Bearcats

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Aliyah Boston missed the second half of No. 1 South Carolina&rsquo;s game against Hampton on Sunday with her right foot in a walking boot, but reserves Bree Hall and Ashlyn Watkins scored 14 points each in an 85-38 win.
Kamila Cardoso added 11 points and 14 rebounds for South Carolina. It was the 6-foot-7 forward&rsquo;s eighth career double-double.
Boston, the reigning Associated Press Player of the Year, took a hard fall on a drive to the basket late in the second quarter and needed several moments to stand up. Soon after, she headed to the locker room before the period ended.
Boston did not come out for the start of the third quarter, returning to the bench midway through the period with a walking boot on her right foot. Boston spent the rest of the game cheering on her teammates, who improved to 6-0 this season and 5-0 all-time against the Pirates.
No. 2 STANFORD 68, HAWAII 39
HONOLULU (AP) &mdash; Ashten Pretchel scored 12 of her season-high 17 points in the first half to help Stanford easily defeat Hawaii on the final day of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown.
The Cardinal (7-1) erased an early deficit and held the Rainbow Wahine (1-6) to a season-low scoring output.
Pretchel came off the bench and shot 6 of 10 from the field, including hitting five 3-pointers. She also grabbed 11 rebounds.
Lily Wahinekapu led Hawaii with 12 points.
NO. 3 UCONN 86, NO. 9 IOWA 79
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Azzi Fudd scored 24 points to rally UConn past Iowa in the championship game of the first Phil Knight Legacy women&rsquo;s tournament.
Fudd had plenty of help, with Aaliyah Edwards (20 points, 13 rebounds) and three other Huskies (5-0) scoring in double-figures. Edwards was named MVP of the tournament.
Iowa (5-2) star Caitlin Clark had 25 points, and Kate Martin added 20.
Edwards got UConn off to a strong start, scoring 10 points while the Huskies built a 20-14 edge.
Clark and the Hawkeyes then surged with a 13-2 run to begin the second quarter and led 41-35 at halftime. Clark scored 17 points in the first half.
NO. 4 OHIO STATE 105, NORTH ALABAMA 67
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Rebeka Mikulasikova scored 23 points and Cotie McMahon added 20 to lead Ohio State past North Alabama.
The Buckeyes (6-0) shot 58.6% from the field as all five starters reached double figures in scoring.
North Alabama (3-3) trailed by eight points with less than eight minutes to go in the second quarter, but Ohio State extended its lead on an 11-0 run keyed by five points from Madison Greene.
The Buckeyes held a 59-37 lead at halftime and stretched it to as large as 39 with less than three minutes remaining.
No. 8 NORTH CAROLINA 73, No. 5 IOWA STATE 64
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Deja Kelly scored 29 points to power North Carolina to a 17-point comeback over Iowa State and win in the championship game of the Phil Knight Invitational tournament.
Kennedy Todd-Williams added 17 points to help the Tar Heels (6-0) complete the comeback and remain undefeated on the season. Alyssa Ustby contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Stephanie Soares led the Cyclones (5-1) with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Ashley Joens had 18 points and nine rebounds as Iowa State suffered its first loss of the year.
NO. 11 VIRGINIA TECH 89, LONGWOOD 28
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) &mdash; Elizabeth Kitley had a double-double, Kayana Traylor added a double-double off the bench, and Virginia Tech rolled over Longwood.
Kitley had 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Hokies. Traylor had 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Ashley Owusu scored 21 points, making 4 of 5 3-pointers.
The Hokies established a program record by holding South Carolina Upstate to 24 points on Nov. 14. Longwood passed 24 points when Adriana Shipp-Davis made a layup with 4:44 remaining.
Shipp-Davis had seven rebounds for Longwood (1-5). The Lancers shot 16.7% overall, which was also their 3-point percentage (3-for-18).
NO. 14 MARYLAND 87, PITTSBURGH 63
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Abby Meyers scored 12 of her 23 points in Maryland&rsquo;s 36-point third quarter and the Terrapins rolled past Pittsburgh to finish the Ft. Myers Tip-Off.
Brinae Alexander hit three 3-pointers in the Terps&rsquo; biggest quarter of the season and was 5 of 7 from distance to finish with 17 points. Lavender Briggs contributed 10 points as the three transfers had their biggest outputs of the season for Maryland. Shyanne Sellers added 13 points for the Terrapins (6-2), who went 2-1 in the tournament.
Maryland went 7 of 10 behind the arc and shot 55% in the second half.
Maliyah Johnson had 15 points for the Panthers (5-2), who only had one less 3-pointer but was outscored by 13 at the foul line where Maryland was 20 of 23.
No. 18 OREGON 86, MICHIGAN STATE 78
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Endyia Rogers scored 19 points, including critical back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, Phillipina Kyei had a double-double with career highs and Oregon held off Michigan State in the third-place game of the Phil Knight Invitational.
The Ducks led 29-12 when Rogers scored the opening basket of the second quarter but the Spartans slowly came back behind Kamaria McDaniel, who had a season-high 28 points. McDaniel hit a 3-pointer and Matilda Ekh had a steal and layup and Michigan State tied the game with 7:17 to play.
That&rsquo;s when Rogers, who had a career-high five 3-pointers, scored from distance, the first coming after a timeout and the Ducks regained control.
Isaline Alexander scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Ekh 12 for the Spartans (6-2).
NO. 19 TEXAS 74, PRINCETON 50
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; Sonya Morris scored 15 points, Taylor Jones notched a double-double and Texas breezed to a victory over Princeton.
Morris sank 5 of 10 shots from the floor with two 3-pointers for Texas (3-3). Jones finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Rori Harmon had 11 points and Aaliyah Moore scored 10.
The Longhorns picked up their second straight win after a three-game losing streak. Texas fell 16 spots in the AP poll.
Kaitlyn Chen topped Princeton (3-2) with 15 points. Julia Cunningham added 10 points. Ellie Mitchell came into the game leading the nation with 16.2 rebounds per game. She didn&rsquo;t score and had seven boards.
No. 22 MICHIGAN 84, No. 21 BAYLOR 75
ESTERO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Emily Kiser scored 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, Laila Phelia added 20 points and Michigan scored the final 11 points to beat Baylor in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Maddie Nolan scored seven of her 12 points in a 20-5 run over the final 4-plus minutes and Leigha Brown finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists forMichigan (7-0).
Ja&rsquo;Mee Asberry scored inside to give Baylor a 75-73 lead with 2 minutes to go but Brown made a layup and, after a missed 3-point shot on the other end, grabbed her own offensive rebound and kicked it out to Phelia for a 3 that gave the Wolverines the lead for good with 48 seconds to go.
Jaden Owens scored 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting for the Bears.
NO. 23 TENNESSEE 105, EASTERN KENTUCKY 71
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Rickea Jackson scored 15 points to lead a balanced attack and Tennessee coasted to a win over Eastern Kentucky.
Jordan Horston added 14 points for the Lady Vols (4-4), Jillian Hollingshead and Tamari Key 13 each and Karoline Striplin 10. Jackson and Horston both had five assists and joined Hollingshead with eight rebounds.
Antwainette Walker scored 18 points for the Colonels (4-3).
NO. 23 VILLANOVA 72, SOUTH FLORIDA 50
ESTERO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Maddy Siegrist scored 25 points to surpass 2,000 for her career and Villanova used a hot start to beat South Florida in the third-place game at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Siegrist scored 13 points in the first half and 10 in the third quarter as the Wildcats (6-1) took a 58-36 lead. Lucy Olsen scored 10 of her 13 before the break.
Siegrist became the third player in Villanova history to reach the 2,000-point plateau when she hit a jumper at 3:46 of the third quarter to put the Wildcats up 50-31.
Sammie Puisis scored 17 points for the Bulls (7-2). Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu had 14 points with 17 rebounds &mdash; matching her career high, and Elena Tsineke scored 11.

Boston, the reigning Associated Press Player of the Year, took a hard fall on a drive to the basket late in the second quarter.

