THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY JUNE 26, 2024 (2024)

“THE SCOREBOARD”

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

CLEVELAND 10 BALTIMORE 8

DETROIT 4 PHILADELPHIA 1

TAMPA BAY 11 SEATTLE 3

PITTSBURGH 9 CINCINNATI 5

TORONTO 9 BOSTON 4

NY METS 9 NY YANKEES 7

HOUSTON 5 COLORADO 2

MIAMI 2 KANSAS CITY 1

MILWAUKEE 3 TEXAS 1

LA DODGERS 4 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3

LA ANGELS 7 OAKLAND 5

SAN DIEGO 9 WASHINGTON 7

ARIZONA 5 MINNESOTA 4

SAN FRANCISCO 5 CHICAGO CUBS 1

ATLANTA AT ST. LOUIS POSTPONED

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

ROCHESTER 3 INDIANAPOLIS 1

DAYTON 8 FT. WAYNE 4

SOUTH BEND 8 WISCONSIN 4

WNBA SCORES

MINNESOTA 94 NEW YORK 89

MLS

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES

BASKETBALL NEWS

TEACHING BASKETBALL TO KIDS IN THE US IS BECOMING A BIT MUDDLED, AND THE NBA IS SEEKING SOLUTIONS

Victor Wembanyama’s on-court warmup session before games when he played in France would last for about an hour. It consisted of plenty of stretching, lots of passing and dribbling drills, then a little bit of shooting.

The basics. The skills. Nothing else.

“It’s what you’re taught to bring to the game,” he said at the time, a year or so before the San Antonio Spurs made the French star the No. 1 pick in last year’s NBA draft.

Taught in some places, perhaps. Taught everywhere, not so much. There are many in the NBA — from Commissioner Adam Silver on down the line — sounding a bit of an alarm about how the development of young players in the U.S. differs from the process in other parts of the world, and how the model that seems to focus more on playing than practicing maybe isn’t the best method.

This year’s draft will once again reflect the shifting tide.

French stars Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher won’t have to wait long to hear their names called during the NBA draft that starts on Wednesday night, and they might even be the first two picks overall. Sure, they’ve played a lot of games. But they’re in this position because most scouts deem them the most NBA-ready in the class, with games that are extremely well-rounded — a product of how footwork, passing, shooting, dribbling, the fundamentals were prioritized over highlight-reel moments.

“Those guys start playing so young, and more importantly, they’re not just playing when they’re young — they’re being taught when they’re young,” Denver coach Michael Malone said this past season, when asked why Balkan players — like the Nuggets star, Nikola Jokic — just seem more adept at skills like passing. “There’s a big difference. In the United States, AAU basketball, guys are playing a lot of basketball, but are they being taught how to play?”

It is the question that everyone is asking. USA Basketball is trying to find an answer, along with the NBA. And it’s not a new thing, either: longtime coach and now television analyst Stan Van Gundy says the problem partly stems from how winning is overemphasized at the youth level.

“Quite frankly, if you look around, we’re failing pretty badly in this country as a whole in teaching people basketball skills,” Van Gundy said. “You all notice it if who watch the NBA, because there’s a huge difference in just the skill level of the players coming from Europe and what we have here in terms of their ability to pass the ball and shoot the ball. We can’t even produce enough people who can do those things here that we’ve got to go across and try to find people who can do them. We’re not developing skills here.”

By the way, Van Gundy didn’t say those words this week or last week or last month. He said them when he was coaching the Miami Heat — two decades ago.

“You are kind of scratching at something that is a conversation a lot of NBA people are having right now,” Orlando Magic President Jeff Weltman said. “I think everybody is looking at youth basketball right now. There are very different models that you can pursue. … It is something we need to continue to analyze and measure as we go forward. The league is changing and how do we recalibrate that toward the youth programs?”

Some coaches, at the youth level, say the answer is simple: It’s on them to do better.

Antoine Thompson is the boys coach at Stony Point High School in Round Rock, Texas, and his program reached the Class 6A state final this past spring. At Stony Point, fundamentals are paramount and it shows in the won-lost record — 38-2 this past season.

His solution: more practices, less games.

“We’ve gotten away from the old lineage way of teaching the game, starting with the very fundamentals, then practicing the game with a team concept. That’s gone out the window,” Thompson said. “And it’s getting bad because now it’s starting at the grassroots level and that used to be where the game was taught. We’re ignoring that now.”

Thompson points to Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic as the example. Doncic has been a pro since he was basically 14, part of the Real Madrid system before coming to the NBA. But how he got there is the key, Thompson said.

“He was playing in a club where the club was structured to teach the game of basketball before playing the game of basketball and we’ve inverted that here,” Thompson said “Now we play the game of basketball — but we don’t teach the game of basketball anymore.”

Maybe that will change. The NBA is thinking it might.

The league and USA Basketball are working together — former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is involved as well — to see what can be done. Some countries require all coaches at the youth level to be licensed and pass an aptitude test of sorts; that might not necessarily be realistic in a country as big as the U.S., but there’s always a better way.

“We think there’s definitely ways to improve the system,” Silver said.

HAWKS ON CLOCK, UNCERTAINTY RULES ENTERING 2024 NBA DRAFT

Atlanta holds the top pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and even the Hawks were not clear how that card might be played Wednesday night.

Drafting in the top three for the first time since selecting Luka Doncic at No. 3 in 2018, the Hawks are hopeful they can turn their good fortune in the draft lottery order into something long-lasting. Atlanta finished 10th in the Eastern Conference and had only a 3 percent chance of winning the lottery and picking first. But now that general manager Landry Fields has the keys to the draft, he’s not planning to cede control or trade the pick.

“The more that we uncover, like we go, great, I’m glad we have No. 1. I keep joking around like I’m not giving it back,” said Fields, who was promoted to general manager in 2022. “So, I think we’re in a really good position here. I’m excited about it, frankly.”

Media pundits are not as excited about the crop of talent some have described as the worst in a decade or more.

Consensus from NBA evaluators place two French stars near the top of the draft board one year after the San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama No. 1 overall.

Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher are narrowly ahead of Kentucky sharpshooter Reed Sheppard and UConn 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan, but at least six players are thought to be in the running for the No. 1 spot one day before the draft.

“We’re planning on picking No. 1,” Fields said of his constant contact with NBA trade suitors.

The NBA moved to a two-day draft format in the first change since adopting the current structure in 1989. The first round is Wednesday in Brooklyn with picks 1-30 announced before restarting the event Thursday night with the 31st selection. There are only 58 total picks in the 2024 draft because of the Nets and Suns being docked second-rounders for rules violations.

Washington won 21 fewer games than Atlanta but holds the No. 2 pick with needs at almost every position and draft lottery mainstay Houston sits third. The Wizards haven’t had a pick this high in the draft since 2010 when John Wall was the top pick out of Kentucky, two years before Washington added Bradley Beal with the No. 3 pick in 2012.

Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said he doesn’t “agree with the narrative” that the 2024 draft class lacks talent at the top. He said after 30 visits with prospects and private workouts, about 10 players remained in the conversation to be considered at No. 2.

The Rockets reportedly are higher on Clingan than most but also met privately with Sheppard and multiple other big men. Houston’s pick is part of the franchise’s return for trading James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets.

A countryman to pair with Wembanyama could be an option for the Spurs, who select fourth and also have the No. 8 pick via trade from Toronto. Another 7-footer, Sarr spent last season in the Australian Basketball League after playing for Overtime Elite the two previous seasons. He has high-end mobility and athleticism for his size but isn’t on Wembanyama’s level as a shooter or creator on the offensive end.

Risacher is 6-9 and skilled in almost every facet of the game, earning high marks for his range and perimeter shooting with plus defensive ratings propped up by a 7-foot wingspan.

Sheppard has drawn comparisons to Steve Nash, but he was primarily a shooter in his only season at Kentucky, where his father helped the 1990s Wildcats achieve great success. Sheppard is a hair under 6-foot-4 but flashed a surprising 40-inch vertical and lateral agility at the draft combine to solidify his standing in the lottery.

Clingan’s UConn teammate Stephon Castle was praised for his versatility in his one season with the Huskies. At 6-6, he has point guard skills and dynamic traits as a defender.

Brian Wright has been GM of the Spurs since 2019 and said he’ll never deviate from the best-player-available strategy unless other means to improve the roster — such as packaging picks for a veteran — steers San Antonio away from its momentous youth movement.

Sarr’s older brother, Olivier, was one of 14 French-born players in the NBA last season and has played for the Thunder the past three seasons.

Wembanyama was never on the same team as Alexandre Sarr, but said his rapid improvement is a result of his “crazy talent.”

Behind the Spurs, the Detroit Pistons are set to draft fifth. New VP of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said he’s drawn to edgy and competitive athletes to complement 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham. This is the third consecutive draft in which Detroit enters with the No. 5 pick.

One year removed from picking No. 2 and 3, Charlotte is in the No. 6 spot and Portland at No. 7 plus the final selection of the lottery, No. 14.

Memphis (ninth), Utah (10th), Chicago (11th), Oklahoma City (12th via Houston) and Sacramento (13th) all hold picks as a result of the lottery or trades.

NBA DRAFT PROFILES

FIRST ROUND

#1. ATLANTA HAWKS – ALEXANDRE SARR, F/C, PERTH

PROFILE: 7’1”, 224

YEAR: 2005 Born (19)

9.6 PTS, 4.5 REB, 1.0 AST, 0.4 STL, 1.5 BLK

50.0 FG%, 27.6 3P%, 70.7 FT%

30 Games, 18.0 MIN

The timeline for the Hawks is very different from teams we tend to find at the top of the draft. Atlanta is not going into June 26th with the obligation of finding a franchise cornerstone; they already have Trae Young. In a draft that seemingly lacks a generational talent, the Hawks choose to fill in the gaps and add Alex Sarr to improve a defense that ranked in the bottom five in defensive rating last season.

The French center possesses a combination of elite size, length, agility, lateral mobility, and motor that allowed him to make an impact defensively last season for Perth, where he was able to provide rim protection, perimeter switchability, and helpside defense. Offensively, the finishing at the rim is an area for improvement, but Sarr makes up for it with his flashes of straight-line driving and his shooting potential.

Atlanta could certainly consider Donovan Clingan here as a high-floor prospect who could make an impact from day one with “big man” stuff, namely defensive rebounding and finishing at the rim. However, they pick Alex Sarr here, who possesses one of the highest ceilings in the class with his combination of size and perimeter offensive potential. Sarr is far from being a project, though; he will make an impact from day one with his all-around defense, his offensive rebounding, and his connective passing.

#2. WASHINGTON WIZARDS – DONOVAN CLINGAN, C, UCONN

PROFILE: 7’2”, 282

YEAR: Sophom*ore (20)

12.9 PTS, 7.5 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 2.5 BLK

64.3 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 57.4 FT%

35 Games, 22.5 MIN

Plenty of people are starting to wonder if the top of the 2024 NBA Draft could feature some combination of Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher with the first two picks. But not so fast, my friends. While the Wizards could go in a number of different directions with this pick, there’s also another route that could be extremely enticing.

Washington is still in the early stages of their rebuild. They have a roster that features a bundle of wings and forwards in the likes of Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, and Corey Kispert. They also look to have hit a home run with Bilal Coulibaly after a promising rookie campaign. Could the Wizards look to add another forward to the mix still? Sure. When you’re a young rebuilding franchise, you’re not going to turn away from BPA often. But another route could be too intriguing for the Wizards to pass up. Insert UConn Huskies big man Donovan Clingan.

For a team that is desperate for big man depth, Clingan offers the potential to give this organization a big step in the right direction. Adding Clingan in the middle, with the surrounding young pieces on the perimeter, gives the Wizards a building block in the paint to continue to build around moving forward. It might not be the “sexiest” pick of all time, but it might be one that starts to see this rebuild pick up some speed. Clingan’s defensive ability, paired with his offensive upside and size, would give the Wizards an ingredient this team has been missing dearly.

#3. HOUSTON ROCKETS (VIA BRK) – REED SHEPPARD, G, KENTUCKY

PROFILE: 6’3”, 182

YEAR: Freshman (19)

12.5 PTS, 4.1 REB, 4.5 AST, 2.5 STL, 0.7 BLK

53.6 FG%, 52.1 3P%, 83.1 FT%

33 Games, 28.9 MIN

Corey: Now a few years into the rebuilding process, it looks as if Houston is finally ready to lift off. The Rockets have built their team on the backs of versatile athletic wings and a Turkish passing wizard, whilst building their identity through tough veterans and Ime Udoka. The team has good depth and can play in a plethora of ways. What they undoubtedly need is more shooting and some connective tissue to help amalgamate all of the pieces. Enter Reed Sheppard, one of the greatest shooting prospects in recent memory, who also happens to provide the quick processing and connective tissue the team needs. The knock with Reed is that he is smallish and isn’t a true point guard—knocks that don’t carry as much weight playing next to Houston’s plus-sized, freak athlete defensive wings and Alperen Sengun who operates as the straw that stirs the drink. Reed will make an early impact by spacing the floor for their downhill slashers, creating easy transition hit-ahead to their athletic dynamos, and generating defensive events with his active hands and anticipation. People may remember Reed’s final game and believe it to be more indicative of the kind of player he is, but despite that singular outing, the larger sample tells us that his production was off the charts. We expect that impact to translate to the next level.

#4. SAN ANTONIO SPURS – ZACCHARIE RISACHER, F, JL BOURG

PROFILE: 6’9”, 204

YEAR: 2005 Born (19)

11.1 PTS, 4.0 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.4 BLK

47.0 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 70.7 FT%

65 Games, 23.3 MIN

Ignacio: While drafting someone who can set the table for Victor Wembanyama should be a priority, the Spurs hold two picks in the top ten, and with the teams selecting after them already set at the Point Guard position, they can address that need with the eighth pick and take whoever the best player available at a position of need in Zaccharie Risacher.

Standing at 6’9”, Risacher possesses an elite combination of size, length, and mobility, which allows him to impact the game as a versatile defender. He is able to stay in front of opponents in the perimeter, help from the corners as a defensive rebounder and rim protector, and get on passing lanes for steals and deflections.

Offensively, Risacher makes an impact with his elite off-ball shooting (38.7% from three-point range on 238 attempts during the season), his ability to move the ball and to attack the rim in transition and closeout opportunities. His lack of elite creation off-the-dribble limits his upside, but on a team that already has clear number one and number two offensive options in Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, the Spurs can afford to overlook Risacher’s lack of on-ball scoring and add someone who can make make a tremendous impact without the ball in his hands.

#5. DETROIT PISTONS – DALTON KNECHT, W, TENNESSEE

PROFILE: 6’6”, 212

YEAR: Senior (23)

21.7 PTS, 4.9 REB, 1.8 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.6 BLK

45.8 FG%, 39.7 3P%, 77.2 FT%

36 Games, 30.6 MIN

I know there’s been some talk about the Pistons wanting to go with Matas Buzelis here, and I do understand the vision. However, if they have the option to pick up arguably the most pure shooter in the draft class and a prospect who can come in and take over games offensively, it would be a no-brainer for the Pistons to select Dalton Knecht. The 6’6” wing out of Tennessee shot 39.7 3PT% overall this past season, 42.4% off the catch, and 44.7% as a spot-up shooter for the Volunteers. The Pistons were 26th in the league in three-point percentage (34.8%) this year, so adding Knecht to the roster would obviously help with floor spacing and creating more room for Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Marcus Sasser, and Ausar Thompson to operate.

Knecht is also excellent in transition and does the most damage when attacking the rim off live dribbles and using his high basketball IQ to spot-up perfectly for his teammates to find him easily for a bucket. He’s also super capable of pushing the pace on his own as well given that he basically played 1-on-5 against defenses all year long. With Dalton Knecht not having to be the do-it-all guy in Detroit and having the likes of Cade Cunningham to find him in transition, in the corner, off screens, off cuts, in the post, and even off pick-and-roll looks (that would be fun), I would expect a lot more buckets to be Knecht-ed on in Detroit. Along with being a tremendous off-ball shooter, Dalton can still generate his own shot and is the type of player who could contribute right away for a young Detroit team.

#6. CHARLOTTE HORNETS – STEPHON CASTLE, G, UCONN

PROFILE: 6’6”, 210

YEAR: Freshman (19)

10.7 PTS, 4.7 REB, 2.9 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.6 BLK

47.0 FG%, 26.2 3P%, 76.0 FT%

34 Games, 27.0 MIN

The Hornets are in desperate need of an injection of talent and players that can contribute to winning. In this case, they’re lucky that UConn’s Stephon Castle has slid to them here at the sixth pick. Castle gives the Hornets some perimeter flexibility in that he can pick up the more difficult defensive assignment. As a true freshman, Castle only allowed opponents to convert on 35.3% of their looks. Offensively, Stephon applied significant pressure on the rim and made great decisions–rarely turning the ball over. The shot is a major knock against him, as he shot under 30% from deep. On Charlotte, he will have some players that can open the court up for him to make savvy moves to the basket and play off of some good positional playmaking.

