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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed rookie Craig Porter Jr. to a four-year contract, <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1757562084483637309?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as reported by ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.&nbsp;</a>
Porter, an undrafted guard out of Wichita State, has been instrumental for the Cavs this season by filling in for then-injured point guard Darius Garland. He averaged 11.4 points, 7.4 assists, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals in five games as a starter.
Porter recently opened up to our Alex Kennedy about his fantastic rookie campaign.
&ldquo;I am very surprised, because coming in on a two-way [contract] and spending training camp with everybody healthy, you don't necessarily think that four or five people are gonna get hurt and that's gonna be your first opportunity within the first two or three weeks of your first season,&rdquo; Porter told Basketball News. &ldquo;Even to not play in the G League was kind of crazy to me &ndash; it was just so fast-paced and it just caught me off guard. I didn't think it was gonna be an opportunity that fast, but I figured it would be at some point.
&ldquo;Once the first one [opportunity] came, I started playing well and I felt like I was ready. And then a couple of games later, I started some games and then I started earning more and more trust from everybody. Then, it was just like, 'Okay, I know I'm with the Cavs full-time now.'"
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Running Up The Score starts NOW! Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Craig Porter joins me to discuss: 🏀 Terrific rookie season 🏀 Toughest player he&rsquo;s guarded 🏀 Studying Rajon Rondo 🏀 Support from Cavs fans 🏀 What he learned in JUCO WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/XjqLmh6hBI">https://t.co/XjqLmh6hBI</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1750292459941171445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Porter will now be part of the Cavaliers for the foreseeable future after getting his two-way contract converted to a four-year standard deal due to his solid play. The 6-foot-2 point guard is averaging 6.5 points, 2.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds on 50/33/70 shooting splits in 32 games this season.
&ldquo;I did five years in college, so I feel like I just have been put in every situation that can prepare me to be a pro," Porter said. "I&rsquo;ve played the role of being just a role player, being just a defender, somebody who just sits in the corner&hellip; I'm just prepared for any role that I'm put in. I feel like nothing&rsquo;s too big for me to handle. Any situation I've been put in so far, I&rsquo;ve proven that I can just handle it and my maturity&rsquo;s probably the biggest thing that stuck out during all that."

The Cleveland Cavaliers have converted rookie Craig Porter Jr.'s two-way deal into a four-year contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Craig Porter Jr. to four-year contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the midst of an impressive season, boasting the fourth-best record (26-16) in the Eastern Conference after winning eight of their last nine games. 
Rookie Craig Porter Jr. has been a key contributor and one of the pleasant surprises of the 2023-24 season. Despite going undrafted, Porter has surprisingly emerged as a standout player. After starting point guard Darius Garland went down with an injury, Porter stepped up. In five games as a starter, he averaged 11.4 points, 7.4 assists, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals. 
In an interview with Alex Kennedy on the show &ldquo;Running Up The Score,&rdquo; Porter talked about his early success in the NBA and how he&rsquo;s surprised even himself with the way he&rsquo;s started his career.
&ldquo;I mean it's been very fast-paced," Porter said. "With all the injuries we&rsquo;ve had so far this season, I&rsquo;ve been pushed to play pretty early. So, the learning process has just been the same as the playing process, as soon as I got put in, I was learning everything and it was all new, but it has been an amazing journey so far.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The 6-foot-2 point guard is the only rookie averaging at least 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists as a starter this season.
&ldquo;I am very surprised, because coming in on a two-way [contract] and spending training camp with everybody healthy, you don't necessarily think that four or five people are gonna get hurt and that's gonna be your first opportunity within the first two or three weeks of your first season,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;Even to not play in the G League was kind of crazy to me &ndash; it was just so fast-paced and it just caught me off guard. I didn't think it was gonna be an opportunity that fast, but I figured it would be at some point.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Running Up The Score starts NOW! Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Craig Porter joins me to discuss: 🏀 Terrific rookie season 🏀 Toughest player he&rsquo;s guarded 🏀 Studying Rajon Rondo 🏀 Support from Cavs fans 🏀 What he learned in JUCO WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/XjqLmh6hBI">https://t.co/XjqLmh6hBI</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1750292459941171445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Success in the NBA often comes down to opportunities and a player's situation. When Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff texted Porter that he would be moving into the starting lineup, Porter initially thought he was joking. However, he quickly realized his coach was serious and began to prepare. He knew he had to make the most of the opportunity, and that's what exactly what he's done.
&ldquo;Once the first one [opportunity] came, I started playing well and I felt like I was ready. And then a couple of games later, I started some games and then I started earning more and more trust from everybody," Porter explained. "Then, it was just like, 'Okay, I know I'm with the Cavs full-time now.'"
When it comes to Porter's transition to the NBA, the 82-game schedule has been the toughest part.
&ldquo;[The schedule] is different, for sure. We&rsquo;re probably halfway through the year now and, I mean, it's just ridiculous. I didn't realize how many games you really play each week," Porter said. "It's taking some adjusting, but I just feel like once I figured out my routine, it kind of made everything a lot easier. And the [travel] is fun, you get to go see all these cities. It's crazy to think what basketball can do for you."
The 23-year-old out of Wichita State credited his age and maturity for helping him adjust to the NBA. Unlike a one-and-done rookie who came into the league at a young age, Porter believes his college experience has done wonders for him in terms of knowing his role on the team.
&ldquo;I did five years in college, so I feel like I just have been put in every situation that can prepare me to be a pro," Porter said. "I&rsquo;ve played the role of being just a role player, being just a defender, somebody who just sits in the corner&hellip; I'm just prepared for any role that I'm put in. I feel like nothing&rsquo;s too big for me to handle. Any situation I've been put in so far, I&rsquo;ve proven that I can just handle it and my maturity&rsquo;s probably the biggest thing that stuck out during all that."
Due to his solid play, Porter has been mentioned as a potential selection for the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend in February &mdash; a distinction given to the top rookies in the league. He shared what it would mean to him if he was selected.
&ldquo;It would mean the world (getting selected) not because I'm undrafted, but because of the journey that I've gone through. Even just the things I've done this season, I mean, if anybody deserves it, I feel like I do, for sure. But I'm not gonna be mad at it because I just wanna win at the end of the day. I would take winning over anything, obviously. But those personal goals of mine are getting into these things. I'm just gonna keep being me and playing the way I do.
"But obviously, yes, I would love to be in that stuff,&rdquo; Porter said with a big smile.

Craig Porter Jr. has been a key contributor for the Cleveland Cavaliers and one of the pleasant surprises of the 2023-24 season.

Cavs’ Craig Porter Jr. exceeding expectations, earning Rising-Stars buzz

This article was originally published on BasketballNews on July 20, 2022.
Impact Basketball's facility sits inside an unassuming section of an unassuming plaza on Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas.
The gym contains two light-colored hardwood basketball courts with a small scoreboard, a weightlifting area, a makeshift stretching room, a kitchenette for meals and snacks and a small office. It's no place for vanities. The only flexes are the dozens of white banners hanging on the right wall, listing names upon names of distinguished players who have come through during the gym's 25 years of existence.
Among those players: Kevin Garnett, Kawhi Leonard, Chauncey Billups, Kyle Lowry, Kelsey Plum, Tayshaun Prince, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Haliburton, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Al Harrington, Kristaps Porzingis, Nassir Little, Saddiq Bey and Ziaire Williams.&nbsp;
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Kevin Garnett stopped by <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a> and offered some advice to Blazers guard Keon Johnson, Mavericks wing Josh Green and 16-year-old prospect Dayan Nessah.<a href="https://twitter.com/Joe_Abunassar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Joe_Abunassar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinGarnett5KG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KevinGarnett5KG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/iamkeonjohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamkeonjohnson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshBGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshBGreen</a> <a href="https://t.co/fwRjAM2WHJ">pic.twitter.com/fwRjAM2WHJ</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1548046089877524482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Impact Basketball, founded by trainer Joe Abunassar in 1997, has a reputation for its star-studded, closed-door pickup games that take place during the NBA offseason. In the spring, it's also where some of the top NBA Draft hopefuls join Abunassar's pre-draft "boot camp" and commit themselves to an intricate world of sports training and nutrition.
The timeline is simple: arrive by April, revamp your training lifestyle and find your professional pathway &mdash; either via the NBA Draft, an undrafted free-agent deal or another contract &mdash; afterwards. The work is not flashy, isn't always fun and, if you want to stick as a pro, never ends.
But the results can change lives.
"It's not about W's or L's, it's about M's &mdash; M's being millions of dollars," said Isaac Mourier, Impact's Director of Performance Nutrition and Sport Science. "Once you say that to a guy like that, that's all they need in terms of motivation."
Mourier is a key cog in Impact's program. He's from the United Kingdom and played professional basketball in England and Germany before starting his own sports nutrition consulting business. Mourier has worked for the University of Georgia and Sacramento Kings as a nutritionist and consultant, and joined Impact in 2020 during the spring.
During his two-and-a-half years and three draft cycles with the company, Mourier has filled his laptop with infographics and progress charts for Impact athletes. They include individualized goals for each player; an example involves raising one prospect's weight by 20 pounds, lowering his body fat by 2%, increasing his bench press weight by 50 pounds and adding two inches to his vertical.
Mourier feels privileged to work with athletes at this stage of their careers. To him, the noise of team ecosystems and outside expectations all fade away. He can clearly define goals, and players know exactly what success will look like.
"This is the first time, maybe ever in their life, where they have a team of people that are only worried about them," he said. "Now, I'm just trying to get you to the NBA and keep you there. I don't care whether you win or lose games right now. This is you. All the focus is on you."
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Boot camp begins as soon as players are done with their respective prior seasons. They arrive at Impact and take part in comprehensive body testing to establish a full physical profile. The technology includes a bioelectrical impedence analysis that uses electrical currents to scan body composition. Sweat patches can read how much sodium athletes need in their system.
Variables such as blood work, stress hormone levels, nutrient deficienies, pre-workout hydration levels and post-workout hydration levels, body composition and body fat percentages all help establish a baseline of strengths and needs.
From there, each prospect receives an individualized growth roadmap. Skill development makes up one component. Players often train together in small groups, but they receive specific plans that prepare them for team pre-draft workouts and the NBA level.
"We're looking and analyzing and making assessments on the court; if guys are getting bumped off their cuts, if guys don't have enough lower-body power in their jump shot and guys seem like they need to get stronger, if guys aren't fast enough, [we'll consider], 'Okay, what do we need to do in the weight room or from a nutrition standpoint to correct that?'" Abunassar told Basketball News. "So, that's why every guy has his own program, because every guy has different goals."
Hydration and dieting are also central pieces. Mourier oversees the implementation of dietary plans through Impact's local chef connections, and says he outlines each meal, snack and supplement. Along the way are regular check-ins on body metrics, sleep schedules, mood and motivation among other factors. Mourier estimated that about 20-to-25 Impact staffers are involved with a player's development.&nbsp;
But Mourier repeatedly emphasized that the technology, food and workouts aren't what takes players to the Association. One of his most important jobs is reframing their habits and instilling discipline toward health.
"When an athlete gets to the elite level with bad habits, it's, 'Well, I'm already one of the best in the world at what I do, so why would I change?' So it's changing that mindset, and then when we've done that, it's about understanding that doing small things consistently is what gets us the results, as opposed to trying to do extreme things," Mourier said.
"The way that the structure of basketball [is] from AAU to college to the pros, a lot of the power is in the athlete's hands, where it's almost like, 'Who are you to tell me what to do?' So I think one of the main things that we have to do is cut through that barrier. And again, when our goals are the same as theirs, it becomes a little bit easier. But again, it's, 'Well, you've gotten to this level despite your bad habits. How good could you be if we instill some good habits?'"
Good habits, however, can be inconvenient and awkward. For NBA players to maintain their places in the league, they have to stick with those routines well past a pre-draft boot camp.
Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green joined Impact's program ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft cycle. He's still entrenched with Impact today, and has been working out in Las Vegas this offseason. Part of his nutrition plan includes avoiding butter, which can be a particular hurdle when eating out at restaurants.
"I have to be the guy who requests light virgin oil, whatever it is," Green told Basketball News. "I think that's the hardest part about it. I'm about to go to Australia for three weeks, and all I'm gonna want to do is eat all the food, but I'm gonna have to stay disciplined. I want to have a big year, so my goal is focusing right now, but just taking it one day at a time."
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👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshBGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshBGreen</a> <a href="https://t.co/pX0fkZzCBZ">pic.twitter.com/pX0fkZzCBZ</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547655829431525383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Green said he started prioritizing nutrition after his second shoulder surgery in April 2019. Since joining Impact, Green has been floored by how much nourishment the human body loses during workouts. He has an app that lays out meal calories and hydration plans, and his goal this offseason is to skip carbohydrates, even from snacks like a simple bag of chips.
"When you're young, whatever you see in front of you is what you want," Green said. "I [was] able to start here early and realize, if I want to play ball for a while, it's important to put the right things in my body and stay healthy. It's the same thing as seeing your physical therapist and getting treatment, if not more important for your body."
Abunassar has a plethora of stories about players who embraced the importance of nutrition at the pro level. Garnett has talked about taping his meal-plan menus on the cabinets of his Minnesota home.&nbsp; Lowry, Haliburton and Serge Ibaka are examples of guys who transformed their bodies under Impact's guidance too.
Gym time and workouts are obviously valuable, but to Abunassar, nutrition is what sparks physical development.
"The nutrition is really the basis of body change &mdash; for anybody, not even just for a basketball player," Abunassar said. "You can go to the gym every day, but if you're eating cheeseburgers and fries, you're just not going to lose weight."
Mourier has his own trail of success stories. He's worked with dozens of players, including Haliburton and Green. Zeke Nnaji, another 2020 draftee, was an especially interesting case as the only plant-based-dieting prospect Mourier has guided at Impact.
Mourier does not advise athletes to follow a plant-based diet solely for performance. However, Nnaji had chosen to be a vegan for ethical reasons, which Mourier respected, and the two worked together to create a nutrition plan despite the constraints. One of Nnaji's pre-draft goals was to add muscle, and he succeeded with rigorous attention to detail.
"He gained 20 pounds and everyone was like, 'Who the hell is this?'" Mourier said. "So that was really good, just being tactful with the timing and quantities of that stuff. And [Nnaji] was really diligent with it. He nailed every single aspect of it down to the gram... He was a really easy one. I really can't take credit for all that stuff. I just put the blueprint down and he just rolled with it."
This year, Impact has worked with several 2022 draft prospects, including MarJon Beauchamp, Blake Wesley and Michael Foster Jr. among others.&nbsp;
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San Antonio Spurs rookie Blake Wesley (<a href="https://twitter.com/blakewesley0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@blakewesley0</a>) working out at <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a>: <a href="https://t.co/9lfkFikWsP">pic.twitter.com/9lfkFikWsP</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547643918904217604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Wesley has been an Impact athlete since he was 17, meeting Abunassar for the first time as a junior in high school. Wesley would come in occasionally for workouts, staying on the far court and watching as NBA players like Leonard and Paul George would get their reps in. He returned in offseasons and locked in for his own pre-draft boot camp.
Mourier praised the Spurs rookie for his attention to detail regarding nutrition. Wesley frequently FaceTimed Mourier while at restaurants and stores, and asked questions about what he should eat. He's also a staunch advocate of Herbalife's CR7 Drive sports drink mix, and even has an endorsement deal with Herbalife.
As part of his pre-draft plan to put on weight, Welsey would cook three eggs, plus have oatmeal, milk and orange juice for breakfast.
"[Changing my nutrition] helped my body a lot," Wesley told Basketball News over the phone. "I kept doing this, so I kept getting better on the court and did everything good on the court. So yeah, my nutrition helped me a lot."
The result: Wesley turned himself from a relatively unheralded four-star recruit into Notre Dame's first one-and-done player &mdash; then bulked up to 190 pounds in the spring and became a first-round NBA draft pick.
"I met [Wesley] a year ago, before he went to Notre Dame, and his transformation from then to the start of the pre-draft [process] to now &mdash; it's phenomenal," Mourier said.
The next challenge is to maintain discipline once that contract gets signed.&nbsp;
"You gotta stay focused; the NBA is totally different from college," Wesley said. "I mean, you're getting paid, you got a high profile [and] a lot of people are watching you &mdash; &nbsp;watching how you move, who you hang out with, stuff like that. So it's a whole different lifestyle."
Abunassar, Mourier and the Impact staff are hands-on with their players during the offseason and pre-draft process. But what happens when those players head back to their respective NBA franchises?
"For the most part, from a strength-and-conditioning standpoint [and] from a player development standpoint, the NBA teams have stuff really dialed in," Mourier said. "From a nutrition standpoint, for the most part, they do not."
Mourier estimated that there are only six full-time nutritionists and dietitians in the entire NBA. The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) lists <a href="https://sportsrd.org/career-development/full-time-sports-rds-working-with-usas-top-institutions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine full-time registered dietitians.</a> Mourier said that teams often have physicians and trainers covering several responsibilites, including nutrition, due to budget restrictions and front-office priorities. This means some athletes, specifically reserve players, receive less health guidance.
"We're kind of the ones who are the last for the front office to see the value in it, so a lot of times we're really just a check-box," Mourier said. "So especially for those lower-order guys that are maybe No. 7, 8, 9, 10, all the way through to 15 on the roster, they're not really receiving any support at all. They're receiving provision. They're receiving meals and supplements. But in terms of education and behavior change, they're really not receiving it."
Over the last 25 years, Abunassar has seen sports nutrition dramatically change, with data and technology more interwoven into practice than ever. He thinks there are positives and pitfalls to the advancements.
"From a nutrition standpoint and strength-and-conditioning standpoint, it's clearly useful information to help prevent injury, to increase lean body mass, etc.," he said. "All of the technology that has come out has been very helpful for us, but you do have to watch that you don't get too reliant on it. Sometimes, you gotta watch the games and see how guys move and that kind of thing. But a combination of the two is very effective."
Impact Basketball is one progressive frontrunner in the field of sports science, but Mourier emphasized that, at this point, all basketball pros should be setting themselves up for success with some sort of offseason developmental map. Pre-draft prospects especially cannot afford to lose that critical period before team workouts to maximize their appeal.
"It's like doing the SAT without looking at the study guide," Mourier said "...I think it's definitely a standard. There's people doing this all over the country, really. Nobody does it like us, and nobody's been doing it for as long as us, but people are seeing the value."

