Latest news with #Bulls
Business Insider
6 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Is there More Upside in Vertiv Stock (VRT) After a Stellar Rally?
Vertiv Holdings (VRT) stock has rallied by more than 40% over the past year, as the data center infrastructure company is experiencing solid demand for its products amid the ongoing AI (artificial intelligence) boom. While most analysts are bullish on VRT stock due to AI tailwinds, Wall Street's average price target indicates a possible downside from current levels. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Favorable Demand Backdrop for AI Infrastructure Companies Vertiv provides energy-efficient cooling and power solutions that are required to support AI workloads. Interestingly, on Friday, VRT stock rose by 2% after Reuters reported that the Trump administration is preparing a series of executive actions to increase energy supply for AI development in the U.S. Spending on data centers is expected to increase in the coming years, benefiting AI infrastructure companies such as Vertiv Holdings. Bank of America estimates total data center spending to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% from 2024 to 2028, reaching $532 billion by 2028. In fact, infrastructure-related spending is expected to rise even faster, at a CAGR of 16%. Here's What Bulls and Bears Think About VRT Stock According to TipRanks' Bulls Say, Bears Say Tool, VRT Bulls are optimistic about the company due to robust demand and better visibility, which are driving higher estimates. Many analysts also believe in Vertiv's ability to address customers' requirements amid the growing complexity in AI deployments, with solid market shares in data center thermal and electrical equipment. Meanwhile, Bears are concerned about a slowdown in capital spending by hyperscalers or cloud service providers, volatility in orders, and the impact of tariffs on costs. Is VRT a Good Stock to Buy? Overall, Wall Street has a Strong Buy consensus rating on Vertiv Holdings stock based on 12 Buys and two Hold recommendations. The average VRT stock price target of $116.93 indicates a 7.2% downside risk from current levels.
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Autographed Michael Jordan rookie card sells for $2.5 million
A autographed Michael Jordan rookie card sold for $2.5 million in an auction that closed on Thursday. The 1986-87 Fleer card sold through Joopiter — the auction platform founded by Grammy-winning artist and producer Pharrell Williams three years ago — shows Jordan soaring toward the rim with his right arm extended and tongue dangling. It was one of nine trading cards signed in a blue sharpie at his private golf course in Florida last year. According to ESPN, the $2.5 million is the most paid for a Jordan rookie card — signed or unsigned — and the third-highest price in a public sale for any Jordan card. That record is $2.928 million. In March, an autographed Bulls jersey that Jordan wore in a preseason game during his rookie year sold for $4.215 million at an auction through Sotheby's. ___ AP NBA:
Sydney Morning Herald
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
This basketballer lived in a shipping container. Now he's part of Australia's equal record NBA draft haul
'But it's definitely warmed up a little bit, and it's a great place to be.' ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony reported that Zikarsky was expected to spend the next two seasons on a two-way contract with the Wolves, allowing him to be able to develop his game between the NBA and its development league. Olbrich joins Giddey at the Bulls Olbrich could team up with fellow Aussie Josh Giddey, who is a restricted free agent and tipped to receive a lucrative new contract from the Bulls after starring for them this past season. Teams don't have to sign second-round picks to contracts and can choose to send them overseas to develop, but there seems a good chance all four will end up in the US league next season. Timberwolves president Tim Connolly said he was 'fired up' about snaring the 18-year-old Zikarsky, who has trained in Minnesota since late March. 'He was a very good competitive swimmer, near Olympic level [at underage level] prior to getting into basketball, so we are fired up,' Connolly told a press conference. 'He is a long-term play but a guy who trained locally, so he appreciates Minnesota. We had a great workout with him, and had him much higher on our board.' Loading Australia's equal-best NBA draft haul With four Australians chosen, this year's draft ranks equal with the 1997 intake for the most Australians ever selected, with Zikarsky (pick 45) the first of the quartet picked up. In 1997, South East Melbourne Magic's Chris Anstey ended up with the Dallas Mavericks after the Portland Trail Blazers drafted him in the first round. C.J. Bruton, Paul Rogers and Ben Pepper were all taken in the second round. The Timberwolves could opt to have the 221-centimetre Zikarsky play elsewhere next year to continue his development, or they could bring him in to learn from veteran centre and four-time NBA defensive player of the year Ruby Gobert. Olbrich was taken by the LA