Is Castle a point guard? Honestly, it doesn’t matter; he’s a real-deal basketball player who has shown he can do whatever is needed for the betterment of the team. The fit with Charlotte is an interesting one. If Castle does fancy himself as a lead guard, he may have some run at that spot on the Hornets. In his last two seasons, Ball has played 36 and 22 games respectively. With that in mind, Charlotte could be picking a player who could supplement the initiator minutes while playing hard-nosed defense.

#7. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS – MATAS BUZELIS, F, G LEAGUE IGNITE

PROFILE: 6’10”, 197

YEAR: 2004 Born (19)

14.1 PTS, 6.6 REB, 1.9 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.9 BLK

45.5 FG%, 26.1 3P%, 69.6 FT%

34 Games, 30.9 MIN

The Trail Blazers find themselves at a challenging juncture at this point in the draft. With an existing crowded backcourt and a lack of perimeter shooting on the board, this becomes a “best prospect available” predicament. Matas Buzelis checks that box. The 6’10” forward is a bouncy, fluid mover who can finish above the rim and has shown polish as a pull-up scorer in the mid-range.

He’ll also help address defensive needs for the Trail Blazers. As the G League season progressed, Buzelis’s point-of-attack prowess improved thanks to an increased ability to handle physicality. His length, coordination, and lateral agility help him to contain the ball. He’s also an exceptionally sharp help defender, which allowed him to post one of the best block rates among forwards in the G League. Buzelis is a feisty rebounder, too, grabbing 8.5 boards per game from February onward.

From an offensive fit standpoint, this may not be perfect. Buzelis’s outside jump shot still needs work. But he does check a number of other boxes for the Trail Blazers as a high-ceiling prospect who can help shore things up defensively and on the glass in the short term. If he can develop as a shooter, he’ll fit an exceptionally valuable mold given his size and physical traits.

#8. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (VIA TOR) – NIKOLA TOPIC, G, CRVENA ZVEZDA

PROFILE: 6’7”, 203

YEAR: 2005 Born (18)

14.5 PTS, 3.2 REB, 5.5 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.1 BLK

49.8 FG%, 30.6 3P%, 87.8 FT%

23 Games, 27.8 MIN

After adding three-point shooting and versatile defense with the Risacher selection, the Spurs look to add a primary playmaker who can make life easier for Victor Wembanyama and pretty much everyone else on the team. While Rob Dillingham’s dynamic scoring makes him an enticing option here, San Antonio opts for one of the best passers in the draft in Nikola Topic.

The Serbian guard has tremendous positional size at 6’7” and plays just as big as his listed height suggests, being a physical slasher whose combination of size, speed, and ball-handling ability made him a constant downhill threat in the Adriatic League. Topic’s selling point, however, was his elite passing ability, as he has mastered the art of drive-and-kicks, taking advantage of his gravity as a driver while also being a timely, accurate, and creative pick-and-roll playmaker.

Shooting and on-ball defense are certainly areas for improvement, but the swing factor might be his medical information, as it was reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony that Topic has a partially torn ACL in his left knee. If the records come back clean, Topic could make a big impact for San Antonio by elevating the play of everyone around him with his elite passing ability and his unselfish approach to the game.

#9. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES – ROB DILLINGHAM, G, KENTUCKY

PROFILE: 6’2”, 164

YEAR: Freshman (19)

15.2 PTS, 2.9 REB, 3.9 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.1 BLK

47.5 FG%, 44.4 3P%, 79.6 FT%

32 Games, 23.3 MIN

The Memphis Grizzlies are in an interesting position here–they’re fervently hoping that they won’t be near this range in the lottery again for quite some time, but their roster is also pretty loaded when fully healthy. They were…not that last season.

It’s difficult to even try to judge what this team needs given their injury woes last season, but there is one thing that stands out: the Grizzlies finished last season with the 30th-ranked offense by Offensive Rating last season. Even with the impending return of Ja Morant from his shoulder injury and the impressive rookie season that GG Jackson put together, this team could use some offensive firepower. Enter Rob Dillingham, whose sweet shooting stroke and playmaking verve would provide some much-needed punch to the Memphis offense. Dillingham will struggle defensively at the NBA level, but he was better than anticipated on that end last season at Kentucky; plus, the Grizzlies were an above-average defensive team last year even with all of the injuries. Jaren Jackson Jr., Marcus Smart, and the rest of the Memphis roster can shield Dillingham defensively, and allow his offensive brilliance to shine.

#10. UTAH JAZZ – CODY WILLIAMS, F, COLORADO

PROFILE: 6’8”, 178

YEAR: Freshman (19)

11.9 PTS, 3.0 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.7 BLK

55.2 FG%, 41.5 3P%, 71.4 FT%

24 Games, 28.4 MIN

When you go through teams in the lottery, you find yourself often asking a similar question. “Man…what the heck are the Utah Jazz going to do?” With a draft that features so many question marks, Utah finds itself in a great position. There will be talent with upside left on the board or the organization could have their pick of a higher-floor talent to add another dimension to this team.

Utah got one of the most impressive rookies in the 2023 class last year in guard Keyonte George. Then they added two intriguing talents who could be poised for a big sophom*ore step forward in Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh. Danny Ainge and company understand how important it is to build through the draft and be patient. If you can do both, things can start to suddenly come together rather quickly.

There’s no denying the talent and raw potential that Colorado forward Cody Williams has in his arsenal. A lengthy wing with guard-like skills, Williams is going to be one of the top talents in this class in terms of potential ceiling. But patience will be required, especially as Williams’s frame fills out to deal with the NBA physicality. At this point in the draft, and paired with two selections in the first round, Utah can afford to swing a bit and be patient. Before dealing with injuries this year, Williams was showcasing some impressive flashes on the court. The talent is there, but time will be needed and if Williams lands with the right team, the future looks bright. Landing in Utah could be a home run for both parties.

#11. CHICAGO BULLS – RON HOLLAND, F, G LEAGUE IGNITE

PROFILE: 6’8”, 196

YEAR: 2005 Born (18)

19.5 PTS, 6.7 REB, 2.9 AST, 2.3 STL, 0.9 BLK

46.0 FG%, 24.0 3P%, 72.8 FT%

29 Games, 36.0 MIN

For a Bulls team that has long been mired in mediocrity, Ron Holland is precisely the type of home run swing that should be taken with the 11th pick.

He’s not a perfect prospect. His three-point shot needs a considerable amount of work, and he’s yet to show consistency in the mid-range. Holland is prone to driving without a plan or overly telegraphing his attacks. There is a lot of work to be done on the offensive end.

That said, there’s a lot to like here, too. Holland has exceptional burst from a standstill and tremendous one-footed leaping ability. He’ll be able to pressure the rim and finish well above it. He’s going to compete on the glass. Defensively, his length, grit, and speed should enable him to guard a variety of positions. His all-around athleticism, anticipation, and motor make him an excellent off-ball playmaker on that end, too.

It will likely take Ron Holland some time to put it all together on offense. But in a lower usage role, he should be able to attack the basket, play defense at a high level, and make hustle plays. And if he becomes a respectable jump shooter, the sky might be the limit. For a Bulls team thin on upside and wing depth, Ron Holland would be a steal at #11.

#12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (VIA HOU) – KYLE FILIPOWSKI, F, DUKE

PROFILE: 7’0”, 230

YEAR: Sophom*ore (20)

16.4 PTS, 8.3 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.1 STL, 1.5 BLK

50.5 FG%, 34.8 3P%, 67.1 FT%

36 Games, 30.4 MIN

It’s hard to find anything that constitutes a “need” for the Oklahoma City Thunder after they lit up the league and finished as the #1 seed in the Western Conference with all of their core players being in their age 25 seasons or younger. Still, if there’s one area of the roster that was arguably a bit thin last season, it was the big man rotation. Sam Presti has also shown a preference in recent years for drafting high-feel players who can create for themselves or others with the ball in their hands, shoot, and make the right passing reads. Duke 7-footer Kyle Filipowski checks all of those boxes. He can play alongside Chet Holmgren in a twin towers setup without OKC having to sacrifice any sort of offensive skill. Filipowski isn’t someone you want switching constantly on the perimeter, but he’s pretty effective defensively around the basket and can switch onto wings in a pinch without getting roasted. He’s also taken huge strides forward as a shot-blocker, which makes it easier to imagine him filling in at center whenever Holmgren sits. There might be flashier players on the board, but Filipowski can fill a few gaps for the Thunder without really taking anything off the table.

#13. SACRAMENTO KINGS – TRISTAN DA SILVA, F, COLORADO

PROFILE: 6’9”, 217

YEAR: Senior (23)

16.0 PTS, 5.1 REB, 2.4 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.6 BLK

49.2 FG%, 39.5 3P%, 83.5 FT%

34 Games, 33.8 MIN

Nick: The Sacramento Kings fell agonizingly short of the playoffs this past season, dropping out of the sixth seed over the last couple of weeks of the season and winning their first play-in game before losing to the New Orleans Pelicans for the sixth time (yes, you read that right) on their way out of the playoffs. With the decline of Harrison Barnes and the likely impending departure of Malik Monk, the two biggest needs for the Kings are forwards with size and players who can put pressure on the rim. The Kings opted here for Tristan da Silva, who is both a forward with size and a nearly ideal Monte McNair type of pick. The 6’8” forward for Colorado is an elite shooter (92nd percentile on jump shots, per Synergy, and a 39.5% mark from deep last season) with playmaking juice, solid defensive chops, and the ability and willingness to fill in gaps for a team on offense. He’s also a four-year college player who will be able to play right away, which fits perfectly into the draft ethos McNair has shown over his tenure in Sacramento. With da Silva, he could either begin his career coming off the bench as the heir apparent to Barnes or slide right into Barnes’s starting spot to form an exciting and well-rounded young forward duo with Keegan Murray. The Kings are in need of depth more than star power at the moment with Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox running the show, and da Silva could help solidify their foundation as a solid sixth-seed or better in the Western Conference–rather than the brutal ending that the team endured this past season.

#14. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (VIA GSW) – KYSHAWN GEORGE, W, MIAMI

PROFILE: 6’8”, 205

YEAR: Freshman (20)

7.6 PTS, 3.0 REB, 2.2 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.4 BLK

42.6 FG%, 40.8 3P%, 77.8 FT%

31 Games, 23.0 MIN

Portland Trail Blazers fans sigh of relief that we didn’t give them another guard.

Instead, the No Ceilings Crew is giving Portland much-needed wing depth in Matas Buzelis earlier with the #7 pick and now Kyshawn George to close out the lottery. Portland has an enticing young core mixed with some really nice older seasoned pieces. Kyshawn George provides not only more floor spacing, but also length, size, and versatility—which is always helpful to have when you’re in a rebuilding stage. The 6’8” Swedish sharpshooter also has a lot of untapped potential that could start to ooze out this season while having the opportunity to be set up by the likes of Scoot Henderson and Malcolm Brogdon. Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, Kris Murray, and Jerami Grant are also a hell of a wing/forward core for George to take notes from when it comes to elevating his shot creation, improving his shooting versatility and learning how to impact the game in different ways if his shot isn’t falling.

Aside from shooting, George has shown he can impact the game on both ends of the court with his playmaking touch along with his quick hands and use of his length on the defensive end. To give you a glimpse, Portland fans: per 100 possessions, George averages 5.4 assists and 2.2 steals. Not bad for a 6’8” guy in his first season playing college basketball. Being able to snag Kyshawn George with the last pick in the lottery with the value he possesses both now and for the future would be an outstanding get for the Blazers.

#15. MIAMI HEAT – DEVIN CARTER, G, PROVIDENCE

PROFILE: 6’3”, 193

YEAR: Junior (22)

19.7 PTS, 8.7 REB, 3.6 AST, 1.8 STL, 1.0 BLK

47.3 FG%, 37.7 3P%, 74.9 FT%

33 Games, 35.3 MIN

One of the most repeated player/team marriages you will ever see is Devin Carter to the Heat. It makes a ton of sense, too. For one, Devin has the NBA bloodline that teams typically feel more comfortable investing in; Carter is the son of 13-year NBA vet, Anthony Carter–who began his career with the Heat. Miami may also fall in love with Devin’s defensive prowess. Carter held his matchups to a field goal percentage of 35.6% this season and under 33% from deep.

Beyond his NBA lineage and defense, Carter took a substantial stride in his three-point percentage. Last season as a sophom*ore, he only connected on 29.9% from distance. This season, he converted 37.7% of his threes. One of the most translatable skills that typically indicates pro success is rebounding. Devin had an offensive rebounding percentage of 3.4, and a defensive rebounding percentage of 23.7. Carter’s insane athletic testing likely tugged on Pat Riley’s heartstrings, too.

#16. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS – JAYLON TYSON, G, CALIFORNIA

PROFILE: 6’7”, 218

YEAR: Junior (21)

19.6 PTS, 6.8 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.5 BLK

46.5 FG%, 36.0 3P%, 79.6 FT%

31 Games, 34.3 MIN

The Sixers have but three guaranteed contracts on the books for the 2024-25 season at the moment. This leaves the team with the freedom to attack this draft positionally, in just about any way in which they see fit, without worry of any positional overlap. With that said, they do have their two-star system established in Embiid and Maxey, so finding players who complement the duo makes sense. Jaylon Tyson’s dribble, pass, shoot, and defend game at this spot lands the Sixers a complimentary piece that can play off of its all-star duo while still selecting a prospect with sneaky upside due to his versatile skill set and 6’7” frame. Tyson plays at a smooth pace and has some wiggle in his handle, allowing him to take and make some tough jumpers, many from NBA range. Tyson can also leverage that scoring ability to make plays for his teammates. Some of said passes can fall on the wild side of one’s decision making scale, however there is a creativity in his vision that not every 2024 wing possesses. The draft range for the junior out of Cal is fairly wide; however, he has the potential to provide immense value wherever he ultimately lands.

#17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS – JARED MCCAIN, G, DUKE

PROFILE: 6’3”, 203

YEAR: Freshman (20)

14.3 PTS, 5.0 REB, 1.9 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.1 BLK

46.2 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 88.5 FT%

36 Games, 31.6 MIN

Jared McCain is returning to California! The 6’3” Duke freshman guard will look to make a mark in Los Angeles with his elite shooting ability and rebounding—two of the most translatable skills when it comes to entering the NBA. With the recent news that the Lakers are lasering in on UConn’s Dan Hurley to become their new head coach and the possibility of LeBron James becoming a free agent again, a lot is up in the air when it comes to the future outlook of the Lakers. But, if McCain does fall into the Lakers’s laps with the 17th pick, that would be a great starting point to build off of if the Lakers actually enter a LeBron-less era and go into rebuild mode.

McCain is able to get his shot off in a variety of ways, but none more impressive than how effective he is knocking down three-pointers in transition. His footwork, pace, and sense of spacing are already NBA-level; if LeBron stays a Laker, he would love to push the tempo, give up the rock in transition, and trust McCain to hit a bucket. Numbers-wise, McCain shot 41.4% from three on nearly 6 attempts per game, 40.7% on spot-ups, 41.9% off the catch, 40.8% on all jumpshots, and shot 54.3 FG% overall in transition. McCain’s knockdown and consistent shooting would open up A TON for the Lakers, and having this skillset in your rotation would provide a much-needed spark plug on this squad.

Despite only being 6’3”, McCain plays much bigger than that and has an extremely strong base for a guard. That being said, he’s able to crash the glass hard and has proven to be a reliable rebounder at his size — and the numbers don’t lie. This year, McCain totaled 181 rebounds (5.0 per game), with 152 of them being defensive rebounds which translated to a 15.2 DRB% at 6’3” (!!). This guy plays with so much competitive joy, and the Lakers would feed off that quality.

#18. ORLANDO MAGIC – KEL’EL WARE, F/C, INDIANA

PROFILE: 7’0”, 230

YEAR: Sophom*ore (20)

15.9 PTS, 9.9 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.6 STL, 1.9 BLK

58.6 FG%, 42.5 3P%, 63.4 FT%

30 Games, 32.2 MIN

Kel’el Ware would be another exciting addition to the Magic’s young core. Standing just a hair under 7’ barefoot with a 7’4.5” wingspan and high-end athleticism, it’s hard to find big men with Ware’s tools. It’s not just his tools that are exciting, though—it’s his skills and production, too.

Despite knocks on his motor, Ware was one of the best rebounders in the Big Ten this past season. Though his defensive technique needs work, his attentiveness took a step forward at Indiana, he’s light on his feet, and he can jump out of the gym. Offensively, he finished well at the basket for the Hoosiers. Ware has also shown comfortability as a floor spacer, which could open things up for Orlando’s plethora of downhill attackers. He’s a solid passer, too.

