty Pippen Jr. finished with 11 points and seven assists.
Jared Harper led the Pelicans with 20 points. Deividas Sirvydis made 4 of 7 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, John Petty Jr. scored 16 points and Tyrique Jones had 11 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
Dyson Daniels, a 6-foot-6 19-year-old who New Orleans selected No. 8 overall in last month's draft, didn't play for the Pelicans.

Brandon Boston Jr. had 22 points and eight rebounds and the Clippers used a 32-9 fourth quarter to beat the Jazz 82-65.

Clippers use 32-9 4th quarter to beat Jazz at Summer League

Jalen Smith just needed an opportunity.
In 2020, Smith was drafted No. 10 overall by the Phoenix Suns, who had just acquired future Hall-of-Fame point guard Chris Paul days earlier. With Phoenix focused on contending, Smith&rsquo;s development was placed on the back-burner.
Smith experienced immediate team success, witnessing an NBA Finals run as a rookie. However, his involvement was limited, as he played a total of 17 minutes during that postseason. Eventually, the Suns made the stunning decision to decline Smith's third-year team option, even though he hadn't been given many chances to showcase his skill set and prove he belonged in the league.
It was clear that the 22-year-old wasn't part of the Suns' long-term plan, so it was no surprise when Phoenix dealt him to the Indiana Pacers for veteran wing Torrey Craig in February. Phoenix even attached their 2022 second-round pick to Smith&rsquo;s expiring contract in the deal.
The Pacers' front office and coaching staff made it a priority to ensure that Smith felt welcomed, and he felt an instant connection to the organization upon his arrival. The change of scenery was the best thing that could've happened to Smith, who made the most of his increased playing time.
After the trade, Smith averaged 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 threes, 1.0 block and 0.4 steals in 24.7 minutes. He scored in double figures in 18 of his 22 games with the Pacers, playing the best basketball of his career right before hitting free agency.
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The Pacers re-signed Smith on a two-year, $9.7 million deal this week. A league source confirmed to Basketball News that Smith&rsquo;s new deal doesn&rsquo;t include a player option after next season, meaning the Pacers will get to keep the lottery talent for multiple seasons.
On Wednesday, the Pacers hosted a re-introductory press conference for Smith and he officially signed his new contract. Even though Smith received significant offers from other teams, he didn't want to pass up the opportunity for long-term growth in Indiana.
&ldquo;At the end of the day, it wasn&rsquo;t about money,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;Choosing my future over instant gratification was the main focus, and I feel as though I made the best decision possible. This is somewhere I can grow, somewhere I know the system, somewhere I know the coaches and the surrounding areas around here. I feel as though that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s going to help build towards that end goal.&rdquo;
At the start of the press conference, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle announced that Smith will be Indiana&rsquo;s starting power forward moving forward. While he has limited experience as an NBA starter (with just 17 starts under his belt), Smith has consistently flashed when given heavy minutes. In eight starts last season, Smith averaged 14.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.0 block in just 24.3 minutes &mdash; while shooting a remarkably efficient 45.5% from three-point range.
Even though Smith was seen as a &ldquo;reach&rdquo; on draft night when he was selected at No. 10 overall, there&rsquo;s no denying his two-way talent. With his ability to space the floor and provide flashes of above-average defense at the rim, he's a perfect fit for the modern NBA and the Pacers are thrilled to watch him develop alongside their young core.
