Former Spartan Jaden Akins makes NBA Summer League debut, makes defensive impact
After not playing in the Orlando Magic's NBA Summer League opener earlier in the week, Akins saw some game action on Sunday in a narrow loss against the Toronto Raptors. Akins recorded just over four minutes and finished the game with one assist and zero points on 0-for-1 shooting.
Advertisement
While Akins didn't have a lasting impact offensively, we did see his defensive ability in his debut. Akins, of course, was known as a standout defender during his Spartans career, and on Sunday he instantly caused a turnover after checking into the game. You can see the highlight clip below -- courtesy of andrewtalkshoops:
The Orlando Magic have two more NBA Summer League games left with games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Hopefully, Akins will see some more action in these final two games and can show enough to land a spot on an NBA team's G League roster for the upcoming season.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Former Spartan Jaden Akins makes NBA Summer League debut, makes defensive impact
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFLPA fires arbitrator who ruled against union president JC Tretter over comments about players faking injuries: Report
The NFLPA fired arbitrator Sidney Moreland on Wednesday, just months after he ruled against the union in a grievance concerning comments made by former NFLPA president JC Tretter, according to Sportico. The news comes the same week Moreland's ruling was obtained by journalists Mike Florio and Pablo Torre. Moreland's dismissal reportedly had nothing to do with the ruling being leaked, sources told Sportico. The NFL and NFLPA have the ability to fire arbitrators between July 10 and July 20 of each year, per an article in the collective-bargaining agreement, so the timing could be a coincidence. On Thursday, Florio and Torre revealed the NFL and NFLPA worked to try and bury a ruling made by Moreland concerning players faking injuries as a strategy to receive a better contract. In 2023, the NFL filed a grievance against Tretter, then the NFLPA president, over comments he made during an appearance on "The Ross Tucker Football Podcast." Tretter was asked about running back holdouts and the resistance from some teams about handing out significant deals to running backs. Tretter responded by implying it was a smart strategy for a player to fake an injury to sit out of practices while seeking a new contract. He seemed to recognize his error during the show, saying, "I don't think I'm allowed to ever recommend that, at least publicly, but I think each player needs to find a way to build up leverage to try to get a fair deal." The NFL believed Tretter's comments violated the collective-bargaining agreement, and filed a grievance against Tretter two months after that interview. Moreland ruled in favor of the NFL, saying Tretter's comments violated a section in the CBA, per Florio. Said the NFL, in a Tuesday statement to PFT: 'The Arbitrator upheld the Management Council's grievance in its entirety and found that Mr. Tretter's statements violated the CBA by improperly encouraging players to fake injury. As a result, he prohibited Mr. Tretter and the union from such conduct in the future. The NFL did not allege that any individual player ever feigned injury. We are grateful for the arbitrator's thorough review of the evidence and order enforcing the CBA.' Moreland specifically called out Article 2, Section 2 of the CBA and Article 3 in the CBA in his ruling. Article 2, Section 2 of the CBA contains a passage stating both sides will "faithfully" adhere to the rules laid out in the CBA. Article 3 deals with strikes and work stoppages. Moreland essentially ruled that Tretter's comments encouraged players to skirt CBA rules by engaging in mini work stoppages. It marks at least the second ruling the NFL and NFLPA tried to prevent from being reported. Florio and Torre revealed details of the first grievance in June, which found the league and commissioner Roger Goodell encouraged teams to reduce guaranteed contracts to veteran players. The league and players' union was also accused of trying to hide certain details of that ruling from players. It's unclear why both the NFL and NFLPA felt it was necessary to try and bury the ruling revealed by Florio and Torre on Thursday. The decision makes sense on the NFLPA side, as they ultimately lost. The NFL's decision to hide the ruling makes less sense, as they won the grievance. The decision adds another layer of confusion to the relationship between the NFL and NFLPA. That relationship has faced scrutiny recently, as an ESPN report revealed NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell worked as a consultant with an NFL-ownership group during his time with the NFLPA, a possible conflict of interest. Thursday's reveal adds yet another layer of murkiness to the already confusing relationship between the NFL and NFLPA.