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OXFORD, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke scored five of her 24 points in overtime to help No. 1 South Carolina remain unbeaten with a 64-57 victory over Mississippi on Sunday.
The defending national champion Gamecocks (27-0, 14-0 Southeastern Conference) got one of their biggest scares of the season before winning their 33rd straight game. The Rebels (20-7, 9-5) never trailed by more than six points in regulation and flirted with their first win over a No. 1 team in 46 years.
Cooke had six rebounds and four assists to help off-set a 7-of-18 shooting performance. Aliyah Boston added 13 points and 11 rebounds on 4-of-14 shooting and didn&rsquo;t score in the first quarter.
The deep Gamecocks didn&rsquo;t get their usual supply of scoring help for the two stars, though Kamilla Cardoso had eight points and 11 boards.
Angel Baker led Ole Miss with 17 points.
No. 2 INDIANA 83, PURDUE 60
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Mackenzie Holmes scored 20 points, Grace Berger added 14 points and 10 assists and Indiana beat Purdue to clinch a share of its first Big Ten regular-season title in 40 years.
The Hoosiers (26-1, 16-1 Big Ten) won their 14th straight, matching the second-longest winning streak in school history, before cutting down the nets in front of the program&rsquo;s first home sellout. Indiana has broken the single-game attendance mark four times this season, this time celebrating its 18th straight home win in front of 17,222.
Lasha Petree led Purdue with 23 points and Abbey Elliss added 12. The Boilermakers (17-8, 8-7). have lost nine straight in this rivalry.
No. 4 UTAH 74, ARIZONA STATE 69
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Gianna Kneepkens scored 22 points and Jenna Johnson added 15 to push Utah to a Pac-12 victory over stubborn Arizona State.
The Utes (23-3, 13-3), who had a seven-game winning streak stopped at No. 18 Arizona on Friday, struggled to put away Arizona State without post player Alissa Pili.
Pili, the Pac-12&rsquo;s leading scorer at 20.7 points per game, did not play after suffering an apparent right ankle sprain the final minutes of the loss at Arizona. Her ankle was re-taped on the bench after the first quarter but she never entered the game.
Sydney Erikstrup had 15 points, Treasure Hunt had 13 and Kayla Mokwuah had 11 for the Sun Devils (7-18, 0-16), who lost their 16th straight game despite leading most of the way.
No. 5 LSU 90, FLORIDA 79
GAINSVILLE, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Angel Reese had her ninth first-half double-double, Jasmine Carson had a career-high five 3-pointers before the break, and LSU raced past Florida.
Reese finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds for her 25th double-double of the season, two shy of Sylvia Fowles&rsquo; LSU single-season record. She also had five assists, three blocks and two steals.
Carson also scored 25 points, a career-high, as the graduate transfer from West Virginia went 7 of 14 behind the arc, helping the Tigers (25-1, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) to a season-best 11 3s on 20 attempts. The last time LSU had a player hit seven 3-pointers was in 1997.
KK Deans, a West Virginia transfer, matched her career high with 30 points, for the Gators (14-13, 3-11), who have lost five straight.
No. 9 DUKE 56, VIRGINIA 52
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Elizabeth Balogun scored 12 points, Taya Corosdale had 10 and Duke survived a stern test from Virginia.
The Blue Devils (22-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) led only 47-45 with just over eight minutes left, but Celeste Taylor hit a 3-pointer from right in front of the Duke bench to make it a five-point game, starting a 7-2 run that gave them some breathing room and they held on.
Taylor Valladay led Virginia (15-12, 4-12) with 19 points and McKenna Dale had 10. The Cavaliers had split their last six meetings with the Blue Devils after ending a 26-game losing streak in the series, but still lost for the 30th time in the last 33 meetings.
No. 10 NOTRE DAME 83, PITTSBURGH 43
PITTSBURGH (AP) &mdash; Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron scored 13 points each and Notre Dame used a huge first-quarter push to race by Pittsburgh.
The Fighting Irish (22-4, 13-3 ACC) went on an 18-3 burst over the final 6:47 of the opening frame to build a 16-point lead that the Panthers (10-17, 3-13) never really threatened.
Ten days after avoiding an upset at home against Pitt and three days after Olivia Miles hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer to top Louisville, the Fighting Irish made sure no such heroics were necessary this time around.
No. 11 VIRGINIA TECH 75, N.C. STATE 62
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) &mdash; Roommates Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore both had double-doubles and Virginia Tech won its fifth straight, defeating North Carolina State.
Kitley had 24 points and 10 rebounds for her 50th career double-double and had six blocks. Amoore had 15 points and 11 assists, which tied her career high.
Virginia Tech (22-4, 12-4 ACC) has won six straight, the previous three against ranked teams, starting with a 73-61 win over the Wolfpack. That marked the Hokies&rsquo; first-ever win in Raleigh and now they have their first-ever sweep of NC State.
Aziaha James scored 20 points in her first start for the Wolfpack (18-9, 8-8), who are out of the poll for the first time in 96 weeks dating to February of 2018.
No. 15 OKLAHOMA 86, KANSAS 80
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Madi Williams scored 23 points, Liz Scott had a double-double, and Oklahoma held off Kansas.
A free throw by Zakiyah Franklin drew Kansas within 82-80 with 3:12 remaining. Neither team would score another field goal as Kansas missed its last nine shots and Oklahoma&rsquo;s last field goal came with 5:12 remaining.
Williams made two free throws with 37 seconds left and Ana Llanusa added two more with nine seconds left to wrap up Oklahoma&rsquo;s sixth consecutive victory.
Scott had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Sooners (22-4, 12-3 Big 12).
The Jayhawks got 73 of their 80 points from the trio of Franklin, Holly Kersgieter and Taiyanna Jackson. Franklin led with a career-high 30 points, Kersgieter added 24 and Jackson 19 for Kansas (16-9, 6-8). Jackson added 13 rebounds.
No. 17 TEXAS 74, WEST VIRGINIA 48
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; Shaylee Gonzales had 18 points, Rori Harmon scored 16 and Khadija Faye added a double-double to power Texas to a romp over West Virginia.
Gonzales made half of her six 3-pointers and all seven of her free throws for the Longhorns (21-7, 12-3 Big 12 Conference). Harmon sank 10 of 12 fouls shots and added six rebounds and six assists. Faye finished with 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 11 rebounds.
Ja&rsquo;Haiya Quinerly had 16 points before fouling out to pace the Mountaineers (16-9, 7-7). Madisen Smith hit three 3-pointers and scored 12. Jayla Hemingway pitched in with nine points and seven rebounds.
No. 18 ARIZONA 61, No. 21 COLORADO 42
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Shaina Pellington scored 19 points with five assists and Arizona smothered Colorado, ending the Buffaloes&rsquo; five-game winning streak.
The Wildcats (21-6, 11-5 Pac 12 Conference) held the Buffaloes to their lowest total of the season and their worst shooting game, 28.3% overall (15 of 53), 1 of 12 from 3-point range (8.3%).
Esmery Martinez had 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and seven rebounds for the Wildcats, who were coming off a 10-point win over No. 4 Utah and have won five of six.
Tameiya Sadler led the Buffaloes with 12 points and Quay Miller added 10 with 10 rebounds.
No. 19 NORTH CAROLINA 71, WAKE FOREST 58
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Deja Kelly had 24 points, five rebounds and six assists to lead North Carolina to a victory over Wake Forest.
Destiny Adams added 11 points off the bench and Kennedy Todd-Williams scored 10 for the Tar Heels (19-8, 10-6 ACC).
North Carolina went up by 20 midway through the fourth quarter and cruised from there, making just two field goals and three free throws over the final 6 1/2 minutes.
Wake Forest (14-13, 5-11) shot 3 for 14 in the third quarter and was outscored 16-6. The shooting slump came after the Demon Deacons shot 50% in the first half and trailed just 40-36 at halftime.
No. 24 FLORIDA STATE 80, GEORGIA TECH 66
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Ta&rsquo;Niya Latson scored 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting and 9-of-10 free throws, leading Florida State to a victory over Georgia Tech.
Latson scored 24 points through three quarters and the Seminoles took a 63-57 lead into the fourth. Latson, a freshman averaging 21.8 points per game, had gone nine games without reaching 20 points.
Georgia Tech got within four points early in the fourth quarter, but the Seminoles responded with an 8-0 run that gave them a 73-61 lead with 4:11 remaining. Florida State added 3-pointers from Latson and Erin Howard to close out the victory. The Yellow Jackets made one of their last 12 shots from the field.
Sara Bejedi scored 14 points and O&rsquo;Mariah Gordon added 10 off the bench for Florida State (22-7, 11-5 ACC).
Cameron Swartz scored 17 points, Kara Dunn 16, and Kayla Blackshear 10 for Georgia Tech (13-13, 4-11).
CALIFORNIA 81, No. 25 USC 78, OT
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Jayda Curry scored 27 points and Michelle Onyiah had six points in overtime as California upended USC.
The Trojans (19-8, 9-7 Pac-12), back in the rankings for the first time since 2016, had their chances to win this one after falling to No. 3 Stanford 50-47 on Friday.
From the final four minutes of regulation until Destiny Littleton hit a 3-pointer with 1:08 to go in overtime, USC missed eight straight shots. After Littleton tied the game at 78 and Leilani McIntosh put the Golden Bears (13-14, 4-12) on top with two free throws with 44 seconds to go, the Trojans came up empty on their next possession despite two offensive rebounds.
Onyiah made 1 of 2 from the line with eight seconds to go and Littleton&rsquo;s late 3 was off the mark.

A recap of a busy Sunday in top-25 women's action includes a thriller between the Gamecocks and Rebels that had to go to overtime.

Top-ranked South Carolina edges Ole Miss in OT

The calendar is about to flip to September, which means NBA training camps will get underway in a few weeks. It's now been two months since the 2022 NBA free-agency period tipped off, but there are still a number of notable players who remain unsigned.
Editor's Note: Collin Sexton agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract in a sign-and-trade that sent him to Utah, so he is no longer on this list.
Here's a look at nine players who are still available:
MILES BRIDGES, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Miles Bridges is coming off a breakout season, averaging a career-high 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 threes and 0.9 steals. The forward seemed due for a massive payday, and Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak even said that the team would re-sign him. Then, Bridges was arrested for domestic violence on the eve of free agency. Bridges' wife, Mychelle Johnson, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1542723880619581440/photo/4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke out</a> about Bridges' alleged abuse and documented her serious injuries. Not only has this situation understandably scared teams away, but it's also very possible that the NBA will suspend Bridges.
MONTREZL HARRELL, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Montrezl Harrell just delivered another productive and efficient season as a reserve, averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.1 minutes per game, while shooting 64.5% from the field. Harrell started the season with the Washington Wizards and then got traded to the Hornets before the deadline. However, it's worth noting that the 28-year-old is facing felony drug charges after officers claimed to find three pounds of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop back in May. That's likely why the former Sixth Man of the Year is still available.
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DENNIS SCHRODER, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last offseason, Dennis Schroder signed with the Boston Celtics at a significant discount. After struggling during the first half of the season, he was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Daniel Theis. He finished last season averaging 13.5 points, 4.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 threes per game, while shooting 43.1% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range and 85.3% from the free-throw line. The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly considered signing Schroder again.
HASSAN WHITESIDE, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Hassan Whiteside is a solid center who can come off the bench and protect the rim. Last season, while backing up Rudy Gobert on the Utah Jazz, he averaged 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game. In eight starts, the 33-year-old averaged 11.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 63.5% from the field.
CARMELO ANTHONY, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, a 37-year-old Melo put up 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 steals in 26.0 minutes per game with the Lakers. In recent years, he has shot the ball much better from three-point range, knocking down 37.5% of his three-point attempts last year and 40.9% from deep the year before. Earlier this offseason, Anthony was working out with his son, Kiyan, at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas while preparing for next season.
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Carmelo Anthony (<a href="https://twitter.com/carmeloanthony?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@carmeloanthony</a>) working out at <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a> in Las Vegas: <a href="https://t.co/Rnz8Bam7EO">pic.twitter.com/Rnz8Bam7EO</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547693404414365702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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DEMARCUS COUSINS, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Cousins became a key contributor after joining the Denver Nuggets in February, averaging 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per contest. He looked great at times during the playoffs, scoring an efficient 19 points in 15 minutes during Game 5 against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the postseason. The 31-year-old can still help a team.
&ldquo;I belong in this league,&rdquo; Cousins said after Denver was eliminated. &ldquo;I was given the opportunity; I'm thankful for Mike Malone. I spoke with him before. A lot of doors closed for me. Mike looked out, gave me an opportunity. I just tried to take the best advantage of it as I could. That's what I did.&rdquo;
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JEREMY LAMB, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, the Indiana Pacers traded Lamb to the Sacramento Kings as a part of the Domantas Sabonis deal. In 56 games, Lamb averaged 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 three in 16.7 minutes a night. The 30-year-old struggled with his shot, knocking down just 38.3% of his attempts from the field and 32.4% of his threes (after shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.6% from three the previous year).&nbsp;
TRISTAN THOMPSON, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, Thompson suited up for the Kings, Pacers and Chicago Bulls, averaging 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. At this stage of his career, the 31-year-old is a solid backup big man who can provide frontcourt depth.
ANDRE IGUODALA, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, Iguodala rejoined the Golden State Warriors, averaging 4.0 points, 3.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 19.5 minutes across 31 games. Entering his 19th season in the league, the 38-year-old is mainly a veteran leader and strong locker-room presence, but he can still produce in limited reserve minutes. Don't be surprised if he re-signs with Golden State.

