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Timberwolves

With just one spot left in the quarterfinals, Serbia and South Sudan played a game down to the wire. In the end, however, it was Serbia who came out on top to beat South Sudan in Group C of the Paris 2024 Olympics, 96-85, at the Pierre de Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France.&nbsp;
After Brazil clinched their quarterfinal spot by beating Japan, South Sudan needed a win to book their slot and deny Greece in the process. However, Nikola Jokic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Serbia had other plans in mind.&nbsp;
The NBA duo of Jokic and Bogdanovic shined when it mattered the most for Serbia. Bogdanovic top-scored for the Serbians with 30 big points, on an efficient 10/14 shooting game, knocking in 6 threes. Jokic had yet another double-double performance with 22 points and 13 rebounds as Serbia shot an absurd 60% from the field.
Despite the loss, South Sudan fought and had plenty to be proud of. They won their first Olympic game in their history and put up strong performances against basketball juggernauts USA and Serbia. The SSD basketball federation has come a long way with its journey led by former NBA player Luol Deng, and this program figures to be ascending to the basketball hierarchy sooner rather than later.&nbsp;
South Sudan point guard Carlik Jones gave it his all after playing all 40 minutes, scoring 17 points, dishing out 10 assists, and grabbing 5 rebounds in an all-around effort. Former NBAer Marial Shayok also provided the necessary support for Jones with 17 points, while former Baylor standout Nuni Omot added 14 points.&nbsp;
South Sudan made 14-34 threes overall, but Serbia had a huge advantage in free throws, making 21/31 to South Sudan&rsquo;s just 6 attempts with 5 makes.&nbsp;
Up next for Serbia is a quarterfinal bout with Australia.

With just one spot left in the quarterfinals, Serbia and South Sudan played a game down to the wire which Serbia eventually won.

Serbia overcomes South Sudan to finish 2nd in Group C, book last QF spot

Today, the NBA and FIBA announced 80 of the top high-school-age prospects from across Africa who will participate in the 19th edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa, which will be held July 28-31 at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) in South Africa.
BWB Africa 2023 will bring together 80 boys and girls from more than 25 African countries &ndash; including 19 NBA Academy Africa and NBA Academy Women&rsquo;s Camp Africa 2022 prospects &ndash; to learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and compete alongside their peers from across the continent.&nbsp;
The campers will be coached by two-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat; U.S.; ties to Nigeria), 2022 NBA All-Star Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers; U.S.), 2022 NBA champion Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors; Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic; U.S.).
Five current and former NBA head coaches will also serve as BWB Africa 2023 coaches: Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff; two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Nigeria Men&rsquo;s National Team head coach and Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown; 2018 NBA Coach of the Year Dwane Casey (most recently with the Detroit Pistons); Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham; and veteran NBA coach Dave Joerger (most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers).
Several former NBA and WNBA players will also serve as BWB Africa 2023 coaches, including 2015 FIBA AfroBasket champion Olumide Oyedeji (Nigeria), 2011 NBA champion Ian Mahinmi (France; ties Benin), former NBA player and Basketball Africa League Head of League Operations Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (Cameroon), former NBA player Tacko Fall (Senegal), 2003 WNBA champion Astou Ndiaye (Senegal), two-time WNBA champion Taj McWilliams-Franklin, four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopes and Mozambique basketball legend Clarisse Machanguana.&nbsp;
Toronto Raptors Vice-Chairman, Team President and Alternate NBA Governor Masai Ujiri; New Orleans Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin; and Portland Trail Blazers Assistant General Manager Mike Schmitz will serve as camp directors, while David Crewe and Frank Adams (Phoenix Suns) will serve as the camp&rsquo;s athletic trainers.
The players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions.&nbsp;&nbsp;A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the Kim Bohuny Camp MVP, the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, the B.J. Johnson Most Improved Player Award, the Three-Point Champion and the Defensive MVP to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.
As part of the camp, NBA players and coaches will also participate in several community outreach initiatives around Johannesburg, including a hospital visit and a Her Time to Play seminar for the female campers on July 28, and a court unveiling in the Alexandra Township on Saturday, July 29.&nbsp; In addition, BWB Africa 2023 coaches will lead a development clinic for local coaches at AISJ on July 30.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Also on July 29, select&nbsp;NBA players&nbsp;will visit the NBA Store at Sandton City Mall in Johannesburg and engage with fans.
BWB Africa 2023 will be supported by Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
BWB has reached more than 4,100 participants from 136 countries and territories since 2001, with 112 former campers advancing to the NBA or WNBA.&nbsp; The NBA and FIBA have staged 70 BWB camps in 47 cities across 32 countries on six continents.
The following is a complete list of players participating in the 19th&nbsp;BWB Africa camp (rosters subject to change):
&nbsp;
<table style="width: 447px;" width="447">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 403px;" colspan="2">
GIRLS
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Name
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Country
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Ines Bellahmer
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Algeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Filomena Luis
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Guigma Sadia
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Burkina Faso
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Gisele Kipo*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Hannah Dibadjou
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Salma Khedr*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Leila El Sanadily
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Aisha Hassan
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Lucie Mounganga
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Gabon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fatoumata Sylla
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Guinea
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Roseline Ooko
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Kenya
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Harena Randriamasimanana
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Madagascar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fitahiana Ratsimason
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Madagascar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Joanie Rakotonanahary
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Madagascar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fatoumata Samake*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Oumou Soumare
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Aya El Kallali*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Morocco
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Albertina Matsinhe*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mozambique
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Bata Lurdes*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mozambique
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Shanaya Matusse*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mozambique
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Joy Biribebe
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Benitha Ngarambe
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Rwanda
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Jane Dusabe
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Rwanda
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fatou Sima
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Marie Diouf
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Ndickou Matar Diop*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Tacko Sy
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Sheriffa Rahman
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Sierra Leone
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Onnetse Molokwame
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Luhle Ndaba
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Reneilwe Motebele
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Susan Peter
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Asunta Ring
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Nawasa Lazaro
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tanzania
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Ibouanga Moussounda
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Togo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Arwa Ghorbel*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Eya Nasri
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Afef Bengoula
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Christine Namyalo
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Uganda
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Immaculate Adongpiny
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Uganda
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*Participated in NBA Academy Women&rsquo;s Camp Africa 2022
&nbsp;
<table width="447">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 418.75px;" colspan="2" width="447">
BOYS
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Name
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Country
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Aginaldo Neto*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Manuel Camboma*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Inacio Anatoli Da Silva
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Claudino Capangaa
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Sansao Wika
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Philippe Ntungicimpaye
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Burundi
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Arnold Eyadi Kenfack
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Hermann Bel Gassina
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Chris Naguidebe
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Central African Republic
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Tahir Doungous*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Chad
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Zie Cheikh Conde
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Tarek Khairy
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Ahmed Nedale
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Karim El Gizawi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Courage Agbekpornu
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Ghana
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Kiggundu Austin Omondi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Kenya
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Chouhaybou Keita
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Mahamadou Konate
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Hamza Bechchar
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Morocco
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Bolaji Oderinlo
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Sultan Baruwa
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Ibrahim Dan-Mutum
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Jonah Precious
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Ezekiel Obe*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Andre Bonazebi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Republic of Congo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Jude Fred Nkouka Silaho
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Republic of Congo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Khadim Mboup*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Assane Mandian*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Yakhya Diop*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Amar Diop*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Mouhamed Camara
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Siyanda Radebe
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Gilchrist Storm
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Khaman Maluach*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Moses Marial Mandiria
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Bol Wieu Mou Thet
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Lual Deng Lual Aguek
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Rayen Rouissi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Amen Hammi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Liberty Fusire*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Zimbabwe
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*NBA Academy Africa prospect

Bam Adebayo, Darius Garland, Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Suggs will coach 80 top high-school-age prospects from across Africa.

Adebayo, Garland, Kuminga, Suggs to coach prospects at BWB Africa 2023

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; In the 1990s, Dallas Mavericks point guard Derek Harper famously shot down an offer to be traded to the Jazz, quipping to ESPN: &ldquo;You go live in Utah.&rdquo;
Two decades later, members of the Golden State Warriors squad&nbsp;mocked Salt Lake&nbsp;as a nightlife-free city that could &ldquo;lull you to sleep.&rdquo;
And two months ago, former Jazz star Donovan Mitchell,&nbsp;reflecting on his time in Utah, said it was &ldquo;draining&rdquo; being a Black man in the mostly white, deeply religious state.
As the spotlight turns toward Salt Lake City and Utah during&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/107533176444f092fed0c7996a8e328f">this weekend&rsquo;s NBA All-Star Game</a>, business and political leaders are seeking to chip away at long-held notions &mdash; in basketball circles and elsewhere &mdash; of the state as a peculiar, boring and homogenous place that lags behind on LGBTQ- and race-related issues.
Their push to showcase the city and state as increasingly diverse and vibrant has been complicated by Utah&rsquo;s enduring legacy as a religious conservative stronghold, coupled with recent political developments at the intersection of race, gender and sports.
Just a year ago, a statewide ban implemented on transgender kids playing girls&rsquo; sports raised&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-jazz-nba-sports-adam-silver-north-carolina-64a3f0f2d3b33bf9ccc806bcd6293997">worries</a>&nbsp;that organizers of some events like the All-Star Game would think twice about coming to Utah.
Still, political leaders see efforts to make businesses and tourists feel welcome as key to Utah&rsquo;s continued growth and ability to attract profitable trade shows and the&nbsp;Winter Olympics, which it is seen as likely to bid to host again in 2034.
&ldquo;What happens with those oddities that people think is, they&rsquo;re very quickly dispelled when people actually come to Utah,&rdquo; said Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican and avid Jazz fan.
Downtown, a pop-up liquor store has been erected to serve fans this weekend between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints&rsquo; flagship temple and the Jazz&rsquo;s home arena. Team owner Ryan Smith is&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-jazz-nba-sports-salt-lake-city-f458ade6c498f9d9e729b25f9e5a7ebb">telling</a>&nbsp;anyone who will listen about the state&rsquo;s robust tech sector and progressive thinking. And the NBA is heavily advertising a pregame performance featuring&nbsp;Post Malone, a Utah-based, heavily face-tattooed rap star popular among residents.
Salt Lake City has long been more liberal and religiously diverse than the rest of Utah, a blue island in a sea of red. A majority of members on the current left-leaning city council&nbsp;identify as LGBTQ and are people of color.
<div class="Component-dfp-0-2-62 apnews_article_midarticle_2" data-card-id="sovrn-article-midarticle">
In the three decades since 1993, the last time the All-Star Game last was here, the population has diversified and almost doubled, transforming it into a thriving metropolis complete with the politics and problems that plague many midsize cities including pollution, housing shortages and&nbsp;homelessness.
A skyline dense with apartments, office buildings and two downtown malls has sprung up between Temple Square and the nearby mountains. The 2002 Olympics brought an influx of funding that helped build a light rail system many visitors will use during All-Star festivities.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the counterculture that rose up in response and continues to thrive both contribute to the city&rsquo;s social fabric.
&ldquo;We may still be peculiar, but we&rsquo;re&nbsp;minority Mormon&nbsp;now,&rdquo; she said.
The extensive influence of the faith known widely as the Mormon church will still be apparent, yet changes within its culture and the influx of thousands of secular residents may complicate how the expected 150,000 All-Star visitors perceive Salt Lake City, said Patrick Mason, a professor of religious studies at Utah State University.
&ldquo;Anybody who visits &mdash; especially for the first time &mdash; is going to be immediately struck by the Salt Lake Temple and the church&rsquo;s holdings right downtown very close to the arena. This is, as a lot of people say, &rsquo;Mormonism&rsquo;s Vatican,&rdquo; he said.
High-profile church members also demonstrate how the image the faith projects has remained distinct while also becoming more assimilated into the mainstream, he said.
&ldquo;That really gets reflected in the younger generation of entrepreneurs and politicians,&rdquo; Mason added. &ldquo;People like Cox and Smith are Latter-day Saints who are committed to their faith but also are savvy people who grow up with the internet, plugged in to a global culture.&rdquo;
Hosting All-Star Weekend is a major opportunity in particular for Smith, who purchased the Jazz in 2020 after selling the survey-software provider company that he founded, Qualtrics, for $8 billion.
&ldquo;This is just a chance to really have a moment together. People definitely know that there&rsquo;s something here,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s absolutely unique in all the positive ways. I think the one thing that is beautiful about Utah, that the people keep telling me from a wellness standpoint, &lsquo;Utah is like where I&rsquo;m at my best.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Since Smith attended part of 1993&prime;s All-Star Weekend as a member of the Jazz&rsquo;s youth basketball program, the NBA has cultivated a reputation for embracing progressive politics and social justice to a greater extent than most other professional sports leagues.
The ban on transgender athletes in girls&rsquo; sports didn&rsquo;t end up costing Utah the All-Star Game. But some fear marketing efforts could face challenges as the state doubles down on socially conservative stances on matters of race, gender and sports. Last month lawmakers&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-children-utah-surgery-9d8b304aef5060a1e033416558c9d6f8">banned</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming care for transgender youth, a policy being considered by lawmakers in a number of states across the country.
Utah has among the highest white populations of any state at 78% of its 3.3 million residents, and less than 2% are Black. That lack of racial diversity is long believed to have hurt efforts by the Jazz to lure free agents and retain players.
Mitchell, after being&nbsp;traded&nbsp;to the Cavaliers last offseason, said it took a lot of energy to confront a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-nhl-ut-state-wire-utah-nfl-758cb7968d564893b57ca6d0a19777ce">series</a>&nbsp;of highly public race-related experiences and the pushback he received in response. They included incidents of bullying against Black students in Utah schools that he&nbsp;called&nbsp;&ldquo;demoralizing&rdquo;; a&nbsp;dustup&nbsp;between him and the state Senate president over new restrictions on how race and history could be taught; and the time Mitchell said he was pulled over and &ldquo;got an attitude from the cop&rdquo; until the officer saw Mitchell&rsquo;s ID and realized he was the Jazz player.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s no secret there&rsquo;s a lot of stuff that I dealt with being in Utah, off the floor. ... I took on a lot because I felt like I could do it. But at some point, it became a lot to have to deal with,&rdquo; he&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://andscape.com/features/donovan-mitchell-thinks-the-cavaliers-can-be-a-pretty-scary-group/">told</a>&nbsp;the ESPN publication Andscape in December.
Some see All-Star weekend as a means of elevating social justice initiatives and changing Salt Lake City&rsquo;s image through showcasing oft-overlooked pockets of diversity. Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, helped organize a expungement clinic with the NBA&rsquo;s social justice arm in the lead-up to the game, a year after Cox signed legislation to clear low-level convictions from people&rsquo;s criminal records. She said the NBA&rsquo;s presence in places regardless of the prevailing local politics has had&nbsp;tangible&nbsp;impacts.
&ldquo;They are doing more than lip service. They&rsquo;re putting out a host of events,&rdquo; Meade said. &ldquo;What it means for the All-Star Game to come to a state like Utah is it brings an immersion of culture and diversity and lifts up what&rsquo;s happening on some social issues.&rdquo;
</div>

With the spotlight on Salt Lake City for the NBA All-Star Game, local leaders are looking to chip away at long-held notions of the state.

