Milwaukee Bucks

Dort and Toppin, once labeled &ldquo;cannot shoot&rdquo; coming into their NBA careers, both made big impacts in their first-ever Finals game, draining 5 threes each
In the NBA, the brightest lights often reveal the clearest truths.
For Lu Dort and Obi Toppin, the opening game of the 2025 NBA Finals was more than just their debut on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage &ndash; it was a triumphant vindication. Two players once written off as flawed prospects because of their shooting, each drained five three-pointers in Game 1, helping their teams swing momentum and silence long-standing doubts about their offensive ceilings.
It was a performance steeped in symbolism. Dort, the undrafted defensive ace turned perimeter weapon, and Toppin, the high-flying former lottery pick once typecast as an energy dunker, had just reshaped the narrative &ndash; not just for the game, but for their careers.
Five threes. That&rsquo;s what both Dort and Toppin registered by the final buzzer in their Finals debuts. For any role player, that&rsquo;s an outstanding night. But for these two in particular, it was poetic justice.
Lu Dort wasn&rsquo;t supposed to be here. He wasn&rsquo;t drafted in 2019, and scouts questioned whether he had the offensive tools to stick in the league. He carved a role for himself with smothering defense, becoming one of the league&rsquo;s fiercest perimeter defenders. But that label &ndash; defensive stopper who can&rsquo;t shoot &ndash; stuck.
For years, Dort was left open. Defenses dared him to shoot. And too often, they were right to. His mechanics were rigid and his decision-making was erratic. But he didn&rsquo;t let that define him.
Dort has been one of the hardest workers on this OKC Thunder squad, shooting hundreds of reps every day during the&nbsp; offseason and the regular season even during losing streaks or back-to-backs.
That dedication culminated in Game 1, where Dort&rsquo;s five triples not only stretched the defense but gave Oklahoma City a vital offensive release valve in a high-stakes contest. Each make felt like the culmination of countless unseen hours.
Across the court, Obi Toppin was having a moment of his own.
Drafted eighth overall in 2020 by the New York Knicks, Toppin entered the league with highlight-reel athleticism and a college resume built on jaw-dropping dunks and vertical explosion. But quickly, he was pigeonholed and relegated just to that specific role alone.
The knock on Toppin was that he couldn&rsquo;t space the floor. That he was a dunker, not a basketball player. That once the athleticism declined, so would his value.
That narrative followed him out of New York and into Indiana, where a fresh start and head coach Rick Carlisle who believed in his development gave Toppin the runway to evolve. Over the past two seasons, Toppin&rsquo;s shooting steadily improved as his release quickened and his confidence grew. And in Game 1 of the Finals, it all came together.
Five made threes. All in rhythm and all fearless, with shots coming in from the crucial third and fourth quarters that helped Indiana to come back from a 15-point deficit.
Toppin didn&rsquo;t just space the floor &ndash; he bent it. He turned OKC&rsquo;s defense into a scramble, forcing rotations, opening lanes, and punishing closeouts. He played like someone who knew what this moment meant, not just for the game, but for the version of himself that people doubted for years.
Superstars dominate headlines in the NBA Finals, and rightfully so. But Dort and Toppin reminded the world that role players can swing games &ndash; and championships too. Their impact wasn&rsquo;t just about the box score; it was about the confidence they gave their teammates and the pressure they took off their stars.
Dort&rsquo;s three-point makes gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the spacing he needed to operate. Toppin&rsquo;s shooting allowed Tyrese Haliburton to orchestrate with a wider canvas. And in a game of inches, those extra feet of space mattered.
This wasn&rsquo;t some hot-shooting fluke. It was the product of years of sweat equity.
Dort entered the Finals shooting a career-high percentage from three this season. He rebuilt his jumper from the ground up and transformed his shot selection. Toppin, meanwhile, has quietly become a legitimate stretch four, hitting a good amount of his threes this season on increased volume.
What we saw in Game 1 wasn&rsquo;t a one-night miracle &ndash; it was a crescendo after years of being overlooked in that department.
It&rsquo;s easy to forget that both players were, at one point, afterthoughts in their respective teams' long-term plans.
Dort fought for a two-way contract, eventually earning his place in OKC&rsquo;s young core through defense, hustle, and improvement. Toppin was traded for spare parts. His exit from New York barely registered as a headline. But in Indiana, he found a system that let him grow.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals was their statement.
For Dort, it was a validation of years spent being the first one in the gym and the last one out. For Toppin, it was confirmation that the dunk contest was just a footnote in his journey, not the highlight.
They didn&rsquo;t just hit five threes. They rewrote the scouting reports. They proved the doubters wrong in basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
There&rsquo;s something beautiful about seeing players redefine themselves. Not through viral highlights or big contracts, but through unglamorous, tireless work.
Dort and Toppin didn&rsquo;t become shooters overnight. They didn&rsquo;t stumble into Finals glory. They earned it through thousands of lonely reps, film sessions, tweaks, failures, and restarts.
That&rsquo;s why their Game 1 explosion hit differently.
It wasn&rsquo;t just a surprise &ndash; it was a celebration. A reminder that even in a league dominated by superstars, there&rsquo;s still room for the grinders. For the ones who refuse to be boxed in by labels. For the players who keep showing up, keep improving, and &ndash; when the moment finally comes &ndash; rise to meet it.
Lu Dort and Obi Toppin weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this. But they believed they could be. And now, with the whole basketball world watching, they are.

Lu Dort and Obi Toppin stunned in their 2025 NBA Finals debut, each making five three-pointers and defying critics.

Lu Dort, Obi Toppin rewrite their narratives in NBA Finals debut

In an NBA era defined by star-chasing, supermax contracts, and eye-watering luxury tax bills, the Indiana Pacers have defied every expectation &ndash; and the associated financial precedent. This isn't just a Cinderella story &ndash; it is a testament to the franchise&rsquo;s strategic planning, belief, and organizational cohesion. The Pacers didn&rsquo;t just sneak into the NBA Finals. They earned their way there, brick by brick, all while keeping their books clean and their identity intact.
When the final buzzer sounded in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it wasn&rsquo;t just a win for Indiana &ndash; it was a triumph for every small-market franchise searching for hope. In a league that often favors the big spenders, Indiana made it through without ever crossing into luxury tax territory. It&rsquo;s a feat that&rsquo;s not just impressive &ndash; it&rsquo;s unprecedented in today&rsquo;s NBA landscape.
This Finals appearance isn&rsquo;t an overnight success. What they lacked in payroll, they made up for in vision, development, coaching, and complete buy-in from the front office, to the coaching staff, and the players themselves &ndash; making this a culmination of the belief that you can build a winner through cohesion and culture &ndash; and not just cost.
<h4>A vision realized for Indiana</h4>
The foundation of Indiana&rsquo;s Finals run traces back to February 2022. The Pacers shipped All-Star Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento and received a then-rising guard in Tyrese Haliburton.&nbsp;
At the time, the move was seen as a gamble. Few teams part ways with a current All-Star for a young guard still developing. At the time, the move was seen as a gamble. Few teams part ways with a current All-Star for a young guard still developing. Many questioned the move and a few understood the vision.
However, Indiana did. They saw a lead playmaker who could evolve into the face of their franchise. Three years later, Haliburton has done exactly that &ndash; growing into an All-NBA-caliber PG, powering the league&rsquo;s fastest-paced offense and leading the Pacers with maturity beyond his years.
Haliburton was also someone who could not only run their offense but also carry the culture. The result was a floor general with a team-first mentality and elite passing instincts, now one of the NBA's most dynamic point guards, but at the same time has one of the energetic personalities and star vibe in the league. Haliburton&rsquo;s development into a full-fledged star wasn&rsquo;t accidental. It was intentional &ndash; nurtured by head coach Rick Carlisle, empowered by the front office, and amplified by the supporting cast that embraced his leadership.
The vision was clear from the start: make Haliburton the center of everything. Build around his IQ, his unselfishness, and his drive. That clarity allowed the front office to pursue players who complemented his skill set, not cluttered it.
One of those pieces came midseason in the form of Pascal Siakam, acquired from Toronto. Siakam brought championship pedigree, defensive versatility, and a scoring punch that balanced out Indiana&rsquo;s offense. While most teams searched for flash, Indiana sought fit. Siakam wasn&rsquo;t just a name &ndash; he was a need, and he filled it perfectly with all his traits that the team needed.
Pairing Haliburton&rsquo;s creativity with Siakam&rsquo;s downhill force turned Indiana into an offensive juggernaut. They didn&rsquo;t just outscore opponents, they overwhelmed them with pace, precision, and purpose.
<h4>Finding value in &ldquo;rejects and cast-offs&rdquo;</h4>
Indiana&rsquo;s roster isn&rsquo;t built on big names &ndash; it is built on belief.&nbsp;
Obi Toppin, once a lottery pick in New York, never got the role or runway he needed. In Indiana, he found freedom. In Carlisle&rsquo;s system, his athleticism became a weapon, not an afterthought.
Aaron Nesmith was viewed as a spare part in Boston, part of the return in the Malcolm Brogdon deal. Now? He&rsquo;s a defensive stopper, reliable shooter, and starter for a Finals-bound team.
Both were labeled as afterthoughts elsewhere but in Indiana, they were seen as untapped potential, and they have been vital pieces in this run to the Finals. These weren&rsquo;t lottery tickets. These were strategic buys; low-risk, high-reward acquisitions that paid off because the Pacers provided the right ecosystem for growth.
In a system that values spacing, ball movement, and grit, players like Toppin and Nesmith flourished. Their emergence wasn&rsquo;t just a bonus &ndash; it was necessary. The Pacers&rsquo; depth became one of their biggest advantages, and it was built on players most teams had given up on.
<h4>Myles Turner: The loyal soul that stayed after being through it all</h4>
If there&rsquo;s a symbol of Indiana&rsquo;s perseverance, it&rsquo;s Myles Turner. For years, he was in every trade rumor imaginable. Yet he never asked out, never wavered, and just kept working.
Now, the longest-tenured Pacer is finally on the biggest stage. Turner&rsquo;s elite shot-blocking, stretch/spacing ability, and leadership have anchored this team in every sense.&nbsp;
Turner is the defensive anchor and emotional pillar of Indiana&rsquo;s run, and on a team full of new faces, his presence provided continuity which he has embodied from day one.
His loyalty was rewarded and his patience paid off. And in a poetic twist, he&rsquo;ll play for a title in the only uniform he&rsquo;s ever known.
<h4>The right draft picks, the right roles, and the culture setters</h4>
The Pacers didn&rsquo;t just win the draft &ndash; they won the development battle. Andrew Nembhard, taken 31st overall in 2022, has become one of the best value picks in recent years. His poise, defensive tenacity, and timely playmaking have been invaluable throughout the playoffs next to Haliburton.
Then there&rsquo;s Bennedict Mathurin &ndash; flashy, fearless, and unafraid of the moment. He&rsquo;s not a volume scorer yet, but his playoff contributions &ndash; attacking off the bench, hitting momentum-swinging shots &ndash; have added another dimension to Indiana&rsquo;s attack.
Together, they reflect the front office&rsquo;s shrewdness. Indiana didn&rsquo;t just draft talent &ndash; they drafted competitors that can be brought to war.
On the other hand, people like TJ McConnell &ndash; veterans who show up, do the work, and demand accountability &ndash; have helped shape the culture in Indiana. McConnell may not stuff the stat sheet, but he sets the tone. Every loose ball, every second-unit possession, every moment of urgency, he&rsquo;s there &ndash; diving, scrapping, leading.
In the playoffs, when the margin of error shrinks, players like McConnell make the difference. His presence alone changes games &ndash; and reflects the kind of winning culture Indiana has quietly cultivated for years and it has absolutely paid off with this Finals run.
<h4>Brilliant coaching by veteran champion coach Rick Carlisle</h4>
However, none of this happens without Rick Carlisle. Over a decade removed from his legendary 2011 title run with Dallas, Carlisle has once again proven his genius. He reinvented Indiana&rsquo;s offense around Haliburton&rsquo;s strengths, managed egos without sacrificing cohesion, and made the right adjustments at every critical postseason juncture.
His calm demeanor, sharp tactical mind, and belief in player empowerment have given this group the freedom to grow &ndash; and the structure to succeed. He wanted to build something sustainable and something real. He didn&rsquo;t just install a playbook &ndash; he constructed a belief system. One that emphasized player development, ball movement, and defensive grit.
Carlisle has masterfully blended youth with experience, adapting his game plan series after series. He&rsquo;s out-coached more expensive benches and out-thought veteran counterparts. He&rsquo;s now one of the few head coaches to lead multiple franchises to the NBA Finals, and he did it again without a superteam &ndash; but by doing it with one of the most balanced rosters in the NBA.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
What makes Indiana&rsquo;s improbable NBA Finals run remarkable is the backdrop: a financial arms race across the league. Many are saddled with bloated payrolls and limited flexibility and have spent well into the luxury tax just to chase a title.
Through careful planning, smart contracts, and prudent investments, the Pacers have remained competitive without ever compromising their cap structure.
This is a reminder to the league that culture matters. That coaching still counts. That not every superstar needs to be acquired through chaos.
In many ways, Indiana has done the impossible: they&rsquo;ve built a Finals team without mortgaging their future or blowing up their balance sheet. They&rsquo;ve set a new standard &ndash;&nbsp; a proof that a franchise can win through culture, clarity, and consistency, not just cash.
The Pacers built something lasting. Something meaningful. And in doing so, they&rsquo;ve earned the respect of the basketball world. This is more than just a basketball success story. The Indiana Pacers didn&rsquo;t just get here. They earned it &ndash; methodically, intelligently, and without ever compromising who they are.
And now, the Pacers are four wins away from finishing the story on the sport&rsquo;s biggest stage.

The Pacers reached the NBA Finals without luxury tax, proving a sustainable, cap-smart approach can still build a title contender.