NBA training camps will get underway in a few weeks, but there are still a number of notable free agents who are unsigned.

Remaining NBA free agents: Players who are still unsigned

Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero and Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren have yet to suit up in a real NBA game, but they're already proving that they can move the needle among basketball fans.
Recently, when Banchero and Holmgren teamed up at The Crawsover in Seattle, a ton of fans packed the gym or tuned in to the NBA's livestream of the pro-am.&nbsp;
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Paolo Banchero (<a href="https://twitter.com/Pp_doesit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pp_doesit</a>) and Chet Holmgren (<a href="https://twitter.com/ChetHolmgren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChetHolmgren</a>) put on a show at <a href="https://twitter.com/thecrawsover?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thecrawsover</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/TheTraeYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheTraeYoung</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/jcollins20_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jcollins20_</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isaiahthomas</a> and more are playing on Sunday afternoon! 👀 <a href="https://t.co/IqtKekhgwI">pic.twitter.com/IqtKekhgwI</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1553667738425384961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The top-two picks in the 2022 NBA Draft have also shown that they can influence consumers.&nbsp;
During his NBA Summer League debut, Holmgren dominated in a pair of Nike KD 15s &mdash; finishing with 23 points, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks and 4 assists in under 24 minutes. Kevin Durant shouted him and added "love the kicks." Over the next three weeks (from June 21 to July 12), there was an <a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&amp;_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&amp;_nkw=KD+15&amp;_sacat=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">87% spike in eBay searches</a> for the KD 15s.
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I see u cookin 7. First day on the job was a success, love the kicks <a href="https://twitter.com/ChetHolmgren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChetHolmgren</a> <a href="https://t.co/sQrgDpPCU0">https://t.co/sQrgDpPCU0</a>
&mdash; Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5/status/1544694360931205120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Banchero also turned heads with his play in Las Vegas, and fans noticed that he wore a pair of adidas Exhibit As. Over the following week, the sneakers Banchero wore saw a <a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&amp;_nkw=adidas+exhibit+A&amp;_sacat=0&amp;LH_TitleDesc=0&amp;rt=nc&amp;LH_AV=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30% spike in eBay searches</a>. Banchero was a sneaker free agent at the time, but he recently inked a deal with Jordan Brand.
We didn't get a chance to see Banchero vs. Holmgren during Summer League, so fans are understandably excited to watch them face off when the Magic play the Thunder this season.

Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren have proven that they can move the needle — and influence consumers.

Banchero, Holmgren caused spike in shoe sales after Summer League

You never know who's going to walk through the door at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas.&nbsp;
Some days, you may see multiple stars training with Joe Abunassar and his staff. One day last summer, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Haliburton each came through to work out. Over a 24-hour span last week, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony and Tayshaun Prince showed up to the famed gym.
Impact Basketball is known as a revolving door of notable NBA players, with plenty of people popping in for a workout or pick-up run. However, a select few players spend the entire offseason at Impact, creating a custom development plan, working out with Abunassar daily, following a strict diet, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/josh-green-impact-basketball-dallas-mavericks-playoffs-joe-abunassar-offseason-training-diet-nutrition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tracking their biometrics</a> and more.
This summer, one player who committed to this intensive offseason regimen is Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green. Less than 24 hours after the Mavs were eliminated from the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Green contacted Abunassar to map out his summer program.
&ldquo;I texted Joe the day after we unfortunately lost, and I told him that I was ready to go whenever,&rdquo; Green told Basketball News. &ldquo;After that, I stayed about three days in Dallas and went on a quick vacation, and then I was at Impact. I&rsquo;ve been here for about a month.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had a lot of time to work with him this summer because he got here early,&rdquo; Abunassar said. &ldquo;He took four or five days after the season and then got out here, and he hasn&rsquo;t left town. While guys are in and out and doing all of this other stuff, he&rsquo;s been locked in and working on the same things every day. The fact that he&rsquo;s locked in and so consistent is going to result in a very good season. I think it says a lot about his commitment and what his focus is for next season. It&rsquo;s time for Josh to really, really step up &mdash; as he did last year, but this is that next step.&rdquo;
Prior to Garnett&rsquo;s MVP season in 2003-04, KG locked in and really embraced the nutrition component of Abunassar&rsquo;s program. Before Lowry became a first-time All-Star at 28 years old, he spent the offseason with Impact, making significant changes to his diet for the first time and even leaving his honeymoon early to get in extra training. In both cases, Abunassar predicted their breakout success before the season based on what he&rsquo;d witnessed behind the scenes.
&ldquo;If you talk to most NBA players, they&rsquo;re all over the place. For them to put themselves in one place for two straight months and consistently follow the same schedule, that&rsquo;s pretty rare,&rdquo; Abunassar said. &ldquo;But I will tell you this: I&rsquo;ve done this for 25 years and every guy who does that has a good season &mdash; whether it&rsquo;s with me or wherever.&rdquo;
Green is hoping to become Impact's latest success story. The 21-year-old entered this offseason with some extra motivation after getting benched during the Mavs&rsquo; postseason run.
&ldquo;Being able to get to the Conference Finals during my second year only makes me want to go further and further,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;I was able to play in the Utah series and then got benched. So, for me, it&rsquo;s cool that I was able to play in the rotation for the first [series], but shit, I&rsquo;m a basketball player and wanted to continue to [play]. But there was a reason: I need to hit my shots. So going into this offseason, that motivated me a lot more. I want to make sure I&rsquo;m ready to go for next season, so when that opportunity comes again, I&rsquo;m confident going into it and ready to go...
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard being on the bench and watching the team lose and being like, &lsquo;Damn, I want to play.&rsquo; ... I&rsquo;m one of the most competitive people. I hate it, but whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just very competitive.&rdquo;
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While he played sparingly during the Mavs&rsquo; series against Phoenix Suns, he was animated when discussing Dallas&rsquo; Game 6 win to protect its homecourt and the team&rsquo;s blowout win in Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
&ldquo;It was crazy!&rdquo; Green said of beating the Suns. &ldquo;Obviously, we had to defend our home court [in Game 6], otherwise they were going to win it. And I felt confident; I had never seen our team so locked in, so I was like, &lsquo;We&rsquo;ve got this game.&rsquo; Then, heading into Phoenix, you know, it&rsquo;s hard &mdash; you don&rsquo;t know what to expect. But we were the same prepared team. Then, we come out and we just start connecting and (snaps fingers).
"It was crazy, man. I&rsquo;m just watching the game like, &lsquo;Is this really happening?!&rsquo;&rsquo; It was really awesome to be a part of that and see the team so happy. Luka [Doncic] was a great leader that game, as he was the whole year. It was good for everybody, it was just a huge stride for our whole team.&rdquo;
Green looks like a different player this summer, knocking down three-pointers with ease, putting the ball on the floor and turning heads throughout the gym.
&ldquo;I think the biggest thing for me is just realizing what I need to do to help the team out; I&rsquo;m not trying to work on stuff that I&rsquo;m not gonna do in a game,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;And I&rsquo;m coming in with full confidence, knowing what I need to do and being ready to go. I&rsquo;m more motivated than ever.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The first month, we really just worked on ball-handling, finishing and getting him more efficient,&rdquo; Abunassar explained. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s so strong and powerful and fast that, if he&rsquo;s efficient and attacks the rim at angles and can finish, he&rsquo;s going to be really difficult to stop. Last year, he finished the season shooting over 40% on corner threes, so he&rsquo;s gotten a lot better in that area &mdash; but we&rsquo;ve continued to work on his three-point shooting. Three-point shooting, ball-handling, finishing and getting him into the ultimate physical shape are the main things.&rdquo;
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Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green (<a href="https://twitter.com/JoshBGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshBGreen</a>) is shooting the ball well: <a href="https://t.co/e5uRnyrbFr">pic.twitter.com/e5uRnyrbFr</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547655324781330435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Green admits that his ball-handling and shooting weren&rsquo;t where they needed to be last season.
&ldquo;Last year, I was very hesitant with my dribbling and not knowing [what to do],&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always known how to dribble &mdash; like in high school and everything, I was playing point guard. But as you get on [higher levels of play], you get the ball less and less. So for me, it&rsquo;s just making sure that I&rsquo;m able to dribble. It creates many more [opportunities], and it builds a lot of confidence as well when you&rsquo;re able to dribble, so that&rsquo;s been a huge thing that we&rsquo;ve tried to work on this offseason.
&ldquo;[And shooting] is just something that you can never not work on. For me, my leg would go in a lot last year and I need to make sure that my base isn&rsquo;t too wide, so there were a couple of corrections that I made. I&rsquo;m just trying to stay as consistent as I can, and I&rsquo;ve been able to see a good amount of development in my shot, so I&rsquo;m just trying to keep that up and make sure that I shoot well next year... So, yeah, my shot has been a big thing that I&rsquo;ve been working on this summer.&rdquo;
After working on these aspects of his game over the last month, Green looks more confident than ever.
&ldquo;My confidence is high, man. I&rsquo;m ready to go, and I can&rsquo;t wait for next year,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;Coach [Jason] Kidd really helped me out last year, and he has a lot of trust in me, so now it&rsquo;s just about me going forward and continuing to develop and show what I can do. I&rsquo;m on a veteran team &mdash; a very good team &mdash; so for me, it&rsquo;s just about doing what I can do to impress and just play like I usually play.&rdquo;
&ldquo;His confidence has improved a lot,&rdquo; Abunassar added. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re working on something for three or four hours a day, you tend to become more confident as it improves. The confidence comes with the work, and the fact that he&rsquo;s stayed so consistent... I think just recently, the confidence has gotten even higher because it&rsquo;s working. As Josh has seen himself progress, he has become much more confident.&rdquo;
Green is also buying in from a nutrition standpoint. He&rsquo;s following his dietary plan and avoiding certain foods (such as butter), which has made eating out at restaurants a challenge.
"I want to have a big year,&rdquo; Green explained to Basketball News. "When you're young, whatever you see in front of you is what you want. I [was] able to start here early and realize, 'If I want to play ball for a while, it's important to put the right things in my body and stay healthy.' It's the same thing as seeing your physical therapist and getting treatment &mdash; if not more important for your body."&nbsp;
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Abunassar is pleased with Green&rsquo;s development, especially since he&rsquo;s still just 21 years old (which is younger than some incoming rookies).&nbsp;
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s only 21, and I think his long-term potential is to be a starter on a really good team for a long time,&rdquo; Abunassar said. &ldquo;Josh wants to win. He&rsquo;s not a volume type of guy; he&rsquo;s a key piece on a really good team. I think teams are seeing that and Dallas is seeing that and putting a lot of confidence in him.&nbsp;
&ldquo;His rookie season was the COVID year, which started late. For all of those guys, it was kind of a wash; they couldn&rsquo;t do team-building stuff or extra workouts &mdash; there were restrictions on their gym time. So, for all of those guys, you&rsquo;re really looking at last year as being their rookie season. If you look at what he did as somewhat of a rookie last year, it was very impressive. And in the future, he&rsquo;ll continue to build to where he&rsquo;s a mainstay on a really good team.&rdquo;
Green agrees with Abunassar&rsquo;s assessment of his rookie year, and he hopes that the work he&rsquo;s putting in at Impact Basketball can help him take the next step in his career.
&ldquo;I feel like last year was a good year &mdash; it kinda felt like my rookie year, since I didn&rsquo;t really get to play much during my actual rookie year,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s kinda hard to tell [my ceiling] right now, so for me, it&rsquo;s just about focusing on the present and making sure that I&rsquo;m ready to go for next season. But I&rsquo;d like to think that I do have a high upside, and I really do think I can be a major piece for the Mavericks moving forward. I&rsquo;m hoping that next year I&rsquo;m able to show that.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;I love playing with guys like Luka and the rest of the team, and I think it&rsquo;s a perfect situation for me to be in. A lot of other rookies get to go to teams where they get an opportunity right away, but for others like me, it takes some time. I&rsquo;m just happy that I&rsquo;m at the time now where I&rsquo;m finally getting in the rotation.&rdquo;
Over his first two seasons in the NBA, Green didn&rsquo;t get to play a ton, but he did show flashes. Last January, in a win over the Houston Rockets, Green had 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 25 minutes (while shooting 85.7% from the field, nailing his only attempt from three-point range and hitting 4-of-5 free throws). In the very next game, Green helped the Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls, contributing an efficient 18 points and 6 rebounds in 22 minutes (on 80/100/100 shooting splits).
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very impressed with Josh and his game,&rdquo; Abunassar said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got great size, great speed, great athleticism. Defense is what&rsquo;s going to get him on the floor in Dallas; obviously, with their roster, they&rsquo;re not looking for another 25-point-per-game scorer. He&rsquo;ll start with his defense, but I think his offensive role will expand tremendously this season because of the improved ball-handling and finishing, and just him being a more confident Josh on the offensive side.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Last year, over the last 40- or 50-something games, he played 15-to-18 minutes and they were putting him in the game to guard. Now, I think they&rsquo;re going to continue to put him in the game to guard, but he can expand on that. Like any young player, you add stuff to your game every year; this year, I just think his offensive focus and their ability to use him on offense will be much greater.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green (<a href="https://twitter.com/JoshBGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshBGreen</a>) is putting in work at <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a>: <a href="https://t.co/3LwEyVpSFX">pic.twitter.com/3LwEyVpSFX</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547651195199557633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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In 2020, Green represented Australia in the Olympics and helped the Boomers win the bronze medal (the country's first Olympic medal in men's basketball). It was an incredible experience for Green, who was a teenager at the time.
&ldquo;When we were at the Olympics, it felt like the whole world was behind us,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;I feel like it&rsquo;s a good team to cheer on; we have very good personalities and the team is just great to be around. I think [basketball] is getting a lot bigger in Australia. Obviously, there&rsquo;s Aussie rules [football] and rugby and cricket and all of that stuff, but now that there are seven or eight Australian players around the NBA, it&rsquo;s becoming a lot more appealing for these guys.&rdquo;
Next month, Green is visiting Australia for two weeks. Then, he&rsquo;ll be back at Impact Basketball until the start of training camp.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to being able to go back and just being able to go to my old school and everything like that,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;I miss Australia. I miss Australia a lot... I&rsquo;m really looking forward to it.&rdquo;
At 14 years old, Green left Australia in order to play high-school basketball in the United States and chase his NBA dream. It was a sacrifice that he was willing to make, but it wasn&rsquo;t easy.
&ldquo;When I came from Australia, I remember landing in Phoenix and being really excited, but then I was like, &lsquo;Oh my God, I&rsquo;m not going back,&rsquo;&rdquo; Green recalled. &ldquo;At that point, I was at a stage where I wasn&rsquo;t being recruited and I didn&rsquo;t even know if I was going to play basketball [at the next level], so I actually started asking my mom about going back to Australia and playing Australian football. But yeah, it was really hard.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;And going back is gonna be hard because I want to go back, but I miss it so much that I know I&rsquo;m gonna be there [and not want to leave]. It&rsquo;s awesome, man, and I&rsquo;m really looking forward to it. It&rsquo;s home. My little sister is talking to me &mdash; she&rsquo;s young and she doesn&rsquo;t remember anything, so I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;It&rsquo;s definitely time to go back.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Green is glad that today&rsquo;s up-and-coming Australian prospects don&rsquo;t need to leave the country in order to get recruited or show up on the NBA&rsquo;s radar. He points to his childhood friend, Tyrese Proctor, as an example; the Sydney native is a five-star recruit who will play for Duke next year.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s awesome, you&rsquo;ve got guys like Tyrese Procter coming up now,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s crazy because our families are extremely close; my dad was the best man in [his parents&rsquo;] wedding. So it&rsquo;s awesome seeing him from such a young age and then, out of nowhere, he&rsquo;s an NBA prospect now!
"But it&rsquo;s cool seeing Australia finally on the come up. For guys like me, I had to move at a young age in order to get recognition. Now, the fact that you can stay in Australia and go down that path [and get noticed], I think it&rsquo;s great. It&rsquo;s one of those things where I&rsquo;m always down to get involved and help out the next up-and-coming group. Australian culture is like nothing else I&rsquo;ve ever experienced, so I never want to be away from that.&rdquo;
Green would surely love to spend the entire summer in Australia and eat whatever he wants (like many 21-year-olds), but he understands that this is a pivotal summer for his NBA career.
Once again, he&rsquo;s prioritizing his NBA dream and making the necessary sacrifices in order to realize his full potential.