In NBA All-Star spotlight, Utah looks to change perceptions

Fresh off the 2023 Basketball Africa League Combine and heading toward the NBA Paris Game between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons in France, retired 13-year basketball pro Joakim Noah is soaking up every second of the international scene.
With Noah on site for both, Basketball News had the chance to catch up with the longtime Bull and former national-champion Florida Gator to discuss the rise of the BAL, the Paris Game on Thursday, basketball expanding to a global stage and much more.
Being at the BAL Combine and seeing the momentum of the league going into its third season, what's the energy like there?
Joakim Noah: "Well, it's very special to be in Paris. This is a full-circle moment for me personally, and to be able to come to the Combine and to see the energy of the young men trying to get jobs and work in the BAL, I thought it was really special. Obviously, we're building a professional league and it's growing. To build something sustainable... to see the growth from year-to-year is really special, but also to see the energy of the kids who want to be a part of it. Kids who are from all around the world, and everybody, you can feel that the kids are just in really high spirits and want to be a part of it. This is obviously so much bigger than basketball, and everybody who was at the Combine felt that way."
There are many former players who are heavily invested in the BAL, including guys you've played with and against like Grant Hill, Dikembe Mutombo, Ian Mahinmi and Luol Deng to name a few. All of you coming together and contributing to this, how does that feel?
Noah: "I think the contributions of some of the players that were able to invest is great because it also changes our mindset. Because you know, we were raised as competitors and competition can be very divisive, and just to be able to be in a position to be able to grow and unite is special. Not everybody has an opportunity to have that, to be at the table with the big dogs and see how we can grow something from scratch is really special. And now that we have this platform, especially for African players, it's really powerful."
What is the ultimate goal for the league?
Noah: "I think just to have a really powerful league on the continent where African kids don't feel like they have to go anywhere to get paid off of basketball. The game is growing, it's the fastest growing sport in the world and a lot of the talent comes from the motherland. So just to be a part of this and to watch the growth and seeing it at the highest level, but also on a grassroot level, is what it's all about. And now, we're able to have those conversations at a table altogether and look at the big picture and see where the growth needs to happen.
"I mean, Africa's so big, so different culturally. I'm learning a lot, and I feel like not only am I involved in something that I know a little bit about &mdash; because basketball has been my whole life &mdash; but I feel like I found my purpose. And there's a lot to be proud of with that. I didn't grow up on the continent, I wasn't born on the continent, but this is my heritage, and I feel like a lot of people feel that way. I felt that at the Combine (Monday). It's like, people came from all around the world to be a part of this and the energy was that the people who were involved really understand that big picture, and just want to see this game grow. And it's bigger than them just playing and getting a check. A lot of the time with basketball, that's what it becomes, but with this opportunity, I think that people really feel the purpose and I'm proud to be a part of that."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2023_01_16_bal_combine_-151-1.png" alt="" width="732" height="366" />
You kind of mentioned it, but internationally, the game is becoming so popular and has a ton of momentum. Even in the NBA, you're seeing more of that at a rapid pace, as there were 58 European players and nine different players from France on opening night. We know that Victor Wembanyama is at the top of NBA Draft conversations. In general, the way basketball is growing across the world, why do you think it's happened so fast and is this going to continue in that trajectory?
Noah: "You know, I remember being in Paris and going to my first NBA game and seeing Michael Jordan play and the power of his influence all around the world. My father brought me to the game in Bercy. And 25 years later, the Bulls are coming to play in Paris again. The French players have had that kind of access. And now, the future of not just French basketball, but the future of basketball is this kid Wemby, who's an unbelievable talent. He grew up seeing a lot of winning, not just in basketball, but you think of France with winning the World Cup. He was raised and he saw what winning is all about and he knows that it's very possible.
"So when I was coming up, [Tariq] Abdul-Wahad was the only NBA player. And I remember seeing Tony Parker coming up at 15 years old playing at ABCD Camp and seeing the career that he had, that was my inspiration. And now, there's just a whole generation of French players and they're just taking it to the next level. But France is a country that has all the resources to be the best. They have everything. They have the coaching, they have the structures, they have the stadiums. They have everything. So you see the growth, and that's what we're trying to do in Africa. The structures aren't there yet, and we have to build it step-by-step."
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You brought up the Paris game. The Bulls are going to be taking on the Detroit Pistons, and Killian Hayes is a French player who's found his stride this year. How special is it to play in your home country in such an event?
Noah: "Well I can't even imagine how he feels, but it's a beautiful story being able to play in front of your family and friends in your country. Nothing gets better than that. So it's gonna be really special for him. And just understanding that there's gonna be younger kids there watching him, and he's gonna be inspiring as well. So not only is it an unbelievable feeling to play on that court, but understanding every layup, every dunk, every opportunity that he gets on the court is inspiring for the next generation."
Going back to finding your purpose in working with the BAL, but on a broader subject, what has your transition to retirement been like? It sounds like you have a solid feel of what you're trying to accomplish post-career.
Noah: "Oh, a hundred percent. I think that everybody who's in this position, our careers are short. It's crazy to know that I won't be playing basketball anymore. It happens so fast. You have a dream from when you're a kid and not everybody gets to live out their dreams as players, and I was able to do that. I got to do it at the highest level, and I'm really proud of that. Now, I have my family. I just got married this summer, I have my kids. So I'm really happy, trying to find that balance of working and working on my purpose work and raising my family."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Joakim Noah (<a href="https://twitter.com/JoakimNoah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoakimNoah</a>) lending a hand to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JrNBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JrNBA</a> ‼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAParis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAParis</a> <a href="https://t.co/23ejEVVfqz">pic.twitter.com/23ejEVVfqz</a>
&mdash; NBA Cares (@nbacares) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbacares/status/1615701027122036736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Do you still keep in touch with your college teammates like Al Horford who's still playing and Corey Brewer who's coaching in New Orleans and your old Bulls teammates?
Noah: "Oh of course. These are people that I shared some of the most special times of my life with. I love Corey. We just sat down not long ago. Obviously, I have strong relationships with everybody and was able to do a beautiful trip with Derrick [Rose] to Africa, where he brought the Simeon (Academy) kids to Senegal this summer. These are all trips, these are all moments that I'm really proud of the relationships that I build off the court. And I just want to keep building."
If there are any players in the NBA today that you have your eye on, who would you say stands out?
Noah: "I love Bol Bol. Bol Bol is probably my favorite player to watch right now. I love to see his growth. Obviously, his back story is unbelievable. His father was so much more than just a basketball player. And just to see him become the player that he is and you just see him... you're not used to seeing somebody who's that tall &mdash; 7-foot-2 African guy &mdash; with handles, with that kind of ability. It just shows how much the game has grown. I just love watching him play. He's just a really exciting player. I wish him nothing but the best."
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More infomation regarding the BAL and the NBA Paris Game:
<ul>
<li>The third BAL season will tip off on March 11 and once again feature the top 12 club teams from 12 African cities playing games in Dakar, Senegal; Cairo, Egypt; and Kigali, Rwanda over three months in 2023</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<ol>
<li>The 12 club champions will be divided into two conferences.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<ul>
<ul>
<li>The Sahara Conference will play a 15-game group phase at the Dakar Arena in Dakar from March 11-21.</li>
<li>The Nile Conference will play a 15-game group phase at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo from April 26 &ndash; May 6.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The top four teams from each conference will advance to an eight-game, single elimination Playoffs and Finals at BK Arena in Kigali from May 21-27.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Each of the 12 BAL teams will have up to 13 players, at least eight of whom will be citizens in their respective team&rsquo;s home country and up to four of whom can be from other countries, with no more than two players per team from outside of Africa.&nbsp;</li>
<ul>
<li>One roster spot on each team is reserved for an NBA Academy Africa prospect as part of the BAL Elevate program, which will once again provide an opportunity for the next generation of African prospects to participate in a professional league, showcase their talent on a global stage and help their respective teams compete for the 2023 BAL Championship.</li>
</ul>
<li>The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that completed its second season in May 2022.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organized in Africa and marks the NBA&rsquo;s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.</li>
<li>On May 28, Tunisia&rsquo;s US Monastir defeated Angola&rsquo;s Petro de Luanda 83-72 to win the 2022 BAL Finals in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,000 at BK Arena.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The 2022 BAL season featured players from 23 countries across Africa, Europe, and the U.S, reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 14 languages - including all 54 African countries - and generated more than 600 million online engagements.</li>
</ul>
NBA Africa
<ul>
<li>With the support of strategic partners, in May the NBA launched NBA Africa as a new, standalone entity that conducts the league&rsquo;s business in Africa, including the BAL.</li>
</ul>
o&nbsp;&nbsp; The investors&rsquo; and strategic partners&rsquo; expertise in a wide range of industries and established relationships with African businesses, governments and NGOs will help accelerate the NBA&rsquo;s growth across the continent.&nbsp;
o&nbsp;&nbsp; The funding will contribute to the growth of the BAL, help expand the NBA&rsquo;s presence in priority African markets and Africa&rsquo;s basketball ecosystem, and deepen the league&rsquo;s engagement with players and fans through initiatives such as the launch of additional NBA Academies and social responsibility initiatives that improve the livelihoods of African youth and families.
<ul>
<li>The strategic investors include a consortium led by Babatunde &ldquo;Tunde&rdquo; Folawiyo, Chairman and CEO of Yinka Folawiyo Group; and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation (HFP), led by Tope Lawani, Co-CEO of HFP and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Helios Investment Partners.</li>
</ul>
o&nbsp;&nbsp; NBA Legends Junior Bridgeman, Luol Deng (South Sudan), Grant Hill, Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin), Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Joakim Noah (grandfather from Cameroon) have also invested in NBA Africa and will use their collective influence to contribute to our growth goals.
<ul>
<li>In July, the NBA announced that former President Barack Obama has joined NBA Africa as a strategic partner and will help advance the league&rsquo;s social responsibility efforts across the continent, including programs and partnerships that support greater gender equality and economic inclusion.</li>
<li>In December, global economist and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Dambisa Moyo and Academy Award-winning actor and social activist Forest Whitaker joined NBA Africa as strategic investors.</li>
</ul>
The NBA Paris Game 2023
<ul>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will feature the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls and the three-time NBA champion Detroit Pistons playing a regular-season game at the Accor Arena in Paris on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023.</li>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the first NBA game in Europe since 2020 and the league&rsquo;s 12th game in France since 1991.&nbsp; The NBA Paris Game 2020 &ndash; the first regular-season NBA game in Paris &ndash; took place Jan. 24, 2020, and featured the Charlotte Hornets and the Milwaukee Bucks.</li>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the Bulls&rsquo; third game in Paris, having played two preseason games in the French capital in 1997.
<ul>
<li>The Bulls are among the top three most-popular NBA teams in international merchandise sales (No. 2 in Europe), among the top five most-popular teams on NBA League Pass outside the U.S. (No. 5), and among the top five most-popular NBA teams on social media in terms of following (No. 2 on Facebook, No. 4 on Instagram, No. 4 on Twitter)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Pistons will be playing their first game in France, having previously played regular-season games in London (2013) and Mexico City (2019).</li>
</ul>
NBA in France
<ul>
<li>NBA games and programming have aired in France since 1985.</li>
<li>During the 2022-23 NBA season, fan in France can watch the NBA on beIN SPORTS, the NBA&rsquo;s exclusive Broadcast &amp; Digital partner in France, and NBA League Pass. beIN SPORTS airs up to 14 live games per week during the regular season, as well as the Play-In, Playoffs, all Conference Finals, Finals, All-Star Weekend, the Draft and Classic Games.</li>
<li>The 2022-23 regular season features 45 games that will air in primetime in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as part of &ldquo;NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23,&rdquo; marking the 10th consecutive regular season that the league has scheduled weekend games that air in primetime in EMEA.</li>
<li>France ranks fourth among European markets in League Pass subscriptions.</li>
<li>Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 games &ndash; featuring French star and top 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama &ndash; are available for free on the new NBA App throughout the 2022-23 including the LNB All-Star Game and select LNB Betclic ELITE Playoffs and Finals games.</li>
<li>The NBA&rsquo;s localized social media channels in France (Facebook and Twitter) have more than 1.5M collective followers.</li>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the second regular-season game in France, the 12th NBA game overall in France (dating back to 1991) and the 94th NBA game in Europe (dating back to 1984).</li>
<li>Opening-night rosters for the 2022-23 NBA season featured 58 European players, including nine players from France.
<ul>
<li>France has had more players drafted into the NBA than other country outside North America and has been the most-represented European country in the NBA for each of the last 16 seasons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="https://pr.nba.com/nba-fanatics-paris-store-open/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pr.nba.com/nba-fanatics-paris-store-open/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1674099893476000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Pk9FJqixBAsT8n3qeg9n7">NBA Paris Store</a> &ndash; the first in France &ndash; opened&nbsp;in July 2022 and has featured player appearances by Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat and Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls. Top selling teams Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.</li>
<li>The NBA works with 18 marketing partners in France: adidas, EA, FDJ/ParionsSport, Foot Locker, Hennessy, Hotels.com/Expedia, ISG, Kellogg&rsquo;s, Microsoft, Mitchell &amp; Ness, New Balance, New Era, Nike, Rakuten, SAP, Tissot, Under Armour, Yop, and 2K Sports</li>
</ul>

Spencer Davies speaks with Joakim Noah ahead of the 2023 NBA Paris Game about his BAL passion, international hoops and more.

Joakim Noah Q&A: NBA Paris Game, investing in BAL, basketball's growth

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant scored 29 points, Desmond Bane added 28 and the Memphis Grizzlies extended their season-high winning streak to 10 games with a 136-106 victory over the injury-depleted Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
The Grizzlies can tie their franchise-record winning streak of 11 games, set last season, when they host Cleveland on Wednesday night
The Suns played without starters Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Paul missed his fifth straight game with a right hip injury. Booker has not played since Christmas Day because of a groin injury.
Mikal Bridges scored 21 points and Deandre Ayton added 18 for the Suns. Phoenix (21-24) lost for the ninth time in 10 games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points and six blocks for the Grizzlies, who did not play Morant or Dillon Brooks in the fourth quarter when Memphis stretched its lead to as many as 36 points.
Memphis also scored 130 or more points for the third straight game, matching the franchise-record run of last February.
The Grizzlies started slow, trailing by as many as 11 in the opening quarter before using a dominating third quarter to pull away. Memphis outscored the Suns 39-23 in the third quarter and built a 22-point advantage (103-81) following a three-point play by Morant.
The Suns started strong, hitting 11 of their first 15 shots, including their first six, to lead by as many as 11 in the opening quarter.
The Grizzlies regained the lead late in the second quarter after Morant drained three consecutive 3-pointers for a 60-58 Memphis lead. The Grizzlies were up 68-65 at the half, led by 52% shooting and 17 points from Morant. The Suns shot 55.8% in the opening half and got 26 points from their bench.
TIP-INS
Suns: Landry Shamet returned after missing the last three games with a hip injury. Shamet finished with nine points. ... Josh Okogie left the game with 4:03 to go in the second quarter after being fouled by Steven Adams and falling to the ground. Okogie walked to the locker room under his own power. ... Damien Lee had a career-high nine assists.
Grizzlies: The Grizzlies honored NBA greats Gary Payton and Luol Deng, women&rsquo;s basketball pioneer Nancy Lieberman and former NFL running back Eddie George before the game with the 18th Annual National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award. ... Memphis improved its home record to 19-3 at FedExForum, an .863 home winning percentage that leads the NBA. ... Morant is averaging 29 points during the team&rsquo;s 10-game win streak
&nbsp;

Ja Morant scored 29 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies won their 10th straight with a 136-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Grizzlies beat Suns 136-106, extend winning streak to 10

We've waited, and waited, and waited for something to pop with Kevin Durant's trade request.&nbsp;
It's not usual for someone of Durant's caliber to become available via trade; it's rarer for someone of Durant's caliber and&nbsp;contract status &mdash; four flippin' years left on the deal! &mdash; to become available. But when the opportunity presents itself, you're somewhat obligated as an organization to check in and see what it takes.
The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were floated out early. The Toronto Raptors lurked on the edges. We heard noise about the Boston Celtics that continuously grew louder. There were more teams mentioned on the outskirts, most recently the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Understandably, offseason movement came to a screeching halt. You don't want to make a mid-tier trade or signing that would lower your chances to acquire someone like Durant. The Atlanta Hawks, for example, blew their pick load in their acquisition of Dejounte Murray, only for the Durant trade request to come out a short time later.
It's also understandable for free agents to be a bit annoyed with offseason movement coming to a screeching halt. Utah Jazz guard (for now, anyway) Patrick Beverly took to Twitter to speak on the uncomfortable dynamic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yal can sit and don&rsquo;t say nothing but that ain&rsquo;t cool. It&rsquo;s dudes with families out here who haven&rsquo;t got a job because of this KD shit. And to be on and off ain&rsquo;t cool. Blessing Gang🙏🏾🏀
&mdash; Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) <a href="https://twitter.com/patbev21/status/1562101827646197760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It should come as no surprise that Durant had a <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5/status/1562105392909275136?s=20&amp;t=t6uBMOw7JXSuIAPTlObO0w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">response of his own</a>, quote-tweeting Beverly's message with "#BLAMEKD."
Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas spoke the minds of many in his position.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Finally lol. Can we sign now lol
&mdash; Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) <a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas/status/1562095675948470273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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That begs the question: Who are&nbsp;some of the free agents left that should get a look now? Here are a few players that come to mind.
CARMELO ANTHONY 
Key stats: 13.3 points per game on 52.1% from two (career-low 4.7 attempts) and 37.5% from three (5.8 attempts)
Quick: Did you know the Los Angeles Lakers were 7-4 in games where Melo scored 20 or more points?
Related: Are you more surprised by the record, or the fact that Melo accomplished the feat 11 times, all of which came from off the bench?
Melo was an occasional bright spot for a team that didn't have many of them last season. He's still a valuable off-ball threat.
In addition to knocking down 37.5% of his spot-up triples, Melo was able to beat closeouts with one- or two-dribble pull-ups. Per Synergy, Melo ranked in the 81st percentile (very good!) when taking dribble jumpers after spotting up. It's a far cry from the Melo that could boom on you during his Denver days, but his jumper remains an effective one.
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The defense will likely be a problem in high leverage moments, though Melo had some fun flashes as a backup 5 last season. A strong defensive infrastructure will be important if you want to get the most and best out of him. There's still enough juice in the tank for him to be a bench hub.
Ideal fits: Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
HASSAN WHITESIDE 
Key stats: 8.2 points on a career-high 65.2% from two (career-low-as-rotation-player 5.1 attempts), 7.6 rebounds (2.6 offensive) and 1.6 blocks per game. 
Whiteside's career arc has been one of the weirdest ones in recent memory. He was a first-round talent that fell to the second round because of reliability concerns. He found himself out of the league pretty early on, only to make a 2K-esque splash with the Heat. He earned max dollars in 2016 and eventually lost his starting spot to a young Bam Adebayo in 2019, and has ridden the backup circuit since then.
Quietly, though, Whiteside has still been productive. He remains a monster on the offensive glass, and his length and timing as a shot-blocker still make him a solid drop coverage option. Per Second Spectrum, the Jazz allowed roughly 0.92 points per possession on trips featuring Whiteside in a drop last season &mdash; a top-10 mark among players to defend at least 500 picks.
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Of course, the issue has been that his box score numbers miss some of his weaknesses. He's a poor lateral mover at this stage of his career, a flaw on its own before getting into his&nbsp;unwillingness to move and make second efforts at times. Whiteside works in a drop, but it's a bit concerning that he's boxed into that scheme to a degree. A team acquiring him will need to have slithery screen navigators in front of him, or strong help defenders that can dig on drives and help restrict space.
Offensively, the screening has been hit or miss. The passing is too. He's improved enough to knock down a relief jumper or two, but it's important to let him indulge that part of his game too much.
Ideal fits: Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns
WAYNE ELLINGTON 
Key stats: 6.7 points per game on 38.9% from three (4.9 attempts); career-high 89% of shots came from deep.
It's easy to cite the becoming-old adage, but you can never have too much shooting. It's worth noting that Ellington isn't just a shooter &mdash; he's a moving target. Because of his understanding of spacing and angles, and his ability to balance himself in the air, he's able to free himself for looks whether a play is called for him or not. He isn't the best&nbsp;movement shooter in the NBA, but he might be my favorite one to watch.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/yb87xy" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Ellington is dutiful in his movement patterns. Purposeful. He's someone that defenses have to pay attention to, and I love the way he weaponizes that. There really isn't a system he can't fit in. His shooting and off-ball randomness could add some juice to a contender's attack off the bench, or he could provide much-needed relief for young ball-handlers on rebuilding rosters.
Ideal fits: Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
STRAY THOUGHTS 
<ul>
<li>He hasn't been officially bought out yet, but Kemba Walker could be worth having as a veteran presence that can run some pick-and-roll for you. One anonymous executive <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/new-york-knicks/kemba-walker-suns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently suggested</a> the Suns as a landing spot. A Hornets return would certainly make some sense; that locker room desperately needs veterans.</li>
<li>We have to see what <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/06/13/montrezl-harrell-arrested-on-marijuana-charge-in-kentucky-after-traffic-stop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comes of his court case</a>, but Montrezl Harrell (13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds last season) is still a productive pick-and-roll partner. For a team that can use a roller, he's worth a call.</li>
<li>This has been discussed on The Dunker Spot, but it's wild seeing Dennis Schroder and Eric Bledsoe still on the market. The former had positive moments with the Houston Rockets after the All-Star break last season, while Bledsoe can still generate paint touches and defend at the point of attack pretty well. If either is willing to accept bench roles for the long haul, there's utility present.</li>
</ul>

Following the Nets' reconciliation with Kevin Durant, Nekias Duncan takes a look at some of the NBA free agents left on the board.

With the Kevin Durant saga over for now, who's getting signed?

