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USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin basketball to play in-state opponent for first time since 2019
🚨 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗟𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨Too big of a game to wait on this one!The Panthers will head to Madison to take on the Badgers for the first time in 5⃣ years in December!Panthers And Badgers Set To Meet December 30 Wisconsin basketball will tip off against the UW-Milwaukee Panthers for the first time since the 2019-20 season on Dec. 30, 2025, at the Kohl Center. UW's scheduled clash against UW-Milwaukee marks the latest nonconference announcement for the program's 2025-26 slate. The Badgers will start their season in late October with an exhibition against Oklahoma in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a showdown against future No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa and the BYU Cougars in mid-November. Then, Greg Gard's platoon will head to San Diego, California, for the Rady Children's Invitational in late November for games against Providence and TCU or Florida ahead of its Dec. 6 I-94 bout vs. Marquette Golden Eagles in Madison. UW will conclude its non-Big Ten slate with mid-December contest against Villanova at the Fiserv Forum prior to the Dec. 30 showdown vs. Milwaukee. "We are grateful to the Wisconsin program and to Coach Gard for agreeing to play this game," Milwaukee head coach Bart Lundy told "This contest will be terrific for Panther fans and for all basketball fans in the state of Wisconsin. We are excited to renew the in-state rivalry and wish that there were more of these games for the state and for each fanbase. We are certainly looking forward to competing in Madison in December." The Dec. 30 match marks the first time the two programs will face one another since UW's 83-64 victory over the Panthers on Dec. 21, 2019. The Badgers own a 9-1 overall record against Milwaukee dating back to the 2008-09 regular season. The two first tipped off during the 1992-93 campaign. The Panthers finished with a 21-11 overall mark during the 2024-25 season in their third year under Lundy. Milwaukee ranked No. 141 in KenPom, completing its third consecutive season with at least 20 victories. By the time it faces the Panthers, Wisconsin's starting lineup, captained by returning starters John Blackwell and Nolan Winter, plus transfers Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde and Austin Rapp, will be in full force. UW's five-man unit figures to become one of the more formidable ensembles in the Big Ten, and it will look to build off an impressive 27-10 output a season ago. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Brockton's AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer headline list of top lottery candidates for 2026 NBA Draft
1. AJ Dybantsa, BYU The 6-foot-9-inch forward chose the Cougars over Kansas, North Carolina, and Alabama. Athleticism and versatility shine through his rangy scoring skillset, notably when he attacks off the dribble and finishes at the rim. The Brockton native spent last year with Utah Prep and is on this summer's USA Basketball Under-19 national team for the FIBA World Cup. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Advertisement 2. Darryn Peterson, Kansas The 6-5 guard from Ohio offers perimeter size with ability to play on or off the ball. He can attack off the dribble or step outside, offering potential to overwhelm smaller guards and impact games defensively. Peterson played last season with Prolific Prep in California and was co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American game. 3. Cameron Boozer, Duke The 6-9 forward joined twin Cayden in winning a high school national title and fourth straight Florida state title. The son of former Duke and NBA forward Carlos Boozer showed his inside-out game (22 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists) leading the US past the World team in the Nike Hoop Summit. He joined Peterson as the McDonald's game co-MVP. Advertisement 4. Nate Ament, Tennessee The 6-9 forward is a McDonald's All-American and Gatorade player of the year for Virginia with versatile skills. He'll improve as he adds strength to his lean frame, though he stands out with ballhandling and shooting range. Related : 5. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina The 6-9 forward from Atlanta and McDonald's All-American offers two-way potential with his athleticism and length, including as a shot blocker. The McDonald's All-American announced his UNC commitment on TNT's 'Inside The NBA' show alongside former NBA players Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. 6. Chris Cenac Jr., Houston ESPN and 247Sports rank Cenac as the nation's top center, offering rangy skills and outside shooting that made him the MVP of the NBPA Top 100 camp in summer 2024. 7. Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (Australia) The versatile 6-8 wing from Mexico is part of the National Basketball League's 'Next Stars' program designed to develop high-end prospects, averaging 9.6 points and 4.7 assists in his 2024-25 debut season. He turns 18 in December. 8. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky The 6-9 forward was a top-10 recruit last year entering Arizona State, where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. He later transferred to join the Wildcats. 9. