Latest news with #AndrewNembhard
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Ryan Nembhard sparks wild NBA Draft rumors after viral Indiana Pacers reunion speculation
Ryan Nembhard sparks wild NBA Draft rumors after viral Indiana Pacers reunion speculation (Image Source: Getty Images) All eyes are on the NBA Draft this week, and one familiar name is such that includes some buzz: Ryan Nembhard. The Gonzaga guard, listed at 5-foot-11, is projected to be selected in the second round. His brother, Andrew Nembhard, is currently on the Indiana Pacers. Ryan's passing and assist totals have made his way onto several mock draft boards, and the family reunion speculation in the Indiana Pacers has begun. Ryan Nembhard draws interest ahead of NBA Draft On June 25, NBA draft coverage highlighted Ryan Nembhard as a top second-round prospect. He ranked between picks 51 and 58 in mock drafts, depending on the outlet. According to USA Today's For The Win, Ryan Nembhard is projected to be picked by the Indiana Pacers in the second round, reuniting him with his brother, Andrew Nembhard. Sports Illustrated has him going to the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 51. Meanwhile, ESPN projects him to the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 58. These projections show NBA teams value Ryan Nembhard's leadership and playmaking. Gonzaga's point guard boasts eye-popping assists and sharp comparisons Ryan Nembhard lit up Gonzaga University during the 2024–25 season, averaging 9.8 assists per game. That number led the nation and broke school and conference records. His skill set is often compared to NBA guards TJ McConnell and Tyus Jones - slim, smart, and effective despite their size. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] 2025 Best Luxury Hotel Prices Expertinspector Learn More Undo Teammates and co-workers praise his court IQ. As one analyst put it: 'He's a dream point guard for teammates'. At 22 years old and standing 5'11", he brings high energy and low turnovers. This makes him a strong candidate for a two-way contract or second-round pick. His brother Andrew Nembhard, now with the Indiana Pacers, has been a key contributor since being drafted in 2022. If Ryan Nembhard lands in Indiana Pacers at No. 54, the family would be reunited, on court and at home. Fans and analysts are buzzing: How appropriate would it be for NBA veteran TJ McConnell to mentor a player with a similar style? Ryan Nembhard's journey from Gonzaga to a possible NBA draft pick is one to watch. With big-game vision, leadership, and a brother already in the league, he could be one of this year's most inspiring second-round success stories. Also Read: NBA prospect Dylan Harper comes from a championship family—but his 13-year-old sister might be the real sister in the making Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
CBC
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA crown could spark Canada basketball's next boom
Social Sharing Like many Canadians, Michael Bartlett watched Game 7 of the NBA Finals with bated breath. But as Canada Basketball's president and CEO, he had a unique rooting interest, with players on both teams. Hamilton's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Montreal's Lu Dort helped the Oklahoma City Thunder capture their first-ever championship, defeating Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., and Montreal's Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers. Bartlett said he was thrilled for all four Canadians, no matter who came out on top. "Oh, it was uncontrollable at times," said Bartlett in a phone interview on Monday morning. "I looked up, it was 4:50 left on the clock in Game 7 last night, and four Canadians are on the court playing meaningful minutes in crunch time with the ball in their hands. Gosh, that's exciting. "There's nothing better than seeing people you care about, truly care about, and they care about you, shine when they have the opportunity to shine." Bartlett said all of Canada Basketball's staff were exchanging texts throughout the climactic game, which Oklahoma City ultimately won 103-91. Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort are the 11th and 12th Canadians to win an NBA title, and Bartlett believes the experience gained by all four players will benefit Canada's senior men's team. "They're learning how to win on the toughest of stages, which you also can't help but draw a connection to when we're in a tough situation, a game on the line, winner goes home," he said. Gilgeous-Alexander will be a key to Canada's future success. He became the fourth player in league history to win the scoring title, MVP, NBA championship and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal. Rowan Barrett, the general manager of Canada's men's senior basketball team, said Gilgeous-Alexander's experience in the post-season will help him in international competition because, through each round of the playoffs, he faced the opposing team's toughest defenders. "It's got to help your national team at some point when he's back in the fold playing," said Barrett. "Those experiences, the pressure, the different ways they try to guard him, the different ways you've got to bring your teammates along while balancing attacking the defence every possession, all those things, I think are going to help him. "I think