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CBS News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
How often have Celtics hit on second-round picks over the last 25 years?
The NBA Draft is, to put it nicely, a bit of a crapshoot. There is no guarantee even the top players selected will pan out to anything at the pro level. It gets even murkier when you get outside the lottery, and it essentially becomes teams taking flyers on players by the second round. Even if teams hit on second-round selections, those players don't usually become franchise-altering superstars, or even important role players for very long. There are exceptions, of course. Nikola Jokic was the 41st overall pick in 2014 and is one of the best players on the planet. Draymond Green (35th in 2012) and Khris Middleton (39th in 2012) both played key roles on championship teams. Isaiah Thomas wasn't drafted by the Celtics, but he carved out a nice career after he was the final pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. And another lifetime ago, the Celtics drafted a spunky kid out of BYU named Danny Ainge in the second round. He turned out to be a pretty good player and executive for Boston. But for the most part, second-round picks are back-end players to fill out the roster with a very small price tag attached. And before they become players on a team, the picks are nice and necessary filler to complete trades. Given the landscape in the new CBA, they are important assets for teams, which is why Brad Stevens has been stockpiling them over the last few years. Stevens snagged three additional second-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft when he traded the No. 32 pick to the Orlando Magic, landing the 46th pick (used to draft Kentucky big man Amari Williams) and the 57th (VCU guard Max Shulga) plus second-rounders in 2026 and 2027. He has a pretty good collection of second-round picks over the next seven years. Stevens has only been playing the executive game since June of 2021, so the jury is still out on most of his second-round picks. Here's a look back at the last 25 years of second-round picks by the Celtics, with some pretty solid hits in the mix and a lot of players we never saw don a Boston uniform. 2002: Darius Songalia, C, Wake Forest The big man from Lithuania never played for the Celtics, and was traded to the Sacramento Kings for a pair of second-round picks you'll meet later on this list. Songalia averaged 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds over his eight NBA seasons or the Kings, Bulls, Wizards, Hornets, and 76ers. 2003: Brandon Hunter, PF, Ohio Hunter was taken with one of the picks acquired in the Songalia swap. He played in 36 games for Boston as a rookie, including 12 starts. His best game in Green was an 11-point, 16-rebound showing in a win over Toronto. But he only spent one season with Boston because the Charlotte Bobcats (remember them?) took him in the expansion draft in 2004, only to then trade him to the Orlando Magic. He played 31 games for the Magic in 2004-05, but that was the end of his NBA career. 2004: Justin Reed, PF, Ole Miss Reed was another explosive rebounder taken in the second round, but he played sparingly for a season-and-a-half before he was shipped to Minnesota in the 2006 trade that brought Michael Olowokandi and Wally Szczerbiak to Boston. He stuck with the Wolves until his NBA career ended in 2007. 2005: Ryan Gomes, PF, Providence; Orien Greene, PG, Ole Miss Gomes should have been a late-first-, early-second-round pick after a stellar career in Providence, but fell to Boston at 50th overall. He was a solid pro from the jump and ended up starting 33 games for the Celtics as a rookie. He started 60 of the 73 games he played in during the 2006-07 season, when Gomes averaged 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. But the 2006-07 season was a disaster for the Celtics, and that summer Gomes was part of the trade package in the franchise-altering Kevin Garnett trade. He played three seasons for Minnesota, two for the L.A. Clippers, and played in five games for Oklahoma City in 2013-14 before heading overseas for a few years. He started 371 of the 487 games he played over his eight-year NBA career. The Waterbury, Connecticut native started coaching in 2016, and is now an assistant in Providence. Despite playing just two seasons with the Celtics, Gomes is one of the better second-round picks by the team over the last 25 years. (Disclaimer: This is coming from a guy who still has a Ryan Gomes Celtics bobble head on his desk at work.) Greene was the second pick Boston got from the Songalia trade, and he played in 80 games for the Celtics as a rookie. He also got into some trouble off the court in March that earned him a suspension, and was waived by the team a few months later. Greene played just 50 more games in the NBA for the Pacers, Kings, and Nets. 2006: Leon Powe, PF, California The Celtics got Powe in a draft-night trade with the Nuggets, and though he played just three seasons in Boston, he's got a special place in franchise history. Powe's biggest game in Green was Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals when he dropped 21 points in only 15 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers. He flummoxed the Lakers so much it had a flustered Phil Jackson calling him Leon "Pow" after the game. He also played for Cleveland and Memphis during his career. Powe rejoined the Celtics in 2014 as a community ambassador, a role he still holds today. 2007: Glen Davis, PF, LSU; Gabe Pruitt, PG, UCS Davis was technically drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics 35th overall and then traded to Boston in the Ray Allen deal. In terms of second-round picks making an impact with the Celtics over the last quarter of a century, he's at the top of the list. "Big Baby" became an instant fan favorite with his jovial, kid-like persona. He played an important reserve role off the Celtics bench in the team's run to the 2008 NBA Championship, and played an even bigger role the following season when Kevin Garnett was lost to an injury. Davis' biggest play in Green came in the second round of the 2009 playoffs, when he drained a buzzer-beater against the Orlando Magic to lift Boston to a Game 4 victory. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds that postseason, but the C's fell to the Magic in seven games without Garnett. Davis was back in his reserve role the following season, when he formed the famous "Shrek and Donkey" duo and drooled all over the court in the 2010 NBA Finals against the Lakers. Davis played four seasons with Boston before he was traded to the Magic for Von Wafer. He averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds over his eight-year NBA career. Pruitt was taken three picks ahead of Davis, but averaged just 7.4 minutes in his 62 games for the Celtics over two seasons. That was it for his NBA career. 