Mavericks wing Josh Green gave Alex Kennedy a behind-the-scenes look at his offseason training at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas.

After playoff benching, Mavs' Josh Green is 'more motivated than ever'

TBT Record 71 Players with NBA Experience and 29 Alumni Teams to Compete
Jimmer Fredette, Projected 2023 Draft Top-10 Picks Ausar and Amen Thompson Highlight Field of 64 Competing for $1M Prize on ESPN
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) &ndash; the $1 million, winner-take-all, summer basketball event broadcast live on ESPN networks today released the bracket for this year&rsquo;s tournament. For the fifth year in a row, all games will feature TBT&rsquo;s Elam Ending&reg;.
Now in its ninth year, TBT 2022 will feature 71 players with NBA experience and 29 college alumni teams, both of which are TBT records. The field will once again feature 64 teams squaring off in a single-elimination format and will be supported by longtime partners PUMA, Zelle, and E&amp;J Brandy.&nbsp;
The field will be split into eight regions played over two weeks in July. Seven of those regions will be headlined by alumni teams, while the eighth regional will be played at Rucker Park&rsquo;s legendary Greg Marius Court in New York City.
One team from each region will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be split between Wichita, Kansas (July 27) and Dayton, Ohio (July 28-29). Dayton will also host TBT&rsquo;s semifinals (July 30), as well as TBT&rsquo;s $1 million winner-take-all championship game (Aug. 2).
&ldquo;This year&rsquo;s field is electrifying,&rdquo; said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. &ldquo;Nine years ago, we set out to be the home for high stakes, open-to-all basketball, pitting people against one another from all walks of life. This year&rsquo;s field demonstrates how far we&rsquo;ve come. It is exceptionally diverse and talented. I can&rsquo;t wait to see what team wins six straight games.&rdquo;
The full TBT 2022 schedule includes:
Regional Host Cities
&nbsp; &nbsp; Omaha, Neb. &ndash; headlined by Omaha Blue Crew (Creighton) &ndash; July 16-19
&nbsp; &nbsp; New York City, N.Y. (Rucker Park) &ndash; headlined by Marcus Smart&rsquo;s YGC &ndash; July 16-20
&nbsp; &nbsp; Albuquerque, N.M. &ndash; headlined by The Enchantment (University of New Mexico) &ndash; July 28-21
&nbsp; &nbsp; Wichita, Kan. &ndash; headlined by AfterShocks (Wichita State) &ndash; July 22-25
&nbsp; &nbsp; Syracuse, N.Y. &ndash; headlined by Boehiem&rsquo;s Army (Syracuse) &ndash; July 22-25
&nbsp; &nbsp; Charleston, W. Va. &nbsp;&ndash; headlined by Best Virginia (West Virginia) and Herd That (Marshall) &nbsp;&ndash; July 24-27
&nbsp; &nbsp; Cincinnati, Ohio &ndash; headlined by Zip &lsquo;Em Up (Xavier) &ndash; July 24-27
&nbsp; &nbsp; Dayton, Ohio &ndash; headlined by Red Scare (Dayton) &ndash; July 24-27
Championship Week Schedule&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; Quarterfinals &ndash; July 27 (Wichita), July 28-29 (Dayton)
&nbsp; &nbsp; Semifinals &ndash; &nbsp;Saturday, July 30 (Dayton)
&nbsp; &nbsp; $1 Million, Winner-Take-All Championship &ndash; Tuesday, Aug. 2 (Dayton)&nbsp;
Highlights of this year&rsquo;s tournament include:&nbsp;
- New Look Boeheim&rsquo;s Army Set to Defend TBT Title &ndash; Boeheim&rsquo;s Army, who after seven years finally won its first TBT championship, is set to defend its title in Syracuse this summer. First-time TBT participants and Syracuse alums Tyler Ennis, Rakeem Christmas, and Marek Dolezaj join a core that includes TBT legend D.J. Kennedy, who is seeking his sixth TBT title, and DeAndre Kane, who is going for his fifth.
- TBT Steps Outdoors at World Famous Rucker Park &ndash; TBT will be playing games outdoors for the first time in the event&rsquo;s history this summer at New York City&rsquo;s famed Rucker Park. The event, in partnership with Chick-Fil-A Tri-State and the NBPA, will be free and open to the public. Headlining the regional are YGC, a team backed by Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, and Skip To My Lou, named after and coached by former NBA player and streetball legend Rafer Alston.
- Jimmer Fredette Joins The Money Team &ndash; 2011 National college player of the year and NBA Draft lottery pick Jimmer Fredette will return to TBT this summer as a member of Floyd Mayweather&rsquo;s The Money Team. A quarterfinalist in 2021, The Money Team&rsquo;s roster also includes three other players with NBA experience: Trevor Booker, Jeremy Evans, Charles Jenkins, and Xavier Munford.
- Overtime Enters TBT&rsquo;s First Draft-Eligible Team &ndash; Media brand Overtime will enter its first TBT team, Team Overtime, which is slated to include four 2023 draft-eligible prospects from their new professional pathway program Overtime Elite. Twins Ausar and Amen Thompson, both projected top-10 picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, will be joined by former five-star recruit Jazian Gortman and four-star recruit Jaylen Martin on a roster with several veteran professionals, including former NBA player Malcolm Thomas. Team Overtime will be competing in the Omaha Regional.
- Rivalries Renewed &ndash; Two brand new sets of bitter rivals could be facing off in TBT this summer. Xavier Regional headliner, Zip &lsquo;Em Up (Xavier Alumni), will be joined by crosstown rival Nasty Nati, a Cincinnati alumni team whose roster includes former first-round pick Jacob Evans. The Enchantment, a New Mexico alumni team, and Panamaniacs, a New Mexico State alumni team, will go head-to-head in the first-round of the New Mexico Regional in a battle for in-state supremacy. Best Virginia, the West Virginia alumni team, and Herd That, the Marshall alumni team, could both finally get their long-awaited matchup in the second round of the West Virginia Regional. Stillwater Stars, an Oklahoma State alumni team starring Markel Brown, will go toe-to-toe with Big 12 foes Air Raiders, a first-year Texas Tech alumni team composed mainly of their 2019 NCAA Tournament Runner-Up team that includes former first-round pick Zhaire Smith.
- Sideline Cancer&rsquo;s Big Offseason &ndash; TBT&rsquo;s runner-up in 2020 and a quarterfinalist in 2021, Sideline Cancer is gearing up for a championship run. They&rsquo;ll add Mike Daum, the NCAA&rsquo;s seventh leading scorer all-time, 16-year NBA veteran C.J. Miles, and former Iowa State star Diante Garrett to take some of the scoring load off explosive guard Marcus Keene.
Free Throws&hellip;
<ul>
<li>TBT&rsquo;s &amp; Puma&rsquo;s innovative 33-point contest, which pits two shooters head-to-head where the first to make 11 threes advances, will return. The final eight shooters who advance out of TBT&rsquo;s regional locations will compete live on Thursday, July 28 live on ESPN2 for a $33,333 grand prize. Winner-take-all.</li>
<li>NFT project Gutter Cat Gang has entered a TBT team in the Omaha Regional in collaboration with Kyle Hines, the most decorated American in European basketball history.</li>
<li>Notable boxer and Cincinnati native Adrien Broner&rsquo;s AboutBillions team will compete in the Xavier Regional for the first time.</li>
<li>Prominent content brand Friday Beers will make their first foray into TBT&rsquo;s field in 2022, taking over longtime TBT franchise Armored Athlete.</li>
<li>India Rising, TBT&rsquo;s first team of players entirely of Indian descent, will be competing in the Syracuse Regional. Their roster includes former Stanford big man Josh Sharma, and one time G League Ignite prospect Princepal Singh.</li>
</ul>
Tickets for all TBT game days and events are on sale now at www.thetournament.com. For more information, please contact <a href="mailto:info@thetournament.com">info@thetournament.com</a>.
About The Basketball Tournament
The home of the Elam Ending&reg;, The Basketball Tournament has grown from a unique idea among friends to one of the most exciting and engaging events on the summer sports calendar, with worldwide exposure on ESPN and events across the country - culminating in a winner-take-all $1 million game. Every year it attracts some of the best players in the world. For more information on TBT&rsquo;s ninth season, visit www.thetournament.com

Now in Year 9, TBT will feature 71 players with NBA experience and 29 college alumni teams, both of which are TBT records.