Boston hurt in No. 1 Gamecocks’ win; No. 3 UConn tops Iowa

Steve Clifford is back in familiar surroundings as head coach of the Charlotte Hornets &mdash; except he is in need of a new apartment.
Clifford was introduced as the Hornets head coach on Tuesday, a little more than four years after general manager Mitch Kupchak fired him from that same position.
Clifford wasn't Charlotte's first choice.
Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson had accepted the job, but later backed out after the Warriors won the NBA title citing personal reasons. Clifford wasn't even among the first round of candidates to initially interview for the job; Kupchak quipped that was because he had taken over the lease on Clifford's downtown Charlotte apartment just days after firing him in 2018.
&ldquo;I was afraid he might ask me for his apartment back,&rdquo; Kupchak joked.
The GM kept the apartment, but did give Clifford his old job back.
After he was let go, Clifford said he maintained a great relationship with Kupchak and owner Michael Jordan. The coach added while he didn't agree with the team's decision, he did understand it after the Hornets finished with back-to-back losing seasons during his tenure.
He went on to coach the Orlando Magic for three seasons, reaching the playoffs twice, and feels like he's better now than he was when he left.
&ldquo;You want to evolve and get better at what you do,&rdquo; Clifford said. &ldquo;I have coached a lot more games than I had when I was here the first time and worked with another team. You learn a lot from that.&rdquo;
Clifford inherits a Hornets team that was 43-39 last season and one he believes is more talented than any he's had in his eight seasons as an NBA coach, including the 2015-16 team that finished 48-34 before losing in seven games to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
"One of the things that you look for is the potential for growth as you watch film and I think this is a group that can get better and better," Clifford said. "I look at this team as well put together, they fit well together and they can play a style that fits into what wins in this league right now."
To Clifford, that means an up-tempo pace with players who share the ball.
While Clifford&rsquo;s strength has been coaching defense &mdash; the Hornets finished in the top 12 in defense in his previous five seasons &mdash; he and this team could be a good fit.
Led by All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, the Hornets want to push the ball up the court and play fast.
Clifford plans to let Ball and company continue to do just that.
&ldquo;We are going to play offensively with a very similar emphasis that they have played with the last couple of years,&rdquo; Clifford said. &ldquo;Offense starts with playing through the strengths of your best players and Ball is a great talent with a passion for the game and a flair for playing in the open court and we want to take advantage of that.&rdquo;
But Clifford also knows he was brought in to improve the Hornets' defense &mdash; which finished 22nd in the league last year.
&ldquo;We knew defensively we needed to ramp it up a little bit,&rdquo; Kupchak said. &ldquo;... But we talked (during the interview process) about playing the way our fans like to see us play &mdash; with great pace. That is fun and exciting. We see the game the same way and we saw the way this team should move forward in the same way."
The biggest decision facing the Hornets this offseason will be the ability to re-sign restricted free agent Miles Bridges, who has improved his productivity each year and led the team in scoring last season.
Kupchak isn't concerned.
&ldquo;We love Miles," the GM said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to bring him back."
NOTES: The Hornets exercised the option on forward Jalen McDaniels' contract, meaning the former second round pick will earn $1.9 million this season.

“You want to evolve and get better at what you do,” Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said.

Steve Clifford: Hornets will continue to play fast, up-tempo pace

Steve Clifford is heading back to Charlotte.
Clifford has agreed to a multiyear contract to return as head coach of the NBA&rsquo;s Hornets four years after being fired by team owner Michael Jordan, the team announced Friday night.
Charlotte previously agreed to terms on a four-year contract with Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson to become head coach, but Atkinson later informed the team he was not taking the job citing family reasons.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy to be returning to Charlotte, and I want to thank Michael Jordan, Mitch Kupchak and Buzz Peterson for this opportunity,&rdquo; Clifford said in a release. &ldquo;This is an exciting young team with a lot of talented pieces. Charlotte is a great city and I know first-hand the passion that Hornets fans have for this franchise. I can&rsquo;t wait to get back to town and start working with our players.&rdquo;
The 60-year-old Clifford spent five seasons coaching the Hornets from 2013-18, compiling a 196-214 record with a team that included Kemba Walker.
He led the Hornets to two playoff appearances prior to being dismissed in 2018 when Kupchak arrived as general manager. Clifford coached the Orlando Magic from 2018-21, reaching the playoffs twice. He spent last season as a coaching consultant for the Brooklyn Nets.
Clifford is 292-345 in eight seasons as an NBA coach.
His best season in Charlotte came in 2015-16 when the Hornets went 48-34 and lost in seven games to the Miami Heat in the first round the playoffs.
Team owner Michael Jordan met Wednesday with Clifford, who left the team on good terms in 2018.
Clifford, known as a defensive-minded coach, inherits a team that eighth on offense last season but 22nd on defense. The Hornets gave up 132 points in a 29-point loss to the Hawks in the play-in elimination game last season, which didn&rsquo;t sit well with Jordan.
The Hornets finished sixth, 10th, ninth, 17th and 17th in defensive rating during Clifford&rsquo;s five seasons.
During his eight seasons as an NBA head coach, Clifford&rsquo;s teams have never finished outside the top five in the league in fewest turnovers committed, and in seven of his eight campaigns his team finished in the top two in offensive rebounds allowed and the top five in defensive rebound percentage.
Kupchak said he expects the Hornets to continue to play at a high pace.
&ldquo;Steve is committed to playing with the same offensive pace that our fans are accustomed to seeing the last few years,&rdquo; Kupchak said. &ldquo;We are confident that he will be able to help our young players continue to grow as we look to take the next step as a team.&rdquo;
Clifford inherits a team that is arguably more talented than any of his previous Charlotte teams with All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges anchoring the squad.
Atkinson&rsquo;s decision to the renege on his contract on Saturday shocked the Hornets and sent them scrambling for a replacement.
Kupchak said that it was &ldquo;disappointing,&rdquo; but that in some ways he&rsquo;s grateful it happened when it did.
&ldquo;I think he would have been a good pick, but if he&rsquo;s not comfortable here I would rather find out now than a year from now,&rdquo; Kupchak said Thursday night during the NBA draft.
Mike D&rsquo;Antoni and Terry Stotts were also in consideration for the job.
Kupchak orchestrated the team&rsquo;s draft this year without a head coach in place, but said it was not a big deal and that in the pas years he&rsquo;s worked with coaches who aren&rsquo;t even in the draft room.
Charlotte team traded its 13th overall pick to the New York Knicks for a future first round pick and four second round picks and then took Duke center Mark Williams at No. 15. Charlotte added Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens in the second round after Kupchak made another trade.
&ldquo;The roster is really what wins games,&rdquo; Kupchak said. &rdquo;A good coach is going to help with the roster, but the most important thing is to get the roster together.&rdquo;
The general manager said Atkinson&rsquo;s decision reminded him of when Steve Kerr turned down the Knicks coaching job, only to go to Golden State where he&rsquo;s won four NBA titles.
&ldquo;It looks like (Kerr) make a good decision to take the job at Golden State,&rdquo; Kupchak said with a laugh. &ldquo;So maybe Kenny spoke to Steve, and Steve said, &lsquo;Hey, maybe things will work out this way for you.&rsquo; I don&rsquo;t know.&rdquo;
Kupchak also pointed out NFL coach Bill Belichick abruptly resigning before his introductory news conference with the New York Jets in 2000. Belichick went on to coach the New England Patriots and win six Super Bowls.
&ldquo;That was a good decision, too. So maybe Kenny is on to something,&rdquo; Kupchak quipped.
Atkinson has not responded to interview requests from the AP seeking comment about his decision to back out of the agreement. However, Kerr told NBC Sports that Atkinson turned down the job because he didn&rsquo;t want to uproot his family again.

Steve Clifford has agreed to return as head coach of the NBA’s Hornets four years after being fired by team owner Michael Jordan.

Take two: Steve Clifford returns to Hornets as head coach

Steve Clifford has agreed to a deal to return as the Charlotte Hornets&rsquo; head coach, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1540447271728435211" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
ESPN Sources: Steve Clifford has agreed to a deal to return as the Charlotte Hornets&rsquo; coach. Clifford, one of league&rsquo;s most respected coaches among his peers, led Hornets to two playoff trips in a five-year run that ended in 2018.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1540447271728435211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Evidently there were no hard feelings between the Hornets and Clifford. During his last stint in Charlotte, he led the team to the playoffs just twice (and they lost in the first round both times).&nbsp;
During his five seasons as Charlotte's head coach, Clifford had a 196-214 record (and a .478 winning percentage). After leaving the Hornets in 2018, he became the head coach of the Orlando Magic, where he was 96-131. Clifford's all-time record as a head coach is 292-345 (.458).
The Hornets previously wanted to hire Kenny Atkinson, but he shocked everyone and changed his mind, opting to stay with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach after the team won this year's NBA championship.
It seemed like the Hornets might hire Mike D'Antoni, who was the other finalist when they decided on Atkinson. However, after D'Antoni met with Charlotte owner Michael Jordan last week, the Hornets opted to go in a different direction and bring back Clifford.

Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Steve Clifford has been hired to return as Charlotte's head coach.