Lakers at pick 55 but had his draft rights traded to the Bulls, who could offer him a two-way contract in which he would move between the G-League and the NBA. Toohey could face a similar situation with the Warriors. ESPN reported during the draft coverage that Proctor was tipped to earn a roster spot with the Cavs, who wanted a young guard to add depth to their line-up. Two-way contracts see players earn about $US600,000 and move between an NBA team and its G-League affiliate. They can suit-up for up to 50 NBA games, and teams can choose to upgrade their contract to a full-season one. The Bulls have a rich history with Australian players. Luc Longley won three-straight titles playing alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s, while Anstey, Cam Bairstow and Luke Schenscher all spent time at Chicago in the years after. Cavs pick up Proctor, Toohey goes to Golden State The Cavaliers made Proctor the latest Aussie to join their ranks when they took him with pick 49. He joins the team where Matthew Dellavedova (who went undrafted) won a title with LeBron James, while former second-round pick Luke Travers was a two-way player in Cleveland this past season. Cavs general manager Mike Gansey told media that Proctor was expected to sign a multi-year contract with the team. Toohey, a wing for the Sydney Kings, had to wait for the 52nd pick to hear his name called out by Golden State. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy told media the team traded into the second round to draft Toohey and Florida shooter Will Richard, and he didn't think either player was 'years away' from making an impact for the team. Toohey impressed scouts with his feel for the game and defensive nous, but fell into the second round where the Warriors took him with a selection that was originally held by the Phoenix Suns. Proctor played with Duke University in US college basketball and his teammates Flagg, Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel were selected in the top 10. Flagg flies in Dallas; Maluach steals the show The Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the first pick of the draft on Thursday, while 10th pick Maluach stole the show after he capped a stunning rise from South Sudan to the NBA. Cooper Flagg is on his way to the Dallas Mavericks as the No.1 pick in the NBA draft, but the tears of South Sudanese centre Maluach stole the show during the first round. The 216-centimetre Maluach was overcome upon hearing his name called on Thursday (AEST), completing a rise from the streets of South Sudan to the NBA academy, the South Sudan Olympic team and Duke, where he played this past season. His draft rights will be part of the Kevin Durant trade, so while he was drafted by Houston Rockets, he will be headed to the Phoenix Suns. Maluach said he wanted to change perceptions about Africa and promote the best of the continent, rather than its struggles. 'The moment met my expectations,' Maluach said. 'I didn't think I was going to cry, but sometimes I let the emotions out. I was so happy. Everything was just going through my head, my whole journey and my people and the continent I represent, the continent of Africa. 'It just makes me proud because I had beliefs. I believed in myself. I was delusional about my dreams. No matter what the odds are against you, it shows that you can win.' Heckler disrupts the draft's first round Flagg, a Maine native and Duke forward, was a certainty to be the first pick after his stellar season in the US college basketball system, but some conspiracy theorists in the crowd had their say at the start of the event. A fan could be heard screaming 'Dallas was fixed' on the TV broadcast microphones just before NBA commissioner Adam Silver walked to the stage to open the draft. There is an unfounded conspiracy theory among some fans that the Mavericks were awarded the top pick in the NBA draft lottery in return for the shock mid-season trade that resulted in Dallas sending superstar Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers in return for Anthony Davis. Mavs fans protested for weeks after the Doncic trade, while the Lakers gained a young superstar to take over from LeBron James when he eventually retires. The Mavericks received the first draft pick, despite having just a 1.8 per cent chance of doing so. The NBA hosts an annual lottery draw for its top selections as a way of avoiding teams deliberately finishing last to gain the first pick. Loading 'No, I don't know what to say about that,' Flagg said when asked about the conspiracy theory. 'I have no insider information, if that's what you're looking for. But I just feel blessed for the way it all worked out.' Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper was taken at No.2 by the San Antonio Spurs, followed by Bahamas and Baylor University guard V.J. Edgecombe at No.3, who joined the Philadelphia 76ers. In the name of the brothers Duke guard Knueppel went to the Charlotte Hornets with pick four, followed by Rutgers guard Ace Bailey to the Utah Jazz and Texas guard Tre Johnson, who joined the Washington Wizards with pick six. Knueppel is the oldest of five brothers from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, all of whom have names starting with 'K': Kager, Kingston, Kash and Kidman. All five appeared on the ESPN broadcast of the draft and all are aspiring basketballers. New Pelicans could be headed to Melbourne The New Orleans Pelicans, who will play two pre-season games in Melbourne against NBL clubs later this year, picked Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears at No.7 and traded for big man Derick Queen at No.13. The pair will likely debut in Pelicans colours at Rod Laver Arena. Fears hopes the pair can become stars together as the Pelicans re-tool their roster under new boss Joe Dumars. Fears found out about the trade while talking to the media. 'That's super dope. Derik is a great guy, super talented. You can expect a lot from him this season,' Fears said. 'I feel like our connection and our duo is going to go a long way, as well. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing to build that connection, two rookies coming in. You guys should expect big things.' San Antonio were again big winners as they drafted the highly touted Harper at No.2 and then grabbed Arizona defensive ace Carter Bryant at No.14 to pair with French superstar Victor Wembanyama. Harper is the son of five-time NBA championship winner Ron Harper who won three titles with Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and two with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Byrant's LA Lakers. Chinese centre Yang Hansen was a surprise early selection by Memphis Grizzlies at No.16, and his draft rights were traded to Portland. The LA Clippers used the 30th pick on Swiss seven-footer Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bulls take 18-year-old Essengue at No. 12. Their Central rivals select older players in 2nd round
An uneventful NBA draft for the Central Division likely didn't do much to change its balance of power for the immediate future. The only Central Division team with a first-round pick was the Chicago Bulls, who bet on Noa Essengue's long-term upside by using the No. 12 overall pick on the 18-year-old French forward. A few of their Central rivals then added more experienced college players in Thursday's second round. Indiana added a pair of 23-year-old guards, as they acquired the No. 38 pick from San Antonio to take Marquette's Kam Jones and then chose Liberty's Taelon Peter at No. 54. Detroit also added a 23-year-old guard by selecting Tennessee's Chaz Lanier at No. 37. With the first of its two second-round picks, Cleveland took 21-year-old Duke guard Tyrese Proctor at No. 49. Those older guards represented a contrast from the big swing Chicago took on a teenager. Essengue is the second-youngest player in this draft class and only three days older than No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the former Duke star who went first overall to Dallas. The 6-foot-9 Essengue has played professionally in Germany the last two years. 'I think I can do pretty much everything, all the little details like shooting, passing the ball, attacking the rim,' Essengue said. 'That's my biggest strength right now, is the open-court game.' Essengue has been playing for Ratiopharm Ulm, but he left his team as it competed in the German league finals to be in New York for the draft. 'We talked a lot with my coaching staff, all the staff from Ulm,' Essengue said. '(I said), 'If I go to the green room, I'm leaving. The coach said, 'Yes, go to see your dream.' So yeah, the day I (found out) I'm in the green room, Coach said, 'Just go there and live your dream, and we're gonna finish the job.' ' Essengue's youth means that this pick might not pay immediate dividends for the Bulls, who have just one playoff appearance in the five seasons since Arturas Karnisovas was hired as executive vice president of basketball operations. 'I see him as a two-way player who can impact the game both offensively and defensively,' Bulls general manager Marc Eversley said. 'His ability to get to the free-throw line and play downhill is super intriguing to us. I think he'll be able to be a versatile wing defender.' Chicago Bulls Needs: The Bulls were seeking frontcourt help, particularly at center with veteran Nikola Vucevic entering the final season of a three-year, $60 million deal. Who they drafted: They took Essengue at No. 12 overall. In the second round, they acquired the No. 55 pick from the Los Angeles Lakers and selected 6-9 forward Lachlan Olbrich, a 20-year-old from Australia. NBA comparison for Essengue: His ball-handling skills and ability to finish and defend have drawn comparisons to Pascal Siakam and Nicolas Batum. But he will need to improve his shooting. Essengue turns 19 in December. Detroit Pistons Needs: The Pistons could use some size and outside shooting. They lacked frontcourt muscle when burly forward Isaiah Stewart missed much of the first-round playoff matchup with the New York Knicks. Detroit also needed to make more 3-pointers in the closely contested series. The three-time championship franchise finally has a star to build around in All-NBA third team guard Cade Cunningham. Now, it needs time to determine if former first-round