While shooting from the guard spot may be Orlando’s top priority, it’s ultimately too difficult to pass up Ware, given the board at this stage of the draft. He’ll still give Orlando’s budding stars breathing room, help with their rebounding woes, and bolster their big man depth as Goga Bitadze hits free agency. Plus, Ware is a high-upside proposition himself. His athleticism and size give him a safety net, but if his skills can continue to blossom, he could be one of the most versatile big men in the league.

#19. TORONTO RAPTORS (VIA IND) – TIDJANE SALAUN, F, CHOLET

PROFILE: 6’9”, 203

YEAR: 2005 Born (18)

9.7 PTS, 3.9 REB, 0.9 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.2 BLK

40.6 FG%, 31.6 3P%, 74.8 FT%

54 Games, 23.4 MIN

Following last season’s trades of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, the Raptors hit the reset button and are currently transitioning into the Scottie Barnes era. Toronto will likely continue to put young pieces around their all-star wing, and here they take one of the youngest players in the field in Tidjane Salaun, whose combination of elite size, flashes of shot making ability, defensive potential, and relentless motor, make him one of the high-upside bets in the class.

Areas like on-ball defense, ball-handling, and finishing versatility will definitely take time for Salaun to develop, but at this point in the draft, the upside of a wing with elite physical tools who can space the floor and provide some defensive impact off the ball can be too good to pass up—especially for a team in such an early stage of rebuilding.

#20. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS – CARLTON CARRINGTON, G, PITTSBURGH

PROFILE: 6’5”, 190

YEAR: Freshman (18)

13.8 PTS, 5.2 REB, 4.1 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.2 BLK

41.2 FG%, 32.2 3P%, 78.5 FT%

33 Games, 33.2 MIN

Carlton “Bub” Carrington just may be the best pull-up shooter in the entire draft. One of the youngest prospects in the class, Bub’s shot-making shined for Pitt, as the neophyte guard connected on 50% of his long twos and 102 total dribble jumpers. Carrington can create his own looks in the most hooper ways you can think of, but he also has a nuanced understanding of how to operate ball screens, slyly sticking tight to the screener and freeing himself up by playing into space. This leads to those effective midrange pull-ups, but it also allows him to leverage his scoring to make plays for his teammates. Carrington’s shot making extends to beyond the arc, however he is an inconsistent shooter from range at the moment, mostly due to his struggles to knock down spot up shots. Carrington told No Ceilings that this was one of his biggest areas of off-season work, and one in which he will need to become proficient if he lands in the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Regardless of what does or doesn’t happen with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Carrington is an upside swing that the Cavs can afford to take, and one that could land them another potent offensive combo guard to add to their treasure trove.

#21. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (VIA MIL) – ISAIAH COLLIER, G, USC

PROFILE: 6’3”, 205

YEAR: Freshman (19)

16.3 PTS, 2.9 REB, 4.3 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.2 BLK

49.0 FG%, 33.8 3P%, 67.3 FT%

27 Games, 30.0 MIN

Collier has the potential to be the ultimate “Gotcha!” prospect in this class. He came to USC as a top prospect, boasting a strong frame and athleticism unique to his peers in this draft class; Collier seemed to check a ton of boxes. Then, his season at USC happened. His teammate, Bronny James, suffered cardiac arrest during their freshman year and missed significant time. Kobe Johnson did not have the season many were expecting. Collier also split a lot of time with the ball with Boogie Ellis.

Those circ*mstances–along with playing high-level hoops–contributed to a tough shooting season and some turnover issues. Nevertheless, Collier put immense pressure on the defense on a consistent basis. He posted a free throw rate of 49.7, which ranked 11th among all freshmen. Despite the turnovers, Coller averaged 4.3 assists per game and had an assist percentage of 31.1. That ranked 46th in all of college basketball, and third among freshmen. His natural gifts and feel helped him to record a steal percentage of 2.9.

The Pels are looking for players to help build a successful team around Zion and a slew of 3-and-D wings. Isaiah Collier could be their point guard of the future, and one of the biggest steals in this class.

#22. PHOENIX SUNS – ZACH EDEY, C, PURDUE

PROFILE: 7’4”, 306

YEAR: Senior (22)

25.0 PTS, 12.2 REB, 2.0 AST, 0.3 STL, 2.2 BLK

62.4 FG%, 50.0 3P% (0.1A), 71.0 FT%

39 Games, 32.0 MIN

The Phoenix Suns are in a tricky predicament. They are short on draft capital and don’t have much in the way of financial flexibility. Enter Zach Edey, one of the most dominant forces in college basketball this century.

At 7’4” with a 7’10” wingspan, Edey is an excellent paint deterrent defensively. Opponents cannot contain him on the glass. On offense, he’s an unstoppable finisher with tremendous physical strength. He’s one of the most devastating screeners out there, which should help Phoenix’s existing star trio generate a plethora of open looks.

Edey will have some defensive scheme limitations, but in a situation where he won’t be as worried about foul trouble, there may be more juice to be squeezed. Additionally, Edey possesses an unconventional level of cardio for a player his size. The Suns need a player who can contribute immediately on a cost-controlled contract, and Edey is a safe bet to do that. If the defense scales up well, and opponents struggle with his physicality inside, he may also present more upside than some projects.

#23. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (VIA NOLA) – JA’KOBE WALTER, G, BAYLOR

PROFILE: 6’5”, 198

YEAR: Freshman (19)

14.5 PTS, 4.4 REB, 1.4 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.2 BLK

37.6 FG%, 34.1 3P%, 79.2 FT%

35 Games, 32.3 MIN

Any time you find yourself putting together a mock draft, you quickly realize one name always seems to slip through the cracks. In the early portion of the 2024 Draft cycle, it was thought that Baylor freshman Ja’Kobe Walter could be a potential Top 5 selection. When things were clicking for Walter, he looked to be a dangerous weapon on the offensive side of the ball. With good size and length, it’s not hard to see why Ja’Kobe was such a highly regarded prospect coming into the year.

A lack of consistency on the offensive side of the ball, as well as some questions defensively, have started to see the buzz cool a bit on Walter. He’s going to be a wildcard on draft night, as it only takes one team to be sold on the tools coming together. Milwaukee ends his slide here and they would sprint to the podium based on the potential reward for a pick in the later portion of the first round. Walter has the tools to be a dangerous floor-spacing asset with untapped defensive potential. With the Bucks, he could transition into a rotation asset while the rest of the game starts to rise to the surface.

#24. NEW YORK KNICKS (VIA DAL) – DARON HOLMES II, C, DAYTON

PROFILE: 6’10”, 236

YEAR: Junior (21)

20.4 PTS, 8.5 REB, 2.6 AST, 0.9 STL, 2.1 BLK

54.4 FG%, 38.6 3P%, 71.3 FT%

33 Games, 32.5 MIN

With Isaiah Hartenstein likely to depart in the offseason and Mitchell Robinson’s health continuing to be a question mark, the Knicks could use some big man help after their spectacular season ended with brutal injury luck at the end of the season that led to an upset at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. DaRon Holmes II is more of a power forward than a center, but his shot-blocking talents and scoring punch around the basket would bolster New York’s big man rotation. Holmes also added a standstill three-point shot to his game this past season at Dayton, which makes it even easier to fit him into any offensive context. He has the playmaking juice to fill in right away as a backup to Julius Randle, while also possessing the defensive chops to earn playing time from Tom Thibodeau. If Hartenstein does end up leaving the Knicks this offseason, Holmes might be leaned on to play an even bigger role, but he makes sense as a rotation big for the Knicks even if they manage to convince Hartenstein to stick around.

#25. NEW YORK KNICKS – KEVIN MCCULLAR, W, KANSAS

PROFILE: 6’7”, 206

YEAR: Senior (23)

18.3 PTS, 6.0 REB, 4.1 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.4 BLK

45.4 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 80.5 FT%

26 Games, 34.2 MIN

Kevin McCullar feels like a Thibs guy through and through. He’s a high-motor defender. On the ball, his technique, timing, physicality, and hand speed make him a nightmare to deal with. He’s difficult to shake, and even when opponents free themselves from him, he’ll always make the extra effort to recover. Off the ball, his anticipation and intellect allow him to pick off errant passes and collect blocks as a rim helper.

Offensively, McCullar has some downhill shake and he’s a great passer for his size. The question has always been his shot. The good news is that McCullar actually posted good numbers on catch-and-shoots and unguarded looks this past season while converting over 80% of his free throws. His volume was solid, too, so not all hope is lost.

McCullar’s age, the fact that he’s dealt injuries over the years, and his shooting struggles may cause him to slide on draft night. But for a team like the Knicks, he makes a lot of sense. He does enough to hang right away, and if the shot can remain on an upward trajectory, he could fit one of the most coveted archetypes in the league.

#26. WASHINGTON WIZARDS (VIA LAC) – TYLER KOLEK, G, MARQUETTE

PROFILE: 6’2”, 197

YEAR: Senior (23)

15.3 PTS, 4.9 REB, 7.7 AST, 1.6 STL, 0.2 BLK

49.6 FG%, 38.8 3P%, 85.1 FT%

31 Games, 33.0 MIN

The Washington Wizards are still in the early stages of a rebuild, but somehow it feels like they’ve been in this spot for years and years. It’s getting to the point where enough is enough. With the #2 overall pick, the Wizards selected UConn big man and National Champion Donovan Clingan to be their center of the future. In addition to having high expectations for Clingan, there are still high hopes for the wing/forward stash of the Wizards with Kyle Kuzma, Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert, and rookie standout Bilal Coulibaly at the focal point. So, add a point guard who is a phenomenal playmaker who can score in a variety of ways, and now you’re cooking, Wizards fans. Enter Marquette’s Tyler Kolek—a point guard who has a “bad mother-effer” persona. Kolek can catch fire as a shooter, has elite passing feel, has extreme burst when attacking the rim, and is a tenacious defender for his size—not to mention he was arguably the best point guard in all of college basketball this past season.

Tyler Kolek would be the ideal fit when it comes to adding backcourt depth to take some heat off Tyus Jones. He’s a knockdown shooter off the catch, can burst by you off the dribble, and seems to always be a step ahead when it comes to weaving in a pass to his teammate for a bucket. Along with his fiery personality, Kolek is also a natural-born leader on the court. Just because he’ll be a rookie on paper doesn’t mean he won’t try to help lead this Wizards team; that’s one of the best qualities Kolek possesses, and is one the Wizards should encourage.

#27. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES – JOHNNY FURPHY, G, KANSAS

PROFILE: 6’9”, 189

As part of the deal, dubbed by the Jaguars as the “Stadium of the Future,” Jacksonville is committing $775 million to the project — $625 million to the renovation itself and $150 million over the next two years for maintenance to prepare the stadium for construction. The Jaguars will also spend $625 million, with team owner Shad Khan on the hook for any overruns.

Crucially, the agreement also includes a 30-year lease for the Jaguars to stay in Jacksonville, kicking in once the stadium re-opens. The Jaguars would be limited to playing one home game a year in London, as they have done for several years; all other home games will be reserved for EverBank Stadium.

Construction would begin after the end of the 2025 season and conclude before the 2028 season. The Jaguars’ plan calls for reduced capacity during the 2026 season, with the upper deck unavailable, before making a temporary home elsewhere for 2027.

The University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville and Camping World Stadium in Orlando are the Jaguars’ two options for 2027.

The renovation itself calls for a similar layout to the Los Angeles Rams’ and Chargers’ SoFi Stadium, with a canopy hanging over every seat to keep temperatures down. Capacity would b 63,000 for Jaguars games and could be expanded to 70,000-plus for events like the annual Florida-Georgia football game and the Gator Bowl.

EverBank Stadium hosted Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005 but has not hosted a Super Bowl since.

BASEBALL NEWS

MLB ROUNDUP: GUARDIANS TOP O’S FOR 7TH STRAIGHT WIN

Jose Ramirez smacked a three-run home run to fuel an early offensive outburst and the Cleveland Guardians held on to win their seventh game in a row, edging the host Baltimore Orioles 10-8 on Tuesday night.

Gunnar Henderson blasted his 25th homer of the season for the first of the Orioles’ four long balls, but Baltimore’s losing streak reached five games.

Ramirez has 21 home runs this year and has gone deep in back-to-back games.

With their team trailing 8-4, Baltimore’s James McCann and Colton Cowser smashed back-to-back home runs to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Westburg had four hits and Ryan Mountcastle had three for the Orioles, who also got a homer from Anthony Santander in the eighth.

Giants 5, Cubs 1

Matt Chapman contributed a two-RBI single to a game-breaking, three-run eighth inning as San Francisco made it two wins in a row over visiting Chicago.

Six San Francisco pitchers combined on a four-hitter. In a bullpen game with five starters on the injured list, the Giants got shutout relief from Sean Hjelle, Taylor Rogers, Ryan Walker, Tyler Rogers (1-2) and Camilo Doval after opener Randy Rodriguez allowed Chicago’s only run in the third inning.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (1-5) went seven innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Diamondbacks 5, Twins 4

Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer and later recorded a tiebreaking RBI single as Arizona beat Minnesota in Phoenix.

Corbin Carroll had two singles while Eugenio Suarez and Tucker Barnhart had run-scoring hits for Arizona, which won for the ninth time in its past 14 games. Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt allowed four runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Ryan Jeffers hit a three-run homer and Byron Buxton had a solo blast for Minnesota, which lost for just the fifth time in its past 15 contests. Buxton had three of the Twins’ six hits. Kevin Ginkel (6-1) retired both batters he faced in the seventh, Ryan Thompson worked a perfect eighth and Paul Sewald pitched the ninth for his 10th save of the season. Minnesota starter Joe Ryan gave up four runs and six hits over six innings.

Dodgers 4, White Sox 3

Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman homered and six pitchers combined for seven innings of scoreless relief to boost Los Angeles over host Chicago and to a seventh win in nine games.

Ohtani went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs, and he opened the game with a solo shot to right-center. Right fielder Tommy Pham nearly robbed the homer, but the ball glanced off his glove and landed in the bullpen. Ohtani became the first Dodgers player since 1955 to drive in a run in nine straight games.

Gavin Sheets had two hits for Chicago, which stranded 10 runners on base and went 0-for-9 with men in scoring position. The White Sox have dropped six of their past seven.

Pirates 9, Reds 5

Bryan Reynolds continued his torrid offensive performance with a tape-measure, two-run homer as visiting Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati.

Reynolds finished 2-for-5, extending the longest active hitting streak in the majors to 22 games. It’s the longest streak for a Pirate since Jason Kendall had a 23-game streak in 2003. Nick Gonzales added three hits in support of Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller (9-4), who was charged with four runs — three earned — on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out six as the Pirates ended a two-game skid.

Jonathan India doubled twice, walked twice and scored three times for the Reds, who lost for the third time in four games. Pittsburgh handed Reds starter Hunter Greene his first loss since April 22. Greene (5-3) was tagged for six runs on seven hits in four innings. He fanned five and walked two.

Mets 9, Yankees 7

Mark Vientos hit two of the New York Mets’ four homers as the hosts beat the New York Yankees in the opener of a two-game Subway Series.

Harrison Bader and Brandon Nimmo also hit homers for the Mets, who lead the majors with a 14-6 record this month. Reliever Dedniel Nunez (1-0) earned his first major league win after allowing an unearned run over 2 2/3 innings.

Aaron Judge hit an eighth-inning grand slam and finished with five RBIs for the Yankees, who have lost eight of 11. Juan Soto also homered, while Gerrit Cole (0-1) served up four homers and yielded six runs in four innings.

Blue Jays 9, Red Sox 4

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two doubles and four RBIs while George Springer homered to help visiting Toronto past Boston.

The Blue Jays scored all nine runs over the third and fourth innings, highlighted by an initial seven-run scoring frame that erased an early 2-0 Red Sox lead. Kevin Kiermaier also posted a three-hit game, scoring two runs and driving in another for Toronto. The support was more than enough for starter Kevin Gausman (6-6), whose six innings of work included five strikeouts and helped Toronto snap a seven-game skid.

Rafael Devers (2-for-4) and Tyler O’Neill each homered for the Red Sox, who were held to five hits while losing for just the second time in the past 10 games. Brayan Bello (7-5) was roughed up for seven runs on five hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Josh Winckowski covered all but two outs the rest of the way, striking out a career-high eight over six innings of relief.

Rays 11, Mariners 3

Taylor Walls and Ben Rortvedt drove in two runs apiece in a breakout four-run sixth inning as Tampa Bay grounded Seattle in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Walls, who went 3-for-4, tripled in two runs before scoring on a homer by Rortvedt (2-for-3, four RBIs, walk) to give the Rays a 6-2 lead. Yandy Diaz homered and stretched his on-base streak to 27 games, while Richie Palacios was 2-for-4 with a double, three runs, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. Isaac Paredes hit a two-run homer, and Jose Siri had an RBI single, two runs and three walks. Rays starter Zack Littell yielded two runs on four hits, struck out six and issued a walk. Garrett Cleavinger (5-1) pitched a perfect sixth with two strikeouts.