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
VICIS, Schutt Helmets Top Updated Virginia Tech Football Safety Ratings
VICIS ZERO2 and Schutt F7 2.0 Helmets Shine Under New Tougher Safety Standards Designed to Help Better Protect Athletes at All Levels PLAINVIEW, Ind., July 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This week, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab recalibrated its helmet testing protocols to better reflect how well helmets manage impacts tied to concussion risk, and both VICIS and Schutt helmets continue to meet and exceed these more rigorous safety standards while other popular models drop in rating. This shift aims to ensure that 5-star ratings reflect only the most advanced protection available. As a result, the number of youth football helmets earning a 5-star rating decreased by more than 75%, with only six helmets earning a top rating. The VICIS ZERO2 Youth helmet now remains among one of only two 5-star-rated youth helmets readily available for purchase. "These updated ratings are monumental for football safety at every level," said Jeremy Erspamer, CEO of Certor Sports, parent company of Schutt and VICIS. "They re-establish what it means to be a top-performing helmet and provide a clearer roadmap for parents and coaches to choose the best protection for their athletes. We are proud that VICIS and Schutt helmets continue to set the gold standard as we protect the future of the game." Virginia Tech's STAR (Summation of Tests for the Assessment of Risk) system evaluates helmets based on how well they reduce head acceleration in sports-specific impact scenarios tied to concussion risk. With stricter thresholds, only helmets with exceptional performance now earn the highest 5-star designation. Virginia Tech Helmet Lab only recommends players wear helmets that receive a 5-star or 4-star rating. In the Youth Football Helmet category, the VICIS ZERO2 Youth earned a 5-star rating, placing it in the top tier for impact protection. Multiple Schutt helmets received a 4-star rating, reaffirming the brand's reputation among parents, coaches, and programs seeking elite-level head protection. In the Varsity Football Helmet category, only 11 varsity helmets received 5 stars, including four from Certor Sports, the most of any other brand. The VICIS ZERO2 and VICIS ZERO2 TRENCH remain standout performers, both earning a 5-star rating under the tightened benchmarks. The Schutt F7 2.0 was recognized for its superior impact severity reduction, also receiving a 5-star rating. "These new ratings should be a wake-up call with Virginia Tech no longer recommending some of the most commonly used helmets in youth and varsity football," Erspamer said. "Just because a helmet is widely used doesn't mean it's the safest. This should be a moment of reckoning for the entire football ecosystem, from manufacturers to coaches and parents. We owe it to young athletes to go beyond familiarity and focus on verified protection." Certor Sports' continued innovation and leadership in protective design ensures that its helmets consistently rank among the safest in the game, an achievement made more meaningful by the raised bar. To learn more about VICIS helmets, visit and to learn more about Schutt helmets, visit About Certor Sports Certor Sports, LLC, located in Plainfield, Indiana, is a domestic sporting goods manufacturer and parent company for leading protective and equipment brands, including VICIS, Schutt Sports, and TUCCI. From protection to performance, Certor Sports has developed emerging technologies used by MVP-caliber professionals to youth athletes competing each weekend. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Jason Michaeljason@ 314.323.1425 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
James Harden was reportedly 'the key voice' in recruiting Bradley Beal to Clippers
It wasn't too hard to connect the dots. The Phoenix Suns, having just seen the Milwaukee Bucks boldly explore new horizons in Willingness to Eat Dead Money, were suddenly considering using the stretch provision in the NBA/NBPA collective bargaining agreement to bring an end to the execrable Bradley Beal experiment. The Los Angeles Clippers, having just traded Norman Powell in a three-team deal to bring in power forward John Collins, were suddenly in need of a new shooting guard. As clean as the transition from Arizona to California seemed from the outside, though, Beal reportedly had interest from a number of suitors interested in buying low on a three-time All-Star who might not have lived up to his old contract, but had a chance to be a steal on a dramatically smaller one. Securing Beal's services, then, would require an assist. Luckily, the Clippers already employ a guy who specializes in those. With Beal nearing a buyout agreement that would allow him to reach the unrestricted market, All-NBA point man James Harden became 'the key voice' in the Clippers' pursuit of the soon-to-be-former Suns guard, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, working both L.A.'s front office and Beal himself to play matchmaker and consummate the deal: Harden sold Beal on the Clippers' depth and talked about how he would work well with Powell, who had a career-best season playing alongside Harden after replacing Paul George in the starting lineup last season. He outlined how the Clippers had embraced and helped him pivot in his career after disappointing runs in Brooklyn and Philadelphia damaged his reputation. Beal, coming off a disappointing run in Phoenix that had similarly stunted his value across the league, could relate. Harden even took the unusual step of speaking with [Beal's agent] Mark Bartelstein after all parties, including Harden's agents, approved the conversation. Recruiting a star peer is commonplace in the NBA; recruiting another agent to get on board is not. "No one wants to be released. There's heartache with that," Mark Bartelstein said. "But Bradley wants to be in a position where no one remembers he got released, that they'll remember how he plays next season." If Beal can play something like Powell played last season, when the former Raptors and Trail Blazers swingman put up career-best scoring numbers while shouldering a heavier shot-creation workload than ever before, then they just might. If he can, then Harden — who dished 114 dimes to Powell last season, the 19th-most-frequent assist combination in the NBA, according to PBP Stats — could be well on his way toward a fifth straight top-five finish in assists per game at the controls of an L.A. offense that scored at a top-10 clip after Kawhi Leonard made his season debut in early January. (It's also worth noting that, while Beal has played alongside superstars like Russell Westbrook, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant over the past several seasons, Harden is by far the best pure playmaker he'll have shared the court with since peak pre-injury John Wall … and that, when Beal was regularly seeing that kind of service, he looked like a bona fide future superstar.) If that happens, then a Clippers team that won 50 games and pushed the Nuggets the distance in the opening round of the 2025 postseason could prove an even tougher out next spring … and Beal, who will hold a player option for the 2026-27 season, will put himself in position to re-enter the market in search of a much more lucrative payday this time next summer. If you're thinking that looks like a lot of ifs … well, you're not alone. Such is life when you're talking about former superstars with injury histories on the wrong side of 30 hoping for a fresh start after a $45 million reduction in salary. The game's not played on paper; the Clippers will need to connect the dots for themselves on the court. Beal's arrival gives them another opportunity to add to the bigger picture, though — and for that, it seems, they have their bearded table-setter to thank.