picks Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland can help Cunningham on the perimeter. Who they drafted: They used the No. 37 overall pick on Lanier, a 6-4 guard who averaged 18 points his lone year at Tennessee after spending four seasons at North Florida. Indiana Pacers Needs: With centers Myles Turner, Thomas Bryant and Isaiah Jackson all potentially hitting free agency, Indiana's most glaring hole is frontcourt depth. Indiana would like to re-sign Turner, a deal that could send the Pacers into the first salary cap apron. Finding an experienced big man would be ideal. Even after losing Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles tendon, Indiana still has plenty of backcourt bodies. Who they drafted: Indiana obtained the No. 38 overall pick in a trade with San Antonio and used it on Kam Jones, a 6-3 guard who earned Associated Press All-America second-team honors at Marquette. They used the No. 54 pick on Peter, who had 13.7 points per game at Liberty this year after previously playing for Tennessee Tech and Arkansas Tech. Milwaukee Bucks Needs: Damian Lillard's torn Achilles, Gary Trent Jr.'s unrestricted free agency and Kevin Porter's potential free agency (he has a $2.5 million player option) creates plenty of backcourt questions. The Bucks also could use a young big man. Brook Lopez and Jericho Sims are unrestricted free agents, and Bobby Portis could join them if he doesn't pick up his $13.4 million option Who they drafted: In the second round, the Bucks used the 47th overall pick on Bogoljub Markovic, a 6-11 forward from Serbia. Markovic turns 20 on July 12. Cleveland Cavaliers Needs: Cleveland doesn't have many roster holes, but it does have a need for a big body in the middle to add depth. The Cavaliers have Jarrett Allen and NBA defensive player of the year Evan Mobley, but not much else when it comes to someone with size and who can be physical in the paint. That need was apparent during their second-round playoff loss to Indiana. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Who they drafted: The Cavs used the 49th overall pick on Proctor. They also had the No. 58 selection and took Saliou Niang, a guard from Senegal. Proctor is a good playmaker and shot 40.1% on 3-pointers last season. He could fill a need if the Cavs are unable to re-sign Ty Jerome or Sam Merrill, who are unrestricted free agents. The 21-year old Niang is a good defender but needs work on his jumper. He is expected to be with Virtus Bologna in the Euroleague next season. ___ AP sports writers Larry Lage, Michael Marot, Joseph Reedy and Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. ___ AP NBA:
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
NBA Draft 2025 live updates: Round 2 latest picks, news and analysis tonight from Brooklyn
Follow all of our live updates from the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft today Imagn Images Chicago swapping pick 45 for the Lakers' pick at 55 and cash is another reminder that the Bulls are an unserious franchise. For the Lakers, it makes it much more likely they select a roster player on a rookie minimum deal to help them manage the luxury tax and, if they plan to get under it, the first apron. L.A. is only $4.3 million away from the first apron at the moment, pending possible new contracts for LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith (both of whom have player options) and a non-guaranteed $3 million for Shake Milton. The Lakers also will be hard-capped at the second apron by this move. The Lakers have moved up in the second round of the draft, trading the No, 55 pick and cash to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 45 pick, a team source confirmed to The Athletic . The deal should allow for the Lakers to get a player they could roster, a trend over the past few seasons when the team has selected and rostered players like Max Christie, Maxwell Lewis and Bronny James in the second round. While the Lakers are in real need of frontcourt help, the team is also looking for defensive versatility on the wing. One addendum from last night is that the two guys I expected to get traded didn't get traded. Ousmane Dieng is still on the Thunder, which means Oklahoma City has 16 roster players for next season right now. And John Konchar is still a Grizzly, plus Memphis traded up and increased their cap number last night, which means the Grizzlies need to create nearly $10 million in additional room to extend Jaren Jackson's contract at the 30 percent max. Memphis can still get there by trading Konchar and Jay Huff, while the Thunder can hang on to Dieng until opening day. But draft night is often an accelerant for small salary-dump transactions like this. Last night, it wasn't. Getty Images VCU guard Max Shulga He was so ball-dominant at VCU, and I think there's teams that probably look at that and will be very intrigued. You can tell he's a high-IQ player. He makes good decisions in the pick-and-roll, whether it's for himself or the proper reads first level, second level and beyond. He's the guy I hated to guard or play against because he knew the game and had those European tricks — the push-offs and a lot of different things that help