NBA and FIBA&rsquo;s Global Basketball Development and Community Outreach Program will be Held Aug. 7-10 in Canberra in Partnership with Basketball Australia.
12th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp Will Bring Together Over 60 of the top High-School Age Boys and Girls from more than 15 Countries Across Asia-Pacific.
NEW YORK AND CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, Aug. 4, 2022 &ndash; The National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Basketball Australia (BA) today announced over 60 of the top boys and girls from more than 15 countries across Asia-Pacific will travel to Canberra, Australia for the 12th Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp from Sunday, Aug. 7 &ndash; Wednesday, Aug. 10 at NBA Global Academy, the league&rsquo;s elite basketball training center at BA&rsquo;s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.
BWB Asia 2022 will mark the first time the NBA and FIBA&rsquo;s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Asia-Pacific since 2019 in Japan and the first in Australia since 2016 in Melbourne. &nbsp;The camp will bring together the top male and female players ages 18 and under from throughout Asia-Pacific to compete alongside their peers from across the region and learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players and coaches.
The campers will be coached by NBA players Jarrett Allen (2022 NBA All-Star for the Cleveland Cavaliers; U.S.), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks; Australia), Cameron Johnson (Phoenix Suns; U.S.) and Coby White (Chicago Bulls; U.S.). &nbsp;NBA assistant coaches Damian Cotter (Bulls; Australia), David Akinyooye (Oklahoma City Thunder; U.S.) and Eric Glass (Miami Heat; U.S.); New York Knicks international scout and Serbia Men&rsquo;s National Team assistant coach Adam Tatalovich (U.S.); former WNBA players Kristi Harrower (Australia) and Annie La Fleur (Australia); and former Australia Women&rsquo;s National Team player Jenni Screen (Australia) will also serve as BWB Asia coaches.
Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) will serve as camp director, while Dan Shimensky (Denver Nuggets; U.S.) will serve as the camp&rsquo;s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches will lead campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions. &nbsp;A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the BWB Asia 2022 MVP, Defensive MVP, Three-Point Champion and the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.
A record 41 former BWB campers were among the record 121 international players on 2021-22 NBA opening-night rosters, including 2022 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member and NBA Global Academy graduate Josh Giddey (Thunder; Australia; BWB Asia 2018 and BWB Global 2020), Green (BWB Global 2018) and 2020 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016).
The NBA and FIBA have hosted 64 BWB camps in 30 countries since the program&rsquo;s launch in 2001. &nbsp;BWB has reached more than 3,800 participants from 133 countries and territories, with 105 former campers having advanced to the NBA or WNBA.
BWB Asia 2022 will be supported by Nike, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
Fans in Australia can follow the NBA at NBA.com/Australia and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and follow BWB using the hashtag #BWBAsia.
The following is a complete list of players participating in BWB Asia 2022 (rosters subject to change):
GIRLS ROSTER
<table width="399">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="198">
First Name
</td>
<td width="201">
Last Name
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Opal
</td>
<td width="201">
Bird
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Layla
</td>
<td width="201">
Cameron
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Holly
</td>
<td width="201">
Griffiths
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Lulu
</td>
<td width="201">
Laditan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Ruby
</td>
<td width="201">
Vlahov
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Shomira
</td>
<td width="201">
Bidaye
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Kavya
</td>
<td width="201">
Singla
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Angelica Jennifer
</td>
<td width="201">
Candra
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Deewell Windy Dido
</td>
<td width="201">
Gosal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Vanissa Renata
</td>
<td width="201">
Siregar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Reina
</td>
<td width="201">
Fukuo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Honoka
</td>
<td width="201">
Morioka
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Chinami
</td>
<td width="201">
Yokoyama
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Anna
</td>
<td width="201">
Kochura
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Waimanu
</td>
<td width="201">
Clarken
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Maia Riley
</td>
<td width="201">
Jones
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Lilly
</td>
<td width="201">
Taulelei
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Quinn Kacey
</td>
<td width="201">
Dela Rosa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Dianne Camille
</td>
<td width="201">
Nolasco
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Kayla
</td>
<td width="201">
Lim
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Seo
</td>
<td width="201">
Jinyeong
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Sooin
</td>
<td width="201">
Kim
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Siriwimon
</td>
<td width="201">
Damrongchai
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="198">
Priscilla Langkilde
</td>
<td width="201">
Jensen
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
BOYS ROSTER
<table width="397">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Lachlan
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;">Brewer</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Carlin
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Briggs
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Joshua
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Dent
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Joshua
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Hughes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Joshua
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Ibukunoluwa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
James
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
O&rsquo;Donnell
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Kye
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Savage
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Roman
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Siulepa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Rocco
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Zikarsky
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Soy
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Pisey
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Junjie Barry
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Wang
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Yijiong &ldquo;Joe&rdquo;
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Zhang
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Xian-Wei
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Lin
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Arthur Vadel
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Krisma Putra
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Mohamad
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Amini
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Sarem
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Jafari
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Akira
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Jacobs
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Yuto
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Kawashima
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Taiga
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Okada
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Hayato
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Wakugawa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Adil
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Kuantayev
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Daniil
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Severgin
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Rayan
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Hachem
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Azbayar
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Altangerel
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Kaia
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Berridge
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Dontae
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Nance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
William
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Passi
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Kalid
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Petzer
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
William
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Shortt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
L.A. John
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Andres
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Jared
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Bahay
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Caelum Emmanuel
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Harris
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Seungwoo
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Kim
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Chan You
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Ko
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Gwanwoo
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Lee
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Vladimir
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Bespalov
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Artyom
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Malikov
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 176px;" width="198">
Dinh Quang
</td>
<td style="width: 178px;" width="198">
Duong
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Jarrett Allen, Josh Green, Cam Johnson and Coby White will coach over 60 of the top high-school age girls and boys from 15+ nations.

4 NBA players to coach at Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Australia

Santi Aldama scored 31 points, David Roddy added 20 and the Memphis Grizzlies tied the Las Vegas Summer League record for points in a game in a 120-84 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
The Grizzlies (2-1), who never trailed and led by double figures for more than 33 minutes, hit 12 3-pointers, shot 59% from the field and had 31 assists. Their 120 points matched the record set by the Denver Nuggets in 2007.
Summer League games are 40 minutes, eight fewer than an NBA regular-season game.
The 6-foot-11 Aldama, a first-round draft pick in 2021, made 12 of 14 from the field, hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots. Ziaire Williams, the No. 10 pick in the 2021 draft, had 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Roddy, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound forward who was picked No. 23 overall in June&rsquo;s draft, was 7-of-11 shooting. Kenneth Lofton Jr. added 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Cam Thomas made 11 of 13 free throws and finished with 29 points for Brooklyn (1-2). The No. 27 pick overall in the 2021 draft, Thomas has scored at least 26 points in each of his three games in Las Vegas and is averaging 28.7 per game. Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe added 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, and David Duke Jr. scored 12 points.
BULLS 93, RAPTORS 83
Carlik Jones scored 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting with five assists, and Dalen Terry scored all of his 14 points in the first half to help Chicago beat Toronto.
Malcolm Hill added 11 points for Chicago (2-1). Ethan Thompson and Makur Maker scored 10 points apiece.
Toronto scored 12 fourth-quarter points, nine that came as Ryan Hawkins hit three 3-pointers in the final 64 seconds.
Dalano Banton scored 18 points for Toronto (1-1). Jeff Dowtin added 16 points and D.J. Wilson scored 10. Christian Koloko, a 7-foot center out of Arizona, finished with five points, four rebounds and three blocks. The Raptors' only pick (No. 33 overall) in June&rsquo;s draft, Koloko shot 2 of 8 from the field and 0 for 3 from the free throw line but made his lone 3-point attempt.
The Bulls, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, shot 55% (33 of 60) from the field, had 20 assists and scored 36 points off 18 Toronto turnovers.
HAWKS 95, HEAT 88
Tyrese Martin scored 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Chaundee Brown Jr. was 8 of 11 from the field and finished with 18 points to help Atlanta beat Miami.
Chris Clemons, who averaged 30.1 points as a senior at Campbell in 2018-19, scored 15 for the Hawks.
Atlanta (1-2) made 37 of 69 (53.6%) from the field and shot 44.4% (8 of 18) from 3-point range.
Javonte Smart led Miami with 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Kyle Allman Jr. scored 14 points and Bryson Williams 11.
CELTICS 103, WARRIORS 92
Mfiondu Kabengele had 20 points and 13 rebounds, 19-year-old Juhann Begarin scored 21 points and Boston beat Golden State despite big games by Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Kuminga scored 22 points on 11-of-22 shooting. Moody added 21 but made just 6 of 19 from the field and 2 of 9 from 3-point range.
James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, had six points, seven rebounds and three blocks in his second game back from a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the last year-plus.
Justin Jackson scored 24 points, including five 3-pointers, for Boston. Brodric Thomas hit 4 of 7 from 3-point range and finished with 18 points.
PACERS 101, PISTONS 87
Bennedict Mathurin shot 5 of 9 from the field, 9 of 10 from the free throw line and finished with 20 points to help Indiana beat Jaden Ivey-less Detroit.
The No. 6 pick in last month's draft, Mathurin added five rebounds, three assists and three steals with no turnovers. Terry Taylor had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Isaiah Jackson also scored 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith added 12 points.
Ivey, taken by the Pistons with the No. 5 pick in the draft, as well as Saben Lee, Isaiah Stewart and Isaiah Livers did not play for Detroit.
Buddy Boeheim led the Pistons with 18 points. Stanley Umude scored 14, Charlie Moore added 13 and Jalen Duren &mdash; picked 13th overall in June's draft &mdash; had 12 points.
SUNS 105, MAVERICKS 78
Louis King and Olivier Sarr each had a double-double to lead Phoenix in its rout of Dallas.
King finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Sarr added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. also scored 12 points, McKinley Wright IV had 11 and Leonardo Meindl 10 for the Suns.
Jerrick Harding led the Mavericks with 20 points and A.J. Lawson scored 10. Jaden Hardy had 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Hardy, the No. 37 overall pick is last month&rsquo;s draft, was a consensus 5-star recruit out of high school in 2021 and spent last season with the NBA G League Unite.
LAKERS 83, CLIPPERS 72
Mason Jones had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Javante McCoy scored 14 points to help the Lakers beat the Clippers.
Sacha Killeya-Jones added 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for the Lakers. Nate Pierre-Louis scored 10 points.
Jay Scrubb and Brandon Boston Jr. scored 15 points apiece for the Clippers. Boston made just 3 of 12 from the field but hit 9-of-12 free throws and grabbed nine rebounds.

Santi Aldama scored 31 points, David Roddy added 20 and the Grizzlies tied the NBA Summer League record for points in a game.

Grizzlies tie NBA Summer League scoring record, beat Nets 120-84

Everyone enters NBA Summer League with something to prove.
For rookies, it's their first opportunity to show they belong at the highest level of professional basketball. To veterans, it's a chance to assert themselves, showcase their development and prove that they deserve a roster or increased minutes in the rotation.
Even in the relative nonchalance of the Las Vegas heat, for some young talents, the next 11 days will take on extra significance. For 10 in particular, this is a pivotal offseason for their pro career, and a standout Summer League could put them on a much-needed course correction.
I did not list any rookies here; it's their first shot in the league, so it's a bit unfair to stamp such high stakes on their inaugural action. Everyone on this list has at least a year of NBA experience under their belt, and one has been around the league for close to a decade. Beyond the top prospects, here are some players you should keep an eye on as they make their cases during Summer League.
Bruno Caboclo, Utah Jazz
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Justin Robinson finds Bruno Caboclo for the slam! 📺: ESPN2 <a href="https://t.co/VaFH9MTUNw">pic.twitter.com/VaFH9MTUNw</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1544860272367632384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Caboclo is one of the most experienced players on this summer's rosters. The No. 20 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Caboclo is remarkably still just 26 years old, but spent seven seasons with six teams in the NBA before suiting up for Sao Paulo FC in Brazil last year.&nbsp;
This is probably one of Caboclo's last shots at sticking in the league. He has averaged double-digit minutes per game just once in seven years, when he put up 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds across 23.5 minutes per game with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2018-19. He's far from the intriguing, raw prospect he was when entering the Association, so if Caboclo is going to earn a roster spot, even on a G League team, he has to show out.
Several other prospects enter Summer League in a similar situation. DJ Wilson (Raptors) and Chandler Hutchinson (Hawks) were first-round picks in the 2017 and 2018 NBA Drafts, respectively. They played 10 NBA games combined in 2021-22.&nbsp;
Usman Garuba, Houston Rockets
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Love this sequence from Usman Garuba. Does a brilliant job of switching onto Carsen Edwards, moves over to swat the ball loose from the ball-handler, and then pushes it up the floor in transition. <a href="https://t.co/WDfKs6cdG6">pic.twitter.com/WDfKs6cdG6</a>
&mdash; Dakota Schmidt (@Dakota_Schmidt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dakota_Schmidt/status/1490729110334808070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Jalen Green backed up his No. 2 overall draft slot with a stellar finish to last season, landing on the All-Rookie First Team. Alperen Sengun dazzled fans with his passing and put up 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game after the All-Star break. Josh Christopher battled typical rookie inconsistencies, but closed out his year with three games of 20-plus points in his last seven contests.
Houston's fourth 2021 first-round pick, however, went relatively unnoticed. Usman Garuba appeared just 24 times and averaged 10 minutes per game. He was billed as a versatile defender who could pair with Sengun, but injuries slowed his progression, though he flashed promise in limited G League action.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Sometimes, rebuilds move too quickly for player development to keep up. Houston drafted Jabari Smith Jr. with the third overall pick and Tari Eason at No. 17. Both figure to occupy one, if not two, forward spots, with Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jae'Sean Tate firmly in the mix as well. Garuba must demonstrate a stable offensive floor to balance his stellar defensive tools. I'll be interested to see how he's used in Las Vegas as a smaller center.
RJ Hampton, Orlando Magic
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Yeah , I asked to play. Nothing like getting reps and rhythm during the summer against competition and connecting with our new rooks 🤟🏽
&mdash; RJ (@RjHampton14) <a href="https://twitter.com/RjHampton14/status/1542161234493165568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs have graduated from Summer League play. Hampton is the lone young Magic guard returning to the roster. Orlando acquired the high-flying playmaker in March 2021, but he hasn't synced up with his backcourt mates quite yet, and playing time will only grow more scarce as the core improves.
The 21-year-old has just struggled to score efficienctly at any level. Despite his athleticism and power, Hampton made just 52.5% of his attempts at the rim last season and finished with a 48.1% True Shooting percentage.
In a featured role with this Magic summer group, he needs to display some takeover playmaking ability and consistent shotmaking. Hampton seems to be embracing the extra reps, which offer a promising chance for him to ball out with No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero.
Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons
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Killian Hayes Is looking good 👀 Via 🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/DetroitXay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DetroitXay</a> <a href="https://t.co/xv97YJKAdl">pic.twitter.com/xv97YJKAdl</a>
&mdash; Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pistons__Talk/status/1541958241147658241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Our Nekias Duncan highlighted <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/views-from-the-bottom-young-players-to-keep-an-eye-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayes' solid end to the 2021-22 season</a>. Though the overall stats might not show it, the former No. 7 pick did take meaningful strides as an off-ball player next to Cade Cunningham and a downhill driver when he had opportunities. Duncan also called Hayes "one of the most underrated guard defenders in the sport already."
That didn't stop Detroit from selecting Jaden Ivey to be Cade Cunningham's backcourt partner. Hayes is still very much part of a talented Pistons core, but his long-term projection with the franchise is murky right now. A standout effort in Vegas could solidify his standing, not only in the rotation, but also in the eyes of other teams around the league.
Kai Jones, Charlotte Hornets
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Kai Jones taking fight for the nasty dunk <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllFly?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllFly</a> <a href="https://t.co/rrhOfVjnrj">pic.twitter.com/rrhOfVjnrj</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1424516813417811970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Most expected Jones to be more of a developmental draft pick when Charlotte selected him No. 19 overall last year. He played just 63 total minutes with the Hornets and appeared in eight games for the G League affiliate Greensboro Swarm. Then, the Hornets went back to the NBA Draft for frontcourt help, selecting Mark Williams at No. 15 overall a few weeks ago.
What does this mean for Jones? Summer League head coach Jordan Surenkamp said more time at the four might be a possibility:
"Yeah, I still think that's up in the air. I think it kind of depends on what we're looking at from an organization standpoint in terms of rotations and things like that," <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/news/quick-hits-early-impressions-of-rookies-role-for-kai-jones-balancing-sl-minutes-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surenkamp said.</a> "But like I said, he's been very willing to play at that position so far just as much as he has been at the five, which is more of what he's done in this league up to this point. In terms of how many minutes and how often, those are still things that are up in the air. Those are conversations that we'll have before Friday."
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I'm admittedly a skeptic toward this type of role shift for Jones. But Summer League is an excellent laboratory for him and the Hornets to try out the fit.
Aleksej Pokusevski, Oklahoma City Thunder
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And y'all expect me to quit Poku lol TUH <a href="https://t.co/2vRTHbLWrO">pic.twitter.com/2vRTHbLWrO</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1544496249994465280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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One of the most unique players in the entire NBA enters his third season with the Thunder. But this will actually be Pokusevski's first NBA Summer League experience after OKC decided not to have him join the team last year (and there was no competition in 2020).&nbsp;
Pokusevski has his staunch advocates and critics on either side after another up-and-down season in 2021-22. But he was much better after the All-Star break, averaging 12.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists across 19 games. Poku still has a ways to go in his individual development, and the Thunder have shown a willingness to be patient as the seven-foot wing progresses. A strong summer showing against less experienced competition would help justify the franchise's belief in him.
Paul Reed, Philadelphia 76ers
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Paul Reed dropped 20 PTS and snatched 15 boards in Game 1 of the Salt Lake City Summer League for the <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a>! 20 PTS | 15 REB | 4 STL <a href="https://t.co/NlAd1vxQSr">pic.twitter.com/NlAd1vxQSr</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1544495884829954048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Big-man depth behind Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris was one of the more pressing concerns for the 76ers in the postseason, and the franchise has done nothing in the offseason to bolster their bigs so far. For now, the responsibility falls on Reed and/or Charles Bassey to take the mantle as a backup.&nbsp;
At 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, Reed has a bit more in his tool kit offensively then Bassey and really battles hard on the glass. This is an atmosphere where he can physically dominate. Reed already posted 20 points and 15 rebounds in a Salt Lake City Summer League showing against the Grizzlies.&nbsp;
Xavier Tillman, Memphis Grizzlies
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Xavier Tillman &amp; Ziaire Williams combined for 31 points to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win!<a href="https://twitter.com/therealZiaire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@therealZiaire</a>: 15 PTS, 8 AST, 2 STL<a href="https://twitter.com/Rookiedunker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rookiedunker</a>: 16 PTS, 4 AST <a href="https://t.co/rD5YnPb63N">pic.twitter.com/rD5YnPb63N</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1544497186821619713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The No. 35 pick from the 2020 NBA Draft logged a really solid rookie season with Memphis, but saw his playing time and efficiency scale back in 2021-22. Tillman struggled to finish at the basket and lost the flashes of three-point promise that appeared in his first year. With Brandon Clarke surging back as a notable piece, Jaren Jackson Jr. healthy and Steven Adams locked in at center, Tillman only had scraps of big-man minutes left over.
However, he's still a notable Grizzlies prospect. Tillman is the type of multifaceted big defender that today's game craves, and he can rebound and pass well for his position. Like Reed, Tillman has the chance to impose his will inside against younger, leaner Summer League players, and he can state his case for more playing time to the team.
Brandon Williams, Portland Trail Blazers
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Brandon Williams has been lighting it up for the <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trailblazers</a>! He dropped a career-high 27 points in his first career start last night - his second consecutive 20+ point game. 💪 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GLeagueAlum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GLeagueAlum</a> <a href="https://t.co/WYteuaeBWm">pic.twitter.com/WYteuaeBWm</a>
&mdash; NBA G League (@nbagleague) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1501331791558414340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Lost in the Trail Blazers' aimless second half was the emergence of Williams, an undrafted rookie guard whom Portland locked up on a two-way contract in February. He had played just two NBA games before the All-Star break, but averaged 13.7 points, 4.2 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in 22 contests afterwards. Nekias Duncan even <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/views-from-the-bottom-young-players-to-keep-an-eye-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted him in that same piece</a> for his pick-and-roll passing promise.
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Was Williams' opportunity solely because Portland was marred with injuries and well out of the playoff picture? Or does he have a real chance at a rotation spot this season? It's admittedly tough to envision with Damian Lillard getting healthy, Anfernee Simons secured on a lucrative extension and Keon Johnson on the rise. But there's no better case for Williams to assert his talent than at Summer League.
James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors
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Here is the full update from Jama Mahlalela on James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga. Said Wiseman probably won&rsquo;t play on Friday, &ldquo;but I&rsquo;d definitely imagine in the next few (summer league) games we&rsquo;ll see him.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/FxLFQJ71Bn">pic.twitter.com/FxLFQJ71Bn</a>
&mdash; Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) <a href="https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1544806078507954176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Warriors Summer League coach Jama Mahlalela said that he expects Wiseman to participate in Vegas at some point. It's been a long road of recovery for the 2020 No. 2 overall draft pick, who missed all of last season while rehabbing a torn meniscus. Wiseman's absence has fueled a chorus of critics to question his place with the defending champions.
Obviously, there's only so much Wiseman can do here as he continues to focus on his body. NBA training camp and the actual season far surpass any importance Summer League can provide. But if Wiseman does make appearances over the next two weeks, he'll assuredly be one of the summer's most-discussed players.

James Wiseman, Kai Jones and Killian Hayes are among the players who could use a standout Summer League showing in Las Vegas.