Steve Clifford agrees to return as Charlotte's head coach

While general manager Mitch Kupchak said Kenny Atkinson&rsquo;s decision last week <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-basketball-c1df7b33b0e7fc99942b70a7fb3365e1">to renege on his four-year agreement</a> to coach the Charlotte Hornets was &ldquo;disappointing,&rdquo; in some ways he&rsquo;s thankful it happened the way it did.
&ldquo;I think he would have been a good pick, but if he&rsquo;s not comfortable here I would rather find out now than a year from now,&rdquo; Kupchak said Thursday night during the NBA draft.
Kupchak gave no timetable as to when the Hornets will have a new coach in place, emphasizing the team is in no hurry.
Kupchak said team owner Michael Jordan has been in Charlotte since Tuesday and they've spoken extensively about the coaching situation.
The GM declined to discuss potential candidates, but said the team may open the interview process to new candidates they hadn't spoken to before offering the job to Atkinson.
&ldquo;We have spent a lot of time going over candidates, maybe some new candidates and making sure we cover our bases,&rdquo; Kupchak said of his face-to-face conversations with Jordan. &ldquo;We have never felt the need to rush this process. We want to pick the right coach &mdash; and we thought we did."
Kupchak added that in the NBA he feels &ldquo;the roster is really what wins games,&rdquo; not necessarily the head coach.
&ldquo;A good coach is going to help with the roster, but the most important thing is to get the roster together," Kupchak said. "We will get a good coach and we will be in good shape.&rdquo;
The Hornets entered the NBA draft <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-michael-jordan-53ffcdc4a2730af242cc7c36843f818e">without a head coach in the war room</a> and Kupchak calling the shots. The team traded its 13th overall pick to the New York Knicks for a future first round pick and four second round picks and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-new-york-knicks-nba-sports-mark-williams-449d42a81917c2b9cd6507d1ab9300c7">then took Duke center Mark Williams at No. 15</a>. Charlotte added Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens in the second round.
Kupchak had hoped to have a coach in place before the NBA draft.
"We're moving on it," Kupchak said. &ldquo;I can't give you a when. I don't want to say a week or two weeks or two days. I don't want to say that.&rdquo;
Kupchak didn't say much about the coaching search, though joked about the challenging situation the Hornets are in.
The general manager said Atkinson's decision reminded him of when Steve Kerr turned down the New York Knicks coaching job, only to go to Golden State where he's won four NBA titles.
&ldquo;It looks like (Kerr) make a good decision to take the job at Golden State,&rdquo; Kupchak said with a laugh. &ldquo;So maybe Kenny spoke to Steve, and Steve said, &lsquo;hey maybe things will work out this way for you.&rsquo; I don't know.&rdquo;
Kupchak also pointed out NFL coach Bill Belichick abruptly resigning before his introductory news conference with the New York Jets in 2000. Belichick went on to coach the New England Patriots and win six Super bowls.
&ldquo;That was a good decision, too. So maybe Kenny is on to something," Kupchak quipped.
Atkinson has not responded to interview requests from The Associated Press seeking comment about his decision to back out of the agreement. However, Kerr said Atkinson turned down the job because he didn't want to uproot his family again.
Charlotte <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-business-7598f5e1c6a5948076d25e876d860a25">fired James Borrego on April 22</a> after he went 138-163 in four seasons at the helm.
Charlotte has not made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season and has not advanced out of the first round in more than 20 years. The Hornets finished 43-39 last season and were bounced in the play-in tournament by the Atlanta Hawks.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

“I think he would have been a good pick, but if he’s not comfortable here I would rather find out now than a year from now,” Kupchak said.

Hornets GM: Kenny Atkinson reneging on agreement 'disappointing'

The Charlotte Hornets have two picks in the first round of Thursday night&rsquo;s NBA draft &mdash; and no head coach in place to help facilitate those decisions.
Hornets owner Michael Jordan has resumed the search for the organization&rsquo;s next coach after Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson on Saturday <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-basketball-c1df7b33b0e7fc99942b70a7fb3365e1">abruptly backed out of a four-year agreement</a> to coach the team.
Charlotte has the 13th and 15th picks in round one, and general manager Mitch Kupchak is expected to make final decisions with input from Jordan. The team also has the 45th overall selection.
&ldquo;It is unusual not to have a head coach in place for the draft," ESPN draft analyst Jay Bilas said in a conference call. &ldquo;You certainly like to keep in mind what your head coach wants to do and how (the player) likes to play. But it&rsquo;s certainly not the be all and end all because most coaches have input, but they don&rsquo;t make those decisions"
Bilas said head coaches don't spend as much time <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-france-new-zealand-australia-ff7a677d82b00461538bb1c6e928656b">analyzing NBA draft prospects</a> as GMs.
&ldquo;They may have one that they like, but those decisions are often made by front office people that are spending all their time on talent acquisition,&rdquo; Bilas said. "So it&rsquo;s not some death knell for the 13th and 15th that they don&rsquo;t have a coach in place.&rdquo;
Atkinson's about-face stunned the Hornets and sent Jordan back into hiring mode.
The former Brooklyn Nets head coach had agreed to a deal with the Hornets on June 10, but never signed the contract because the Warriors were playing in the NBA Finals. Eight days later, after the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics <a href="968d049ac17696cd30724869deb223cd">in six games to win the NBA title</a>, Atkinson informed the Hornets he would not be coaching the team.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re in a great place, we got great players, we live in a beautiful part of the country, Kenny&rsquo;s got two kids &mdash; you know teenagers who really wanted to stay &mdash; and I think it&rsquo;s a really difficult thing to try to take a job in the middle of the finals without really getting a chance to unwind,&rdquo; Kerr told NBC Sports earlier this week at at a parade to celebrate the organization&rsquo;s latest championship. &ldquo;I think over the course of the finals, he just felt it, he felt like this is not the best time for my family and me to leave.&rdquo;
It is unclear if the Hornets will choose from individuals they&rsquo;ve already interviewed, including 16-year veteran NBA coach Mike D&rsquo;Antoni, or open the search to other candidates.
Charlotte did not have a pre-draft news conference this week as they&rsquo;ve typically had in the past, and the team has not commented publicly on its coaching search since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-business-7598f5e1c6a5948076d25e876d860a25">the decision to fire James Borrego</a>.
The team made progress last season winning 43 games with All-Star LaMelo Ball at point guard. However, it came to an abrupt end as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-charlotte-hornets-cleveland-cavaliers-atlanta-hawks-nba-3ecd373854232ff01332ae4f7cdd455b">Charlotte lost by 29 points to the Atlanta Hawks</a> in the play-in tournament.
The team has a bevy of needs, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-draft-mark-williams-jalen-duren-4e9f0cb6bb4b81c1fe1a9ee16014bfa5">most notably finding a big man</a> who can score and serve as a rim protector.
Charlotte has some potential trade prospects &mdash; including Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington &mdash; that could potentially be part of a draft-night deal.
One question facing the Hornets is how much they want to change their roster without a coach in place.

Mitch Kupchak is expected to make Charlotte's final draft-night decisions with input from Michael Jordan.

Hornets entering NBA Draft with two first-round picks, no coach

After Kenny Atkinson <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kenny-atkinson-passes-on-job-as-charlotte-hornets-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backed out of his agreement</a> to become the Charlotte Hornets' next head coach, the team is scrambling to find a leader.
Now, Charlotte is resuming talks with the other finalist from their coaching search: Mike D'Antoni.
D'Antoni is meeting with Hornets owner Michael Jordan today to once again discuss the franchise's opening, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1539258632151486464" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>.
Atkinson shocked everyone when he changed his mind and opted to stay with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach after the team won this year's NBA championship.
Now, D'Antoni has to be considered the favorite to land the Hornets' gig, considering he was essentially the runner-up behind Atkinson.
D'Antoni's last stint as a head coach was with the Houston Rockets from 2016-17 through 2019-20. He was part of the Brooklyn Nets' coaching staff under Steve Nash in 2020-21.
The 71-year-old has a 672-527 record (and a .560 winning percentage) as an NBA head coach. He's 54-56 (.491) in the playoffs throughout his career. He's won the NBA's Coach of the Year award twice (in 2005 and 2017), and he previously led the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets to the Western Conference Finals.

Mike D'Antoni is meeting with Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan today to once again discuss the team's head coaching job.

After Kenny Atkinson bails, Hornets shift focus to Mike D'Antoni

From the moment all those months ago that Klay Thompson uttered &ldquo;championship or bust&rdquo; with his team off to an 18-2 start, the Golden State Warriors seemed set to make good on his lofty proclamation.
It took Thompson getting healthy at last, then Draymond Green and Stephen Curry overcoming their own injuries down the stretch, and a cast of youngsters shining on the big playoff stage for the Warriors to win again.
Coach Steve Kerr and his champion Warriors celebrated with a victory parade through San Francisco on Monday as thousands packed the streets on a warm June day and blue and gold confetti fell &mdash; with all those new faces taking part this time, too. Players jumped off their respective rides to mingle with fans, Porter and Thompson dancing and Andrew Wiggins spraying fans with champagne.
Curry sported his three previous championship rings on a necklace.
&ldquo;I had to bring the jewelry back out. I don't look at it during the year," Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area.
Golden State captured the franchise's fourth championship in eight years Thursday night by beating the Boston Celtics 103-90 in the clinching Game 6. Afterward, Finals MVP Curry, Thompson and Green &mdash; the three core members part of each title run, sat together in celebration, with Curry cradling the trophy.
And this time, Thompson's &ldquo;Holy cannoli, this is crazy" reaction resounded everywhere. With the Warriors winning on the road, the home fans got their moment to cheer the team once more on Monday.
&ldquo;We know what we're capable of and we're playing at the highest level,&rdquo; third-year guard Jordan Poole said Saturday as players went through exit interviews. &ldquo;We wouldn't be here if we had any self doubt. When you put guys together who are able to really lock in and do it together as a team, the power and the feeling is all, it's insane. You can kind of feel that positive vibe and positive energy, and we all have each other's back.&rdquo;
Thompson returned in January from more than 2 1/2 years sidelined following surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee then another operation on his torn right Achilles tendon. But Green then went down followed by Curry late in the regular season.
Fellow veteran Andre Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP who is now 38 and also missed significant time, returned to contribute during the postseason and help Golden State get back to the top.
A whole cast of newcomers contributed to this title &mdash; from Poole to Wiggins to Gary Payton II.
&ldquo;This one hits different for sure, just knowing what the last three years have meant, what it&rsquo;s been like from injuries to changing of the guard in the rosters, Wiggs coming through, our young guys carrying the belief that we could get back to this stage and win, even if it didn&rsquo;t make sense to anybody when we said it, all that stuff matters,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;And now we got four championships. Me, Dray, Klay, and Andre, we finally got that bad boy. It&rsquo;s special.&rdquo;
Those new faces are a big reason why this one feels a little different. When Golden State won back-to-back titles in 2017 and '18 before falling to Toronto the following year, Kevin Durant joined Curry, Green and Thompson as they began to build a dynasty. There were five straight NBA Finals trips from 2015-19.
&ldquo;We had Kevin Durant for three years with this core group. Those teams were untouchable,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;This team has been compared to our first championship team in 2015. Maybe there are some similarities. This is still a really talented group of players.&rdquo;
Wiggins, Payton and Otto Porter Jr. all have expressed their desire to return to the Warriors, while assistant coach Kenny Atkinson backed out of the head coaching position with Charlotte to stay put and try to win another title in the Bay Area.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really special to see guys like Wiggs and Loon and Gary Payton, just how far they have come, the impact they made, Jordan Poole, the same thing," Kerr said. "I know I&rsquo;m going to forget people but it takes a full team effort to do this, and we just had a great group.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Coach Steve Kerr and his champion Warriors celebrated with a victory parade through San Francisco on Monday.