Sustainable Greatness: Indiana’s cap-savvy journey to the NBA Finals

After a recent chatter following a controversial NBA ballot amongst the players, Tyrese Haliburton wanted to shake out a shadow that has been cast over him.
&ldquo;Overrated.&rdquo;
Some people say, Haliburton is too unselfish, too pass-first, not a &ldquo;killer&rdquo;, and not a &ldquo;real&rdquo; No. 1 option.
But on a loud night in Cleveland, with the result all but raining down and the Indiana Pacers securing a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton didn&rsquo;t have to say a word. The scoreboard, the series tally, and the stunned expressions on the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers&rsquo; team and crowd spoke loudly enough.
The Pacers have won in 5 games against a team that was supposed to outclass them. This wasn&rsquo;t just an upset &mdash; it was a dismantling. And it was proof that Haliburton&rsquo;s style, and this Pacers team, are not just good enough. They&rsquo;re built the right way, and they&rsquo;re built to last.
A system that works, a star that believes
Haliburton didn&rsquo;t need 40-point nights to make his impact felt. He orchestrated, he read the floor two steps ahead, and he elevated everyone around him. In the closeout Game 5 win, his stat line &mdash; 31 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 6 threes &mdash; was a masterclass in control. What he did was subtle, surgical, and suffocating for Cleveland.
Indiana picked apart the Cavaliers with relentless pace, smart spacing, and constant movement. Kenny Atkinson&rsquo;s squad, known for its defensive tenacity during the regular season, looked overwhelmed trying to keep up. Evan Mobley was stretched thin. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell were hunted. The Cavaliers had no answers for the tempo.
And it wasn&rsquo;t just Haliburton. Andrew Nembhard&rsquo;s two-way brilliance, Myles Turner&rsquo;s timely rim protection, Pascal Siakam&rsquo;s veteran calm, and Obi Toppin&rsquo;s injection of energy all contributed to a five-game win that felt like a statement. Indiana is not just fun anymore. They are contending.
The blueprint of a contender
This isn&rsquo;t a superteam. This is a team that became great through vision, patience, and precision, led by brilliant veteran head coach Rick Carlisle.
The foundation was built through the draft: Turner, the lone holdover from the Paul George era, grew into a versatile anchor. Nembhard, Sheppard, Mathurin &mdash; all young players with composure beyond their years.
They traded smartly: getting Haliburton in exchange for Domantas Sabonis felt controversial at first, but it&rsquo;s now one of the most lopsided deals in recent memory. Adding Siakam at the deadline was a masterstroke &mdash; he brought championship pedigree without disrupting the flow. He didn't just buy into the system; he elevated it.
And their free agent signings were understated but vital. TJ McConnell remains the heartbeat off the bench. Aaron Nesmith has become a true 3-and-D weapon. Thomas Bryant and Obi Toppin give this team depth and versatility.
There&rsquo;s no ego here, there is just cohesion and belief.
&ldquo;We know what we have,&rdquo; head coach Rick Carlisle said after Game 5. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got guys who care more about the next pass than the last shot. That&rsquo;s special.&rdquo;
Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s rise wasn&rsquo;t fueled by noise. It&rsquo;s been built quietly, piece by piece, through reading defenses and manipulating tempo, through making stars out of role players and rhythm out of chaos.
He&rsquo;s not a flamethrower like Steph. He&rsquo;s not a bulldozer like Giannis. He&rsquo;s something rarer: a point guard who makes everyone better without needing to dominate. And for some, that doesn&rsquo;t fit the mold of a superstar.
But to call him overrated? That&rsquo;s lazy.
The Pacers are an elite team this season when Haliburton hits double digits in assists. He led the NBA in transition assists. He&rsquo;s made Nembhard and Mathurin look like seasoned playoff guards. He&rsquo;s allowed Siakam &ndash; a two-time All-NBA forward &ndash; to shine even more.
In Game 4, when Cleveland tried blitzing him high to take the ball out of his hands, Haliburton calmly hit roller after roller. In Game 5, when they sat back in drop, he punished them with floaters and kick-outs. Every adjustment they made, he countered not with bravado but with brilliance.
The overrated label was never about him. It was about people misunderstanding the kind of greatness he brings.
The road back to the Eastern Conference Finals
A year ago, Indiana reached the Eastern Conference Finals and ran headfirst into a Boston Celtics juggernaut. They seemed like they weren&rsquo;t ready after faltering multiple times in the clutch in the series. The moment felt too big, and the lights were too bright.
But this year, it&rsquo;s different.
They&rsquo;re deeper, smarter, and hungrier. And perhaps most importantly, they know exactly who they are.
Back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances might not come with parades, but in a small market like Indianapolis, it&rsquo;s validation. This is a franchise that didn&rsquo;t bottom out or chase shortcuts. They stayed the course, invested in character and chemistry, and trusted a 6-foot-5 guard with a quirky jump shot and a genius-level basketball brain to be their face of the future.
And Haliburton has delivered splendidly, and he continues to strive for more.
In an era where teams try to fast-track success with star pairings and flash, the Indiana Pacers remain the outliers. They&rsquo;ve built a contender by doing the little things right, over the years, not months.
This win over Cleveland &ndash; a team with one of the league&rsquo;s best records, a suffocating defense, and a very good team with three all-stars &ndash; isn&rsquo;t just an upset. It&rsquo;s a coronation of the Pacers&rsquo; philosophy, and it's a resounding reminder that basketball is still a team sport.
Tyrese Haliburton may never be the kind of player who drops 50 on any given night or leads the league in scoring. But he&rsquo;ll control the game, he&rsquo;ll lift his teammates, and he will try to win.
That&rsquo;s his style, and that will be his greatness. Overrated? Maybe to those who only see box scores. But to those watching closely &ndash; the coaches, the peers, the Pacers&rsquo; faithful &ndash; Haliburton is redefining what it means to be a superstar.
And as Indiana marches back to the Eastern Conference Finals, it&rsquo;s clear: You can doubt Tyrese Haliburton if you want. Just don&rsquo;t bet against him.

Tyrese Haliburton leads the Pacers past the 64-win Cavaliers in five games to reach their second straight Eastern Conference Finals.

Tyrese Haliburton silences critics as Pacers dominate Cavs to reach ECF again

The Dallas Mavericks have acquired forward Caleb Martin from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for guard Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round draft pick, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
Trade Details:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Mavericks Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Caleb Martin</li>
</ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Philadelphia 76ers Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Quentin Grimes</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">2025 second-round draft pick</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Caleb Martin, 29, has averaged 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists over 31 games this season for Philadelphia. Known for his defensive prowess and solid shooting, including a 37.9% three-point percentage, Martin brings versatility on the wings to the Mavericks' roster. He will provide another 3-and-D defender to a team that the Mavs are trying to build.
Quentin Grimes, 24, has contributed 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game across 47 appearances this season for Dallas. His offensive capabilities and youth present promising potential for the 76ers as they navigate a challenging season impacted by injuries. Grimes' shooting should benefit Sixers superstars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as he spaces the floor for them.
ANALYSIS: This trade reflects the Mavericks' ongoing strategy to enhance their defensive lineup, following their recent high-profile acquisition of Anthony Davis. Martin is another long wing that can shoot and can defend at a high level.
For the 76ers, the addition of Grimes and a future draft pick aligns with their efforts to rebuild and strengthen their roster for upcoming seasons. However, by trading Martin who they just recently signed in the offseason, was more of a move to possibly sign forward Guerschon Yabusele in the summer. Yabusele, who made his NBA comeback this season after a successful Olympic stint for France, was someone who can play the 4 for the Sixers. At 6-foot-7, Yabusele has offered the strength and the scoring punch inside and has played well in his NBA comeback. This development possibly made Martin expendable and the Sixers should do everything they can to re-sign the frenchman.
Moreover, the rise of young wings Ricky Council IV and Justin Edwards has had an effect on this development. The two play similar positions to Martin, but they are younger and have much cheaper contracts. Grimes is on an expiring deal and both Council IV and Edwards are in contract for at least 2-3 years.

The Dallas Mavericks have acquired forward Caleb Martin from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for guard Quentin Grimes.

Sixers trade Caleb Martin to Mavericks for Quentin Grimes

When Russell Westbrook signed with the Denver Nuggets this past offseason, the move raised eyebrows. Known for his explosive athleticism, triple-double prowess, and relentless energy, Westbrook was joining a team already led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokić. The fit appeared questionable at first, with concerns about how his style of play would mesh with Denver&rsquo;s pass-heavy, deliberate offensive system. However, midway through the season, Westbrook has silenced the skeptics, showing significant evolution in his game while making a substantial impact on the Nuggets&rsquo; success.
After a rocky start to the season, where Denver struggled to find the right lineup combinations, Westbrook&rsquo;s resurgence has coincided with the team&rsquo;s climb up the Western Conference standings. The Nuggets&rsquo; record currently sits at 24-16, good for 4th in the West, and Westbrook&rsquo;s contributions have been instrumental in their turnaround.
One of the most noticeable changes in Westbrook&rsquo;s game this season has been his willingness to adapt. Historically, Westbrook has thrived in a high-usage, ball-dominant role. In Denver, he has embraced a secondary playmaker role, deferring to Jokić as the primary offensive hub. Instead of consistently looking for his shot, Westbrook has focused on setting up teammates, pushing the pace in transition, and attacking opportunistically.
This shift is evident in his assist numbers. Westbrook is averaging 6.6 assists per game, ranking among the league leaders, but more importantly, his assists often lead to high-percentage looks. Whether it&rsquo;s a perfectly timed pass to a cutting Nikola Jokic or a drive-and-kick to teammates for a corner three, Westbrook&rsquo;s passing has complemented Denver&rsquo;s offensive flow.
Additionally, Westbrook has significantly improved his shot selection. Known for his sometimes ill-advised pull-up jumpers in previous years, he has reduced the volume of mid-range attempts and focused on attacking the rim or taking spot-up threes. While his three-point shooting percentage remains below league average at 32.9%, the improvement in his decision-making has positively impacted the Nuggets&rsquo; efficiency.
Efficiency has been a cornerstone of Westbrook&rsquo;s resurgence. His field goal percentage has climbed to 45.8%, a mark higher than his MVP season in 2016-17. This improvement can be attributed to a combination of better shot selection and the quality of opportunities created within Denver&rsquo;s system. Playing alongside elite passers like Jokić has allowed Westbrook to thrive as a cutter, frequently finding himself in advantageous scoring positions without needing to create off the dribble.
Moreover, Westbrook&rsquo;s turnover rate has decreased. While he still occasionally forces plays, his 2.9 turnovers per game would mark the second lowest ever in his career. This newfound control has helped stabilize the Nuggets&rsquo; offense, particularly in close games where his decision-making has been a key factor.
Westbrook&rsquo;s midseason averages of 13.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game highlight his well-rounded impact. Beyond the raw numbers, his presence has elevated the performances of key teammates. The reigning MVP Jokic continues to dominate, but Westbrook&rsquo;s ability to take some playmaking responsibilities off his shoulders has allowed Jokić to conserve energy for critical moments. The duo&rsquo;s pick-and-roll chemistry has added a new dimension to Denver&rsquo;s offense.
Westbrook&rsquo;s ability to bring the ball up, handle the PG duties, playmake, and create for others has allowed Murray to thrive as a scorer. Murray is benefiting from the spacing and tempo Westbrook provides and this has also given Denver a new look on their offensive schemes. For Michael Porter Jr., he has thrived as an off-ball scorer, both from catch and shoot opportunities and cuts to the rim, with Westbrook&rsquo;s penetration creating easy scoring opportunities.&nbsp;
Beyond the stats, Westbrook&rsquo;s leadership has been invaluable. Known for his fiery competitiveness, he has brought an edge to the Nuggets&rsquo; locker room, holding teammates accountable and setting the tone with his relentless motor. This mentality has been crucial during stretches whenever the team struggled with injuries or inconsistent play.
While Westbrook&rsquo;s evolution has been a net positive, there are still challenges. His three-point shooting remains a weakness, allowing opposing defenses to sag off him in half-court sets. Additionally, while his turnovers are down, he occasionally reverts to over-aggressiveness, leading to avoidable mistakes.
Defensively, Westbrook&rsquo;s effort has been commendable. Both his on and off-ball defense have been valuable for the Nuggets, as his energy rubs off to his teammates. However, due to his age, there can also be challenges on the defensive side of the floor and it remains an area to watch as the season progresses.
As the Nuggets approach the second half of the season, Westbrook&rsquo;s continued progression with the team&rsquo;s playstyle will be critical to their championship aspirations. His ability to sustain his efficiency, maintain his leadership role, and complement Denver&rsquo;s core pieces will determine how far the team can go in a loaded Western Conference.
Ultimately, Russell Westbrook&rsquo;s resurgence in Denver is a testament to his adaptability and determination. By embracing a new role and prioritizing team success, he has revitalized his career while helping the Nuggets emerge as title contenders once again. If this trend continues, Westbrook may not only change the narrative surrounding his career but also play a pivotal role in him winning his 1st championship.

Russell Westbrook has embraced a new role with the Nuggets, showcasing improved efficiency and playmaking across the season.