10 NBA veterans with a bit more to prove at Las Vegas Summer League

The end of the 2021-22 NBA season is remarkably bittersweet. The basketball was great, with an incredible level of competitiveness, a revamping of defense, an embracing of coverage versatility and an impressive rookie class. Covering it was an absolute joy.
On a personal note, a massive thank you to all who read my work, supported me, encouraged me or interacted with me during the season. Last May, I graduated from college with roughly a year-and-a-half of covering basketball in some part-time fashion under my belt.
I took a bit of a leap of faith to write about basketball full-time or go broke trying, and because of BasketballNews and a few other platforms, I was able to stay afloat and eventually break even for the first time in my life based on work I'm truly passionate about. My athletic &lsquo;career&rsquo; ended in 2018 and it took me a long time to really find out what was next and what my purpose was. Writing and talking about the game just does something for me that I can&rsquo;t explain, so I&rsquo;ll just reiterate: thank you all again for making this life possible. Without help from many of you and my family, I wouldn&rsquo;t be in this position. I&rsquo;m an extremely lucky person and I&rsquo;m so glad to do what I do, and I'm fortunate that my work resonates with people.
So as per usual, my main takeaway is never from the result, even when looking at my own track through basketball. The process is 97% of why I care and watch the games. It&rsquo;s what I love to track and decipher. Nekias Duncan exemplified that and then some <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with his piece yesterday</a>.&nbsp;
The seasons within each season define the process. A player returns from injury or makes a key development that shapes a rotation, changes a team's identity or defines a stretch of play. Rinse and repeat, as this happens a multitude of times for each team to varying degrees. The contention landscape is an ever-molding horizon that whittles away as the year goes by.
A third of the way through the season, I thought the Cleveland Cavaliers had a shot at winning a series and making a second one raucous for their opponent. I didn&rsquo;t have faith in the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; frontcourt rotation and halfcourt offense, leading me to think they&rsquo;d be out of the playoffs before the Conference Finals (lol).
Along those lines, perhaps the biggest takeaway I have from this season and the postseason is that it&rsquo;s just really freakin' hard to win a title. That sounds reductive, and perhaps it is in essence, but that&rsquo;s sort of the point. I think it&rsquo;s a bit foolhardy and lacking in context at times to take away any sweeping thoughts on the ideology of basketball in such a volatile setting.
We at large don&rsquo;t know the full slate of what is or isn&rsquo;t going on behind the scenes or in a locker room until it&rsquo;s being broken nationally and is about to be resolved one way or another. That&rsquo;s not an excuse for poor or underwhelming play, rather to say that it&rsquo;s hard to place and capture the magic of incredible success. I, and many, thought that the Phoenix Suns would walk into the Western Conference Finals. The vibes dissipated with a quickness from immaculate to disastrous in a way I haven&rsquo;t felt since the 2013-14 Indiana Pacers.
I can point out the poor play and roster flaws that led to their on-court demise, but whatever happened off the court without a doubt contributed. It would be in poor faith to say, &ldquo;Because of this they lost." But it would be just as wrong to say, &ldquo;Well, they just didn&rsquo;t have that dog in them.&rdquo;
The Suns did have that magic for much of the season. We&rsquo;ve seen teams find it and lose it during the course of the year time and time again. Finding that run of play and maintaining it is so much more difficult than we lend credence to. We tend to decry the losers rather than pointing out the immaculate nature of those who stood the test of four playoff series. We should change that! Winning the NBA Finals is extremely difficult.
As Nekias pointed out in his<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-improvement-nba-finals-leap-nekias-duncan-golden-state-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aforementioned article</a>about Jayson Tatum, think about all of the fantastic moments and series that Tatum did have leading up to the Finals. That man balled the heck out. We&rsquo;re talking about how making the Finals and losing is bad for Tatum&rsquo;s legacy??? That&rsquo;s crazy to me. I understand the importance of legacy to some, but those arguments shed 97% of what got us here and hyperfocus on a six-game series at the highest level of play.
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Basketball and sports in general are meant to be analyzed; it&rsquo;s a large part of my job. But I feel the championship series should ultimately be much more about enjoying two incredibly good, incredibly talented and incredibly fun teams duel for the top spot in the league after the season tipped 240 days before.
To lead into some of the more tactical/schematic takeaways, advantage continuation is paramount. It probably seems obvious, but the ability to keep moving the ball, keep a play running and force the defense to react in kind is so important, even if it doesn&rsquo;t lead to a bucket. I was routinely stricken by how often the Warriors had first, second, third or even fourth actions sputter out, but they routinely found a small crevice upon which to expand and keep the advantage flowing.&nbsp;
I saw so many times throughout the series, &ldquo;How was this Boston defense good during the regular season?&rdquo; Was I doomscrolling and over-indexing? You bet. But it still stood out. The Celtics fought for their lives on possessions, and the way they shut down the Warriors time and time again in the halfcourt only to be whiplashed by a backcut, a broken play, an impromptu DHO, a Steph Curry deep three or a quick putback after 15 seconds of scramble felt back-breaking. I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;ve ever felt Steph&rsquo;s shooting gravity and never ending off-ball movement like I did in this Finals.
Even with players who weren&rsquo;t shooters on volume, the Warriors unclogged possessions due to Steph&rsquo;s otherworldly play and the quick decision-making of his teammates. Draymond flipping the switch on his offensive aggression, adjusting the shot tendencies like we WISH NBA 2K would even consider absolutely changed the series. Eliminating some of the indecisiveness and unwillingness made Golden State that much harder to guard.&nbsp;
As athletic and sizable as the Celtics were across the board, they often felt a step behind and rarely dictating the dance in defensive possessions, which felt quite polar to their first three series.
Prior to the final few games against the Warriors, the Celtics toed that line of having enough of that ball movement and redrive oomph, attacking with secondary and tertiary drives to maintain an advantage. That, uhhh, did not hold up in the Finals, as the Warriors played phenomenal defense, but it also felt like Boston went away from what made them the best offense in the league in 2022. Marcus Smart has his fair share of erratic offensive possessions, but he spurred the offense throughout the year as Ime Udoka charged him with more primary ball-handling duties to put Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in more optimal offensive situations.
It wasn&rsquo;t that he needed to always have the ball, and he still handled much in the postseason, but it assuredly happened less, and penetration and kickouts became more sparse. Again though, the point is that secondary creation juice is a large part of how they got to the Finals.
The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks both felt as though they really lacked another secondary creator or enough of that ability to continue the advantages of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively. Again, not fully that dumbed down, but the Griz dealt with the issues of too many shooters who were hesitant and also not impacting the defense. The Bucks rarely sniffed the paint outside of Giannis or Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s forays to the rim. Kick-outs were routinely one-and-done shots. Injuries certainly played a factor, as Khris Middleton changes things greatly for the Bucks, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case. Even during the regular season, Milwaukee felt short of another shot creator.
On a similar note, the use of the clock to cut down or exacerbate your advantages on the margins is essential if you have some semblance of halfcourt struggles or are facing a top-notch defensive team. The Warriors absolutely bodied teams in transition and with early offense (no stats, just vibes; this was clear while watching). I think back to that Denver series and how masterfully the Warriors forced cross-matches and shifted the defense before plays started just by running like mad down the court.&nbsp;
Boston was on their heels for so much of the series due to how much concerted effort the Warriors put into getting into early sets. Running off of misses was a huge swing factor, feasting on Boston&rsquo;s at-rim misses in droves and parlaying a 4-on-3 against them into a 4-on-3 the other way. It honestly felt devastating at times, the basketball version of Sisyphus&rsquo; toil playing out on the parquet.
The Celtics felt on the verge of an eight-second violation every possession coming up court. Golden State employed a good array of pressure to slow down the Celtics; that&rsquo;s one of my favorite random things. You&rsquo;d think pressure would speed things up, right? Nope, it made the Celtics bog down and sink like a tank traversing through mud (shout out Call of Duty 4, mission War Pig; a throwback to seventh grade). In turn, they were sped up due to facing the shot clock with a proverbial back against the wall. All of the tendencies were loaded up in Golden State&rsquo;s favor given how they worked the margins.
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My last point I really want to stress is my ultimate Old-Man-Yells-at-Clouds moment. It is really, really, really, reaaaallllllyyyy hard to be a big in the NBA. So often, there&rsquo;s this idea that's consistently projected that you can "just scoop up a viable big for the mid-level exception" or that "teams shouldn&rsquo;t draft a big in the lottery." And sure, you can get a really serviceable backup or spot-starter for the MLE!
But you know that defensive-coverage versatility we mentioned earlier? It is so hard to be a big who can only play one coverage. I&rsquo;d argue being a coverage-versatile big who can make quality decisions and continue advantages if you don&rsquo;t craft them themselves is the most lacking positional archetype in a league that looks starved for them.&nbsp;
This is not my attempt to display how I think basketball should be played; there are a ton of viable ways to win a title and construct a roster even if there are some underscored guidelines that set the boundaries of what a team can be at the highest level.
But let&rsquo;s just run through some of the most important players on the deep playoff teams (who made it to the second round or further):
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Giannis Antetokounmpo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Deandre Ayton</li>
<li aria-level="1">Robert Williams III</li>
<li aria-level="1">Al Horford</li>
<li aria-level="1">Draymond Green</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevon Looney (who was incredible throughout the Warriors' run)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maxi Kleber</li>
</ul>
The NBA 5 is so pivotal upon how defenses play the game on either side. For a defense, they need to be able to hang up in a multitude of schemes while ideally being a backline eraser with strong-help instincts and the athleticism to deter shots. Switch everything is a lie, but some switchability is pretty nice too! Can you play close to the level? Can you show and recover? Can you display enough hand activity to add a modicum of hesitation on pull-up twos or a guard turning the corner out of a ball screen as your point-of-attack defender fights over to reconnect?
There are a trillion responsibilities seemingly, and ground coverage is a must.
Offensively, the 5s routinely were the focal point of how a defense looked to stifle an offense. While Draymond isn&rsquo;t technically a 5, he played a great deal of time there and his improved play and aggression over the backend of the series was paramount in attacking Boston&rsquo;s defense and tipping the scale. In the previous series, I can still hear Steve Jones Jr.&rsquo;s voice ringing out from the Dunker Spot (<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listen and subscribe!</a>) about how teams played him as a post decision-maker with Golden State&rsquo;s patented split cuts.
Al Horford broke defenses with his consistent shooting in the playoffs, something that wasn&rsquo;t there much of the regular season. Shooting in that sweet spot of league average or slightly higher without hesitation at the 5 spot is back-breaking. Miami and Milwaukee routinely tried to negate Horford&rsquo;s presence, but if you&rsquo;re going to shoot like that without thinking, it changes the way a defense can play you. Much of the same should be said of Maxi Kleber for the Mavs. His personal heater against the Suns altered that series and forced Phoenix into a defensive bind that restructured the way they could play defense without getting absolutely pelted from Kleber&rsquo;s above-the-break dynamism.
Being a capable two-way NBA big is freakin' hard. The game is still shifting more and more toward size and skill, something the next few draft classes exemplify. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s as drastic as every player being 7-feet tall and taking pull-up threes out of ball screens, but there&rsquo;s real credence to acknowledging that the first few draft classes of players that grew up playing AAU and youth ball after the spacing revolution are coming in with skill sets to match. A few seasons ago, I was speaking with a prominent high school coach who mentioned that the high-school game was a half decade behind the NBA, as players adapted to what they saw and took in growing up. We&rsquo;re seeing that start to play out and that&rsquo;s absurdly cool to witness.
What will the game look like in 2027? I don&rsquo;t have the answer, but I have a semblance of an idea of where it&rsquo;s headed in the next few years, and I&rsquo;m excited.
What will the next shift be? How is the game going to bend the court dimensions again? It continually happens over time, as innovation and adaptation occurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The game is beautiful, and I&rsquo;m lucky to cover it. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to anyone who's reading and those who have shared or interacted with my work over the last season. It&rsquo;s odd to say goodbye to 2022, but I have a good feeling about next season.
Who knows, maybe this is the year for the Sacramento Kings?! Maybe the Orlando Magic are our wondrous young team that takes a sizable step forward from fun and young to fun, young and funkily effective. I don&rsquo;t know what next year holds and I can make as many predictions as I want, but that unknowing is part of what makes the game so mystifying to me. I love uncovering and trying to learn more about what the game is, and the skill sets and stories that make up the humans who play the game. I truly loved the process and unraveling of the 2022 season, and I hope you can say the same!
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The 2021-22 NBA season is over. What can we take away from it and where is the game headed in the coming years?

Bidding adieu to the 2021-22 NBA season: Final(s) thoughts

Many college students &mdash; even Division I basketball players &mdash; have a window of time around Christmas to travel home, see their families and press pause on the motion and stress of life at school.
Baylor freshman Jeremy Sochan did not have that luxury.&nbsp;
Sochan's mother, stepfather and brother live in Milton Keynes, a medium-sized city in the United Kingdom. Between the short break (Baylor men's basketball played on Dec. 20 and Dec. 28), the long flight and the surging COVID-19 pandemic, a homecoming simply was not feasible.
Instead, the highly-touted prospect bought a ticket to finally see his first NBA regular-season game, tagging along with Baylor assistant coach Bill Peterson and a couple of Peterson's friends to watch the Dallas Mavericks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 23.
The freshman was enthralled. He lingered in the American Airlines Center well after the game ended, soaking up the atmosphere.
"Afterwards he just kept saying, 'Coach, I can't thank you enough,'" Peterson told BasketballNews.com in a phone interview. "He just had a different appreciation for it. Because he was from another country, going to an NBA game wasn't something he did all the time."
Soon, Sochan will live those moments almost every day. The 6-foot-9-inch forward is headed to the 2022 NBA Draft as a sure-fire first-round pick and a possible lottery selection. Sochan's journey to June 23 includes crisscrossing the globe for basketball, and in his NBA Draft Combine interview, he aptly proclaimed himself a "citizen of the world."
"My family's from all over the place &mdash; Poland, America, and I lived in England most of my life &mdash;&nbsp;and it's hard to answer the question when someone says: Where are you from?" Sochan told BasketballNews.com over the phone. "Because you don't really have one specific place. So I try and explain it that way."
In the past five years alone, Sochan has suited up for five different elite basketball programs, beginning from his home in England and traversing through Poland, the United States (twice) and Germany. But the takeoff started in his hometown of Milton Keynes, where Sochan grew up after being born in Oklahoma and living briefly in Southampton.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Where it all started 💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/ItchenBball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ItchenBball</a> <a href="https://t.co/MIZHcS6llo">pic.twitter.com/MIZHcS6llo</a>
&mdash; Jeremy Sochan (@SochanJeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SochanJeremy/status/1455881532934086658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote>

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After playing for his local club, the Milton Keynes Trojans, Sochan spent one season at Itchen College in Southampton as a high-school-age freshman. (Sixth-form colleges in the UK are somewhat like private high schools in the U.S.). Sochan adamantly states that basketball is on a serious rise at the youth level in England, and he might be right.
According to an article from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/author/vithushan-ehantharajah">Vithushan Ehantharajah</a><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/us-sport/nba/british-basketball-teams-players-b1825787.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;of The Independent</a>,&nbsp;basketball ranked as the second-most popular sport at the recreational level behind only soccer, and over 1.3 million people said they hooped at least once a week in a study between 2018 and 2019. Per the same 2021 article, the United Kingdom is ninth in the world and first in Europe for NBA League Pass subscriptions.
In Sochan's estimation, the problem is a lack of funding that limits the ceiling of player development. It's part of the reason he moved on from UK programs.
"Unfortunately, I feel like it's not funded well enough, and there's not a lot of exposure or resources for basketball," Sochan said. "So at times, it's difficult. It's difficult to rent a court. It's expensive, and you'd have to have a massive group of people... But there's a lot of potential, and it's a country with a lot of immigrants [and] a lot of people around the world. So if they put money in it, and resources, it's gonna be a great place for basketball, for sure."
As Sochan made waves in England, his mother, Aneta Sochan, was leveraging her connections abroad. Aneta is Polish and played Division II basketball at Oklahoma Panhandle State University before her own professional stint with Polonia Warszawa in Poland. She moved to England with Sochan's late biological father, Ryan Williams, as Williams pursued a professional career, and later settled in Milton Keynes with her current partner, Wiktor Lipiecki. Sochan's holidays were typically spent with Aneta's extended family in their home country.
Aneta sent emails and film to the Polish Basketball Association, looking for inroads for her son. Eventually, they came in the form of development camps in Poland and Spain, and persuading Dawid Mazur to allow him to compete for a spot on the Poland U16 National Team.
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Sochan exploded in his second year with the program. He put up 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 3.0 assists per game in the summer of 2019, leading Poland to the European Class B title and winning MVP honors in his tour de force through the continent.
Sochan had proven himself on one of the largest European stages. But as his name reached scouting circles in the United States, Sochan transferred to La Lumiere High School, a national powerhouse program in Indiana. It featured a loaded roster that fielded some of the country's top prospects, including draft classmate Jaden Ivey and Louisville commit Kamari Lands. Sochan's third high-level team in three years &mdash; and three countries &mdash; tested his resolve as a young talent.
"It was interesting because I feel like there's differences, of course, between European basketball and American basketball," Sochan said. "In America, I feel like the players are a lot more confident... just more confident and free, and at first, it was a little bit difficult for me to understand that. But I feel like as time went on, [me] building confidence and my teammates believing in me, it got a lot easier."
A barrier to entry exists whenever an athlete joins a new team. For international players like Sochan, that barrier can feel thicker and taller, particularly with the stereotypes that persist surrounding European hoops.
Later on at Baylor, Peterson wanted Sochan to challenge the narrative.
"I would joke with him a lot about [how] one of the monikers in the NBA is that European guys are soft, or they're wusses. That goes around the NBA," Peterson said.
"So he would say to me, 'I do not want to be a wuss. I'm not a wuss,' he would always say, and I said, 'I know.' Sometimes when guys hit you, you gotta hit 'em back. You gotta stick 'em on an offensive or defensive boxout. You gotta hammer 'em on a screen. It sends a message."&nbsp;
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Time and again, Sochan demonstrated his physical toughness and determination. He did it by solidifying himself as a four-star high school recruit at La Lumiere in 2019-20, becoming the youngest player in Poland men's senior national team history in 2021 and smothering opponents with the Bears in 2021-22. Sochan also charted his own course when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted his basketball plans.
Sochan returned home for school vacation in the spring of 2020 as a high school junior at La Lumiere. Then, the school told Sochan to stay in Milton Keynes for an extra week as activities paused. One week became two weeks, then a month. Sochan ultimately never returned. As the United States reeled from the impact of the virus, Sochan pivoted back to Europe and settled on Orange Academy, a development program under German pro team Ratiopharm Ulm.
"Germany was pretty good with the COVID situation, and also, they were one of the only clubs to offer me no contract, so I could be eligible for college," he said. "So it was a great opportunity."
Sochan verbally committed to Baylor in the summer of 2020 before he headed to Germany. But the pandemic and travel hurdles kept him from visiting campus after he committed; all of his conversations with coaches came via phone and Zoom. And after never seeing his family while at La Lumiere, Sochan had to leave them again for another year when he took off for Orange Academy.
"Of course it's difficult; you can be a little homesick," Sochan said. "But I think, as of an early age, I always used to go to camps in Spain and Poland on my own. It was an easy adjustment for me. Personally, I am confident, just knowing the reason I'm leaving home. [It] helped me stay on course and keep on working every day. I'm doing this for my family, of course, and myself &mdash; to get better. I feel like that motivated me to keep on going,"
Peterson recalls receiving a video from Sochan while the then-17-year-old was at Orange Academy. It was 30 seconds of Sochan alone on an outdoor court in Germany, laughing and smiling while drilling himself on ball-handling exercises that Peterson had recommended.&nbsp;
"Coach, I'm working on this. How do I look?" Sochan would ask him. "Am I getting better?"
The grind has powered Sochan through those lonely nights away from home. He celebrated his 19th birthday on May 20 with dinner at an Italian restaurant &mdash; and by working out in front of teams on the final day of the Combine. Though he may be surrounded by new teammates, new coaches, new audiences and new cultures, he knows he has two constants: family and basketball.
"I feel like it's just understanding where you came from &mdash; your family &mdash; and just being able to stay present," Sochan said. "Just being able to get better every day is what I feel like grounds me. And I think it's important for me to just get better every day and just keep on learning &mdash; whether it's through basketball on the court, off the court, mentally, physically."
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Many Polish goods, are things that I will be missing on the 24th for the 3rd time in the row. More importantly I will be missing the physical presence of my family, I&rsquo;ve had it far from perfect but nobody has so I&rsquo;m just like you. We all sacrifice something for the greater good. <a href="https://t.co/KmlRBIVmG7">pic.twitter.com/KmlRBIVmG7</a>
&mdash; Jeremy Sochan (@SochanJeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SochanJeremy/status/1474444438042783744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2021</a></blockquote>