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&ldquo;I&rsquo;m having a hard time not being giddy because today is a fantastic day for the organization...&rdquo; Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said. "When we made the trade not too long ago, we were super excited. We just didn&rsquo;t know how good this guy was. The sky is the limit, so [we're] super excited.&rdquo;
Indiana&rsquo;s new timeline is centered around point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings around the same time that Smith joined the team. Right away, it was clear that Haliburton and Smith had on-court synergy, which led to some fun moments between the inside-out duo. Carlisle noted that Haliburton&rsquo;s presence makes a world of difference for players like Smith.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s important to point out that having Tyrese Haliburton here is another reason he played so well down the stretch of the season,&rdquo; Carlisle said. &ldquo;And having Haliburton, [T.J.] McConnell and now [Andrew] Nembhard, we have three really tremendous facilitating, pass-first point guards that I think probably weighed a little bit into Jalen&rsquo;s long-term thinking. He&rsquo;s going to be playing with some guys that can get him the ball in the right places offensively. Again, the trade for Tyrese, this is another trickle down of that.&rdquo;
As the Pacers embark on their first major rebuild in over 30 years, their front office has assembled an intriguing young core that features Haliburton, Smith, Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, Chris Duarte, Kendall Brown and Oshae Brissett among others. Entering his third NBA season (and his first as a full-time starter), Smith has an opportunity to solidify himself as a building block in Indiana.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not going to change my work ethic,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;My work has always been hard, it&rsquo;s just how I&rsquo;ve been raised. My father, my mom always told me if I&rsquo;m going to do something, do it to the fullest. Obviously coming into a starting role is a huge responsibility, a lot more responsibility, but I&rsquo;ve been taught responsibility my whole life.&rdquo;
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Indiana stumbled into a gem with Smith, and they found a way to keep the big man around for multiple years. This deal seems like a perfect fit for both sides given where they're at, with Smith checking all of the boxes for the Pacers and vice versa.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The second the draft was over, Coach and I and Chad Buchanan, the management staff and the coaches, were like, &lsquo;How do we keep Jalen in a Pacer uniform?&rsquo; It became this team effort. We just knew that he was priority No. 1,&rdquo; Pritchard said. &ldquo;This was somebody we wanted badly. As you build a team, you want to get players in the right position. You went them sorta on the same timeline and you just want to let them grow. We&rsquo;re in this great position now. It&rsquo;s about growth and development. He is right at that curve, and I think his game will really take a notch up, and I think he&rsquo;s got as much growth as anybody. So, we&rsquo;re excited and thankful more than anything.&rdquo;
All of a sudden, the pieces are falling into place for the Pacers. After stagnating and getting eliminated in the first round year after year, a rebuild was long overdue. Now, the Pacers currently have 13 players who are age-25 or under, all of whom are on the same timeline moving forward.
This season, Smith will have an opportunity to establish himself as a long-term fixture for the Pacers and develop alongside the rest of the team's promising core. All Smith needed was an opportunity, and he happened to land in the ideal situation for his career trajectory.