Seattle’s Ty France went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs, and Mitch Garver popped his 10th home run. Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (6-9) fired 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits.

Brewers 3, Rangers 1

Joey Ortiz homered and Bryse Wilson tossed six innings of scoreless relief to lift Milwaukee to a victory over visiting Texas.

Ortiz led off the fifth with his seventh homer, putting the Brewers in front 2-1 with a 370-foot drive to left off starter Andrew Heaney. Wilson (5-3), originally slated to start, came on in the third for opener Hoby Milner, making his first career start after 269 relief appearances. Wilson allowed three hits, striking out four and walking none. Elvis Peguero earned his second save.

Andrew Heaney (2-9) allowed two runs on six hits in five innings, striking out four and walking two in a 90-pitch outing for the Rangers.

Tigers 4, Phillies 1

Tarik Skubal tossed seven shutout innings and host Detroit topped Philadelphia.

Skubal (9-3), who had lost his previous two starts, allowed three hits and one walk while striking out seven. Andy Ibanez had two hits and drove in two runs for the Tigers, who bounced back from an 8-1 loss to Philadelphia on Monday. Riley Greene added an RBI triple.

Bryce Harper extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double and a solo homer. Phillies starter Ranger Suarez (10-2) gave up four runs and a season-high nine hits in six innings. He recorded four strikeouts without walking a batter.

Marlins 2, Royals 1

Nick Gordon scored the go-ahead run on an error in the seventh inning to fuel visiting Miami to a victory over Kansas City.

Otto Lopez recorded his second straight two-hit performance and scored on Gordon’s infield single for the Marlins, who have won five of their past seven games. Vinnie Pasquantino had an RBI single among the four hits for the Royals.

Kansas City starter Seth Lugo was denied in his bid to become the sole major league leader in wins with 11 despite allowing just two hits over six scoreless innings. He was relieved by Carlos Hernandez (0-1), who took the loss.

Astros 5, Rockies 2

Hunter Brown posted his seventh consecutive quality start and Houston turned six first-inning singles into a victory over visiting Colorado in the opener of a two-game series.

Brown (5-5) limited Colorado to two hits and three walks while striking out seven in six scoreless innings. The Astros made the most of their six singles in the first, plating five runs off Colorado starter Austin Gomber (1-5). Houston benefited from a stolen base from Jose Altuve and a wild pitch that allowed Yainer Diaz and Jake Meyers to each advance one base and set the table for Chas McCormick, whose two-run single capped the uprising.

The Rockies fashioned a rally in the eighth against Astros reliever Seth Martinez, recording a pair of base hits. In the ninth, Michael Toglia socked his eighth home run of the season off Josh Hader, who limited the damage in that frame to that solo shot.

Padres 9, Nationals 7

Jurickson Profar clouted a sixth-inning grand slam as San Diego beat the visiting Washington.

Donovan Solano added two hits and two RBIS for the Padres. Adam Mazur (1-2) picked up his first major league win, allowing six hits and four runs over five innings.

CJ Abrams had three hits and Jesse Winker homered for the Nationals, who have lost the first two games of the three-game series. MacKenzie Gore (6-7) surrendered five runs on five hits in five innings.

Angels 7, A’s 5

Mickey Moniak hit a grand slam and Tyler Anderson battled his way through five innings as Los Angeles beat Oakland in Anaheim, Calif.

Moniak’s fourth homer of the season and first career grand slam came during a five-run fourth inning. Anderson (7-7) walked five but limited the damage to three runs.

The Athletics’ Armando Alvarez went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run in his first big-league start. Mitch Spence (4-4) was tagged for six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

REDS PITCHER NICK LODOLO GOES ON 15-DAY INJURED LIST WITH BLISTER ON A FINGER OF HIS PITCHING HAND

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds placed left-handed starting pitcher Nick Lodolo on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a blister on a finger of his pitching hand.

The move is retroactive to June 24.

Lodolo pitched with the blister against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. He tied a season high with four runs allowed, three earned. Lodolo had three strikeouts and a season-high four walks in 4 2/3 innings of Boston’s 7-4 victory.

“It really affected him mostly on the curveball,” Reds manager David Bell said following Sunday’s game. “He was still able to throw some good ones. Without his best pitches, that was a pretty good effort right there. Today was a little bit more challenging for him.”

Lodolo is 8-3 with a 2.96 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 70 innings in his 12 starts.

In a corresponding move, the Reds recalled right-hander Yosver Zulueta from Triple-A Louisville.

This is Lodolo’s third stint on the IL this season. He began the year on the IL with a left calf issue before making his season debut on April 13. He was placed on the IL again on May 15 with a left groin strain. Lodolo made seven starts for Cincinnati in 2023 before he was sidelined by a stress reaction in his left tibia.

REDS’ CHRISTIAN ENCARNACION-STRAND TO UNDERGO WRIST SURGERY

Cincinnati first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand will undergo right hand surgery next month, manager David Bell said before the Reds’ Tuesday night game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bell said Encarnacion-Strand also would have ligaments repaired in his fractured right wrist on July 11. The recovery timeline is expected to be three months.

If that proves true, Encarnacion-Strand would miss the rest of the regular season. Cincinnati would have to make the postseason for him to have a chance to play again in 2024.

The ligament damage was detected when Encarnacion-Strand visited a hand specialist in Arizona.

Encarnacion-Strand, 24, was initially hurt on April 27 when struck on the wrist by a pitch thrown by the Texas Rangers’ Michael Lorenzen. He missed four games and then returned to play in four contests before being placed on the 10-day injured list on May 8. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 17.

Encarnacion-Strand is batting .190 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 29 games this season, his second year with the Reds.

ATHLETICS’ MARK KOTSAY, REDS’ DAVID BELL PICKED AS ALL-STAR COACHES

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay and Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell were selected as All-Star coaches for the July 16 game at Arlington, Texas.

Kotsay will be on the American League staff of Bruce Bochy, who won the World Series with the Texas Rangers last season. Kotsay played three seasons under Bochy (2001-03) when the two were with the San Diego Padres.

Bell was picked to the National League staff by Torey Lovullo, who guided the Arizona Diamondbacks to the World Series last season. Bell and Lovullo were teammates for Cleveland in 1998.

James Hoye, in his 16th season, will serve as the crew chief and home plate umpire for the All-Star Game. Also selected were Bruce Dreckman (first base), John Tumpane (second), Nic Lentz (third), Ben May (left field) and Nestor Ceja (right field).

METS’ EDWIN DIAZ DECLINES TO APPEAL FOREIGN SUBSTANCE SUSPENSION

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz declined to appeal his 10-game suspension for violating the MLB policy on foreign substances and began serving his punishment on Tuesday night.

Diaz will be eligible to return to the Mets on July 6 when they play the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Diaz didn’t speak to reporters prior to Tuesday’s home game against the New York Yankees. The right-hander is expected to address his situation on Wednesday, according to the club.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said the lack of an appeal is because the Mets want to move past the situation.

“We don’t want this hanging over the team for too long,” Mendoza said before Tuesday’s contest. “Obviously, he talked to his people. We talked to them. And we thought it was best if we just move forward, get it over with and then move on from that.”

The incident with Diaz occurred during Sunday night’s 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Before the bottom of the ninth inning, Diaz was ejected by crew chief Vic Carapazza before throwing a single pitch. Carapazza checked the right-hander’s cap, hands and glove and said the substance he found was “extremely sticky” and discolored.

“It definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat,” Carapazza said after the game. “We’ve checked thousands of these. I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky.”

Diaz is the third New York pitcher to be suspended for a sticky substance issue in the past two seasons. Since-traded Max Scherzer and Drew Smith served suspensions last season.

Mendoza said the closer’s role will be “mix and match” while Diaz is sidelined.

Diaz, who missed all of last season because of knee surgery, had five saves and a 2.30 ERA through his first 15 appearances this season but has struggled since. He is now 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA on the year, with seven saves in 11 opportunities.

Diaz just returned from the 15-day injured list on June 13 after recovering from a shoulder injury. After Sunday’s game, he was aware that he had put his team in a bad position.

“It’s tough because I will let my teammates down for 10 games,” Diaz said. “That sucks, because I’ve been able to come back from the IL, I’ve been good and helped this team to win. Now to be out 10 more games, it sucks.”

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. NO LONGER RULING OUT GOING TO YANKEES

Toronto Blue Jays slugging first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. once ruled out ever playing for the New York Yankees, saying he would not sign with them, “not even dead.”

Guerrero, who doubled down on that sentiment as recently as last year, is no longer discounting any possibilities, instead talking about the “business” of baseball.

With the MLB trade deadline less than two months away and the Blue Jays already appearing buried in the American League postseason chase, Guerrero was asked again about his thoughts on perhaps going to the AL East rival Yankees. New York could be looking for help, since first baseman Anthony Rizzo is expected to be out until August due to a broken forearm.

“Sometimes one says things. It is not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees. But this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad (Vladimir Guerrero Sr.) and my family, and this is a business. And I said I would never again talk about this topic and lots of people have asked me about it,” Guerrero told Virus Deportivo on Monday.

Guerrero, the 2021 AL MVP runner-up when he led the majors with 48 home runs to go with 111 RBIs, a .311 batting average and an OPS mark of 1.002, started this season slowly. He was hitting only .206 with three home runs and 10 RBIs through April 26.

In 51 games since then, though, he is hitting .327 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs and 22 walks with only 33 strikeouts.

The Blue Jays’ fortunes have not turned around, however. After winning 92 games in 2022 and 89 last year, and making the playoffs as a wild card each season, they’re 35-43 entering Tuesday. Toronto has lost seven straight games, a season high.

“Like I tell you, I’m a player, and if a team picks me or if they do something, it’s because they need it, obviously, and I’ll be happy to help any team,” Guerrero added on Monday. “But right now, I’m just focused on helping my team try to get out of this bad streak.”

PADRES’ FERNANDO TATIS JR. LIKELY OUT WEEKS WITH MONTHS-OLD STRESS REACTION

San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is bracing for an extended stint on the injured list with a femoral stress reaction in his right leg.

Tatis was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday but understands that the diagnosis signals his absence is likely to stretch well into July and possibly beyond.

“It’s a huge gap. I don’t want to put it out there because people are going to (speculate),” Tatis said of his injury to the quadriceps area. “It’s going to be some time. We know … we’re trying to aim after the All-Star Game but we’re talking about something serious in my bone in my right leg.

“Let’s just not fool ourself. Everybody knows it’s going to be more than the 10 days.”

Tatis, 25, said the concern from medical staff is the stress reaction becomes a fracture. Imaging last week proved the team’s first diagnosis of a strained quad muscle was inaccurate. Tatis was fighting symptoms of the injury since the season-opening series in April in South Korea, when he first felt cramps “all throughout my body.”

“It’s been a long one. It’s been progressive,” Tatis said.

Because of the longevity of the symptoms, doctors urged Tatis not to continue playing through discomfort because a fracture in that area can carry a recovery time of more than three months. It’s not uncommon for femoral stress reactions to be treated as muscle strains, especially in runners and soccer players since the symptoms often present similarly with muscle tightness and cramps.

The loss of Tatis is a critical one for the Padres. He’s batting .279 with 14 home runs this season, and hit .365 with six multi-hit games and 10 extra-base hits in 19 games in June.

Tatis is also recovering from an elbow contusion that had kept him on the bench since the fifth inning Friday night.

“He could still play — because he’s been playing with it,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “But it’s something that’s not going to get better unless we rest it.”

Tatis has 10 years and more than $300 million remaining on his current contract.

The Padres got other bad news on the injury front when Tuesday night’s scheduled starter, Yu Darvish, had a setback after making a rehab start Wednesday night at High-A Fort Wayne. Darvish hit the injured list nearly a month ago with a left groin strain but now has elbow inflammation.

VITELLO TEAMS THAT PLAYED WITH ATTITUDE AND EDGE LAID FOUNDATION FOR VOLS’ NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RUN

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Winning the national championship validated what already was increasingly obvious. Tennessee is the standard bearer in this era of college baseball.

The Volunteers’ first national title in the sport was the culmination of a seven-year climb from SEC irrelevance to national dominance under Tony Vitello, whose team finished its latest College World Series run with a 6-5 win over Texas A&M in the third and deciding game of the finals Monday night.

“We had unfinished business, especially this being the third time we’ve been here in the last four years,” pitcher Zander Sechrist said. “(In) ’21 we didn’t do well, ’22 you could arguably say that was the best college baseball team ever, ’23 we got to experience winning at least a game here. But the job wasn’t finished, and ’24 just felt a little different.”

Different is certainly one way to describe Tennessee’s season.

The Vols’ 60 wins set a Southeastern Conference record and were the most nationally since Florida State had 60 in 2002, and they lost back-to-back games just once. They became the first No. 1 national seed to win the championship since 1999 and the fourth SEC team to sweep regular-season, conference tournament and national titles in the same year.

Tennessee’s 184 homers rank second all-time behind LSU’s NCAA-record 188 in 1997 and were the most since bat standards were put in place in 2011 to regulate exit velocity. The Vols’ 37 homers in the national tournament tied the postseason record set by LSU in 1998. Tennessee also was the first team in Division I history to have five players hit at least 20 homers in the same season, led by Christian Moore’s 34.

“I’m glad that we finally, finally got it done. I couldn’t be more happier for this program and the way it’s been built,” Sechrist said before noting athletic director Danny White’s presence in the postgame interview room. “So I’m going to put it out there: I hope there’s a lifetime contract coming soon for Coach Vitello.”

Vitello, who has two years left on a contract that pays him $1.5 million per year, has been embraced by the folks in Knoxville from the start.

In 2018, his first season, he set up a lemonade stand outside Lindsey Nelson Stadium to hold a meet-and-greet while he was serving a two-game suspension for getting ejected from a game. Back then, Tennessee averaged 1,721 fans per game to rank 13th out of 14 teams in the SEC. This season there were overflow crowds of 5,339 per game in a stadium with a listed capacity of 4,283. Renovations now underway will increase seating to over 7,500 next season.

“We have more fans to where you don’t have to do lemonade stands,” Vitello said. “It’s fun to make progress. And as they say, the journey is kind of what it’s about. It’s been a fun journey, in particular, this year.”

The 45-year-old St. Louis native prepared for the Vols’ head coaching job while serving as an assistant for eight years at his alma mater, Missouri, three years at TCU under Jim Schlossnagle and four years at Arkansas under Dave Van Horn.

Associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Elander and pitching coach Frank Anderson have been with him from the start in 2017, as have the team’s athletic trainer, video coordinator and director of baseball operations.

When Vitello arrived, the Vols hadn’t made the NCAA Tournament for 12 years, and he said the program needed to create an identity to differentiate itself from SEC teams that had or were about to win national titles.

Vitello wanted self-made coaches and players, fiery guys who played with an edge. By 2022, all that swagger made the Vols a team opposing fans loved to hate. The Vols embraced the villain’s role, best illustrated when Jordan Beck raised his middle finger toward the Alabama outfield while rounding first on a home-run trot.

“We kind of had a theme going there that we needed to find a way to make this thing work. And that freight train got going, and it never really slowed down until it really got out of control, to be honest with you,” Vittelo said. “But that was our niche. We got to play with some attitude. We gotta play with some grit.”

Meanwhile, Vitello and his staff raised the talent level with successive recruiting classes each ranked in the top 15 nationally, including a 2024 class that’s No. 1.

This year’s team has potential first-round draft picks in Moore and Billy Amick and projected second-round picks in Drew Beam, Blake Burke and Kavares Tears and Dylan Dreiling.

Vitello and his staff won’t have much time to celebrate if they want to hold their place atop the SEC, let alone the nation. So there are recruiting visits to set up, a transfer portal to navigate and roster adjustments to be made depending on what happens in next month’s Major League Baseball amateur draft.

“We’ve got all the resources in the world with where we’re at, but it’s a place where we kind of had to build a foundation to catch up, again, with some of these other storied programs,” Vitello said. “You don’t ever get to a point where you can look down on everybody because the instant you do that, you’re probably going to take an upper cut from one if not multiple places.”

REPORTS: COACH JIM SCHLOSSNAGLE LEAVING A&M FOR TEXAS

Less than 24 hours after Texas A&M baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle scolded a reporter for asking whether he would have interest in taking the same job at Texas, multiple reports indicated Tuesday he has done just that.

Schlossnagle, whose Aggies made the school’s first appearance in a Men’s College World Series championship series before falling in three games to Tennessee, went 135-62 in three seasons there. Texas A&M was 53-15 this season and made the MCWS for the second time in his tenure.

