Crimson

Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves is shaping up to be a defining moment in the series. With the Thunder up 2-1, the stakes are sky-high: a win would give Oklahoma City a commanding 3-1 lead and the chance to close out the series at home in Game 5. A Timberwolves victory, however, would tie the series and tilt momentum squarely in Minnesota&rsquo;s favor heading back to Oklahoma City. For both teams, Game 4 is a must-win, not just to improve their series odds but to psychologically establish control.
The Thunder have already demonstrated their potential dominance, capturing Games 1 and 2 behind strong defensive play and the leadership of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But their 42-point Game 3 loss &ndash; the franchise&rsquo;s worst in playoff history &ndash; shattered that narrative and gave Minnesota a jolt of confidence. Although it did not necessarily expose weaknesses that had been masked in earlier games, the Thunder are back in the drawing board.
Minnesota, meanwhile, needed that Game 3 win not just to stay alive in the series but to prove to themselves that they could crack Oklahoma City&rsquo;s defensive shell. Anthony Edwards&rsquo; explosive performance and a more balanced offensive attack were central to their blowout victory. The Timberwolves now face the challenge of sustaining that energy and focus, particularly in a pressure-filled Game 4 where every possession could shift the series balance.
<h3>The Thunder's adjustments:</h3>
Rekindling energy and intensity
Perhaps the most glaring issue in Game 3 was Oklahoma City&rsquo;s lack of energy from the opening tip. The Thunder were outscored 34-14 in the first quarter, and the deficit ballooned quickly. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted postgame that the team simply didn&rsquo;t match Minnesota&rsquo;s intensity. That kind of mental and physical lapse is especially surprising for a young, energetic team known for playing with urgency.
The Thunder have typically prided themselves on their fast starts and emotional edge, with their crowd feeding off their hustle. To correct this, Daigneault may need to emphasize establishing their pace and transition offense early in Game 4. Perhaps a quick substitution pattern or a motivational shift in pregame preparation could help reignite that spark. If they come out flat again, Minnesota is likely to capitalize with another early run.
It&rsquo;s not just about emotion &ndash; focus matters as well. The Thunder committed costly early turnovers and allowed second-chance points, putting themselves in a hole they could never climb out of. The best adjustment may simply be a mindset shift: play like your back is against the wall, because in a Western Conference Finals, it always is. How Oklahoma City starts Game 4 will set the tone for the rest of the series.
Containing Minnesota's role players
While Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were expected to be focal points, Oklahoma City was undone in Game 3 by Minnesota&rsquo;s role players. Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 15 points, including aggressive attacks to the rim and timely threes; while others like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker provided scoring bursts and defensive energy. The Thunder defense, which was so stifling in Games 1 and 2, was repeatedly caught off guard by Minnesota&rsquo;s bench guys.
This speaks to a deeper issue: defensive rotations and scouting. The Thunder&rsquo;s game plan had revolved around containing stars, but it left openings for corner threes and off-ball cuts that the Wolves&rsquo; bench exploited. Oklahoma City needs to tighten its weak side help defense and better communicate on switches. Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace will be vital in applying consistent pressure without over-helping.
One way to limit role players is to reduce their rhythm opportunities. That means rebounding better to end possessions, pushing the pace to limit halfcourt sets, and closing out with discipline. If OKC can neutralize Minnesota&rsquo;s bench and force Edwards and Randle to shoulder a heavier load, it could wear down the Wolves&rsquo; stars by the fourth quarter, a strategy that worked in Game 1 and 2.
Improving perimeter shooting
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense lives and dies by its ability to stretch the floor. In Game 3, they shot just 31.8% from beyond the arc &ndash; a drastic drop from their efficiency in Games 1 and 2. Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe struggled to find clean looks, and the Wolves' perimeter defense closed out effectively. Without reliable spacing, Gilgeous-Alexander found it harder to penetrate and create.
Part of the problem was the Thunder&rsquo;s shot selection. Forced into late-clock attempts and contested threes, the ball movement that had fueled earlier wins stagnated. To fix this, OKC needs to reestablish its rhythm offense &ndash; using drives to kick out for open looks, and involving secondary playmakers and other bench guys like Aaron Wiggins to diversify the attack.
Hitting threes doesn&rsquo;t just boost the scoreboard &ndash; it changes the geometry of the court. If the Thunder regain their shooting stroke, it will pull Minnesota&rsquo;s defenders out of the paint and re-open driving lanes for SGA and Williams. A return to form from deep could be the single biggest factor in tilting Game 4 in Oklahoma City&rsquo;s favor.
<h3>The Wolves&rsquo; strategies:</h3>
Sustaining Anthony Edwards' Momentum
Anthony Edwards looked every bit the franchise superstar in Game 3, tallying 30 points in 30 minutes and setting the tone from the jump. His ability to attack in transition, create off the dribble, and knock down tough perimeter shots overwhelmed a Thunder defense that had kept him in check in some ways. But maintaining that level is the challenge.
Edwards has shown a tendency in past series to oscillate between brilliance and passivity. Minnesota needs him to be aggressive from the start of Game 4, particularly if OKC makes early adjustments to double or trap him. His decision-making, when to attack and when to pass, will dictate how the Thunder rotate defensively and could open up looks for teammates.
The other piece is Edwards&rsquo; defense. He played with renewed intensity in Game 3, helping disrupt OKC&rsquo;s ball movement and forcing turnovers that led to easy buckets. If he can continue to influence the game on both ends, he&rsquo;ll force Daigneault into tough matchup decisions. For the Timberwolves to even the series, they need their superstar to be the best player on the floor.
Consistency from Randle and McDaniels
Julius Randle gave Minnesota a much-needed offensive anchor in Game 3, finishing with 24 points and providing a physical counter to Chet Holmgren inside. His post-ups, face-up jumpers, and second-chance finishes is a powerful layer to the Wolves&rsquo; attack. It was a bounce back game after Randle&rsquo;s abysmal Game 2 performance, and consistency remains the key as we go deeper into the series.
Randle needs to continue exploiting mismatches &ndash; especially when the Thunder switch or play smaller lineups. If he can draw fouls and get to the line, it slows the pace and allows Minnesota to control tempo. Moreover, his ability to make quick reads as a passer will be crucial if OKC sends double-teams or crowds the paint.
McDaniels, meanwhile, doesn&rsquo;t need to score 20 points to be effective, but his timely threes and cutting lanes open up the floor. His primary value has come on defense, particularly in his effort to contain Gilgeous-Alexander. If he can provide his usual 10-12, 15 points while locking down one of OKC&rsquo;s stars, he becomes an x-factor that Oklahoma City has to account for every minute he&rsquo;s on the floor.
Bench production
The unsung hero in Minnesota&rsquo;s Game 3 romp was the bench unit. Terrence Shannon Jr. gave the Wolves a jolt with his confident scoring, while veteran Mike Conley played with the bench and helped steady the second unit. That depth allowed head coach Chris Finch to rest his starters earlier, preserving legs for what promises to be a grueling Game 4.
The Timberwolves&rsquo; bench not only scored, but also brought energy and defensive intensity. They helped build on the lead rather than merely maintain it&mdash;a luxury most teams don&rsquo;t have this deep into the playoffs. If players like Shannon, Reid, DiVincenzo, and Alexander-Walker continue producing, Minnesota can survive short lulls from their stars without losing ground.
What&rsquo;s more, the Wolves&rsquo; bench success forces OKC to go deeper into its rotation, potentially exposing weaknesses. The ability to trust non-starters with meaningful minutes is often the difference between a championship and a playoff exit. Minnesota&rsquo;s bench has a chance to turn this series around if they replicate their Game 3 performance.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
Game 4 will test both teams' resolve, adaptability, and poise under pressure. The Thunder are eager to erase the sting of a 40-point loss and reestablish dominance. The Timberwolves are riding high but know they can&rsquo;t afford a letdown. Whoever best applies these adjustments and wins the intangible battles &ndash; energy, focus, composure &ndash; will walk off the court with the series edge and momentum heading into Game 5.

Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals is pivotal as the Thunder and the Wolves battle for control.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Timberwolves aim to take control