After making the most of his opportunity with the Pacers, Jalen Smith turned down other offers to re-sign with Indiana on a two-year deal.

Pacers thrilled to re-sign Jalen Smith: 'He was priority No. 1'

Another NBA Draft has come and gone, and the 2022 version once again lived up to the spectacle.
Fans' heads were spinning throughout the day, as news outlets and sportsbooks took opposite stances on who would be the No. 1 pick. In the end, the Orlando Magic pulled off a stunner by choosing Paolo Banchero.
The surprises didn't end there, as the Detroit Pistons used a three-team trade to snag Jalen Duren at No. 13, and the Oklahoma City Thunder added a second lottery pick to add Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Williams with back-to-back selections.
Matt Babcock is here for one last Q&amp;A to finish off the draft cycle. Here were his thoughts on the night:
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The Orlando Magic seemed to shock everyone by taking Paolo Banchero No. 1. How did they pull off such an elaborate smokescreen?
Right after the lottery, while I was at the NBA Draft Combine, I was told that the Orlando Magic felt Paolo Banchero was the safe pick for them. However, I didn't take it too seriously and didn't read into it much. Well, in hindsight, that was a mistake. I would've taken Jabari Smith, but I can't argue with the Magic selecting Banchero. The fact is that the Magic had multiple good options with the No. 1 pick. They chose to go with Paolo, and I respect it. He's a big-time prospect, and he will likely be a primary scorer for them. Hats off to Jeff Weltman and John Hammond. They didn't show their cards and didn't care what everyone else thought they should do. Well done.
Now that Orlando made the pick, how do you like Banchero's fit with the Magic?
Paolo Banchero is big, strong, explosive and skilled. There's a lot to like about him. I think he's a good fit with the Magic. I also believe he will be an outstanding and perhaps an All-Star-level player. I'm happy for the Magic and Paolo. I don't know Paolo personally, but I've watched him play many times over the last several years, making me feel like I do know him. So I'm certainly rooting for him.
What do you think of Jabari Smith's fit in Houston after he ended up No. 3?
I had Jabari Smith as the No. 1 rated prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft since November. Houston getting him at No. 3 is such a great pick, in my opinion. I do not know Rafael Stone personally, but I'm impressed &mdash; he killed it on draft night. Jabari at No. 3, Tari Eason at No. 17 and TyTy Washington at No. 29. Honestly, I don't know if the Rockets could've done any better.
The public applauded Detroit for its draft, specifically in the lottery. How impressed were you with the Pistons' selections?
I've had Jabari Smith No. 1 since November, but my favorite prospect this past season might have been Purdue's Jaden Ivey. He's athletic and dynamic, and might have more upside than anyone else in the 2022 NBA Draft. So the fact that the Pistons were able to get him at No. 5 feels like a crime. And then for them also being able to add Jalen Duren at No. 13, who's a young big with a boatload of talent and upside, too &mdash; it was just an excellent draft for them. The Pistons' fan base should be very excited!
Which teams surprised you most with the trades they made (or did not make)?
I was surprised that Memphis gave up so much to move up to No. 19 to select Jake LaRavia. I'm certainly a fan of Jake's, and his agent for that matter, Aaron Reilly &mdash; a really good guy. However, giving up multiple draft picks did feel like a lot to me.
I was also surprised by the Knicks' draft. I understand and appreciate the value of financial flexibility and draft assets. However, I expected them to add a player through the draft, whether using their pick or moving up in the draft via trade. Time will tell if Leon Rose's move was a smart one or not. Regardless, the pressure is on regarding these future draft picks.
Jaden Hardy was the last green room invitee to be selected. Did that surprise you, and do you like Dallas trading to acquire him?
This past year didn't unfold like I'm sure Jaden Hardy had hoped it would, but I think going to Dallas is an excellent opportunity for him.
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Mavericks rookie guard Jaden Hardy spoke with the media today and I asked him how to describe himself as a player and the thing he wants to improve on most; really good answers here <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/7nhW9NfffT">pic.twitter.com/7nhW9NfffT</a>
&mdash; Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinGraySports/status/1541870433393430529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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I think he has a chance to become an outstanding player in the NBA if he continues to develop. He is a natural scorer with great range and explosiveness. So let's give him some time.
Which other players surprised you with how far they fell in the draft order?
I was surprised TyTy Washington fell to No. 29. I understand the league is going towards a more positionless game; however, I believe TyTy is the real deal. I wouldn't be surprised if he made many teams regret not selecting him. I'm also surprised Kendall Brown fell so far. There are some legitimate concerns with his lack of offensive creation abilities, but his motor and athleticism are legit.
Which players drafted in the second round do you think could earn a rotation spot in their rookie season?
I think Kennedy Chandler will carve out a role with the Memphis Grizzlies as Ja Morant's backup point guard. Also, I'm interested to see if they try to play Kennedy and Ja together. If so, that will be quite the speedy duo and potentially a nightmare to contain.
Who are you viewing as "steals of the draft" from Thursday?
I'm going to pick two: TyTy Washington and Max Christie. I think TyTy has a better opportunity of making an impact right away and proving me right quicker. However, I believe that Max Christie can become a good NBA player within a couple of years.
Is there any report or move you expected to happen during the draft that never transpired?
I was hoping the Knicks moved up to get Jaden Ivey, as rumored. That kid seems to be built for the bright lights. But luckily for the Pistons, they got him at No. 5.&nbsp;I'm looking forward to watching how he develops there. I think he's going to become an exciting player to watch!
Who do you see as the top undrafted free agents to monitor?
Jean Montero. He surprisingly went undrafted and then signed an Exhibit 10 with the Knicks. He's a talented player and was once a highly-touted prospect. I still think he has a shot.
Now that the NBA Draft is over, what's next in the process for scouts like yourself?
There's the saying, "Gone Fishing." Well, I'm going on vacation with my family and doing some fly fishing. But, not only do I have a head start on the 2023 NBA Draft, but also the 2024 and 2025 drafts. So, don't you worry, I'm on it. See you soon.
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Matt Babcock recaps the biggest surprise moves of the 2022 NBA Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on biggest draft night surprises

Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the players each team ended up with in the 2022 NBA Draft (includes proposed trades):
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Atlanta Hawks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (16) AJ Griffin, f, Duke.
2 (44) Ryan Rollins, g, Toledo.
2 (51) Tyrese Martin, f, UConn. (from Golden State)
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<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Boston Celtics</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (53) JD Davison, g, Alabama.
<table style="height: 23px; width: 18.1462%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<th style="height: 23px; width: 89.2446%;">Brooklyn Nets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Charlotte Hornets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (15) Mark Williams, C, Duke.
2 (40) Bryce McGowens, g, Nebraska. (from Minnesota)
2 (45) Josh Minott, f, Memphis.
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<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Chicago Bulls</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (18) Dalen Terry, g, Arizona.
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<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Cleveland Cavaliers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (14) Ochai Agbaji, g, Kansas.
2 (39) Khalifa Diop, c, Gran Canaria (Spain).
2 (49) Isaiah Mobley, f, USC. (from Chicago via Memphis, Detroit and Sacramento)
2 (56) Luke Travers, g, Perth (Australia).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Dallas Mavericks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (26) Wendell Moore Jr., f, Duke. (from Houston)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Denver Nuggets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (21) Christian Braun, g, Kansas.
2 (46) Ismael Kamagate, Paris (France). (from Detroit)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Detroit Pistons</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (5) Jaden Ivey, g, Purdue.
1 (13) Jalen Duren, C, Memphis. (from Charlotte)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Golden State Warriors</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (28) Patrick Baldwin Jr., f, Milwaukee.
2 (55) Gui Santos, f, Minas (Brazil).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Houston Rockets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (3) Jabari Smith Jr., f, Auburn.
1 (17) Tari Eason, f, LSU.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Indiana Pacers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (6) Bennedict Mathurin, f, Arizona.
2 (31) Andrew Nembhard, g, Gonzaga.
2 (58) Hugo Besson, g, New Zealand (Australia).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>L.A. Clippers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (43) Moussa Diabate, f, Michigan.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>L.A. Lakers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (35) Max Christie, g, Michigan State. (from Orlando via Indiana and Milwaukee)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Memphis Grizzlies</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (19) Jake LaRavia, f, Wake Forest. (from Minnesota)
1 (23) David Roddy, f, Colorado State. (from Philadelphia)
1 (29) TyTy Washington Jr., g, Kentucky.
2 (47) Vince Williams Jr., VCU.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Miami Heat</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (27) Nikola Jovic, f, Mega (Serbia)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Milwaukee Bucks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (24) MarJon Beauchamp, g, G-League Ignite.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Minnesota Timberwolves</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (22) Walker Kessler, c, Auburn. (from Memphis)
2 (48) Kendall Brown, f, Baylor.
2 (50) Matteo Spagnolo, g, Cremona (Italy).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>New Orleans Pelicans</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (8) Dyson Daniels, g-league Ignite.
2 (41) E.J. Liddell, f, Ohio State.
2 (52) Karlo Matkovic, Mega
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>New York Knicks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (42) Trevor Keels, f, Duke.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Oklahoma City Thunder</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (2) Chet Holmgren, c, Gonzaga.
1 (11) Ousemane Dieng, f, New Zealand (Australia). (from New York)
1 (12) Jalen Williams, g, Santa Clara.
1 (30) Peyton Watson, f, UCLA.
2 (34) Jaylin Williams, f, Arkansas.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Orlando Magic</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (1) Paolo Banchero, f, Duke.
2 (32) Caleb Houstan, f, Michigan.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Philadelphia 76ers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Phoenix Suns</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Portland Trail Blazers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (7) Shaedon Sharpe, g, Kentucky.
2 (36) Gabriele Procida, g, Fortitudo Bologna (Italy).
2 (57) Jabari Walker, f, Colorado.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Sacramento Kings</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (4) Keegan Murray, f, Iowa.
2 (37) Jaden Hardy, g, G-League Ignite.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>San Antonio Spurs</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (9) Jeremy Sochan, f, Baylor.
1 (20) Malaki Branham, g, Ohio State.
1 (25) Blake Wesley, g, Notre Dame.
2 (38) Kennedy Chandler, g, Tennessee.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Toronto Raptors</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (33) Christian Koloko, f, Arizona.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Utah Jazz</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Washington Wizards</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (10) Johnny Davis, g, Wisconsin.
2 (54) Yannick Nzosa, c, Unicaja (Spain). &lt;

A team-by-team breakdown of the players each team ended up with in the 2022 NBA Draft (includes proposed trades).

2022 NBA Draft: Team-by-team selections for all 60 picks

With the 2022 NBA Draft less than a week away, our Senior NBA Draft Analyst shares his updated his 2022 NBA Mock Draft.