Texas finished this season at 36-24 and 297-162 in eight seasons under David Pierce, who parted ways with the school on Monday in a mutual decision, according to athletic director Chris Del Conte.

Schlossnagle, 53, previously worked for Del Conte at TCU from 2004 to 2021. The coach is 946-455 in 23 seasons, with seven trips to the MCWS.

Texas has not made it to the MCWS since 2022, advancing to a Super Regional in 2023 and a regional this season.

On Monday night, after the Aggies lost the deciding game to Tennessee 6-5 in Omaha, Neb., Schlossnagle wanted no part of talking about Texas.

“I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again, and that hasn’t changed in my mind. That’s unfair to talk about something like that. … I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job, and I’ve poured every ounce of my soul in this job. And I’ve given this job every single ounce I could possibly give it. So write that.”

HOCKEY NEWS

THE SHARKS ACQUIRE JAKE WALMAN AND A 2ND-ROUND DRAFT PICK FROM THE RED WINGS

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks acquired defenseman Jake Walman and a second-round pick from Detroit in exchange for future considerations.

San Jose added the 53rd overall pick that was originally held by Tampa Bay and inherited the final two years of Walman’s contract that carry a $3.4 million cap hit each season in the deal announced on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Walman had 12 goals and nine assists in 63 games for Detroit last season with his 21 points ranking fourth among all Red Wings defensem*n.

Walman was originally a third-round pick by St. Louis in 2014 and has 25 goals and 26 assists in 202 career games in the NHL for the Blues and Red Wings.

The Sharks now have three second-round picks in this week’s draft, also holding the 33rd and 42nd overall picks. San Jose also has the No. 1 pick and the 14th selection, giving the Sharks five of the first 60 picks in the draft.

The Red Wings acquired the pick they sent to San Jose earlier in the day when they sent defenseman Andrew Gibson to Nashville. Detroit also got forward Jesse Kiiskinen in that trade.

JETS D DYLAN DEMELO LANDS 4-YEAR, $19.6M EXTENSION

The Winnipeg Jets agreed to terms with defenseman Dylan DeMelo on a four-year, $19.6 million contract extension Tuesday.

DeMelo, 31, was set to become an unrestricted free agent. The $4.9 million average annual value marks a significant jump from the $3 million salary he earned last season.

DeMelo played all 82 games and posted career highs in assists (28) and points (31) during the 2023-24 season. His plus-minus rating of plus-46 ranked second in the NHL after Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling’s plus-56.

The Ontario native also paced the Jets in blocked shots (139) and shorthanded ice time (2:35 per game).

A sixth-round pick by San Jose in 2011, DeMelo has recorded 144 points (17 goals, 127 assists), 265 penalty minutes and a plus-80 rating through 554 games with the Sharks (2015-18), Ottawa Senators (2018-20) and Jets.

RED WINGS ACQUIRE 2ND-ROUND PICK FROM PREDATORS

The Detroit Red Wings acquired a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and forward Jesse Kiiskinen from the Nashville Predators on Tuesday in exchange for defenseman Andrew Gibson.

The Red Wings will hold a pair of picks (Nos. 47 and 53 overall) in the second round.

Kiiskinen, 18, recorded 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 36 games for the Pelicans in Finland’s Liiga last season. He was selected by Nashville in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Gibson, 19, totaled 44 points (12 goals, 32 assists) in 68 games last season with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League. Detroit selected him in the second round of last year’s draft.

BRUINS TRADE 2023 VEZINA TROPHY WINNER LINUS ULLMARK TO SENATORS FOR 1ST-ROUND PICK AND 2 PLAYERS

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Bruins traded 2023 Vezina Trophy winning goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators on Monday in exchange for the Senators’ 2024 first-round draft pick, forward Mark Kastelic and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.

As part of the transaction, the Senators will retain 25% of Korpisalo’s remaining salary.

It answers a looming question the Bruins had about who they would have starting between the pipes next season.

The plan was for Ullmark to be Bruins’ No. 1 netminder to open this season. But, instead he alternated with 25-year-old Jeremy Swayman, who was 25-10-8 in 43 starts with a 2.53 goals-against average during the regular season. The plan was to do the same in the playoffs; but after Ullmark lost Game 2 of the first-round series against Toronto, Swayman started the rest of the way, going 6-6 with a 2.15 GAA.

Boston was eliminated by the Florida Panthers in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The 30-year-old Ullmark spent three seasons in Boston, signing prior to the 2021-22 season as former goaltender Tuukka Rask attempted to return from a hip injury. When Rask’s comeback attempt ended after just four games that season, Ullmark stepped in to the primary role and excelled, posting a NHL-best 1.89 goals-against average to help the Bruins set an NHL single-season wins record.

Swayman had a .933 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average in the postseason. In his two postseason starts, Ullmark had a .886 save percentage and 3.90 GAA. Ullmark’s numbers were down from .915 and 2.57 during his 39 regular-season starts.

Ullmark is set to make $5 million next year. Swayman is expected get a raise from the $3.475 million he was awarded in arbitration.

Boston’s cupboard won’t be completely empty behind Swayman with Ullmark gone.

Korpisalo, 30, appeared in 55 games with Ottawa during the 2023-24 season, recording a record of 21-26-4 with a 3.27 goals- against average and .890 save percentage.

In addition, the Bruins earlier Monday signed depth goalie Brandon Bussi to a two-way contract for next season worth $775,000

AVALANCHE F CASEY MITTELSTADT SIGNS 3-YEAR CONTRACT

Colorado Avalanche forward Casey Mittelstadt signed a three-year, $17.25 million contract on Tuesday that spans through the 2026-27 season.

Mittelstadt recorded 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 games after the Avalanche acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres on March 6 in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram. Mittelstadt added nine points (three goals, six assists) in 11 playoff games before Colorado was ousted by the Dallas Stars in the second round.

“Casey was a great fit for our lineup and a big contributor to our team down the stretch and in the playoffs,” general manager Chris MacFarland said. “His game has improved every season and he took yet another big jump this past year. We believe he has an even higher level to reach and it was important to get him signed for several years.

“Casey is an exciting, playmaking center with good vision and hands and at just 25 years old is going to be a big part of our team moving forward.”

Mittelstadt completed the final season of a three-year, $7.5 million contract.

The Minnesota native has totaled 196 points (66 goals, 130 assists) in 357 career games with the Sabres and Avs. Buffalo selected him with the eighth overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft.

STANLEY CUP GAME 7 DELIVERS NHL AVERAGE OF 7.66M VIEWERS

An average of 7.66 million U.S. viewers tuned into Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers on Monday night, according to data provided by Nielsen.

It marked the biggest audience for an NHL game since the Blues downed the Bruins in the most Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Final, back in 2019. NBC brought in an average of 8.72 million viewers for that St. Louis-Boston contest.

Florida won 2-1 on Monday to secure the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Panthers held a 3-0 lead in the series before Edmonton, led by star forward Connor McDavid, stormed back to make sure the finals went the distance.

Viewership on Monday peaked at 10.3 million as the Oilers pushed for a tying goal in the last minutes.

Only four NHL Game 7s have drawn a larger televised audience over the past 60 years.

The contest drew the biggest audience ever for an NHL game not involving one of the Original Six franchises (Boston, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs).

An average of 4.2 million viewers watched the series as a whole on ABC, a 58 percent improvement from last year’s finals that featured Florida and the Vegas Golden Knights.

In Canada, an average of 7.55 million viewers watched Game 7 on Sportsnet, CBC-TV, and Citytv. That was the country’s second-largest English-language NHL viewership, trailing only the 8.76 million who watched the Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

The Oilers were trying to bring the Cup back to Edmonton for the first time since 1990.

JEREMY ROENICK, PAVEL DATSYUK HEADLINE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME CLASS

The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its next seven members on Tuesday, with NHL stars Jeremy Roenick, Pavel Datsyuk and Shea Weber among the Class of 2024.

Women’s hockey stars Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl were also elected in the player category, and executives Colin Campbell and David Poile were chosen from the builder category to round out the group.

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee voted Tuesday in Toronto. The Class of 2024’s induction ceremony is slated for Nov. 11 in Toronto.

Roenick was one of the earliest American NHL stars, as he scored 513 goals with 703 assists across 20 seasons in the league from 1988-2009. Best known for his time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Roenick also suited up for the Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.

To this day, Roenick is the fourth-leading American-born goal-scorer in league history behind only Brett Hull, Mike Modano and Keith Tkachuk. He had been eligible for the Hall of Fame for more than a decade.

“I’m so happy, I can’t thank everyone who was behind this honor enough,” Roenick said in a news release. “I’m at a loss for words and I’m never at a loss for words. Getting over this last hockey hurdle means so much to me.”

Datsyuk, who began his professional career in his native Russia, came to the NHL in 2001 and played 14 seasons for the Detroit Red Wings. He tallied 918 points (314 goals, 604 assists) and won Stanley Cups with Detroit in 2002 and 2008. Datsyuk also won Olympic gold in 2018 and was a four-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded for gentlemanly conduct.

Weber spent 11 seasons with the Nashville Predators and five with the Montreal Canadiens. The defenseman racked up 443 points (166 goals, 277 assists) in the NHL and won gold with Canada in consecutive Olympics (2010, 2014). As a junior hockey player, he won a Memorial Cup with the Kelowna Rockets.

Darwitz scored the winning goal for Minnesota to beat Harvard in the 2005 NCAA championship game. She went on to suit up for the United States at the Olympics in 2002, 2006 and 2010.

Wendell-Pohl also played collegiately for Minnesota and won the Patty Kazmaier Award for the top female college hockey player in 2005. She was also the MVP of the 2005 IIHF World Championships, the site of the United States’ first-ever gold medal. She captained the 2006 Olympic team.

Campbell has served as a player, coach and executive across a 52-year hockey career, including the senior executive vice president for the NHL’s hockey operations, officiating and central scouting departments for the past 25 years. Campbell won a Stanley Cup as associate coach of the New York Rangers in 1994.

Poile retired from his role as general manager of the Nashville Predators last summer and holds the honors of the winningest and longest-tenured general manager in league history. He was GM of the Washington Capitals from 1982-97 before taking the same role in Nashville and holding it for 27 years. Between those two tenures, Poile’s teams amassed a 1,533-1,172-192-178 record.

“I’m happy for my family and for the life I have been able to live through hockey,” Poile said. “Thanks to the Selection Committee for this tremendous honor.”

GOLF NEWS

GOLF GLANCE: RICKIE FOWLER DEFENDS IN DETROIT

PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Travelers Championship (Scottie Scheffler)
THIS WEEK: Rocket Mortgage Classic, Detroit, June 27-30
Course: Detroit Golf Club, North Course (Par 72, 7,370 Yards)
Purse: $9.2M (Winner: $1.65M)
Defending Champion: Rickie Fowler
FedEx Cup Leader: Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @RocketClassic
NOTES: Detroit Golf Club is hosting the event for the sixth time. … Fowler won a three-man playoff last year to claim his first tour title since 2019. … Miles Russell, 15, makes his PGA Tour debut after being the youngest player to make the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event. Other sponsor’s exemptions included Auburn star Jackson Koivun and Neal Shipley, who won low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open. … Tony Finau set the tournament scoring record of 262 in 2022. … The North Course is set to undergo a renovation following the completion of next year’s event.
BEST BETS: Tom Kim (+1200 at DraftKings) is the top-ranked player in the field at No. 16. He tees it up a week after losing to Scheffler in a playoff at the Travelers. … Cameron Young (+1600) is coming off a T9 last week that included a 59 in the third round. He finished runner-up here in his last visit in 2022, when Young tied the 18-hole record with a 63 in the second round. … Min Woo Lee (+2000) is coming off a T21 at the U.S. Open, his 11th made cut in 15 starts this year. … Akshay Bhatia (+2200) finished T5 last week after a T16 at the U.S. Open…. Stephan Jaeger (+2500) also tied the 18-hole record in the final round last year to finish T9. He has only two top-20s since winning the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: John Deere Classic, Silvis, Ill., July 4-7

LPGA Tour
LAST TOURNAMENT: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (Amy Yang)
THIS WEEK: Dow Championship, Midland, Mich., June 27-30
Course: Midland Country Club (Par 70, 6,277 yards)
Purse: $3M (Winners: $366,082 each player)
Defending Champions: Cheyenne Knight, Elizabeth Szokol
Race to the CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET (Golf Channel/Peaco*ck); 12-1 p.m. (Peaco*ck); Saturday, 4-5 p.m. (Peaco*ck), 5-7 p.m. (GC/Peaco*ck); Sunday, 12-1 p.m. (NBCSports.com/App), 1-3 p.m. (GC/Paramount+)
X: @dowchampionship
NOTES: This is a 72-hole, stroke-play team event. The two-player teams will compete in foursomes (alternate shot) in the first and third rounds, and in four ball (best ball) in the second and final rounds. There will be a cut to the low-33 teams and ties after 36 holes. In the event there is a playoff, it would be played in foursomes format. … Each member of the winning team will receive a two-year winner’s exemption on the LPGA Priority List, although players will not be awarded U.S. Solheim Cup points or Rolex Women’s World Rankings points.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Evian Championship, Evian-les-Bains, France

PGA Tour Champions
LAST TOURNAMENT: Dick’s Open (Padraig Harrington)
THIS WEEK: 44th U.S. Senior Open Championship, Newport, R.I., June 27-30
Course: Newport Country Club (Par 70, 7,024 yards)
Purse: TBD
Defending Champion: Bernhard Langer
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stephen Ames
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 12-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3-5 p.m. (Peaco*ck); Saturday, 12-3 p.m. (NBC), 3-5 p.m. (GC); Sunday, 12:30-3:30 p.m. (NBC), 3:30-5:30 p.m. (GC)
X: @USGA
NOTES: This is the third of five Champions majors this season. … The field includes every winner of the event dating back to 2013. … Defending champion Langer also won it in 2010, while 2022 champion Harrington is coming off his third consecutive victory at the Dick’s Open. … In addition to Langer and Harrington, the 156-player field includes four other World Golf Hall of Fame Members: Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie and Vijay Singh.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Kaulig Companies Championship, Akron, Ohio, July 11-14

LIV Golf League
LAST TOURNAMENT: Nashville (Individual: Tyrrell Hatton; Team: Legion XIII)
THIS WEEK: OFF.
2024 Leaders: Players, Juaquin Niemann; Team, Crushers GC
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Andalucia, Spain, July 12-14

RACING NEWS

CHASE BRISCOE NAMED TO REPLACE OUTGOING MARTIN TRUEX JR. AT JOE GIBBS RACING

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that the NASCAR driver will replace the retiring Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19 Toyota for the 2025 Cup Series season, days after driver Christopher Bell accidentally spoiled the surprise at a news conference.

Bell was asked an innocuous question over the weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway about a potential leadership shift at JGR in the wake of Truex’s retirement.

“Whenever Chase comes into the car …,” he started to say.

Bell stopped instantly and smiled, a realization swept over him there was no going back on this blunder. Briscoe would in fact inherit the No. 19 Toyota next season at JGR.

JGR poked fun at the mishap at Tuesday’s news conference to introduce Briscoe in North Carolina.

“Since I had the mistake of starting this,” Bell said. “I guess I’ll get to finish it out today.”

With that, Bell introduced Briscoe, set to become the first driver among the four at Stewart-Haas Racing to land a Cup ride for next season. SHR, a two-time NASCAR championship team with 69 Cup Series victories since its 2009 formation, announced last month it would close its organization at the end of this season. SHR this year fields Cup cars for Briscoe, Josh Berry, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece.

“We have to win,” Gibbs said. “We think Chase can win.”

Briscoe, who signed a multi-year contract, is 16th in the Cup points standings after a runner-up finish in Sunday’s race at New Hampshire. In his Cup Series career, he has one victory, 12 top-five finishes, 27 top-10s and two poles.

“JGR is the place to be if you want to go win races week in and week out and to race for the championship every year,” Briscoe said.

Bass Pro will remain as a sponsor, including the 2025 Daytona 500. Truex has won 34 Cup races, 32 since 2015. He had a career-high eight wins in 2017, when he won the series championship. He will remain with JGR as an ambassador.

Briscoe will be paired with crew chief James Small. Small helped lead Truex to eight wins since he became crew chief in 2020.

“Chase’s proven high character and racing acumen will fit perfectly amongst the talented drivers in the Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota camps,” TRD president Dave Wilson said.

BELL LEADS NASCAR INTO NASHVILLE, VERSTAPPEN SEEKS F1 WIN IN AUSTRIA

NASCAR CUP SERIES

ALLY 400

Site: Lebanon, Tennessee.

Schedule: Saturday practice, 2:05 p.m., qualifying, 2:50 p.m.; Sunday race, 3:30 p.m. (NBC).

Track: Nashville Superspeedway.