The 2025 Western Conference Semifinals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets have lived up to the hype, with the series knotted at 2-2. As the teams prepare for a crucial Game 5 in Oklahoma City, both squads face pressing questions and necessary adjustments to gain the upper hand. With a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line, every possession, coaching decision, and hustle play will matter more than ever.
-- -- --
Thunder's path to regaining control
Assert themselves on the boards
The Thunder&rsquo;s lack of consistent rebounding has emerged as one of their most glaring weaknesses in this series. Despite boasting athletic bigs and switchable wings, they&rsquo;ve repeatedly been outmuscled on the glass by Denver&rsquo;s physical frontcourt led by Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets have often out-rebounded the Thunder, securing offensive boards that led to multiple second-chance scoring opportunities. Those extra possessions have proven costly for OKC in close games.
Part of the issue stems from the Thunder often playing smaller lineups, which prioritize speed and switchability over size and physicality. While that identity served them well in the regular season, playoff basketball demands toughness in the paint. Oklahoma City will need to play more of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to go up against Jokic and Gordon, and commit more to boxing out and crashing the boards. Their guards must also help secure long rebounds and quickly push the ball in transition, turning defensive stops into offensive chances.
To win Game 5 and take control of the series, the Thunder cannot afford to give the Nuggets repeated second opportunities. Rebounding isn&rsquo;t just about size, it&rsquo;s about desire, positioning, and timing. If OKC can neutralize Denver&rsquo;s rebounding edge and limit their putback chances, it could be a decisive swing factor on their home floor.
Rediscover offensive fluidity
Oklahoma City has struggled to find its usual offensive rhythm over the past two games. The Thunder's offense is built on movement, ball-sharing, and improvisation &ndash; playing freely with joy and confidence. But as the series has worn on and the physicality has ramped up, OKC has looked more rigid and hesitant, settling for tough isolation plays instead of generating quality looks through movement.
In Games 3 and 4, Denver&rsquo;s defense disrupted OKC&rsquo;s pace by pressing up on ball-handlers and switching effectively on screens. The Thunder have sometimes become overly reliant on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bail them out in late-clock situations. While SGA is an elite shot-creator, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense thrives most when all five players are involved. Getting back to their roots &ndash; cutting off the ball, pushing in transition, and trusting each other&rsquo;s instincts &ndash; can unlock the offensive flow that&rsquo;s been missing.
Reclaiming that offensive identity also means trusting players like Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe to take open shots and make quick decisions. Jalen Williams, who has flashed brilliance at times, must stay aggressive and attack mismatches. If the Thunder return to playing free and fearless, as they did in their Game 2 blowout win, they&rsquo;ll be much harder to guard and far more dangerous heading into a pivotal Game 5.
MVP-caliber performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
While SGA has delivered solid numbers throughout the series, Oklahoma City needs a transcendent Game 5 performance from their MVP candidate. Through four games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 28.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists &ndash; but his impact hasn&rsquo;t always translated to late-game success. Denver has thrown multiple defenders at him, forcing tough midrange shots and limiting his trips to the free-throw line. For OKC to thrive, SGA must assert himself early and often, controlling the tempo and creating high-quality looks for both himself and his teammates.
This is the kind of moment where MVPs rise above the game plan. Whether it's hunting mismatches, collapsing the defense to kick out to shooters, or making timely defensive plays, SGA has the tools to take over. In Game 2, his 33-point performance was a reminder of what he&rsquo;s capable of when he&rsquo;s in attack mode and dictating the pace. The Thunder need that version of Shai to show up again in Game 5.
It&rsquo;s also about leadership. This young Thunder team looks to SGA not just for scoring, but for composure and direction in critical moments. With the home crowd behind him and the series on the line, this is his opportunity to put a stamp on his MVP-caliber season and carry his team one step closer to a conference finals berth.
Nuggets' strategies to steal Game 5
Elevate Nikola Jokic&rsquo;s impact
Nikola Jokic has not been his usual dominant self across all four games. While he&rsquo;s still managed to put up triple-doubles and impact the game in subtle ways, the Thunder have made him work harder than usual with their quick double teams and constant help defense. In Game 4, Jokic finished with 22 points on just 9-of-22 shooting&mdash;a rare inefficient night for the two-time MVP. For the Nuggets to win on the road, Jokic must return to the ultra-efficient playmaker and scorer who lifts everyone around him.
One adjustment could be to get Jokic more touches at the elbow and the top of the key, where he can orchestrate Denver&rsquo;s offense without dealing with immediate post pressure. From those areas, he can see the floor better and exploit mismatches or cutters. Additionally, running more two-man actions with Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon could help relieve pressure and force OKC to defend multiple threats simultaneously.
Jokic&rsquo;s presence alone bends defenses, but when he&rsquo;s assertive and efficient, it unlocks the Nuggets&rsquo; full offensive potential. Denver will need their franchise cornerstone to set the tone with physicality, precision, and poise in the hostile OKC environment of Game 5.
Improved Three-Point shooting
The Nuggets&rsquo; offensive success often correlates with their outside shooting. In the games where they&rsquo;ve played, Denver pulled away with convincing wins. But when the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, their offense has looked sluggish and overly reliant on Jokic or Murray to create something late in the shot clock. Getting back to crisp ball movement and creating open looks from the perimeter is a priority heading into Game 5.
Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun must convert the clean looks they&rsquo;re getting. Porter, in particular, has the shooting gravity to stretch OKC&rsquo;s defense and create spacing for Jokic&rsquo;s interior play. Even Aaron Gordon&rsquo;s willingness to take open threes can help Denver keep defenders honest. Making threes forces OKC to chase and rotate, which opens up driving lanes and cutting opportunities that Denver thrives on.
Expect head coach David Adelman to emphasize early ball reversals and inside-out play to generate quality three-point chances. If Denver shoots well from deep, it could swing momentum and silence the Paycom Center crowd in what promises to be a raucous Game 5 environment.
Boost bench production
In tight playoff matchups, bench production often makes the difference. For Denver, the second unit has been a mixed bag this series. They have a particularly shallow bench led by Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson, and the Nuggets need consistent contributions from both of them to keep pace with OKC&rsquo;s energetic rotations.
The key is maintaining offensive rhythm and defensive intensity when Jokic sits. Braun&rsquo;s ability to defend, rebound, and finish in transition adds a valuable spark. Westbrook&rsquo;s experience and steady playmaking can provide structure when Murray rests. And Watson&rsquo;s length and athleticism make him a disruptive presence on both ends. Each of them must be ready to seize the moment in what could be the turning point of the series.
Adelman might also consider tightening his rotation or staggering starters more effectively to ensure a balance of scoring and defense. With so much on the line, every possession from the bench unit carries weight. If Denver&rsquo;s reserves can sustain leads &ndash; or even swing momentum &ndash; it could give them the edge they need to take Game 5 on the road.
-- -- --
As Game 5 approaches, the series hangs in the balance. Both teams have demonstrated resilience and adaptability, but only one can emerge with a crucial win to take control. The adjustments made and executed in this game will likely determine who advances and who faces an offseason of questions. In a battle between the Thunder and the Nuggets, Game 5 promises to be a war of wills, strategy, and superstar moments.

With the 2025 NBA Playoffs series tied 2-2, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets prepare for a pivotal Game 5.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Nuggets look to seize series

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Some might say Stan Kroenke and his family would be pulling off the impossible by bringing a long-awaited NBA title to Denver.
Less discussed &mdash; at least these days &mdash; was their willingness, in 1999, to dive into a messy acquisition process for a largely irrelevant franchise that had been considered a relocation prospect as the 21st century approached.
All of the talk of them relocating no longer exists.
Now, the conversation is about how the Nuggets were able to reach their first NBA Finals thanks to the stubborn patience displayed by the Kroenkes, who have taken an unorthodox route toward assembling an unorthodox winner. Denver hosts the Miami Heat in Game 2 Sunday night after&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-denver-nuggets-nba-sports-755531bae7f944958c4225f8d5f54bad">winning the Finals opener</a>.
Kroenke&rsquo;s deal to purchase the Nuggets, along with the Colorado Avalanche and their home arena for $450 million, included a clause that tethered the NBA franchise to Denver for the ensuing 25 years. These days, the Nuggets are estimated by Forbes to be worth $1.93 billion.
&ldquo;One thing I know about Stan is that when he sets his mind to doing something, and when he thinks he&rsquo;s right, he&rsquo;s going to fight for that,&rdquo; said Wellington Webb, who was Denver&rsquo;s mayor in 1999 and helped broker the deal that closed a year later between Kroenke and the Nuggets.
Though Kroenke married into money &mdash; he wed Walmart heiress Ann Walton in 1974, a few years after meeting her during a ski trip to Aspen &mdash; he had already honed his business chops. His first deal: Taking a $1,500 loan at 6% interest from his dad so he could buy part of a clothing shop with his friend.
Not long after, he got into the real estate business, building shopping centers with a developer who was tight with Walmart founder Sam Walton.
Real estate and sports are, these days, almost intertwined &mdash; a reality Kroenke grasped quickly.
&ldquo;I always thought I&rsquo;d enjoy (owning a sports franchise) because the professional sports business is part business and part sports,&rdquo; Kroenke told the Columbia (Missouri) Daily Tribune in 2022, &ldquo;and I love both of them.&rdquo;
Kroenke&rsquo;s representatives did not return messages left by The Associated Press seeking an interview.
His first major jump into sports was his partnership with Rams owner Georgia Frontiere. In the mid-1990s, Frontiere was chafing at the inability of Los Angeles to build a new stadium, She was looking for partners to bankroll a move to St. Louis. Kroenke bought in, and when Frontiere died in 2008, he exercised his right to purchase a majority stake in the team.
The sad irony is that it was Kroenke, the Missouri native, who moved the Rams out of St. Louis and back to LA where they are the main tenant in his $5.1 billion stadium. His connection with Denver &mdash; much different.
&ldquo;One of my dreams was to be involved in a professional basketball team,&rdquo; Kroenke told The Denver Post, shortly after closing the deal for the Nuggets. &ldquo;This is a dream I&rsquo;ve had for a long time.&rdquo;
There is, in fact, a strong argument that the basketball trophy might be the most meaningful for a family that has amassed three Stanley Cup trophies with the Avalanche, a Super Bowl trophy with the Rams and is still looking for glory with Arsenal, the Premier League soccer team it has had a controlling interest in since 2011.
Kroeke&rsquo;s son, Josh, was a standout basketball player in high school and played at University of Missouri. He now runs the Nuggets.
&ldquo;I thought that you could bring a championship to Denver,&rdquo; Josh said in a recent interview on team-owned Altitude Sports Radio. &ldquo;Trying to do something that&rsquo;s never been done before, it&rsquo;s not always easy, and it&rsquo;s usually met with a lot of resistance. ... We&rsquo;re mostly excited for the city to get to experience this. But the job&rsquo;s not done.&rdquo;
The Nuggets were parked squarely in NBA purgatory when the team went on the block in 1999, having not sniffed relevancy since their mid-80s heydey, when the teams were highlighted by coach Doug Moe&rsquo;s uptempo offense. Their situation off the court wasn&rsquo;t much better. In the late &rsquo;80s, then-owner Sidney Shlenker had toyed with the idea of moving the team to Memphis.
His sale to a media conglomerate that was never truly hot on owning sports teams did nothing to tamp the idea that the Nuggets were a team that might be available to move. And teams were moving; Between 2001-08, Memphis (from Vancouver), Oklahoma City (from Seattle) and New Orleans (from Charlotte) all adopted existing franchises in a flurry of NBA reshuffling.
When Denver went on the block, the highest bidder, billionaire businessman Donald Sturm, came in with a $460 million offer, but balked at the idea that he couldn&rsquo;t move the team.
In stepped Kroenke, who had no problem with the arrangement. A side note: To close the sale, Kroenke had to outmaneuver another group fronted by none other than John Elway.
&ldquo;It was clear Sturm wasn&rsquo;t going to work out,&rdquo; Webb said. &ldquo;And my only question was, &lsquo;Is the new guy going to be supportive of the team winning?&rsquo; Because if the arena is full, not only do the owners make money, but city makes money, as well.&rdquo;
The Kroenkes have answered Webb&rsquo;s question with their willingness &mdash; increasingly rare in pro sports &mdash; to play the long game, both on the roster and on the bench.
The roster was built in workmanlike,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-finals-nuggets-jokic-murray-malone-18329e13dfecae50834ebc06d409027c">no-drama fashion</a>,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-nikola-jokic-denver-nuggets-mvp-lebron-lakers-8e668572f9f43942175ded63e7a61832">highlighted by Nikola Jokic</a>, who entered the league as an unheralded second-round pick from Serbia. The coach, Michael Malone, was hired in 2015, and there was never much talk of making changes after disappointing finishes to their seasons in 2018, 2019 and even last year.
Today, Malone sits behind only Gregg Popovich (Spurs), Erik Spoelstra (Heat) and Steve Kerr (Warriors) &mdash; who have a combined 11 championships on their coaching resumes &mdash; in terms of longevity among the NBA&rsquo;s 30 head coaches.
&ldquo;That has a ton to do with where we are today,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t be more thankful for working for an ownership group that is not impatient and is not trying to find the next great thing, but is saying &lsquo;Hey, listen, let&rsquo;s let this grow and marinate into something special.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Despite his family&rsquo;s large role in the Denver sports scene &mdash; the Kroenke business also owns the MLS Colorado Rapids, and the National Lacrosse League&rsquo;s Colorado Mammoth, who lost the deciding game in that league&rsquo;s title series Saturday &mdash; Kroenke has still taken his fair share of criticism around town.
It&rsquo;s a byproduct of his 2004 move to bundle his teams&rsquo; TV rights and air them on company&rsquo;s new regional television network, Altitude.
In 2019, the region&rsquo;s biggest cable operator, Comcast, stopped carrying Altitude due to a disagreement over fees the cable giant was charging to carry the network. The ensuing legal battle has kept the Nuggets off the local airwaves in millions of homes for the last four seasons. The battle between billion-dollar companies has left many average Nuggets fans feeling like the only real losers in the equation.
But whatever bitterness lingers from the cable dispute has mostly been set aside over the past few months. All the playoff games have been on national TV.
Meanwhile, Kroenke stays firmly in the background. He can make it from his apartment at the top of Ball Arena through some back passageways and into his luxury suite to watch games in less than two minutes. Sometimes he brings his German Shepherd along.
&ldquo;I think that not only is he a good businessman,&rdquo; Webb said, &ldquo;but he also feels he has something special in Denver. And I think it&rsquo;s always been his goal to do right by Denver.&rdquo;

Some might say Stan Kroenke and his family would be pulling off the impossible by bringing a long-awaited NBA title to Denver.