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville The 6-3 McDonald's All-American is big signee for Pat Kelsey entering Year 2 of his tenure with the Cardinals, ranking as the No. 1 point guard prospect for Rivals. He joined Dybantsa in making the US U-19 team. Related : 10. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas The 6-2 Acuff is the top point guard prospect for 247Sports (No. 5 overall) and ESPN (No. 7). The McDonald's All-American operates smoothly in the pick-and-roll with the ability to attack defenders off the dribble and from 3-point range. Advertisement 11. Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor ESPN's ninth-ranked recruit offers a sturdy frame (roughly 6-5 and 210 pounds) and versatile athleticism while being known for a high-motor style. He had 24 points for the World team against the US in the Nike Hoop Summit in April. 12. Dash Daniels, Melbourne United (Australia) Like Lopez, the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is will play for the NBL's 'Next Stars' program. Dash is a 6-6 point guard who has been through NBA Academy Australia. 13. Isaiah Evans, Duke The 6-6 guard withdrew from this year's draft and must add strength to a 175-pound frame. But there's clear upside with his explosive scoring potential, such as hitting six first-half 3-pointers out of nowhere against Auburn in December. Related : 14. Labaron Philon, Alabama The 6-4 freshman point guard was a last-minute draft withdrawal. He averaged 10.6 points and 3.8 assists for an Elite Eight team that just lost Associated Press first-team All-American Mark Sears from the backcourt. Others to watch: ⋅ Alijah Arenas — The son of former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas is a McDonald's All-American known for scoring and court vision, but the 6-6 guard's status is unclear as he's still working back from an April truck accident that had him placed in a medically induced coma. Arenas avoided major injury and said this week he works out daily, with the plan of soon joining USC summer workouts. ⋅ Miles Byrd — The 6-7 guard from San Diego State withdrew from the draft after averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists as a redshirt sophomore. ⋅ Ian Jackson — The 6-4 guard averaged 11.9 points while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range at North Carolina as a five-star freshman before transferring to St. John's. Advertisement ⋅ Yaxel Lendeborg — The 6-9, 240-pound forward has gone from junior college to UAB and now Michigan. He withdrew from the draft after averaging 15.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in two seasons with the Blazers. ⋅ Tahaad Pettiford — The 6-1 freshman averaged 11.6 points and shot 36.6 percent on threes for Auburn's Final Four team. He's set for a leading role after withdrawing from the draft. ⋅ Meleek Thomas — The 6-4 guard averaged 33.5 points per 40 minutes with Overtime Elite. He's a McDonald's All-American who signed with Arkansas.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2026 NBA Draft: 4 players who could go No. 1 overall
The 2025 NBA Draft certainly had a distinct Duke flavor and enough trades to make your head spin. There were winners and losers on Day 1, a team that had a whole mess of first-round picks, some reasons to be excited and to be wary in the first round, Day 2 winners and losers, and a certain prospect who may not be entirely thrilled with his landing place. Advertisement We graded the picks and we graded the teams, so now it's time to cast an eye forward. It's a fool's errand to try mock the 2026 NBA Draft when 2025 mocks from two days ago were left in tatters. But what we can project more accurately is who could be at the top of the draft board. So here are four players who have fans, teams and executives excited for next year's draft and who could be in play at No. 1 overall: Cameron Boozer drives to the basket against A.J. Dybantsa during the McDonald's Boys High School All America Game on April 1, 2025, at the Barclays Center in New York. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) SF A.J. Dybantsa, BYU Ht: 6-9 | Wt.: 200 | Age: 18 Dybantsa is a smooth, athletic scorer who covers ground with ease. The top college basketball recruit in the class of 2025 surprised many by committing to BYU, but he is confident in the program's ability to develop him into an NBA star. Dybantsa said he sees himself as a combination of Tracy McGrady and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. PF Cameron Boozer, Duke Ht: 6-9 | Wt.: 230 | Age: 17 Advertisement Boozer is the son of former NBA All-Star and Duke great Carlos Boozer. He is a double-double machine who also excels on the defensive end. He communicates on the court and has the pedigree to understand the nuances of the game far beyond his age. G Darryn Peterson, Kansas Ht: 6-5 | Wt.: 195 | Age: 18 Peterson is a big, versatile guard. He's an effortless scorer and the kind of switchable combo guard who should flourish in today's game. His shooting mechanics are excellent, but he does need to find some consistency with his stroke. Still, he's a strong do-it-all guard who can get to his spots, finish and pass, and he projects to be an excellent on-ball defender. SF Nate Ament, Tennessee Ht: 6-9 | Wt.: 190 | Age: 18 Ament is a lean, fluid athlete bursting with potential who is fairly raw and has a lot of edges to smooth. But his ceiling is immense. He currently lacks strength but has the floor vision and playmaking chops of a guard with a smooth shooting touch. The other three prospects might be better now, but Ament has the long-term upside that teams will consider.