Champion Warriors celebrate fourth title in eight seasons

Does anyone actually think Kenny Atkinson deserved to be let go from the Brooklyn Nets when he was?&nbsp;
Sure, it was the first season after the &ldquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1145435852476243968" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clean sweep</a>&rdquo; in the summer of 2019, which immediately placed Atkinson under a national microscope. However, the spotlight wasn&rsquo;t then what it became the following season because Kevin Durant (torn Achilles recovery) hadn&rsquo;t been playing yet. Atkinson was in his fourth year leading the Nets in 2019-20. Kyrie Irving had been playing, albeit sparingly, and those times it was due to injury, not yet other stuff.
In any event, the Nets were still competitive. They were 28-34, COVID hit America just days later and the team subsequently finished 35-37, making the playoffs as the No. 7 seed &mdash; as they did this year &mdash; and were swept by the Toronto Raptors... as they were by the Boston Celtics this season.
Yahoo&rsquo;s Vincent Goodwill reported that <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/kenny-atkinsons-tenure-with-nets-comes-to-its-natural-conclusion-as-kd-kyrie-era-nears-014215773.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atkinson wasn&rsquo;t &ldquo;fond&rdquo; of coaching Durant and Irving</a>, Irving had &ldquo;soured&rdquo; on him and that Irving <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/kenny-atkinsons-tenure-with-nets-comes-to-its-natural-conclusion-as-kd-kyrie-era-nears-014215773.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wanted Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue to take over the team</a>. Ironically, L.A. is where Atkinson went last season before becoming a top assistant with the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors currently.
Atkinson <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34047327/charlotte-hornets-owner-michael-jordan-meet-head-coaching-finalists-mike-dantoni-kenny-atkinson-week-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is reportedly a finalist for the Charlotte Hornets' head coaching job</a>, and it builds as the perfect meeting between both sides from a basketball standpoint if they&rsquo;re on the same page otherwise. Having covered Atkinson during those Nets years, this potential pairing with the Hornets makes so much sense.
The pre-super-team Nets had a distinct charm about them, even though they sucked in the beginning by NBA standards. Atkinson was introduced in April 2016, two months after Sean Marks was announced as the team&rsquo;s new general manager.
Brooklyn surprisingly drafted a kid named Caris LeVert at No. 20 overall in the draft that June, a pick acquired after trading Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers. Jeremy Lin and Trevor Booker were the big offseason signings, overshadowing lesser acquisitions at the time (like current longest-tenured Net Joe Harris). In December, the Nets controversially released Yogi Ferrell for Spencer Dinwiddie, whom Net fans didn&rsquo;t fully accept, especially after Ferrell showed up with the Dallas Mavericks <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMQq3lmMUBM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and had a 30-ball on national TV</a>.
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Caris LeVert just shattered Wayne Ellington's ankles <a href="https://t.co/P8hJv0JK9J">pic.twitter.com/P8hJv0JK9J</a>
&mdash; The Crossover (@TheCrossover) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCrossover/status/824440554029195264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2017</a></blockquote>

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And even though it was a miserable 20-62 first campaign, you saw flashes from a team devoid of talent and saddled by injuries. Brook Lopez <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2017/3/16/14943966/changing-course-how-kenny-atkinson-turned-brook-lopez-into-a-three-point-threat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became a three-point shooter</a>, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2017/4/21/15383034/rondae-on-playing-the-4-put-me-anywhere-ill-do-my-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went from a 2 to a 4</a>, Lin <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2017/3/17/14955954/the-difference-maker-jeremy-lin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was impactful in the 36 games he did play</a> (they only won 7 of the 46 games he didn&rsquo;t), and formally fringe guys like Harris and Dinwiddie appeared like they belonged, as did LeVert.&nbsp;
In 2017-18, they played even harder. And damn it, they had to. Lin ruptured his Achilles on opening night, never to play again for the Nets. Lopez turned into D&rsquo;Angelo Russell via trade, but he had arthroscopic knee surgery one month into the season, throwing off his rhythm. They again struggled with injuries, but more games were within reach.
Dinwiddie was a Most Improved Player candidate and kept hitting game-winners all season long. Hollis-Jefferson developed into a reliable, mid-range hitting (47.7% from 10-to-16 feet), two-way 4 with point-forward skills that his assist numbers will never do justice. LeVert remained healthy and showed high-level starter flashes.
Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll came from elsewhere, and bought in immediately while leading the team in minutes. A rookie and No. 22 overall pick named Jarrett Allen <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-the-nba-all-star-case-for-cavs-big-man-jarrett-allen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was just scratching the surface of what Atkinson saw as massive potential</a>. (He&rsquo;d probably still be in Brooklyn instead of DeAndre Jordan if Atkinson was. And if you don&rsquo;t believe that, look at who was starting at center before and after he was fired.)&nbsp;
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The Nets went 28-54 in the 2017-18 campaign, an eight-win improvement, and 15 of their losses came within 5 points or less.
The season following was when they shocked much of the NBA world.&nbsp;
Brooklyn had built a culture legitimately. They were, without their own first-round picks, manufacturing creative ways to add players who were viable and fit their desired mold. It included second-round castoffs like Dinwiddie and Harris, role players seen as salary dumps like Carroll and Crabbe and developing late first-rounders like Allen and Hollis-Jefferson. The organization found a new-home-needing future All-Star in Russell right before his ascent, surrounding youth with leadership in Jared Dudley and Ed Davis.
They hit all the right notes in 2018-19. There was a 14-win leap to 42-40, as the Nets <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2019/2/14/18224545/how-dangelo-russell-became-king-of-new-york-not-brooklyn-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">manufactured an All-Star in Russell</a>, &nbsp;a fringe one in Dinwiddie <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2018/10/30/18040128/what-is-pressure-to-spencer-dinwiddie">who made another massive jump</a> and a possible one in LeVert, who was at that level before breaking his leg early in the season. No. 6-seeded Brooklyn even won a fun Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers before losing in a mostly completive five-game series to Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
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Why Atkinson works with the Hornets is simple: What Michael Jordan&rsquo;s team needs more than anything else from within is someone who emphasizes ball movement, playing in space and excels in player development (in particular, with guards, though he was clearly influential on Allen too). Watch what Atkinson did with Russell, Dinwiddie, and LeVert; now, picture that man, after an additional year under Lue and Steve Kerr, being responsible for LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s ascent in Year 3 and beyond.
Elsewhere on the roster, it&rsquo;s tough to say because, realistically, Ball seems to be the only untouchable Hornet this summer. Though, Charlotte should probably keep Terry Rozier since that combination of shooting and playmaking in the backcourt is tailor-made for Atkinson, who navigated a labyrinth of young, coachable talent in Brooklyn.
If pending free agent Miles Bridges is also retained this summer, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/free-agency-2022/hornets-intention-is-to-keep-miles-bridges-long-term" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which is the plan</a>, then that&rsquo;s even better. James Bouknight, Kai Jones (a University of Texas alum like Allen), JT Thor and Jalen McDaniels are among the young talents who need harnessing. It makes Atkinson the perfect fit to lead the Hornets back into the playoffs, where they haven&rsquo;t been since 2016, even after making the Play-In Tournament in two straight seasons.&nbsp;
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Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball combine for 60 points in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> win! 🐝<a href="https://twitter.com/T_Rozzay3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@T_Rozzay3</a>: 32 PTS, 8 3PM, 2 STL<a href="https://twitter.com/MELOD1P?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELOD1P</a>: 28 PTS, 13 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/T3ldOUfAIH">pic.twitter.com/T3ldOUfAIH</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1463139199817818119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

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All in all, Atkinson has shown enough to prove he&rsquo;s the guy to establish a legitimate culture and will develop your team &mdash; if allowed to do so &mdash; into a hard-charging pain in the ass who we&rsquo;d expect to be competitive next season.
Is he the desired coach for your super-team? With the Nets, it didn&rsquo;t appear so, but we also weren&rsquo;t allowed to find out. (By the way, with all due respect, is Steve Nash that guy? Or was he just chosen by the stars on that team, for better or worse?)
Just cross that bridge if you get there, Charlotte.
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Bryan Fonseca praises Kenny Atkinson for building the Nets' culture and reasons that he'd be a fit with the Hornets because of it.