Race distance: 300 laps, 399 miles.

Last year: Ross Chastain ended a winless drought of 14 months when he held off Martin Truex Jr. to win at Nashville in giving Trackhouse Racing its first victory at its home track. Truex finished ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, both in Toyotas. Chase Elliott was fourth and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson was fifth.

Last race: Christopher Bell used wet weather tires to win at a New Hampshire track hit with soggy weather. The victory capped an eventful — and successful — weekend where he took the Xfinity Series race on Saturday and spilled the beans on Chase Briscoe joining Joe Gibbs Racing for the retiring Truex in 2025. JGR announced the move officially this past Tuesday.

Fast facts: Tyler Reddick was in front when the New Hampshire race was halted with 82 laps because of rain. And it was unlikely to resume if not for NASCAR’s wet-weather tires. … Past champion Kyle Larson remains on top in the driver’s standings with Rick Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott in second. Denny Hamlin is third heading to Nashville.

Next race: July 7, Chicago.

Online:http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Tennessee Lottery 250

Site: Lebanon, Tennessee.

Schedule: Saturday practice, 12 p.m., qualifying, 12:30 p.m.; Saturday race, 5 p.m. (USA).

Track: Nashville Superspeedway.

Race distance: 188 laps, 250.4 miles.

Last year:A.J. Allendinger pulled away on the second OT restartto win. Riley Herbst finished second, with Sam Mayer third, Austin Hill fourth and Josh Berry rounding out the top five in a race with 11 different leaders and 17 lead changes.

Last race:Christopher Bell started his weekend racing sweepat New Hampshire with a victory, his fourth straight Xfinity win at the track. Bell also won there in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Bell used a three-wide, last-lap pass to take the checkered flag.

Fast facts: The No. 20 team behind crew chief Tyler Allen has won four times this season with four drivers: John Hunter Nemechek, Aric Almirola, Ryan Truex and Bell. … Defending Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer continues leading the point standings despite going winless this season. … Sheldon Creed finished second and Custer third after both were passed by Bell. … Chevy drivers in Justin Algaier and Allmendinger have won the past two seasons at Nashville.

Next race: July 6, Chicago.

Online:http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

Rackley Roofing 200

Site: Lebanon, Tennessee.

Schedule: Friday practice, 4:30 p.m., qualifying 5 p.m.; Friday race, 8 p.m. (FS2).

Track: Nashville Superspeedway.

Race distance: 150 laps, 199.5 miles.

Last year: Carson Hocevar took the lead with 40 laps remaining and held on to win. Hocevar outdueled Zane Smith and Nick Sanchez by a slight 0.271-second margin in a tightly contested final push.

Last race: On June 1, Corey Heim gained the lead on lap 134 at Madison, Illinois, beat pole-winner Ty Majeski on a restart on Lap 138 and won for the fourth time this season, all in the last eight races.

Next race: July 12, Pocono, Pennsylvania.

Online:http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Austrian Grand Prix

Site: Spielberg, Austria.

Schedule: Friday practice, 7:30 a.m., Saturday qualifying, 10 a.m.; Sunday race, 9 a.m. (ESPN).

Track: Red Bull Ring.

Race distance: 71 laps, 190.420 miles (306.452 kilometers).

Last year: Max Verstappen wasn’t challenged on his way to a fifth straight win from the pole when he defeated Charles Leclerc and Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Last race: Verstappen put on a dominant show to win the Spanish Grand Prix. Lando Norris had edged Verstappen for the pole in qualifying, but the three-time champion muscled past Norris and the field at the start and never looked back.

Fast facts: Verstappen has won 51 of the past 76 F1 races. He widened his points lead to 69 points over Norris and 71 over Leclerc.

Next race: July 7, Silverstone, England.

Online:http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Last race:Two-time IndyCar champion Alex Paloureclaimed the lead in the points standings by winning from the pole last week at Laguna Seca Raceway. Palou has finished on the podium in all four of his career starts at the California track. Colton Herta finished second for Andretti Global and Alexander Rossi finished third to earn his first podium of the season for Arrow McLaren.

Fast facts: Palou has a 23-point lead in the standings over Will Power and 32 over third-place Scott Dixon. … Romain Grosjean was fourth at Laguna Seca in his best finish since joining Juncos Hollinger Racing this year. … Palou will look to increase his lead at Mid-Ohio in two weeks. Palou won there in 2023 over Power in second.

Next race: July 7, Lexington, Ohio.

Online:http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.

Site: Norwalk, Ohio.

Track: Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.

Last event: Doug Kalitta won in Top Fuel and Austin Prock won in Funny Car at North Dinwiddie, Virginia.

Fast facts: Drag racing champion and all-time great, 75-year-old John Force, was injured in a fiery explosion at the end of his Funny Car run. He was alert and talking with safety workers before going to ICU at an area hospital.

Next event: July 19-21, Kent, Washington.

Online:http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Last events: races at Brandon, South Dakota, schedule for last weekend were canceled because of heavy rain.

Next events: Friday at New Richmond, Wisconsin.

Online:http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

TOP INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

WR Davion Chandler commits to Indiana. Chandler is a 3-star prospect and is ranked 10^th in the state by 247sports. Chandler flipped from his first choice (Illinois) on Tuesday. Chandler caught 40 passes for 779 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.

INDIANA PACERS

(PACERS NEWS RELEASE)

DIFFERENT FEEL TO 2024 DRAFT, BUT PACERS’ APPROACH REMAINS THE SAME

Draft week looks a little different this year for the Pacers.

After having a lottery pick each of the last three years, Indiana isn’t scheduled to make a selection until the second round of the 2024 NBA draft.

And this year, the wait for the second round is a lot longer than in years past. For the first time, the draft will take place over two days. The first round is on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The second round will be held on Thursday afternoon at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.

While Wednesday will be a quiet night for the Pacers unless they make a trade, they should be very active on Thursday. Indiana enters the draft with three second-round selections: the 36th, 49th, and 50th overall picks.

DRAFT CENTRAL:Visit Pacers.com/Draft for the Latest News, Videos, & More >>

The Blue & Gold were originally slated to have two first-round picks in this year’s draft, but traded them to Toronto in the deal that brought two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam to Indiana. Siakam helped the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals last month, while the two picks Indiana traded wound up being the 19th and 29th overall picks (the Raptors traded the latter of those two picks to Utah).

This will be just the second time in the last eight years that the Pacers enter the draft without a first-round pick. The last time it happened was 2020, when Indiana only had the 54th overall pick and drafted Cassius Stanley (in a fun twist, the Pacers would later acquire four lottery picks from that draft, making trades for Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Smith, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin).

Although they aren’t picking as high as they have in recent years — Bennedict Mathurin (the sixth overall pick in 2022) and Jarace Walker (the eighth overall pick in 2023) are the Pacers’ two highest draft picks since 1990 — the front office has maintained the same approach heading into draft night.

“We prepare all year for the whole draft, pick one to even undrafted guys that we may pick up after the draft,” Pacers Vice President of Player Personnel Ryan Carr told the media last week. “In terms of process, in terms of how we go about our work, it really doesn’t change.”

While the Pacers’ preparation remains the same, pre-draft workouts were a little different this year than previous seasons. The past few years, Indiana has hosted a mix of individual workouts with projected lottery picks and group workouts with other players projected to go later in the draft. They’ve also started those workouts in mid-May, but Indiana’s playoff run delayed that process by a few weeks this year.

As a result, the Pacers brought in 36 prospects to the Ascension St. Vincent Center for six pre-draft workouts this year, down from 62 prospects visiting for 16 workouts in 2023. With the Pacers picking in the second round, the majority of prospects that visited Indiana were older players who spent four or more years in college. Headliners from that group included a pair of consensus first-team All-Americans in Houston guardJamal Sheadand UConn guardTristen Newton.

Carr said that this year they put an emphasis on evaluating how prospects fare playing at a fast pace and in transition since that has become a trademark of the new brand of Pacers basketball. Indiana led the league in scoring while playing at the second-fastest pace last season.

Picking in the second round can make it more challenging to find a player that proves to be a meaningful contributor, but there are plenty of second-round success stories.

“We’re looking for guys that are coachable, that know how to play, that are going to get better,” Carr said when asked how Pacers scouts evaluate second-round talent. “Guys that can shoot the ball, guys that play hard. You’re looking for something that will get each one of them in the league and (allow them to) stick in the league.”

Just two years ago, Indiana took Andrew Nembhard with the 31st overall pick. The 6-5 guard has started 110 games over the past two seasons and played a key role in Indiana’s playoff run, averaging 14.9 points and 5.5 assists in the postseason.

The list of notable second-round picks is headlined by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and also includes multi-time All-Stars like Draymond Green and Khris Middleton. Beyond Nembhard, the Pacers’ most successful semi-recent second-round pick was fan favorite Lance Stephenson, drafted 40th overall in 2010.

Teams have had recent success finding valuable contributors with the 36th pick. The Knicks drafted two important members of their rotation with that exact pick in recent years, taking center Mitchell Robinson with the 36th pick in 2018 and guard Miles McBride 36th overall in 2021. Former Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon was the 36th overall pick with Milwaukee in 2016 and has won both the Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year awards during a successful NBA career.

The hit rate for the 49th and 50th picks is a little lower, but there are still examples of valuable rotation players at those spots. Notable 49th picks include Isaiah Joe (2020), Kyle O’Quinn (2012), and James Jones (drafted by the Pacers in 2003). 50th picks to carve out lengthy NBA careers include Georges Niang (drafted by Indiana in 2016), Lavoy Allen (2011), and Ryan Hollins (2006).

As for the new draft format, Carr expressed optimism that the day in between rounds will allow teams the opportunity to “reset.” In past years, the second round would start immediately after the first round and unfolded rapidly, with just two minutes between picks. That led to lots of rushed phone conversations with agents in the minutes or even seconds before a team had to turn in its selection.

This year, teams will have time to reset their draft boards and come up with a plan heading into the second round. The NBA also increased the time between picks in the second round from two minutes to four minutes, which should result in the second round feeling less rushed and more like the first round, when teams have five minutes between selections.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Carr said of the new format. “I think we all have ideas of what’s going to go on after night one and into night two, but we’ll see…I think it will be fun. Looking forward to it.”

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

ASHCRAFT SHINES AGAIN, BUT BULLPEN WOES COST INDIANS IN ROCHESTER, 3-1

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Indianapolis Indians bats were held quiet by Major League rehabber Josiah Gray on Tuesday night at Innovative Field, as the Rochester Red Wings took the series opener, 3-1.

The game was scoreless through the first five innings, as Gray and Indians right-hander Braxton Ashcraft matched each other frame-by-frame. For Ashcraft, it lowered the 24-year-old’s ERA at the Triple-A level to a sterling 0.59 through his first three starts (1 ER in 15.1 IP). The Indians (0-1, 33-41) opened scoring in the top of the sixth thanks to an RBI groundout from the rehabbing Joey Bart.

The Red Wings (1-0, 39-35) responded on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth, as Riley Adams took rehabbing left-hander Ryan Borucki deep to left field to tie it at 1-1. An inning later, Rochester jumped on Indians reliever Geronimo Franzua (L, 2-5) for two more runs thanks to a wild pitch and an RBI single from top Nationals prospect James Wood.

After Gray left the game in the seventh, the Red Wings bullpen combined for 3.0 innings of one-hit, shutout ball, highlighted by converted-starter Eduardo Salazar (W, 1-0) and closer Rico Garcia (S, 12).

The Indians and Red Wings continue their six-game set on Wednesday evening at Innovative Field at 6:45 PM ET. Left-hander Andrew Alvarez (0-2, 9.64) will start for Rochester, while the Indians have yet to announce a starting pitcher.

INDIANA FEVER

MITCHELL’S SCORING PROWESS HELPING FUEL FEVER OFFENSE

Kelsey Mitchell is an all-star scoring threat.

She scored at a high clip in high school, graced the top five of all-time list for women’s NCAA Division I while at Ohio State, and presently finds herself second in scoring in Indiana Fever franchise history. In the 2024 season, her 16.4 points per game lead the Fever, and her 21 points per game in Indiana’s last five contests drove the Fever to a 4-1 record in that span.

In the same five-game sample, Mitchell is grabbing 2.6 rebounds, dishing out two assists, and shooting at an efficient clip. She’s sinking 54.4 percent of her shots from the field – even 55.2 percent of her 3-point attempts.

Mitchell is fifth in the league for scoring over that stretch, and 15th for the overall season. On a team with so many offensive weapons, Mitchell is showing that she knows how to blend her game with her teammates’ abilities.

“Kelsey can score the ball,” teammate Aliyah Boston said. “It’s hard for people to stay in front of her because of her speed, and so she just blows by people and we love that. That’s great energy for us. Because we know that one thing, if we get Kelsey that ball, she’s going to go and won’t be stopped.”

Vote for the Fever for WNBA All-Star 2024 at feverbasketball.com/vote »

Mitchell’s run-and-gun style of play is igniting the transition offense of the Fever, and the combination of her skills with rookie Caitlin Clark’s abilities is creating headaches for opposing defenses.

Indiana owns the WNBA’s second-best offensive rating over the last five games, trailing just the New York Liberty. In the last ten contests, the Fever’s offensive rating drops just one spot to third overall. And over the course of the season, the Indiana Fever have a top-five offense in the WNBA.

Guard actions that emphasize Mitchell and Clark’s play off one another elevate the Indiana offense to such a potent level.

“I think it’s an effective way to play and utilize the rest of our group,” Mitchell said. “Our fours and fives are really agile, so that guard-to-guard work is going to pull as many people as you possibly can, and the hope is that you make the right play, make the right read…I enjoy the guard-to-guard action.”

Mitchell’s offense has been vital in the Fever’s successes this season as she’s scored in double figures 15 out of 18 games. Indiana has lost all three contests in which Mitchell missed the double-figure scoring mark, and in the Fever’s seven wins, Mitchell averages a team-high 19 points per game.

Her tenacious energy and ability to break out big offensive games gives the 28-year-old a shot at her second consecutive WNBA All-Star appearance in the seventh year of her professional career.

With such an impact on winning, Mitchell hopes to find herself between the lines with the WNBA All-Stars as they face off against Team USA next month. The 2023 WNBA All-Star could return to the court and become the Fever’s first multi-time All-Star since Candice Dupree in 2019.

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL IN THE NBA DRAFT

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the first time since the National Basketball Association shortened the annual draft to two rounds, the event will take place over two nights. Round one will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 26, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and the second round at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 27, at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in Manhattan.

Kel’el Ware, an All-Big Ten Second Team selection, averaged team highs in points (15.9 per game), rebounds (9.9), and blocked shots (1.9). He became the third Hoosier in the last 25 seasons (D.J. White, Trayce Jackson-Davis) to average at least 15.0 points and 9.0 rebounds for a season. Ware shot 58.6% (188-of-321) from the floor and 42.5% (17-of-40) from the 3-point line. The Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree added a team-best 15 double-doubles to go along with 19 multi-block contests. The North Little Rock, Ark., native measured 6’11.75″ with a 7’4.5″ wingspan and a 9’4.5″ standing reach. All three figures ranked top-5 of all participants in the Draft Combine.

The Indiana men’s basketball program ranks seventh among all Division I programs with 27 players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft since its inception in 1947. The Hoosiers rank third among Big Ten teams in first-round picks and are one of six conference schools with at least 20 first-round selections.

Indiana has produced two No. 1 overall picks, tied for third in the NCAA. In total, IU has had 79 players selected in the NBA Draft.

Hoosiers Selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft

First Overall

Walt Bellamy, Chicago, 1961

Kent Benson, Milwaukee, 1977

Second Overall

Archie Dees, Cincinnati, 1958

Scott May, Chicago, 1976

Isiah Thomas, Detroit, 1981

Victor Oladipo, Orlando, 2013

Fourth Overall

Cody Zeller, Charlotte, 2013

Sixth Overall

Calbert Cheaney, Washington, 1993

Seventh Overall

Quinn Buckner, Milwaukee, 1976

Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers, 2008

Eighth Overall

Ward Williams, Fort Wayne, 1948

Ninth Overall

Noah Vonleh, Charlotte, 2014

11th Overall

Bob Wilkerson, Seattle, 1976

Jared Jeffries, Washington, 2002

12th Overall

Mike Woodson, New York, 1980

14th Overall

Romeo Langford, Boston, 2019

16th Overall

Alan Henderson, Atlanta, 1995

Kirk Haston, Charlotte, 2001

17th Overall

Steve Downing, Boston, 1973

Uwe Blab, Dallas, 1985

Greg Graham, Charlotte, 1993

Jalen Hood-Schifino, Los Angeles Lakers, 2023

18th Overall

Ray Tolbert, New Jersey, 1981

22nd Overall

Randy Wittman, Washington, 1983

23rd Overall

OG Anunoby, Toronto, 2017

27th Overall

Brian Evans, Orlando, 1995

29th Overall

D.J. White, Detroit, 2008

INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SARIS MAKES CANADIAN ROSTER FOR NORCECA WOMEN’S FINAL SIX

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A regular participant in the youth ranks for her home country, rising senior outside hitter Mady Saris earned her first senior team call up on Tuesday (June 25) morning. Volleyball Canada announced its roster for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup in the Dominican Republic (June 26-July 1) with Saris making the team.