Record 71 players with NBA experience headline 2022 TBT event

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

2022 NBA Mock Draft: 6/17/22

We've reached the Conference Finals, which means that only four teams remain in the NBA Playoffs.
The Eastern Conference's top two teams, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, will clash in what's sure to be a physical series, while the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are set to square off in a highly-anticipated battle that will feature two incredible offensive talents.
With only those aforementioned franchises remaining, we asked our BasketballNews.com staff:
How would you rank the five best players remaining in the NBA Playoffs?
Alex Kennedy
This is tough, but I think I'll go:&nbsp;
1. Luka Doncic
2. Stephen Curry
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jimmy Butler&nbsp;
5. Bam Adebayo&nbsp;
After what Luka has done through two rounds, I feel very confident putting him at No. 1. Curry and Tatum are a toss-up for me; if someone had Tatum at No. 2 and Curry at No. 3, I wouldn't be mad at it. Butler is a two-way force who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jimmy-butler-is-a-16game-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elevates his game a ton in the postseason</a>, so he's No. 4.
This is where it gets interesting. Adebayo, Jaylen Brown and Draymond Green each have a case, but give me Adebayo because of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bam-adebayo-stands-at-the-core-of-the-heats-secondround-dominance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how well he's played on both ends of the floor</a> so far during the playoffs. I think he's poised for a big series against the Celtics.
Spencer Davies
1. Jayson Tatum: In five seasons and as many consecutive playoff appearances, this man has played the elite of the elite at 19 years ol... okay, that joke will never get old, but in all honesty, we&rsquo;ve got to admit that the total package is consistently there for Tatum. He is in a place where he&rsquo;s just making his teammates better night-in and night-out. He&rsquo;s gone up against greats like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and has not flinched, matching them shot for shot. Because of those experiences and the steady manner in which he&rsquo;s played this postseason on both sides of the ball, I give Tatum the slight edge over the next guy...
2. Luka Doncic: The first time Luka doesn&rsquo;t draw the Los Angeles Clippers in the postseason, he gets to the Western Conference Finals, eh? Without the prisoner-of-the-moment thing, it speaks volumes about how Luka&rsquo;s just had that big-game mentality since he was overseas. He&rsquo;s just a little bigger and stronger now. Same confidence and everything; he has not changed his energy one iota. His offensive impact is so substantial that the defensive woes are cast aside. If he can figure out how to defend a lick, it won&rsquo;t be long before he tops this particular list.
3. Steph Curry: Don&rsquo;t let one off-series and a &ldquo;down&rdquo; shooting season blind you from the fact that Steph is Steph. He&rsquo;s constantly in motion, always making defenders stay attached to him, which in turn makes life easier for his teammates. Then, there&rsquo;s the way he always closes games and goes into that mode where he could shoot from the front row on the opposite side of the floor and it wouldn&rsquo;t touch iron. Until there&rsquo;s any sign of regression, I don&rsquo;t bet against Steph.
4. Jimmy Butler: I hate rankings because four seems so cruel. Butler&rsquo;s been a stone-cold killer in the playoffs except for last postseason. I&rsquo;ll refer you to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jimmy-butler-is-a-16game-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Fonseca&rsquo;s article about that specific stretch</a>. Otherwise, Jimmy&rsquo;s one of those guys who will rip your heart out in attack mode. He&rsquo;s damn gritty, plays the right way and leads by example &mdash; late-season war of words be damned.
5. Bam Adebayo: Five is probably the spot most up for debate. It&rsquo;s all love for Draymond Green, Jaylen Brown and Klay Thompson. But with Adebayo, he is a load to handle athletically on either end, presents all kinds of matchup problems and can impact the game in a multitude of ways, as ambigouous as that sounds. (Green&rsquo;s probably my runner-up here because of the way Golden State ticks when he&rsquo;s on the floor).
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Ethan Fuller
This is definitely a challenge.&nbsp;
1. Steph Curry: Even after a second-round slump, I still would take a red-hot Curry game over any other player remaining.
2. Jayson Tatum: Tatum gets the edge over Luka Doncic by gapping him on the defensive end.
3. Luka Doncic
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Draymond Green: I almost went with Bam Adebayo over Draymond Green, and I think you could make the case either way.
Bryan Fonseca
1. Luka Doncic: He's the best player left standing despite the fact that his team is the weakest. Maybe the Dallas Mavericks are a better version of the 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers and he's *that* LeBron James. Let's remember that Doncic was All-Tournament at EuroBasket at age-18, which Slovenia won for the first time ever. He also is responsible for leading Slovenia into the Olympics for the first time ever this past summer, where they nearly medaled. They jumped from barely top-20 to firmly top-five in the world. That man can lift a team like few others.
2. Steph Curry: He's still the best shooter in the world and still one of the best players in the league. He hasn't been as good as a couple others we're about to get to, but is still *that dude* more often than not. The Warriors are the title favorites now, and it starts with The Chef.
3. Jimmy Butler: He is the most underrated star in the NBA, and historically &mdash; outside of last season &mdash; is better in the playoffs going back to his days as a Chicago Bull. He was primarily responsible for the only non-Kevin Garnett-led Minnesota Timberwolves playoff berth until this season. Every team he left got worse, and every team he joined got better.
4. Jayson Tatum: After Luka, he's the man most knocking on the door of "next" left in the playoffs. The best four talents of these playoffs have been, up to now, Luka, Giannis, Butler and Tatum.
5. Bam Adebayo: This is with massive respect to Jaylen Brown. Bam is not only the best defender left in the playoffs but the most consistent. For all the talk about lack of aggression, he averages nearly 20 and 10 offensively as a third option. Yes, he's capable of more offensively than he's shown in the playoffs, but he typically does well against the Celtics. Expect more in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Matt John
1. Luka Doncic: He just eviscerated a 64-win team coming off a NBA Finals appearance in the most pivotal game of the season against multiple stingy wing defenders, including the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. He played like he knew it too. He is the best player left in these playoffs until proven otherwise.
2. Steph Curry: He's the deadliest man from three in a league that values threes now more than ever. Now that his foot injury is firmly behind him, the Warriors will go as far as his deadly three-point accuracy will take them. Fun fact: This is Steph's first Western Conference Finals berth sans Kevin Durant in six years.
3. Jayson Tatum: He just went toe-to-toe with the most unstoppable player in the league and reigning champion, and came up victorious. Not only that, but he put the Celtics on his back when they were down for the count. The talent was always there. The growth in mental fortitude is what's eye-opening.
4. Jimmy Butler: What he doesn't have in talent compared to the other three he makes up for in grit. If there's one player in the league who's willing to get his hands dirty to get the win, it's Butler. All things considered, he provided a substantial return on investment for Miami, as this is their second Eastern Conference Finals berth in three years with him.
5. Bam Adebayo: The DPOY candidate has kept it going in these playoffs, having stopped the talented (albeit badly injured) Joel Embiid. Adebayo is the quintessential modern big in this league. He may not fill up the stat sheet like most stars do, but he makes up for it by winning games.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_16967711_lg.jpg" alt="" />
Evan Sidery
1. Luka Doncic: After what I just witnessed Luka do in-person against the Phoenix Suns, it felt like a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/luka-doncic-enters-into-next-tier-of-nba-superstars-following-western-conference-semifinals-comeback" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transformative career moment</a>. Doncic is a bona fide superstar now, and the way he's carried Dallas to this point is nothing short of incredible. The Mavericks&rsquo; hopes and dreams hinge upon Doncic continuing to be the best postseason player.
2. Steph Curry: After waffling back-and-forth on No. 2, I settle on Curry because doubting him feels unwise. Curry still provides vintage scoring performances as he continues to be the lifeblood of the Warriors&rsquo; offense. Curry versus Doncic is a matchup I can't wait to watch. Hopefully, it's a long a long series.
3. Jayson Tatum: After going toe-to-toe with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum more than held his own. Delivering a legendary Game 6 performance in Milwaukee, Tatum has propelled himself to superstar status like Doncic. If anything, the NBA conference finals showcase that the next generation of stars are taking the batons and running away for good.
4. Jimmy Butler: Don&rsquo;t doubt Jimmy Buckets, especially on this stage. Butler delivered against the Sixers, and I expect him to put on a show versus Boston. Butler&rsquo;s all-around game continues to shine on the postseason stage.
5. Klay Thompson: Playoff Klay is very, very real. The West Finals feel like the ideal breakout stage for Thompson post-injury. Klay is beginning to heat up each round, too. Vintage Klay showing up on that platform would be so fun to watch.
Justin Lewis&nbsp;
1. Luka Doncic: He's carried one of the lesser total rosters in the playoffs to the Conference Finals. He's generational.
2. Jayson Tatum: He could be considered "1A" because of his two-way play, but Tatum has been a problem for two months now.
3. Jimmy Butler: JB is that dude. He can carry the Heat to the Finals, but Tatum and Luka get the nod as guys who can carry their respective teams through the Finals.
4. Steph Curry: He's not been the same Steph, but the Warriors are still in the West Finals &mdash; and that's terrifying. If he returns to form, the Warriors may win another championship.
5. Jaylen Brown: He's the best No. 2 of any team left in the playoffs. His two-way prowess and ability to pick it up when Tatum is off is crucial for the Celtics.
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Sharon Brown
1. Steph Curry
2. Luka Doncic
3. Jimmy Butler
4. Jayson Tatum
5. Klay Thompson
Steph is the greatest shooter ever, and Luka is that dude. JB is a dawg, and I will always ride with him. Tatum's star power is rising, and Klay is still deadly even after his two-year absence.
Mark Schindler
This is a tough question!
1. Steph Curry
2. Luka Doncic
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Bam Adebayo
The four best players left are for sure Steph, Luka, Tatum and Jimmy. I would have to go with Bam at No. 5, so there's a decent little drop-off from the top four. (Not a slight! There's just levels to this, like Meek said).
Nekias Duncan
1. Luka Doncic
2. Steph Curry
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Bam Adebayo
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How would you rank the five best players remaining in the NBA Playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Ranking the 5 best players remaining in the NBA Playoffs

The last time Ben Simmons appeared in an NBA game was June 20, 2021.&nbsp;
It was Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 103-96. Simmons contributed 5 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and a steal, but the most memorable play occurred with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter when he passed up a wide-open layup. The loss ultimately led to the Simmons saga, which culminated in a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. 
Simmons has yet to suit up for the Nets, but that may change very soon. ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-ben-simmons-targets-first-rounds-game-4-to-be-his-nets-debut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Simmons is targeting Game 4 against the Boston Celtics to make his season debut. The 25-year-old has been dealing with a herniated disc in his back, but he's made progress this week.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Based on Ben Simmons&rsquo; progress in practices this week &ndash; and the anticipation of him further accelerating in the coming days &ndash; Game 4 vs. Boston on Monday is looming as a realistic target for his Brooklyn debut, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1516830553160527889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

If Simmons does get cleared, does it even make sense for Brooklyn to play him against Boston? Do the risks outweigh the rewards? We asked our BasketballNews.com writers to weigh in:
Mark Schindler: I'd probably lean toward not playing Ben. I understand the impact he&nbsp;could have, but the precedent of bringing players who haven't logged a regular-season minute into the middle of a playoff series makes me lean "no." I don't think it's as simple as, &ldquo;Well, he could just play 15-to-30 minutes&rdquo; because he needs rhythm. The players in the rotation already have a rhythm, and even then, it's still being sorted out. Brooklyn&rsquo;s rotation has been in flux and has varied all year, and it finally feels close to right. Given that, as well as Ben&rsquo;s injury timeline, it's murky for me.
Nekias Duncan: The Nets could use Simmons, particularly on the defensive end. They currently don't have a forward-sized player aside from Kevin Durant who is completely trustworthy. Considering the role Simmons would have to play on both ends, I don't think it'd be a crazy adjustment period for him. Defend, push after misses, execute some handoffs and hang around <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the dunker spot</a> otherwise.
Alex Kennedy:&nbsp;This is complicated. Simmons has been sidelined for nearly a year, so he's going to be rusty. It also seems unlikely that he'll be 100% healthy. A few weeks ago, Simmons needed an epidural because his herniated disc was causing him so much pain. Also, he hasn't played with any of these current Brooklyn players (aside from 49 games alongside Seth Curry in Philadelphia). He'll be trying to learn a new system, a new role and new teammates' tendencies on the fly; meanwhile, the other players will be trying to adjust to Simmons and the new rotation. If that wasn't tough enough, Simmons also has dealt with confidence issues and has struggled in high-pressure moments. This isn't throwing him into the deep end; it's tossing him into the Mariana Trench. I understand the temptation to play him since he's a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, and the Nets had the NBA's 15th-ranked defense this season (third-worst among the East playoff teams). There's no question that he'd help on that end, especially against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Still, I lean toward sitting him and focusing on next season. Playing him is the high-risk, high-reward move, but it feels like that could blow up in the team's face.&nbsp;
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Sharon Brown: I would play him in limited sets. Simmons' role with the Nets is different than it was with the Sixers. Defense comes naturally to him. He will be able to get rebounds, alter passing lanes, block shots and more. All the Nets need him to do is play defense and pass the ball to either Kyrie or KD. I don't see how that can hurt the Nets.
Bryan Fonseca: F**k no! You're really going to take a guy who had that playoff experience last year and &mdash; fresh off a back injury and alleged mental-health issues &mdash; just throw him into this series? How does that make sense? Can he help from a basketball standpoint on the floor? Sure. That's why Brooklyn made the trade, isn't it? And maybe the Nets are confident in how they've gotten him ready, his progress, their culture and things of that nature. Cool. But to throw him back in there after a year off, after the conclusion to last season and after all that's unfolded since, I'm not sure what sense this makes. Perhaps he's mentally and physically ready, but it feels like a desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures move.
Spencer Davies: Despite having the luxury of an All-NBA defender and All-Star-caliber threat in the open floor, it'd be wise for the Brooklyn Nets to ease Ben Simmons back into competition. If that means he plays 10 total minutes in short, separated stints, so be it. He'd likely be tasked with roaming off the ball on defense and trying to create pick-sixes, in addition to containing Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown directly. There's always an inherent risk with debuting a player who hasn't played with your team in a playoff setting, particularly one where you could be experimenting in a situation that needs to be concrete (pending the series score). Still, there's always room for a playmaking, athletic, rangy weapon in the postseason, no matter how little Simmons is out there.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_18078844_lg.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="500" />
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;m torn on this. I argued that the Nets <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/at-some-point-nets-may-be-wise-to-rule-ben-simmons-out-for-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should shut Simmons down</a>, but I also recognize that Kevin Durant is no spring chicken. He and Kyrie don&rsquo;t necessarily have all the time in the world to bring a championship to Brooklyn, so you figure Simmons can help while they&rsquo;re both playing at a high level. Why not, right? At the end of the day, if you&rsquo;re Sean Marks, you have to trust your medical staff. If I&rsquo;m Brooklyn, I&rsquo;d let him run if everyone thought he was good to go. My major concern is that after a one-year layoff, coming back in the playoffs &mdash; especially against a team like Boston &mdash; is going from zero-to-100 pretty quickly. And let&rsquo;s keep in mind, medical staffs can be wrong. The Warriors probably didn&rsquo;t think Durant could do further damage to his &ldquo;calf strain&rdquo; by returning against Toronto in the 2019 NBA Finals. Wrong they were, obviously. I&rsquo;d let Simmons play, but I would slowly ramp him up. I also wouldn&rsquo;t be expecting him to be as effective as usual. At that point, you&rsquo;d have to wonder if he&rsquo;d even be a net-plus over the guy whose minutes he&rsquo;d be taking (Bruce Brown, in most instances)&hellip; But that&rsquo;s Steve Nash&rsquo;s problem.
Ethan Fuller: I don't think a mid-playoff-series toss into the teeth of the Celtics' defense is going to get Ben Simmons feeling confident and in rhythm after nearly a year on the sidelines. The Nets have already faced trials of team chemistry with the James Harden trade and Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s return to full-time play. Now they want to roll out Simmons and further disrupt a rotation that's finding its footing? Simmons is an All-World defender, and maybe that's what the Nets will need if they face elimination. But until then, I just can't logically picture him instantly clicking with the high stakes of the postseason.
Tommy Beer: I understand the hesitancy to introduce a new player into a heavily competitive series when he clearly hasn&rsquo;t had enough time to practice with his new teammates. However, I think throwing Ben Simmons into the mix is worth the gamble for Brooklyn, primarily because of the significant contributions he can make on the defensive end. Keep in mind, Simmons was named to the All-Defensive First Team for a second consecutive season in 2020-21 and was one of just two unanimous selections (along with Rudy Gobert). The Nets will need quality defenders if they hope to slow down a Celtics squad featuring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Also, Simmons brings incredible versatility to the table. He is one of the very few players in the league capable of covering quick point guards (like Marcus Smart) as well as burly power forwards (like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/appreciating-a-brilliant-showing-from-al-horford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Al Horford</a>). While the downside is obvious (expect Boston to send Simmons to the free-throw line early and often), the pros outweigh the cons for Brooklyn.
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Jesse Blancarte: I am guessing that most people think the Brooklyn Nets should not play Ben Simmons this postseason. I understand the arguments. He has not played in a long time. He has struggled mightily in past postseasons. His shooting is a problem. He is playing on a new team and will have to try and fit into their offensive and defensive systems on the fly. He could become a distraction if he clams up and the collective focus turns to his struggles like it did in Philadelphia. I still think the Nets should integrate Simmons immediately if he is healthy. Assuming Simmons is healthy, he is one of the most versatile defenders in the league. He has the length, mobility and strength to defend guards and forwards and can jump passing lanes to create easy fastbreak opportunities. Integrating him on offense will be more complicated, but a progressive ramp-up could pay off down the road, assuming the Nets can advance past the Boston Celtics (which is not a certainty at this point). If he doesn&rsquo;t look healthy, or if he is struggling, then bench him or scale back his minutes. But considering his skillset, his playmaking ability and the fact that he has Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to distribute the ball to, I think there is too much upside to not give him a chance. Without him, the Nets are viable contenders, but if Simmons is activated and plays well, the Nets could become the favorite to win it all.
Justin Lewis: The Nets clearly need a body to throw at Jayson Tatum and another playmaker to take some pressure off of Kyrie and KD. They don't need Simmons to score a single point. His defensive prowess and ability to start a fastbreak and make plays for his teammates are valuable enough to throw him out there despite the rust.
Drew Maresca: Simmons is a risky play at best. Back injuries are fickle, and proceeding without sufficient time to gauge how well he responds to contact is dangerous. Simmons may have caught a break in that he avoided surgery. Why tempt fate? If his back is re-injured in any way, surgery is all but guaranteed, and that would result in additional complications. As much as Brooklyn and its fans are dying to push their chips to the center of the table, I'd proceed with caution.
Matt John: There are just so many unknowns surrounding what Ben Simmons could do for the Nets. He hasn't played all season and he's playing for a new team that will put him in a different role from what he was accustomed to in Philadelphia. Simmons could be a game-changer for Brooklyn, but that remains in the abstract until further notice. He's a great passer, but he's not going to have the ball too much playing next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He's a great defender, but there's only so much ground he can cover for a sub-par defensive team like the Nets. Right now, Brooklyn's problem is that they need guys who can help them on both ends of the floor outside of KD and Kyrie. Defensively, Simmons helps them immensely. Offensively, he may pose spacing problems. On paper, Simmons should help slow down Jayson Tatum, but since he's coming off a back injury, there's no telling if he's physically capable of covering one of the league's best players. If he comes back, he won't be eased in because the Nets will be throwing him to the wolves. If he thinks he's ready, he'll have to prove it right away.
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Ben Simmons is hoping to make his season debut in Game 4 against the Celtics. Should the Nets to play him? Our writers weigh in.