Kenny Atkinson coaching the Hornets would make so much sense

Through two weeks of the WNBA season, where does each team stack up and what are some prime takeaways?

WNBA Power Rankings 5/22

On Monday, Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown experienced arguably the craziest 24 hours of his 25-year coaching career.
The whirlwind of a day started that morning, when the Sacramento Kings announced that they were hiring Brown as their new head coach. Brown would continue coaching the Warriors throughout their postseason run, and then his four-year deal with the Kings would begin.
"Mike has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead winning teams throughout his long and successful coaching career," Kings general manager Monte McNair said in a press release. "He has worked with some of the best players in the NBA and is one of the league's premier defensive minds. I am excited to bring his extensive experience to Sacramento."
Previously, Brown coached the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; even winning the NBA&rsquo;s Coach of the Year award in 2009. However, after working as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr in recent years, this would be his first head-coaching gig since 2014.
While Brown was understandably excited about this new opportunity, he tried to focus on the task at hand: beating the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Warriors were up 2-1 in the series and Monday's game was pivotal.
Little did Brown know, he would be thrust back into a head-coaching role sooner than expected.
&ldquo;Steve called me on his way in at about 4:45, and said he just wasn't feeling well and there's a chance that he may not be able to coach tonight,&rdquo; Brown recalled. &ldquo;We've done this drill before, and so I said, &lsquo;Okay.&rsquo; He came in, got tested; I get a call back at 5:15 saying that he's out. So that's how I found out [I&rsquo;d be the head coach]."
That&rsquo;s not an easy transition to make moments before a game, and Brown admits that he felt nervous after receiving that call.
&ldquo;Obviously, there's butterflies because you're going into the game with a certain mindset and it's a big game,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Every game that we play at this point in the year, it's huge. So to have that kind of thrown at you, you've got to switch gears because I know what my responsibilities are going in as 'Mike Brown the assistant coach,' and it changes. Now, you have to manage everything and not necessarily manage the specific things that you were asked to do before gametime. So, I had to change hats quickly.&rdquo;
The atmosphere surrounding this playoff game was unique too, as Draymond Green was playing with a heavy heart. Earlier that afternoon, Green learned that his college teammate Adreian Payne had been shot and killed the night before in Orlando. Green and Payne played together for two seasons at Michigan State, and Green was devastated. (Green announced a $100,000 fund in Payne's name and called on other Spartan alumni to contribute as well).
&ldquo;I love Draymond and when he hurts, we all hurt,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;It was an up-and-down, emotional day.&rdquo;
Despite everything the Warriors were dealing with, they managed to beat the Grizzlies 101-98 to take a 3-1 lead in the series.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I'm so proud of them," Brown said. "Our leader in Steve being out with COVID right before the game. Draymond, emotionally, he's our emotional heart and soul, and for him to get hit with something that impactful, not only was it tough for him, but we felt it. We felt it as a group. It was a tough night for us. But at this point in the year, you win ball games. It doesn't matter how you get there, but you win ball games. We found a way to win tonight and that's why I'm excited.
&ldquo;When we went in the back, [Warriors assistant] Chris DeMarco says, &lsquo;Punch 42. Dive 52.&rsquo; I'm like, &lsquo;What are you talking about?&rsquo; He said, &lsquo;We just kept handing the ball off to the fullback left and right, and at the end of the game, we kicked a field goal to win it. Hell of a football game.&rsquo; And that's what it was. But that's playoff basketball. Sometimes it's grimy. Sometimes it's gritty. They turned it into that in Game 2 in Memphis and we lost. They turned it into that again tonight, especially with Ja [Morant] out, but our guys found a way."
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While Stephen Curry led the way with 32 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds, Brown credited the leadership of Green and Andre Iguodala, while also shouting out the rest of Golden State&rsquo;s coaching staff.
&ldquo;Andre, I know he's not playing but just his voice, his presence, he's always saying the right thing. It uplifts all of us; it uplifted me,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;I told him and Draymond, &lsquo;I need you guys tonight. I need you guys. I'm going to lean on you guys.&rsquo; And those guys stayed steady the whole game; Andre on the bench, obviously, and Draymond out on the floor.
&ldquo;To have veterans like Andre and Draymond who have been through the highs and lows of many playoffs series, when they are reassuring the guys of that, it gives everybody else confidence because we are playing guys right now who haven't been as far. Again, their presence, their voice, their calmness, their reassurance, all that stuff means a lot for our group, especially with Steve out&hellip; All of our guys &ndash; Kenny Atkinson, Bruce Fraser, Chris DeMarco, Jama [Mahlalela], [Dejan Milojevic], all of our coaches &ndash; were fantastic.&rdquo;
After the game, Curry and Klay Thompson raved about Brown and how well he did on such short notice. They both pointed out that Brown had thrived in this position before back in 2017, when Kerr missed a stretch due to back pain and Brown led the team to an 11-0 record.
&ldquo;It's been a wild day all the way around,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;You just had to kind of figure it out on the fly. And I understand we've been through this before &mdash; guys that were here in 2016-17, with Coach [Kerr] and his back problems back in the day when he was out of the lineup and still had an influence. Mike B. stepped up, so we really didn't have a lot of time to react&hellip; He's coached in Finals before, coached some high-powered teams, some big-market teams &ndash; he's been through it all. He&rsquo;s been with us for these last six years, and he's been interim coach for a little bit and made his presence felt, especially defensively leading us this year. He has a good presence about him, a great way about him.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Really happy for Mike B.,&rdquo; Thompson added. &ldquo;He's going to do great things for Sacramento. His head-coaching record for Warriors playoff games, I think, is undefeated. We did miss Steve a lot, just his voice, his presence. But we've been here before in 2017 when Mike took over and we rolled off a lot of wins. I reflected on that a lot. Just an up-and-down day as far as emotions&hellip; It was an emotional day. Prayers up to Adreian and his family and Draymond; I know they played together. Just a terrible loss of life and his legacy will live on. It was just a sad day.&rdquo;
Brown will once again coach the Warriors in Game 5 tonight &mdash; this time with significantly more heads up. And, in typical Kerr fashion, Brown praised his players and downplayed his role in the Game 4 win.
&ldquo;Any time you have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and a guy who if he wasn't hurt would have been Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green on the floor, you know good things can happen,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;If it's a one- or two-possession game down the stretch, whether you're down or up, you feel pretty confident. A lot of it has to do with the playoff experience that these guys have, but their talent and IQ, in my opinion, are second-to-none.&rdquo;
Brown will never forget the day that the Kings hired him, and he'll likely go down as an interesting trivia answer too.
"I don't know in history if [anyone else has been] named the head coach of two teams in 24 hours," Curry said with a laugh. &ldquo;He's continuing to set many trends!&rdquo;
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Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown experienced arguably the craziest 24 hours of his 25-year coaching career on Monday.