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At Baylor, Sochan and Peterson developed a bond over their travels. The 65-year-old Peterson made several stops at the college and NBA level before arriving at Baylor in 2017. He served as a player development coach and scout for the Dallas Mavericks from 1999-2000, coached six seasons as an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks from 2007-13 and spent three seasons at the helm of the Erie Bayhawks in the G League (formerly known as the D-League). With those positions, plus other coaching roles in the collegiate ranks, Peterson collected experiences and stories from his trips across Europe and China.
The two met frequently for lunch around the Baylor campus. They'd chat about Premier League soccer (Sochan is a noted Arsenal fan) and EuroLeague basketball. Peterson learned that Sochan's grandmother lived about an hour from a clinic he once hosted in Poland.&nbsp;
"It was fun because he could relax and realize, 'Hey, Coach Peterson has been over there and kind of knows where I'm from [and] some of my background anyway, because he's traveled there a lot more than maybe some of the other coaches on the staff,'" Peterson said.
As Sochan acclimated to his fifth elite program, his confidence started to shine. He formed close friendships on the Baylor team, specifically with fellow draft prospect Kendall Brown and promising injured freshman Langston Love. Fans saw Sochan's energy radiate from his colorful hairstyles and powerful slam dunks. Meanwhile, in practice, he wowed Peterson with his quick and willing inclination to move the ball around, displaying the court awareness of someone who had played with and against veterans &mdash; which Sochan had, of course, in Poland.
"He has a great understanding of how to play for a kid [who's] 18 years old &mdash; like, really understands offense, how to move the ball and make the next pass, and do it in limited dribbles," Peterson said.
"He plays like a pro. I mean, he plays like a guy that's 10 years older than his age."
If a teammate withheld a pass, Sochan wasn't afraid to call him out or ask the coaches about the play afterward.&nbsp;
"Occasionally he'd go, 'Hey, come on, man. Let's move the ball.' You would expect a senior to be saying that, not a freshman," Peterson said. "He has that instinct about him to feel that and help that happen on the floor."
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Along with his quick processing on offense, Sochan's defensive toughness and versatility have not just pushed back on his European stereotypes &mdash; they've become hallmarks of his game and a sales pitch as a prospect. BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock remembers watching Sochan on Jan. 29 against Alabama, when the forward posted 17 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals for the Bears.&nbsp;
"During that game, Sochan displayed his defensive versatility and potential," Babcock said. "He also showed flashes as a player that could stretch the floor and be an effective slasher."
Sochan has steadily risen on draft boards throughout the spring; Babcock most recently slotted him in at No. 15 overall to the Charlotte Hornets in his latest <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com NBA Mock Draft.</a>&nbsp;Babcock said that the lottery is definitely within reach for Sochan, and that he likely won't stick around past the teens of the draft order. He noted that, in addition to wielding an archetype built for today's NBA, Sochan carries a journey that should favorably position him for the professional lifestyle.
"Similar to the advantages that experiences on the court create, off-the-court experiences also provide learning opportunities. It's all a part of growing up, and from the sounds of it, Sochan has seen and done a lot, which I think will help him transition to the NBA," Babcock said.
Peterson believes that playing for five programs in five years doesn't just help Sochan on the court; it also teaches him how different team cultures can each be uniquely successful.
"If you work at IBM, and everybody in IBM wears a suit and coat and a tie, and then you move and you go work for a grocery store chain [like] Kroger, H-E-B or whatever, and everybody there just wears a polo shirt and nice slacks, you're not going to keep wearing suits when you go work at Kroger or you're gonna look like an idiot," Peterson said. "That's not the culture they have. You have to adjust somewhat to what their culture is and what their program's about. And he's had to do that five different times."
The NBA has a small but noteworthy history of English and Polish talent. James Donaldson, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Michael Olowokandi and OG Anunoby are players with English ties who have played over 300 games in the league. Marcin Gortat is the lone Poland native with over 100 appearances.
Sochan aims to be a beacon for both countries.
"I think it's really exciting," he said. "I think it's a great opportunity for me, personally, to connect these communities to the NBA again."
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Jeremy Sochan speaks with Ethan Fuller about his twisting, turning, worldwide basketball journey heading into the 2022 NBA Draft.

Jeremy Sochan, a 'citizen of the world,' sets course for the NBA

Most NBA teams have approximately 15 games left in their regular-season schedules. Even if some squads are still mathematically in the postseason hunt, we can start to distinguish the desperate bids from the real races.
In the Eastern Conference, the Washington Wizards (despite how things look on the court) continue to chase the Charlotte Hornets and are three games back of an East Play-In spot. The Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs all hold some grip onto the Western Conference Play-In battle. But as the games wind down, the intensity ratchets up, and every loss can feel like a brick wall.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The Toronto Raptors are riding a three-game win streak that includes quality victories over the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. They now sit just one game back of the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers for the all-important sixth seed and definitely have enough momentum to take it with 15 games left in the regular season.
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10. Golden State Warriors (46-22)
The Warriors rallied with a massive week highlighted by two double-digit wins against the Nuggets and a Saturday primetime victory against the Milwaukee Bucks. The win over the Bucks was particularly impressive because Stephen Curry attempted just 7 field goals; Klay Thompson (38 points), Jordan Poole (30 points) and Andrew Wiggins (21 points) carried the scoring load. Golden State has looked rudderless at times without Draymond Green, but hopefully this three-game hot stretch inspires confidence.
(Last week: 7)
9. Houston Rockets (17-51)
Jalen Green is still playing superb basketball, but KJ Martin has come alive with a longer leash as Houston wades through its rebuilding season. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kj-martin-more-than-meets-the-eye" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler wrote a fantastic article</a> over the weekend on Martin's mini-breakout. The 21-year-old is up to 43.8% from three-point range since the break and is much more than a slasher, as Mark illustrates. This is what you hope happens amidst all the losing, and if it continues, Houston might get out of the rankings altogether next week.
(Last week: 8)
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (38-29)
It's been a rough post-All-Star run for Cleveland, who is just 3-6 since the break. Jarrett Allen's finger fracture has impacted the Cavs' top-tier defense; it's now ranked 25th over the past two weeks. Caris LeVert, Lauri Markkanen and Rajon Rondo have also dealt with their own injuries. Cleveland is now just a single game up on Toronto in a tightly-packed East playoff race. The overall picture is still bright, but the recent downturn is simply a bummer for a franchise that can feel a tangible post-LeBron playoff appearance within its grasp.
(Last week: Unranked)
7. Charlotte Hornets (33-35)
Last week I attempted, for the second time this season, to point out a solid defensive stretch by the Hornets. Once again, they made me look like a buffoon. Charlotte gave up at least 115 points in all three of its games this past week, going 1-2 against the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Pelicans. At least Isaiah Thomas got in a nice game with 14 points against New Orleans. No matter how you feel about his viability as an NBA player, it's impossible not to root for Thomas.
(Last week: 9)
6. Brooklyn Nets (35-33)
Nets Twitter (and I presume the rest of Nets fandom) positively exploded with joy in Brooklyn's dominant 129-100 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. The triumph is perhaps the highlight of the season to date and hopefully a spark plug, as Brooklyn has rattled off three consecutive victories. We also need to keep talking about Bruce Brown, who is averaging 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game since the All-Star break.&nbsp;
(Last week: 1)
5. New York Knicks (28-40)
I'm an absolute sucker for Deuce McBride propaganda, so here you go:
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Deuce has been freakin absurd at the nail as he's finally started to get rotation minutes <a href="https://t.co/2m98NjOo4p">pic.twitter.com/2m98NjOo4p</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1502679211127054337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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New York went 2-2 this week, but with some respectable losses to the Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat. More importantly, we're seeing meaningful time and flashes from young talents, whether it be McBride, RJ Barrett, Jericho Sims or Immanuel Quickley. That's all that matters over the final weeks.
(Last week: 2)
4. Los Angeles Lakers (29-38)
LeBron James has now dropped multiple 50-bombs out of the All-Star break and continues his lopsided battle with Father Time. Also lopsided? The Lakers are 2-0 since the break when James scored at least 50 points and 0-7 when he doesn't. That's... not exactly a desirable bar for success. Los Angeles now looks ahead at 6 games in 10 days with five against current playoff teams. I would not be surprised if they entered a March 27 contest against New Orleans behind the Pelicans in the standings.
(Last week: 3)
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3. Sacramento Kings (24-45)
Sacramento stands four-and-a-half games behind a Play-In spot, is 2-7 since the All-Star break and has bottom-10 metrics on both ends of the floor during that span. The Kings are giving up the ninth-highest frequency of three-pointers to opponents per Cleaning the Glass, and those teams are shooting a strong 38.2% from the floor. Sacramento has the playoff-bound Chicago Bulls, Bucks, Celtics and Suns next on tap, which doesn't bode well for them stopping the current four-game slide.
(Last week: 4)
2. Portland Trail Blazers (26-40)
Despite sitting 11th in the West and just one game behind the Pelicans, Portland simply can't put enough quality games together. The Blazers finally earned a 127-118 win over the Wizards to snap a six-game skid on Saturday. Anfernee Simons is down with a knee injury and will be re-evaluated in 1-to-2 weeks, meaning Portland loses its most coveted young player for the short-term future. Props to Josh Hart for his 44-point explosion though.
(Last week: 5)
1. Washington Wizards (29-37)
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Win, loss, tie, blowout either way: what on earth is this roster and minutes distribution man I know KP didn&rsquo;t play, but like how does that clear anything up lol <a href="https://t.co/1VkTfPnQfh">pic.twitter.com/1VkTfPnQfh</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1503001470148427779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Mark Schindler highlighted the rotation discord in Washington, and it's pretty baffling. Corey Kispert is playing 39 minutes? Deni Avdijia is playing 13 minutes? Washington should either be making a last-ditch playoff push (three games out of 10th right now) or committing to playing the more experienced young lottery talents it has added over the past few years. Yet somehow, neither is happening.
(Last week: 6)
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The Wizards and Trail Blazers are tumbling in Ethan Fuller's latest Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: Wizards, Trail Blazers in postseason peril

I'd like to take you on a trip down memory lane, if I may.
The date is Jan. 11, 2021. It's a chilly night in Charlotte, North Carolina. People are stuck in traffic, because that's how it goes after 5 p.m. in this city. There are no fewer than 12 Cook Out locations flooded &mdash; and for that, we say thank you and God bless.
More importantly, there's a basketball game going on between the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks.&nbsp;
Midway through the third quarter, then-rookie phenom LaMelo Ball decides to push the ball in transition. He glides through the middle of the floor, targeting fellow rookie Immanuel Quickley on a drive as he backpedals.&nbsp;
LaMelo decelerates before crossing to his right, then begins his gather. Something funny happens from there though.
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That's right &mdash; LaMelo attempts, possibly, the worst James Harden impersonation of all-time. He goes searching for Quickley's arm and gets nothing but air. The momentum from the flail alters his balance &mdash; the last thing he needs since he's in the midst of a wrong-hand finish.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Show 10 random NBA fans that clip, and I guarantee at least eight of them give some sort of "that's what you get" sentiment for trying to generate contact. I immediately fell &mdash; and continue to fall &mdash; on the other side of the aisle. As I <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1348806292882808833?s=20&amp;t=H-TnrjRhKj4jxJtee4KwqA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted in the moment</a>: That attempt is proof that foul-drawing is a skill.
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NBA offenses have never been as prolific as they are right now.
We're buzzing with buckets in this era, currently riding a four-season streak of the league's average Offensive Rating eclipsing <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_stats_per_game.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110 points per 100 possessions</a>.
The emphasis on shooting and spacing &mdash; linked, but not synonymous! &mdash; has led to a more open game. Ball-handlers are more dynamic, blending slick handles, a more-willing trigger from (super) deep and driving chops that leave defenders asking, "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?"
We love buckets around these parts. Pull-ups. Stepbacks. Floaters. Eurosteps. Reverse lay-ins. Thunderous finishes. Post work &mdash; hooks, up-and-unders, fadeaways. Scoring is fun, obvious to the eye, and easy to break down and compare for the most part.
There is a brand of scoring that doesn't get the respect it deserves, however: free throws. Not only are they boring to watch, but the process in which they're earned also has an approval rating of, like, six percent.
Don't take my word for it: I asked y'all.
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What's your least favorite part of NBA offense?
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1500833149051445253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It's anecdotal of course, but it's telling that 72.3% of the vote &mdash; well over 4,500 people &mdash; voiced their displeasure of foul-drawing. Or foul *baiting*, since that distinction matters to so many of you.
You can cycle through the replies and quote tweets if you'd like, but the common theme was a sense of gaming the system. Those dreaded non-basketball plays. The flailing. The possessions where players make moves to draw contact versus trying to make the shot.
It's a fair position in vacuum. I got a hearty laugh out of Chris Paul drawing a rip-through foul on young Jonathan Kuminga some 70 feet from the basket, but I can understand why that might be annoying.
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(On the Paul front, he t<a href="https://youtu.be/C4BKdCT95h0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alked about the rip-through</a> on JJ Redick's podcast not too long ago. I'd recommend it; also, he's right.)
What I will say, however, is that foul-drawing as a concept seems pretty underrated. Flat-out disrespected, even. I don't think enough people understand the level of skill it takes to draw fouls consistently.&nbsp;
LET IT RIP
Actually, let's talk about the Paul thing for a minute.
Did you know he's essentially made ICE coverage &mdash; the tell is when the on-ball defender positions himself in a way to force the ball-handler towards the sideline &mdash; unplayable against him?
Going into an ICE possession, you have to worry about him snaking the pick and flowing into the pull-up middy he shoots 8,032% on. He's one of the three best pocket passers in NBA history (argue with your mother), so any miscue can lead to a shot at the basket for his big. If all else fails, he can string out the pick, force a late switch and either:
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<li>Abuse it himself</li>
<li>Let his big brutalize a small guard</li>
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On top of that, you can't even press him prior to his drive because he'll locate your arm. If you think you can get your hand out of the cookie jar quickly enough, you can't. He's too quick, too good at timing it.
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Over the past three seasons, Paul-led ball screens are generating north of 1.1 points per possession against ICE coverage &mdash; the second-best mark among high-volume guards, per Second Spectrum. Again, Paul as a scorer and passer against the coverage is deadly enough.
On the foul front, only Ja Morant (91) has drawn more fouls against ICE coverage than Paul (83) during that span. Considering the stark difference in athleticism and shot profile between the two, you can surmise who's drawing what type of fouls the most.
Of course, Paul isn't the only guy that can make you pay in that way.&nbsp;
Kevin Durant might be the godfather of the move. He doesn't go to it as often anymore, but he's sure to remind you to keep your hand out of the cookie jar.
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Trae Young sprinkles it in as well, though we'll talk about him a little later.
TAKING STRIDES
Can we talk about the Cameroonian Cheat Code?
People are&nbsp;furious&nbsp;with the whistle Joel Embiid gets. I get it in a vacuum; it's a bit wild to watch a guy that&nbsp;big hit the ground (or flail his arms) as often as he does.&nbsp;But man, I really do implore you to dig into the subtleties of his foul-drawing.
Think about your priors when defending Embiid. He's bigger than you, stronger than you and likely quicker than you. You're already working at a disadvantage before digging into the skill level. Then, he's smart on top of all of that.&nbsp;
If you think guards can be handsy before an attack, bigs definitely are. Embiid has countered by mastering the rip-through in his own right. Because he's so comfortable with his jumper now, defenders are even more susceptible to his pump fake. You're truly at his mercy when he faces up.
On a related note &mdash; very, very, very,&nbsp;quietly, Embiid is one of the most skilled drivers in basketball.
The threat of the jumper (and pump fake) opens up driving opportunities for him. I've found myself in awe of the way he decelerates or changes his stride length when attacking the basket. And when those skills work in conjunction, defenders have no idea what to do with him.
I still have the foul he drew against Evan Mobley last week on a loop in my head.
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Mobley is already one of the best defenders in the sport, and he has nothing here. Embiid faces up, hits Mobley with a stutter-rip (shout out <a href="https://twitter.com/abovethebreak3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PD Web</a>) and immediately gains inside leverage. On the gather, Embiid hits the brakes on his second step and waits out the Mobley contest to draw the foul.
Think about the amount of balance it takes to pull that off, as well as the strength it takes to power through and get a shot up.
You know who else is good at throwing defenders off in that way without really getting credit for it? Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It turns out "Run and Dunk Man" has a little more to him. He doesn't just hit you with spin moves and Eurosteps; he mixes up the speed and stride length of those moves.
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LEVERAGE PLAYS &mdash; STRENGTH VS. SLICK
Zooming out, there's a difference between players who can knock defenders off-balance and players who can shift defenders off-balance. The best foul-drawers are able to do both, of course, but it's rare to find a player with a pure 50/50 split between those methods.
You generally think of bigs &mdash; Giannis and Embiid in particular &mdash; when you think of strength-based foul-drawing, which is precisely why Jimmy Butler is so unique.
He doesn't possess elite burst. The handle isn't great. His jumper is non-threatening. He's passive at times as a scorer. And yet, Butler (5.17) is one of <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/totals/nba/player?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four high-minute players</a> averaging at least 5 two-point shooting fouls drawn per 100 possessions: Embiid (8.16), Giannis (7.82) and DeMar DeRozan (5.03) are the others.
Butler does possess great footwork, which helps him in face-up situations. He may be the NBA's prominent stutter-rip enthusiast. But man, does he do a lot of work with his shoulder.
If he gains an inch, he's driving his shoulder into his defenders' chests. And if they try to recover, he's able to pump fake them into oblivion, or plow through them for foul calls. Look no further than his masterclass against the Houston Rockets on Monday night.
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As annoyed as people have been with Harden's tricks, his ability to power through guys has gone grossly under the radar for most of his career. Remember the LaMelo play up top? Harden has the cadence down&nbsp;and&nbsp;the strength to power through.
He weaponizes his strength with a low, lull-em-to-sleep dribble that unlocks the rest of his game. Stay lax? Stepback time. Try to shade him a certain way? He's able to attack your front foot and getting downhill. Try to disrupt the dribble? He's powering through that sucker.
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Then, there's the finesse side of the equation, where unpredictability can put defenders in torturous positions.
That's where Young comes in. He's a tricky little booger you can never really catch. His ability to change directions is nearly unrivaled in the leauge.
You don't think of him as&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;because of the lack of vertical juice, but he's a pretty violent dude in terms of darting around; he's the NBA's (peak) LeSean McCoy in that regard. On top of that, I'm not sure anybody in the league decelerates quite like him. To have that, on top of his ball skills, is simply unfair.
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I'm not here to argue that watching these guys rack up 10 to 12 free throws on a given night is as fun as an ankle-breaking crossover that flows into a pull-up.&nbsp;
I do think there needs to be more credit given toward how hard it is to make defenders wrong as consistently as these guys do. There are so many split-second reads (and microskills) at play that can be missed if you aren't paying attention.&nbsp;
Or put another way: If it was easy to flop or grift your way into calls, more people would pull it off consistently.
They don't for a reason.
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Citing different methods, Nekias Duncan gives flowers to some of the best foul-drawers in the league.