NBA Roundtable: Should the Brooklyn Nets play Ben Simmons right now?

Across the country, teams are competing in conference tournaments and trying to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday is tomorrow, and then the tourney starts next Tuesday. Here's a recap of Saturday's action.
The Upsets, the Madness
Virginia Tech def. Duke 82-67, ACC Final Hunter Cattoor put on a clinic, hitting 11 of 16 from the field for 31 points. The teams were neck and neck in the first half, as the Hokies took a three point lead into the break. They would slowly extend that lead during the remainder of the contest, when a Justyn Mutts dunk gave them an advantage of 12 points with 2:28 left, all but sealing the deal. Virginia Tech enters the NCAA Tournament red hot. Tough night for Duke.&nbsp;
Memphis def. SMU 70-63 - AAC Semifinal You do not want to play the Tigers right now. They have been red hot over the last few weeks and will take great momentum into the American Championship game. They had three players in double-figures in this one, along with strong outings from Earl Timberlake and Tyler Harris off the bench. Watch out.&nbsp;
Texas A&amp;M def. Arkansas 82-64 - SEC Semifinal Even after strong performances this week, the Aggies were given only a 31% chance of winning today, but they put on a clinic. They held a 12 point lead at the break and never let off the gas. Quenton Jackson poured in 20 points in a great showing, and now the Aggies look forward to playing for the SEC Championship.
Tennessee def. Kentucky 69-62 - SEC Semifinal The Volunteers took a 7-4 lead 3 minutes into the game and never gave it back. TyTy Washington was able to cut that lead to 3 points with 1:31 to play, but Zakai Zeigler hit clutch free throws to ice it. Kennedy Chandler, Santiago Vescovi and co. move on to the SEC Championship game.
Richmond def. Dayton 68-64 - Atlantic 10 Semifinal Dayton had an eight point lead at the break and a 14 point advantage with 13 minutes to play, but simply couldn&rsquo;t hold on. Grant Golden, Tyler Burton and co. stormed back to steal the four point win. The Spiders move into the A10 Championship game and will look to steal an auto-bid in the NCAA Tournament.&nbsp;
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Best Games of the Day
Iowa def. Indiana 80-77, Big Ten Semifinal The Hoosiers led by nine with 5:31 to play, but Keegan Murray did what he usually does &mdash; turned on the jets late. Jordan Bohannon banked in a last-second three which sent the fans into a frenzy, propelling the Hawkeyes into the Big Ten title game. This ends a great run from Indiana &mdash; now they await their fate on Selection Sunday.
Boise State def. San Diego State 53-52 - Mountain West Final The biggest lead in this one was three points. However, once the Broncos took a 48-47 lead with 6:41 to play, they never gave it back. Degenhart led them in scoring with 13 points, and now they look ahead to the Big Dance.
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Headed to the Big Dance, Tickets Punched
Kansas def. Texas Tech 74-55, wins Big 12 Championship
Arizona def. UCLA , wins Pac 12 Championship
Virginia Tech def. Duke 82-67, wins ACC Championship
Villanova def. Creighton 54-38, wins Big East Championship
Boise State def. San Diego State 53-52, wins Mountain West Championship
Akron def. Kent State 75-55, wins MAC Championship
UAB def. Louisiana Tech 82-73, wins C-USA Championship
Texas Southern def. Alcorn State 87-62, wins SWAC Championship
Vermont def. UMBC 82-43, wins America East Championship
Norfolk State def. Coppin State 72-57, wins MEAC Championship
Saint Peter&rsquo;s def. Monmouth 60-54, wins MAAC Championship
Montana State def. Northern Colorado 87-66, wins Big Sky Championship
Texas A&amp;M-CC def. SE Louisiana 73-65, wins Southland Championship
New Mexico State def. Abilene Christian 66-52, wins WAC Championship
CSU Fullerton def. Long Beach State 72-71, wins Big West Championship
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Derek Murray takes us through the latest developments from NCAA basketball's conference tourneys.

March Madness: Conference tournament Saturday recap

The Minnesota Timberwolves have rolled out an imposing offense all season long. They're seventh in the NBA with a 113.9 offensive rating, per Cleaning the Glass. We've chronicled their success along the way and written about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/on-the-block-minnesota-timberwolves-surging-post-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karl-Anthony Towns</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/we-should-give-dangelo-russell-more-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D'Angelo Russell</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anthony Edwards</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jaylen-nowell-is-finding-his-rhythm-for-the-timberwolves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jaylen Nowell</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-most-improved-player-candidates-who-have-no-shot-at-getting-your-consideration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jarred Vanderbilt</a>.
But the crazy part is: there's more to celebrate. Minnesota is 13-4 since Feb. 1, which happens to be the second-best record in that span. Over the past two weeks, the Wolves have gone 7-1 with a scorching 123.5 offensive rating that places second behind the Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota's roster, loaded with capable perimeter marksmen, is collectively heating up at the right time.
Since Feb. 1, Minnesota is shooting 38.2% from long range as a team (fourth-best in the league) after making just 34.2% of their looks before then. That includes the current slump plaguing Edwards. Nearly everyone around the star trio is cashing in. Here's a look at the seven complementary players who regularly shoot threes and their sudden changes in efficiency over the past month-plus (scroll right to view full table on mobile):&nbsp;
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<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Player</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">3PT% through Jan. 31</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">3PT% since Feb. 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Jaden McDaniels</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">29.0%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">36.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Patrick Beverley</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">31.2%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">37.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Malik Beasley</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">34.1%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">48.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Jordan McLaughlin</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">18.8%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">28.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Taurean Prince</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">34.0%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">44.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Naz Reid</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">32.4%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">48.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">Jaylen Nowell</td>
<td style="width: 31.4614%;">34.5%</td>
<td style="width: 31.4642%;">48.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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Look at these spikes! McLaughlin is the only player who doesn't make defenses pay, and everyone else is ranging from above-average to simply lethal.
The logical next question: Is this smaller sample size a fluke? I actually don't think so.
Minnesota generates 20.1 "open" three-point attempts per game (when the closest defender is four-to-six feet from the shooter) and that has stayed consistent all season. That mark is tops in the NBA by a long shot; the 3.7-attempt gap between Minny and Utah (16.4) is nearly the same distance between Utah and 25th-ranked Sacramento. The Wolves also create wide-open threes (six or more feet from the closest defender) at about a league-average rate. More than 40% of their total field goal attempts categorize as either open or wide-open threes &mdash; and they take the most total threes per game (41.7) in the Association.
Open shots are obviously more desirable, but catch-and-shoot threes and corner threes are also generally considered to be higher-percentage attempts. Look at how things have changed for the Wolves since February:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">Season span</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">Open+Wide Open 3P%</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">Catch-and-Shoot 3P%</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">Corner 3P%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">Before Feb. 1</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">34.5%</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">34.5%</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">35.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">Since Feb. 1</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">39.1%</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">40.7%</td>
<td style="width: 23.1364%;">44.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
So Minnesota is experiencing some serious positive regression in the areas you'd want to see change. That's a great sign for sustainability. For accuracy's sake, it should be noted that these numbers include the entire team, not just the aforementioned seven players. However, the specialists are undoubtedly driving the shift.
Lastly: do we buy that the individual players are capable of staying hot? I'm inclined to say yes, and let's run through them.
Jaden McDaniels shot 36.4% from long range as a rookie and is at that exact clip during this recent stretch. Patrick Beverley is a 37.8% three-point shooter on his career and is close to that average now. Malik Beasley and Jaylen Nowell probably can't stay this&nbsp;hot, but they're both recognized for their marksmanship. Taurean Prince has made 39% of his catch-and-shoot threes in four of his six NBA seasons (including this year).
Naz Reid likely faces regression. But he still posted a 35.1% clip on threes last season, almost all on catch-and-shoot chances, and is at 36.5% on that shot type this year. You'd figure that in his third season and second with a stable role, Reid can further improve as a shooter.
To conclude: Be scared of the Timberwolves. They were a top-10 NBA offense&nbsp;before&nbsp;their specialist shooters collectively caught fire. Now they might be one of the most unstoppable units in the NBA and, as the numbers show, have the chops to sustain their torrid pace into the postseason.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>How are NBA teams performing by quarter in the new calendar year? Here's a graphic from Tom Bassine:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
An update on the team strength by quarter table. Restricted to games since Jan 1. <a href="https://t.co/KjLX8qiSty">pic.twitter.com/KjLX8qiSty</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1501682993546547203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

<ul>
<li>SIS Hoops is back at it with another great leaderboard. Give Jrue Holiday more love people!</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Efficient self-creation is a necessity for an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> star. Check out who is generating the most points on self-created looks this year: <a href="https://t.co/PuwR4NovwM">pic.twitter.com/PuwR4NovwM</a>
&mdash; SIS Hoops (@SIS_Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIS_Hoops/status/1501294622722584577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

<ul>
<li>According to NBA vice president and head of international basketball development Troy Justice, there were 121 NBA players who were born outside of the United States on opening-night rosters. That's a massive increase from just 23 international players 30 seasons ago. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/an-inside-look-at-how-international-players-are-taking-over-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy checked in with Justice</a> for more on the league's global growth.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
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Minnesota's complementary role players have caught fire from three-point range over the past month. Is this sustainable?

NBA Stats Notebook: The Wolves' perimeter shooters are on the prowl

With the 2022 NCAA Tournament right around the corner, it's time for conference tournaments to begin so teams can begin punching their ticket to The Big Dance in March.
Mid-major tournaments have already gotten underway, on Wednesday, five Power Five tournaments will have begun theirs to join the club.
(Editor's note: Check out our breakdowns of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-acc-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACC</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-big-ten-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Ten</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-big-12-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big 12</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-pac12-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pac-12</a>.)
Since everyone will have their eyes on the best players in these conferences over the next few weeks, BasketballNews.com has highlighted each Power Five and its top 2022 NBA Draft prospects.
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Here are the names to look out for in the Southeastern Conference.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jabari-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jabari Smith</a>
Forward | Auburn
Height: 6-10 Weight: 220 Wingspan: 7-1
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.1 Nationality: USA
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At 6-foot-10, Jabari Smith has the size and shooting stroke to be an impactful stretch-4 at the NBA level. Added physical strength will certainly propel his development, but his athleticism, shooting and defensive abilities make him a high-level prospect. In addition, considering the value of floor spacing in today's game, Smith will likely generate significant interest from NBA teams. As a result, Smith is in the mix to be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/tyty-washington" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TyTy Washington</a>
Guard | Kentucky
Height: 6-3 Weight: 197 Wingspan: 6-9
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 20.6 Nationality: USA
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Although he has played primarily off the ball this season, TyTy Washington still sets the tone for his team and provides value as both a facilitator and scorer. Even when pushing the pace, Washington plays under control and seldom makes poor decisions leading to turnovers. He is only 6-foot-3 and lacks elite athleticism, but he routinely gets his shot off from deep with smooth mechanics and a quick release. As a result, Washington will likely be the first point guard selected in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/tari-eason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tari Eason</a>
Forward | LSU
Height: 6-8 Weight: 216 Wingspan: 6-9
Class: Sophomore Draft Day Age: 21.1 Nationality: USA
After transferring from Cincinnati, Tari Eason has had a breakout season in Baton Rouge for LSU. He has positional size and length, and plays with a great motor on both ends of the floor. While Eason is still improving as a shooter, he excels at putting the ball on the deck and attacking the rim. In addition, Eason is a switchable defender and an all-around playmaker. If he keeps performing at a high level, he will have an excellent chance to be a first-round pick this summer.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>
Guard | Tennessee
Height: 6-0 Weight: 171 Wingspan: 6-5
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.8 Nationality: USA
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Although undersized, Tennessee&rsquo;s Kennedy Chandler has incredible speed. He might be the fastest player in the country with the ball in his hands this season. In addition, Chandler is an excellent game manager, a skilled passer and a developing outside shooter. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes has had success with smaller, speedier guards in the past, as T.J. Ford won the Naismith Player of the Year in 2003 while the two were both at Texas. Chandler will likely be one of the first point guards selected in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jd-davison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Davison</a>
Guard | Alabama
Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 Wingspan: 6-9
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.7 Nationality: USA
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An uber-athletic and explosive leaper, Alabama&rsquo;s JD Davison elevates seamlessly off one or two feet. He is also a tremendous playmaker and facilitator off the dribble, and he continues to improve as an outside shooter. Davison possesses a ton of upside and, although coming off the bench for the Tide, is making a solid case for the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/walker-kessler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walker Kessler</a>
Center | Auburn
Height: 7-1 Weight: 245 Wingspan: 7-5
Class: Sophomore Draft Day Age: 20.9 Nationality: USA
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After transferring from North Carolina, Walker Kessler is arguably the best shot-blocker in the country, continues to develop as a short-roll passer, and has shown shooting flashes during this season. He's still not a reliable floor-stretcher, but is incredibly efficient around the rim on offense with a soft touch on the block. Kessler's length, mobility and rim-protection give him a unique skill set that makes him a viable option in the 2022 NBA Draft.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/keon-ellis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keon Ellis</a>
Guard-Forward | Alabama
Height: 6-6 Weight: 175 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Senior Draft Day Age: 22.5 Nationality: USA
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After two seasons at Florida Southwestern State College, Keon Ellis transferred to Alabama as one of the most coveted JUCO prospects in the nation. He has displayed legitimate athleticism, playmaking and shot-making that will likely translate well to the next level. Ellis also can guard multiple positions thanks to his length, mobility and motor. He has been terrific for the Crimson Tide, and has played himself to be worthy of being drafted in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/iverson-molinar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iverson Molinar</a>
Guard | Mississippi State
Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 22.6 Nationality: Panama, USA
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Iverson Molinar is a quick-twitch guard who can fill up a box score at will. As a sophomore, he burst onto the scene and has continued to be a reliable scorer this season. Molinar can be a bit turnover-prone in spurts, but he excels out of the pick-and-roll and as a spot-up shooter. He also has decent vision as a passer and is a functional on-ball defender. Considering his athleticism and scoring prowess, Molinar could be a strong option in the 2022 NBA Draft as a score-first guard.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/oscar-tshiebwe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oscar Tshiebwe</a>
Center | Kentucky
Height: 6-9 Weight: 255 Wingspan: 7-4
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 22.6 Nationality: DR Congo
After transferring from West Virginia, Oscar Tshiebwe has brought a significant physical presence and energy to Kentucky's roster. Standing 6-foot-9 and 255 pounds, Tshiebwe's strength and motor are the two elements of his game that stand out the most. In addition, he is probably the best rebounder in the country. Although there are questions about how well his game translates to the modern-day NBA that values floor-spacing, he must be taken seriously as an NBA prospect.
Others worth noting:
Colin Castleton | Florida
Kellan Grady | Kentucky
Scotty Pippen Jr. | Vanderbilt
Santiago Vescovi | Tennessee
Jaylin Williams | Arkansas
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Matt Babcock highlights the top 2022 NBA Draft prospects in the SEC Tournament.