Russell Westbrook’s adaptation fuels Nuggets’ midseason surge

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

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

With the NBA&rsquo;s 2023 free-agency period pretty much wrapped up, why not take a look at how projecting next year's free-agent market? Obviously, a lot can change between now and then, but let&rsquo;s examine each team&rsquo;s cap situation and how much cap room they project to have next summer.&nbsp;
Next year&rsquo;s free-agency class could feature some big names, including Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Maxey (restricted), Paul George, LeBron James, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, OG Anunoby and DeMar DeRozan.&nbsp;
For the purposes of this exercise, I&rsquo;m going to separate teams into four spending-power tiers: Cap Space Teams, Non-Tax MLE Teams, Luxury Tax Teams and Second Apron Teams. Also, let's assume that the salary cap will be set at $149,623,000 and the luxury tax will come in at $181,823,000, the maximum 10% jump from this upcoming season set under the new CBA.
CAP SPACE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to have cap space next summer. They have spending access to their cap space, Bird Rights, the Room Exception (projected at $8,495,000) and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
San Antonio Spurs ($77,195,776 under the cap) If Victor Wembanyama is 70% as good as he&rsquo;s hyped up to be entering this season, one would figure that the Spurs will spend big or at least make a meaningful impact on the free-agent market next summer. They project to have an enormous amount of cap space, so it&rsquo;s very possible we&rsquo;ll see San Antonio take on some more bad contracts in trades to give them even more draft capital. Also, they&rsquo;ll want to retain Devin Vassell, who will be a restricted free agent next offseason once the Spurs extend his qualifying offer.
Philadelphia 76ers ($73,034,842 under the cap) The Sixers are perhaps the most interesting team in terms of their 2024 offseason outlook. By letting Tyrese Maxey hit restricted free agency next summer rather than extending him this year, Philadelphia gave themselves serious cap flexibility. Tobias Harris and James Harden both have expiring contracts, so the Sixers will have to use their cap space to replace their production. A Harden trade would obviously change their projected cap room, but it remains to be seen what they&rsquo;ll get back for the former MVP and how much it&rsquo;ll impact their books.
Toronto Raptors ($60,339,034 under the cap) After losing Fred VanVleet, the Raptors are walking a tightrope when it comes to whether they&rsquo;ll compete or rebuild. They face some tough decisions. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are both set to hit free agency next summer, so Toronto needs to decide whether they want to extend or trade their best players. Not to mention, Precious Achiuwa and Gary Trent Jr. also need new contracts.
Orlando Magic ($58,010,944 under the cap) Orlando has a lot of options for next summer, but the Magic may start with retaining many of their own players. Franz Wagner will likely receive a big contract extension, while Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony will be up for new contracts. Given that Orlando has a logjam in their backcourt &ndash; with Fultz, Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black &ndash; it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see what they do with Fultz and Anthony. The Magic will still have plenty of room to add quality talent for yearly average values over the NTMLE.
Detroit Pistons ($57,781,166 under the cap) Detroit may approach the 2024 offseason similar to how Houston approached this summer, as a young team hoping to use its massive cap space on good veterans in order to take bigger steps toward playoff contention. With that said, the first priority for the team will be agreeing to a contract extension with Cade Cunningham.
Utah Jazz ($50,315,319 under the cap) The Jazz find themselves in a unique position where they could go in two directions. After committing a three-year deal to Jordan Clarkson, they can use their cap space to give 2023 Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen a contract extension. If they want to have significant cap space for next summer instead, they can hold off on giving Markkanen an extension until free agency is settled.
Washington Wizards ($47,123,801 under the cap) Despite their cap space next year, don&rsquo;t expect Washington to be a big player in 2024 free agency. In the beginning stages of a rebuild, the Wizards will probably keep their sights on collecting more draft capital. They do have an interesting decision coming up with recent trade acquisition Tyus Jones, whom they&rsquo;ll likely want to keep long-term.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets ($41,300,515 under the cap)&nbsp; They may lose some 2024 cap space if they eventually re-sign PJ Washington this offseason, but watch out for Charlotte to be one of the many small-market teams with money to spend next summer. With LaMelo Ball in the first year of his max contract extension, Charlotte may cash in on a marquee player to keep their young star happy.
Brooklyn Nets ($33,048,185 under the cap) The Nets do have the potential to have significant cap space next summer if they choose not to re-sign most of their own free agents. However, the Nets will more than likely focus on exploring the trade market and retaining big man Nic Claxton before reaching next year&rsquo;s free agency. Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O&rsquo;Neale will also hit free agency next offseason.
Indiana Pacers ($20,488,005 under the cap) Indiana could get to an even higher number in cap space if they decline Bruce Brown&rsquo;s $23 million team option next season. If Brown has a good year, the Pacers would likely keep him on a long-term deal that would consume a good chunk of their space. Other impending free agents they might like to keep include Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith.
Oklahoma City Thunder ($10,264,814 under the cap) The Thunder will likely continue to utilize the strategy of taking on short-term, bad-money contracts in exchange for draft capital. As they inch closer to contention, they will be looking at some big-money extensions for many of their young pieces, including one for Josh Giddey next year.&nbsp;
NON-TAX MLE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap but under the luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $13,644,000), the Bi-Annual Exception (projected at $4,968,000) unless used in 2023-24, and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Chicago Bulls ($19,465,689 under the cap) The Bulls could potentially operate as a cap-space team if they elect to let DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams walk in free agency, but that seems unlikely. In addition, the Bulls could potentially create more space if Lonzo Ball&rsquo;s knee injury is considered career-ending by an NBA/NBPA-appointed physician. (Ball would still be paid, it just wouldn&rsquo;t count against the cap).&nbsp;
Sacramento Kings ($210,669 under the cap) The Kings used up most of their cap space by signing Domantas Sabonis to a big four-year extension that ties him with the team through 2028. As long as they are competitive, they will likely pursue quality pieces with their Non-Tax MLE to support Sabonis and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. They will also likely try to keep Malik Monk and look at extension options for Davion Mitchell.
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New Orleans Pelicans ($487,911 over the cap) The Pelicans are fairly set with their core of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram under contract through 2025. Ingram and McCollum are both extension-eligible this offseason, but the Pelicans may wait on dishing out extensions to maintain flexibility under the tax. New Orleans must also monitor Jonas Valanciunas&rsquo; free agency and a possible extension for Trey Murphy III.&nbsp;
Atlanta Hawks ($1,658,172 over the cap) Similar to the Kings, the Hawks wiped away their cap space when they signed Dejounte Murray and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter to four-year, $120 million and four-year, $90 million extensions, respectively. Already pushing past the salary cap, the Hawks may face a money crunch as they broach the luxury tax line. Retaining restricted free agents Onyeka Okongwu and Saddiq Bey next offseason may be tricky.
Los Angeles Clippers ($5,018,261 over the cap) The Clippers are in an interesting spot with George and Leonard both needing new deals, which they will likely get despite their inability to stay on the floor. Many veterans with big salaries will come off the books next year, like Marcus Morris, Nic Batum and Robert Covington. The question is whether the Clippers will continue to commit significant capital to a roster that hasn&rsquo;t met its lofty expectations.
Miami Heat ($7,751,630 over the cap) The Miami Heat are in a holding pattern with their roster as they engage in a Mexican standoff with the Blazers on a Damian Lillard trade, which could see them skyrocket into the deep tax. Outside of the Dame situation, Jimmy Butler will likely look for another big extension this offseason, which will pay him max money deep into his late 30s. They will also have to contend with potentially losing Caleb Martin, who has a player option for 2024-25.
Houston Rockets ($8,734,919 over the cap) The biggest spenders of this past offseason, the Rockets made big moves for Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Houston could get back into the cap-space tier again if they choose to part ways with Kevin Porter Jr. and his non-guaranteed $15.9 million salary. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will also be up for extensions.&nbsp;
Cleveland Cavaliers ($11,399,749 over the cap) The Cavs are pretty set going into the 2023-24 season and beyond with two max guys (Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell) and key guys on fairly big deals (Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Max Strus). They will likely give Evan Mobley a big extension next offseason, which could push them into the luxury tax in the near future. For next offseason, their only notable free agent is Isaac Okoro.
New York Knicks ($11,400,861 over the cap) This morning, the Knicks inked Josh Hart to a four-year contract extension that pushed them over the cap for 2024-25. Their main concerns for next summer are Immanuel Quickley and Isaiah Hartenstein, who are both up for new contracts. They will likely be able to avoid the tax by declining their team option on Evan Fournier or trading his expiring contract for another expiring deal.
Dallas Mavericks ($13,566,153 over the cap) The Mavericks are not likely to seek pathways to cap space next summer after doubling down on their trade for Kyrie Irving by re-signing him to a three-year, $120 million deal. They should look to retain Josh Green, who will be a restricted free agent. Luka Doncic&rsquo;s happiness looms over all of the Mavs&rsquo; moves, as ESPN&rsquo;s Tim McMahon <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavs-fear-luka-doncic-may-request-trade-unless-they-build-contender">reported in April</a> that the Mavericks are worried about Doncic potentially seeking a trade elsewhere as soon as next year.
Los Angeles Lakers ($15,380,636 over the cap) The Lakers had a pathway to almost two max slots in the unlikely scenario that they decided to pivot from the LeBron-AD era. However, that option is out the window with them inking Davis to a three-year supermax extension that will keep him with the team through 2028. LeBron James&rsquo; decision to stay with the team or leave will ultimately dictate how the Lakers approach spending next offseason.
Portland Trail Blazers ($20,567,876 over the cap) Portland is in the midst of turning the page to a new era as they look to accommodate franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard&rsquo;s trade request. If they do end up trading Lillard, expect their cap numbers to come down slightly, but not enough to get any meaningful space. Whether Lillard is traded for the Miami package or something else, Portland shouldn&rsquo;t be a major player in free agency for a while.&nbsp;
LUXURY TAX TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap and luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $5,500,000), and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Minnesota Timberwolves ($14,474,085 under the tax) The Timberwolves have paid the luxury tax only once since 2007. They should be a tax team once again, with Karl-Anthony Towns' supermax extension and Anthony Edwards' max extension kicking in. In addition, Minnesota will need to use significant capital to keep players like Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson, all of whom will be free agents in 2024.
Golden State Warriors ($9,696,462 under the tax) While the Warriors are currently under the tax, they are likely going to re-sign 2024 free agent Klay Thompson to a long-term deal at a lower number or at least use his Bird Rights to acquire another piece at a similar number. Golden State can cut some costs by releasing Chris Paul after the season, as his $30 million salary for 2024-25 is non-guaranteed.
Milwaukee Bucks ($6,142,529 under the tax) The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to big-money deals, committing to the players who won them the 2021 title. Another one of those players, Jrue Holiday, is set to reach free agency and will likely demand max money. In addition, Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes eligible for a supermax extension of up to three years in October and can sign a four-year supermax extension next offseason.
Denver Nuggets ($6,732,627 over the tax) The defending champs have their core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon locked in through the 2025 offseason. They&rsquo;ve already lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green this summer and will be forced to work around the edges with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope potentially heading for free agency next summer.
Boston Celtics ($7,306,800 over the tax) The trade for Kristaps Porzingis pushed the Celtics into the luxury tax for the first time since 2018, and that was before they signed Jaylen Brown to a five-year supermax extension. With Jayson Tatum&rsquo;s own supermax extension on the horizon next year, the Celtics figure to be a tax team, and potentially a second apron team, for the foreseeable future.
SECOND APRON TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap, luxury tax and second luxury tax apron ($17.5 million over the tax). They have spending access to just Bird Rights and the Veteran Minimum Exception. The second apron was introduced in the new CBA and prevents teams from using the Taxpayer MLE, trading first-round picks seven years away, signing buyout free agents and taking back more salary than they send out in trades among other restrictions.
Memphis Grizzlies ($13,829,477 over the tax) For the first time under owner Robert Pera, the Grizzlies will be paying the luxury tax. While Memphis probably won&rsquo;t reach the second apron, they are not likely to have enough spare capital to use their Tax MLE and be able to fill out their roster without going over it. Their core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are locked up to big money, long-term deals that will keep Memphis among the league's biggest spenders for likely the next decade-plus.
Phoenix Suns ($27,039,607 over the tax) Phoenix is by far the most limited team when it comes to spending, and they will be for the next few seasons after trading for Bradley Beal&rsquo;s behemoth contract. With four max contracts, including two supermax contracts, the Suns have blown through the second apron. Like this past offseason, the supporting cast around their core four will be mostly minimum-salary contracts.

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The 2023 NBA Draft could go down as a special class, with talented prospects such as Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller and the Thompson twins as well as some interesting depth pieces.
But will it ever be considered one of the best draft classes in NBA history? That remains to be seen.
Today, we're going to identify the cr&egrave;me de la cr&egrave;me of NBA draft classes.
The 2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft featured multiple generational talents that would come to define the NBA for the next two decades. Led by LeBron James, this class also included household names such as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Not only did this draft have star power, it was also very deep. Twenty-seven players from the 2003 class played at least 10 seasons in the NBA: James, Wade, Anthony, Bosh, Kyle Korver, David West, Zaza Pachulia, Nick Collison, Boris Diaw, Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa, James Jones, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, Dahntay Jones, Steve Blake, Mo Williams, Luke Ridnour, Willie Green, Matt Bonner, Travis Outlaw, Keith Bogans, Darko Milicic, Mickael Pietrus, Sasha Pavlovic, Josh Howard and Luke Walton. This class featured nine All-Stars and plenty of quality role players.
The 1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft stands as a legendary class, and some might argue that it's the greatest draft of all-time. Two of the top three picks &mdash; Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon &mdash; would ultimately etch their names in the annals of basketball history and redefine greatness. In addition to Jordan and Olajuwon, players like Charles Barkley, John Stockton and Alvin Robertson showcased their immense talent as well. This class produced five Hall-of-Famers and seven All-Stars.
The 1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft changed the landscape of the league, heralding the arrival of future Hall-of-Famers and icons. Led by the legendary Kobe Bryant and the enigmatic Allen Iverson, this class boasted an array of talent that reinvigorated the game. This class also featured Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Stephon Marbury, Peja Stojakovic, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker, Marcus Camby, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Derek Fisher. The 1996 NBA Draft was deep, producing 10 All-Stars and five Hall-of-Famers. Jon Finkel recently revisited this star-studded class in his book "1996," and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/revisiting-the-starstudded-1996-nba-draft-kobe-bryant-ray-allen-steve-nash-allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ran a terrific excerpt on Basketball News</a>.
The 1985 NBA Draft
The 1985 NBA Draft was certainly special. This class featured 10 All-Stars including Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Joe Dumars, Detlef Schrempf, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Oakley, &nbsp;AC Green, Terry Porter and Michael Adams. The class also featured Arvydas Sabonis, an overseas legend and terrific Portland Trail Blazer. Like the 1996 NBA Draft, this class has the star power and depth to be considered one of the best drafts in NBA history.
The 2009 NBA Draft
While not as immediately illustrious as some of the other classes on this list, the 2009 NBA Draft proved to be a treasure trove of talent. This class exemplified the importance of patience and player development, as Stephen Curry, James Harden, Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague would all go on to become All-Stars. Griffin missed his rookie year with an injury, but dominated as soon as he stepped on an NBA court. Curry battled injuries early in his career, but would become a four-time champion and two-time MVP. Harden went from being an elite sixth man to an MVP once he got the opportunity in Houston. This class also featured Brandon Jennings, Ricky Rubio, Tyreke Evans, Darren Collison, Ty Lawson, Patty Mills, Danny Green, Taj Gibson and Patrick Beverley among others.
Which class is the greatest in NBA history? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts</a>!&nbsp;

Basketball News examines the crème de la crème of draft classes throughout NBA history.

