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Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA Draft 2025: Memphis Grizzlies add backcourt burst with Javon Small at No. 48
The Memphis Grizzlies continued reshaping their roster. The team has selected West Virginia's Javon Small with the 48th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Small becomes the second rookie addition for Memphis this year, joining No. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 11 pick Cedric Coward. While not projected for immediate heavy minutes, Small's ability to create his own shot and contribute on both ends of the floor gives the Grizzlies another intriguing option behind Ja Morant. Javon Small joins the Memphis Grizzlies' backcourt Javon Small's journey to the NBA was anything but traditional. A four-year college player across three schools, Small took the scenic route to draft night and made sure he left a mark at every stop. Now, after a breakout senior season at West Virginia, the 6-foot-1 Indiana native is headed to Memphis to join a backcourt loaded with talent. The Memphis Grizzlies selected Small with the 48th pick in the second round. His arrival adds to a group that includes Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Anthony, all backing up franchise centerpiece Ja Morant. While his playing time may be limited early, Small's impact could grow quickly if his production translates to the next level. Small was one of the most productive guards in the NCAA during the 2024–25 season. In 32 games for the Mountaineers, he averaged 18.6 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors and an AP All-American Honorable Mention. Despite being slightly undersized (190 pounds) for an NBA combo guard, Small made up for it with elite athleticism. He boasts a vertical leap of over 40 inches and a fearlessness in key moments. Among his standout performances at West Virginia: - Scored 31 points against Gonzaga at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. - Hit the game-winning free throw to upset Kansas, delivering in crunch time against one of the top programs in college basketball. - Poured in 12 points in the final two minutes to seal a dramatic comeback victory over Iowa State. Also Read: He also shot a respectable 35.3% from beyond the arc in his senior season, showcasing a well-rounded offensive game that includes strong playmaking and the ability to hit tough shots under pressure.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaguars OG Wyatt Milum could throw heat. Now he's ready to be one of Trevor Lawrence's bodyguards
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie offensive guard Wyatt Milum was all set to play baseball when he was a sophomore at Spring Valley High School in Kenova, He was a left-handed pitcher with a live fastball, clocked once at 90 mph in a high school game. Advertisement 'I used to bring some heat back in the day,' Milum said after the Jaguars' second minicamp practice on June 11 at the Miller Electric Center. 'Shockingly, I played a little bit of outfield. 'But mostly pitcher and first base.' Yes, the sight of a 6-foot-6, 317-pounder patrolling the outfield might be quite the sight. But he was a baseball player first, for Spring Valley and during busy travel ball schedules in the summer. Before he became a two-way tackle in high school, he was on track to play college baseball and verbally committed to Marshall, near his hometown, after being offered a scholarship the summer between his eighth-grade and ninth-grade years. And until he was a junior at Spring Valley, Milum intended to honor that commitment for the Thundering Herd. But he also played football, kept growing and grew to love it more. Advertisement 'Baseball is something I always enjoyed,' he said. 'But through high school, more and more, I loved football.' And if the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp ever get Milum to throw out the first pitch, you can bet he'll be doing it from the mound. Wyatt Milum found his niche in football It appears Milum made the right career choice. He became one of the most highly recruited offensive linemen in the nation as a senior (Sports Illustrated rated him as the No. 1 tackle in the nation), and stayed within his home state to play for West Virginia. Milum started his last 42 games in a row for the Mountaineers at left tackle, did not allow a sack during his last two seasons and racked up one award after another: consensus All-American, Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, Outland Trophy semifinalist, All-Big 12 and All-Big 12 Academic team. Advertisement The knock on Milum of having shorter arms and not as much quickness as NFL teams might want from an offensive tackle didn't bode well for being a first-round pick and when he fell to the third round, the Jaguars traded up to grab him and made it clear from the start he'd be playing guard. He said the conversion is going well. Jacksonville Jaguars guard Wyatt Milum (64) drills with guard Sal Wormley (61) during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. 'It was a little much at the beginning,' he said of rookie minicamp and OTAs. 'But I feel like the way the coaches have explained it and done it over a period of time since I've been drafted ... they made it a smooth process. I feel like everything's been good.' Milum never questioned the move to guard, since it was the fastest track for playing time. Advertisement 'Wherever they want to put me, I'm willing, as long as it gets me on the field,' he said. 