2022 NBA Draft: Top prospects in the SEC Tournament

In a game where emotions were high and tickets were going for just shy of $80,000, the North Carolina Tar Heels were able to walk in and come away the victors over their rival Duke Blue Devils, 94-81.
Behind a strong team effort on the offensive end, UNC's starters scored 92 of their 94 points, and Armando Bacot led the way with 23 of them.
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Armando Bacot 23 Pts (10-11 FG) 7 Rebs vs DUKE!!! Quick playing with bro and put him in the Lottery&hellip; ACC Player of the year!!! <a href="https://t.co/P1yNPVAQru">pic.twitter.com/P1yNPVAQru</a>
&mdash; Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) <a href="https://twitter.com/Frankie_Vision/status/1500288472329949194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Trevor Keels got the scoring started for Duke (26-5, 16-4 ACC), but the Tar Heels (23-8, 15-5 ACC) jumped out to an 11-4 lead. Bacot picked up a quick foul and was put on the bench, and Paolo Banchero responded by leading Duke on a 10-2 run. Jeremy Roach would contribute 6 quick points off the bench, as Duke took the 16-15 lead. UNC's Brady Manek answered with his second triple to make it 26-23.&nbsp;
The Blue Devils were up 41-39 heading into halftime, with Banchero leading the way with 15 points. RJ Davis led Carolina with 11, and Manek was 3 for 6 from deep with 9 points.
Duke extended the lead to 50-44 just minutes into the second half, but Bacot went on a run and cut the Tar Heels' deficit back to two. By the under-12 TV timeout, Duke held a 56-54 advantage.&nbsp;
The Tar Heels went on top 65-61 at the 8-minute mark in part to Bacot really getting things going, plus a tough bucket from Caleb Love. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski called a timeout at 2:58 after a Wendell Moore Jr. three cut the Blue Devils' deficit to 79-74.&nbsp;
Manek would connect on another triple following the timeout to make it 82-74 in favor of UNC, and things started to get tense. Leaky Black and Bacot quickly scored baskets of their own, and that about did it. The Tar Heels came into Cameron Indoor and spoiled Coach K&rsquo;s finale.
Love scored 22 for the visitors, while Manek hit 5 of 10 from deep for 20 points of his own. Davis had a great game for the Tar Heels with 21 points.&nbsp;
Banchero led Duke with 23 points. Blue Devils center Mark Williams posted 16 points and 13 rebounds. Roach had a strong showing, too, with 15 points off the bench.&nbsp;
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The Blue Devils rank No. 6 in the NET and No. 5 in Adjusted Efficiency, making them one of the favorites to win the National Championship. Banchero, the potential No. 1 overall pick in this coming NBA Draft, continues to play well with 16.9 points per game. AJ Griffin, Williams, Keels, and Moore also have strong cases as first-round picks.
The Tar Heels entered this one as winners of four straight, and have moved up to No. 8 in the NET Rankings. They have the No. 25 ranked offense in the nation behind Bacot (16.4 PPG), Love (15.5 PPG) and the Oklahoma transfer, Manek (14.2 PPG). They will need a positive showing in the ACC Tournament to ensure a visit to the Big Dance.
Next up for Coach K and the Blue Devils? It's time to refocus and gear up for the ACC Tournament, where Duke will enter as the top seed. In March Madness, the Blue Devils currently project as a No. 2 seed.
North Carolina sits on the &ldquo;Last Four Byes&rdquo; line and is considered a Bubble Team &mdash; although this win will play huge with the committee.&nbsp;
Pregame Celebration
While he ends his Duke career at home on a sad note, Mike Krzyzewski will be remembered for the game of basketball and his accolades, yes, but also for how he left his mark on people.&nbsp;
Krzyzewski entered this one with a career record of 1,196-365 (.766). His list of accolades includes:
<ul>
<li>35 NCAA Tournament appearances</li>
<li>12 Final Four appearances</li>
<li>5 NCAA Championships</li>
<li>Three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year</li>
<li>Five-time ACC Coach of the Year</li>
<li>An induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame</li>
</ul>
Before the game, there was a beautiful ceremony from over 80 former Duke players who made the trip to honor Coach K.
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Some of those former players spoke to our BasketballNews.com staff.
A couple of weeks ago, Luke Kennard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/luke-kennard-letting-it-fly-with-a-quicker-trigger-for-game-clippers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told our Spencer Davies</a>:
<blockquote>
He meant a lot [to my career]. Coach, he gave me an opportunity to play at the best university in the world, play for the best coach to ever coach the game," Kennard said. "It was a lot of fun. I mean without going there, [there's] no way I would be where I am today. He's great. He's such a family guy. Anytime I have a big game, he's always texting me like after the game. He keeps in touch with a lot of his players. I'm happy for him. He's done everything he's wanted to do while coaching the game. There's no better guy or coach for everything that's happened to him &mdash; he deserved it all. Happy retirement to him. He's gonna enjoy it now, he's gonna enjoy his family and grandkids. I'm happy for him though. I keep in touch with him all the time, and hopefully they can go out with a bang and try to get him a national championship this year. It's been fun to watch.
</blockquote>
Nolan Smith <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/duke-assistant-nolan-smith-on-coach-ks-retirement-jon-scheyer-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told our Chief Content Officer Alex Kennedy</a>:
<blockquote>
When a legend says "It&rsquo;s time," then it&rsquo;s time&hellip; His legacy comes down to winning. He consistently won in four different decades; that right there is unheard of. There are so many big-time coaches that have been in this game, but a lot of them most likely [won] in one or two decades. Not many have gotten to four decades and had the continued success that he&rsquo;s had. I think another part of that legacy is that he&rsquo;s created these relationships with players over and over again, so players continually wanted to play with Coach K. A lot of coaches get old; he never got old, he&rsquo;s still not old. Even heading into his last season, he stays up-to-date, he&rsquo;s adjusted to the times and he&rsquo;s adjusted to the game. I think that right there is part of his legacy, the fact that he&rsquo;s been able to change with the times of this game and not let it pass him up.
He&rsquo;s helped me tremendously in so many different ways. First, I&rsquo;ll start with basketball; he helped me be the best basketball player that I could be. The way he challenged me every day, the way he taught me to prepare every single day, how to approach the game every single day -- those were all lessons that helped me as a player. A lot of those lessons ended up helping me when I transitioned into my coaching career, too. All of those lessons that he was teaching are things that he does as a coach: he prepares better than anybody, he puts the time in, he watches film and he dedicates himself fully to his craft as a coach. That&rsquo;s probably something that a lot of people don&rsquo;t know about coaches: you put that same time in. And Coach puts in more time than anybody when it comes to his craft. Just being able to watch him and take notes... I&rsquo;ve made sure to have a notepad and a pen in every single meeting with him because he&rsquo;s always going to give you some kind of gem, some kind of lesson, that I can take with me and use in my coaching career when I deal with my players and, one day, have my own program.
</blockquote>
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In a game where emotions were high and tickets were going for just shy of $80,000, UNC was able to beat its rival Duke on the road.

North Carolina spoils Coach K’s last home game, beats No. 4 Duke 94-81

Which top rookie in the class of 2021 will end up being the best long-term? Mat Issa breaks down the case for each young stud.

Why they are all special: A guide to the top-five NBA rookies

If you&rsquo;re reading this, chances are, you&rsquo;re confused, too.
And if you caught <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/watch-basketballnewscoms-2022-nba-trade-deadline-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA Trade Deadline Show on Thursday</a>, you saw that we were very bumfuzzled... among other things.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Here&rsquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSchindlerNBA</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BryanFonsecaNY</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@esidery</a> and I reacting to the Kristaps Porzingis trade in real-time. 😂 We definitely didn&rsquo;t see this coming: <a href="https://t.co/SmJQ5CZbWc">pic.twitter.com/SmJQ5CZbWc</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1491900027987546119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Can you tell I didn't know how to react to the Porzingis trade ??? 😂😂😂<a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/HH4seIoS2d">pic.twitter.com/HH4seIoS2d</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1491904699011944448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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But yeah, say that sh*t out loud: Kristaps Porzingis is a Washington Wizard. And Porzingis is a Wizard because Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertāns are now Dallas Mavericks.
Alright, now take a breath, and let&rsquo;s take a few minutes to attempt to understand this together.
It was clearer than Sweet Baby Ray&rsquo;s barbecue sauce being amazing that the Mavericks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">did not want any more of the Porzingis experience</a>. When moved from the New York Knicks three trade deadlines ago, KP was thought to be a franchise star joining then-rookie sensation Luka Dončić to uplift the Mavericks into whatever stratosphere we were talking about at the time. Seriously, that feels like generations ago.
But in "KP Years" it kinda was.
Back then, Porzingis was in the midst of sitting out all of the 2018-19 season, his fourth in the NBA. But the previous year, <a href="https://www.nba.com/knicks/kp-all-star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he had been named a first-time All-Star</a> in just his third season despite his Knicks being 21-27 on the day he was honored. Two weeks later, he tore his ACL, ending his season with averages of 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks on .439/.395/.865 shooting splits. In Dallas, he has come close at times, but hasn&rsquo;t been able to fully replicate his All-Star self &mdash; even as his numbers may suggest otherwise, especially on the boards.
If he was still Unicorn KP, he wouldn&rsquo;t have gotten dumped for Dinwiddie and Bertāns, the latter of whom is in the conversation for worst contract in the NBA. But to his credit, Porzingis was having a productive season.
In his tenure with the Mavs, Porzingis averaged 20.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks with a .448/.345/.831 slash line. He averaged 4.4 free throw attempts per contest and 5.0 in 2019-20; however this season, it was just 3.2 FTAs a night. Even so, his free-throw rate has progressively dropped every season in Dallas, from .260 to .247 to .240.
To this point currently, Porzingis stands at 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks on .451/.283/.865 shooting. The 28.3% from three is coming on 5.1 attempts per game (his lowest as a Mav), which is a drop from 7.1 to 6.0 in the two seasons previous.
Porzingis had been anchoring one of the league&rsquo;s best defenses at times. As of this writing, the Mavericks stand <a href="https://www.nbastuffer.com/2021-2022-nba-team-stats/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third in fewest points allowed per game, fifth in defensive efficiency, and ninth in point differential</a>. Porzingis even had the team&rsquo;s second-best win shares per 48 minutes at .172, only behind Dwight Powell, and marking his personal career-high.
But as Tim Cato penned in <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/mavericks-trade-kristaps-porzingis-traded-to-wizards-for-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans/c3MVzUwMssD0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>, this has more to do about the direction of Dallas as a team.
Porzingis is eating $31.6 million this year, leaving little room for the Mavericks to maneuver this pffseason without financial creativity, which hasn&rsquo;t been their strong suit in previous offseasons if you haven&rsquo;t noticed. KP is also due $33.8 million next year with a $36 million player option for 2023-24, and you can guess how that one&rsquo;ll go.
By adding Dinwiddie and Bertāns, you&rsquo;re now eating those contracts, but they&rsquo;re <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1491860693129187342?s=20&amp;t=bJ9bGyu27yBE2xBObb-Sig" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not as taxing individually</a>. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As ran through recently here</a>, Dinwiddie is due $17.1 million this year and $18 million next year, and has a partial guarantee for $18.9 million in 2023-24. Dinwiddie has $10 million guaranteed in '23-24, but the deal <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1491861580174151692?s=20&amp;t=_BekDW8CG7k7zzJ0C5ayPg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">becomes fully guaranteed if he plays 50 games each in the two seasons prior</a>; he's played in 44 this year, so he's only six games away from satisfying half of the criteria.
Bertāns will get $16 million again next year and $17 million in 2023-24, and has a partially-guaranteed $16 million in 2024-25.
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For Dallas, these two contracts are just easier to navigate with, and it breaks up the supposed tension-filled relationship we&rsquo;ve heard about between Dončić and Porzingis for multiple years now. Dinwiddie is also insurance for pending restricted free agent Jalen Brunson, whom the Mavericks still plan to keep, <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1491861113096523777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN&rsquo;s Tim MacMahon</a>.
The move completely reshapes how the Mavs will build around Dončić this summer and beyond, which they already signaled post-trade by signing Dorian Finney-Smith to a well-deserved four year, $52 million extension.
This season overall, Dinwiddie is averaging 12.6 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on .376/.310/.811 shooting splits. Coming off his second ACL tear, his free throw rate is, at .240, the lowest of his career, which typically hovered between .252 and .270 in Brooklyn.
The big question with Dinwiddie will be how he&rsquo;ll fit next to Dončić, given that he wasn&rsquo;t his best next to another ball dominant guard in Bradley Beal; although, he did appear to play well without the Wizards' superstar, for what that&rsquo;s worth.
According to StatMuse, he averaged 10.2 points, 5.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds on .334/.271/.857 splits while <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/spencer-dinwiddie-stats-with-bradley-beal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing alongside Beal in 31 games</a>.
But <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/spencer-dinwiddie-stats-without-bradley-beal-2022">in 13 games without Beal?</a> Dinwiddie was damn near an All-Star, posting 18.5 points, 7.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game on a .441/.378/.746 slash line. Free throw percentage is down, sure, but he got there 4.5 times per contest versus the 2.7 he did when Beal was out there.
Now, in Dallas, you&rsquo;re hoping to find out that this was a not ball-dominant guard problem, as opposed to a Beal one. They did possibly snipe at one another <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/30/dinwiddie-said-he-tried-to-lead-wizards-spoke-up-but-it-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over that whole leadership thing</a> after all. For all we know, one day we could find out that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell weren&rsquo;t the only Wizards who <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/kentavious-caldwell-pope-montrezl-wizards-altercation/7taxzwsqlevs1r6c6ohhg3u5c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wanted to beat each other&rsquo;s asses</a>.
As for Bertāns...
He averages over 14 minutes per game in D.C., is just at 5.7 points per game and shooting a career low (by far!) 31.9% from three. He got this contract after shooting above 42% from deep in back-to-back seasons, and since then, he&rsquo;s fallen off a cliff. His major redeeming quality could be tapped into while stretching the floor with a virtuoso passer like Dončić, which we theorized for a fellow Latvian a few trade deadlines ago. (Spoiler: That was Porzingis, so we&rsquo;ll see, I guess.)
As for Washington, another big reason this trade was even on the table was because of Porzingis&rsquo; lack of availability. Even now, he&rsquo;s nursing a knee injury and hasn&rsquo;t played in nearly two weeks. In Dallas, not including the lost 2018-19 season, Porzingis played 144 of a possible 218 games, including the playoffs. If you do add the games he missed while recovering from a torn ACL, that&rsquo;s an additional 31 as a part of the Mavericks.
Porzingis, who turns 27 in August, likely has already seen his best days, and might even be years removed from them. In Washington, the franchise is still reportedly trying to reshape their own future around Beal, who is expected to miss the rest of the season due to wrist surgery and could sign an extension this summer worth well over $200 million.
If the Wizards plan on building around Beal and Porzingis, wouldn't that just look like a 75% or so version of what we saw with KP and Luka in Dallas?
Does having Porzingis bring them closer to keeping Beal? And, if so, is that even the direction they should go in?
Your hypothesis might be better than mine, but hey, at least you got rid of those other contracts, I guess.
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Bryan Fonseca tries to make sense of what the Wizards and Mavs were trying to accomplish at the 2022 NBA trade deadline.