A crazy day: Mike Brown gets Kings' job, then fills in for Steve Kerr

Year 26 of the WNBA is finally here! There will be plenty of storylines to follow this year: Swan songs for long-time legends (Sylvia Fowles, Sue Bird), highly anticipated returns (Elena Delle Donne), new faces in new places (Tina Charles and Liz Cambage among others), and plenty of young stars looking to make leaps. It's a great time to get invested in the W if you haven't already.
Opening night was a doozy: four games featuring eight teams with wildly different expectations. Every game got my brain churning in some capacity, and the same can be said for my pal <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler</a>.
So, naturally, we decided to team up and share our takeaways from each game. Let's dig in!
INDIANA FEVER VS WASHINGTON MYSTICS
THE SCORE: 84-70 MYSTICS
THE STORY: MYSTICS' OFFENSE SCARY HOURS
This was a weird game to say the least, something that will likely be the norm for an extremely young Fever team that started three rookies and had five who played significant rotation minutes last night.
The youth was apparent, but so was the budding potential. NaLyssa Smith finished her first game in the pros with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double while showcasing the footwork, fluidity and athleticism that make her a remarkable prospect.
Destanni Henderson carved up the floor with passes, hitting cutters with ease and operating out of ball screens with the guile that made her a joy to watch at South Carolina.
Most importantly, seeing a healthy Elena Delle Donne back was just awesome. She's gone through an insane amount medically in the past few seasons, and to come in without a minutes restriction was great.
The 84 points scored by the Mystics last night undersells the brilliant flashes they put together offensively. While noting again that this Fever team is of course inexperienced, Washington put them through the ringer. They threw so many actions and looks at the wall in the first game that impressed, and it felt like a playoff gameplan at times. The second Crystal Dangerfield checked into the game, sets were called to run lead guard Natasha Cloud off screens or cuts to post the much smaller Dangerfield up and draw a foul or easy bucket.
Cloud saw the court extremely well last night, and her control of the offense and ability to shift east and west to find better angles to attack was impressive.&nbsp;
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For a roughly five-minute stretch in the second quarter, the Mystics went to Delle Donne at the 5 with Cloud, Ariel Atkins, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Tianna Hawkins. All five players can shoot, pass, handle and attack the floor. While it's not a look that the Mystics can fully embrace for large chunks of the game, the run they went on (outscoring Indiana by 8 in a 4:47 stretch, per InStat scouting) showed glimpses of a potent lineup.
With Delle Donne up screening this high and three shooters fanned out, Fever rookie big Queen Egbo has to play at the level. Cloud is capable of hitting a pull-up two against drop. Delle Donne is too good of a shooter from *checks notes* everywhere to give her any modicum of space. It's hard to draw help from any of the off-ball defenders given the personnel the Mystics are employing.
Washington went repeatedly to a 5-out look with this group. Space Delle Donne and use Hawkins as a popper off a pick for Cloud, as she can drive to the basket off a hard close. This is a stout group defensively as well! There's length and mobility. While they'd likely struggle against a true post, the offense feels like it could be so good that it can dictate matchups and opposing lineups.
This Mystics team has a chance to really pop, and it's great to see them whole again. - Mark
STRAY THOUGHTS
-&nbsp;I was a bit surprised by how straight-up the Fever defended the Mystics in this one. Pick-and-rolls were defended two-on-two, often allowing Delle Donne to pop into open space or, if the Fever executed a late switch, drivers to get one-on-ones against bigs. Delle Donne saw plenty of single coverage on post-ups, including a notable up-and-under against NyLyssa Smith. Bless her heart.&nbsp;
- On the pick-and-roll front, I'm curious to see how teams defend the Cloud-Delle Donne duo moving forward. Drop is a non-starter, and switches aren't ideal considering the scoring ability of both. Do you really want to give Delle Donne short-roll opportunities with traps? Good luck.
- The post-up bullying aside, it was nice to see Dangerfield scooting around out there. I'm still a little shellshocked by the Lynx waiving her, especially considering the struggles they had generating offense in their game against the Storm. - Nekias
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LOS ANGELES SPARKS VS CHICAGO SKY
THE SCORE: 98-91 (OT), SPARKS
THE STORY: DANA EVANS!!!!
The most competitive game of the evening was also a cagey affair! Both teams have new faces in prominent roles, and it was clear that both coaching staffs were trying to pinpoint these new areas early to test the waters of their personnel.
Chennedy Carter had great flashes as a scorer out of transition and in the halfcourt, but she was also on a very different rhythm than the rest of the team, which was to be expected in her first game in LA. Derek Fisher rode with Jordin Canada down the stretch, as she cut up the Sky in the halfcourt on drives and set up her teammates extremely well. They don't win the game without her shotmaking (and that call on the last shot).
Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike were both fantastic &mdash; Parker with her playmaking and defensive freneticism, Ogwumike with her aggression on offense and defense as well. It was great to see Nneka look this fluid and fully healthy.
The story of the game for me was backup guard Dana Evans. A member of the Sky's title team as a rookie last season, Evans shined bright, going for a career-high 24 points, easily surpassing her 14-point outing that paced her scoring last season.
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Evans toggled on and off the ball, which made her performance all the more impressive. She got to her pull-up and operated well as a ball-handler in pick-and-roll. She canned some deep threes, which opened up even more for her off the catch. She was great intiating sets and then relocating and making herself involved in play, which is essential playing alongside star players.
Evans was great drawing contact, finishing through it and making herself a weapon as a secondary scorer and advantage attacker last night, feasting off of initial plays in sets.&nbsp;
With Julie Allemand (part of the Diamond DeShields trade in the offseason) coming over from overseas to play soon, it'll be interesting to see how the backup guard rotation shapes up in Chicago. Allie Quigley was out last night and Kahleah Copper (who is also finishing up overseas play) is really the only true wing on the roster. As <a href="https://twitter.com/5outbasketball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Kilkelly</a> pointed out last night, we should expect a lot of 3-guard sets from the Sky this season. This was a special, special performance from Dana that perhaps signified even more reason for excitement this season. - Mark
STRAY THOUGHTS
-&nbsp;Consider me intrigued with Chicago's frontcourt. Starting big with Parker, newcomer Emma Meesseman, and Azura Stevens is sure to pose problems for everyone. That combination of size and ball skills can only be matched by... two other teams? Maybe three? To the three-guard point, I'm excited to see more of the Parker-Meesseman duo. They already showcased some high-low chemistry in the opener.
- How about Jordin Canada, Starting Point Guard? It's about darn time! She's been one of the W's best drivers and point-of-attack defenders for quite some time. Watching her direct the offense and call her own number down the stretch was pretty fun. I don't think she's a 21-and-8 player, but there's clearly more in the bag than she was able to show in Seattle.
- Chennedy Carter is playing basketball again! Her shot creation should pop in this bench role. One might say she'll provide a Spark. - Nekias
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LAS VEGAS ACES VS PHOENIX MERCURY
THE SCORE: 106-88, ACES
THE STORY: OFFENSIVE FREEDOM
Let's get the caveats out of the way early. It's one (1) game. The Mercury, in particular, were missing a ton of talent. There was no Brittney Griner (GET BRITTNEY HOME) as she's still detained in Russia. Brianna Turner, one of the best young frontcourt players in the W, is still playing overseas. The same is true for Diamond DeShields, one of the most athletic wings in the W. That's a pretty large chunk of the Mercury's defensive infrastructure missing.&nbsp;
With that said:&nbsp;whew, buddy, did the Aces put the ball in the basket.
Not only did they drop 106 points, a mark they eclipsed just twice last season, the way they went about it was encouraging.&nbsp;
With A'ja Wilson starting alongside Dearica Hamby, there was more space to operate with. The pace was pushed more frequently &mdash; they won the fastbreak points battle, 15-6 &mdash; and the tempo was up in the half-court. More pace and space means Wilson and Hamby getting busy as screeners or post hubs. Actions with an empty corner have a little more juice now.
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Ah, and then there were the threes.&nbsp;
The Aces were the league's most efficient offense last season, but did so in the most predictable, traditionalist way. They fed the block and brutalized opponents inside. This wasn't a team that shot threes often; their 13.5 attempts last season ranked last in the league by a pretty decent margin.&nbsp;
The tide seems to be turning for the group under new head coach Becky Hammon. They attempted 23 triples in their lone preseason game. They took 21 on Friday night, making 11 of them. It was, per the broadcast, the third time in&nbsp;franchise history&nbsp;that they made 11 or more threes in a game.&nbsp;
Between Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray bombing away from deep (hitting a combined 6-of-11 from three), and the complementary play styles (and general mobility) of Wilson and Hamby, it should come as no shock that Jackie Young (20 points on 8-of-10 shooting) was also&nbsp;able to shake loose.
Good freaking luck with this group. - Nekias
STRAY THOUGHTS
- I've already started the Kelsey Plum All-Star campaign, and Kelsey has done so accordingly with her play!
- I was so so impressed by Las Vegas' ball movement and connective passing. While it's important to note that the Mercury were pretty depleted heading into game one, the Aces exacerbated all the advantages they could find and make.
- Jackie Young!!! Entering her fourth season, I have really high expectations for who Jackie can be. With a new coach and system, I think Friday night was a glimpse of her bright spots from past years as well as how beneficial pacing and an even more spread floor benefits her game. She's so strong on her power-drives to the rim and such a fantastic mid-range shooter on a variety of self-created looks. Her defense on Diana Taurasi was extremely fun and effective as well, really sticking to her off the ball. - Mark
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SEATTLE STORM VS MINNESOTA LYNX
THE SCORE: 97-74, STORM
THE STORY: GABBY WILLIAMS IS BACK
It's been a tumultuous stretch from Gabby Williams, a UConn standout turned gap-filler for the Chicago Sky. She had her contract suspended for roster-spot reasons &mdash; you can get a breakdown of that ordeal <a href="https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-women-gabby-williams-explainer-20210508-20210507-gtqqe5sspjdrfncall7kpcxzm4-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> &mdash; and was then traded from the Sky to the Los Angeles Sparks before the 2021 season began.
She was traded again over the offseason, this time to the Seattle Storm for Katie Lou Samuelson and the pick (#9 overall) that became Rae Burrell.
We're only a game in, but this is already looking like one of the best moves of the offseason for the Storm.
Wiilliams can do just about everything but shoot from deep (as she's a career 24.8% from three), which bodes well for a Storm team as active as this one.&nbsp;
Offensively, she's able to get the machine churning with her passing ability. Whether it's making entry passes, making kicks off the dribble or running the occasional ball screen, Williams can find her teammates. Off the ball, she's a willing screener and heady cutter. You can't really afford to "gap" her because she'll make herself &mdash; or a teammate &mdash; a threat.
The real appeal comes on the other end. Williams is a true multi-positional defender. She has the mobility to slide with guards, can deal with virutally any wing you throw at her, and is pesky enough to bother bigger players as well. Watching her slither across screens and mirror ball-handlers is a joy.&nbsp;
For people who aren't familiar or needed the reminder of what she can do defensively, look no further than her work in the second quarter of this game. These are just&nbsp;three&nbsp;examples of her versatility.
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You get it all here. Active hands, timely rotations off the ball, switchability, contesting without fouling. She's a beast. - Nekias
STRAY THOUGHTS
- I'm super intrigued by who Jessica Shepard could be for this team. Her shot was there and she looked confident in it. She displayed some really fun and tantalizing ball skills and court vision as a DHO operator and high-post playmaker. With the Lynx this depleted to start the season, they'll need as much as she can offer as well.
- The Storm miss Mercedes Russell's post presence without a doubt, as Sylvia Fowles bodied them early (a norm for W frontcourt players the past decade-and-a-half). Yet, their ability to rotate backline and flash recovery skills and communicate as a defense throughout the game was impressive. Williams and Briann January bring extra pop at the point of attack and this team shows real capability early to be a more stout defense. - Mark
<a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler contributed to this article.</a>
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Nekias Duncan and Mark Schindler team up to give their observations from the opening night of the 2022 WNBA season.