Exploring the 5 best draft classes in NBA history

<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-wembanyama-big-men-716d46b407e0e0b6be18370cc7e643b2">Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;NBA draft experience will be quite unlike last year&rsquo;s No. 1 pick.
Paolo Banchero could never be certain he would be taken first. There was too much speculation that Orlando was also considering Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren, with some mock drafts listing Banchero below both. The eventual Rookie of the Year said he didn&rsquo;t find out&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-nba-draft-live-updates-1a7d5a8f93ddab31614e29c337e8d862">he was the Magic&rsquo;s choice</a>&nbsp;until less than a minute before Commissioner Adam Silver went on stage in Brooklyn.
Wembanyama has no need to wait.
The 19-year-old from France has owned permanent residence atop mock draft boards, including all four versions of the AP&rsquo;s, and could begin walking to the stage Thursday night before Silver finishes announcing the San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; selection.
Shortly after, two twin brothers could make the same walk.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-amen-ausar-thompson-a34e7912942e90a202005ea35fcd0944">Amen and Ausar Thompson</a>&nbsp;of Overtime Elite are both expected to land inside the top 10.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, FORWARD, FRANCE</h2>
His combination of a center&rsquo;s size and a guard&rsquo;s shooting and dribbling make the 19-year-old a prospect perhaps unlike any other the NBA has seen, and should end the 13-year streak of the No. 1 pick being a college freshman. The Spurs won five NBA titles after taking Tim Duncan in 1997, the last time they had the No. 1 pick and dream of a similar impact from Wembanyama, who is listed at 7-foot-4.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">2. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: BRANDON MILLER, FORWARD, ALABAMA</h2>
At 6-9, the SEC player of the year and tournament MVP as a freshman has the size, versatility and 3-point stroke to make him an ideal player for the modern NBA game. But the Hornets, who played without Miles Bridges last season after an arrest for a domestic violence incident against the mother of his children, may have to weigh a negative reaction if they add Miller, who&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-tuscaloosa-alabama-crimson-tide-top-25-college-basketball-today-39eab4a038324d58910da79372722ad1">delivered the gun used in a fatal shooting.</a>
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">3. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: SCOOT HENDERSON, GUARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE</h2>
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1665146603525795840?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Worked out for the Trail Blazers</a>&nbsp;and showed the athleticism and ability to do it all from the guard spot that may have made Henderson the No. 1 pick in many years. This time, he could be part of a trade if the Blazers decide they&rsquo;d prefer to acquire more veteran help around Damian Lillard &mdash; or perhaps Lillard&rsquo;s replacement if they instead decide to build around youth.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">4. HOUSTON ROCKETS: AMEN THOMPSON, GUARD, OVERTIME ELITE</h2>
At 6-7, Thompson has great size for a guard and the 20-year old showed the ability to step up when it matters most, averaging 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship last season. The Rockets, after adding Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in the last two drafts, are positioned to get another good one.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">5. DETROIT PISTONS: CAM WHITMORE, FORWARD, VILLANOVA</h2>
The Pistons fell to the lowest spot possible in the lottery after finishing with the NBA&rsquo;s worst record and sharing the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick. But getting Whitmore, a versatile wing with a strong build, to add to young pieces such as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey under new coach Monty Williams would help ease the sting.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">6. ORLANDO MAGIC: AUSAR THOMPSON, FORWARD, OVERTIME ELITE</h2>
Amen Thompson&rsquo;s twin brother has been the Overtime Elite regular season and finals MVP the last two seasons and the 6-7 swingman plays big on defense, twice blocking seven shots in a game. The Magic were a team on the rise in the second half of last season and Thompson could help ensure that continues.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">7. INDIANA PACERS: JARACE WALKER, FORWARD, HOUSTON</h2>
Coming from Houston&rsquo;s rugged program means Walker already plays NBA-ready defense, and the offensive end could come along quickly under Rick Carlisle. At 6-8, 240 pounds, he already has the size and strength to deal with anyone he could face in the frontcourt.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">8. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: ANTHONY BLACK, GUARD, ARKANSAS</h2>
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wizards-suns-trade-bradley-beal-55adab5fa31d5dfbc35b83223743d9c6">With Bradley Beal going</a>&nbsp;and no certainty that Chris Paul will stay, there&rsquo;s an opportunity for an immediate impact in the Washington backcourt. The 6-7 guard seems to have endless energy, playing nearly 35 minutes a game to lead the Southeastern Conference and all 20 minutes in a half 19 times. That included 37 minutes on an injured left ankle in the Razorbacks&rsquo; NCAA Tournament upset of top-seeded Kansas, when he helped hold expected lottery pick Gradey Dick to seven points.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">9. UTAH JAZZ: TAYLOR HENDRICKS, CENTRAL FLORIDA</h2>
The 6-9 freshman makes an impact inside and outside on both ends of the floor. He led the American Athletic Conference in blocked shots and shot 39% from 3-point range, becoming the only Division I player last season with at least 60 3-pointers, 55 blocked shots and 35 dunks.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">10. DALLAS MAVERICKS: GRADEY DICK, GUARD, KANSAS</h2>
Dick made 83 3-pointers, most in Kansas history by a freshman, and the 6-8 forward could get plenty of open looks when Mavericks opponents focus their attention on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving &mdash; if Irving remains in Dallas. The Mavs went to great lengths to protect their chances of keeping this pick, tanking their final couple games to boost their lottery odds while still in play-in contention.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">11. ORLANDO MAGIC (from Chicago Bulls): BILAL COULIBALY, FORWARD, FRANCE</h2>
Wembanyama&rsquo;s teammate with Metropolitans 92 is a 6-6 swingman whose stock rose as their team reached their French League finals. He hasn&rsquo;t reached his potential yet as a scorer, but his 7-3 wingspan allows him to impact the game on both ends even without doing so and could make him a good fit with 2022 No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: DERECK LIVELY II, CENTER, DUKE</h2>
Is still limited offensively, but the 7-1 Lively shows promise as a rebounder and shot blocker, highlighted by 14 boards and eight blocks in a game against rival North Carolina.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">13. TORONTO RAPTORS: JALEN HOOD-SCHIFINO, GUARD, INDIANA</h2>
The Big Ten freshman of the year has great size in the backcourt at 6-6 and could help the Raptors guard against a potential loss of Fred VanVleet in free agency, but needs to become a better shooter after hitting only 40% from the field in his lone season.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">14. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: CASON WALLACE, KENTUCKY</h2>
A point guard who takes care of the ball and takes it away from opponents, he was fourth in the SEC in both steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. At 6-4, has the size and strength to defend some of the marquee guards in the Western Conference.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">15. ATLANTA HAWKS: KOBE BUFKIN, GUARD, MICHIGAN</h2>
Massive leap from first to second year of college, averaging 14 points as a sophomore after not starting a game while averaging 3.0 points as a freshman. Next leap is to the NBA, where the 6-4 lefty could quickly be a change-of-pace guard off the bench.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">16. UTAH JAZZ (from Minnesota): KEYONTE GEORGE, GUARD, BAYLOR</h2>
The highest-ranked recruit in program history lived up to the billing in his lone college season, scoring 20 or more points 12 times and averaging 15.3 en route to Big 12 freshman of the year honors. The 6-4 guard could provide scoring punch on a team that stayed in the postseason hunt longer than expected.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: NICK SMITH JR., GUARD, ARKANSAS</h2>
After mixed results with Russell Westbrook and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell last season, the Lakers&rsquo; search for guard help could lead to Arkansas, where the 6-5 Smith played in just 17 games in his lone college season after recovering from a right knee injury but showed the ability to play either guard spot.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">18. MIAMI HEAT: JORDAN HAWKINS, GUARD, UCONN</h2>
Ballhandling still needs improvement, but Hawkins&rsquo; catch-and-shoot ability was one of the biggest reasons the Huskies stormed through the NCAA Tournament to their fifth national title, and something the Heat were missing in their NBA Finals loss.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">19. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: NOAH CLOWNEY, FORWARD, ALABAMA</h2>
Clowney put up nearly eight rebounds and a block per game in his lone college season. With just 210 pounds on his 6-10 frame, he will need to add strength for the battles inside against NBA big men.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">20. HOUSTON ROCKETS (from LA Clippers): KRIS MURRAY, FORWARD, IOWA</h2>
After averaging 20.2 points &mdash; with a 30-point, 20-rebound game in one outing &mdash; Murray will try to make a similar first-year NBA impact as twin brother Keegan, who after leaving the Hawkeyes became an immediate starter for Sacramento last season and was an All-Rookie first-team selection.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">21. BROOKLYN NETS (from Phoenix): JETT HOWARD, GUARD, MICHIGAN</h2>
His willingness to fire from behind the arc makes the freshman a perfect fit for the 3-point happy NBA. The 6-8 freshman made multiple 3-pointers in 24 of his 29 games for Juwan Howard, his father, and hit three or more in almost half of them. Howard made 36.8% of them while averaging 14.2 points
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">22. BROOKLYN NETS: LEONARD MILLER, FORWARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE</h2>
The Nets have needed more scoring punch since trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Miller looks capable of providing it after averaging 18 points last season. The 6-10 Canadian also averaged nearly 11 rebounds, another area Nets leadership has identified as a priority.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">23. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (from New York): BRICE SENSABAUGH, FORWARD, OHIO STATE</h2>
Averaged 16.3 points and shot better than 40% from 3-point range in his strong one season for the Buckeyes, where he was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since D&rsquo;Angelo Russell in 2015.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">24. SACRAMENTO KINGS: MAXWELL LEWIS, FORWARD, PEPPERDINE</h2>
The 6-7 Lewis made nearly 80% of his free throws and 36% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Waves, and improved his ability to score off the dribble while averaging 17.1 points last season.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">25. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: G.G. JACKSON, FORWARD, SOUTH CAROLINA</h2>
Would have been heading to college now &mdash; perhaps as the No. 1 prospect &mdash; before reclassifying last summer to enter a year earlier. Instead, the 6-9 Jackson is on his way to the NBA after scoring in double figures in 25 of his 32 games, averaging 15.4 points.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">26. INDIANA PACERS (from Cleveland): JAIME JAQUEZ JR., GUARD, UCLA</h2>
The do-everything swingman led the Bruins with 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, becoming their first Pac-12 player of the year since Kevin Love in 2008. At 6-7, Jaquez does everything well &mdash; he&rsquo;s No. 8 in UCLA history in both points and steals &mdash; but maybe not any of them at the top NBA level.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">27. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): AMARI BAILEY, GUARD, UCLA</h2>
Bailey had a strong finish to his lone college season, averaging 16.7 points on 56% shooting in the Bruins&rsquo; run to the Sweet 16. The Hornets struggle when LaMelo Ball is out, so the 6-5 guard could be appealing to a team that was fourth-worst in the NBA in scoring.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">28. UTAH JAZZ (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): COLBY JONES, GUARD, XAVIER</h2>
With three picks in the first round, the Jazz are positioned to bolster a team that hung around the playoff race much longer than expected. The 6-6 Jones, who made 18 of 21 shots in one torrid stretch last season and shot 9 of 10 on 3-pointers in another, could be a nice late addition.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">29. INDIANA PACERS (from Boston): BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI, GUARD, SANTA CLARA</h2>
Made 43.8% of his 3-pointers in his lone season after transferring from Illinois, accuracy from behind the arc that NBA teams covet. The 6-5 guard shared WCC player of the year honors after averaging 19.9 points and 8.8 rebounds, finishing in the top three in the conference in both categories.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">30. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (from Milwaukee via Houston): DARIQ WHITEHEAD, FORWARD, DUKE</h2>
Arrived at Duke as the high school player of the year, but a foot injury led to a delayed start to his college career followed by shooting struggles after it finally began. But the 6-7 forward showed enough defensive and 3-point abilities in his limited time to make himself worthy of a first-round spot.

How will the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft shake out on Thursday night? Check out the AP's latest mock draft.