it will help the other players that were playing in the Finals as well." WATCH | Gilgeous-Alexander named Finals MVP as Thunder win NBA title: Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named NBA Finals MVP as Oklahoma City Thunder win championship 1 day ago Duration 2:03 'Had to prove some doubters wrong' Gilgeous-Alexander was selected 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA draft but was traded the same day to the Los Angeles Clippers. After one season in L.A., he was sent to Oklahoma City in a blockbuster deal that brought all-star guard Paul George to the Clippers. TSN basketball commentator Tamika Nurse, who is also from Hamilton, said how Gilgeous-Alexander carries himself through difficult times perfectly embodies the Ontario city's ethos. "Hamilton is built on blue-collar workers, Steeltown, they call it," she said. "A lunch pail and hard hat kinda town, and that's exactly what he is. "He really had to work hard. He really had to prove some doubters wrong. This is a guy who was drafted and then traded and then traded again, right?" WATCH | Montréal-Nord fans celebrate hometown hero Dort's NBA title: Montréal-Nord residents thrilled as hometown hero Luguentz Dort wins NBA championship 17 hours ago Duration 0:42 Michael Naraine, an associate professor of sport management at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., said Gilgeous-Alexander's season, one of the best-ever by a Canadian in any sport, and the Finals performances of Dort, Nembhard and Mathurin have created a unique opportunity for Canada Basketball. Naraine sees it as like the creation of the Toronto Raptors in 1995, the emergence of Vince Carter as a superstar in the late 1990s, Steve Nash's back-to-back MVPs in 2005 and 2006, and the Raptors' NBA championship in 2019. "It's going to create another wave of people wanting to pick up the game and that's going to be both on the men's and women's side, boys and girls are going to want to pick up the game because they see that the No. 1 men's professional basketball player in the world right now is Canadian," said Naraine. "If you are living in Montreal, if you're living in Dorval, you're looking at this going well, you know, our Canadian teams in hockey didn't do so great. "But then you're looking at Dort or Mathurin saying, 'Hey, look, here's this kid with these Haitian roots, growing up in Montreal. That could be me."' Bartlett also compared these NBA Finals to those other moments in Canadian basketball history that fed into the growing popularity of the sport. "We want there to be no shortage of opportunities for kids at all skill levels to be able to play this game and to stay in love and play this game for as long as they want," said Bartlett. "What does that look like for somebody who's still involved in the game (in their 40s), either as a player, as a coach, as an official. "Are there enough great coaches, well-trained coaches, to teach the game the right way in Canada, in gyms across this country? Canada Basketball can't be in every gym, but we can develop a curriculum that lives through every gym, that coaches are taught the right way, and then officiating as well. That's a big part of it, too."
Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA victory could inspire the next generation of Canadian basketball
Like many Canadians, Michael Bartlett watched Game 7 of the NBA Finals with bated breath. But as Canada Basketball's president and CEO, he had a unique rooting interest, with players on both teams. Hamilton's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Montreal's Luguentz Dort helped the Oklahoma City Thunder capture their first-ever championship, defeating Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., and Montreal's Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers. Bartlett said he was thrilled for all four Canadians, no matter who came out on top. 'Oh, it was uncontrollable at times,' said Bartlett in a phone interview on Monday morning. 'I looked up, it was 4:50 left on the clock in Game 7 last night, and four Canadians are on the court playing meaningful minutes in crunch time with the ball in their hands. Gosh, that's exciting. 'There's nothing better than seeing people you care about, truly care about, and they care about you, shine when they have the opportunity to shine.' Bartlett said all of Canada Basketball's staff were exchanging texts throughout the climactic game, which Oklahoma City ultimately won 103-91. Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort are the 11th and 12th Canadians to win an NBA title, and Bartlett believes the experience gained by all four players will benefit Canada's senior men's team. 'They're learning how to win on the toughest of stages, which you also can't help but draw a connection to when we're in a tough situation, a game on the line, winner goes home,' he said. Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, will be a key to Canada's future success. He became the fourth player in league history to win the scoring title, MVP, NBA championship and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal. How Canadian NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander began charting his path to MVP when he was a teen Rowan Barrett, the general manager of Canada's men's senior basketball team, said Gilgeous-Alexander's experience in the post-season will help him in international competition because, through each round of the playoffs, he faced the opposing team's toughest defenders. 