you win games. I hated it, but I respect it. I just don't know if that s— helps in the NBA. The questions are: How does he play in a system where in the NBA his usage rate will be much lower? Then, how does he hold up defensively against quicker, more athletic guards? He is a good, not great 3-point shooter. He's an awesome college player because of the way (former VCU coach Ryan Odom) used him, but if you can crawl into him and be physical and do certain things to him that you can't really do in the A-10, I just don't know if he's an NBA player. He'll be a high-level guy in Europe. College fans love to push their conference narrative and conference love, and that usually continues into the pro drafts. On Wednesday, the Big Ten led the conference race with eight picks in the first round, followed by the SEC with five, the ACC with four, the Big 12 with three, the Big East with two and the Pac-2 and Mountain West with one each. There were six international players selected. Imagn Images In Georgia, there has been plenty of pain through the years about the Atlanta Falcons not selecting Georgia Bulldogs products in the first round of the NFL draft. The Falcons stopped that talk in April by drafting Georgia defender Jalon Walker. On Wednesday, the Hawks followed the Falcons' lead, sort of. The Hawks didn't draft Georgia's Asa Newell, per se, but they did get him in a draft-day deal with New Orleans. So that counts, right? Duke guard Tyrese Proctor He might be a Duke player that's undervalued. When's the last time you heard that, right? Can really shoot, can manage a game. Impressed me with his IQ, knowing which shots were good ones. He's a strong right-hand driver and we tried to push him to his left, but he is capable of going both directions. When he gets into the paint, he's a very capable passer as well. Likes to pull up in the midrange. Makes big shots. You can't go under screens with him at all. Active defender and someone that's capable of getting deflections. Good positional size. I think there's certainly an NBA role for him as a backup guard at a minimum. The shooting translates. He's competitive enough to be able to want to guard. Could he get into an Andrew Nembhard role and be a guy like that? I don't know. That's probably a little bit aggressive. As a bigger guard that can shoot, I think he's got that competitiveness and toughness about him that could allow him to exceed his draft rating. Wisconsin wing John Tonje Super impressive on film and equally as impressive in person. How Wisconsin played, there were times where you could kind of take him out of the game, but when it wasn't structured and the game got kind of ratted up, he was best. He excels in transition and on broken plays, which could be a good thing for the NBA with the pace and the timing. Now, is he a good enough athlete for the NBA? We'll see. Georgetown wing Micah Peavy I love Peavy. From a defensive standpoint, his versatility is real. He has a competitive spirit. He could impact the game just by being an elite defender. He was probably the best defender in our league on the perimeter. He could impact the games without scoring His offense really improved this year. He's really worked at it through all the stops (Texas Tech, then TCU, then Georgetown). He seems to have an understanding of who he is as a player, which allows him to play to his strengths really well. Shooting is still going to be a question. Decision making is always gonna be a question, but his size and tenacity on defense can impact the game. He's old, so his ceiling is a little bit limited, but physically he's so ready. Arkansas wing Adou Thiero Not a great offensive player. Straight-line driver, athletic, tough. When he led them in shot attempts and scoring, they were worse off as a team. So I don't know what his upside is in the league. Maybe a Lu Dort-type guy. Somebody you can just have be on the other team's best player and try to shut them down. He's one of those guys that's a really impactful college player, does a lot of things that impact winning. And for him to make it I think you would have to be on a very specific roster because offensively in the NBA, he's not going to be able to do a lot of the things that he did in college because physically he was able to overwhelm you and he was an elite athlete, but in the NBA you're going to see that every single night. He would have benefited from another year. But even if he had stayed another year, he was probably going to be the same guy. I don't know how much he's going to improve shooting the ball. So maybe it was the right move to capitalize on the season he had. Just don't think he's an NBA player. He's more of a G-League guy. Imagn Images In the end, Ace Bailey's tumble down the NBA Draft didn't go that far. The Rutgers wing went No. 5 overall to the Utah Jazz after a pre-draft process that left league observers scratching their heads and wondering where it was headed. Bailey had been the presumptive third pick in the draft for the last few months of the college basketball season and after the draft combine, but his pre-draft approach raised eyebrows around the league. He did not work out for the Philadelphia 76ers and it is not known if he held any pre-draft workouts. It was unclear if he might fall into the middle of the lottery or if he had a destination in mind. He seemed to avoid team workouts and visits. Instead, the Jazz jumped on Bailey and added one of the most talented players in the draft. . GO FURTHER Jazz draft Rutgers star Ace Bailey with No. 5 pick, ending draft speculation Imagn Images The Charlotte Hornets selected Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick in Wednesday night's NBA Draft. Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, four rebounds and 2.7 assists in his freshman season at Duke. While Knueppel typically played a wingman role alongside teammate Cooper Flagg, he never shied away from elite ACC competition. Knueppel thrived in his only season at Duke, thanks to his high basketball IQ. Known for his ability to stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting, Knueppel, 19, averaged 21 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in the ACC Tournament, earning him MVP honors. He is only the eighth freshman to achieve that award. GO FURTHER Hornets draft Kon Knueppel with No. 4 pick Imagn Images The predraft process is often littered with rumor, innuendo and plain misinformation. That was particularly true in Philadelphia this summer. And that was only natural. After all, the Sixers held the No. 3 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, the first high lottery pick of Daryl Morey's career as team president. And because we knew who the first two picks would be, the draft essentially started with Philly. What would the 76ers do? Internally, for multiple reasons, VJ Edgecombe nudged ahead of the rest of the pack, long before Morey and his staff phoned in their selection of the combination guard on Wednesday night. GO FURTHER Why the 76ers zeroed in on VJ Edgecombe and his All-Star upside with No. 3 pick Getty Images The 'kid from Duke' is officially a Dallas Maverick. The Mavericks chose Cooper Flagg, an 18-year-old forward from Newport, Maine, with the No. 1 overall pick Wednesday night. Flagg — who in April became the fifth freshman to win the Naismith College Player of the Year award (and the first male to win it since Zion Williamson in 2019) — averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks last season. He started 37 of 39 games for Duke, missing two games with a sprained ankle in the ACC Tournament. In May, the Mavericks experienced a draft-lottery miracle when they hit on a 1.8 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. It was the first time the Mavericks had moved up in the lottery since its inception in 1985. That good fortune allowed Dallas to add Flagg — a versatile, 6-foot-8 forward with the potential to be a two-way force — to its starry but aging roster. GO FURTHER Dallas Mavericks make Duke's Cooper Flagg the 2025 NBA Draft's top pick Getty Images The Portland Trail Blazers provided the first shocker in the 2025 NBA Draft, nabbing China center Yang Hansen with the No. 16 pick. The Memphis Grizzlies made the pick for Portland as part of a trade that commissioner Adam Silver announced would be finalized later. Yang, who turns 20 on Thursday, was projected to be a mid-to-late second-round pick, but the Blazers are getting him despite already having a full stable of centers. Yang, who wasn't invited to the Green Room by the NBA, was seated in the stands when his name was called. That's why his hat didn't fit properly — he didn't get measured for his cap like other top prospects did on Tuesday. Yang is the first Chinese-born player to be drafted in the first round since Yi Jianlian in 2007, and the third-highest draft pick ever from China. Yao Ming was selected No. 1 in 2002. GO FURTHER NBA Draft surprise: China center Yang Hansen picked at No. 16, dealt to Blazers Duke guard Sion James Oh man, tough dude. Physical. You go out to warmups and you see him out there, he's just such a specimen. Looks like a Lu Dort. He's got that type of body. Can he have an impact, not to the same level, but can he be like a Dort? Somebody that's just really not going to be screened, fights over everything and is really good on that end. He's not great in pick-and-roll, but he's a good cutter, and he shot it at a really good clip. He's gonna really have to be a specialist type to have a role in the NBA. Auburn big Johni Broome His athleticism is probably the thing that's gonna hurt him more than anything, and his age, but you can't tell me that he's not going to produce, even at the NBA level. Is he a starting center? Probably not. But is he a guy that can be in the second-unit rotation and wear people down with his size and his smarts and his ability? I think so. I don't think he's got a huge upside in the league. But I do think there is a place for veteran guys that can have an imprint on a franchise. Florida guard Alijah Martin He's going to be a G-League guy. He's a 6-2 small forward, and I just don't think that really translates in the NBA. The one thing that could be said about him is that he's a winner. He's been to two Final Fours, won a national championship, and so he impacts winning on both ends of the floor.