NBA mock draft: Wembanyama easy No. 1, Miller at 2, Henderson 3rd

There&rsquo;s no doubt who the San Antonio Spurs are going to select with the first pick in this year&rsquo;s NBA draft.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-draft-lottery-nba-b0692a8ee59c2235f2d4f4387266eab7">Victor Wembanyama</a>&nbsp;could have started packing for Texas once the Spurs learned they had won the NBA draft lottery.
But once the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-wemby-nba-draft-lottery-50308e65f44b8df7a2368c4de17bacff">7-foot-3 French phenom</a>&nbsp;is off the board minutes after the draft begins on June 22, that&rsquo;s when the intrigue will begin.
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-combine-scoot-henderson-brandon-miller-a55811da32a6f58cafde246b0e602152">Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller</a>&nbsp;to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2?
The first edition of the AP&rsquo;s 2023 mock draft says it&rsquo;ll be Miller.
1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, FORWARD, FRANCE
His combination of a center&rsquo;s size and a guard&rsquo;s shooting and dribbling make the 19-year-old a prospect perhaps unlike any other the NBA has seen. The Spurs won five NBA titles after taking Tim Duncan in 1997 the last time they had the No. 1 pick and dream of a similar impact from Wembanyama.
2. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: BRANDON MILLER, FORWARD, ALABAMA
At 6-9, Miller has the size, versatility and 3-point stroke to make him an ideal player for the modern NBA game. The SEC player of the year and tournament MVP as a freshman, Miller would appear to be a good fit playing with LaMelo Ball, though the Hornets, who played without Miles Bridges last season after an arrest for a domestic violence incident against the mother of his children, may have to weigh a negative reaction if they add Miller, who&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-tuscaloosa-alabama-crimson-tide-top-25-college-basketball-today-39eab4a038324d58910da79372722ad1">delivered the gun used in a fatal shooting.</a>
3. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: SCOOT HENDERSON, GUARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE
His athleticism and ability to do it all from the guard spot may have made Henderson the No. 1 pick in many years. This time, he could be part of a trade if the Blazers decide they&rsquo;d prefer to acquire more veteran help around Damian Lillard &mdash; or perhaps Lillard&rsquo;s replacement if they instead decide to build around youth.
4. HOUSTON ROCKETS: AMEN THOMPSON, GUARD, OVERTIME ELITE
At 6-7, Thompson has great size for a guard and the 20-year old showed the ability to step up when it matters most, averaging 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship last season. The Rockets, after adding Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in the last two drafts, are positioned to get another good one.
5. DETROIT PISTONS: CAM WHITMORE, FORWARD, VILLANOVA
The Pistons fell to the lowest spot possible in the lottery after finishing with the NBA&rsquo;s worst record and sharing the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick. But getting Whitmore, a versatile wing with a strong build, to add to young pieces such as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey would help ease the sting.
6. ORLANDO MAGIC: AUSAR THOMPSON, FORWARD, OVERTIME ELITE
Amen Thompson&rsquo;s twin brother has been the Overtime Elite regular season and finals MVP the last two seasons and the 6-7 swingman plays big on defense, twice blocking seven shots in a game. The Magic were a team on the rise in the second half of last season and Thompson could help ensure that continues.
7. INDIANA PACERS: JARACE WALKER, FORWARD, HOUSTON
Coming from Houston&rsquo;s rugged program means Walker already plays NBA-ready defense, and the offensive end could come along quickly under Rick Carlisle. At 6-8, 240 pounds, he already has the size and strength to deal with anyone he could face in the frontcourt.
8. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: TAYLOR HENDRICKS, CENTRAL FLORIDA
The 6-9 freshman makes an impact inside and outside on both ends of the floor. He led the American Athletic Conference in blocked shots and shot 39% from 3-point range, becoming the only Division I player last season with at least 60 3-pointers, 55 blocked shots and 35 dunks.
9. UTAH JAZZ: ANTHONY BLACK, GUARD, ARKANSAS
The 6-7 guard seems to have endless energy, playing nearly 35 minutes a game to lead the Southeastern Conference and all 20 minutes in a half 19 times. That included 37 minutes on an injured left ankle in the Razorbacks&rsquo; NCAA Tournament upset of top-seeded Kansas, when he helped hold expected lottery pick Gradey Dick to seven points.
10. DALLAS MAVERICKS: GRADEY DICK, GUARD, KANSAS
Dick made 83 3-pointers, most in Kansas history by a freshman, and the 6-8 forward could get plenty of open looks when Mavericks opponents focus their attention on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving &mdash; if Irving remains in Dallas. The Mavs went to great lengths to protect their chances of keeping this pick, tanking their final couple games to boost their lottery odds while still in play-in contention,.
11. ORLANDO MAGIC (from Chicago Bulls): KEYONTE GEORGE, GUARD, BAYLOR
The highest-ranked recruit in program history lived up to the billing in his lone college season, scoring 20 or more points 12 times and averaging 15.3 en route to Big 12 freshman of the year honors. The 6-4 guard could provide scoring punch on a team that was 26th in the NBA in points per game.
12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: CASON WALLACE, KENTUCKY
A point guard who takes care of the ball and takes it away from opponents, he was fourth in the SEC in both steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. The Thunder already have a Kentucky guard thriving in their backcourt in All-NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
13. TORONTO RAPTORS: NICK SMITH JR., GUARD, ARKANSAS
Played in just 17 games in his lone college season after recovering from a right knee injury, but that was enough to play himself into lottery consideration. At 6-5, Smith can play either guard spot and would improve the backcourt on a Toronto team whose strength was its wings.
14. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: JORDAN HAWKINS, GUARD, UCONN
Ballhandling still needs improvement, but Hawkins&rsquo; catch-and-shoot ability was one of the biggest reasons the Huskies stormed through the NCAA Tournament to their fifth national title. Now it could help create more driving lanes for Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
15. ATLANTA HAWKS: KOBE BUFKIN, GUARD, MICHIGAN
Massive leap from first to second year of college, averaging 14 points as a sophomore after not starting a game while averaging 3.0 points as a freshman. Next leap is to the NBA, where the 6-4 lefty could quickly be a change-of-pace guard off the bench.
16. UTAH JAZZ (from Minnesota): G.G. JACKSON, FORWARD, SOUTH CAROLINA
Would have been heading to college now &mdash; perhaps as the No. 1 prospect &mdash; before reclassifying last summer to enter a year earlier. Instead, the 6-9 Jackson is on his way to the NBA after scoring in double figures in 25 of his 32 games, averaging 15.4 points.
17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: JALEN HOOD-SCHIFINO, GUARD, INDIANA
After mixed results with Russell Westbrook and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell last season, the Lakers&rsquo; search for point guard help could lead to Indiana, where Hood-Schifino was the Big Ten freshman of the year. Great size in the backcourt at 6-6 but needs to become a better shooter after hitting only 40% from the field in his lone season.
18. MIAMI HEAT: MAXWELL LEWIS, FORWARD, PEPPERDINE
The Heat&rsquo;s success developing undrafted players &mdash; they have seven on the roster that has made a surprising run to the NBA Finals &mdash; allows them to recover if they miss in the draft. But they might not by looking at the 6-7 Lewis, who made nearly 80% of his free throws and 36% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Waves.
19. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: KRIS MURRAY, FORWARD, IOWA
After averaging 20.2 points &mdash; with a 30-point, 20-rebound game in one outing &mdash; Murray will try to make a similar first-year NBA impact as twin brother Keegan, who after leaving the Hawkeyes became an immediate starter for Sacramento last season and was an All-Rookie first-team selection.
20. HOUSTON ROCKETS (from LA Clippers): BILAL COULIBALY, FORWARD, FRANCE
The Rockets hoped to land Wembanyama after sharing the best odds to win the lottery. They could look here at his teammate with Metropolitans 92, a 6-6 swingman who doesn&rsquo;t score much yet but whose 7-3 wingspan allows him to impact the game on both ends even without doing so.
21. BROOKLYN NETS (from Phoenix): JETT HOWARD, GUARD, MICHIGAN
His willingness to fire from behind the arc makes the freshman a perfect fit for the 3-point happy NBA. The 6-8 freshman made multiple 3-pointers in 24 of his 29 games for Juwan Howard, his father, and hit three or more in almost half of them. Howard made 36.8% of them while averaging 14.2 points
22. BROOKLYN NETS: LEONARD MILLER, FORWARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE
The Nets have needed more scoring punch since trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Miller looks capable of providing it after averaging 18 points last season. The 6-10 Canadian also averaged nearly 11 rebounds, another area Nets leadership has identified as a priority.
23. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (from New York): RAYAN RUPERT, FORWARD, NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
The native of France would bring coveted defensive abilities, though not much in the way of scoring. Still, it would be hard to pass up a 19-year-old whose 6-7 size allows him to defend any forward or guard position.
24. SACRAMENTO KINGS: DERECK LIVELY II, CENTER, DUKE
Is still limited offensively, but the NBA&rsquo;s highest-scoring team doesn&rsquo;t need points. The Kings need someone to help prevent them, and the 7-1 Lively shows promise as a rebounder and shot blocker, highlighted by 14 boards and eight blocks in a game against rival North Carolina.
25. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, FORWARD, INDIANA
Had more than 2,200 points and 1,100 rebounds in one of the most decorated careers in Hoosiers history. But in the one-and-done era, the 23-year-old All-American&rsquo;s age may work against the son of former Indiana Pacers forward Dale Davis.
26. INDIANA PACERS (from Cleveland): JAIME JAQUEZ JR., GUARD, UCLA
The do-everything swingman led the Bruins with 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, becoming their first Pac-12 player of the year since Kevin Love in 2008. At 6-7, Jacquez does everything well &mdash; he&rsquo;s No. 8 in UCLA history in both points and steals &mdash; but maybe not any of them at the top NBA level.
27. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): AMARI BAILEY, GUARD, UCLA
Bailey had a strong finish to his lone college season, averaging 16.7 points on 56% shooting in the Bruins&rsquo; run to the Sweet 16. The Hornets struggle when LaMelo Ball is out, so the 6-5 guard could be appealing to a team that was fourth-worst in the NBA in scoring.
28. UTAH JAZZ (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): COLBY JONES, GUARD, XAVIER
With three picks in the first round, the Jazz are positioned to bolster a team that hung around the playoff race much longer than expected. The 6-6 Jones, who made 18-of-21 shots in one torrid stretch last season and 9-of-10 3-pointers in another, could be a nice late addition.
29. INDIANA PACERS (from Boston): NOAH CLOWNEY, FORWARD, ALABAMA
Clowney put up nearly eight rebounds and a block per game in his lone college season. At just 210 pounds on his 6-10 frame, he will need to add strength for the battles inside against NBA big men.
30. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (from Milwaukee via Houston): DARIQ WHITEHEAD, FORWARD, DUKE
Arrived at Duke as the high school player of the year but a foot injury led to a delayed start to his college career followed by shooting struggles after it finally began. But the 6-7 forward showed enough defensive and 3-point abilities in his limited time to make himself worthy of a first-round spot.

Check out the first 2023 NBA mock draft the Associated Press, which features a bit of a surprise at No. 2 overall.

NBA mock draft: Wembanyama to Spurs at 1, then Miller to Hornets at 2

Spencer Davies speaks with Taqwa Pinero about his life journey and how he's preparing both the future and current hoop generations.

Taqwa Pinero's knowledge is its own currency, and he's paying it forward

Friday night's Final Four matchup between Iowa and South Carolina lived up to the hype. Honestly, I'd argue that it surpassed it.
There were storylines aplenty in this one. Chief among them: what exactly would Iowa star Caitlin Clark look like against South Carolina's elite defense?
Not many teams in basketball, period, are able to turn the water off for opponents the way the Gamecocks can. They're stacked with length and mobility on the perimeter, headlined by the work of Brea Beal. There's no shortage of size and ground coverage in the frontcourt, headlined by Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Aliyah Boston.
Clark would have her work cut out for her. But the same was true for the Gamecocks.
There are players who can dictate games with their playmaking, players who can do that with shooting, players who can do that off the bounce, and players who can do all of those things.
Then there's Clark, who can do all of those things to such a ridiculous level that she can render virtually any scheme irrelevant.
With players like Clark &ndash; and historic players before her &ndash; you have to choose a poison. Take one thing off the table and, if they beat you in another way, you tip your cap.&nbsp;
For the Gamecocks, it was clear early on that they were going to make Clark topple them. There wouldn't be aggressive doubles, nor would there be much help on the back end.
To the latter point, it's worth noting that Iowa ranked seventh in the country in three-point percentage. Aside from Clark (38.7% from three on 9.2 attempts), McKenna Warnock (38.8% on 4.4 attempts), Gabbie Marshall (37.3% on 4.3 attempts) and Kate Martin (40.2% on 2.9 attempts) have all proven themselves to be knockdown shooters.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The Gamecocks didn't want to get burned from deep, especially in light of their own shooting limitations. If threes were going to be taken, they would come off the bounce in isolation. And in ball screens, they would keep things a 2-on-2 affair to prevent Clark from dishing out for catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
In theory, the poison they chose made sense. In practice, it put a spotlight on everything that makes Clark special.&nbsp;
If there's a particular area of Clark's game that popped in this one, it was the driving. It's easy to get lost in her pull-up and movement shooting &ndash; and buddy did she knock down some shots&nbsp;in this one. But her ability to beat single coverage off the bounce, against&nbsp;this&nbsp;stable of perimeter defenders, was pretty darn impressive.&nbsp;
Take Iowa's first bucket, for example:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nlulc7" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
It's worth noting the spacing, as it proved to be an important battleground. To Clark's left, Iowa was setting up a stagger for Martin to occupy help defenders. To her right, Marshall was the lone shooter, practically being face-guarded. That left Kierra Fletcher on an island against Clark, who was able to gain leverage from a standstill.&nbsp;
A little bit later, we got another drive from Clark &ndash; this time attacking Boston off the bounce after a switch. Again, the Gamecocks wanted to keep ball screens 2-on-2 so they wouldn't open up three-point shots.&nbsp;
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Even off the ball, the Gamecocks didn't want to provide extra help. Below, Iowa goes to "Wide" action &ndash; an early off-ball screen set above the break &ndash; to get Clark a catch on the move. Again, peep the right side of the floor with Marshall being face-guarded &ndash; meaning no help is coming.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/z83kk2" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Another ball screen &ndash; two ball screens, even! &ndash; where you can see the Gamecocks keeping things 2-on-2. You'll also notice that center Kamilla Cardoso (#10, tremendous game from her overall) is at the level of the screen &ndash; more proof that they didn't want Clark to have pull-up pockets to attack. But with no help on the back end &ndash; Marshall's in the weak side corner &ndash; you see what that opens up.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/j26zq3" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
One of my favorite possessions from the opening quarter and, honestly, the game itself, was this dart. Iowa goes to "Ricky" action &ndash; consisting of a player receiving an off-ball screen, reversing course and immediately&nbsp;coming off another off-ball screen from the same player &ndash; that puts two players on Clark, leading to another open layup for Monika Czinano.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/djeg8s" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Whew.&nbsp;
The Gamecocks did attempt to sprinkle different things in, like more traditional drop coverage. That, of course, opened up shots like this.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5qn7g6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
And then there were the possessions where you just humbly ask, "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?"
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kf60sf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
All in all, it's hard to fault the gameplan from the Gamecocks. She went 5-of-17 from deep, one of her <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/caitlin-clark-1/gamelog/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst high-volume shooting games</a> of the season. Iowa as a team attempted went 7-of-23, and their 30.4% clip represented the lowest mark since their 96-68 loss to Maryland back in February.
But Clark diced them up inside (10-of-14 on twos), racked up 8 high-value assists, and finished with her second-straight 41-point game. More importantly, Iowa came out with a 77-73 victory.

Nekias Duncan breaks down how Caitlin Clark took advantage of South Carolina's game-plan and lifted Iowa into the title game.

South Carolina dared Caitlin Clark to beat them – and she did

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Kim English is just 34 years old, but has already moved around a lot in his coaching career, serving as an assistant at three schools over six years before landing his first head coaching job at George Mason in 2021.
It was going to take a special opportunity for him to pack up and move again.
&ldquo;Every place I&rsquo;ve been, I&rsquo;ve wanted to stay there forever. I really want to stay at a place for a long time,&rdquo; English said Thursday. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sick of moving,&rdquo;
He believes he has found that place in Providence.
English was named the Friars&rsquo; new basketball coach on Thursday, ending a fast search by first-year Providence athletic director Steve Napolillo that was created after Ed Cooley left to take the job at Big East rival Georgetown.
English becomes the 16th coach in school history. Cooley resigned on Monday following 12 seasons. He complied a 242-153 record with the Friars that included seven appearances, but just three March Madness victories.
English was 34-29 in two seasons at George Mason, leading the Patriots to a 20-13 record this past season. It was the first time the school reached the 20-win milestone since 2016-17.
George Mason president Gregory Washington said it would begin a national search to replace English.
In English, the Friars get a hungry, young coach who has built his reputation on recruiting. He said his secret sauce finding players is simple.
&ldquo;You work at it. You do it every day. You&rsquo;re relentless,&rdquo; English said.
He played college basketball at Missouri and was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the second round in 2012. But his NBA tenure was short and he was waived in 2013. He had a brief stint with the Chicago Bulls in 2014 and also played two years professionally overseas.
English began his coaching career as an assistant under Frank Haith at Tulsa in 2015 and spent two seasons there before being hired by Tad Boyle in 2017 as an assistant coach at Colorado. In 2019, former Friars coach Rick Barnes brought English to Tennessee as an assistant coach and he stayed until being hired by George Mason
He feels as if he has found a kindred spirit in Napolillo, who sold him on the passion the administration and community have for the Friars&rsquo; basketball program.
The intel he got about Providence and Napolillo aligned with what he observed when he got the chance to meet him.
&ldquo;His passion, his fire, his love for Providence basketball really speaks to me. It really spoke to me what he was looking for,&rdquo; English said. &ldquo;As a first-year athletic director to be in this situation and to go at it and not just do what other people may have been comfortable with. ... That&rsquo;s what you want in a partnership.&rdquo;
English also said he&rsquo;s impressed by facilities at Providence that he said are among the best he&rsquo;s seen.
Napolillo said the reason he was able to move so quickly on the hire was because he heeded the advice of his mentors who told him to always be prepared to have to fill a coaching vacancy.
&ldquo;You always need to have names in a drawer for any coaching situation. You never know what&rsquo;s going to happen,&rdquo; he said. &rdquo;This year, as noise kept growing and growing, I had a list in my drawer.&rdquo;
That list also included a Sports Illustrated article he saved from last year that listed some rising coaches. He can&rsquo;t recall why, but for some reason he highlighted English&rsquo;s name in the story.
English has already started working and began recruiting not long after signing his contract on Wednesday night, he said.
He also confirmed that Dennis Felton, one of his assistants at George Mason, will join him at Providence. Felton served as a Friars assistant under Barnes from 1992 to 1994.
In a Big East that is stacked from top to bottom with coaching talent, English feels as if the pieces are in place to build something special.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had no reason to take a bad job,&rdquo; English said. &ldquo;I was a 20-something-year-old assistant in the SEC. I didn&rsquo;t have to rush. If I&rsquo;m going to have interest in it, it&rsquo;s going to be really good.&rdquo;
For him, that translated into being in a position to bring the Friars a national championship.
&ldquo;If you want to win the big trophy, you&rsquo;ve got to be in the big dance,&rdquo; English said. &ldquo;At the mid-major level it&rsquo;s getting increasing harder to get to the big dance. This gives us an opportunity. If we are competing for Big East championships, we&rsquo;re going to be in the show.&rdquo;&nbsp;

English was 34-29 in two seasons at George Mason, leading the Patriots to a 20-13 record this past season.