Kroenke bought Nuggets, kept team in Denver, now hoping to deliver title

On Tuesday afternoon, the NBA announced the 78 players who are expected to attend the 2023 NBA Draft Combine, which will take place at the Wintrust Arena and Marriott Marquis in Chicago from May 15-21.
Players will have interviews with NBA teams and participate in five-on-five games as well as shooting and strength-and-agility drills. Coverage of the 2023 NBA Draft Combine will begin May 17 on ESPN2 from 2-6 p.m. ET and continues May 18 from 4-8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The NBA Draft Combine will also be available on the ESPN App. Strength-and-agility drills and shooting drills will be broadcast live on the NBA App on May 15 from 3-5 p.m. ET.
Additionally, a select number of standout players from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-announces-45-draft-prospects-competing-in-g-league-elite-camp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 NBA G League Elite Camp</a>, which takes place May 13-14 at Wintrust Arena, will be invited to participate in the NBA Draft Combine.
Unfortunately, projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama won't be in attendance at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine as he has yet to finish his season overseas with Metropolitans 92.
Below is a list of expected attendees for the 2023 NBA Draft Combine:
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Trey Alexander (Creighton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Seth Lundy (Penn State)
</td>
</tr>
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<td valign="top" width="312">
Amari Bailey (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Kevin McCullar (Kansas)
</td>
</tr>
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<td valign="top" width="312">
Emoni Bates (Eastern Michigan)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Mike Miles Jr. (TCU)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Reece Beekman (Virginia)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Brandon Miller (Alabama)
</td>
</tr>
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<td valign="top" width="312">
Anthony Black (Arkansas)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jordan Miller (Miami)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Adem Bona (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Leonard Miller (G League Ignite)
</td>
</tr>
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<td valign="top" width="312">
Kobe Brown (Missouri)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Judah Mintz (Syracuse)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Kobe Bufkin (Michigan)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Dillon Mitchell (Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Toumani Camara (Dayton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Omari Moore (San Jose State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Kris Murray (Iowa)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jaylen Clark (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Grant Nelson (North Dakota State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Noah Clowney (Alabama)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
James Nnaji (Barcelona [Spain] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Ricky Council IV (Arkansas)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Julian Phillips (Tennessee)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Gradey Dick (Kansas)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jalen Pickett (Penn State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Nikola Djurisic (Mega [Serbia] )
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Zach Edey (Purdue)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Marquette)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Adam Flagler (Baylor)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Rayan Rupert (New Zealand Breakers [Oceania] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Keyonte George (Baylor)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Adama Sanogo (Connecticut)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Marcus Sasser (Houston)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Coleman Hawkins (Illinois)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jordan Hawkins (Connecticut)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Scoot Henderson (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Ben Sheppard (Belmont)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Taylor Hendricks (UCF)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jalen Slawson (Furman)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
DaRon Holmes II (Dayton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Terquavion Smith (North Carolina State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jett Howard (Michigan)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Julian Strawther (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Andre Jackson Jr. (Connecticut)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Amen Thompson (Overtime Elite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
GG Jackson II (South Carolina)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Drew Timme (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Colby Jones (Xavier)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Tristan Vukcevic (Partizan [Serbia] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jarace Walker (Houston)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Arthur Kaluma (Creighton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Cason Wallace (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Mojave King (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jordan Walsh (Arkansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Bobi Klintman (Wake Forest)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Dariq Whitehead (Duke)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Cam Whitmore (Villanova)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Dereck Lively II (Duke)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jalen Wilson (Kansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Chris Livingston (Kentucky)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Isaiah Wong (Miami)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The NBA announced the 78 players who are expected to attend the 2023 NBA Draft Combine.

NBA announces 78 Draft Combine participants, but no Victor Wembanyama

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell scored 23 of his 27 points after halftime, and Kansas State overcame a horrid start from outside by hitting a couple of clutch 3-pointers while topping Kentucky 75-69 in Sunday&rsquo;s second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The win sends the third-seeded Wildcats (25-9) to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018, and it came thanks to a series of big shots that finally pushed them through in a tight game.
They&rsquo;ll play the winner of the Michigan State-Marquette in the East Region semifinals.
Kansas State missed its first 13 3-pointers and sat at 2 for 17 for the game when the outside shots started falling. There was Nowell burying a step-back 3 against Cason Wallace to bring Kansas State within 60-59, followed a bit later by Ismael Massoud burying one from the right wing at the 2:21 mark that gave Kansas State the lead for good at 64-62.
Keyontae Johnson added one more from that side of the court in front of the Kansas State bench, pushing the lead to 67-62 with 1:23 left &mdash; sending a jolt with the kind of margin that felt massive considering nearly all of the second half had been played within four points.
The 5-foot-8 Nowell, a third-team Associated Press All-American, played a fearless floor game while making 7 of 14 shots and 10 of 11 free throws. He also hit three 3s, including the first one over Kentucky&rsquo;s Oscar Tshiebwe after an 0-for-13 start by Kansas State and another after halftime with his left foot on the &ldquo;March Madness&rdquo; logo near midcourt.
Tshiebwe had 25 points and 18 rebounds for sixth-seeded Kentucky (22-12), which shot 55% after halftime and led by eight early in the second half. But the Wildcats never could stretch that lead out, then couldn&rsquo;t make their own big outside shots (4 for 20 for the game) to answer when Kansas State made its move.
Consider it the latest chapter in a run of surprisingly fast success for Kansas State under first-year coach Jerome Tang, who left Baylor after a long stint on Scott Drew&rsquo;s staff to take over in Manhattan. He inherited a program that hadn&rsquo;t been to the tournament since 2019, was coming off three straight losing seasons and was picked to finish last in the Big 12.
Yet after a summer of reshaping the roster through the transfer portal, the Wildcats built early confidence and thrived right away &mdash; and now, that has them in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
And the bet paid off in a number of ways Sunday.
There was Johnson, who transferred from Florida after collapsing in a game in December 2020 and hadn&rsquo;t played since before resuming his career with Kansas State.
There was Massoud, who played at Wake Forest &mdash; located about a 30-minute drive from the Greensboro Coliseum &mdash; and hadn&rsquo;t scored until hitting that huge 3.
And there was even Virginia Tech transfer big man David N&rsquo;Guessan, who played multiple late possessions with his right heel out of his shoe &mdash; yet still had the tipout offensive rebound that led to Johnson&rsquo;s 3.
For the other set of Wildcats, it marked another earlier-than-hoped-for exit from March Madness.
Tshiebwe had 25 rebounds i n the first-round win against Providence for the most in any tournament game since 1977, and the two-time AP All-American was again a force inside. Cason Wallace had 15 of his 21 points after halftime, including multiple times when the freshman guard used his 6-4 frame to score against Nowell inside.
But No. 2 scorer Antonio Reeves (14.6 points) managed five points on 1-for-15 shooting, including 1-for-10 from behind the arc with the lone 3 coming with 8 seconds left and Kansas State in control.
When it was over, Kansas State players began to hug each other at midcourt and celebrate, with guard Desi Sills &mdash; another transfer, fittingly &mdash; talking animatedly to nearly cameras as he walked around the court in victory.
Later, after most of the team had left the court, Johnson was still hanging around behind the bench to give high-fives and sign autographs for fans. And teammate Nae&rsquo;Qwan Tomlin squeezed in one more high-five of his own before running toward the locker room while pointing triumphantly to another pocket of KSU fans.
BIG PICTURE
Kentucky: The past year has been one of wild emotional swings, starting with last March&rsquo;s devastating first-round exit at the hands of 15-seed Saint Peter&rsquo;s. That hung over the team while a No. 4 preseason ranking evaporated with a 10-6 start. Kentucky beat Providence in the first round to get past that emotional hurdle with coach John Calipari pushing his team to play loose and free. Still, it wasn&rsquo;t enough to get Kentucky to the tournament&rsquo;s second weekend for the first time since an Elite Eight run in 2019.
Kansas State: Friday&rsquo;s first-round win against Montana State came in the program&rsquo;s first tournament appearance since 2019. Nowell was huge in that one with 17 points and 14 assists. In this one, Kansas State outscored Kentucky 19-9 down the stretch, with Nowell scoring 11 and going 8-for-8 at the line in a show of unflappable resolve.
UP NEXT
Kansas State will face the Michigan State-Marquette winner Thursday in New York&rsquo;s Madison Square Garden.

The win sends the third-seeded Kansas State Wildcats (25-9) to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018.