2022 WNBA season: Thoughts from each opening-night game

Kenny Atkinson always saw more in Jarrett Allen.
When Allen, drafted No. 22 overall by the Brooklyn Nets in 2017, hit a rookie wall the following March, the then-head coach of the Nets (and now Golden State Warriors assistant) pivoted to <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2018/3/29/17174070/whatever-the-plan-is-jarrett-allens-at-the-center-of-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying the near 7-footer&rsquo;s struggles will make him a better player</a>. When the towering Texan would show just a hint of touch in games and practices, Atkinson would tell us that he&rsquo;d hope Allen would <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1103428843317182469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expand his range to hit corner threes</a>. And while the Cleveland Cavaliers' center still hasn&rsquo;t quite adopted that, he hasn&rsquo;t needed to. He has a shot at being one of the league&rsquo;s only first-time All-Stars in 2021.
(Maybe now you&rsquo;re seeing why <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2879918-nets-deandre-jordan-denies-bulls-t-reports-after-kenny-atkinson-firing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people thought it was funky</a> that Allen was sent to the bench for DeAndre Jordan immediately after Atkinson and the Nets parted ways.)&nbsp;
But enough bringing up old sh**, for now.&nbsp;
Prior to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bam-adebayo-suffered-torn-ucl-in-thumb-monday-will-undergo-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suffering a torn UCL last week</a>, Bam Adebayo was likely going to add the second All-Star bid of his career while manning the frontline of the Miami Heat, a team many deem as an NBA contender on some level. With Adebayo out for an undetermined amount of time &mdash; it&rsquo;ll be several weeks, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOytII_2m_8&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to 5 Reasons Sports</a> &mdash; he's likely knocked out of All-Star contention. In turn, that opens the door for other frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference, and in the spirit of showing centers the respect they deserve, why not Allen?
Since Collin Sexton &mdash; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/cavaliers-g-sexton-done-for-season-following-knee-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who's out with a torn meniscus for the rest of the season</a> &mdash; last played, the Cavaliers have gone 7-8, but still sit at 14-12 and would be a play-in team if the season ended today.
This season, Darius Garland&rsquo;s been All-Star worthy, and is now at 19.5 points and 7.2 assists per game on 47/39/89 shooting splits. Since Sexton went down, he&rsquo;s up to 21.9 points, and 7.0 assists on 47/37/90 shooting splits. But he&rsquo;s also a guard in the same conference as Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Bradley Beal, Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, Fred VanVleet, James Harden and &mdash; if counted as a guard instead of a forward, albeit unlikely &mdash; Jimmy Butler. (Shouts to Tyler Herro and Malcolm Brogdon as longshot possibilities, perhaps?)
Evan Mobley is the Rookie of the Year frontrunner, but at 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game, and 2.0 blocks per game on 48/33/79 shooting, he&rsquo;s a step or two away from the All-Star game. But Allen is not only cashing in on Atkinson&rsquo;s prior <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/forget-the-old-school-afro-nets-have-found-their-modern-center-in-rookie-jarrett-allen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beliefs in him as a franchise big man</a>; he just flat out has been one of the best centers in the league this season. (It also helps that, regarding All-Star voting, the frontcourt competition isn&rsquo;t as steep. We&rsquo;ll get to that momentarily, and, in part, it's why this case is being presented.)
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Allen is averaging 17.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game &mdash; the first two figures stand as career-high counting stats, as does his 70.4% shooting from the field. The Fro&rsquo;s 18.4 points per 36 minutes are easily the best of his career, and he currently leads the Cavs (by far) in Offensive Rating (129) and Defensive Rating (102) among qualified players. His 4.1 Box Plus-Minus, 1.2 VORP and .240 win shares per 48 minutes also lead the Cavaliers, the latter two by a safe distance. Furthermore, he&rsquo;s only doing this with an 18.4% usage rate, which is in the middle of the pack on the team. For reference, other bigs on the squad like Kevin Love (23.7%), Lauri Markkanen (19.5%), and Evan Mobley (19.0%) have a higher usage.&nbsp;
And lastly, his True Shooting percentage is at a ridiculously-high 71.7%. His commitment to efficient shooting this season has been as persistent as the will to keep his afro perfectly round. (Remember, this is a man who has <a href="https://twitter.com/bryanfonsecany/status/1035231134957928450?lang=bg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken kids to get haircuts</a> while never even thinking about giving braids a chance.)&nbsp;
By some metrics people care about &mdash; and y&rsquo;all know a lot of them are not created equal &mdash; Allen is excelling beyond what many may have anticipated so far this season from a team standpoint. Here&rsquo;s how some of these numbers stack up around the NBA per Basketball-Reference:
<ul>
<li>70.4% field goal percentage &mdash; 3rd</li>
<li>71.7% True Shooting percentage (qualified players) &mdash; 3rd&nbsp;</li>
<li>11.3 rebounds per game &mdash; Tied for 7th</li>
<li>18.4% rebound percentage &mdash; Tied for 12th</li>
<li>.240 win shares per 48 minutes &mdash; 7th overall /4th among centers</li>
<li>1.2 VORP &mdash; tied for 12th overall /6th among centers</li>
<li>23.8 PER &mdash; 12th overall /6th among centers &nbsp;</li>
<li>4.1 BPM &mdash; tied for 12th overall /7th among centers</li>
<li>102.0 DRTG &mdash; tied for 3rd among centers</li>
<li>18.4% usage rate &mdash; Tied for 121st</li>
</ul>
(He&rsquo;s also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_shooting.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second in dunks</a> with 77 &mdash; so put him in the contest!)
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When you comb through the numbers, Allen is popping up around All-Star-caliber centers such as Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokić, and Anthony Davis, among others, and those three are out west. When you watch Allen, he&rsquo;s constantly adjusting, opposing shots at the rim and seemingly always in the right spots. He is finding useful ways to play to his strengths, coloring within the lines as well as anyone on a fun Cavs roster.
Regarding his competition in the Eastern Conference frontcourt, it will be forward-heavy. Names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler (again, assuming he&rsquo;s a forward, which is likely) and DeMar DeRozan are shoo-ins, health prevailing. Though he hasn&rsquo;t been awesome, Jayson Tatum will likely 24-foot fadeaway himself into All-Star Weekend as well, *just* beating out the shot clock every single time.
The bubble Allen resides in includes guys like Miles Bridges, Julius Randle, Domantas Sabonis, John Collins and Jerami Grant. Along with numbers, this will also clearly be influenced by injuries, unfortunately. (Additionally, it serves as the case for 15-man All-Star teams, but we can discuss that closer to February.)
Allen&rsquo;s come a long way from fighting for minutes amongst a frontcourt including Timofey Mozgov, Tyler Zeller and current-free-agent Jahlil Okafor, that&rsquo;s for sure. (Good call by Atkinson, by the way... let&rsquo;s hope he doesn&rsquo;t settle for the Sacramento Kings.)
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Bryan Fonseca presents the case for Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen as an NBA All-Star among his peers.

Making the NBA All-Star case for Cavs big man Jarrett Allen

Ethan Fuller breaks down the general direction of all 30 NBA teams in his weekly Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: New Year, New Problems