Providence hires Kim English as next men’s basketball coach

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; The Sacramento Kings might just be riding the beam all the way to the NBA playoffs.
The resurgent Kings are on the verge of ending the longest postseason drought in league history, with first-year coach Mike Brown employing a fast-paced offense led by the dynamic duo of De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to put Sacramento in first place in the Pacific Division.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great feeling. It&rsquo;s great because it&rsquo;s my first time,&rdquo; Fox said of being in the playoff hunt. &ldquo;This is something we want to make annual. We want to be contending for a title. ... It&rsquo;s great for the city and organization. We still want bigger things for ourselves.&rdquo;
The Kings (43-29) are in third place in the Western Conference and might be able to clinch the franchise&rsquo;s first playoff berth since 2006 during the final three games of a four-game homestand that ends Monday night against Minnesota.
The 16 seasons without a playoff berth are the longest in NBA history and the longest active postseason drought among any team in the NBA, NFL, NHL or Major League Baseball.
&ldquo;I do feel that that group believes in themselves, not just because I&rsquo;m telling them they&rsquo;re good, but because they&rsquo;ve actually gone out and proven it time after time after time, whether it&rsquo;s individually in certain situations or collectively as a team,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;When you have a team that believes, they can be dangerous. You&rsquo;ve got a connected team that believes, they can be a very dangerous team and that&rsquo;s what our group is right now.&rdquo;
The Kings are also one of the best feel-good stories of the NBA this season with an entertaining style of basketball that leads the league in scoring at 120.9 points per game for the highest mark in the league since 1983-84.
Each win at home is punctuated with the lighting of the beam &mdash; a beam of light from purple lasers atop the Golden 1 Center &mdash; and fans have even chanted for the beam at road games around the country.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s like a playoff atmosphere every night,&rdquo; swingman Kevin Huerter, one of the key offseason acquisitions, said after a recent home win. &ldquo;The only thing that&rsquo;s missing is handing out the T-shirts and maybe some towels, whatever they&rsquo;re doing for the playoffs. But it really is this every night.&rdquo;
The Kings have been one of the most success-starved franchises since moving to Sacramento in 1985. They had a losing record in each of their first 14 seasons in California, winning just one playoff game.
That all changed in 1999 when general manager Geoff Petrie and coach Rick Adelman built a winner around players like Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic that played an entertaining style in a grind-it-out era that nearly delivered a championship.
The Kings posted eight straight winning records and playoff berths under Adelman, but lost a heartbreaking seven-game series to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002 and then saw their title hopes derailed the following year when Webber went down with a serious knee injury in the second round of the playoffs.
Adelman kept the team competitive through 2006 but was let go following a second straight first-round playoff exit.
Then the dark era began with 16 straight losing seasons under 11 coaches, an ownership change and fears that the city would lose its only major pro team to Seattle.
Vivek Ranadive bought the team from the Maloof family in 2013 and kept the team in Sacramento by building a downtown arena, but there was no on-court success until this year.
The Kings traded away star DeMarcus Cousins and botched several high draft picks. But they have been revived following last year&rsquo;s trade with Indiana that sent promising guard Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana for a playmaking big man in Sabonis and the decision to hire Brown as coach.
Sabonis proved to be the perfect piece to team with the speedy Fox, giving Sacramento a dynamic duo.
Fox is averaging 25.4 points per game and has been the best clutch scorer in the league this season, scoring double figures in the fourth quarter a league-high 25 times.
Sabonis, acquired in a controversial trade from Indiana midway through last season for promising guard Tyrese Haliburton, has been the perfect piece to team with Fox with his playmaking ability as a big man. Sabonis is averaging 19 points, 12.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists with 12 triple-doubles.
Add in outside shooting from Huerter and rookie Keegan Murray, the veteran presence of Harrison Barnes and scoring off the bench from Malik Monk and the Kings have gained the attention of other contenders.
&ldquo;Give a lot of credit to Mike Brown,&rdquo; Celtics star Jayson Tatum said. &ldquo;He has the guys playing a lot better. Fox is playing at an All-NBA level. Sabonis has been great for them. They play with so much pace. All those guys have a lot more confidence.
&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re playing with confidence, it naturally opens things up for the individual and the group.&rdquo;
___
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report&nbsp;

The resurgent Kings are on the verge of ending the longest postseason drought in league history.

Success-starved Kings close in on long-awaited playoff berth

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Rookie guard Andrew Nembhard had 25 points and 10 assists in his first NBA game back home in Canada, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Toronto Raptors 118-114 on Wednesday night to snap their home winning streak at seven.
Myles Turner scored 16 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 15 and Buddy Hield had 13 for the Pacers, who swept the three-game season series between the teams.
Canadian-born players Mathurin, Nembhard and Oshae Brissett all started for Indiana as the Raptors celebrated Canada Basketball Night. It was the first time since the NBA began tracking starters in 1970-71 that three Canadians started for the same team.
&ldquo;For it to happen in Toronto, it&rsquo;s pretty cool,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;All three of those guys played well. Nembhard had a great game. Mathurin was terrific. I thought Brissett did what he does. He gave us energy, rebounded, he scored the first five points of the game. That was great.&rdquo;
Pascal Siakam scored 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter but the Raptors lost their second straight. Siakam also had 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Fred VanVleet had 28 points and 11 assists for Toronto, and Jakob Poeltl scored 23.
Poeltl missed two free throws with 1:24 left when Toronto could have cut the deficit to two. After a missed 3 by VanVleet, Nembhard connected from long range to give the Pacers a 114-107 lead with 33 seconds to play.
&ldquo;That was the shot that put the game away,&rdquo; Carlisle said. &ldquo;Just an amazing night for him and his family.&rdquo;
Nembhard shot 11 for 17, going 3 of 5 from long range.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t really feel too much pressure to play out of character tonight,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I just wanted to be aggressive.&rdquo;
Fellow rookie Mathurin made three of his five shots and earned praise from Carlisle for his defensive effort on VanVleet.
&ldquo;It was really fun just to play in Toronto my first time,&rdquo; Mathurin said. &ldquo;The fact that we got the win makes it even more exciting.&rdquo;
The short-handed Raptors were without forward Scottie Barnes, who exited Sunday&rsquo;s loss at Milwaukee because of a sore left wrist. Toronto was also without forward Precious Achiuwa (right hamstring) and guard Gary Trent Jr. (right elbow).
Toronto lost at home for the first time since Feb. 10 against Utah, when the Jazz overcame a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes to beat the Raptors 122-116.
&ldquo;Didn&rsquo;t feel super organized at either end at the start or for a while,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;I thought that we let a lot of chances go.&rdquo;
The Raptors shot 7 for 34 from 3-point range. Chris Boucher&rsquo;s buzzer-beating shot helped Toronto avoid matching a season low for makes and setting a new low for shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
Nembhard scored 14 points in the first, the most he&rsquo;s ever had in a single quarter, as the Pacers led 36-26 after one.
&ldquo;Nembhard obviously at the start was big,&rdquo; Nurse said.
Indiana led 58-52 at halftime and took an 83-78 lead into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Pacers: T.J. McConnell scored 14 points and Jordan Nwora had 10. &hellip; G Tyrese Haliburton (right ankle), G Chris Duarte (left ankle) and G/F Kendall Brown (right leg) all sat for Indiana. &hellip; The Pacers committed 18 turnovers, leading to 21 points for Toronto. &hellip; Indiana outscored the Raptors 40-21 in bench points. ... The Pacers are 3-1 when Nembhard scores 20 or more.
Raptors: Barnes sat for the fourth time this season and first since Nov. 26. &hellip; Actor Mike Myers sat opposite the Toronto bench. Actor Nicholas Braun also attended the game, sitting in a baseline seat.
HIELD FINED
Hield was fined $25,000 for making an obscene gesture while sitting on the bench during the second quarter of Monday&rsquo;s loss at Charlotte. TV cameras caught him raising his middle finger to someone on the court.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Visit Boston on Friday.
Raptors: Host Detroit on Friday.

Andrew Nembhard had 25 points and 10 assists in his first NBA game back home in Canada, and Indiana beat Toronto 118-114.

Back home in Canada, Andrew Nembhard nets 25 as Pacers top Raptors

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Rick Pitino is back in the Big East Conference.
St. John&rsquo;s hired the Hall of Fame coach Monday to boost a storied program that&rsquo;s been mired in mediocrity for much of this century.
The school announced the move on Twitter, and Pitino is expected to be formally introduced during a news conference Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
Following a successful run at nearby mid-major Iona, the 70-year-old Pitino was plucked away to replace Mike Anderson, fired March 10 after four seasons in charge of the Red Storm without making the NCAA Tournament.
Reports quickly surfaced that indicated St. John&rsquo;s planned to target Pitino, who grew up on Long Island not far from the school&rsquo;s Queens campus in New York City.
Pitino has been to seven Final Fours and won a pair of NCAA championships, one each at Kentucky (1996) and Louisville (2013).
He was dismissed at Louisville in 2017 after an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption led to allegations of NCAA violations. It was the third scandal, professional and personal, in an eight-year period with the Cardinals &mdash; but Pitino was eventually exonerated in the FBI-related case.
Pitino has been coaching college basketball so long that he was on the opposing bench with Big East rival Providence when St. John&rsquo;s was a national power in the mid-1980s under Lou Carnesecca.
Now, he&rsquo;s tasked with invigorating a Red Storm squad that hasn&rsquo;t won an NCAA Tournament game &mdash; or even reached the Big East semifinals &mdash; since 2000. The school has made only three NCAA appearances over the past two decades, the most recent coming in 2019 under Chris Mullin.
During that time, through several conference reconfigurations, St. John&rsquo;s has fallen behind Big East foes with similar profiles such as Villanova, Providence and Seton Hall.
The Red Storm went 18-15 during a turbulent 2022-23 season, including 7-13 in Big East play to finish eighth in the conference standings. They blew a 14-point lead against sixth-ranked and top-seeded Marquette in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals, ending the season with a 72-70 loss in overtime that left Anderson with a 68-56 record at St. John&rsquo;s.
Pitino has a .740 winning percentage in 34 full seasons as a college basketball coach. He has guided five schools to the NCAA Tournament, including Boston University (1983) and Iona (2021, 2023).
He took a surprising Providence team on a memorable run to the 1987 Final Four, but the 2013 national title Pitino won at Louisville (then in the Big East) was later vacated by the NCAA after an investigation found that an assistant coach paid escorts and exotic dancers to entertain players and recruits in campus dorms.
After two years coaching in Greece, he got the job at Iona &mdash; a small, private Catholic school located in New Rochelle, just north of New York City.
Pitino went 64-22 in three years with the Gaels, guiding them to two regular-season titles in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Seeded 13th this year, they led No. 4 seed UConn at halftime before getting knocked out in the first round with an 87-63 loss that snapped a 14-game winning streak.
Pitino posted tweets thanking Iona administrators and &ldquo;all those people who touched our lives.&rdquo;
&ldquo;To my players, the last three years. All I can say is you know how much I love you,&rdquo; he tweeted. &ldquo;Follow up, I&rsquo;m not sad it ended. I&rsquo;m so grateful it happened.&rdquo;
Leading up to Iona&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament game, Pitino said he hoped he can coach for 12 more years.
&ldquo;But I&rsquo;ll take six or seven,&rdquo; he said.
He said it would take &ldquo;a special place&rdquo; for him to consider leaving Iona, but he also spoke about how much he admired St. John&rsquo;s president, the Rev. Brian Shanley, who previously worked at Providence.
Pitino had two stints in the NBA, one with the New York Knicks that featured a division title and a failed stretch with the Boston Celtics that didn&rsquo;t produce a playoff appearance.
But in college, he endured only one losing season (13-14 at BU in 1980-81).
And now, at a time when Hall of Fame coaching contemporaries like Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim have reached the end of their road, Pitino is going strong and getting new jobs.
St. John&rsquo;s has the ninth-most wins among Division I teams, with 90 winning seasons in its 116-year basketball history.
The school has reached two Final Fours (1952, 1985) and won the NIT a record six times &mdash; including back-to-back crowns in the 1940s when that event was still often considered the country&rsquo;s premier postseason tournament.
___
AP College Sports Writer Ralph D. Russo contributed to this report.

Following a successful run at nearby mid-major Iona, the 70-year-old Pitino was plucked away to replace Mike Anderson.

Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino accepts job at St. John’s

Now in his eighth season with the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner is easily the team&rsquo;s longest-tenured player. In fact, no other Pacer on the current roster has been in town longer than four seasons.
Turner arrived in Indiana as a wide-eyed teenager who was selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. In the years that followed, Turner would watch as the team continually changed around him. He has played for four different head coaches &mdash; Frank Vogel, Nate McMillan, Nate Bjorkgren and Rick Carlisle &mdash; and witnessed a ton of roster turnover. But despite Turner&rsquo;s name surfacing in trade rumors annually, he has been the one constant in Indiana.
As a rookie, Turner suited up alongside stars like Paul George and Monta Ellis. During his sophomore campaign, he called Al Jefferson, Thaddeus Young, Jeff Teague and Lance Stephenson teammates. The following year, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanovic and Darren Collison joined the squad. Turner has also played with veterans such as Tyreke Evans, Ty Lawson, Rodney Stuckey, Caris LeVert, Doug McDermott, T.J. Warren and C.J. Miles over the years.
However, one could argue that no teammate has had a greater impact on Turner&rsquo;s game than his current star running mate: Tyrese Haliburton.
When the Pacers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-interview-tyrese-haliburton-indiana-pacers-chad-buchanan-bennedict-mathurin-myles-turner-sacramento-kings-domantas-sabonis-trade-drew-hanlen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings</a> prior to last year&rsquo;s trade deadline, Turner was ecstatic. He was a fan of Haliburton&rsquo;s game and potential, and couldn&rsquo;t wait to team up with the pass-first point guard. Unfortunately, Turner wasn&rsquo;t able to play alongside Haliburton in the second half of last season due to a stress reaction in his foot.
This year, the Pacers&rsquo; one-two punch of Haliburton and Turner has been on full display, and they have become one of the most productive pick-and-roll duos in the NBA.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
pretty.😍 Tyrese Haliburton to Myles Turner for two. <a href="https://t.co/TupiSM909t">pic.twitter.com/TupiSM909t</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1629656051175026688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

Turner has set 814 picks for Haliburton, which is the third-most of any pick-and-roll duo in the league, per Second Spectrum. The only tandems who have run the pick-and-roll more are Philadelphia&rsquo;s James Harden and Joel Embiid (893 picks) and Phoenix&rsquo;s Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton (897). Possessions featuring a Haliburton-Turner pick-and-roll have generated 1.063 points per possession &mdash; the fifth-best PPP of the 24 duos with at least 500 picks.
&ldquo;This has been a wonderful opportunity for Myles to play with a playmaking guard of Tyrese&rsquo;s caliber,&rdquo; Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told Basketball News. &ldquo;A couple weeks ago, we checked and they were top-five or top-six in the league as a successful pick-and-roll connection, and that&rsquo;s pretty amazing. Myles is getting all different kinds of stuff &mdash; he&rsquo;s getting rolls for dunks, he's getting a little bit of mid-range, he's getting good looks for threes and he's getting some late passes underneath for dunks as well.
"I just love the force that he&rsquo;s playing with. Tyrese has had a wonderful impact on Myles and certainly the rest of the team, but the connection those two guys have has been special.&rdquo;
The partnership has been mutually beneficial. Turner gets easy looks from an elite floor general who ranks second among all players in assists per game (10.2) and assist percentage (46.9%), while Haliburton gets a unique big-man partner who can score inside (62.8% on twos) and out (40.3% on threes). It&rsquo;s no coincidence that both players are having career years.&nbsp;
Turner is averaging career-highs in points (18.2), rebounds (8.0), field-goal percentage (54.9%), three-point percentage (40.3%) and made threes (1.7), while also contributing 2.3 blocks, 1.4 deflections and 0.6 steals per game. Turner's dominance shows up in his analytics too, as he's posting personal bests in win shares per 48 minutes (.157), Box Plus/Minus (+2.6), True Shooting percentage (65.8%), Player Efficiency Rating (20.6) and total rebound rate (14.7%).
&ldquo;Myles has blossomed this year. We've seen the relationship with him and Ty; they're one of the best pick-and-roll [duos] in the league right now,&rdquo; Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said recently. &ldquo;This is the beginning of a nice core &mdash; no, a great core.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Haliburton <a href="bit.ly/3AyPKHC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became a first-time All-Star</a> after averaging career-highs in points (20.1), assists (10.1) and threes (2.8), while also contributing 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest. Haliburton is also posting personal bests in advanced stats like assist percentage (46.9%), PER (23.0), VORP (3.8), BPM (+6.9) and WS/48 (.189).
&ldquo;It was unfortunate that I didn&rsquo;t get a chance to play with him last year and really start to develop that synergy, but I think we&rsquo;ve really picked it up quickly,&rdquo; Turner told Basketball News. &ldquo;Ty is someone who&rsquo;s easy to play with. Obviously, he sees the floor well. And as the season has progressed, we&rsquo;ve done a better job of communicating with each other. It&rsquo;s been a fun experience.&rdquo;
Despite the fact that they&rsquo;ve only played 44 games together, they have developed a strong connection and can often anticipate each other&rsquo;s next move.
&ldquo;I think I know what he&rsquo;s going to do before he does it in a sense,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think that just comes with playing with him.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
this sequence.🔥 a huge block by Myles Turner followed by a huge dunk by Tyrese Haliburton.👀 <a href="https://t.co/4MpAf4Kp0B">pic.twitter.com/4MpAf4Kp0B</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1630770909442191360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

&ldquo;We just needed time together, that&rsquo;s all,&rdquo; Haliburton told Basketball News. &ldquo;I feel like I&rsquo;ve had pretty good chemistry with my bigs throughout my NBA career, and I knew that playing with Myles wasn&rsquo;t going to be any different. He brings a different dynamic than what I&rsquo;m used to, with his ability to space the floor. And he&rsquo;s the best shot-blocker that I&rsquo;ve ever played with, so that gives me confidence on the defensive end to be able to take more risks and get into the ball a little bit more.
"I think it&rsquo;s a mutual relationship where he&rsquo;s got my back and I&rsquo;ve got his.&rdquo;
Not too long ago, Turner&rsquo;s days in Indiana seemed numbered. After all, the team traded away nearly all of its veterans last season (including Sabonis, LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb), and Turner&rsquo;s name continued to pop up in trade rumors. However, since Turner is only 26 years old, the Pacers&rsquo; brass felt that he could be on a similar timeline as Haliburton, who is 23.
It certainly seems that the Pacers are building around this duo, especially after Turner was given a two-year, $60 million extension in January.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad that we got it done. I think it was a win-win for both sides,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think I have a good relationship with (Pacers owner) Herb Simon, and I think he has a big belief in what I&rsquo;m capable of as well. I&rsquo;m glad that we were able to come to terms on an agreement. Behind the scenes, for me personally, I was open to the idea of free agency, but I also wanted to at least give Indy a fair chance, and both sides came to an agreement.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m comfortable. I&rsquo;m where I want to be. I&rsquo;m growing with a young team that&rsquo;s hungry. I think we&rsquo;re just trying to get better and better every day, and that&rsquo;s the main goal of this whole thing. I have a lot of belief in this city, a lot of belief in this program and a lot of belief in the guys in this locker room, so that was a big initial factor in me wanting to stay here.&rdquo;
Since Turner was a popular trade candidate, many fans of other teams got excited about the possibility of him joining their favorite squad. When Turner inked his extension with the Pacers, some of these fans reacted negatively &mdash; upset that he was no longer on the market.&nbsp;
&ldquo;What fans don&rsquo;t realize is that this is a business, and both sides have to do what&rsquo;s best for them,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Sometimes it doesn&rsquo;t work out where you&rsquo;re able to stay with the same team, but I&rsquo;ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be with the same team for my entire career. That&rsquo;s not something that happens a lot, and I never take that for granted. That was obviously something that went into my decision as well. For the casual fan, they have to realize that while basketball may be a fun game, the business aspect of it will always reign supreme.&rdquo;
As Turner mentioned, not many players stay with one NBA team for the entirety of their career. He admits that retiring in Indiana would mean a lot to him.
&ldquo;Yeah, obviously, it&rsquo;s something that would be very special,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Like I always talk about, the business of basketball always reigns supreme, but my loyalty is with the organization that drafted me and the city that took me in, and hopefully it&rsquo;s able to stay that way for years to come.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Turner has been a part of many different iterations of Pacers basketball. Now, looking at the current pieces around him, he&rsquo;s excited about the team&rsquo;s promising future.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve seen the growth in a lot of our young guys throughout the entire year,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;The best thing for them was getting a chance to play early. For <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-indiana-pacers-rookie-andrew-nembhard-rick-carlisle-tj-mcconnell-gonzaga-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drew [Nembhard]</a>, Ben [Mathurin] and those guys, playing heavy minutes early was big for their development, and not every rookie has a chance to do that. The fact that they&rsquo;re getting battle-tested so early is going to bode well for them.
"I&rsquo;ve just enjoyed the overall spirit and fight of this team. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of guys who clock in and work hard day in and day out, and they&rsquo;re coming in here and getting a chance to compete after working their whole life to get here.&rdquo;
While playing alongside Haliburton has certainly helped Turner, the big man does deserve a lot of credit for the leap he has taken this season. He&rsquo;s put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to maximize his potential and make the most of his opportunity.
&ldquo;I attribute [my career year] to patience and obviously the hard work I put in over the offseason to prepare for these moments,&rdquo; Turner explained. &ldquo;I also attribute it to just the years that I&rsquo;ve been in the league, where I&rsquo;ve been able to play out on the perimeter at the 4 position and now I&rsquo;m able to play my natural position (the 5).
"I&rsquo;m thankful that I was able to just stick it out those years that I was here and see what the other side of basketball was like, outside of just getting what you want when you want it. I think I waited my turn and, obviously, I&rsquo;m thriving now, and I&rsquo;m only hoping to get better from here.&rdquo;
Nekias Duncan contributed to this article.

Alex Kennedy catches up with Pacers big man Myles Turner to discuss his extension, playing with Tyrese Haliburton and more.

Pacers' perfect pairing: Turner, Haliburton form dominant 1-2 punch

Reaching the top of the mountain is a difficult endeavor. Staying atop the mountain is even harder, and eventually, there will be a taller one to scale.
Such is life for Scottie Barnes, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year who&rsquo;s in his second season with the Toronto Raptors and has found his rhythm over the last couple of months after a slow start to the campaign.
When teams in this league can pinpoint tendencies, it can be tough to adapt. Opponents figure out your spots, where you like the ball and how you process the game, and they try to exploit any weaknesses in your game that pop on film. That can be especially daunting for somebody who burst onto the scene the way Barnes did.
To his credit, Barnes has fought through it, and it's led to results for not only him, but also his team.
&ldquo;He is playing really well right now. He's on probably a good six-week stretch where he's looked like he was a year ago and improving from that,&rdquo; Raptors head coach Nick Nurse told Basketball News. &ldquo;He had probably a little bit of a rocky start; at times, some of those things you talked about probably weighed in. Who knows, man?&rdquo;
Barnes downplays the notion of teams figuring him out early, and that it&rsquo;s solely been on him to adjust.
&ldquo;It's all about me, for sure. I don't think it's nothing else. It's all about me,&rdquo; Barnes told Basketball News following Toronto&rsquo;s loss in Cleveland on Sunday. &ldquo;I feel like I can control the game in the way I want to control it. Every game is different, every team is different, every team is gonna scheme you a different way, play you a different way. It's just about how I attack the game.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
A lot has been asked of Barnes. There have been games where he&rsquo;s been the primary ball-handler when Fred VanVleet has missed time. In November, there was a stretch where All-Star forward Pascal Siakam went down and he had to step in as a go-to scorer. When both have been healthy, he&rsquo;s had to go right back into his Swiss-Army-knife role without a hiccup.
Barnes has suited up anywhere from shooting guard to small forward to power forward to center. The Raptors knew he had this versatility when they drafted him, and in many ways this year, it&rsquo;s been much-needed.
Comparing the first half of the season to the new year thus far, he has clearly been more aggressive and the breakthrough is evident.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Scottie Barnes
</td>
<td>
Post-Jan. 1 (Per-Game Avg.)
</td>
<td>
Pre-Jan. 1 (Per-Game Avg.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Games Played
</td>
<td>
27
</td>
<td>
32
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
No. of Possessions
</td>
<td>
81.11
</td>
<td>
74.22
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Points
</td>
<td>
16.59
</td>
<td>
14.44
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
True Shooting Percentage
</td>
<td>
54%
</td>
<td>
51%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Net Rating
</td>
<td>
+5
</td>
<td>
-1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Fouls Drawn
</td>
<td>
3.70
</td>
<td>
2.25
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Free Throws Made/Att.
</td>
<td>
3.52/4.63
</td>
<td>
1.84/2.41
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Catch &amp; Drives Made/Att.
</td>
<td>
0.89/1.56
</td>
<td>
0.38/1.09
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
C&amp;D Percentage Made
</td>
<td>
55%
</td>
<td>
34%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Post-Ups Made/Att.
</td>
<td>
1.04/1.92
</td>
<td>
0.75/1.88
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Post-Up Percentage Made
</td>
<td>
57%
</td>
<td>
40%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Secondary Assists
</td>
<td>
1.37
</td>
<td>
0.59
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Screen Assists
</td>
<td>
2.04
</td>
<td>
1.34
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right to view full table on mobile)
In addition to the figures on this chart (courtesy of InStat), Barnes has cut his isolation possessions in half while boosting his efficiency by 10%. Asked where he&rsquo;s made the most strides offensively as a sophomore, Nurse pointed to his comfortability with letting it fly from three.
&ldquo;He's really shooting it &mdash; on the catch-and-shoots, anyway, he's really shooting it pretty good, pushing up towards over 36%, which is right there with about any decent shooter in the league; that's a pretty good number. I'm trying to get him to take more of 'em. I'm trying to get 'em to always take more of everything,&rdquo; Nurse said. &ldquo;That's a big thing. He's a good free-throw shooter, he's getting a little better there. Again, he still uses his size and physicality getting to the basket.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Definitely more in the pick-and-roll, trying to make those reads, trying to play out of the pick-and-roll,&rdquo; Barnes responded. &ldquo;I feel like that's something that in the future I'll probably be really good at. As long as I just keep getting more and more reps &mdash; I feel like I'm pretty solid at it now, but I feel like as time goes on, I'll be in that more. It'll be a part of my development, for sure.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Once January hit, it felt like the 21-year-old made a forceful attempt to up the ante. During that month, Barnes averaged 18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals across 16 games. In seven of those games, he scored 20-plus.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Probably my body felt a little bit better,&rdquo; Barnes explained. &ldquo;I feel like that was one thing that was really affecting me early, little tweaks that was going on. But my body felt better. Just playing well. We was probably playing better as a team as well, so that's probably why. Of course, if we play better as a team, everybody else individually will probably look better as well.&rdquo;
Barnes&rsquo; comment raises a good point, as the Raptors (31-32) have been on the rise for the last month-and-a-half and are now winners of eight out of their last 10 games. Tussling with a couple of other squads, they&rsquo;re nipping at the heels of the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
Shaking off the rust of a heavy-legged loss in Cleveland, Toronto bounced back with a home win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday &mdash; and it can't be understated considering the standings battle and the fact that a five-game road trip is ahead of the team.
"Every game is a must-win," Barnes said postgame Tuesday.
Aptly nicknamed "Fourth Quarter B," Barnes came up huge once again in the final period on both ends. He had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocks, including an incredible sequence where he served up two swats on Coby White and Andre Drummond, rebounded it himself, drove the floor in transition and found a streaking Siakam for a slam.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LET'S GOOOOOOOO 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottBarnes561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottBarnes561</a> ➡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/pskills43?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pskills43</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ps5ME4zFeZ">pic.twitter.com/Ps5ME4zFeZ</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1630756969941196801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s special, man," said VanVleet, who returned following a three-game hiatus due to personal reasons. &ldquo;He made a couple plays not many guys in this league can make &mdash; blocks to push the break, the and-one. He was talking. He was keyed in.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a big boost, especially (with) a lineup out there without me and Pascal for him to carry that in the fourth and get us some separation. That really won us the game ultimately was his defense and his playmaking and just putting pressure on the rim. We need him to keep making those strides. We know how special of a player he can be, and he shows us that at times.&rdquo;
In addition, Barnes took on the responsibility of guarding Nikola Vucevic. Nurse knows that he is big enough to body up centers and laterally savvy enough to stay with opponents on the perimeter. Nurse referred to Barnes' competition level and defensive effort as &ldquo;inspirational to the other guys.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I was just trying to come out and bring energy throughout the entire game,&rdquo; Barnes t<a href="https://twitter.com/theshift_sports/status/1630766246252691458?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">old TSN Sports reporter Kayla Grey after the victory vs. Chicago</a>. &ldquo;The fourth quarter, I was playing big man, so I was just trying to protect the rim, be that energy guy, just try to do everything right, and it worked out well."
&ldquo;He was amazing,&rdquo; O.G. Anunoby added. &ldquo;He was everywhere &mdash; making blocks, getting the rebound, pushing, passing, finishing. He was doing everything. He&rsquo;s a great player.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Add that performance to a gutsy 13-point frame in a Feb. 5 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and a number of switch-flips he&rsquo;s done seemingly out of thin air on the attack in critical moments, and it&rsquo;s clear that he has a knack for closing games out strong.
&ldquo;Just the really competitive side of him really starts emerging in the fourth,&rdquo; Nurse said following the team&rsquo;s latest win. &ldquo;He just starts playing really physical and really tough.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Entering March, VanVleet, Siakam and Anunoby are finally healthy together, and Precious Achiuwa and Chris Boucher bring a jolt off the pine. Jakob Poeltl has given the team a rim-altering, protective presence it had been lacking for quite some time. Plus, the organization just signed veteran swingman Will Barton for the rest of the year for even more of a boost too.
This battle-tested and unique Raptors group filled with versatile players has a real chance to continue ascending the standings during this stretch run &mdash; and Scottie Barnes can play with any of them.
&ldquo;Just being able to come out there and play with super joy and enthusiasm every night like you did your rookie season, I think he's back to that,&rdquo; Nurse said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He's really having fun playing right now.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies looks into the increased aggressiveness of Scottie Barnes since the turn of the new year with the Raptors.