Markquis Nowell, late threes lift Kansas State past Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Sir&rsquo;Jabari Rice scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and overtime, and No. 6 Texas held off Oklahoma 85-83 on Saturday.
Rice&rsquo;s fourth 3-pointer of the game gave Texas an 84-77 lead with 2:26 left in overtime.
Oklahoma, however, had a chance to tie or win when Texas&rsquo; Tyrese Hunter missed one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left. But Sam Godwin missed a shot from near the rim, and Texas extended its winning streak against Oklahoma to five games.
Marcus Carr added 17 points for Texas (21-6, 10-4 Big 12), and Timmy Allen had 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Grant Sherfield led Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11) with 18 points, including a 3-pointer that sent the game to overtime. Milos Uzan scored 15 for the Sooners.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 108, GEORGIA 59
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Miller scored 21 points, Nick Pringle had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Mark Sears made five 3-pointers in the first half to lead Alabama.
The Crimson Tide (23-4, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) rebounded from their first SEC loss by racing to a 54-25 halftime lead and a season scoring high. Alabama was coming off a 68-59 loss at No. 10 Tennessee on Wednesday night after rising to No. 1 for only the second time in program history and first in 20 years.&nbsp;
ustin Hill led Georgia (16-11, 6-8) with 17 points. Terry Roberts scored 11 and Braelen Bridges 10.
NO. 4 UCLA 78, CALIFORNIA 43
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 20 points and UCLA routed last-place California to improve to 15-0 at Pauley Pavilion this season and extend the nation&rsquo;s longest home winning streak to 23 games.
Amari Bailey added 16 points and nine rebounds for the first-place Bruins (23-4, 14-2 Pac-12), who clinched a first-round bye in next month&rsquo;s Pac-12 Tournament with their 11th win in a row over last-place Cal.
Kuany Kuany scored 14 points to lead the Golden Bears (3-24, 2-14), who dropped their 11th in a row. They fell to 0-3 against top-5 teams this season, having also lost a pair against No. 8 Arizona.
NO. 5 KANSAS 87, NO. 9 BAYLOR 71
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; DaJuan Harris scored all 14 of his points in the second half as Kansas stormed back from a double-digit halftime deficit.
The Jayhawks (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) outscored the Bears 55-26 in the second half. Jalen Wilson led Kansas with 21 points and 13 rebounds. KJ Adams added 17 points and Gradey Dick had 16.
The Jayhawks are tied with Texas for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.
Baylor (20-7, 9-5) got nearly all of its scoring from its three-guard combo of Adam Flagler (22 points) Keyonte George (20 points) and LJ Cryer (15 points).
NO. 7 VIRGINIA 57, NOTRE DAME 55
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark scored 15 points, including a pair of critical free throws with 22.6 seconds left, and became Virginia&rsquo;s career assist leader in the narrow win over Notre Dame.
With Notre Dame closing to 55-54, Clark converted both ends of a one-and-one. Trey Wertz made the front end of a one-and-one with 3.9 seconds left for the Fighting Irish, but missed the second after a timeout. The ball was tipped out to Dane Goodwin for a potential game-winning 3-pointer, but his shot bounced off the rim.
Armaan Franklin added 12 points and Reece Beekman had 11 for Virginia (21-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Nate Laszewski led Notre Dame (10-17, 2-14) with 18 points and Goodwin had 12.
NO. 8 ARIZONA 78, COLORADO 68
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Oumar Ballo had 18 points and 16 rebounds, Cedric Henderson Jr. added 15 points and Arizona dominated inside to beat Colorado.
The Wildcats (24-4, 13-4 Pac-12) opened with a rash of turnovers, falling into an early 12-point hole. Arizona righted itself quickly with a big run and slogged through a slowed-down second half by shutting down the Buffaloes.
Tristan da Silva had 18 points the Buffaloes (15-13, 7-10), who shot 38%.
KENTUCKY 66, NO. 10 TENNESSEE 54
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Cason Wallace and Oscar Tshiebwe each scored 16 points and Kentucky rushed to a big lead and beat Tennessee.
The Volunteers (20-7, 9-5 SEC) trailed by 20 points at halftime and lost in their first game since toppling No. 1 Alabama.
The Wildcats (18-9, 9-5) earned their first regular-season sweep of Tennessee since the 2011-12 season. Kentucky defeated the Volunteers 63-56 on Jan. 14 in Knoxville.
Wallace had totaled nine points in the Wildcats&rsquo; previous two games. Chris Livingston added 12 points and Jacob Toppin had 11.
NO. 12 KANSAS STATE 61, NO. 19 IOWA STATE 55
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell hit a 3-pointer from near midcourt with 2:42 remaining to help Kansas State over Iowa State.
Nowell finished with 20 points. Keyontae Johnson had 15 points for the Wildcats (20-7, 8-6 Big 12).
Aljaž Kunc led Iowa State (17-9, 8-6) with 15 points. Without their 3-point leader Caleb Grill in the lineup, the Cyclones worked inside the paint. They had 24 points inside and relied on a balanced scoring line led by Kunc.
NO. 13 GONZAGA 97, PEPPERDINE 88
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme scored 22 of his 34 points in the second half and Julian Strawther added 28 points to help Gonzaga extend its winning streak over the Waves to 45 games.
The Bulldogs (23-5, 12-2 West Coast Conference), who haven&rsquo;t lost to Pepperdine (9-10, 2-12) since Jan. 18, 2002 and have won 20 straight on the road against the Waves.
Timme moved past Bill Cartwright, who scored 2,116 points for San Francisco (1975-79), into eighth on the West Coast Conference&rsquo;s career scoring list with 2,117.
Houston Mallette led the Waves with 22 points. Jevon Porter and Maxwell Lewis added 20 points apiece.
NO. 14 INDIANA 71, ILLINOIS 68
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, Jalen Hood Schifino made two free throws with 30.7 seconds left, and Indiana rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to beat Illinois.
Hood-Schifino had 13 points for the Hoosiers (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten), who have won nine of 11 overall and 15 straight on their homecourt.
Matthew Mayer scored 24 to lead the Fighting Illini (17-9, 8-7), who were without injured leading scorer Terrence Shannon.
NO. 15 MIAMI 96, WAKE FOREST 87
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Isaiah Wong scored 27 points and Nijel Pack finished with 24 in Miami&rsquo;s win over Wake Forest.
Norchard Omier had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting while Jordan Miller added 14 points for the Hurricanes (22-5, 13-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their sixth straight and improved to 15-0 at home.
Tyree Appleby scored 15 points and Damari Monsanto and Cameron Hildreth had 14 each for the Demon Deacons (17-10, 9-7). Andrew Carr and Mathew Marsh finished with 12 points each.
NO. 16 XAVIER 82, DEPAUL 68
CINCINNATI (AP) &mdash; Jack Nunge had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Xavier bounced back from a pair of narrow losses to beat DePaul.
The Musketeers (20-7, 12-4 Big East) reached the 20-win mark for the 34th time in school history, 32 of which have come since the 1982-83 season. It was the 17th career double-double for Nunge, eighth this season. Adam Kunkel scored 16 points and tied a career-high with eight assists for Xavier.
Umoja Gibson had 17 points and De&rsquo;Sean Nelson 16 for DePaul (9-18, 3-13), which lost its eighth in a row.
NO. 17 ST. MARY&rsquo;S 71, BYU 65
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Logan Johnson scored 27 points and Aidan Mahaney delivered once again in the second half to lead Saint Mary&rsquo;s to its 15th win in 16 games.
Mahaney scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and Mitchell Saxen added 13. The Gaels (24-5, 13-1 West Coast Conference) won their 16th straight conference home game to maintain a one-game lead over Gonzaga in the standings.
Fousseyni Traore scored 16 points to lead the Cougars (16-14, 6-9). BYU has lost four straight and was swept in the season series by the Gaels.
NO. 18 CREIGHTON 77, ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 67
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Arthur Kaluma hit three straight 3-pointers down the stretch and Creighton overcame a second-half scoring drought to pull away from St. John&rsquo;s.
Creighton (18-9, 12-4) remained in a three-way tie for second place in the Big East after Providence and Xavier won earlier in the day. Marquette holds a one-game lead in the conference standings.
Ryan Nembhard scored 16 points for the Bluejays. Kaluma finished with 13 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12 as Creighton won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Joel Soriano led St. John&rsquo;s with 15 points and eight rebounds. David Jones added 14 points off the bench but the Red Storm (16-12, 6-11) were unable to get their third straight win.
NO. 20 UCONN 64, SETON HALL 55
STORRS, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn used a big second-half run to beat Seton Hall.
Andre Jackson had a career high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for UConn (20-7, 9-7 Big East).
Al-Amir Dawes and Tyrese Samuel each had 16 points for Seton Hall (16-12, 9-8), which trailed by 16 points with six minutes to play before a late run that fell short.
NO. 22 TCU 100, OKLAHOMA STATE 75
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) &mdash; Mike Miles Jr. had 15 points in his first game in three weeks, five other TCU players also scored in double figures, and the Horned Frogs snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Oklahoma State.
Emanuel Miller had 18 points to lead TCU (18-9, 7-7 Big 12), which shot a staggering season-high 68.4% (39 of 57) from the field. Damion Baugh had 16 points with 11 assists. Shahada Wells had 15 points, Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon 12 and Micah Peavy 10.
Bryce Thompson had 18 points and John-Michael White 15 for the Cowboys (16-11, 7-7).
NO. 24 PROVIDENCE 85, VILLANOVA 72
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Ed Croswell scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Providence earned its 20th victory of the season.
Bryce Hopkins added 19 points and 12 rebounds. Noah Locked finished with 16 points. Croswell connected on two late free throws to notch the 1,000th point of his career.
The Friars (20-7, 12-4 Big East) have recorded 20 or more wins in seven of coach Ed Cooley&rsquo;s 12 seasons. They improved to 15-0 at home, including 8-0 in conference play.
Eric Dixon had 18 points and eight rebounds and Justin Moore added 17 points for the Wildcats (13-14, 7-9)&nbsp;

A recap of Saturday's action in men's college basketball includes a full slate of top-25 teams in heavy competition.

No. 6 Texas needs OT at home to hold off Oklahoma 85-83

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Mortgage executive and former Michigan State guard Mat Ishbia is the new majority owner of the Phoenix Suns and WNBA&rsquo;s Phoenix Mercury, after the NBA&rsquo;s board of governors approved his plan to purchase the controlling stake of those franchises from Robert Sarver.
The league announced the approval Monday night, saying the transaction will be finalized later this week. The vote was 29-0, with the Cleveland Cavaliers abstaining, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the final decision had not yet been announced publicly.
Ishbia agreed on Dec. 20 to the deal, one that put the total value of the Suns and Mercury at $4 billion. Ishbia and his brother Justin said then that they would be acquiring more than 50% of the franchises, which includes the entirety of the embattled Sarver&rsquo;s share as well as some holdings from minority partners.
Mat Ishbia will be the Suns&rsquo; governor, Justin Ishbia will be alternate governor. They now can assume those roles just days before Thursday&rsquo;s NBA trade deadline, and with the Suns squarely in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race.
There are tentative plans to introduce Mat Ishbia on Wednesday at a news conference in Phoenix.
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No other sale in NBA history has been completed with a $4 billion valuation of the franchise involved. Joe Tsai bought the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center for $3.3 billion in 2019, and Tilman Fertitta purchased the Houston Rockets for $2.2 billion in 2017.
The sale was finalized hours after Jason Rowley &mdash; who was the Suns president and CEO &mdash; decided to leave the team in anticipation of the leadership changes, a person familiar with the matter told AP. That person, speaking on condition of anonymity because Rowley&rsquo;s resignation was not shared outside of the organization, said Rowley&rsquo;s departure was &ldquo;shared internally&rdquo; within the Suns organization on Monday.
Mat Ishbia is the chairman, president and chief executive of United Wholesale Mortgage, which bills itself as the nation&rsquo;s largest mortgage lender. He had to successfully complete a vetting process by the NBA before the transaction could be finalized, and then the league&rsquo;s other owners cast their ballots for or against the move.
Forbes recently listed his net worth as just over $5 billion. Ishbia&rsquo;s company went public in January 2021 and is a rival to Quicken Loans &mdash; the company that has Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert as its founder and chairman.
Ishbia played at Michigan State under coach Tom Izzo and was a member of the Spartans&rsquo; NCAA championship team in 2000.
The NBA suspended Sarver in September for one year, plus fined him $10 million, after an investigation found he had engaged in what the league called &ldquo;workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies.&rdquo;
The punishment came nearly a year after the NBA asked a law firm to investigate allegations that Sarver had a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents over his nearly two-decade tenure overseeing the franchise.
Shortly afterward, Sarver announced he would be looking to sell the Suns and the Mercury. He bought the Suns in 2004 for $401 million, which at the time was an NBA record.
Ishbia has been mentioned before as a possible buyer of pro franchises &mdash; the NFL&rsquo;s Washington Commanders, among them &mdash; and he is a prominent Michigan State donor.
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The NBA has approved the sale of the Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Mercury to mortgage executive Mat Ishbia.