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Answering big post-draft NBA questions as free agency and offseason near
The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. Bouncers, as we hit the offseason schedule, we're going to move The Bounce to Tuesdays and Fridays starting next week. We'll still break down everything you need to know about free agency and trades! Just didn't want to alarm you with our typical summer schedule if you're new. Big summer questions after NBA Draft Now that the 2025 NBA Draft is over and some teams are already tanking for AJ Dybantsa in 2026, we head to free agency! That's the next step on the NBA calendar. Free agency starts on Monday at 6 p.m. ET. That's when teams can pretend to start talking to free agents for the first time. In reality, they've been setting up stuff for weeks and months. Advertisement One of the biggest hurdles in team-building these days is the dreaded second apron for the luxury-tax penalties. Don't worry if you're still fuzzy on what that is. I've got an easy explainer for you right here on how that affects your team. As teams try to avoid the punitive financial aprons, some will make a push to shed some salary while trying to remain competitive. Others will push chips in and try to get to the top of their conferences. The draft was a big step toward making those moves already, as were the trades we had reported leading up to the draft. That leaves me with a flock of questions to answer before we hit next week. Will Dallas make another big deal? General manager Nico Harrison did not build this team in a controversial manner (moving Luka Dončić out of town) with the possibility of having Cooper Flagg. That just kind of happened. So, now that this wunderkind has been dropped onto Dallas' roster, how does that affect things moving forward? The Mavs frontcourt is crowded. They have Anthony Davis (32 years old), Flagg (18), Daniel Gafford (26), Dereck Lively II (21), P.J. Washington (26) and even Dwight Powell (33) in the frontcourt. That doesn't even count versatile wings like Naji Marshall (27), Caleb Martin (29) and Olivier-Maxence Prosper (22), who are all better served at the 3 than the 2. They just extended Gafford for three years, and Lively is extension-eligible this fall. They're waiting for Kyrie Irving to come back from his ACL tear, which could happen around midseason. Would it behoove them to move some of this frontcourt depth for a guard that can help them now? It would also open up more minutes for Flagg at his natural 4 position, which means Davis has to play more at the 5. He hates that. Does everything fit in Spurs backcourt? Speaking of prospects dropped on your roster, the Spurs ending up with Dylan Harper with the second pick isn't exactly a perfect fit, either. They just traded for De'Aaron Fox last season, and they play the same position. The Spurs also have the reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, who fancies himself a playmaking guard as his preferred position. Fox is also eligible for a big extension. Advertisement The 27-year-old is 6-foot-3, Harper is about 6-foot-5 and Castle is 6-foot-6. Fox has a 6-foot-6 wingspan, Castle has a 6-foot-9 wingspan and Harper has a 6-foot-10 wingspan. You can play all three together, although we need to see how the defense looks with Harper and Fox on the floor. Indiana showed us the importance of having multiple guys who can attack and initiate, so it could work out. But I wonder if this changes anything for San Antonio. Maybe the Spurs' other role players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson or Jeremy Sochan now become more tradeable to put a bigger player next to Victor Wembanyama? The Nets used all of their picks. What's their cap situation? I'm fully willing to be wrong, but I did not like the Nets' draft, and I'm not alone. Five picks and five projects. I know they're not trying to win now, but I figured we'd see them trade a couple of those picks to either move up or get potentially better picks in the future to utilize. If they sign all five of those first-round picks, they'd have 15 players on the roster and roughly $50 million in cap space without their own free-agent cap holds. They also have D'Angelo Russell, Cam Thomas, Day'Ron Sharpe, Ziaire Williams, Trendon Watford and Reece Beekman as free agents. Those guys eliminate the cap space unless the Nets relinquish their free-agent rights, which allows them to go over the cap to re-sign them. Sharpe, Thomas, Williams and Beekman are restricted free agents, too. This is a numbers crunch, and any agents hoping to use the Nets' cap space as a bargaining tool against other teams, or even just to get their guys paid in Brooklyn, might be out of luck now. Seriously, what the hell, Pelicans? Over a day after the Pelicans traded up from 23rd overall to 13th by giving away the more favorable of their own pick or Milwaukee's to grab Derik Queen, people around the league were still dumbfounded. They were also still kind of confused by adding the extra year of salary for Jordan Poole in jettisoning CJ McCollum. Advertisement This is their current projected depth chart (we can quibble about the actual order, but I'm just using this to show a vague idea): PG: Jeremiah Fears, Jose Alvarado, Elfrid Payton, Dejounte Murray (Achilles injury) SG: Jordan Poole, Jordan Hawkins, Brandon Boston Jr., Lester Quinones, Antonio Reeves SF: Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Saddiq Bey PF: Zion Williamson, Derik Queen C: Yves Missi, Karlo Matković That kind of looks like a team that is fun in a video game and destined to have a high lottery pick if injuries run rampant. So, why did you give that pick to Atlanta? Are the Hawks sneakily dangerous — not to themselves — for once? Once the Hawks fleeced the Pelicans in that draft-night trade, everybody started wondering if this new front office has them ready to pounce in the vulnerable East. This will depend on a few things. 