The 6-foot-1 outside hitter has participated with Canada in the past, winning silver in the 2018 NORCECA Championships and qualifying for the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U18 World Championship in Cairo, Egypt. After participating in training camps with the Volleyball Nations League team, Saris earns a spot in the roster to head to the Dominican Republic this month.

Saris, a native of Burlington, Ontario, has produced 865 kills (2.75 p/s) in three seasons with the Indiana program. She’s appeared in 90 matches, adding 421 digs and 73 service aces for the Hoosiers. Saris produced a career high 427 kills in 2022 and returns for her senior season this fall.

Canada’s pool play matches are set for June 27th (Mexico) and June 28th (United States) in Group A. The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals on June 29th while the bottom finisher in each group is set for a fifth-place consolation match on June 30th. The final of the NORCECA Women’s Final Six is set for the evening of June 30th in Santo Domingo.

PURDUE FOOTBALL

RIOS COMMITS TO PURDUE

QB Oscar Rios (Downey, CA) has committed to the Boilermakers making his the latest pick-up for Coach Ryan Walters. Rios is a 4-Star prospect in the class of 2026. Rios completed 73.4% of his passes last season for 2,633 yards with 23 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also rushed for another 767 yards and seven touchdowns.

HILL FLIPS TO PURDUE

Hammond Morton WR Lebron Hill has decided West Lafayette is where he will play college football. Hill originally committed to former Purdue Coach Jeff Brohm, but announced Tuesday to play for Ryan Walters. Hill is a 3-Star prospect who caught 34 passes for 564 yards and eight scores last season.

BUTLER CROSS COUNTRY

COLE HESTER NAMED ASSISTANT COACH FOR BUTLER CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK AND FIELD PROGRAM

Cole Hester has joined the Butler cross country and track and field programs as an assistant coach. Head coach Matt Roe made the announcement Tuesday, June 25.

Hester returns to his hometown of Indianapolis as he is a 2013 Lawrence Central High School graduate who then went on to compete at Purdue, graduating in 2018.

Hester arrives at Butler after serving as an assistant coach at Columbia since 2020. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Notre Dame for two seasons.

“We had a lot of interest in this position,” said Roe. “I believe that interest is a tribute to the success of our teams athletically and academically as well as the type of student-athlete we have within our program.”

“What stood out about Cole was the energy and enthusiasm he put forth in his candidacy as well as the level and number of respected leaders in our industry who advocated on his behalf. In short, no one worked harder for this position. Cole’s coaching passion was evident from our first conversation. I believe his positive energy will translate exceptionally well with our student-athletes, recruits, alumni, and staff. In addition, Cole’s strong experience coaching at elite Division I academic and athletic universities is a perfect match for Butler and our program. We look forward to welcoming Cole back to his hometown.”

At Columbia, Hester has overseen the cross country men record their best finish (since 2017) at the NCAA Northeast Regionals (fifth in 2021), three Lions earn NCAA Cross Country All-Northeast Region honors and Tyler Berg earn cross country All-Ivy League honors before running at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.

On the track, Hester helped coach a pair of Ivy League champions in both the indoor and outdoor 4x800m and oversaw four men qualify for the 2022 NCAA East First Round.

During his time at Notre Dame, Hester worked with the men’s cross country and distance teams, and during his first season on the staff (2018), he helped the men’s cross country squad win its first ACC Conference Cross Country title in program history. Following the ACC Championships, Hester coached the men’s team to a second place finish at regionals and a 14th place finish at the NCAA National Championships.

Hester was a part of a women’s cross country squad that finished second at the 2018 ACC Championships, fourth at the regionals and eighth at the NCAA National Championships. Overall while on the coaching staff at Notre Dame, the Irish had three student athletes crowned All-Americans.

On the track, during the 2018-19 indoor season, Hester, helped the men win the One-Mile Run at the ACC Championships and he coached the men’s Distance Medley Relay squad that won the ACC Championship, and qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships by running the second fastest DMR time in NCAA history. At nationals, the Notre Dame DMR squad won the 2019 Indoor National Championship.

During the 2019 outdoor season, Hester helped qualify eight men for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships and he mentored Yared Nuguse to a national title in the 1,500-Meter Run.

A four-year letterwinner for the Boilermakers, Hester was a member of what was at the time, the highest Big Ten and NCAA Regional finish in more than 20 years at Purdue.

IU-INDY MEN’S GOLF

FORMER JAGUAR QUALIFIES FOR PGA ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC

WASHINGTON, Mich. – Former men’s golf standout Nick Bienz earned a spot in this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club, surviving a five-man playoff to earn his first-ever PGA Tour entry. Bienz was one of five players to card 7-under 65 on Monday to position himself in a five-for-four playoff.

Bienz ultimately made birdie on his eighth playoff hole to escape an ultimate test of nerves and collect a spot at a PGA Tour sanctioned event this week.

Bienz, who won the 2023 Indiana Open, has pursued opportunities to get inside the ropes for years now, having played Korn Ferry events and even living in Florida for an extended stretch. He currently works part-time at Golf Galaxy, practicing as his schedule allows. His most recent endeavor gained additional lore as he enjoyed three beers while tied atop the leaderboard, waiting for other groups to finish. His score held, prompting the playoff on the heels of his bogey-free round.

Bienz will now trek the hour south to Detroit Golf Club to prepare for this week’s PGA Tour stop. PGA Tour veteran Kevin Kisner posted an ask on social media to be paired with Bienz on Thursday, prompting a quick reply from the former Jaguar of ‘Absolute dream pairing’. His Venmo was made public as well, allowing fans and sponsors the opportunity to help fund his week on tour.

The pairings for the 156-player field will be announced on Tuesday with play slated to begin on Thursday.

INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SWIMMING

FARRO SET TO REPRESENT ARUBA AT THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State rising senior Chloe Farro will be representing her home country of Aruba at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the Savaneta, Aruba native qualified for the 50-meter freestyle swimming event.

Farro will be competing in the 50-meter prelims on Saturday, August 3, at the Paris La Defense Arena, starting at 11 a.m.

“I’ve been dreaming about making the Olympics ever since I was 12 years old, and now that dream has become my reality,” Farro said. “Through the extreme highs and extreme lows, I persisted. I am forever thankful for all those who believed in me and never gave up on me. I wouldn’t be here without you! I’ll see you all in Paris.”

Farro received an Olympic scholarship from IOC vice-president Nicole Hoevertsz back in 2022 in a formal ceremony meant to offer financial support to an athlete to prepare themselves better, at the highest levels and help them achieve the qualifying times for their specific events. The scholarship was granted to athletes “with the technical level to be able to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games”.

“From the first time I met Chloe, I’ve known her dream was to represent Aruba at the Olympics,” ISU head swimming & diving coach Josh Christensen said. “Over the last few years, it became clear that goal was possible. Her belief, determination, and consistent work ethic have made that dream a reality and we are so proud of her and excited that she has earned this amazing opportunity. We can’t wait to cheer her on as she races in Paris!”

Farro has competed on the international level multiple times throughout her career at Indiana State including the recent 2023 Federation Internationale De Natation (FINA) World Championships back over July 19-30, 2023. She competed in both the 200-meter Freestyle and 50-meter Fly events over the event held in f*ckuoka, Japan.

Other international competitions Farro has competed for Aruba during her time at Indiana State include the 2022 FINA Word Championships (Budapest, Hungary), the 2021 FINA Short Course World Championships (Abu Dhabi, UAE), and the 2021 Junior Pan American Games (Valle, Columbia).

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S GOLF

PURDUE FORT WAYNE MEN’S GOLF ANNOUNCES 2024 FALL SCHEDULE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne men’s golf head coach Billy King has announced his program’s schedule for the fall portion of the 2024-25 season.

The reigning Horizon League runners-up will open the season on September 9-10 at a familiar tournament, the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational. A few days later, the Mastodons will play in Oakland’s event for the first time in the Golden Grizzlies Intercollegiate on September 14-15. The following week, the Mastodons will visit the site of the 2021 Horizon League Championship for the Purdue Fall Invitational at the Kampen course in West Lafayette, Indiana.

To round out September, the ‘Dons will play in Cleveland State’s Tom Tontimonia Invitational for the fifth time in the last six years. That event will be at Pine Hills Golf Club this year, a change from the Lakewood Country Club of prior seasons.

The fall season will wrap up in October with a visit to Cincinnati to play in the Xavier Invitational on October 21-22.

The Mastodons graduated their top three golfers from a year ago, but will have a core group of Nick Holder, Brock Reschly, Nick Bellush and AJ Agnew, who all spent time in the top-five of the lineup last season, back to lead the way for 2024-25.

UINDY BASEBALL

READY SELECTED AS MIDWEST COACH OF THE YEAR

INDIANAPOLIS – Already GLVC Coach of the Year, UIndy Baseball’s skipper Al Ready has added onto his legacy, capturing ABCA/ATEC Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors.

This is the second year in a row that Ready has captured such this honor, becoming the first baseball coach in UIndy history to have won this award more than once.

Ready’s squad captured their second-straight Super Regional title this past season, punching their ticket to Cary, N.C. for the World Series for just the fourth time in program history. This came alongside the highest win total in a season for Ready as his Greyhounds went 41-21 on the year, including a staggering 29-7 mark in GLVC play.

The ABCA/ATEC Regional Coaches of the Year are selected by members of the ABCA All-America & Coach of the Year Committees in all nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division and high school.

The 2024 ABCA/ATEC National Coaches of the Year in all divisions will be announced on Wednesday, June 26.

Founded in 1945, the American Baseball Coaches Association is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 41 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.

INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS:https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS:https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS:https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS:https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS:https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS:https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS:https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS:https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS:https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS:https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS:https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS:https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS:https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS:https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS:https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS:https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BENDATHLETICS:https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS:https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS:https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS:https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OFTHE WOODS ATHLETICS:https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS:https://goleafs.net/

HOY CROSS ATHLETICS:https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS:https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS:https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

26 – 20 – 2

June 26, 1916 – The Cleveland Indians experimented with placing numbers on their jerseys all be it for just one game. This endeavor by the Indians was years ahead of its time. Cleveland you see became the first Major League club to put a number on every baseball team member. The numerals were large enough to see from a distance but they were not where one would expect to see them. The Cleveland squad had them on their left sleeves to denote who was who to the fans. The Baseball Hall of Fame suggests that since there was a scorecard produced and distributed to the fans with the players’ names associated with their number, that this could have also been the genesis of the modern game day program.

June 26, 1938 – It was a popular catch phrase of Wrigley Gum to promote “Doubling your pleasure” with their product of Double Mint Gum. However it was not the team that played home games at Wrigley Field that enjoyed the double connotation on this day in sports history. In fact it was in Philadelphia at the Baker Bowl where the Cincinnati Reds were visiting the Phillies. Reds Lonny Frey, Number 47 who hit 8 doubles in the two games of the doubleheader of games played. Surprisingly The Reds lost the first game 3-10 and won game two 8-5. Baxter Jordan Number 8 of the Philles also posted 8 hits on the day for Philadelphia. Jordan had played for the Reds earlier in the season before signing on with Philly.

June 26, 1962 – Boston Red Sox pitcher Earl Wilson, wearing Number 26 tossed a beauty of a no-hitter against the LA Angels in a 2-0 Boston victory. Later in his career Wilson would be on the 1968 Detroit Tigers team that played in the World Series.

June 26, 1970 – It is an amazing game when fans get to witness a player smack a base clearing grand-slam, tallying four runs on the scoreboard with one swing of the bat. How about this though, Frank Robinson, donning his famous Number 20 uniform hit two grand slams for the Orioles in one game as Baltimore Orioles beat Washington Senators 12-2. The even more amazing part of this story though is that he did it injured, and the injury occurred with athletic heroics in the previous game! These two at bats with 8RBIs followed the day after Robinson cracked a rib while making a game-saving home run robbery in extra innings. Talk about a spectacular couple of games for number 20!

June 26, 1991 – At the NBA Draft the Charlotte Hornets used the first overall selection to take UNLV power forward Larry Johnson. Johnson would wear Number 2 for the Hornets in his rookie season.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

June 26, 1888 – In the great book, Amos Alonzo Stagg: College Football’s Man in Motion by our friend Jennifer Taylor Hall we learned that just three days after pitching an 8-0 shutout to lead Yale over Harvard for a share of the league championship, Stagg took the mound again for the Elis. With his arm still numb from the hard throwing a few days earlier, Lonnie Stagg pitched a game underhand forcing 17 pop fly outs by Harvard to help give Yale a 5-3 victory.

Hall of Fame Birthdays for June 26

June 26, 1905 – Micanopy, Florida – North Carolina State’s halfback/quarterback from the era of 1925 to 1927, Jack McDowall was born. Football was a new wonder to be explored and enjoyed in the southern states in the 1920’s. The FootballFoundation.org shares that the Southern Conference was just three years old and North Carolina State fans were simply hoping for respectability within the new league. Little did they know their Wolfpack had a player who would become the greatest athlete in school history. “Spindle Legs” McDowall could run like the wind, pass with precision, kick with accuracy and play a devilishly destructive defense. He was Mr. Everything to the Wolfpack football program but where this young man would lead them was quite the pleasant surprise. Jack’s first two seasons on the Wolfpack squad were filled with more losses than wins but in his final year McDowall led the Wolfpack to its finest record since the school began playing football in 1894, as NC State ran off a 9-1-0 record. Jack McDowall’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1975. When the school bell rang for the last time Spindle Legs found a career path of becoming the head coach and athletic director at Rollins College, a post he held for 29 years.

June 26, 1916 – Chicago, Illinois – Alvin Wistert who was Boston University as well as the University of Michigan’s tackle from 1946 to 1949 arrived into this life. Alvin who was also referred to as “Moose” the the last of a trio of HOF brothers who played College ball at a high level as he joined siblings Francis “Whitey” and Albert “Ox.” Each one of these men wore the number 11 for their school and it has since been retired in their honor. The NFF’s bio on Moose tells us that he was a high school dropout that had spent six years with the Marine Corps during World War II before entering college. Because of his lack of high school credits, Wistert was required to pass a battery of skill tests, which he did with ease. Not wishing to live in the shadow of his two famous brothers, Alvin enrolled at Boston University and lettered as a 30-year-old freshman football player. He transferred to Michigan, played three years at tackle, was All-America in 1948 and 1949, and team captain in 1949. Michigan won the Big 10 championship all three years. At age 33 in 1949, he became the oldest player ever named All-America. Alvin Wistert was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981 after the National Football Foundation tabulated up their votes.

June 26, 1933 – Columbus, Ohio – The University of Notre Dame’s starting quarterback from 1951 to 1954, Ralph Guglielmi was born. The NFF’s bio tells us that he became the starting quarterback in just the third game of his freshman year in 1951. He would go on to hold the fabled role all four years of his impressive college career, capped by unanimous All-America honors and a fourth place finish in the Heisman voting at the end of the 1954 season. During his career he ran for 13 touchdowns, and he passed for 18. He completed 209 passes for 3,117 yards. Ralph was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. He was a two way player for the Irish as he also started at defensive back picking off 10 opponent passes in college. He was the drafted in the first round of the 1955 NFL draft. The signal caller went on to play in the NFL for the Washington Redskins, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles.

June 26, 1968 – Chicago, Illinois – Shannon Sharpe the Pro Football Hall of Fame Tight End that played for the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens. Sharpe earned the right to play in the Pro Bowl 8 times and was voted 1st Team All-Pro 4 times in his 14 years in the League. It is quite amazing that he was not picked until the 7th round of the 1990 NFL Draft at the 192nd overall pick. Shannon played with a chip on his shoulder and he proved the experts wrong as he played like a first round talent his entire career. The ProFootballHOF.com says he caught 815 balls for 10060 yards and 62 scores, all of which were records for the Tight End position when he retired. The gifted receiver was a standout at Savannah State University. Shannon Sharpe played in 8 Pro Bowls and helped he Bronco win Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII as well as earning a ring in the Ravens Super Bowl XXXV title.

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

June 26

1916 — The Cleveland Indians wore numbers on their sleeves in a game against the Chicago White Sox. It marked the first time players were identified by numbers corresponding to the scorecard.

1924 — New York right-hander Virgil Barnes faced his older sibling, Jesse, marking the first time brothers started against one another in major league history. Jesse got the loss when the Giants beat the Boston Braves 11-7.