NBA approves sale of Phoenix Suns, Mercury to Mat Ishbia

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

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

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

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

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

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

HoopHall Highlights: Top performances from Sunday's action

With the Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; win at Miami on Sunday, they have won a franchise record 18 of their last 20 games, which represents the best 20-game stretch at any point in a season in the organization's history.
Kyrie Irving is leading the Eastern Conference guards in All-Star voting, and Kevin Durant is having an MVP-level season, averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
But unfortunately, last night, Durant had to exit the game in the third quarter after Jimmy Butler fell into Durant. On Monday morning, the Nets announced that he was diagnosed with an isolated MCL sprain of the right knee and that he'll be out for at least the next two weeks before being reevaluated. It's devastating news for Nets fans, as the team has been taking the league by storm for the past 20 games.&nbsp;
To discuss Durant's injury, Irving's strong play and more, I sat down with Nets great and Basketball News contributor Kenyon Martin to discuss his former team.&nbsp;
Etan Thomas: The Nets are on a great run. They&rsquo;ve been proving a lot of people who had completely written them off wrong. How do you think they&rsquo;re playing overall right now?&nbsp;
Kenyon Martin: "I think they&rsquo;ve been playing great. Once you get your two stars on the same page in KD and Kyrie &mdash; and they&rsquo;re playing off each other and going to each other when the other one is hot and they&rsquo;re healthy &mdash; they are a tough team to beat. I saw KD went down last night and I&rsquo;m hearing he may be out for a few weeks, which definitely hurts, but he&rsquo;ll bounce back. They&rsquo;ll just have to hold down the fort until he gets back, and when he returns, they&rsquo;ll take off again just like they did when Kyrie returned.
"And Kyrie is playing as free as I&rsquo;ve seen him since he was with Cleveland in the Finals. It's like he&rsquo;s playing with no pressure and nothing holding him back from being one of the top guards in the league. And the team is benefiting from that relief."
Etan: Let me ask you this, because I think Jacque Vaughn has done an excellent job since he&rsquo;s taken over, and I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s being talked about as much as it should be. No knock on Steve Nash because I don&rsquo;t know the ins and outs of why it wasn&rsquo;t working with him, but there is definitely a visible difference. Would you agree?&nbsp;
Kenyon: "Let&rsquo;s be honest, E &mdash; Steve Nash is a hell of a basketball player and had great athletes around him. I&rsquo;ve never thought of Steve Nash as a vocal guy, never thought of him as that kind of a leader. I&rsquo;ve never heard him get after anybody. I&rsquo;ve never heard him put anybody in their place or call anybody out or chastise anyone who needed to be chastised. I just heard of him as a nice guy who is a great pass-first point guard who guys really enjoyed playing with. That&rsquo;s not to say that he couldn&rsquo;t have done a good job coaching; I just think it was a little premature to put him in that position.
"Jacque Vaughn, on the other hand, has proven that he could be a head coach down in Orlando. He just got a bad deal. But he showed that he could do all of the things that a head coach needs to do in order to be successful in this league. He&rsquo;s not afraid to be honest with guys, to call guys out or to challenge guys, but still not turn into the enemy. But (he'll) be like, 'We&rsquo;re in this together, but this is how we have to do things.' He wasn&rsquo;t a two-time NBA MVP, he wasn&rsquo;t an All-Star year-in and year-out, but he commanded a respect from the jump."
Etan: That&rsquo;s very true. One person who has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-nic-claxton-approach-reaping-rewards-with-surging-brooklyn-nets-kevin-durant-jacque-vaughn-kyrie-irving-royce-oneale-georgia-bulldogs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">really stood out this season is Nic Claxton</a>. He won&rsquo;t get the praise that KD and Kyrie get of course, but he has been doing a tremendous job and is really vital to this team.&nbsp;
Kenyon: "I&rsquo;ve been a big fan of his since he got to the Nets. I love the energy he plays with, his effort, his motor, his athleticism, his defense, (he's a) rim protector. And when you have a guy who is surrounded by superstars, understands and embraces his role, and plays it to the best of his ability, the team is going to be successful, and that&rsquo;s what he does night-in and night-out."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"He&rsquo;s a big piece for us and we need him every night." Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Jacque Vaughn reflect on Nic Claxton's impact on the Nets and his development into an everyday starting center. STORY: <a href="https://t.co/U1odBzLCHT">https://t.co/U1odBzLCHT</a> <a href="https://t.co/v4Meeb8B7V">pic.twitter.com/v4Meeb8B7V</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1607867619347931137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Etan: I always admit I do have big-man bias, and I know the game has transitioned into a more of a guards game &mdash; more people play small ball &mdash; but I&rsquo;m surprised players like Dwight Howard and (DeMarcus) Boogie Cousins aren&rsquo;t in the league right now. But specifically with the Nets, couldn&rsquo;t they use them? Especially in the playoffs when they have to face Milwaukee or Boston, or Philly with Joel Embiid and Montrezl Harrell off the bench?
Kenyon: "I&rsquo;m a big fan of both of those guys and their entire body of work. The way Boogie has adjusted his game and what people have thought of him over the years, he&rsquo;s channeled the energy that people were saying was negative into his game and on-court passion, tenacity and physicality that every team needs.&nbsp;
"And what Dwight brings to the table is similar to what we were talking about before with Nic Claxton. He knows his role and does it to the best of his ability. Shot-blocker, rebounder, physical play, athletic, rim-protector, and we all know he&rsquo;s strong as hell. Why wouldn&rsquo;t you want someone like that on your team? (Think about) what the Lakers got out of the combination of him and JaVale (McGee) a couple of years ago."
Etan: Uh huh, when they won the championship.&nbsp;
Kenyon: "Yup, I just think more teams should follow that. If you don&rsquo;t have a dominant Joel Embiid or a dominant (Nikola) Jokic, you need to play by committee at that position. And I think what a lot of teams are missing is exactly that. I think either one of them could be that missing piece for a lot of teams. But yes, specifically for the Nets this season."
Etan: I even <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-los-angeles-lakers-anthony-davis-etan-thomas-injury-achilles-recovery-heal-patient-robert-griffin-III-rgIII-frank-vogel-lebron-james" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote about it</a>. I was surprised, going back to JaVale and Dwight, that the Lakers didn&rsquo;t keep them. I&rsquo;m not a GM, but If it ain&rsquo;t broke and just won you a championship, don&rsquo;t fix it, right?
Kenyon: "Who&rsquo;d they get, Marc Gasol?"
Etan: Yeah, that&rsquo;s who they got.
Kenyon: "Yeah I just have a problem with the league as a whole when you have guys that have proven what they can bring to the table, talking about Dwight and Boogie Cousins. It makes no sense for them not to be on an NBA roster right now."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Etan: Another player I&rsquo;ve really been impressed with is Royce O'Neale. I don&rsquo;t know if people were expecting him to play as well as he&rsquo;s been playing this season. Was he a pleasant surprise for you or did you foresee that?
Kenyon: "Honestly, I thought it was a little weird of a trade at first because of the position that he plays. But you can never have enough guys that you can count on. I think Royce is a solid pro. He&rsquo;s proven that he can be successful in this league and you can count on him. And here&rsquo;s the thing &mdash; when players are surrounded by greatness and a role is asked of you, it should be easy for you to fill that role. You know what I mean? It shouldn&rsquo;t be a hard thing for professionals to do. People can really find success on good teams by simply doing what&rsquo;s asked of you."
Etan: (Laughing) Doesn&rsquo;t seem like a hard concept.
Kenyon: (Laughing) "Shouldn&rsquo;t be hard at all."
Etan: It&rsquo;s interesting with Kyrie, because really just a few weeks ago &mdash; after the entire fiasco when he shared the documentary "From Hebrews To Negroes," got suspended, had backlash, was assigned six steps to return and everything that transpired after that &mdash; there was this loud uproar among the media and fans on social media proclaiming definitively that the Nets would be better off without Kyrie Irving, and even that he may be out the league soon.
Kenyon: (Laughing) "How crazy is that?"
Etan: It&rsquo;s crazy, but that was the overall sentiment, especially from a lot of the media for a while. So he comes back and they are playing great. They go on a 5-0 winning run and Kyrie is averaging 30, then a 10-0 run, then a 14-1 run. Now, they&rsquo;ve won 18 of 20 games, setting a franchise record. Kyrie&rsquo;s hitting game-winners and shining, and you've seen all of those people just get quiet. None of those people have offered any retraction to their previously loud statements. They just act like they weren&rsquo;t just saying the Nets were better off without him. And I&rsquo;m just like, keep that same energy you had to demonize someone to also praise them when they are doing well.
Kenyon: "But the key word in what you just said is the media. Who cares what the media says? I took all that criticism and uproar and outrage the media had as all performative. They were just putting on a show and jumping on a bandwagon, which many of them get paid to do. I didn&rsquo;t buy into any of that. It&rsquo;s not like he wrote the book or made the doc. He said he didn&rsquo;t agree with all of it and was sharing it for the information. But if those media people who were saying the Nets were better off without Kyrie don&rsquo;t know how special of a player he is &mdash; aside from the documentary and whatever else &mdash; then they don&rsquo;t need to be writing or commenting on anything.
"It&rsquo;s like a fumble in football. Everybody in the media, fans (and) social media started jumping on top of the dog pile, and Kyrie emerged from the bottom of the pile carrying the football and holding it high in the air for everyone to see. The backlash didn&rsquo;t break him. The team still needs Kyrie Irving. They wouldn&rsquo;t be where they are without him. And if anybody thought the Nets didn&rsquo;t need him, they just don&rsquo;t know the game."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Kyrie Irving scored 29 PTS &amp; the Nets have won 18 of their last 20 games! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetsWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NetsWorld</a> <a href="https://t.co/6SobtaV7MI">pic.twitter.com/6SobtaV7MI</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1612422254607958016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Etan: I hear you, but the piling on just bothered me. I was like... y&rsquo;all are making him out to be Hitler himself. He <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dns9B0ypwk0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">specifically said</a>, like you mentioned earlier, "I don&rsquo;t agree with everything in this documentary, I&rsquo;m sharing it for the information, I don&rsquo;t hate anyone, I respect all religions." And they wanted to make him Public Enemy No. 1. and the face of antisemitism.
Kenyon: "Yeah, that&rsquo;s exactly what they tried to do, but it didn&rsquo;t work because that&rsquo;s not who he is and (he) has never been that. You can&rsquo;t make someone be something they&rsquo;re not, and that&rsquo;s not who he is."
Etan: But what was really bothering me is that I was seeing a lot of media people who look like me and you literally running to jump on that bandwagon and bashing him the most. That really bothered me.
Kenyon: "One-thousand percent. That bothered me as well seeing that because that&rsquo;s not the way it&rsquo;s supposed to be. And we&rsquo;re talking about Black media who are in high positions."
Etan: Yes, the ones you see if you turn on ESPN or FOX Sports or HBO Sports or the main Black sports journalists. And I don&rsquo;t have to single anyone out in particular because they all were doing that. It was really disappointing to see.
Kenyon: "For them to do that... I know you don&rsquo;t want to call names and I&rsquo;ll respect your platform, but some of them are some high paid."
Etan: Don&rsquo;t even say it.
Kenyon: (Laughing) "I won&rsquo;t say it but you know what I&rsquo;m thinking." (laughing)
Etan: (Laughing) Yes I do.
Kenyon: "And the guy you expected to join the piling on actually took up for Kyrie &mdash; talking about Jason Whitlock."
Etan: Him and Candace Owens did. How crazy is that? It was like we were in the Twilight Zone.
Kenyon: "They usually can&rsquo;t wait to say something negative about a Black athlete, or a Black person or the entire Black community."
Etan: They made an entire career out of it.
Kenyon: "Absolutely, and they are where they are because of that."
Etan: One-hundred percent.
Kenyon: "So yeah, I&rsquo;m with you, it was definitely disappointing to see the piling on from Black media people in particular on the platforms they have and not one guy said something even remotely in this man&rsquo;s corner. They were calling for his career."
Etan: And very loudly too. Jay Williams did say something, so shout out to him.
Kenyon: "Yeah that&rsquo;s right he did, but he was the only one, at least that I saw. But let me say this &mdash; you&rsquo;ve done a great job in providing perspective on this whole topic. I&rsquo;ve been following everything you posted. The interview with your guy from your show (Dave Zirin), you <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-60-rabbi-harry-rozenberg-on-antisemitism,-kyrie-irving-s-suspension,-nets-6-steps-to-return,-adl,-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sat down with a Rabbi</a>, you had the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-61-former-nba-players-craig-hodges-and-mahmoud-abdul-rauf-discuss-the-kyrie-irving-backlash,-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convo with Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Craig Hodges</a>. Even how you <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-nike-employs-adl-tactics-as-they-officially-drop-kyrie-irving-etan-thomas-torraine-walker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote about Nike after they dropped him</a>.
"That&rsquo;s why what you do is important, for that very reason of what we saw all the other media do with the piling on and one-sided bashing. You actually had discussions about it."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Etan: Thanks. Well, shout out to Basketball News for giving me the flexibility to cover different aspects of this topic in different ways. Most platforms wouldn&rsquo;t have allowed that. They would&rsquo;ve shut all that down.&nbsp;
Kenyon: "Censorship is crazy. Not even to have a discussion?"
Etan: Sometimes, media platforms want you to follow a script and you have to stick to the talking points. And with this, the script was: Bash Kyrie, label him antisemitic, denounce, condemn and bash some more.&nbsp;
Kenyon: "That&rsquo;s just wrong, but I&rsquo;m happy that Kyrie can put all of that behind him and the team&rsquo;s playing well, and he&rsquo;s rolling and being the Kyrie we all know him to be on the court. And you have to give a shout out to his teammates, who also didn&rsquo;t buy into all of the bashing and the talk of them being better without Kyrie. Because if you saw, they were trying to get them to co-sign that, but none of them did. They didn&rsquo;t say a bad word about Kyrie, and that&rsquo;s also a reason why they are playing so well right now. Because that kind of stuff can ruin the entire chemistry of a team if you let the outside noise seep into the locker room."
Etan: That&rsquo;s a great point. Last question: The Nets are playing really well, clicking on all cylinders and they have a rhythm with each other. They also have so many weapons we didn&rsquo;t even talk about like Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Ben Simmons, Yuta Watanabe and TJ Warren. How well can the Nets do this season?&nbsp;
Kenyon: "I would like to see them go out and get another big because you might have to play Philly. I love Nic Claxton, but dealing with Embiid by yourself for a whole playoff series is a lot to ask. But other than that, they have enough shooting, enough playmakers &mdash; they have a solid shot, they are definitely a contender. (It's about) learning how to win now, and win consistently like they have been doing &mdash; close games, ugly games, games where your main people are off because everything isn&rsquo;t going to be clicking every game. But still finding ways to win consistently, they are really preparing themselves for a very good playoff season."