A gift, not a grift: Coming to the defense of foul-drawing

Damian Lillard&rsquo;s defiance has made him a social-media punching bag, as his Portland Trail Blazers are dissolving around him and looking like a completely different team.
Lillard hasn&rsquo;t played since New Year&rsquo;s Eve, and as he recovers from abdominal surgery, he watched his team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal Norman Powell and Robert Covington</a> to the Los Angeles Clippers while the best player coming back is Eric Bledsoe. Keon Johnsn was also included in the trade and while Portland hopes he pops off, he's only 19 years old, so who knows how soon he can make an impact? The Blazers also received a 2025 second-round pick &ndash; the year Lillard turns 35.
Then, on Tuesday, Lillard watched his Blazers acquire Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky and draft picks in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell, and the reason we&rsquo;re gathered here today: CJ McCollum.
#Narratives are already in motion. The jokes have been flying on social media about how people are, in hindsight, underwhelmed by the run that Lillard and McCollum had. But before we stomp on their Basketball-Reference pages and laugh in their comments about &ldquo;not having won anything,&rdquo; we should offer a massive amount of respect for what they accomplished in Portland.
You&rsquo;ve probably seen the photo of a 5-foot-2 McCollum as a freshman in high school, but even that symbolizes so much here.
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CJ McCollum was really 5&rsquo;2&rdquo; playing Varsity basketball as a freshman lol <a href="https://t.co/ukPiVyOUYC">pic.twitter.com/ukPiVyOUYC</a>
&mdash; Nothing Matter3D (@HiDefDee) <a href="https://twitter.com/HiDefDee/status/1376562700440965131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The parallels Lillard and McCollum maintained were astounding; they were the reason the backcourt became divisive among NBA consumers &mdash; with some loving them and thinking that the Blazers could build a contender around them, while others refused to believe that a pair of 6-foot-3 scoring machines could lead a team to a title, even in this guard-friendly era.
These things need to be delivered out loud and thoroughly processed.
Lillard went to Weber State, and McCollum went to Lehigh. Both played in mid-major conferences, and they are two of the better mid-major players we&rsquo;ve seen this century. But really, the Big Sky and Patriot League are closer to the bottom of the NCAA&rsquo;s Division I conference rankings; take it from a Northeast Conference alum.
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Lillard was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012; the only Weber State player drafted in the first round, period. McCollum was taken No. 10 overall the following year and is <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.fcgi?college=lehigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still the only Lehigh player to be selected in an NBA Draft</a>. One of the first things that people noted when Lillard got drafted was that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXXXDlzv0-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he never played against a top-25 team while in college</a>. And Bill Simmons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJBwqmwfQbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">couldn&rsquo;t believe a Patriot Leaguer was selected</a> in the top-10 in 2013.
Suddenly, we looked up and Lillard was the NBA's Rookie of the Year, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2013.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving every single first-place vote</a> over perennial favorite Anthony Davis, who won a gold medal with Team USA during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.&nbsp;And then, in 2013-14, Portland was in the playoffs, where they&rsquo;ve been every year since Lillard and McCollum became teammates &ndash; the longest active streak in the NBA. Even then, McCollum didn&rsquo;t have his coming out party until 2015-16, when he immediately filled an All-Star sized scoring role vacated by LaMarcus Aldridge (who left for San Antonio) and won the NBA's Most Improved Player award.
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They played similarly and complemented each other exceptionally. Lillard and McCollum would each produce 20 points a night, occasionally going off for 30 each, and in a brutal Western Conference, return to playoffs no matter what was around them. And then they&rsquo;d lose, which led some to dismiss them.
In 2015, it was a five-game gentlemen&rsquo;s sweep as a No. 4 seed against the Grit N&rsquo; Grind Memphis Grizzlies, who went up 2-1 on the Golden State Warriors in the semifinals before losing to the eventual champions. In 2018, as a No. 3 seed, it was that memorable sweep against the same Pelicans that McCollum now joins, who were the sixth seed.
Then, in 2019, we finally saw a breakthrough: a run to the Western Conference Finals. Thanks to a legendary 37-point performance from McCollum in Game 7 of the semifinals, the Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets on the road &ndash; still CJ's paramount performance to date. Portland met up with the Warriors in the Conference Finals, and Golden State ultimately swept them (even though they were missing Kevin Durant, who was out due to a calf strain).
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The Blazers followed up that Conference-Finals appearance with consecutive first-round exits. With that said, Portland's failures can't be blamed on Lillard and McCollum alone.
Their fellow starters and key teammates include Al-Farouq Aminu, Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh, Jusuf Nurkić, Evan Turner, Mo Harkless, Jake Layman, Zach Collins, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Hassan Whiteside and Norman Powell. Despite having one of the best backcourts we&rsquo;ve seen in generations, the Blazers could never figure out how to properly surround them with talent. (And honestly, doing is probably harder in the real world than we realize).
But in spite of their nitpickable shortcomings, their rigorous conference, their identical 6-foot-3 statures, their style of play and the lack of an ideal supporting cast, Lillard and McCollum co-engineered (along with Aldridge the first two years) the NBA&rsquo;s longest playoff streak. And they did so defiantly, as underrecruited long-time college players who stunned scouts by becoming top-10 picks and high-end NBA talents.
They led five 50-plus-win teams and two No. 3 seeds out West. Lillard is a <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-76 NBA player ever</a>, and McCollum is one of the best active NBA players to never make an All-Star team (and he probably would've made multiple appearances had he been in the Eastern Conference instead).
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People have been trying to separate this duo for years via trade machines, NBA 2K, forums, social-media posts, comments under those posts, text threads, direct messages, barbershop debates, radio call-ins, post-sex conversations, you name it. Finally, that day is here, and the circumstances suck.
Lillard <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/damian-lillard-loyalty-over-everything" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continually preached loyalty and wanting to win the hard way</a>. McCollum <a href="https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/2021/2/3/22263991/brooklyn-bliss-draymonds-dip-and-cj-mccollum-stops-by" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked us to stop putting him in trade rumors</a>.
The parallels between the two are why many loved them, and the parallels proved to be their demise. But dammit, they accomplished a lot. We could say that they were ultimately underwhelmed by their surroundings, but let&rsquo;s also acknowledge how hard this damn thing is. You can&rsquo;t take playoff streaks for granted &ndash; look at what the Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings are doing this week in hopes of ending their postseason droughts.
This could&rsquo;ve had a happy ending, and it still might, but it doesn&rsquo;t appear that it&rsquo;ll be with Lillard and McCollum together. They didn&rsquo;t fail, and they probably didn&rsquo;t live up to your (or their own) expectations, but that&rsquo;s usually how our experiences on Earth go. Regularly, even if we don&rsquo;t want to admit it, that&rsquo;s OK, because more often than we acknowledge, that&rsquo;s life.

Bryan Fonseca looks back on what Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum accomplished together with the Portland Trail Blazers.

End of an era: Saluting the defiance of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

An 82-game season is equally maddening and incredible simultaneously. On one hand, it's just way too many games, and it's overly demanding with respect to travel, time and fatigue. On the other hand, it's a remarkable sample size and tool for evaluation and understanding. My friends who don't love basketball don't understand my desire to watch a conference powerhouse beat down on a lottery team on Tuesday nights, and ya know what? Sometimes I don't either!
When watching Cade Cunningham drag the Pistons to a closely-contested loss to the Denver Nuggets and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic on Sunday night, I had this thought ring out in the back of my head.
Yeah, this is why man.
Watching Cunningham this year has been a treat like no other. While many rookies have flashed their potential and made strides (some even impacting winning at a high level early), I'm not sure we've seen someone this season adapt to the NBA and assert himself as quickly as the No. 1 overall pick.&nbsp;
Many have a case, but given team context and environment along with what's asked of him, it's gotta be Cade.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">Month</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">Games</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">TS%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">3P%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1267%;">Rim%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">Oct.</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">16</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">46.2%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">27.4%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1267%;">50%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">Dec.</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">9</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">51.9%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">40.4%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1267%;">49%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">Jan.</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">13</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">55.1%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1217%;">38.2%</td>
<td style="width: 18.1267%;">69%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Watching him evolve and adapt his game in real time over the past few months has been semi-akin to watching a superhero transformation. The questions pre-draft about Cunningham's relative lack of burst given primary ball-handling duties were fair, but undersold his problem-solving. Growing, adapting, evolving; <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r2JJPZ_O6tzW8fFKuTlD3P0e7RPH2Os9GIU4lQLAxeE/edit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it's what Cade Cunningham does</a>. (Shoutout to PD Web for this scout.)
Late in his prep career, Cunningham was an elite prospect, but significant questions were posed about his shooting prowess and capabilities beyond the arc. He eviscerated defenses from the perimeter during his solo season in Stillwater, hitting 40.0% of his 5.7 threes per game with a high volume of self-created shots off the dribble. Yet another part of his <a href="https://theathletic.com/2875146/2021/10/08/inside-cade-cunninghams-training-to-become-the-face-of-the-pistons/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">development plan and preparation</a>.
In spite of his struggles from deep early, Cunningham consistently kept getting his shots up without hesitation, an important part of keeping the defense honest. The rookie was tested in the NBA early, as defenses openly challenged him to shoot, choosing to go under on ball-screens he operated from. After adjusting to pro spacing, length and contests, Cade made it known; you just can't go under.
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Cade is already making it known that you indeed cannot go under on ballscreens against him <a href="https://t.co/42oQeFbwBW">pic.twitter.com/42oQeFbwBW</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1460685340646248452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
After finding his range and the defense willfully bending to his ability, Cunningham has moved into his next stage, probing the defense and pressuring the paint.
While I would be careful to not extrapolate his ridiculous leap of efficiency at the rim over the past month, it stands that his process has shifted, and he's finding new ways to capitalize in the paint. As he's gotten more accustomed to his surroundings, his pacing and guile with the ball in his hands have led to this jump as a finisher on the interior.
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Cunningham's awareness of the court, mapping of defenders and understanding of angles make him an elite manipulator. However, it's his self-awareness that continually stands out the most. He is flourishing because he knows what he's best at, what he needs to get to and how to make it happen.
Given how well he's shooting (currently 57.7% on pull-up threes in January... yes, you read that right), defenses have started to adjust their pressure on ball-screens, often playing bigs involved in the screen close to the level while his man-defender goes over top of the screen. He's not hitting at an elite percentage on pull-up twos (38.7% per InStat), but he's shooting well enough and with confidence in a way that forces the defense to still pay attention to his actions.
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But, it's less about the jumper-hitting and more about the threat of it for Cunningham.&nbsp;
His bread and butter as a driver and handler is his flexibility. He's incredibly shifty despite elite burst, phenomenal at utilizing shoulder and head fakes, and using hesitation dribbles and stutters in his drives to force defenders to play at his pace.&nbsp;
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Cunningham has a knack for using his screener to set up the big, almost rocking the defense to sleep in a sense. He flows into his hesitations and hang dribbles to lull the big and his defender into thinking he's going to do the opposite of what he actually will.&nbsp;
The second a big starts to rotate back to the screener, Cade will flash baseline.&nbsp;
If he has the big on a drive, he'll tango with them and create the impression that he's going to rise for a jumper rather than challenge a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, in this case with Rudy Gobert.
Nope, guessed wrong! There goes Cunningham probing baseline, finding a quick reverse after using the rim as an obstacle to avoid a late contest.
However, he can get into some issues right now considering how heavily his game is based on deception and craft. If the defender doesn't bite, or if Cade sees extra help from the corner or at the nail, it can congest his handle and make it difficult for him to set things up the way he likes to.
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Given that he's not a great leaper and still needs to develop as a contact-finisher, this is one of the larger hurdles Cunningham faces as an at-rim finisher.
However, he's already showing flashes of how he's going to adapt to that, because that's just what he does! He's showing real intrigue as a self-creator even when guarded well 1-on-1.
Cunningham's off-arm craft is incredible and very advanced for his age. (If it looks like something Chris Paul would do to toe the line of league legality, you're doing special stuff as an offensive player.)
Tapping into the footwork he flashes along with his timing and that understanding of angles we mentioned earlier, poor Rudy Gay found out about Cunningham the hard way. Deandre Ayton was contesting in <a href="https://youtu.be/zGDG58b-5wI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six different directions</a> as Cade whipped out his version of the Ali Shuffle.
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These aren't the shots a player can live off of, but they're the kind of shots that make a player a star. If anything has become abundantly clear from this Pistons season, it's of the impending emergence of Cunningham's stardom.
While this season has assuredly been a slog for Detroit, do yourself a favor; make time for Cade Cunningham once a week, and soak in the rays of exceptional development and problem-solving in real time.
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After a rough start to his rookie year efficiency-wise, Cade Cunningham has started to adjust to NBA length and defense.

Cade Cunningham is problem-solving in real time for the Pistons

After a dismal 1-16 start followed by a 9-4 stretch&nbsp; &mdash; sandwiched with rumors of cutting loose head coach Stephen Silas midseason &mdash; the Rockets have gone awry yet again. They're sporting a 2-10 mark since then. Houston is young, they're certainly imperfect, and they're in store for significant change during the season if they maintain their current trajectory.
To stop and take stock of the youth movement during the first full rebuilding year post-James Harden, <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mat Issa</a> and I teamed up to gauge the development and future of the young players on the roster.&nbsp;
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Jae'Sean Tate
There are few players in the NBA I enjoy watching more than Tate. At 26, it's hard to necessarily consider him part of the young core and rebuild, but complementary role players are an absolute must in developing high usage players.&nbsp;
Tate possesses stellar defensive versatility and efficacy &mdash; many players can do a lot of things, but doing a lot of things well is where Tate manifests his value on both ends, whether it be:
Playing the passing lanes.
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Holding his own in isolation.
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Rotating in help.
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Or hounding ball-handlers at the point of attack.
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Tate is on the shortlist of players who are in a "when" not "if" category when looking to future All-Defensive team ballots. He can still clean up his off-ball defense, and he overshoots at times on switches, but many of these issues can be linked to communication &mdash; which this Houston team strongly lacks.
His offense requires more digging, as his box score doesn't leap off the page and understates his impact. He's one of only four Houston players that rates as a positive in Offensive Estimated Plus Minus, and the only Rocket who rates positive in both offensive and defensive EPM.&nbsp;
Tate is a solid finisher, but a poor shooter on low volume. He derives the majority of his positive play on offense through his decision-making and court vision. The Rockets at times take advantage of his frame and ability to bully smaller guards in the post, in order to create passing opportunities or easy scoring looks if he doesn't draw a double team.
He's excellent when grabbing and going, with timely kick-ahead passes and pacing to jumpstart the break. He's a really solid screener, which opens up intriguing small-small ball-screen actions that allow him to operate as a dribble-handoff facilitator and occasional roll man.
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Was going back through my notes and realized I forgot to clip this. One of my favorite little plays from the week Jae'Sean Tate's been awesome <a href="https://t.co/FIdwDa28US">pic.twitter.com/FIdwDa28US</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1474041808363655171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

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He just does everything to an extent.
His lack of shooting does hold him back from becoming one of the truly elite role-players in the league, but make no mistake, finding Tate last season has proven a vital building block for the Rockets.&nbsp;
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Kenyon Martin Jr.
KJ Martin was another pleasant surprise for the Rockets last year, far outplaying his draft value and contributing at a relatively high level much earlier than expected as a professional. That's what made his start to the season all the more perplexing. He started the year mostly out of the rotation and accruing a DNP before being reinserted to the regular rotation, albeit in a smaller role than last season (non-coincidentally, that fact can be linked with Houston's first losing streak). Fortunately, his minutes have evened back out (23 minutes per game in January) and he's played productively.
KJ has shown the foundation to become an elite play-finisher, part of what makes him so tantalizing alongside the burgeoning high usage creators on the team. He's 6'6, but one of the best leapers in the NBA &mdash; his verticality has&nbsp;boosted his gravity as a roller and cutter.&nbsp;
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He has solid counters already around the rim, with some touch on his hook shots. He's a quality passer on the roll already and makes quality decisions, although I'd even like to see him attempt some more risky passes.
To make the most of himself as a margins-based prospect, he'll need to improve as a screener and get a little stronger, but that describes almost any young player.
He's still coming along as a shooter (34.9% on threes for his career) and that's perhaps the biggest area for his improvement. If he was more willing to take his open shots, and some contested ones as well, he'd be able to flex with more opportunities as a ball-handler from the perimeter. He's not yet comfortable coming off of screens or operating with much movement, and has room to improve his footwork and shot preparation overall.
Part of what's so difficult in evaluating KJ is trying to perceive the upside he has. He's had some bright flashes as a ball-handler, primarily off of cuts where he gets room to gather himself, or attacking close-outs, but the results have been fairly mixed. His handle is quite clunky right now, but if he's able to make some real improvement there &mdash; along with his shot &mdash; he'll be cooking with grease.
KJ has some creases to work out defensively, but offers legit weakside rim protection and makes quality vertical plays at the rim &mdash; he's already a solid rotational defender with room for improvement that would be bolstered by additional strength and reps. I love his game and can't wait to see what the future holds for him, he just does good things on court!
Alperen Sengun
I cannot say enough positive things about Alperen Sengun's rookie season. I saw it with him offensively during the draft cycle, but I have been quite impressed with how he's adapted to the NBA game defensively already &mdash; and in a way I wasn't sure he'd be able to.
He's shown himself capable of playing more aggressive coverages, utilizing his wingspan and solid lateral quickness in ICE coverages to prevent drives, and using quick hands to stifle them altogether and force steals. His hands around the rim are extremely active, and in spite of some of his back-foot leaping limitations, he has a knack for tips and deflections in the paint. I absolutely love his ability to use his hips to force defenders into his contests as well. He certainly has limitations, but his ability to toe the line and expand on the margins has been tremendous to see.
Playing straight-up drop pick-and-roll defense or more in centerfield has given him some issues, if he's not able to force the defender to gather or hesitate. Straight-line bursts can hurt him due to his hip fluidity. However, that just doesn't matter very much to me. He's already shown some coverage versatility and his offensive abilities make playing a more aggressive defense worth trying.
Where do I even begin with Sengun as an offensive player, man.
Quite frankly, I've felt that Sengun is underutilized by the Rockets. I need him to start expeditiously! He's currently out with an ankle injury, so just getting back to playing at all will be a win, but the point remains: start Alperen Sengun, I beg of you.
The Rockets lack a true primary ball-handler. Kevin Porter Jr., Starting Point Guard, has been rough. Jalen Green is ideally an off-ball creator who flows into actions with his movement skills (more on that later). Sengun is pretty easily the best passer on the Houston Rockets who isn't currently sidelined by the organization (I just want to see John Wall play somewhere please).
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Like I wrote about with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/trevion-williams-thinking-outside-the-box" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevion Williams recently</a>, playing five-out doesn't really mean that you are getting guarded five-out. So often, Sengun is spaced to the slot or above the break, and while he has shown flashes as a shooter and has indicators to hint at future growth there, he is not guarded like a floor-spacer the majority of the time he's tasked with being one in Houston's offense.
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I'm not saying those need to be cut out entirely, as he's intrigued me with his loping drives off the catch.
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Sengun is so fun man. He's had some really impressive moments this season <a href="https://t.co/WiCAG1KbAl">pic.twitter.com/WiCAG1KbAlf</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1460384809964953612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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What he could be if he opens up his game as a shooter and from the perimeter is part of his intrigue. However, he could be better optimized if used more often in the middle of the floor, or more regularly being tasked with running dribble-handoffs.&nbsp;
He's shown dynamic ability as a stout screener and as a roller. Affording him more opportunities where the offense flows through him could open up even easier scoring avenues for Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Screening and handoffs are a form of creation, even if they're not often considered as such, due to the levels one has to hit as a screener and passer to actually make them viable forms of self-creation. Sengun surpasses the marks required to create in those areas, and making him a larger part of the offense is something I really hope to see once he returns from injury.
Sengun does have limitations as a finisher that currently hinder his upside as a scorer &mdash; and therefore his gravity &mdash; but his craft shown in the post and on touch shots in the paint but outside the restricted area are encouraging. I'm not sure what the ceiling is for him, but his improvements as a finisher and eventually a shooter are essential to maximizing his potential.
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Jalen Green
Jalen Green had a very rough start to his rookie season, understandable given his environment and the woes of the Rockets early on. However, his efficiency from the floor has greatly improved after a 14-game absence due to a hamstring injury: 49.8% True Shooting in his first 18 games, compared to 58.2% across his last 10, a remarkable uptick.
He's starting to get a better grasp on the finer aspects of becoming a higher usage offensive player, going through the growing pains of on-ball development. I particularly have enjoyed some of the subtleties he's started to develop in pick-and-roll.
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Green stares down the oncoming screen from Christian Wood and rejects it as soon as Russ shifts ever so slightly onto his right foot in anticipation. Jalen's downhill burst and first step were second to none in the 2021 draft class, and this play is a showcase.&nbsp;
He hasn't yet consistently unearthed some of the low hanging fruit, like using his handle in conjunction with the screen to lull his man into it, or to set up a dribble-drive that opens him an even wider lane. He uses slight screen set-up and devastating power to draw a quick foul here (4.9 FTA per game over his last 10, that's good folks!). Imagining what he'll be able to do to the rim and opposing defenses as he starts to develop more on-ball counters and craft is ridiculous to think about.
Finding easier buckets as he develops counters at the rim and on drives would be beneficial as well. Green has the essential tools that allow him to get there, but his frame and relative lack of craft around the rim has been an issue thus far. While he's shooting pretty well at the rim this season (60% per Cleaning the Glass), he's only shooting 34.8% on layups per InStat, and has really struggled when tasked with converting against good rim protectors &mdash; and against contact and length in general.
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That's partially why I want to see even more with Jalen flowing off the ball. His gravity largely comes from his athleticism and ability to leverage it. Optimizing him more in a Bradley Beal mold (think from prior years before the mid-30s usage you see today), coming off pindowns, floppy actions, staggered screens, Iversons, etc. to get the most out of his quickness, and then work his way into easier isolations or secondary pick-and-rolls, would do him wonders. Especially for younger ball-handlers, making things easier &mdash; to simplify reads and what's required of them to create offense &mdash; is ideal.
Working in tandem with Sengun's gravity from the middle of the floor could get the most out of Green as a cutter and allow the gravitational pull between the two to warp defenses. He still has a great deal to learn as a passer &mdash; honing his vision, his progressions through reads, as well as ball placement.&nbsp;
The Rockets aren't in a great place this season, but their outlook moving forward is full of intrigue due to the young talent on the roster. I'm not sure how it all fits together yet, or if it does at all. Nevertheless I'm greatly encouraged by the individual players who comprise their core and what their development has looked like even in a sub-optimal situation. I'm cautiously optimistic about the future in South Texas and what it could hold for Rockets fans moving forward.
Read <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rocket-revival-evaluating-houston-rockets-young-core-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part 1</a> of Rocket Revival, where Mat Issa broke down the rest of Houston&rsquo;s young core.