'If I'm succeeding, that's all that matters to me. Anywhere is good with me.' Wyatt Milum's promise Milum attracted some attention after being drafted when he vowed that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence wouldn't be touched. 'I'm going to make that promise to them [Jags fans] and I'm going to make that promise to Trevor,' he said. That's a bold statement and perhaps unrealistic. But Milum has a history of helping keep his quarterbacks upright. He never yielded a sack in high school and gave up only two over his final 36 games with the Mountaineers. Advertisement He's not walking it back either. 'That's our motto ... we don't want anyone touching the quarterback,' he said. 'I feel like that's our identity as our offensive line at this point.' Wyatt Milum prides himself on toughness Although evaluating offensive and defensive linemen is difficult until the team straps on the pads in training camp, Jaguars coach Liam Coen likes what he sees out of Milum. "He's a big dude ... the way the guy plays, the toughness," Coen said. "He's rooted in that. That's kind of what he prides himself on being, and that's what he is kind of known for around that building is being a guy that finishes, that plays the game the right way, that approaches it the right way.' Advertisement Milum said those roots were planted in the small town of Kenova and got deeper at West Virginia, where toughness is part of the culture. 'It's the way I grew up,' he said. 'It's the way I was raised to play the game. When you step on the field there's only one way to play and that's to play through the whistle. It's ingrained in me, especially being on the offensive line. You're supposed to set the tone of the whole offense.' This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars rookie guard Wyatt Milum isn't backing down on draft-day promise
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Kansas State Football Preview 2025: Wildcats Season Prediction, Win Total Projection, Top Players
Kansas State Wildcats Key to the Season Don't turn it over multiple Kansas State style doesn't work when there are mistakes. Some teams are high-risk, high-reward, and that's not how this rolls. Screw up, and things go Wildcats turned it over twice in the opener against UT Martin and won easily, but against FBS teams they were 0-4 when turning it over two or more times. BYU, Arizona State, Iowa State, and Houston - all four were losses. When Kansas State didn't turn it over multiple times, it was 9-0. Kansas State Wildcats Key Player George Fitzpatrick, OT interior of the Kansas State offensive line is loaded with new parts, options, and giant mashers to get the ground game going. Tackle is a slight problem with a few losses, but the staff went after a few prospects, including Fitzpatrick, a 6-6, 309-pound former Ohio State Buckeye. He needs to be a solid starter. X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN2025 Kansas State PreviewKansas State Offense BreakdownKansas State Defense Breakdown Kansas State Wildcats Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss Top Transfer In: JB Nelson, OG Kansas State offensive front is already good, and the guards are great, but Nelson is a 6-5, 325-pound All-Big Ten-caliber blaster who could take the line to a whole other level. This could be an NFL showcase season if everything works like it's supposed Transfer Out: Carver Willis, OT State won the transfer portal game in a huge way. It didn't lose any true killers, and the net incoming talent blows away the departures. It's still not a good thing to lose a tackle as good as the 6-5, 291-pound Willis, who's off to work on the outside of the Ole Miss line. Kansas State Wildcats Key Game Iowa State, Aug. 23 (in Dublin)Kansas State has lost the last two regular-season finales against Iowa State, and this time around, the matchup kicks things off. It's the first game of the college football season, and it really, really matters. In the dead even Big 12 from top to almost bottom, the loser of this is in huge trouble before things get going.- 2025 Kansas State Schedule Breakdown Kansas State Wildcats Top 10 Players 1. Avery Johnson, QB Jr.2. Austin Romaine, LB Jr.3. VJ Payne, S Sr.4. Dylan Edwards, RB Jr.5. Garrett Oakley, TE Jr.6. Sam Hecht, C Sr.7. Jayce Brown, WR Jr.8. Gunner Maldonado, S Sr.9. Chiddi Obiazor, DE Soph.10. Damian Ilalio, DT Sr. Kansas State Wildcats 2024 Fun Stats - Sacks: Kansas State 35 for 249 yards, Opponents 13 for 108 yards- 4th Down Conversion: Kansas State 15-of-26 (58%), Opponents 9-of-28 (32%)- 3rd Quarter Scoring: Kansas State 110, Opponents 53 Kansas State Wildcats 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen Yes, the Big 12 is loaded with improved teams. But Kansas State improving takes the program from very good to College Football Playoff a deeper bunch this year, the talent is there on both sides of the ball, and there should be more consistency and so, yeah, again, the Big 12 is going to be an any-given-week no Arizona State, BYU, or Houston to face - those were three of the four losses last season. But going to Oklahoma State will be harder than it would've been last season. Kansas is better. Texas Tech is way better. Going to Arizona is the Wildcats should be good enough to win their share of 50/50 games to overcome a few losses that are sure to come. The road trip to Utah late in the campaign will be huge for the conference race, but if the Wildcats beat Iowa State to start the season, they should be in the Big 12 title hunt deep into The Kansas State Win Total At … 8.5Likely Wins: Army, North Dakota50/50 Games: at Arizona, at Baylor, Colorado, at Kansas, Iowa State (Dublin), at Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, at UtahLikely Losses: No projected sure-thing losses 2025 Kansas State PreviewKansas State Offense BreakdownKansas State Defense Breakdown © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Miami Herald