Etan Thomas speaks with Kenyon Martin about the Nets' surge, Kevin Durant's latest knee injury and Kyrie Irving's recent play.

Kenyon Martin talks Nets, Kevin Durant's injury, Kyrie Irving backlash

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

Two quotes immediately come to mind when watching the Denver Nuggets play basketball this season, both coming <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/denver-nuggets-championship-dreams-come-035900051.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from their Media Day</a> back in October.&nbsp;
One comes from head coach Michael Malone.
"We understand that you can't be 15th in the NBA in defensive efficiency and be serious about winning at a high level... You look at the two teams in the NBA Finals; they were (No.) 1 and 2."
That trend &mdash; the Finals representatives being elite defensive teams &mdash; mostly holds true over the past 20 years, with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers being the exception to the rule.
This absolutely holds true if you filter the Western Conference; the 2000-01 Lakers were the last West team to make the Finals without a top-10 regular-season defense (22nd). They, of course, compensated with the NBA's best offense, headlined by some guys named Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Oh, and they had the best playoff defense by a wide margin that year en route to a 15-1 title run.
The other quote from Media Day comes from back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/denver-nuggets-championship-dreams-come-035900051.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the topic of his defense</a>.
"Maybe I can be a bad 1-on-1 defensive player, but I can be a good team-defense player... I think that's how we can plug holes if we have some holes in our defense."
It's a wild thing to hear or read, but it's easy to see where the logic comes from. Jokic has clear strengths defensively &mdash; his size, strength, <a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nikola-Jokic-69963/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a plus-4 wingspan (and 9-foot-3 standing reach)</a> and quick hands. He also has clear weaknesses &mdash;namely his lateral quickness and vertical pop. Within the lens of title contention, building a scheme around Jokic's defensive skill set has been the Nuggets' biggest challenge.
Between the Aaron Gordon trade (2020-21) and recent offseason moves for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade) and Bruce Brown (free agency), the effort has been made to become a deeper, more talented defensive team. Malone said his goal for the Nuggets was to become a top-five defense this season.
Not only has that not happened, but this is also shaping up to be the worst defense of the Malone era in Denver.&nbsp;
The Nuggets are currently allowing 115.7 points per 100 possessions (PPP), 27th in the NBA per Cleaning The Glass. That's 2.7 points worse than league average, putting them in the discussion with the 2016-17 Nuggets (112.4, 29th, 3.4 points worse than league average).&nbsp;
To fully understand what's going wrong with the Nuggets on defense, it's important to understand what they're trying to accomplish defensively.
(Diehard Nugget fans are welcome to skip this section.)
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With Jokic at center, the Nuggets have opted for a more aggressive base coverage against pick-and-rolls. While teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics play drop coverage &mdash; asking their bigs to hang back &mdash; the Nuggets ask Jokic to play higher up against screens. He's mostly at the level of the screen, but is sometimes asked to hedge or full-out trap the ball-handler.
This is Jokic's best coverage because of his aforementioned strengths. He's a large human with a solid wingspan and quick hands; naturally, that makes him difficult to dribble around or pass over. There's a reason Jokic is routinely among the league leaders in steals among centers, and has ranked in the 80th percentile or higher in steal rate in five of the past six seasons.&nbsp;
This is generally what the alignment looks like for the Nuggets.
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The coverage is of the high-risk, high-reward variety.
There's strain on Jokic and the ball-handler's defender to contain the action up top; if the ball-handler is able to pass early or dribble around Jokic, the defense in trouble. And if the three players on the back end aren't in position, the offense will have easy reads to make, and easy shots to take.
(Nugget fans can resume reading here.)
By virtue of the scheme, the Nuggets are able to shape the opponent's shot profile. Per Cleaning The Glass, the Nuggets rank 10th in rim rate allowed, 18th in mid-range rate allowed, and 19th in three-point rate. Not allowing many shots at the rim is a good thing, though being in the middle of the pack in mid-range and three-point rate leaves a bit to be desired. Here's the real kicker: Only five teams allow a larger share of corner threes than the Nuggets.
Funny enough, the Nuggets have been (statistically) solid in their base. Per Second Spectrum, the Nuggets have allowed 0.88 PPP with Jokic defending a pick-and-roll at the level of the screen or higher. That's on par with where he was last season (0.88 PPP) and way better than it was the year before that (0.97 PPP).&nbsp;
What keeps popping for me is how small the Nuggets often are on the back end. Teams have been able to generate good looks by either having Gordon's man run the pick-and-roll, or by spacing him at the wing. Because the Nuggets ask the weak-side corner defender to pick up the roll man, teams are able to create size advantages at the rim.&nbsp;
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Oddly enough, the Nuggets kinda miss Michael Porter Jr. on this front. While he (clearly) isn't the defender Brown is, his size could be a valuable asset on those low rotations.&nbsp;
The real issues arise when the Nuggets attempt to toggle between schemes. Remember that 0.88 number with Jokic playing higher up against ball-screens? It rises to 1.00 PPP on trips with him in a drop. In the rare occasion he's been tasked with switching, the Nuggets have bled points (1.5 PPP).&nbsp;
It's worth diving into the drop coverage reps for this team. In theory, they have more room to go conservative because of the added screen navigation from Brown and Caldwell-Pope. In practice, the screen navigation has trended more "solid" than "good," which has put more spotlight on Jokic's ability to navigate the gap in drop. He's often caught in no man's land, oscillating between waving/swiping at the ball-handler to throw off his rhythm and hanging back too far and allowing the ball-handler to lead the dance.&nbsp;
The issues are compounded when opponents throw in two (or more) ball-screens in the same possession. Jokic may defend the first one well, whether he's in a drop or at the level. The second one is dicier. He's either late getting up to the level, or is caught too low in a drop. Add in the inconsistent (or nonexistent) help, and you end up with possessions like this.
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Or this.
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Can you tell that the Atlanta Hawks game was perplexing to watch?
Ultimately, Denver banks on its defense to win at the first two levels (perimeter, mid-range) because the team just doesn't have much juice at the basket. When playing aggressively, the Nuggets' help is often small, even when it's on time. And when they aren't playing aggressively, they're dealing with shoddy rim protection between Jokic, this version of DeAndre Jordan, Jeff Green or Zeke Nnaji.
A not-so-fun fact: <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-impact?TeamID=1610612743&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=DEF_RIM_FGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Literally every Nuggets big man</a> is allowing a field goal percentage over 65% at the rim this season. On the whole, teams are shooting 70.7% at the rim against the Nuggets, the worst defensive mark in the NBA.
It's hard to foresee a big shift coming. They aren't trading Jokic, because duh. But because they have Jokic, they don't have much scheme versatility to play with unless they want to lean more into zone. That generally isn't Malone's vibe, but it's worth noting this is the most zone he's thrown out there during his Nuggets tenure.
<ul>
<li>2022-23: 98 total possessions, 4.6% of possessions</li>
<li>2021-22: 265, 3.5%</li>
<li>2020-21: 186, 2.8%</li>
<li>2019-20: 48, 0.7%</li>
<li>2018-19: 7, 0.1%</li>
<li>2017-18: 11, 0.1%</li>
<li>2016-17: 7, 0.1%</li>
<li>2015-16: 4, 0.1%</li>
</ul>
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Finding a trade to improve the frontcourt defense off the bench could help. The Nuggets <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612743&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">haven't defended well</a> with Jokic on the floor (113.9 Defensive Rating), but they've been even worse without him (118.4), and that's with teams shooting better from three with Jokic on the court (37.7% vs 34.3%). Shooting regression could make the disparity look even worse.
Beyond that, it's just on the Nuggets to play better &mdash; and get healthier. They've shown flashes of being able to string good possessions together. The personnel is better than it was last season. Consistency, health and a little luck &mdash; in terms of shot location and expected efficiency, only five teams are dealing with worse luck than the Nuggets, per Cleaning The Glass &mdash; should see the Nuggets improve. A top-five defense is out of the question, but there's a wide gap between top-five and bottom-five.
There's still potential, and time, to find the middle ground.

Nekias Duncan dives into the Nuggets' issues on defense surrounding Nikola Jokic and why the back end is a problem.