Mark Schindler breaks down four of Houston's brightest talents in Part II of his Rocket Revival series with Mat Issa.

Rocket Revival: Evaluating Houston's promising young core — Part II

Much has been written about Luol Deng&rsquo;s contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.&nbsp;
Deng signed a four-year, $72M deal with the Lakers in 2016, but played just 57 games with the team over two seasons. He inked the contract right after Kobe Bryant retired, but the Lakers leaned toward a youth movement despite signing Deng, and the veteran forward was relegated to the bench.&nbsp;
Deng retired from the NBA in 2019; however, due to his contract's cap hold, the Lakers had to stretch his deal after waiving him in Sept. 2018. This was done so that the team would have cap flexibility to be able to sign LeBron James over that offseason.
As a result, the Lakers have been paying him every year since, including $4.9 million this season, which continuously raises a lot of eyebrows. In fact, Deng&rsquo;s earnings in retained salary are around the same amount this season as DeAndre Jordan, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard, who will be making a combined $5,007,534.
Instead of listening to rumors that have been swirling since 2016 &mdash; accusations of taking the money and laying down or quitting on the team &mdash; I simply asked Luol to explain what exactly happened during his stint in L.A. Luol discussed this and much more on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-41-luol-deng-on-his-nba-career,-lakers-contract,-misdiagnosis-with-the-bulls,-duke-stint,-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the latest episode</a> of "The Rematch."
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Etan Thomas: You alluded to it, so we can discuss it now. You went to Miami, and you went to Cleveland. But then, you went to the Lakers in 2016 and you signed up for a four-year, $72 million contract. And then, they didn't really play you. It was weird. It wasn't like you were hurt. You could [play], correct? I'm telling your story like I know. You tell. Were you hurt, or was it they just didn't play you?
You looked fine all before. It's like you were just sitting there just ready to go. And you had a good attitude. They didn't try to say that you were a problem. Everybody spoke very highly of you. They just didn't play you. So everybody was like, "Well, y'all just signed him to this big contract. Why wouldn't you play him?" Tell me, what was going on?
Luol Deng: "I think the people that were there, they will always know. I swear to you Etan, I worked so hard there, but it just didn't work out. When I first got there, the idea was I'm a bit older now, not even that old at the time, but we have a young team. We need you to play. We need to get to the playoffs. We need to get these guys right. We need to do this. And I said okay. I was convinced.
"But just to set this story straight, because everyone thinks I just went for the money. I had the same offer from Utah, and I had almost this closer offer from the Wizards. And I took the Lakers because I felt that what they pitched to me sounded better than what everyone else pitched to me at the time. So I wanted to go there and be a part of it. As I got there, right away, I knew we had a young team, and I was okay with that. I said, 'I'll play my role until we get going.' And the pitch was we're going to be better each year.
"I knew that they wanted to move some pieces, some young pieces, but they had to showcase them. So the first year, what happened was we moved from trying to make the playoffs to we are developing. We are a young team. And I sat down with the organization halfway during the season. A new GM came in and everything. So they sat me down and said, 'Look, we're going to go young. We're gonna play the young guys. We need your leadership. We need you to mentor them. And next year, we have a chance. We're not going to have a chance this year, but we want to really be competitive and get these guys to catch up to speed.'
"And I was like, 'Alright. Cool.' Never missed a practice. Never missed anything. The next year, that summer, I worked as hard as I can. And I came in, I was in shape. I was ready to play, and I thought that we're going to get going. We're going to get to playing. As you remember, I played the first game. The first game of the season. I played maybe 15 minutes, 14 minutes. I had two points. I got yanked out. I didn't play. So it was fine. It was the first game.
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"Right away from the first game, the decision was made that we're going to play the young guys again. So I was like, 'Okay, so what's the situation here?' So they're like, 'No, we're going to play the young guys. We're going to try to trade you,' this and this. So okay, how are you going to trade all this money without me actually playing? Everyone thinks I'm hurt or something happened or whatever. I can't showcase nothing.
"And so it's like, 'Okay, this is what we're going to do. We're going to try move you.' Try to move me, try to move me. I don't blame anyone why. Even if I'm a GM, I'm not moving for someone who hasn't played with all the money. Why would I? So the strategy wasn't right.
"But I always felt, okay, if I'm in the organization, and this is what I was telling you earlier, I had a mindset of just &mdash; be respectful, do the right thing, and get on. The people that are close to you is who matters and who needs to know.
"I didn't care about anything else outside. So the strategy wasn't right. So just kept going. Couldn't move me. Couldn't move me. There came a time in the season where they're like, 'Okay, we want you to play.' So I said, 'Okay, no problem. I'm ready to play.'
"So they said, 'Okay, we're going to just put you in. You've got to jump in with the team. Get more reps and everything.' So I started jumping in, getting more reps, getting ready and everything. Then, I was called upstairs. The coach wanted me to play, but the direction wasn't going that way. Because I was going to be playing, and they wanted these young guys to play. So then again, the decision was made right there, after three weeks of training and working out that, 'Okay, you're not going to play.'
"So at that point, I just got up. I said, 'You guys just let me know. I'm not going to skip no practice, no nothing.' All year again, I went the whole year; the whole year I was in the locker room. I worked out. I never missed a practice. I trained. Everything.
"And then it started becoming obvious to everyone that this is a big organization. So what everyone started focusing on was, 'Oh, he's getting paid all this money. And he's just staying there, whatever.' And then know, as an athlete and somebody who's crafted their skill for so many years, there comes a time where you're just like, 'Okay, this is the image that you're portraying me as now. I've never been this guy.' But I'm like, 'Okay. It is what it is. I'm just going to do what's right.'
"So then came the summer. And that's the year, actually, when they moved some pieces and LeBron came on the team. When LeBron came on the team at that time, I spoke to whoever was in charge at the time. And I said, 'Look, I'm just going to trust you guys. So let's make something happen here. I'm just going to trust you guys.' So they're like, 'Okay, what's the best way to make something happen?' And I said, 'Let's come to terms with something. I don't care if I have to leave money behind.'
"And everybody's talking about the money that I'm making. I gave a lot of money back to get out of L.A. A lot of other people, they just said, 'Nah, F that. I'm going to stay around. I don't care what, whatever.' And people could post whatever they want to post, but the Lakers were not posting how much I gave them back. But I'm always going to be the guy who just took the money, but I could have been somewhere else with the same money playing. I made a decision to go there [to L.A.], and I never said I don't want to play. They made that decision.
"Even if you don't like the way I play, or even if I'm struggling, there's no way I wasn't good enough to play on that team. No way. And I showed it in practice. I showed it every day. It's a decision that you made that you didn't want me to play. There's a lot of other teams in the league that I could have been playing for. So that's really the situation with that. And that's how it went down."
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What was it like for Luol Deng to deal with criticism about his contract with the Lakers? He shares on The Rematch with <a href="https://twitter.com/etanthomas36?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@etanthomas36</a>. Full episode:<a href="https://t.co/w8fbQsogBr">https://t.co/w8fbQsogBr</a> <a href="https://t.co/bAw8dLeY5o">pic.twitter.com/bAw8dLeY5o</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1476184871877890050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Etan: Do you think that they put the narrative out there? Because sometimes things, I want to say, "leak," but they're purposely placed. And narratives were out there, but they could have easily cleared it all up. I thought the Lakers organization could have cleared up the false narratives about that you didn't want to play, that you were injured, that you were sitting down, that you didn't... They could have easily cleared that up, but they never did. Did you ever question why they never told exactly what happened while you were in the middle of it happening?
Deng: "I don't think they wanted to. One, I think everybody was trying to protect themself. I think, as a GM, you don't want to explain why you're not playing him. So it's easier to just, okay, whatever you want to put out there, whatever people think. And then as a coach, you are caught in, 'Oh, we want to go young.' You just say, 'Right now, we're focused on the young guys. We want to play the young guys. We got to give them minutes.' So there's always excuses and an outlet.
"But I think what's happening is with social media, and you see it all the time &mdash; if you are about the people, or if you really care about individuals or even athletes, or whoever, or you're just on the right side &mdash; I like to say the right side of history &mdash; I think you always stand with people that you know are trying to do the right thing. Or what you think is the right thing. I think what happens now, people are just so quick never to question their teams.
"And the thing with teams is teams make so much money that, for me, for any person, as they should, the rest of the world &mdash; the money that I'm being given is crazy. It a lot of money. To these organizations, that's nothing, and people need to understand that. It's just, 'Play it out there. Go.'
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"And people complain about athletes taking off a day, or doing this. 'They're getting paid all this money. Why are they taking off a day?' But fans never actually question teams that tank for a year while your money is being used. But at the end of the day, the owner can tank for a year, and they still get paid. But nobody really says anything about... 'We just paid tickets for this when we are losing just to get a pick.' But you don't question all that money, all that billions that the teams are making, or the owner are making, when they're having a bad season also. It's always the players, and it's the players' fault.
"You have to be okay with that, and you have to move on. But if you ask me, honestly, it was such a blessing the way it went. And I try to explain to people, everything that I'm doing off the court is really a result of everything that I was going through on the court. And you know how it is. We give it so much and playing and the pressure and wanting to perform. They told me I wasn't going to play, so I focused on my business. I focused on other things that I got. I focused on my foundation. And I really think that with God's way, just telling me that, 'You got so many other things going on for you. You can't just dwell and stress on one thing. Take that opportunity and make something else out of it.' And that's really what allowed me to focus on other things."
Etan: And you did an amazing job with it. A lot of people will be hearing this, and haven't heard you tell this story this way ever. They don't know this story. They look at, "Okay. Oh, Luol Deng is still getting paid for the Lakers. How's that possible?" And they tell that story. Or they say, "Oh, he swindled them. How's he still getting?" And I was like, "Yeah, I'm sure there's more to the story than that."
And that's why it's good that now you're telling this because it shapes people's perception of athletes when they're only told one story. And everything that so many guys from all your teams that you've played on, they talk about you in such glowing descriptions. You're this great teammate. And you come work hard, and you do all this. And you help everybody out.
Joakim Noah said he felt like he lost a brother when you left, when you got traded from the Bulls. The way that guys are talking about you, they wouldn't talk about you like that if you were someone who was the media depiction of you. Somebody who just laid down, didn't want to play anymore, got your money. It's completely different. So without even knowing all the details, I knew that there was more to the story. So I'm glad that you told this.
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Luol Deng set the record straight about his shortened stay with the Lakers and why he didn't play many games for the team.

Luol Deng on short Lakers stint: 'I never said I didn’t want to play'

Three weeks ago, the hottest basketball team in the NBA was 1-16, its head coach was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-wrong-with-the-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly on the hot seat</a>, and its best guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/john-wall-will-continue-to-sit-games-after-meeting-with-rockets-front-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was asking why he couldn't play</a>.
Now, the Houston Rockets are steamrolling through their schedule (albeit an easy one) and have won seven contests in a row &mdash; the longest active streak in the entire league.
According to Cleaning the Glass, since Nov. 24 (when the streak began), Houston has the third-best offensive rating in the NBA; the team ranks 27th on the season. Further, parts of the streak have come without No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green, top scorer Christian Wood and lead ball-handler Kevin Porter Jr. due to injuries.
... How on Earth?
The Rockets have done it with a true ragtag bunch of players I thoroughly enjoy, ranging from unproven rookies to undrafted fliers to castoff veterans. In their most recent win against the Brooklyn Nets, Houston was without Porter Jr. and Green, but had six players reach double-digit points. Only 32-year-old Eric Gordon and 2021 No. 24 pick Josh Christopher were drafted.
Garrison Mathews was cut by the Boston Celtics in training camp after two seasons in Washington. The 25-year-old forward has now latched on with Houston &mdash; and is leading all NBA wings in points per shot attempt (1.37). His shot diet, per NBA Stats:
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<li>32-for-80 (40%) on jump shots, all of which have been threes, with 71 as catch-and-shoot</li>
<li>5-for-5 on dunks</li>
<li>7-for-8 on layups</li>
<li>Of his 93 total shot attempts, 85 had him holding the ball for less than two seconds</li>
</ul>
That's the whole thing. Mathews, like Stephen Silas and the Rockets, is an efficiency extremist.&nbsp;
Undrafted guard Armoni Brooks has taken on a rotation role since Houston's last loss to the Boston Celtics. He's another volume three-point shooter who lives to fire away from above the break; per Cleaning the Glass, a whopping 76% of his shots have come from that one zone. Brooks has canned 42% of those shots since he joined the full rotation, which ranks in the 81st percentile at his position.
The 23-year-old is also a solid ball-mover. Brooks has handed out 15 assists against just 6 turnovers in those eight games, five of which involved zero turnovers at all. I'm a major fan of his game dating back to summer league, and the opportunity is well-deserved.&nbsp;
Of course, there's also second-year standout Jae'Sean Tate, who is building on his breakout season as an undrafted rookie in 2020-21. Tate is averaging a healthy 15.3 points, 5.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game on the winning streak. He's bullied his way to the basket; 62% of Tate's shots have come at the rim on this run, and he's finishing at a high-level 69% clip. His 1.6% block rate is in the 90th percentile among forwards.
Houston obviously has Christian Wood and Eric Gordon as well, who are both making over 46% of their respective threes during this run. The rookie Christopher cashed in with 18 points on 7-for-7 shooting on Wednesday night. Journeyman D.J. Augustin may not be the engine, but he's drilled 50% of his threes while averaging 3.2 assists in 14.6 minutes per game off the bench during this stretch.
The team's shot chart reads like a "Basketball Analytics for Dummies" manual. The Rockets lead the entire league in rim frequency and are fifth in three-point frequency. That trend hasn't changed with the winning &mdash; Houston is actually up to second overall in three-point frequency since the streak began.&nbsp;
What's different is that the shots are going in. Since Nov. 24, the Rockets have the eighth-best percentage at the rim (66.4%) and are fifth-best beyond the arc (40.7%). A remarkable 67.2% of their made field goals have been assisted by a teammate, which is second among all teams over their past seven games.
Is this just some giant collective hot streak bolstered by a lull in the schedule? Or have the young Rockets finally clicked? Either way, it's been fun watching players capitalize on their opportunities &mdash; despite their record, this is a team worth tuning in to watch.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>Speaking of hot shooters, we have to give Mike Conley more love. Among NBA players with at least 75 pull-up attempts this season, he leads with a 61.5% Effective Field Goal percentage. That's over six percentage points higher than second-place Stephen Curry, who's a decent shooter in his own right.</li>
<li>Marvin Bagley III has played in 6 of the Kings' last 8 games since Alvin Gentry took over as interim head coach. He appeared in just four games under Luke Walton this season. Bagley is averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 20.5 minutes under Gentry, while making 11 of 13 at-rim shot attempts and 5 of 12 three-point attempts. It's nothing wild, but I'll have Bagley in the back of my mind going forward.</li>
<li>We're back to grumbling about the Mavericks' shot distribution. They're 3-11 since Nov. 17 and, rank 29th in at-rim frequency during that span. This is a team with arguably the best driving threat in the league in Luka Doncic and a cast of good pick-and-roll bigs. WHY??</li>
</ul>

Garrison Mathews and Armoni Brooks have helped complement a red-hot Houston Rockets team.