When a team hits the reset button, there is no singular goal.&nbsp;
The obvious focal point is development, as their young talent gains invaluable experience on the floor against legitimate professional competition and an unfamiliar roster jells with one another. Wins are few and far between usually because of it, which means it&rsquo;ll more-than-likely take a bit of time to build winning habits back up and get back into (or stay in) the postseason hunt.&nbsp;
Unlike many teams after moving on from (multiple) star players, the Los Angeles Clippers didn&rsquo;t really have to go through a rebuild; the franchise simply retooled. First, in the summer of 2017, they shockingly traded Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets for seven players, including Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Beverley. Then, they brought in Danilo Gallinari from the Denver Nuggets. Finally, before the following season&rsquo;s trade deadline, LA dealt Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons for Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and Avery Bradley.
Just like that, Lob City was out and a new breed was in. Under the same coaching staff led by Doc Rivers, 2017-18 and 2018-19 saw perhaps the most enjoyable year-and-a-half of Clipper basketball than we&rsquo;d seen in quite some time. Guys were just on the same page. Williams enjoyed All-Star-caliber efforts as the league&rsquo;s best sixth man. Harris and Gallinari put together the best scoring campaigns of their respective careers. Harrell broke out as a ferocious competitor who only needed an opportunity, and Beverley set the tone as far as the culture. Not to mention, they had a then-blossoming rookie in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who was impressing in all facets with his mature skill set. It was all clicking.
But with a star-studded free-agent class then on their minds, the Clippers began to change things around in the middle of that 2018-19 season. Tobias Harris was in a contract year and expected to be paid for the best year of his career (did he EVER), so the team traded him, Marjanovic and Mike Scott to the Philadelphia 76ers for Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler and Mike Muscala.&nbsp;
That would be the first of many dominoes to fall in LA. With plenty of roster room and cap space, Jerry West and Lawrence Frank went to work by signing reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and acquiring an All-Star in Paul George to pair with him. They had to part ways with Gilgeous-Alexander, Gallinari and an unheard-of amount of first-rounders to acquire George (and land the package deal), completely mortgaging any kind of future they had; but to their credit, the job got done to give Steve Ballmer&rsquo;s ball club a win-now, championship roster&hellip; on paper.
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Pick things up on Dec. 3, 2020 -- that joyous, tight-knit Clipper group seems like a distant memory. The team parted ways with Rivers and will continue his career in Philadelphia, while his lead assistant and 2016 NBA champion head coach Tyronn Lue will take over the reins of a reportedly divided bunch. Harrell hopped to the other locker room and will play at Staples Center in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. JaMychal Green jumped at the opportunity to sign with the Denver Nuggets, who stormed back from a 3-1 playoff deficit to defeat the Clippers just a few months ago, citing that their heart made it an easy decision to choose them over his former team. The Athletic&rsquo;s Jovan Buha wrote<a href="https://theathletic.com/2222210/2020/12/02/kawhi-clippers-chemistry-nba-title/?source=user-shared-article&amp;redirected=1"> an article</a> about how the Clippers&rsquo; culture eroded due to preferential treatment that Leonard and George received (such as letting them determine the practice schedule and when to sit out games, giving them personal security and trainers, etc.).
It all seems like a mess in Clipperland right now, and by no means is the story over with; Year 1 rarely goes swimmingly when a team of stars links up for the first time, and I firmly believe they&rsquo;re going to be better this upcoming year. However, when considering what happened to the Clippers, is it possible we could see a similar situation arise with the Brooklyn Nets?
Hear me out.&nbsp;
We all know how awful it got for the Nets after the early 2010s. Aside from late-round firsts and seconds they would acquire later, there was no path to a rebuild once the post-Boston Celtics holdover era was over because every draft pick was essentially out of the picture. It was damn near impossible for the Nets to not only bring in NBA talent, but also develop their own since there wasn&rsquo;t a whole lot of promise outside of Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams (Lopez lasted the longest and was gone after the 2016-17 campaign). For a significant period of time, Brooklyn&rsquo;s roster was filled with journeymen, cast-offs and undrafted young guys. They simply had no chance.
Until head coach Kenny Atkinson came along.&nbsp;
Then-newly-acting general manager Sean Marks found a way to bring in some fresh faces without draft capital to help Atkinson as much as he could in the 2016 offseason.
In exchange for Thaddeus Young, Brooklyn got a rookie Caris LeVert back from the Indiana Pacers. The franchise took a shot by signing Joe Harris (who had played just 56 total games) to a multi-year contract. Trevor Booker was a well-respected veteran who brought toughness to the locker room. In December of that season, the Nets brought in a recently-waived Spencer Dinwiddie, who hadn&rsquo;t been able to stick with the Detroit Pistons or Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
That set the foundation for the next offseason, when they traded for D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov on draft night, ending Lopez&rsquo;s career in Brooklyn and sending Kyle Kuzma with him to the Los Angeles Lakers; the team also selected Jarrett Allen at No. 22 in 2017 with a pick that used to belong to the Washington Wizards. DeMarre Carroll was acquired from the Toronto Raptors to provide leadership and a steady presence on both ends of the floor; Allen Crabbe came aboard via a separate trade with the Portland Trail Blazers soon after.&nbsp;
Regardless of the talent on the roster, Atkinson always got the most out of his squad. While you can look at the Nets&rsquo; record over his first two seasons with a perplexed expression as much as you want to (48-116), those players bought into what he was selling. They were playing hard, they were playing tough and they were playing together.
Like the Clippers, maybe the most fun seasons we saw in Brooklyn happened almost organically in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Russell ascended to All-Star heights and consistently ignited Barclays Center, firing off clutch shot after clutch shot and taking a major step with his vision. Harris took a massive leap, becoming the NBA&rsquo;s top three-point shooter in the second year of his contract. Dinwiddie exploded onto the scene with his aggressiveness as the Nets&rsquo; second-highest scorer. LeVert showed us flashes of brilliance before (and after) his foot was dislocated. Allen wowed the world with his hops and refusal to let the opposition score in the paint. Treveon Graham earned playing time with his hustle and commitment on the defensive end of the floor. Unsung heroes like Carroll, Crabbe, Shabazz Napier, Ed Davis and Jared Dudley (acquired from the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2018) really set a great example for the team to follow. Brooklyn made it to the postseason that second year, which was the culmination of a long road back.
When I thought of the Nets, I didn&rsquo;t think of a team that tanked its way back to relevancy; I thought of a team that kept digging itself out of a never-ending hole and refused to falter -- regardless of the position it was originally left in. But things changed in the blink of an eye when the 2019 offseason came about.
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With the team environment and outlook revamped -- and plenty of cap space to boot -- Brooklyn struck gold, landing Kyrie Irving as a free agent and Kevin Durant in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors (Russell, Napier and Graham went back in the deal). They added DeAndre Jordan as well. They also acquired Taurean Prince from the Atlanta Hawks for Crabbe and then-rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker (who was flipped to the New Orleans Pelicans). In came more veterans at small prices afterward: Wilson Chandler, Garrett Temple, Lance Thomas and Iman Shumpert a few weeks into the season.
The team at its core was completely altered, unarguably for the better from a talent standpoint -- however, a far cry from what Atkinson was used to and a whole lot more pressure, despite Durant&rsquo;s Achilles injury keeping him out for all of last season. He still had Irving (albeit a banged up one) who only played 20 games in his debut campaign with the Nets. But true to his nature, Atkinson trudged along with the newer pieces, trying to make it work; it just didn&rsquo;t. On March 7, Marks announced that Atkinson had mutually agreed to part ways with the team.&nbsp;
Now, on Dec. 3, the Nets have brand-new leadership in the building. Steve Nash, a respected Hall-of-Fame player and basketball mind, is going to take hold of a roster full of high expectations. He&rsquo;ll have his former Suns coach Mike D&rsquo;Antoni and teammate Amar&rsquo;e Stoudemire with him to help the transition, as well as long-time NBA assistants Ime Udoka and Jacque Vaughn (who coached the team at the end of last season).
With a recovered Durant and a fresh Irving, there shouldn&rsquo;t be any major issues with the roster; it&rsquo;s literally built to win. For all intents and purposes, this Brooklyn team has a good mix of veteran specialists and up-and-coming players and big-named staff&hellip; on paper. We get so excited about these colossal transactions because it&rsquo;s like a video game, where you can pair up your favorite superstars with each other and stack a bunch of 90-overall guys. It works in a simulation scenario every time, but in reality you have to factor in chemistry and personal relationships, and that takes a while to establish. This isn&rsquo;t to say it can&rsquo;t work (look what the new-look L.A. Lakers and Miami Heat were able to do in Year 1 last season); this very well could be the next great team in the league in due time. But the Nets should take heed because those Clippers were in almost this same exact spot last year.
Which brings me to my point: I know you&rsquo;re supposed to cash-in on assets and young guys can only get you so far in this league. You&rsquo;re in this business to win championships and put fans in the stands. It&rsquo;s run by stars who make the show worthwhile on the court. With that, though, comes sacrifice, right or wrong; it can range anywhere from accepting lesser roles to destroying what you built to get there to handling stars who want preferential treatment.
Should Jarrett Allen be coming off the bench for DeAndre Jordan? All due respect to DJ, who&rsquo;s paid his dues, but no -- not at the expense of an athletic, developing big man who could start for literally any team in this league. But Allen knows what&rsquo;s coming because of where the team is at now.
You&rsquo;re probably thinking, &ldquo;Who cares how Allen feels? He&rsquo;s not a star,&rdquo; and you&rsquo;re correct with the second statement.&nbsp;
My gripe is with the first question, one that most franchises forget to ask when they enter the spotlight with their big acquisitions -- leaving behind the players who got them there.

The Clippers' culture attracted Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to LA but their arrival ultimately changed things. The Nets should take heed.

The Nets should tread carefully, learn from Clippers’ mistakes

The day before the Nets parted ways with Kenny Atkinson, he told The Post he planned to play Kevin Durant everywhere on the floor, from point guard to center. Now, new coach Steve Nash is saying the exact same thing.
&ldquo;Kevin, with his length, is a matchup problem for everyone,&rdquo; said Nash. &ldquo;[Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s] excellent off the ball. Kevin can play all five positions, and I plan to use him in all five positions. I get excited to use some of the guys on the roster: Caris [LeVert], [DeAndre Jordan], Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris.&rdquo;
Source: <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/09/17/theres-no-position-that-steve-nash-wont-play-kevin-durant-at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Lewis of the New York Post </a>
ANALYSIS: New Brooklyn Nets head coach, Steve Nash, plans to use all-star forward Kevin Durant at all five positions next season and going forward. With Durant's length he is an obvious match-up nightmare for anyone he faces against and Nash plans to take advantage of that.
This means we could end up seeing KD play some point guard next season which would alleviate some pressure off of Kyrie Irving and allow him to get into an offensive groove. Regardless of what Nash decides to do, the Brooklyn Nets future looks very promising as all eyes will be on the Nets next year. 
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New Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash said he is willing to play Kevin Durant at point guard during the season and plans to use him at all five positions.