1) How healthy will Kristaps Porziņģis be, and how easily can he play next to Onyeka Okongwu? If the answer to be is 'very,' then the Hawks are fine. 2) How healthy will Jalen Johnson be? The team fell off a cliff when he got hurt. 3) How are they able to use their $25 million trade exception? If they can add a big-time perimeter player and Zaccharie Risacher takes a step forward, the Hawks might be able to really make some noise here. One last question: Is Trae Young going to play a lot better? His passing was really good, and he did defend better at times. But he shot horribly, and the turnovers are just too much. Did the Suns actually do some good stuff? I secretly love their draft. Khaman Maluach is one of my favorite prospects, and they acquired Mark Williams to help bring Maluach along slowly. The latter will get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do, but it isn't imperative he's good right away. They grabbed Rasheer Fleming to start the second round, and I think he can play right away, too. This team is still a mess, but maybe it's learning. Mavericks coach ain't leaving, New York 🏀 No, Knicks. Harrison is done with these rumors. Jason Kidd will remain in Dallas. 💰 Big decisions. Speaking of the Knicks: James L. Edwards has you covered with what to expect from this offseason. 🎲 Sound bet? Does Flagg have any challengers for next season's Rookie of the Year? Advertisement 🏀 The long game? Austin Reaves declined an extension with the Lakers. Does it mean he's leaving? 🏀 Who's left? There are still good players who didn't get drafted. Here are the undrafted free agents to know. 🤔 Best/worst moves. John Hollinger breaks down all things good and bad from the draft. 🎶 The right note? Tony Jones explains why the Jazz were to draft Ace Bailey, no matter what. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. Will other teams join Celtics' tax-dumping? We know the luxury tax wasn't enough of a deterrent for teams spending a lot. That's why the owners put the hard cap first and second aprons into the new collective bargaining agreement in addition to the luxury taxes. We saw the Celtics dump Jrue Holiday and Porziņģis this week in deals to get out of the second-apron threshold. On Wednesday night, Celtics general manager Brad Stevens said this about the financial reality of the second apron and his team: 'I think the second-apron penalties are real, and I didn't realize how real they were until they were staring me in the face over the past month. You can't overstate that.' I think other teams are just now realizing how crippling these penalties are. It's not just a choice of spending or not spending anymore. It affects how you trade, sign players and even move or use draft picks in the future. The Celtics were not alone in the second apron, though. The Cavaliers and Suns were there. The Knicks and Nuggets are also teams in danger of bumping up against it. The Timberwolves and Lakers are closing in on that first apron, too, as are the Rockets. This is the dance these teams have to do now. Will they dump money or spend further and risk the aprons? This is the fun part about basketball! Accounting! Hunting for second-round surprises Last night, the second round of the draft received its own spotlight for the second year in a row. I have to say: I'm into it. I'm not sure the television product has been nailed yet. It still feels a lot like the end of a long draft night with both rounds, only we've separated it into its own evening. There's still way more work to be done in introducing the players to the basketball audience and making it feel more special. Advertisement I like the concept, though! Since it was the second round and we've had several current or future Hall of Famers get drafted there (Nikola Jokić, Manu Ginobili, Draymond Green, etc.), there's no better thing to do with last night's selections than to guess which players will surprisingly contribute the most to their new teams: Noah Penda | Orlando Magic | 32nd pick: Penda is a smart wing who is great in transition. I think he'll be able to shoot the ball. He's a big wing that Orlando will love on defense. Adou Thiero | Los Angeles Lakers | 36th pick: He can't shoot, but he's an unreal athlete at 6-6 who can lock down defensively. He could absolutely be in the Lakers rotation right away. Maxime Raynaud | Sacramento Kings | 42nd pick: The Kings need a smart backup center who can grab rebounds and knock down outside shots. Tyrese Proctor | Cleveland Cavaliers | 49th pick: Proctor can really shoot the ball, and he's a smart guard who doesn't try to do too much. Probably like a fourth or fifth guard in the rotation. Alex Toohey | Golden State Warriors | 52nd pick: He's a big wing that makes plays, and he's going to be someone who disrupts on defense. He's got a little flash to his game, too, but I'm not sure he can shoot. Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer headline list of top lottery candidates for 2026 NBA draft
The NBA has had Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg as obvious No. 1 overall draft picks in recent years. AJ Dybantsa has been headed toward that status for 2026. The BYU signee has been a favorite to sit atop draft boards next summer and ranks as the nation's top recruit by ESPN, On3 and Rivals. Kansas signee Darryn Peterson tops the list for 247Sports to make it a more open race for No. 1.