Stats Notebook: Rockets winning with an unlikely band of heroes

Josh Giddey has court vision on par with Ricky Rubio, yet he&rsquo;s four inches taller. He brings the ball up the floor and acts as the initiator in pick-and-rolls, yet he&rsquo;s the team&rsquo;s leading rebounder. He&rsquo;s only 22 games into his promising young career, yet he may already be the best 19-year-old passer the league has ever seen.
Yeah, you heard me. Maybe the best 19-year-old passer in NBA history. This season, Giddey has recorded a <a href="https://backpicks.com/2018/07/15/nba-passer-ratings-since-1978/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passer rating</a> of 8 with an <a href="https://backpicks.com/2017/10/16/offensive-load-and-adjusted-tov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offensive load</a> of 33.8, per Backpicks. Only one other player since 1955 has ever posted a passer rating of 8+ with an offensive load of 30+ in their age-19 season: LaMelo Ball. While the sample size may be small (since 19-year-olds usually aren&rsquo;t ready to compete with the best athletes in the world), it&rsquo;s still rarified air.
And this isn&rsquo;t just some cherry-picked stat that illustrates his prowess: Just watch and bear witness to his distributing virtuosity.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4nsnCU9roLk" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Despite his prodigious passing, he still leaves a lot to be desired. He&rsquo;s shooting just 27.6% from three-point range; he struggles consistently getting to and finishing around the rim; and an awkward frame and slow feet limit his ability to face-up on defense.
This enigmatic set of skills begs an interesting question: What is the ceiling for a player as peculiar as Josh Giddey? Can he be an integral piece of a Presti-led dynasty, or will he end up as collateral damage in a rebuild gone wrong?
As we did with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anthony Edwards</a>, let&rsquo;s try to answer these questions by looking at five possible developmental outcomes for Giddey. We&rsquo;ll analyze what would have to take place in order for him to reach each tier and predict which outcome seems most likely.
Also, for each player comparison, I&rsquo;ve included that player&rsquo;s peak season in terms of Box Plus/Minus (using the <a href="https://backpicks.com/page/2/#RS%20BPM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backpicks</a> version of the stat).
Tier 1: Pessimist Floor - Marko Jaric (Rotation Player)
Peak BPM (2004-05): 1.8 (T-65th that season)
A true deep cut whom only the most diehard of NBA fans will recognize. In all seriousness though, if Giddey doesn&rsquo;t improve, there&rsquo;s a chance he could end up as a flash in the pan like this former passing aficionado.
During his prime, Jaric was the rare wing-sized player who could handle the ball, operate the pick-and-roll and make slick finds like in this clip here:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u-ZayzrZik4" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Passes like that were not uncommon for Jaric, who was one of the great facilitators of the mid-2000s, finishing second in the league in passer rating (8.5) in 2004-05.
However, Jaric was out of the league by age-30 because of his poor shooting efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jaricma01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rTS -4.1%</a>), which was primarily caused by his inability to finish at the rim. From 2003 to 2009, except for one outlier season, Jaric never placed above the 24th percentile for his position in finishing accuracy around the rim, per Cleaning the Glass.
Giddey currently ranks in the 21st percentile in that category this season, which is a big reason why he&rsquo;s shooting <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/giddejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9.1% below the league average in efficiency</a> to start his career.
The one saving grace for Giddey here is that Jaric never really developed a short mid-range game, shooting 33.7% from that area from 2003-2009. In contrast, Giddey is knocking down 46% of those looks this season, which places him in the 74th percentile for his position and gives him the consistent halfcourt scoring device Jaric never had.
Tier 2: Optimist Floor - Kyle Anderson (Starter)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 3.1 (T-28th that season)
For Giddey to become an impactful starter, the Thunder need to stop putting him in situations that expose his weaknesses as a defender.
Too many times this season, he&rsquo;s been put in positions where he&rsquo;s had to try and dance with faster players on the perimeter...
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2UUiOD4urwk" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
...or serve as the last line of defense around the rim because of his size:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kvHU6V86gmg" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
Players whose effectiveness comes from their mental attributes rather than their physical attributes are best utilized on defense in an off-ball, free-safety capacity, where they can channel their cerebral instincts to create havoc from the weak side of the floor.&nbsp;
A perfect example of this is Kyle Anderson. The two best BPM finishes of his career came in 2017-18 (2.2) and 2020-21 (3.1); in those seasons, his teams finished third and sixth in the league in defensive efficiency, respectively. Both years, Anderson was surrounded by feisty point-of-attack defenders (like Danny Green, Dejounte Murray and Dillion Brooks) and sturdy rim-protectors (like Jonas Valanciunas and LaMarcus Aldridge), who could shield him from his deficiencies and allow him to focus on his strengths.
During those seasons, Anderson ranked in the 96th and 85th percentile in steal percentage, per Cleaning the Glass, Giddey is only in the 69th percentile this season, but he has the length and awareness necessary to kick it up a notch and be an impactful defender if the Thunder use their treasure chest of draft picks to acquire personnel that enables him to do so.
Tier 3: Median Outcome - Joe Ingles (Sub All-Star)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 4.0 (T-17th that season)
This comparison is low-hanging fruit if I&rsquo;ve ever seen it. Both players are Australian, incredible passers, unconventionally athletic and (hopefully) contributors to winning basketball. The only real difference (other than the hair) is that one is currently a far superior shooter.
Joe Ingles tore through several threads of nylon with his shooting last season, and a big reason for this level of efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/inglejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">+11% rTS</a>) was his proficiency as a catch-and-shoot and pull-up three-point shooter.
Last season, he shot 48.9% on 3.3 catch-and-shoot attempts and 41.2% on 2.7 pull-up three-pointers. Conversely, Giddey is knocking down just 26.7% and 35.7% of those types of shots. He&rsquo;s also shooting poorly from the free-throw line (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/giddejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">67.9% on 1.3 attempts</a>), which is a strong indicator of future shooting success. But that&rsquo;s where the good news comes in: Ingles was also a subpar free throw shooter early in his career. In 2009-10, his age-23 season, Ingles shot only 69.4% from the line on 3.2 attempts for CB Granada.
Of course, Ingles has since transformed himself into a great shooter by developing a consistent and fluid shooting motion:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DvGRAYQd5y4" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Giddey&rsquo;s current shooting mechanics are <a href="https://rollcallsportsnet.com/josh-giddey-nba-draft-scouting-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funky</a>, but Ingles&rsquo; case study shows us there&rsquo;s opportunity for improvement. Such growth is necessary if Giddey wants to become an efficient scorer and top-50 player in the league.
Tier 4: Reasonable Ceiling - Toni Kukoc (All-Star Caliber)
Peak BPM (1996-97): 4.7 (10th that season)
Giddey has already shown the ability to make high-level reads in the pick-and-roll, going downhill on dribble hand-off, or while galloping down the floor in transition (see his passing montage above). But very rarely does he receive the ball on the elbow and operate down there like a passing hub.
That&rsquo;s where Toni Kukoc comes in.&nbsp;
Kukoc&rsquo;s ability to make decisions in the mid/high-post was an essential ingredient to the Bulls&rsquo; triangle offense during their second three-peat. He could receive the ball and either draw a double-team and find the cutter going toward the basket, or face up his defender, collapse the defense by penetrating towards the rim and kick it to the open man:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0uYC99YUqY" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Kukoc may have a couple of inches on him, but in today&rsquo;s small-ball world, Giddey and the Thunder can definitely hunt matchups that allow Giddey to use his size to see over the top of defenders and pinpoint weaknesses in the opposition from that position on the floor.
Kukoc was also a part of <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1994.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-straight top-six defenses</a> in Chicago from 1993-98, and while he lacked lateral quickness and vertical leaping ability, he made up for it by using his strength to bang with bigger guys in the post:
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Meanwhile, we&rsquo;ve already seen stronger forwards like Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate bully Giddey down low:
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Giddey would do well in his quest to become an All-Star to schedule some extra weight-room sessions &mdash; especially considering he doesn&rsquo;t have to worry about added muscle taking away from his speed. If he can do that while also occasionally moonlighting as a passing hub, he will be able to scale alongside high-usage ball-handlers and perimeter defenders, like Kukoc did during the second half of the Bulls&rsquo; dynasty.
Tier 5: Best-Case-Scenario Ceiling - Manu Ginobili (Solid All-NBA)
Peak BPM (2004-05): 5.5 (3rd that season)
J. Kyle Mann recently described Giddey&rsquo;s style as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSvieH2lfnw&amp;t=457s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;chaotic but purposeful</a>," so who better to compare Giddey to than the master of tamed mayhem himself, Manu Ginobili.
At his best, arguably no one straddled the fine line between chaos and order the way Ginobili did in his prime. There was a certain &ldquo;calculated recklessness&rdquo; to his game that made him unlike any player who came before him, and when you look at some of his offensive numbers in an All-NBA season, you see that Giddey has a ways to go to reach Ginobili&rsquo;s level.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">PLAYER</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">YEAR</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">POINTS PER 75</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">FTA PER 75</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">rTS%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">Manu Ginobili</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">2007-08</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">25.4</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">7.8</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">+7.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">Josh Giddey</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">13.1</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">1.6</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">-9.1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
At a glance, the gap between peak-Ginobili and current-day Giddey seems too wide to be closed. Yet the key to Giddey unlocking this tier rests on his ability to emulate one key facet of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LTgStJw9ao" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Scientist&rsquo;s</a> game: finishing at the rim.
As it stands, Giddey lacks the ability to soar over defenders or sprint past them, so when he meets larger defenders in the paint, he either gets his shot erased or avoids challenging them entirely:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wlUszUldXGk" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Ginobili was also slow-footed and definitely wasn&rsquo;t winning any dunk contests in his prime, so to compensate, he crafted a sophisticated (yet replicable) drive game. One thing he liked to do was take a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dr08ffRS10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">negative step</a> with his non-pivot foot to give him some added explosiveness on his bull rushes to the rim:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aZfDSiNI2F8" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
He would also try to throw his defender&rsquo;s timing off by deploying a bevy of hesitation moves at his disposal:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/93x5qt85S50" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
And he maximized his movement by using his length to elongate his strides. This allowed him to pick up his dribble early and gain control of his body and the basketball to brace himself for contact around the hoop:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4utcERL-hl8" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
His drive game and outside shooting (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career 37% shooter on 3.8 attempts</a>) also augmented his playmaking. From 2007 to 2014, Ginobili created between 8.0 and 9.0 open shots for his teammates per 100 possessions, per Backpicks. He would draw the defense&rsquo;s attention with his scoring and this was especially noticeable in pick-and-roll situations; the defending big would regularly try hedging Ginobili, which temporarily put the Spurs in 4-on-3 situations and led to open shots like this play right here:
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Combining Ginobili&rsquo;s finishing package with the shooting improvements previously discussed would elevate Giddey into a constant advantage creator capable of forcing the defense into rotation and dissecting openings on the floor. That type of player is an All-NBA performer and, more importantly, a heavyweight offensive force on a championship contender.
The Verdict: Tier 5
And that is exactly what I think Josh Giddey will become. I know it&rsquo;s poor practice to believe a best-case scenario is also the most likely outcome, but Giddey is such an outlier among outliers that an unlikely result only makes sense.
There&rsquo;s a real argument to be made that at 19 years old, Giddey may already be a better passer (not creator) than Ginobili. And while his drive game needs work, he&rsquo;s shown flashes of being able to change speeds and lull defenders to sleep, just like Argentina&rsquo;s Flying Man:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u2lwCgrSLnM" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Unicorn players like Ginobili don&rsquo;t come around often; that&rsquo;s what makes them special. But when you see a kid like Giddey who surveys the floor with an eagle eye and controls the tempo like a nightclub DJ, it's hard to ignore the fact that he's of a rare breed.
His idiosyncrasies make you believe that he'll overcome the shooting woes; that he'll put on some weight and become a better defender; that he'll harness his full powers as a finisher; and that with the right personnel, he will be the fulcrum of a contender someday in Oklahoma City.

Josh Giddey has shown flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but what is the 19-year-old's ceiling? Mat Issa explores his range of outcomes.

Did the Thunder find lightning in a bottle with Josh Giddey?

The NBA&rsquo;s trade season usually ramps up on draft night and intensifies on the first day of free agency. So far this offseason, we&rsquo;ve seen Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan traded to the Chicago Bulls, Spencer Dinwiddie dealt to the Washington Wizards and Russell Westbrook moved to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Teams are always discussing possible trades and doing their due diligence &ndash; seeing who&rsquo;s available around the league and gauging interest in their own players. Every now and then, these talks lead to a major trade that shakes up the power structure of the NBA. Other times however, for various reasons, the talks fizzle out, leaving fans to dream about what could have been.
So with that being said, let&rsquo;s examine five of the biggest trades in NBA history that almost happened.
HONORABLE MENTION
Amar&rsquo;e Stoudemire to the Golden State Warriors &ndash; This one is really more of a Steph Curry trade, but Curry hadn&rsquo;t yet played a game as of the rumors, so we&rsquo;ll file it away as a Stoudemire trade. The deal would have sent Stoudemire and the 14th pick in the 2009 draft to Golden State in exchange for the rights to Curry. Had this deal happened, Curry and then-Suns general manager Steve Kerr would have found themselves working together far sooner, but it would have undone the Warriors&rsquo; dynasty. This one would have rocked the league.
Scottie Pippen to the Toronto Raptors for Tracy McGrady &ndash; The Chicago Bulls have received a lot of bad press since &ldquo;The Last Dance&rdquo; aired in 2020, and it became public knowledge that they tried to trade Pippen, and rightfully so. The less explosive of the two deals was this one, a 1997 draft-day deal that would have sent Pippen to Toronto in exchange for McGrady. According to McGrady, Michael Jordan ultimately nixed the deal. In a vacuum, this one wouldn&rsquo;t have been that bad for Chicago, but in reality it could have led to Jordan retiring or leaving Chicago sooner and, thus, leaving a championship on the table.
Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors &ndash; This one is another Curry near-trade, and it was allegedly instigated by Golden State. In 2011, the Warriors tried to package Curry and Klay Thompson in exchange for Paul. The Warriors planned to also add Tyson Chandler to create a quasi-super-team. Imagine that? Some people close to the Warriors still deny this rumor, as they should. Either Curry trade happening probably wouldn't have resulted in Golden State winning a championship, but it also probably would've pushed Kevin Durant to either remain in Oklahoma City or sign elsewhere. Who knows how far the butterfly effect reaches?
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
5. Charles Barkley to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers to receive: Charles Barkley and Ron Anderson
Philadelphia 76ers to receive: James Worthy and Elden Campbell
This one is interesting because of the immediate impact it had on Barkley once it was clear it wasn&rsquo;t going through. According to Barkley in a conversation with Zach Lowe on <a href="http://www.espn.com/espnradio/podcast/archive/_/id/10528553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lowe Post</a>, Barkley responded to a call from his agent alerting him of the deal by celebrating over drinks with friends. Later that day, Barkley received another call from his agent, letting him know that the deal wasn&rsquo;t going through. &ldquo;And I&rsquo;m drunk as [expletive] and we got a game that night,&rdquo; Barkley said.
Ultimately, Barkley was dealt to the Phoenix Suns later that season. He led the Suns to the NBA Finals the following year. Comparatively, the Lakers&rsquo; roster was relatively barren by 1992, so it probably worked out better for Barkley that he wasn&rsquo;t dealt to Los Angeles. Still, it resulted in one of the weirder trade-related stories in NBA history. And just imagine Barkley in Los Angeles&hellip;
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4. Scottie Pippen to Seattle for Shawn Kemp
Seattle SuperSonics to receive: Scottie Pippen
Chicago Bulls to receive: Shawn Kemp and Ricky Pierce
The Pippen-for-McGrady rumor was in 1997. Pippen-for-Kemp was a rumored draft-day deal in 1994, shortly after Pippen refused to go back into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks &mdash; and long before Pippen, Jordan, and the Bulls reconnected for the second three-peat. It&rsquo;s a good thing that this never went through. According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/halloffame10/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&amp;page=100812-pippen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s J.A. Adande</a>, when asked if he would have returned to the Bulls with Kemp, Jordan said, &ldquo;Probably not. I could have played with Shawn, but I wouldn't have been as comfortable as I was with Scottie."
Had this deal been approved, does Jordan return to the NBA? If he doesn&rsquo;t, is he still widely regarded as the best ever (with just three championships)? Or does he stick with baseball? Thankfully, we&rsquo;ll never know.
3. Kevin Garnett to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers to receive: Kevin Garnett
Minnesota Timberwolves to receive: Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum
This one&rsquo;s pretty straight forward. Garnett wanted out of Minnesota, and the Timberwolves subsequently began accepting bids for Garnett&rsquo;s services. Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Lakers owner Jerry Buss that he&rsquo;d like to make the swap with the Lakers, but he needed Minnesota's general manager at the time, Kevin McHale, to sign off.
According to an <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2445357-kg-the-oral-history-part-2-glory-in-boston-quirky-traits-and-returning-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oral history of Garnett&rsquo;s career</a> from Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Howard Beck, Taylor &ldquo;&hellip;didn&rsquo;t know if I wanted [KG] in the West&rdquo; &ndash; so who knows how close this was to going down. On <a href="https://twitter.com/alexkennedynba/status/1305612441796120577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Posecast</a>, Ray Allen said that Garnett to Los Angeles was looking likely, and that KG was leaning toward joining the Lakers, but he ultimately changed his mind once Boston acquired Allen. Had this trade happened, the impact could have been tremendous, robbing Boston of the 2008 championship and probably gifting at least one more title to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_5280230_lg.jpg" alt="" width="559" height="391" />
2. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers to receive: Chris Paul
New Orleans Pelicans to receive: Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic
Houston Rockets to receive: Pau Gasol
While Paul was nearly dealt to the Warriors for Curry and Thompson, this deal is higher profile because of the drama surrounding it. This deal was done. Paul was set to join Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. Instead, NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade on behalf of the Hornets because the deal didn&rsquo;t return adequate value to New Orleans, a franchise that was being run by the league due to former owner George Shinn&rsquo;s unprecedented move to sell the team to the NBA. If you weren&rsquo;t an NBA fan in 2011, you missed a hell of a situation.
Ultimately, this one may have robbed a championship from the Lakers, too. The deal would have enabled Los Angeles to keep Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum while adding Paul. The team lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round (4-1), but would the addition of Paul have given the Lakers enough firepower to overcome the Thunder (and LeBron James and the Miami Heat)? We&rsquo;ll never know.
1. Kobe Bryant to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls to receive: Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers to receive: Luol Deng, Tyus Thomas, Ben Gordon Joakim Noah
In 2007, Kobe Bryant was nearly traded to the Chicago Bulls. Why? Bryant was incredibly frustrated with the inactivity of the Lakers&rsquo; management. It escalated to the point where, according to Bryant, he and his family were looking at houses and schools in the Windy City. When some fans asked Bryant if he was staying in Los Angeles, he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/sports/basketball/29kobe.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told them</a> to &ldquo;buy a Bulls uniform.&rdquo;
Back in 2018, BasketballNews.com&rsquo;s Alex Kennedy spoke with Bryant <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2018/06/12/free-agents-lebron-john-williams-oscar-shaq-chicago-bulls/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on The HoopsHype Podcast</a> about how the trade would have impacted his career.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ah, yeah, it would&rsquo;ve changed things a lot,&rdquo; Bryant said. &ldquo;I believe we still would&rsquo;ve won championships in Chicago. That&rsquo;s what I think, but I do feel like everything happens for a reason. Honestly, the biggest shock to me was that Shaq didn&rsquo;t know that [I wanted to be traded]. That was the biggest surprise to me, that he was unaware of that! I think had he known how serious I was about going someplace else, he never would&rsquo;ve demanded a trade [from the Lakers]. But when he got traded, that stopped me from going anywhere else, because there was no way that Jerry Buss was going to lose Shaq and me in the same summer. So if he had known how serious I was about leaving, I don&rsquo;t think he ever would&rsquo;ve demanded a trade.&rdquo;
Ultimately, the timing worked out in Bryant&rsquo;s favor. Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, which led to Bryant working things out with management. And things worked out just fine for Bryant professionally, as he went on to win two more championships in Los Angeles and he remained with the Lakers for the rest of his career.
***
Trade rumors captivate sports fans more than anything. Most don&rsquo;t come to fruition, and that&rsquo;s fine. They captivate us, distract us and allow us to imagine ideal outcomes for our favorite teams, even if they were never really that close to happening.
Each of the deals mentioned above would have shaken up the league, leading to far different outcomes for a number of franchises.

Drew Maresca examines five blockbuster trades that almost happened, and how they would've altered NBA history.