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Texas Tech Defense Preview 2025: Transfer Portal Rescues the Red Raiders
The defense killed the 2024 season. There was little pass rush, the D allowed 460 yards and 35 points per game, and only Tulsa allowed more passing Red Raiders allowed 35 points or more eight times, and the 453 total points were the most given up since 2016. But this is the transfer portal era, and WOW, did Texas Tech - potentially - fix the glitch. X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN2025 Texas Tech PreviewTexas Tech Offense Breakdown Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season- You want more from your defensive line, Texas Tech fans? Here you go. Now, there's a whole lot more projection than proof on the edge, but David Bailey (Stanford) was one of the biggest gets in the portal, and Romello Height (UTEP) has a world of transfer combination of Lee Hunter (UCF), Skyler Gill (Northern Illinois), and AJ Holmes (Houston) is fantastic. Hunter is an All-Big 12 anchor, and Gill is a fantastic interior pass rusher. - The linebackers did what they could. All team stats aside, the combination of Jacob Rodriguez on the outside and Ben Roberts in the middle did everything they could, combining for 210 tackles. They were 1-2 in stops, respectively, and both should be in the All-Big 12 mix. John Curry is a terrific backup option who made 35 tackles. - The defensive front six/seven is relatively settled. And then there's the secondary. The safeties have a few key parts back in AJ McCarty and Chapman Lewis after combining for five picks, but they're still in a fight for their gigs. Mississippi State's Brice Pollack should step in at one corner job, and North Dakota State's Cole Wisniewski should shine at one safety after missing almost all of last year hurt. Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season 2025 Texas Tech PreviewTexas Tech Offense Breakdown © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UCLA softball opens NCAA regional with dominant win over UC Santa Barbara
UCLA's Megan Grant (43) celebrates after hitting a home run to cap a 9-1 win in six innings over UC Santa Barbara in the Los Angeles Regional Friday at Easton Stadium. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) With UCLA's bats quiet early, Kaitlyn Terry stepped into the batter's box looking to ignite a two-out rally — and with one swing she brought the Bruins to life. Terry, a right fielder and left-handed pitcher, hit a three-run home run in the second inning to jump start UCLA's 9-1 win over UC Santa Barbara in six innings in the opening round of the Los Angeles Regional on Friday. Advertisement The No. 9 Bruins (49–10) advanced to Game 3 of the regional, where they'll face the winner of Arizona State and San Diego State at 2 p.m. PDT Saturday. Before the season, coach Kelly Inouye-Perez stressed that a UCLA championship push had to start with securing a regional at Easton Stadium — and taking care of business once there. Read more: 'How does this thing not sink?' UC regent Bob Myers questions UCLA athletics' finances UCLA is chasing its ninth Women's College World Series berth in the past decade, but early on Friday, the path looked shaky. Instead of a confident march into the postseason opener, it felt like déjà vu for a moment — a flashback to the haunting 2023 regional, when the Bruins dropped their first game and ultimately fell short of a trip to Oklahoma City. Advertisement The Bruins squandered early opportunities uncharacteristic of the nation's No. 2 run-scoring lineup. Trailing in the second inning, Alexis Ramirez reached base on a hit up the middle, then stole second. After advancing on a ground out, she was caught in a rundown between third and home. Still, UCLA had a chance to even the score with runners on first and second, but Terry's flied out to end the inning. Terry found herself in a similar situation two innings later, this time delivering. With two outs in the fourth, Kaniya Bragg reached first on a hit-by-pitch. Batting for the first time this season, Taylor Stephens followed with a slow roller into right field — just soft enough for Bragg to beat the tag at third while Stephens stepped into second. Advertisement On the next pitch, Terry crushed a home run to center field. Taylor Tinsley, an All-Big Ten First Team selection, allowed three hits and one walk while striking out one. Her only blemish came in the second inning, when she gave up a run. Her biggest challenge came in that frame, as a base hit and an error at third put runners on first and second with one out. Read more: Jordan Chiles once thought she was 'ugly.' Now she's proud to be SI Swimsuit cover model After the Gauchos put runners on the corners in the second, UCSB catcher Delaina Ma'ae drove a fastball into right field for an RBI double. Advertisement A pair of home runs in the sixth inning ended the game via the mercy rule. Jessica Clements hit a three-run home run. That was followed by a walk and steal from Savannah Pola, who was driven in by Jordan Woolery's RBI single. Megan Grant ended the game with a two-run homer to left-center field. UCLA, which finished tied for second with Nebraska in its first season in the Big Ten, has won 26 games by mercy rule this season. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