'It's got to help your national team at some point when he's back in the fold playing,' said Barrett. 'Those experiences, the pressure, the different ways they try to guard him, the different ways you've got to bring your teammates along while balancing attacking the defence every possession, all those things, I think are going to help him. 'I think it will help the other players that were playing in the Finals as well.' Gilgeous-Alexander was selected 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA Draft but was traded the same day to the Los Angeles Clippers. After one season in L.A., he was sent to Oklahoma City in a blockbuster deal that brought all-star guard Paul George to the Clippers. TSN basketball commentator Tamika Nurse, who is also from Hamilton, said that how Gilgeous-Alexander carries himself through difficult times perfectly embodies the Ontario city's ethos. 'Hamilton is built on blue-collar workers, Steeltown, they call it,' she said. 'A lunch pail and hard hat kinda town, and that's exactly what he is. 'He really had to work hard. He really had to prove some doubters wrong. This is a guy who was drafted and then traded and then traded again, right?' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander conquered the NBA. Now, he's conquering the fashion world Michael Naraine, an associate professor of sport management at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., said Gilgeous-Alexander's season, one of the best ever by a Canadian in any sport, and the Finals performances of Dort, Nembhard and Mathurin have created a unique opportunity for Canada Basketball. Naraine sees it as similar to the creation of the Toronto Raptors in 1995, the emergence of Vince Carter as a superstar in the late 1990s, Steve Nash's back-to-back MVPs in 2005 and 2006, and the Raptors' NBA championship in 2019. 'It's going to create another wave of people wanting to pick up the game and that's going to be both on the men's and women's side, boys and girls are going to want to pick up the game because they see that the No. 1 men's professional basketball player in the world right now is Canadian,' said Naraine. 'If you are living in Montreal, if you're living in Dorval, you're looking at this going well, you know, our Canadian teams in hockey didn't do so great. 'But then you're looking at Dort or Mathurin saying, 'hey, look, here's this kid with these Haitian roots, growing up in Montreal. That could be me.'' Bartlett also compared these NBA Finals to those other moments in Canadian basketball history that fed into the growing popularity of the sport. 'We want there to be no shortage of opportunities for kids at all skill levels to be able to play this game and to stay in love and play this game for as long as they want,' said Bartlett. 'What does that look like for somebody who's still involved in the game (in their 40s), either as a player, as a coach, as an official. 'Are there enough great coaches, well-trained coaches, to teach the game the right way in Canada, in gyms across this country? Canada Basketball can't be in every gym, but we can develop a curriculum that lives through every gym, that coaches are taught the right way, and then officiating as well. That's a big part of it, too.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers Andrew Nembhard, Myles Turner struggling against Knicks' lineup change
NEW YORK — Andrew Nembhard was asked how the Eastern Conference Finals have changed for him personally since the Knicks switched their lineups and rotations in Game 3 to go bigger in the starting five and deeper into the bench than they've done in these playoffs and most of this season. 'I'm just gonna keep that to myself,' Nembhard said. Advertisement It's more than understandable that he'd rather not discuss it because the changing of the matchups has clearly made his life significantly more difficult. In Games 1 and 2 in the series, Nembhard scored a combined 27 points (13.5 per game) on 11 of 18 shooting (61.1%) including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. In the last three games he has just 18 points total (6.0 per game) on 5 of 26 shooting (19.2%) including 1 of 6 from 3. The Knicks made changes to improve defensively. Though the Pacers scored a playoff-high 130 points in Game 4, they scored just 100 in Game 3 and 94 in Game 5, their two lowest figures in these playoffs. The big change was to put center Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup and move wing Josh Hart to the bench. Though Hart is one of the Knicks' three top wing defenders along with Mikal Bridges and O.G. Anunoby, they needed better rim protection to take away some of the Pacers' paint scoring opportunities and also a center more suited to switch on to ball-handlers on the pick and roll. Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the league's top scoring and rebounding centers but defense is not his strongest suit. He scores too much to move to the bench, but Robinson's presence covers more bases. That move led to shifts in other matchups. Anunoby, one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA, was primarily taking on Pacers All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam to start the series . The Knicks have instead used Robinson and Towns to guard him, trying to combat his skill and elusiveness with size. They could have used Jalen Brunson on Nembhard, but instead, they've put Brunson on Aaron Nesmith and Nembhard has been dealing with the 6-7 Anunoby at the start of games and often times the 6-4 Hart later. It puts Nesmith in a bit more advantageous matchup, but he's been battling through a sprained ankle and hasn't been as explosive. Meanwhile having Anunoby on Nembhard and Bridges on Tyrese Haliburton means the Knicks have ace defenders on the two players who most frequently initiate offense and that's made it difficult to get anything started. Advertisement Nembhard has also seen his life get more difficult because the Knicks have been more willing to dig into their bench. Guards Landry Shamet and Delon Wright barely played in the playoffs before Game 3 of this series. Wright had just four minutes in the entire playoffs before that point. However, coach Tom Thibodeau has called on them to play double-figure minutes in each of the last three games. Nembhard has had to deal with both players as defenders which has meant guards with fresh legs when Anunoby has been off the floor. The defensive shift has been tough on Nembhard and it's been tough on Myles Turner as well as Turner has frequently had to deal with Mitchell Robinson directly. Turner only took three shots in Game 5. Two of them came when Robinson was off the floor and he was being defended by Towns. The first, an early 3-pointer, came when Robinson dipped deep down toward the paint to try to cut off a drive by Haliburton and Turner stayed back at the 3-point line and hit from 3. He finished 2 of 3 from the field for five points. Turner's shooting numbers weren't as dramatically different in Games 3 and 4 as compared to Games 1 and 2. He averaged 15.5 points per game in the first four games. He did struggle from the 3-point arc, however, he's now 5 of 19 from beyond the arc for the series and he's struggled on the glass, averaging just 3.4 rebounds per game and not grabbing more than five in any of the games. Nembhard and Turner are both critical to Haliburton's success as Nembhard is the secondary ball-handler who allows Haliburton to run around without the ball and Turner is his best ball screen partner. As the Pacers try to adjust and get past the Knicks into their first Finals since 2000 and the second in history, they'll be looking to get both more involved. Advertisement "The great part about the playoffs is you watch the film and see where you can get better," Haliburton said. "And we play again in two days." This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Andrew Nembhard, Myles Turner struggling against Knicks' lineup change
National Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA crown could spark Canada's next basketball boom
Like many Canadians, Michael Bartlett watched Game 7 of the NBA Finals with bated breath. But as Canada Basketball's president and CEO, he had a unique rooting interest, with players on both teams. Article content Hamilton's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Montreal's Luguentz Dort helped the Oklahoma City Thunder capture the franchise's second championship, defeating Andrew Nembhard of Aurora and Montreal's Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers. Bartlett said he was thrilled for all four Canadians, no matter who came out on top. Article content Article content Article content 'Oh, it was uncontrollable at times,' said Bartlett in a phone interview on Monday morning. 'I looked up, it was 4:50 left on the clock in Game 7 last night, and four Canadians are on the court playing meaningful minutes in crunch time with the ball in their hands. Gosh, that's exciting. Article content 'There's nothing better than seeing people you care about, truly care about, and they care about you, shine when they have the opportunity to shine.' Article content Bartlett said all of Canada Basketball's staff was exchanging texts throughout the climactic game, which Oklahoma City ultimately won 103-91. Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort are the 11th and 12th Canadians to win an NBA title, and Bartlett believes the experience gained by all four players will benefit Canada's senior men's team. Article content 'They're learning how to win on the toughest of stages, which you also can't help but draw a connection to when we're in a tough situation, a game on the line, winner goes home,' he said. Article content Article content Article content He became the fourth player in league history to win the scoring title, MVP, NBA championship and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal. Article content Rowan Barrett, the general manager of Canada's men's senior basketball team, said Gilgeous-Alexander's experience in the post-season will help him in international competition because, through each round of the playoffs, he faced the opposing team's toughest defenders. Article content 'It's got to help your national team at some point when he's back in the fold playing,' said Barrett. 'Those experiences, the pressure, the different ways they try to guard him, the different ways you've got to bring your teammates along while balancing attacking the defence every possession, all those things, I think are going to help him.