Analzying the Denver Nuggets' poor defense

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points and the Detroit Pistons snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 110-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.
The victory was the Pistons&rsquo; first on the road this season, as they had lost their previous 10. Detroit entered the night with a league-worst record of 3-15.
Former University of Colorado standout Alec Burks finished with 21 points for the Pistons, seven of which came in the fourth quarter.
After missing the past three games while in the NBA&rsquo;s COVID-19 protocols, Denver center Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, putting him just shy of his fourth triple-double of the season. Jokic&rsquo;s playing status was uncertain in the hours leading up to tip-off, as Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said before the game that he had &ldquo;no idea&rdquo; whether the reigning two-time NBA most valuable player would play after he cleared the NBA&rsquo;s health and safety protocols.
Leading by two entering the fourth quarter, the Pistons extended their advantage to 12, 96-84, on a transition dunk from Kevin Knox II that capped off an 11-1 run.
Denver trimmed that deficit to two, 104-102, following a hook shot from Jokic. With the Nuggets trailing by three with 2.2 seconds remaining, Denver guard Jamal Murray was fouled. After Murray made his first free throw and missed the second, teammate Aaron Gordon grabbed the rebound, but missed what would have been a game-tying jumper.
It was the Nuggets&rsquo; first game since Nov. 9 in which they weren&rsquo;t missing at least one of Jokic, Murray, Gordon or Bones Hyland, four of the team&rsquo;s five leading scorers. In the five games without each of those four players, the Nuggets went 2-3 following an 8-3 start to the season.
TIP-INS
Pistons: F Saddiq Bey did not play. Head coach Dwane Casey said Monday that Bey had flown back to Detroit to receive treatment for his sprained right ankle. Bey is fifth on the team in scoring, at 14.7 points per game.
Nuggets: Malone said he doesn&rsquo;t believe veteran F Jeff Green&rsquo;s right knee contusion is &ldquo;anything too serious&rdquo;, noting that it&rsquo;s &ldquo;more of a bone bruise.&rdquo; Malone added that Green will be out for the &ldquo;foreseeable future.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Pistons: at Utah Wednesday, the fifth game of a six-game road swing.
Nuggets: at Oklahoma City Wednesday

The victory was the Pistons’ first on the road this season, as they had lost their previous 10.

Pistons snap seven-game skid with 110-108 win over Nuggets

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Anthony Davis scored 28 points in his return to the Lakers lineup after missing two games due to injury, and Los Angeles defeated Golden State 124-121 Sunday night in the Warriors' first game since the practice altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole.
Matt Ryan made a pair of free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to seal the win. Davis, who sat out two games with lower back tightness, shot 9 for 18 for the Lakers, who won without LeBron James, Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook in the lineup.
Davis, who scored 24 points before halftime, played the opening shift of the second half before taking a seat after 21 total minutes. Kendrick Nunn scored 21 points and Ryan added 20 on 6-for-9 shooting from outside the arc.
Poole led the Warriors with 25 points on 10-for-19 shooting, and added six assists. Green fought with Poole during practice Wednesday. Green apologized to the team a day later and general manager Bob Myers said any potential discipline would be handled internally. Meanwhile, Green was unavailable, saying he will take some time away from the team.
Stephen Curry scored 24 points and Andrew Wiggins added 15 for the Warriors. Jonathan Kuminga (12 points) started in Green&rsquo;s place, while Poole replaced Klay Thompson, who is still building up for the regular season.
In the first half, Davis performed at the level the Lakers will need him if they are to improve on last season&rsquo;s 33-49 regular-season record that left them out of the postseason. Davis shot 7 of 13 before the break, making all eight of his free throws.
The game became close in the second half, and neither team led by more than six points in the fourth quarter.
BULLS 115, RAPTORS 98
DeMar DeRozan had 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Chicago used a second-half rally to beat host Toronto.
DeRozan converted 7 of 12 shots and all seven of his free throws. Javonte Green scored 17 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 14. Nikola Vucevic finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.
Paschal Siakam led the Raptors with 18 points and nine rebounds. The starting Toronto backcourt of Gary Trent Jr. and Fred VanVleet carried the Raptors to a lead in the first half. Trent finished with 17 points and VanVleet had 13.
Both teams played their regular starters, except for missing Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, who is recovering from a meniscus tear suffered in January.
The Raptors built a 10-point halftime lead behind Trent and VanVleet. The tandem combined for 25 points before the break, including Trent connecting on all five of his shots. Defensively, they had six steals in the half, including four by VanVleet. The Bulls had 16 turnovers in the first half.
The Bulls erased the lead in the third and pulled away in the fourth. Chicago outscored Toronto 68-41 in the second half.
TIMBERWOLVES 119, CLIPPERS 117
Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points, six assists and six rebounds in his preseason debut to lead visiting Minnesota.
Naz Reid had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, while Bryn Forbes added 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting on 3-pointers. Anthony Edwards had 14 points.
John Wall led the Clippers with 20 points. Paul George scored 14 and Marcus Morris Sr. added 13 points.
The Clippers saw a vision of their regular rotation as Kawhi Leonard, George, Wall and Reggie Jackson all played. Meanwhile, Towns saw his first action of the preseason for the Timberwolves after missing games due to a hospitalization. Still, there was not a glimpse of the potential twin towers in Minnesota as Rudy Gobert, acquired from Utah over the summer, sat out.
The teams were tied at 115 with under two minutes to play when Austin Rivers scored on a layup and Luka Garza hit a 6-foot hook to create enough of a buffer for Minnesota to remain undefeated in its three preseason games.
PELICANS 111, SPURS 97
In San Antonio, Trey Murphy III had 27 points and eight rebounds, Zion Williamson finished with eight points, nine rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes to lead New Orleans over the Spurs.
Naji Marshall scored 15 points for the Pelicans, and Jonas Valanciunas added 14 as New Orleans continued to play with stars resting or recovering from injury. Among those not active were CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram and Jaxson Hayes, who suffered a left elbow injury earlier in the week.
Murphy was 10 of 15 from the field, including 7 for 10 from beyond the arc.
Devonte Graham and Willy Hernangomez each scored 11 points. Graham added six assists and Hernangomez grabbed 10 rebounds.
Doug McDermott led the Spurs with 14 points, and Josh Richardson finished with 12. Veteran Gorgui Dieng had 10 points and nine rebounds for San Antonio.
KINGS 126, TRAIL BLAZERS 94
In Sacramento, Keegan Murray, the fourth overall pick in the draft from Iowa, scored 16 points and eight players reached double figures in leading the Kings past Portland.
Terence Davis and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox scored 14 points apiece for the Kings, while Domantas Sabonis added 13 points, four assists and seven rebounds.
Jerami Grant led Portland with 17 points. Anfernee Simons scored 16 and Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and nine rebounds.
Damian Lillard was held to eight points, making only two of his 10 shots, including missing all four of his 3-points attempts. He did hand out six assists.
THUNDER 144, MACCABI RA&rsquo;ANANA 97
Eugene Omoruyi scored 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting in Oklahoma City's win over visiting Maccabi Ra&rsquo;anana.
Luguentz Dort had 23 for Oklahoma City, while Ousmane Dieng, the 11th pick in last summer&rsquo;s draft, had 16 points for the Thunder. Aleksej Pokusevski and Jalen Williams, the 12th overall pick from Santa Clara, scored 15 points apiece.
Jason Suggs led Maccabi with 40 points on 15-for-26 shooting, including 5 of 9 from long distance. Terrence Jones had 15 points and Norris Cole contributed 12.
Willy Workman finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for Maccabi.
Oklahoma City sat a number of key players, including Josh Giddey, Tre Mann and Darius Bazley. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, dealing with a left MCL sprain, remained unavailable.

Davis, who scored 24 points before halftime, played the opening shift of the second half before taking a seat after 21 total minutes.

Anthony Davis scores 28 in return, Lakers defeat Warriors 124-121

Nekias Duncan thoroughly breaks down all five teams in the Northwest Division ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Northwest Division

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Miles Bridges&rsquo; future with the Charlotte Hornets remains uncertain as the team prepares to open training camp on Tuesday.
Bridges, the team&rsquo;s leading scorer last season, was charged with three counts of felony domestic violence in June. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney&rsquo;s office, Bridges allegedly assaulted the mother of his two young children in front of them. Bridges has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has a court date Thursday.
The uncertainty over Bridges&rsquo; legal issues has left the Hornets in wait-and-see mode when it comes to their star forward. Because he&rsquo;s a restricted free agent, Bridges is not listed on the team's roster &mdash; and he did not attend media day on Monday.
The NBA is also monitoring the situation.
Coach Steve Clifford, who is back for a second stint with the Hornets, said he's been advised not to discuss Bridges' legal situation while the case is ongoing. However, he talked about the need for a contingency plan.
&ldquo;When you play 82 games you are going to have guys injured, guys who are out, you have COVID. ... so you have to be adaptable in your thinking and make sure you have a plan B and plan C when it comes to your playing groups," Clifford said. "And this is a similar situation.&rdquo;
P.J. Washington would likely take Bridges' spot in the starting lineup.
Charlotte tendered Bridges a qualifying offer of $7.9 million before his arrest, a move that allowed them to match any offer sheet he signs with another team. The team had a chance to rescind that offer on July 13 but chose not to &mdash; a strong indication they still want him back.
However, because Bridges was arrested just days before the start of free agency, potential suitors shied away. The Hornets could have rescinded the qualifying offer to Bridges before July 13 but chose not to &mdash; a strong indication the four-year NBA veteran is still part of their plans.
Even if the legal situation is resolved and Bridges doesn't go to jail, there is still some uncertainty over his status. He essentially has four options: Sign an offer sheet with another team if one comes and see if the Hornets match; sign a long-term deal with the Hornets; agree to play under the Hornets' one-year qualifying offer; or sit out the entire season and become an unrestricted free agent next July.
Several Hornets players said they've reached out to Bridges and some have spoken to him, although none was willing to share details of those private conversations.
Gordon Hayward said not having Bridges back this season would alter the makeup of the Hornets, adding that &ldquo;you can't replace Miles Bridges.&rdquo;
Bridges averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 7 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season.
&ldquo;He does a lot of really good things for our team, on both sides of the ball,&rdquo; Hayward said. &ldquo;He's a really good defender, and offensively he took a big leap last year. So it's on all of us to step up if he's not here."
Added LaMelo Ball: &ldquo;I'm hoping we get him (back). I'm not really trying to throw in any negative energy and just trying to keep it positive.&rdquo;
WASHINGTON'S WEIGHT
Washington received some negative criticism last season for not being in shape. He took that to heart and hired a dietician during the offseason to help make sure he's eating the right foods. He said he's dropped about 12 pounds to get to 232, joking that is because &ldquo;I'm eating a lot of vegetables.&rdquo;
RICHARDS' PROGRESS
Clifford said no player made more improvement during the summer than third-year center Nick Richards. Clifford said the former second-round draft pick has taken giant steps forward and foresees him as the primary backup to Mason Plumlee. Of course, Richards could get competition from 7-foot-2 center Mark Williams, the team's first-round draft pick this year from Duke.
HAYWARD'S WORKLOAD
For the second straight season some of the talk at media day focused around managing Hayward's workload.
The Hornets' small forward has only played in 93 games over the past two seasons due to various injuries. Clifford said the Hornets are planning to closely monitor how much Hayward does in practice and games in an effort to maximize his productivity.
&ldquo;I feel great right now,&rdquo; Hayward said.
LOW EXPECTATIONS
The Hornets' season ended the past two years with blowout losses in play-in games at Indiana and Atlanta. Given that the team didn't make any huge upgrades in free agency, few prognosticators are giving them a chance to be a playoff team, which is fine by guard Terry Rozier.
&ldquo;We pray that we are slept on, and that teams come in here every night and play the Hornets and think it's a night off,&rdquo; Rozier said.
SHOOTING LEFTY
Plumlee was struggling so much with free throws last season he changed to shooting with his left hand late in the year. The veteran center said he plans to continue doing so this year, saying &ldquo;it just feels better.&rdquo;

Despite Miles Bridges' uncertain future, the Charlotte Hornets hope to exceed low expectations.