Scottie Barnes rediscovering rookie-year joy as Raptors round into form

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;McMillan was fired on Tuesday&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
Young said he has talked with McMillan since the firing and added &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the last time he and I are going to talk.&rdquo;
Hawks general manager Landry Fields on Wednesday said speculation that McMillan was hampered by conflicts with Young were unfair to Young. Fields said McMillan&rsquo;s relationship with Young was not a factor in his decision to make a coaching change.
Fields said he already has launched his search for McMillan&rsquo;s full-time replacement and said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former Utah coach Quin Snyder is a candidate.</a>
Young said &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care to have any input&rdquo; in the coaching search.
&ldquo;I trust those guys up top,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been here I&rsquo;ve always said that. Nothing has changed for me.&rdquo;
Fields said he believed it was time for a new voice on the Hawks bench and said &ldquo;there was slippage&rdquo; as the team lost four of six games before the All-Star break.
Asked if he believes it was time for a new voice, Young said &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not up to me.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I think that&rsquo;s part of it. I think sometimes it&rsquo;s not always going to be easy. Some conversations are not going to go great. That&rsquo;s just part of it. Not every situation is easy and nice.&rdquo;
Young participated in Friday&rsquo;s practice and is expected to start in Friday night&rsquo;s game against Cleveland as the Hawks (29-30) hope for a late-season surge under interim coach Joe Prunty.

Trae Young says he has “nothing but love and respect” for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan.

Trae Young expresses ‘love and respect’ for fired Nate McMillan

For the vast majority of his career, Caris LeVert has been a high-usage player. With the ball in his hands, he puts pressure on defenses primarily as a downhill scorer and distributor. His unorthodox methods and pull-up abilities make him one of the most efficient isolation threats in the NBA.
This season, however, the Cleveland Cavaliers have asked much more of LeVert, who&rsquo;s bringing a different kind of value that can&rsquo;t be quantified: sacrifice and adaptability.
&ldquo;The biggest challenge would probably be trying to adjust game-by-game depending on who's playing, matchups on the other side. Sometimes I've played the 4, I've never done that in life before,&rdquo; LeVert told Basketball News following the Cavs&rsquo; win over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. &ldquo;So just playing different positions, just staying ready for different roles.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It's been pretty tough, but I think on the flip side, we're a super talented team. We're obviously on the winning side of things more times than not, so it's definitely fun to be on that side of it 'cause I've been on the other side of it too, where guys aren't necessarily playing to win and playing for stats. Here, it's completely different, so I think that's definitely been a plus."
Instead of moving him at the trade deadline as some expected due to his expiring $18.8 million contract, Cavs president Koby Altman and his front office held onto LeVert. Altman made it known publicly how much he appreciates the 28-year-old&rsquo;s contributions and dedication to the team&rsquo;s vision, even going as far as sharing the franchise&rsquo;s interest in a potential contract extension this summer.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The thing that really speaks to me is, and I'm a softy for this, but guys that really want to be here,&rdquo; Altman said last week. &ldquo;Guys that show up every day to work, that have a great attitude, that whatever their role is &mdash; and he had to take a substantial step back, be a sixth-man type when he could be starting in the NBA on a lot of different teams &mdash; and being like, 'I want to make this work. I want to be here.' That's meaningful to me, that's meaningful to this organization and it's a big reason why he's here."
Asked about sticking around after the 3 p.m. buzzer sounded, LeVert was just glad not to be on the move for the third straight deadline.
&ldquo;It's cool to, I guess, have a home for the rest of the season, not have to pack up and go somewhere else,&rdquo; LeVert admitted. &ldquo;I've done that the past two seasons. It's very stressful to do that and hectic, so it's cool to be with this group and finish the season out and see how far we can go.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The vibes are pretty high. Winning does that. You know, you win a lot of games... we're around each other, sh**, more than we are with our families. So obviously, you're gonna get really close to a group when you win a lot of games.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Since his arrival a year ago, multiple members of the Cavs told Basketball News that LeVert has bought in with the organization, so much that he changed his diet and "was in the best shape of his life."
"Especially with his role changing so much, last year and this year, he's the same person every day," said one Cavs source.
On the current campaign, LeVert&rsquo;s usage rate has dipped to 20.6% overall, per Cleaning The Glass &mdash; his lowest since he was a rookie with the Brooklyn Nets. According <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/touches?TeamID=1610612739&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=TOUCHES" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to NBA.com</a>, he is fourth on the team in touches per game (49.9) and fifth in average dribbles per touch (3.07). In previous stops in Indiana and Brooklyn, those numbers were higher on average &mdash; especially before the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era.
Even with that fact, he is one of four Cavs creating ~10 points per game off assists and third on the squad with <a href="https://go.nba.com/3mts8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6.9 potential assists per game</a>, which is one of the many reasons Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has spoken so highly of LeVert&rsquo;s willingness to put the team first over everything else since he came into the fold.
&ldquo;The first conversation we had when we traded for him, he told me, &lsquo;Do whatever you need to do with me because I'm very adaptable,&rsquo;&rdquo; Bickerstaff said in early November. &ldquo;And understanding himself, and not having an unrealistic picture of who he is allows him to do that and do it comfortably because a lot of people can&rsquo;t. If you ask a guy to be different on a night-by-night basis, that's extremely difficult. And I think Caris, again, has showed that he can do it and I think he's only gonna get better at it.&rdquo;
In addition to making the right plays on offense while Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell (and now, a returned Ricky Rubio) operate in the half-court, the Cavs have tasked the 28-year-old with more defensive responsibility as well.
&ldquo;I knew as soon as we made the trade for Donovan, it was gonna be a different type of role for me. But I've always kinda been a player to do it all,&rdquo; LeVert explained. &ldquo;I think just this year, it's been a lot different just because I'm not necessarily on the ball as much. So the other parts of my game are gonna show a little bit more.
&ldquo;It's something that is definitely uncomfortable at times just because I've always kinda just been that (go-to scoring option). That's been my role on a lot of teams. So I just try to put it all on the defensive end of the ball, make the effort plays, make the energy plays and try to win. Make winning plays.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-theme="dark">
Caris LeVert digging down &amp; making BI work <a href="https://t.co/0ltjwrllts">pic.twitter.com/0ltjwrllts</a>
&mdash; Siddharth (@SiddharthNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SiddharthNBA/status/1624294956579065856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Specifically, Bickerstaff has pointed out how LeVert&rsquo;s ability to get through screens allows Cleveland to avoid putting two on the ball. He&rsquo;s deflecting passes, staying in front of his man near the perimeter and keeping the Cavs&rsquo; towering duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley closer to the basket.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s huge, because although you have those big guys back there to support you, you don't want to put those big guys under duress all the time,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said of LeVert&rsquo;s impact on that end. &ldquo;That (contribution), you know, allows the rest of your defense to just be in place. So, when shots go up, now you're in rebounding position and you can be better at finishing possessions.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I've always played defense, but I think when you're asked to do more on the offensive side of the ball, you kind of slack on that end sometimes,&rdquo; LeVert added. &ldquo;I think, with here, my role's not necessarily to score. It's more so to be a Swiss Army knife, do it all. It's more onus on my defense, so naturally, I'm just more locked in on that end.&rdquo;
At the beginning of the season, he was a starter for the first 14 games of the campaign &mdash; first at small forward, then at shooting guard and even once as a point guard before eventually moving back to the 3.&nbsp;
Then, it was ultimately determined that LeVert could do his best work off the bench, and he&rsquo;s been a fixture of the second unit ever since (as long as the Cavs have been healthy).
&ldquo;It was an easy conversation because Caris is easy to talk to and because of his willingness to do whatever to help the team. He reiterated to me that he was just all in. That literally came out of his mouth,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said in late November when the change was made. &ldquo;It was like, &lsquo;Whatever you need me to do to help the team win and be better, that&rsquo;s what I want to do.&rsquo; He is more comfortable with the ball in his hand. He was sacrificing a ton playing that kind of third position with those two guards and then obviously we throw it to Evan and JA, so his strength needs to be a rhythm that happens through the game.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s unfair to him to not allow him to catch a rhythm and then be on the floor at the end of games when we need him, and now, he has no rhythm and when the ball does find him, he&rsquo;s disjointed. It&rsquo;s a combination of doing what&rsquo;s best for him but then when that&rsquo;s our finishing lineup, he&rsquo;s got a rhythm, he feels comfortable and he&rsquo;s touched the ball and has had an impact. That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re looking for. Will it happen overnight? No. But we will continue to work at it and think it will work.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Fast-forward from Nov. 18 to mid-February and the All-Star break, and LeVert&rsquo;s numbers have been steadily similar to his season-long averages. He&rsquo;s produced 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists over 41 games, making 42.0% of his overall field goals including a 34.9% clip from deep.
Even wilder, LeVert has attempted just 11 shots total over his last three contests heading into the All-Star break. That's the least volume he's seen in literally five years over a three-game stretch.
&ldquo;I think for me, it's all about rhythm. When you take one a game, the percentages are gonna look a little off, same with your threes,&rdquo; LeVert said. &ldquo;When I play starter minutes, the attempts are there. Coming off the bench, it's a little bit different. If you make your first one, then the percentages look good. If you miss your first one, you may miss one each half, you're 0-for-2. If you go 0-for-2 for three straight games, the percentages look a little different. So, I try not to think too much about that and just go out there and hoop.&rdquo;
There will come a time when the Cavs are going to need LeVert to revert to his ball-dominant self in certain situations. Altman believes having him as a ready-to-go spot starter is a luxury, and noted that in the postseason, there has to be someone who's able to break down his man one-on-one when Garland and/or Mitchell need to breathe a bit.&nbsp;
"He can step right in and we won't miss a beat," said another member of the franchise.
LeVert's also able to catch the ball with momentum and make things happen when all three are on the floor together.
&ldquo;Really lethal,&rdquo; Garland said of LeVert earlier this season. &ldquo;Because when me and Donovan are up top, there's not a lot that you can do with us, I believe. And then you've got to help a lot, which means Caris is open a lot more. We have a lot more opportunities for catch-and-shoots, attacking on closeouts &ndash; which he does best &ndash; getting to the rim, getting to that floater.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I consider him like Jordan Clarkson because he can get going at any time,&rdquo; Mitchell said after a Dec. 2 win over Orlando.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
That&rsquo;s the type of play Caris LeVert was kept for. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetEmKnow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetEmKnow</a> <a href="https://t.co/D9ur9pTakm">pic.twitter.com/D9ur9pTakm</a>
&mdash; Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DevaronPerry/status/1625297368529731586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Once a point guard at Pickerington Central High School in the Columbus area before hitting a growth spurt, LeVert has always been able to deliver an on-target pocket pass, as well as a crafty wraparound after a drive to the bucket.
&ldquo;I've always kinda had that. I've always been pretty good at reading the floor on drives. And I have great chemistry with JA playing three, four years together in Brooklyn. We used to do that a lot,&rdquo; LeVert said with a laugh.
He&rsquo;s picked up where he left off with his former Nets teammate in Allen, who's the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627747/passes-dash?PerMode=Totals&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=AST&amp;OpponentTeamID=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only player to receive at least 50 assists from LeVert</a>. Next on the list is Mobley, whom LeVert has dimed to 43 times.
LeVert hasn&rsquo;t been perfect. There have been moments of ill-advised decisions on offense with turnovers in traffic and on defense such as fouling three-point shooters at inopportune times, for example.
Yet, there will be moments like a near-comeback effort in Philadelphia that unfairly get glossed over, where LeVert gets his hand on a ball or pressures his man to the point where a teammate gets a steal, or he slides to help on a defensive rotation when somebody needs it, or he makes a pass leading to a pass that leads to an assist, or he tips a loose ball up to himself and lobs it up for a teammate in transition.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LeVert ➡️ Stevens ⬆️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetEmKnow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetEmKnow</a> <a href="https://t.co/np3xhmhQBX">pic.twitter.com/np3xhmhQBX</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsCLE/status/1626030403730477056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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When you look at the entire body of work and LeVert's activity, Cleveland would not be a top-four team in the East without him.
What's asked of him may differ every game, but he always makes sure to bring his best.
"I think just coming in and providing a spark,&rdquo; LeVert said when asked how he can best help the Cavs the rest of the way. &ldquo;That may be offensively, that may be defensively, that may be loose balls, that may be moving the ball and making sure we get a good shot every time. But I think that's been made clear, that's pretty much my role on this team. So just team-[first].&rdquo;
&ldquo;[There&rsquo;s] just a resiliency. Things always haven't gone his way and things haven't been easy or perfect for him. But he's never once tucked his tail, he's never put his head down and had bad body language or been disruptive to his teammates or any of those things,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;He's just continued to work and continue to try to help the team. And we appreciate that. As a coach, you appreciate a guy who doesn't let his own problems or successes get in the way of the team and that's who Caris is.
"All he cares about is trying to do what's right for the team and help as much he can.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies speaks with Cavs swingman Caris LeVert about staying in Cleveland past the trade deadline and how he's adapted.