1938 — Lonny Frey of the Cincinnati Reds had eight hits in a doubleheader split with the Philadelphia Phillies. Frey had three hits in a 10-3 opening-game loss and collected five in the nightcap, which the Reds won 8-5.

1944 — In an effort to raise funds for war bonds, the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees played each other in a six-inning game at the Polo Grounds. More than 50,000 fans turned out. Each team played successive innings against the other two teams then would sit out an inning. The final score was Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, Giants 0.

1962 — Earl Wilson of the Boston Red Sox pitched a 2-0 no-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park. Wilson, the Red Sox’s first black pitcher, also homered in the game.

1968 — St. Louis’ Bob Gibson pitched his fifth consecutive shutout as he blanked Pittsburgh, 3-0, in the first game of a doubleheader at Busch Stadium.

1970 — Frank Robinson hit two grand slams to power the Baltimore Orioles to a 12-2 victory over the Washington Senators.

1976 — Shortstop Toby Harrah played an entire doubleheader for the Texas Rangers without handling a batted ball by the Chicago White Sox.

1983 — New York’s Rusty Staub tied a season record with his eighth consecutive pinch hit. Staub equaled the 1958 mark established by Dave Philley of the Phillies when he singled in the ninth inning off reliever Ron Reed in the Mets’ 8-4 loss to Philadelphia at Shea Stadium.

2000 — Minor league sensation Alex Cabrera hit a two-run homer in his first major league at-bat for Arizona as the Diamondbacks beat the Houston Astros 6-1.

2003 — Edgar Martinez, who already holds the Mariners’ all-time records for games played, at-bats, hits, doubles, total bases, extra-base hits, walks and runs scored, passes Ken Griffey Jr.’s mark for team career RBIs. His two-run homer in the Mariners’ 10 – 6 victory over the Angels gives the All-Star designated hitter 1,153 RBIs – one more than Junior.

2006 — Oregon State beats North Carolina 3-2 for its first College World Series title.

2015 — Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg resigns in his third season with his team in last place.

2019 — Vanderbilt University defeats Michigan 8-2 to win the College World Series.

2021— The Arizona Diamondbacks end their record streak of consecutive road losses by defeating the San Diego Padres 10-1.

2023 — Louisiana State University wins the 2023 College World Series with an 18 – 4 win over the University of Florida in the final game, one day after losing 24 – 4 to the Gators. Paul Skenes is named the recipient of the College World Series Most Outstanding Player award. It is the Tigers’ seventh title overall, and first since 2009.

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June 27

1917 — Catcher Hank Gowdy of the Braves became the first major league player to enter military service in World War I.

1939 — The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves played a 23-inning, 2-2 tie. Whit Wyatt pitched the first 16 innings for the Dodgers. Both clubs played a 26-inning tie in 1920 at the same Braves Field.

1958 — Billy Pierce of the Chicago White Sox retired 26 straight Washington batters before pinch-hitter Ed Fitzgerald hit a double just inside the right-field line for the only hit. Pierce then struck out Albie Pearson on three pitches and beat the Senators 3-0.

1973 — David Clyde, a $125,000, 18-year-old bonus baby with the Rangers, pitched five innings, struck out eight and allowed one hit in his first major league start. Texas beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 before 35,698 fans — the Rangers’ first home sellout at Arlington Stadium.

1980 — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Jerry Reuss pitched a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in an 8-0 victory at Candlestick Park. The only player to reach base was Jack Clark in the first inning on a throwing error by shortstop Bill Russell.

1986 — San Francisco rookie Robby Thompson set a major league record when he was caught stealing four times in the Giants’ 7-6, 12-inning victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Catcher Bo Diaz threw out Thompson in the fourth, sixth, ninth and 11th innings.

1993 — Anthony Young of the New York Mets set a major league record by losing his 24th straight decision, 5-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals.

1999 — Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 27th homer and robbed Juan Gonzalez of a three-run shot with a spectacular over-the-fence catch as the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 5-2 in the final game at the Kingdome.

2003 — Boston set a major league record by scoring 10 runs before the first out. The 50-minute, 91-pitch first inning came during a 25-8 victory over Florida. The Red Sox also tied an AL record with 14 runs in the first inning. Johnny Damon matched a major league mark with three hits in an inning.

2007 — Ryan Howard hits his 100th career home run in a 9 – 6 loss to the Reds. The shot against Aaron Harang makes him the fastest player in major league history to hit 100 homers, doing so in his 325th game.

2008 — Carlos Delgado of the New York Mets homered twice, including a grand slam, and set a franchise record with nine RBIs in a 15-6 rout of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the opener of the teams’ two-ballpark doubleheader. The Yankees beat the Mets 9-0 at Shea Stadium in the night game.

2009 — Tim Wakefield makes his 382nd start for the Boston Red Sox, tying Roger Clemens for most in franchise history. The 42-year-old knuckleballer earns his tenth win of the year with six scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves. Boston prevails, 1 – 0, with Mark Kotsay driving in the game’s only run.

2010 — Jamie Moyer surrendered his record-breaking 506th home run but was sharp otherwise, and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage of Toronto’s troubles to beat the Blue Jays 11-2. Moyer only mistake was a two-run homer by Vernon Wells in the third inning. Moyer passed former Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts for the most homers allowed in a career.

2016 — Kris Bryant became the first major leaguer to hit three homers and two doubles in a game, and Jake Arrieta added a solo shot, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 11-8 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

2016 — The Texas Rangers wrapped up a weird win at 2:44 a.m., rallying after a rain delay of more than 3 1/2 hours in the ninth inning to beat the New York Yankees 9-6 with maybe 100 fans left in the stands. Umpire crew chief Paul Nauert signaled for the tarp at 10:40 p.m. The game resumed at 2:15 a.m. Texas trailed 6-5 when Kirby Yates replaced closer Aroldis Chapman after the delay with a runner on first and no outs. Yates (2-1) hit three batters, and Beltre and Elvis Andrus each hit a two-run singles.

2017 — The University of Florida wins the first College World Series Title in school history by defeating Louisiana State University 6-1.

2019 — The starters for the 2019 All-Star Game are named, at the conclusion of the fans’ vote. For the first time, this voting is two-tiered, with today’s winners the victors of a second round of strictly on-line voting among the three top finishers at each position, after the more traditional ballots have been counted. The results are well-balanced, with only one team managing as many as three players elected – the Astros with 3B Alex Bregman and OFs George Springer and Michael Brantley – and are generally representative of who have been the best players so far this year.

2021 — A little over a week after MLB has begun to systematically examine pitchers for foreign substances to improve grip, a first victim is caught: Hector Santiago of the Mariners is ejected after umpires discover an unknown sticky substances on his glove. The glove is impounded and sent for further analysis, while Santiago protests his innocence, claiming that he was only using rosin to prevent perspiration from dripping unto his hands. He will be issued a ten-game suspension.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

June 26

1910 — For the second consecutive year, Hazel Hotchkiss wins the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships. Hotchkiss beats Louise Hammond 6-4, 6-2 for the singles title.

1925 — Jim Barnes wins the British Open with a one-stroke win over Ted Ray and Archie Compston at Prestwick Golf Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland.

1959 — Ingemar Johansson knocks out Floyd Patterson in the third round at Yankee Stadium to win the world heavyweight title.

1976 — Japanese professional wrestler Antonio Inoki fights American boxer Muhammad Ali, at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.

1990 — Jennifer Capriati, 14, defeats Helen Kelesi 6-3, 6-1 in the first round to become the youngest winner of a match in Wimbledon history.

1991 — NBA Draft: UNLV power forward Larry Johnson first pick by Charlotte Hornets.

1992 — UEFA European Championship Final, Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden: In a huge upset Denmark beats Germany, 2-0.

1993 — NHL Draft: Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) center Alexandre Daigle first pick by Ottawa Senators.

1995 — The U.S. Supreme Court upholds a random drug-testing program in Vernonia, Ore. The 6-to-3 decision allows public high school officials to require student-athletes to submit to random urinalysis as a condition of being allowed to play interscholastic sports.

1996 — NBA Draft: Georgetown guard Allen Iverson first pick by Philadelphia 76ers.

1999 — NHL Draft: Long Beach Ice Dogs (IHL) center Patrik Stefan first pick by Atlanta Thrashers.

1998 — Jamaica becomes the first Caribbean nation to win a World Cup soccer match since Cuba beat Romania in 1938. Theodore Whitmore scores in the 40th and 54th minutes as the Jamaicans beat Japan 2-1.

2002 — In one of the most extraordinary days at the All England Club, seven-time champion Pete Sampras, 1992 winner Andre Agassi and No. 2-seeded Marat Safin all lose — throwing the Wimbledon tournament wide open. For the first time in the Open era, five of the top-eight seeded men’s players are eliminated before the third round.

2002 — NBA Draft: Shanghai Sharks (China) center Yao Ming first pick by Houston Rockets.

2003 — NBA Draft: St. Vincent–St. Mary HS (Akron, Ohio) small forward LeBron James first pick by Cleveland Cavaliers.

2005 — Justin Gatlin cements his status as America’s fastest human by winning the 200 meters, becoming the first man in 20 years to sweep the sprints at the U.S. track and field championships. A day after winning the 100, Gatlin wins the 200 in 20.04 seconds. The last man to win both races at the U.S. meet was Kirk Baptiste in 1985.

2008 — Two stunning second-round upsets happen at Wimbledon as former champion Maria Sharapova and two-time runner-up Andy Roddick are ousted.

2008 — NBA Draft: Memphis point guard Derrick Rose first pick by Chicago Bulls.

2011 — Top-ranked Yani Tseng wins the LPGA Championship by 10 strokes and, at 22, becomes the youngest player to win four LPGA Tour majors.

2012 — Major college football finally gets a playoff. A committee of university presidents approve the BCS commissioners’ plan for a four-team playoff to start in the 2014 season.

2013 — Seven-time champion Roger Federer is stunned by 116th-ranked Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round of Wimbledon, his earliest loss in a Grand Slam tournament in 10 years.

2014 — The United States reaches the knockout stage of consecutive World Cups for the first time. Germany beat the U.S. 1-0 to win Group G, but the Americans held onto second place when Portugal defeats Ghana 2-1 in a game played simultaneously.

2014 — NBA Draft: Kansas small forward Andrew Wiggins first pick by Cleveland Cavaliers.

2015 — NHL Draft: Erie Otters (OHL) center Connor McDavid #1 pick by the Edmonton Oilers.

2017 — Helmsman Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand wins the America’s Cup with a resounding romp against software tycoon Larry Ellison’s two-time defending champion Oracle Team USA. They win Race 9 to clinch the 35th America’s Cup match at 7-1. Burling, at 26, is the youngest helmsman to win sailing’s greatest prize in a competition that dates to 1851.

2021 — Tour de France: The largest pile up in Tour history is caused by a spectator with a sign during Stage 1. The spectator is apprehended and arrested.

2012 — Stanley Cup Final, Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL: Colorado Avalanche beats two-time defending champions Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1 for a 4-2 series win; Avs 3rd championship in franchise history.

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June 27

1890 — Canadian boxer George Dixon becomes first black world champion when he stops English bantamweight champion Edwin “Nunc” Wallace in 18 rounds in London, England.

1903 — Willie Anderson captures the U.S. Open with a two-stroke victory over David Brown in a playoff.

1914 — Jack Johnson wins a 20-round referee’s decision over Frank Moran at the Velodrome d’Hiver in Paris.

1924 — Walter Hagen wins his second British Open. Hagen finishes with a 301 to edge Ernest Whitcombe by one stroke at Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake, England. Hagen, who won in 1922, was the Open’s first winner born in the United States.

1936 — Alf Padgham beats Jimmy Adams by one stroke to win the British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England.

1950 — Chandler Harper wins the PGA championship by beating Henry Williams Jr., 4 and 3 in the final round.

1959 — Mickey Wright beats Louise Suggs by two strokes for her second straight U.S. Women’s Open title.

1971 — JoAnne Carner wins the U.S. Women’s Open with a seven-stroke victory over Kathy Whitworth.

1979 — Heavyweight Muhammad Ali confirms that his 3rd retirement is final (it isn’t).

1984 — UEFA European Championship Final, Parc des Princes, Paris, France: Michel Platini & Bruno Bellone score as France beats Spain, 2-0.

1988 — Mike Tyson KOs Michael Spink in 91 seconds, in Atlantic City.

1990 — NBA Draft: Syracuse power forward Derrick Coleman first pick by New Jersey Nets.

1992 — Top-seeded Jim Courier, the Australian and French Open champion, loses 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to qualifier Andrei Olhovskiy of Russia at Wimbledon. It’s the first time in Wimbledon history that a qualifier beat the top seed.

1998 — NHL Draft: Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) center Vincent Lecavalier first pick by Tampa Bay Lightning.

1999 — Juli Inkster shoots a 6-under 65 to win the LPGA Championship, becoming the second woman to win the modern career Grand Slam. Pat Bradley won her Grand Slam 13 years earlier.

2001 — NBA Draft: Glynn Academy center Kwame Brown first pick by Washington Wizards.

2006 — Roger Federer wins his record 42nd straight grass-court match, beating Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to open his bid for a fourth consecutive Wimbledon championship. Federer breaks the record he shared with Bjorn Borg, the five-time Wimbledon champion who won 41 straight matches on grass from 1976-1981.

2008 — Zheng Jie completes the biggest victory of her career at Wimbledon, beating new No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4 in the third round. The 133rd-ranked Zheng’s victory, her first against a top-10 player, is the earliest exit by a top-ranked woman at Wimbledon since Martina Hingis lost in the first round in 2001.

2010 — Cristie Kerr cruises to a 12-stroke victory in the LPGA Championship in one of the most lopsided wins at a major. Kerr leads wire-to-wire, closing with a 6-under 66 for a 19-under 269 total. Kerr breaks the tournament record for victory margin of 11 set by Betsy King in 1992 and matches the second-biggest victory in a major.

2013 — NBA Draft: UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett first pick Cleveland Cavaliers.

2017 — Florida scores four runs in the eighth inning to pull away from LSU, and the Gators beat their Southeastern Conference rival 6-1 to complete a two-game sweep in the College World Series finals for their first national title in baseball. LSU loses for the first time in seven appearances in a championship game.

2021 — Nelly Korda beats Lizette Salas by 3 strokes to win the Women’s PGA Championship. The win is Korda’s first major title.

TV SPORTS WEDNESDAY

MLB REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Seattle at Tampa Bay	12:10pm	Root Sports Bally Sports Sun MLB.TV Fubo
Philadelphia at Detroit	1:10pm	NBC Sports Philadelphia Bally Sports Detroit MLB.TV Fubo
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati	1:10pm	ATTSN-Pittsburgh Bally Sports Ohio MLB.TV Fubo
Miami at Kansas City	2:10pm	Bally Sports Florida Bally Sports Kansas City MLB.TV Fubo
Texas at Milwaukee	2:10pm	Bally Sports Southwest Bally Sports Wisconsin MLB.TV Fubo
Colorado at Houston	2:10pm	Rockies.TV SCHN MLB.TV Fubo
Oakland at LA Angels	4:07pm	NBC Sports California Bally Sports West MLB.TV Fubo
Washington at San Diego	4:10pm	MASN2 Padres.TV MLB.TV Fubo
Cleveland at Baltimore	6:35pm	Bally Sports Great Lakes MASN MLB.TV Fubo
Toronto at Boston	7:10pm	Sportsnet NESN MLB.TV Fubo
NY Yankees at NY Mets	7:10pm	Amaz PV SNY MLB.TV Fubo
Atlanta at St. Louis	7:15pm	Bally Sports South Bally Sports Midwest MLB.TV Fubo
LA Dodgers at Chi. White Sox	8:10pm	SNLA NBC Sports Chicago MLB.TV Fubo
Minnesota at Arizona	9:40pm	Bally Sports North YurView MLB.TV Fubo
Chi. Cubs at San Francisco	9:45pm	MARQ NBC Sports Bay Area MLB.TV Fubo
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
UEFA Euro: Ukraine vs Belgium	12:00pm	FOX Vix Fubo
UEFA Euro: Slovakia vs Romania	12:00pm	FS1 Vix Fubo
UEFA Euro: Georgia vs Portugal	3:00pm	FOX Vix Fubo
UEFA Euro: Czech Republic vs Turkey	3:00pm	FS1 Vix Fubo
Copa América: Ecuador vs Jamaica	6:00pm	FS1 UniMas Vix Fubo
Copa América: Venezuela vs Mexico	9:00pm	FS1 Univision Vix Fubo
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
Eastbourne-ATP/WTA, Mallorca-ATP & Bad Homburg-WTA Early Rounds	5:30am	TENNIS
Eastbourne-ATP/WTA, Mallorca-ATP & Bad Homburg-WTA Early Rounds	1:30pm	TENNIS

THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY JUNE 26, 2024 (2024)

References