So, how does this whole Porzingis, Dinwiddie, Bertans deal work?

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-sixers-and-nuggets-on-come-up-nets-sliding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics (thanks to their dominant defense) are three of the big climbers this week, while the Nets continue to head in the wrong direction.
1. Phoenix Suns (44-10) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Despite posting the NBA's best record, the Suns are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-james-harden-ben-simmons-caris-levert-collin-sexton-malik-beasley-thaddeus-young/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a>, Phoenix is one of two teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves being the other) that have expressed interest in trading for San Antonio Spurs veteran Thaddeus Young.
2. Golden State Warriors (41-13) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
It appears Klay Thompson is finding his groove, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. Klay has scored over 20 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.6 made treys (while shooting 42.9% from downtown) over his last five contests. &nbsp;
3. Memphis Grizzlies (38-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
The Grizz just keep on winning. They've won 6 of their last 7 games and 19 of their previous 23. Memphis has not lost consecutive contests since before Christmas. Over their last 20 games, Ja Morant is averaging 29.9 points (while shooting over 51% from the floor), 6.7 dimes, 6.3 assists, 1.6 made triples and 1.1 steals. Those are jaw-dropping numbers for any player, let alone a 22-year-old kid in just his third pro season.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (35-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
Interesting statistical factoid from the Bucks 137-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. In that game, Milwaukee became the first team in NBA history to have each member of its starting lineup score at least 15 points, grab at least 5 rebounds and knock down at least 2 three-pointers.
5. Miami Heat (35-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 5
When the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, Miami clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through the end of last week, which means Erik Spoelstra and his staff will head to Cleveland later this month to coach Team Durant in the All-Star Game.
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6. Chicago Bulls (33-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The Bulls, playing without two of their best perimeter defenders in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, have lost 3 of their last 4. However, after playing Wednesday in Charlotte, Chicago begins a six-game homestand that wraps around All-Star weekend. Following the matchup with the Hornets, the Bulls don't play on the road again until Feb. 28.&nbsp;
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The Cavs acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for injured point guard Ricky Rubio and three draft picks over the weekend. "Very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience," Cleveland president Koby Altman told reporters. "LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots bring an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster." It's an excellent addition for the Cavs to supply them with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scoring wing they were looking for</a>, making Cleveland that much scarier come playoff time. LeVert is expected to be active for Wednesday's game against the Spurs.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The Sixers are 10 games over .500 and Joel Embiid is doing much of the heavy lifting. Over his last 10 games, the big man is averaging 36.0 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. In the process, he may have established himself as the odds-on favorite to take home the MVP award entering the All-Star break. &nbsp;
9. Dallas Mavericks (32-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 10
Reggie Bullock tallied 22 points (on 8 of 14 shooting with 6 made three-pointers), 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. He's been a big part of the Mavs success of late. Over Dallas' past seven games, Bullock is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting 50.0% from the floor), 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 treys, 1.3 steals and just 0.6 turnovers.
10. Utah Jazz (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
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Donovan Mitchell sealed the win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/utahjazz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@utahjazz</a> with 3 fourth-quarter steals, after GOING OFF for 21 points in the first half! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeNote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeNote</a> 🕷 <a href="https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spidadmitchell</a>: 32 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL <a href="https://t.co/IiPsFfYDIu">pic.twitter.com/IiPsFfYDIu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490927965319970816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Donovan Mitchell racked up 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in Utah's victory over the Knicks on Monday night. Rudy Gobert (left calf strain) did not play in the win, but the Jazz are hoping he is cleared to return to the action later this week. They also just acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a three-team deal</a> to add some youth (and depth) to their backcourt.
11. Denver Nuggets (30-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
Nikola Jokic was at it again Sunday, registering another triple-double in Denver's 124-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Joker finished with 27 points (on 12 of 15 shooting), 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and just 2 turnovers in only 30 minutes. This one (his NBA-leading 14th triple-double) was notable because it was the second time in Jokic's career he's recorded a 25-point triple-double while also shooting above 80% from the floor. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history with more than one such game.
12. Toronto Raptors (29-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
The Raptors, who are currently riding a six-game winning streak, have discussed a trade that would send Goran Dragic (and his $18 million expiring contract) to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>.
13. Boston Celtics (31-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 15
The Celtics have posted a 13-4 record dating back to New Year's Eve, and it's their defense that has turned Boston's season around. Over this 17-game stretch, the C's are allowing just 101.5 points per 100 possessions. To put that number in context: No team in the NBA other than Boston is allowing fewer than 106.5 points per 100 possessions over the past six weeks. Boston ranks first in Net Rating in 2022 as well. As usual, Marcus Smart has led the charge (pun intended) on the defensive front. He leads his team in pass deflections (64 more than any other Celtic) and charges drawn.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (29-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 17
In the 18 games this season in which Minnesota has been able to roll out its preferred starting five of D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, the Wolves are 13-5.
15. Brooklyn Nets (29-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Nets have lost nine straight games. They are 12 games under .500 dating back to late December. Kevin Durant is still weeks away from returning to action after spraining the medial collateral in his left knee last month. James Harden looks puffy and is nursing a hamstring injury. Joe Harris suffered a setback in his recovery from left ankle surgery in late January and reportedly could need a second surgery. Of the 27 games remaining on the Nets schedule, 14 of them are on the road. However, four of those contests are against either the New York Knicks or Raptors, which means Irving will only be able to suit up for (at most) 10 games. But, yeah, other than that, everything is all good in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
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16. Charlotte Hornets (28-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week that the Hornets are one of several teams that have expressed interest in Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl. The Bulls and Raps have also been rumored to be interested in Poeltl.
17. Atlanta Hawks (26-28) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
The Hawks were just 1-3 in their previous four games prior to Tuesday (although that one win was impressive &mdash; a victory at home over the Suns last Thursday, which snapped their 11-game winning streak). Atlanta took advantage of a reeling Indiana Pacers squad Tuesday night, beating them 133-112.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-29) &harr;️ Last Week: 18
Over the Lakers' last four games, Russell Westbrook is shooting a putrid 27.5% from the floor, 15.4% from downtown and 55.0% from the charity stripe. Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory over the Knicks, when Westbrook was alone with the ball in the corner, the home crowd shouted at him not to shoot. When New York forced overtime, head coach Frank Vogel benched Russ for Talen Horton-Tucker. Westbrook was also benched for the final 14 minutes in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to the Bucks. Will the Lakers admit they made a mistake before the deadline and reroute Russ out of Los Angeles?
19. New Orleans Pelicans (22-32) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🔥 Brandon Ingram WENT OFF for 17 points in the 3rd quarter on his way to 33 points and the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> win! <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Ingram13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@B_Ingram13</a>: 33 PTS, 12 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/3uT1ocPpgg">pic.twitter.com/3uT1ocPpgg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490683017949552641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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New Orleans, who won just one of their first 13 games this season, is now riding a four-game winning streak and has jumped up into 10th place in the Western Conference. And on Tuesday, the team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-pelicans-pushing-chips-in-on-cj-mccollum-was-a-wise-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added a stud scorer to its roster</a>. The Pels acquired CJ McCollum along with Larry Nance and Tony Snell from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jason Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada and draft compensation. I love this deal for New Orleans.&nbsp;
20. Los Angeles Clippers (27-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
Last week, the Clippers made a shrewd trade, sending Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a second-round pick to the Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. It will help not only help them make a playoff push this year, but will also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">round out their roster next season</a> when they can count on both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returning to full strength. Powell looked great in his Clippers' debut on Sunday, tallying 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting in just 24 minutes. He followed that up with a 16-point night in a lopsided loss to the Grizz.
21. Washington Wizards (24-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 20
After the 2021-22 season started with plenty of promise, the Wiz have lost 8 of 9 heading into Thursday's matchup with the Nets. They will likely look to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade the struggling Spencer Dinwiddie</a> before the deadline arrives.&nbsp;
22. New York Knicks (24-31) ⬇️ Last Week: 21
New York has lost 10 of its last 12 games, but Mitchell Robinson had been playing some of the best basketball of his career before sitting out Tuesday's loss due to a back injury. Over the last month, Mitch Rob is averaging 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. During this stretch, the only other players in the NBA also averaging double-digit points and rebounds to go along with at least 1.4 blocks are Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
23. San Antonio Spurs (20-34) ⬆️ Last Week: 24
Spurs fans learned Monday that Dejounte Murray will make his NBA All-Star Game debut after being named an injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Murray is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals this season, and has a chance to become just the third player ever to average at least 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game over an entire season.&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (20-36) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
The Kings shook up the league Tuesday afternoon, trading Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. It is stunning that Sacaremto would part ways with Haliburton. The 21-year-old has exceeded all expectations since being drafted in 2020. He is on pace to become just the second player in NBA history to average at least 5 assists and 2 made three-pointers per game while shooting over 40% from downtown in each of his first two pro seasons. (The only player to have accomplished this feat is Stephen Curry.)
25. Portland Trail Blazers (21-34) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
The Blazers made waves on Tuesday, trading away former franchise cornerstone CJ McCollum. It continued on Wednesday afternoon, as Portland rerouted Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Utah for Joe Ingles' expiring $14 million deal in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-team trade</a>. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that "Portland plans to fully reshape the roster around Damian Lillard now... the plan is to pursue high-end talent now, not retreat." The team's also created a ton of cap space in the process and has a $21 million trade exception at its disposal.
26. Indiana Pacers (19-37) ⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Pacers, who are just 5-18 since Christmas, began breaking down their roster by trading Caris LeVert to the Cavs on Sunday, and then <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-exit-blockbuster-trade-with-kings-as-huge-winners-thanks-to-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipped off Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento</a>, as noted above. As our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bucks-interested-in-trading-for-myles-turner-pacers-may-keep-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy reported</a>, Myles Turner is "a big fan of Tyrese Haliburton's game and is excited about the possibility of playing with the young guard." It appears Turner may stay in Indiana.
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27. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-36) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
The Thunder lost to the Warriors on Monday night, but Luguentz Dort had another strong outing, tallying 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. In the three games OKC has played without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort is averaging 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 three-balls.
28. Houston Rockets (15-39) ⬆️ Last Week: 29
The Rockets would love to join this week's wheeling and dealing by exchanging veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon for draft capital. We'll see if they find a willing trade partner.&nbsp;
29. Orlando Magic (13-43) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
We know the Magic hope to flip Terrence Ross and Gary Harris in exchange for draft picks before Thursday's deadline. The question is whether they will also look to deal big man Mo Bamba. After struggling over his first three years in the NBA, Bamba is posting career-highs across the board this season. However, Orlando inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October. The Magic are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Bamba, who has a $10.1 million qualifying offer for 2022-23 and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
30. Detroit Pistons (12-42) ⬇️ Last Week: 28
Killian Hayes has played a bit better of late, but he has failed to live up to expectations since being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This season, Hayes is one of only two players in the NBA logging more than 20 minutes per game yet shooting below 38% from the floor and averaging fewer than 10 points per contest. For his career, he is just 50-of-179 from downtown (27.9%)... The Pistons have lost 9 of their last 10 contests.
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Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Bucks back into top tier, Mavs vault into top-10

Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis could end up being the biggest name that's dealt prior to Thursday's trade deadline.
While the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings are the two teams that have consistently been linked to the two-time All-Star, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto wouldn't be shocked if a random team comes out of nowhere to win the Sabonis sweepstakes.&nbsp;
"For Sabonis, he's the kind of guy where I could see a dark-horse team kind of coming out of nowhere and going all-in [to acquire him]," Scotto said on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2022-nba-trade-deadline-preview-breaking-down-the/id1528900732?i=1000550304493" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Alex Kennedy Podcast</a>. "I don't want to throw any teams out there. But I just think it comes down to Indiana trying to squeeze teams [and get more], just like Orlando did with Nikola Vucevic a year ago. I think it's really the same scenario... I've reported that the Pacers want a Nikola-Vucevic type of package for Sabonis."
Last year, the Orlando Magic shocked everyone when they traded Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and two first-round picks. Like Vucevic last year, Sabonis is a two-time All-Star who's under contract for two more seasons beyond this one (earning $18.5 million).
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One team that could make sense as a dark-horse suitor is the New Orleans Pelicans, who have expressed interest in Sabonis. The Pelicans have been one of the most active teams in trade talks over the last few weeks and while they have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pelicans-really-aggressive-in-pursuit-of-guards-on-trade-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mostly been linked to guards</a> (including C.J. McCollum and Eric Gordon), they certainly seem to be buyers as the deadline approaches.
If a surprise teams fails to emerge, Scotto believes the Kings have the trade chips to land Sabonis.
"Sacramento has all of the assets to get that done," Scotto said. "To me, they also have the desperation factor because they're trying not to miss the playoffs again and set the record [for the longest playoff drought]. And they need a high-caliber big. If they acquire Domantas Sabonis, they haven't had a guy like that since Chris Webber &mdash; an All-Star big at that position who can really make a difference for them."
It remains to be seen if Sacramento is willing to meet Indiana's asking price.&nbsp;
The Wizards "would love" to acquire Sabonis and pair him with Bradley Beal, but they "may not have the assets" to get a deal done, according to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGRj31TZBhI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
This season, Sabonis is averaging 18.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steal on .580/.324/.740 shooting splits. The Pacers are 19-36, which is the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Given the team's struggles, a <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1490441389188030471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"dramatic trade deadline makeover"</a> seems imminent.

The Wizards and Kings have consistently been linked to Domantas Sabonis, but it's possible he lands on a dark-horse team instead.