Hornets enter training camp; Miles Bridges' future uncertain

In the latest installment of his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes the two-way brilliance of Shawn Kemp.

Blazing the Trail: Shawn Kemp, the aerial artist

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

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

Former Los Angeles Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine.
Medvedenko was a power forward on the Lakers&rsquo; championship teams in 2001 and &rsquo;02, playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal.
SCP Auctions is donating the entire final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko&rsquo;s Fly High Foundation. Its goal is to support Ukrainian children by restoring the sports infrastructure of the war-torn country&rsquo;s schools and launching a network of social sports clubs.
&ldquo;We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools,&rdquo; he told The Associated Press by phone on Sunday. &ldquo;Our country, they need a lot of money to fix the schools. Sports gyms are going to be last in the line to fix it. In Ukraine, we have winter and kids need to play inside.&rdquo;
The auction runs from Wednesday through Aug. 5. The Laguna Niguel, California-based company estimates both rings will raise at least $100,000.
Medvedenko said he decided to sell the rings after going to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in his Kyiv neighborhood and watching rockets launched by Russian forces streak through the night sky.
&ldquo;In this moment I just decided, &lsquo;Why do I need these rings if they&rsquo;re just sitting in my safe?&rsquo;&rdquo; Medvedenko said. &ldquo;I just recognize I can die. After that, I just say I have to sell them to show people leadership, to help my Ukrainian people to live better, to help kids.&rdquo;
Medvedenko spoke from Warsaw, Poland, where he staged a sold out charity basketball game to raise money for Ukrainian refugees who crossed the border to escape the war.
&ldquo;In Ukraine, you&rsquo;re just feeling it&rsquo;s war, rockets, air alerts. You&rsquo;re so used to that kind of pressure,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;As soon as you cross the border and see how people live normal life, it&rsquo;s a different world.&rdquo;
The 43-year-old is married with two daughters, ages 16 and 11, and a 10-year-old son. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Medvedenko sent his children to live with their grandmother in another part of the country.
&ldquo;After they stay for 1 1/2 months, they were all the time calling me and asking, &lsquo;Papa, can we come home? We want to be with you and Momma,&rsquo;&rdquo; he recalled.
Five months into the war, Medvedenko has reunited his family in Kyiv.
&ldquo;We have air alerts almost every day. Sometimes it&rsquo;s three or four times a day,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The kids are so used to it. They play in our backyard. They not even stop playing they are used to it.&rdquo;
Medvedenko has served in Ukraine&rsquo;s territorial defense forces during the war.
&ldquo;We were defending our neighborhood, doing checkpoints and duty patrol. I&rsquo;m not the best solider, I&rsquo;m not the best shooter, but I can give them support,&rdquo; he said, adding that he carried an AK-47. &ldquo;I shoot it a couple times, not at people. I&rsquo;m happy I don&rsquo;t have a chance to shoot somebody. Our army did a great job to defend Kyiv. I want to thank them.&rdquo;
Medvedenko was a candidate for Kyiv City Council in the 2020 election. He was 11th on the election list and his party only managed to win nine seats.
Beyond his humanitarian efforts during the war, Medvedenko has long-term goals to help his country.
&ldquo;After the victory, we will definitely return to that question of quality changes in sport,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Ten years in the United States, I saw how it works. I hope I have ideal model in my mind to change Ukrainian sport.&rdquo;
Medvedenko joined the Lakers in the 2000-01 season. He had his best season in 2003-04 when he started 38 games in place of injured Hall of Famer Karl Malone, and averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. Injuries later slowed him and Medvedenko was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2006-07, his final season in the league.
Medvedenko said he texts with former Lakers Mark Madsen and Luke Walton. The team has sent sports equipment for use in Ukraine.
&ldquo;The Lakers family always help me,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The Lakers are always in my heart.&rdquo;

Former Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine.

Former Laker Slava Medvedenko auctions NBA title rings for Ukraine

The Memphis Grizzlies have nailed the NBA Draft since Zach Kleiman took over the front office. In recent years, he and his staff have clearly identified their kind of prospects and honed in on these players.&nbsp;
Several months after Kleiman was promoted to Memphis' executive vice president of basketball operations on April 2019, he selected Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick.
Later that draft night, the Grizzlies traded up to draft Brandon Clarke with the No. 21 pick. Clarke was a fringe top-10 player on many big boards, but continued to slip on draft night due to his age (23) and limited wingspan (6-foot-8, which is the same as his height). Many of Memphis' picks fit this description; by unsubscribing from groupthink, the Grizzlies have managed to find sleepers that other front offices overlooked due to perceived issues.
Clarke went on to deliver the most efficient season from the field in NBA history for a rookie (61.8% field-goal percentage), and he was the Grizzlies' biggest impact player during their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.
The Grizzlies did not have a first-round pick in 2020, but sent two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the No. 30 pick. Kleiman then selected Desmond Bane, who was still on the board because of his age (22) and wingspan (6-foot-4, despite standing at 6-foot-6).
Bane had the highest college PER of any Grizzlies draft pick in franchise history. All Bane did was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/desmond-bane-cementing-himself-as-essential-part-of-nextgen-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become a Most Improved Player candidate</a> in his sophomore season, and he is currently emerging as one of the most lethal shooters in the league.
In the second round, following the Bane selection, Kleiman moved up again to get Xavier Tillman Sr. out of Michigan State; Tillman was another 22-year-old with first-round talent who slid because of age. He hasn't had the same impact as Clarke or Bane, but he's had his moments over the last two seasons.&nbsp;
The 2021 NBA Draft is yet another prime example of Kleiman doing things his way. The Grizzlies moved up from No. 17 to No. 10, with players such as James Bouknight, Moses Moody and Chris Duarte on the board. Most assumed that Moody was the no-brainer pick for the Grizzlies, but Kleiman and Co. had a different plan; Memphis selected Ziaire Williams out of Stanford. Most mock drafts had Williams as a mid-to-late first-round pick, but the Grizzlies were not going to take any chances and risk missing out on their guy.
Then, in back-to-back years of the draft, Memphis bought back into the first round by acquiring the No. 30 pick to gain a cheaper, controlled contract. The Grizzlies dealt the No. 40 pick and two future second-round picks in exchange for the No. 30 selection, where Santi Aldama was the choice. Most teams didn't have Aldama atop their draft board at that spot, as a number of prospects with late-first grades had slipped, including JT Thor, Ayo Dosunmu and Joe Wieskamp. However, the Grizzlies were determined to add the 6-foot-11 forward who can dribble, pass and shoot &mdash; providing versatility and spacing.&nbsp;
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Leading up to the 2022 NBA Draft, multiple outlets reported that Memphis was interested in moving up again. The Grizzlies were rumored to be after the Sacramento Kings' No. 4 pick and the New York Knicks' No. 11 pick (and they likely inquired about some selections in between).&nbsp;
Here's what we know: the Grizzlies have a type, and they'll do whatever it takes to get their guys &mdash; even if that means trading up. Outside of Morant, every draft pick from Kleiman and Co. has been the result of Memphis moving up in the draft to snag its target.
Should a team go after the best player available or prioritize the best fit for its roster? This is one of the main debates that surfaces every year around the NBA Draft. For the Grizzlies, the best player available is the guy who is the best fit. For Memphis, best fit doesn't just refer to someone who fills a positional need. They are looking for the player who best fits the current mix of players as a person and a player. And unlike other teams, the Grizzlies aren't focused on a player's age and wingspan.
&ldquo;What we really care about is: Who is the person and are they good at basketball?&rdquo; Kleiman said.
Armed with picks No. 22 and No. 29 in this year's first round, it felt inevitable that the Grizzlies were going to trade up and snag their guy. Was it going to be Tari Eason from LSU? AJ Griffin seemed like a perfect fit. Even Jalen Duren made sense. But when it comes to Memphis, identifying the team's targets without inside knowledge is a crapshoot.
Then, it happened: Memphis packaged their two first-rounders to move up to No. 19. Malaki Branham was there, slipping out of the teens. Christian Braun and MarJon Beauchamp were also on the board. However, the Grizzlies opted for Jake LaRavia out of Wake Forest. This was their guy. With the San Antonio Spurs rumored to like LaRavia at No. 20, they made sure to go get him.
Now, would Memphis once again try to trade up into the end of the first round for the third year in a row?
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> today announced the team acquired the draft rights to David Roddy (the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft) and Danny Green from the Philadelphia 76ers for De'Anthony Melton. <a href="https://t.co/M5zHBVvjtR">pic.twitter.com/M5zHBVvjtR</a>
&mdash; Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1540450306126819328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Grizzlies didn't wait for the last pick of the first round this time, jumping back in four selections after LaRavia's to surprise everyone once again. Jaden Hardy, Andrew Nembhard and Patrick Baldwin Jr. had all been linked to Memphis during the pre-draft process. Instead, it was David Roddy, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-prospect-david-roddy-aims-to-be-ultimate-glue-guy-after-colorado-state-breakout-minneapolis-minnesota-breck-school-phil-beckner-niko-medved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6-foot-6 defensive lineman&nbsp;forward from Colorado State</a>.&nbsp;
As the second round progressed, a few players began to fall. EJ Liddell, Bryce McGowens and Kennedy Chandler were sliding despite having first-round grades. Then, Memphis struck again, acquiring the No. 38 pick for a future second-rounder and cash. Here, the Grizzlies selected Chandler.
"We were shocked that Kennedy slipped to where he was,&rdquo; Kleiman said after the draft. "That wasn't the first team that we called trying to get in using a second, trading in and trying to get a point guard who fits what we're about.&rdquo;
Kleiman still had No. 47 even after trading up twice. Memphis selected Vince Williams Jr. out of VCU, a 6-foot-5 wing with a 7-foot wingspan.&nbsp;
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Only three college players reached these thresholds: Shot Selection: eFG% &gt; 57% Value Beyond Scoring: D-REB% and AST% &gt; 14% Defensive Playmaking: BLK% and STL% &gt; 2% The Grizzlies drafted all three: Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and Vince Williams 🔥🔥<a href="https://t.co/o4aJDNy1lL">https://t.co/o4aJDNy1lL</a>
&mdash; Bryan Kalbrosky (@BryanKalbrosky) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1541478576201113602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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After their second-round exit against the world champion Golden State Warriors, it was clear Memphis needed shooters and guys who could defend and play in the half-court. All four of the organization's draft picks shot better than 38% from deep last season and averaged over 2.0 stocks (steals and blocks) per game.
While they vary in size and position, the Grizzlies selected four players who can dribble, pass, shoot and defend. And though shooting was the priority in this draft, they stuck to their plan, searching for good people who are also good at basketball.
After an eventful draft night, they ended up with four players who can contribute in a multitude of ways early in their careers.
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The Grizzlies have been aggressive in recent NBA Drafts, trading up every year since 2019 to go get their guys.