2008: Semih Erden, C, Turkey Erden didn't play for Boston until the 2010-11 season, and was traded to the Cavaliers that February for a second-round pick. He played in 69 games over his two-year NBA career for Boston and Cleveland. 2009: Lester Hudson, PG, University of Tennessee at Martin Hudson was taken 58th overall but played just 16 games for the Celtics before he was claimed off waivers by the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 4.7 points over 57 games over his four-year NBA career for Boston, Memphis, Washington, Cleveland, and the L.A. Clippers. 2010: Luke Harangody, PF, Notre Dame He was a star for the Irish, but played in only 29 games for the Celtics before he was sent to Cleveland along with Erden. Harangody played in just 70 games over his two seasons in the NBA. 2011: E'Twaun Moore, G, Purdue Moore played just 38 games for the Celtics before he was part of a three-team trade that brought Courtney Lee to Boston. But he carved out a solid 10-year NBA career, including a four-year stretch with the Pelicans where he averaged 10.7 points per game. 2012: Kris Joseph, G/F, Syracuse Joseph was taken 51st overall, and had two very brief stints with Boston. He played just six games for the C's before he was waived in January, and then signed with the Nets that April. He played in four game for Brooklyn, and was then traded back to Boston that summer in the giant return for Garnett and Paul Pierce. (You know, the one that brought in the picks used on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.) Joseph was waived by Boston a few days later, and that was it for his NBA career. 2015: Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU; Marcus Thornton, G, William & Mary There was a ton of hype around Mickey, whom the Celtics drafted 33rd overall. But he averaged just 4.8 minutes in his 41 games over two seasons before he was waived by Boston. Mickey played 23 games for Miami in 2017-18, which was his final season in the NBA. Thornton played for the C's in the Summer League but then played overseas, outside of a brief appearance for the Maine Red Claws. 2016: Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame; Ben Bentil, PF, Providence; Abdel Nader, G, Iowa State There was a lot of hype around Nader, and he was a D-League All-Star and Rookie of the Year after being taken by Boston with the 58th pick. He signed a four-year contract in 2017, but bounced from the Celtics to the Red Claws that season and averaged just 10.9 minutes over 48 games for Boston. He was traded to OKC in 2018 and played two seasons for the Thunder and two seasons for the Phoenix Suns. Jackson played just five games for the Celtics, while Bentil was waived before the end of the preseason. 2017: Semi Ojeleye, F, SMU; Kadeem Allen, PG, Arizona; Jabari Bird, SG, California Ojeleye had ridiculously massive arms and was a pretty solid role player over his four seasons and 254 games for Boston. He played for the Bucks and Clippers during the 2021-22 season, which was his last in the NBA. Allen averaged just 5.9 minutes over his 18 games for the Celtics before he was waived, and closed his NBA career with 29 appearances for the Knicks over two seasons. Bird played 18 games for Boston in 2017-18, but was arrested on domestic abuse and kidnapping charges in September of 2018. He was traded to Atlanta for a conditional second-round pick in February of 2019, and waived by the Hawks the next day. 2019: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue; Tremont Waters, PG, LSU Edwards had some truly massive quads, but didn't do much over his two seasons with the Celtics. Waters played in 37 games for Boston over his two seasons, including four starts, but was not retained after the 2020-21 season. 2020: Yam Madar, G, Israel We heard a lot about Madar after the Celtics took him 47th overall in 2020. He was a draft-and-stash guy and has remained overseas other than a Summer League appearance in 2021. 2021: Juhann Begarin, SG, Guadeloupe Another draft-and-stash player for Boston. Begarin is currently with AS Monaco of the LNB Elite. 2022: JD Davison, PG, Alabama Davison has played in 36 games for Boston over the last three seasons, but has really thrived with the Maine Celtics. He averaged 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists last year to earn G League MVP honors, and had his contract converted to a standard NBA two-year deal in April. He will likely play a reserve role for Boston in 2025-26. 2023: Jordan Walsh, F, Arkansas Walsh has seen limited action in 61 games over his two seasons in the Celtics organization. He was the youngest player on the team in each of the last two seasons, and will have a chance to carve out a role on the 2025-26 Celtics. 2024: Anton Watson, F, Gonzaga Watson never played for the Celtics before he was waived in March. He was claimed by the Knicks a few days later and played nine games for New York.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grading Golden State Warriors' 2025 NBA Draft
Grading Golden State Warriors' 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Golden State Warriors entered the 2025 NBA Draft looking to add another young player to their roster alongside their star trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Advertisement Of course, the Warriors had only one second-round pick in the 2025 draft but after making some trades on Thursday night, they ended up selecting two players in the second round. Golden State used the 52nd overall pick to select Australian forward Alex Toohey to upgrade their wing depth. They then drafted Florida champion guard Will Richard with the 56th pick to upgrade their backcourt depth behind Curry. Warriors' 2025 NBA Draft Grade: A- With these two selections, the Warriors earned an A- grade for their 2025 NBA Draft as they added two young talented prospects that could become key role players in the future. Advertisement For Toohey, many believed that he would be selected earlier in the second round, though Golden State was able to land him with the 52nd pick. Last season in the NBL, Toohey averaged 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.9% from the field and 31.0% from three-point range. The 21-year-old forward has high upside as he is able to play multiple positions and is a great defender due to his length who should be intriguing for the Warriors to develop. Florida Gators guard Will Richard (5) reacts after a play against the Houston Cougars in national championship Donnan-Imagn Images For Richard, he was a key piece in helping Florida win a National Championship last season. In his senior season with the Gators, the 6-5 guard averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 48.7% from the field and 35.9% from three. Advertisement Richard is a great scorer who should have an impact off the Warriors' bench right away and he is also a solid defender. These were two solid moves for the Warriors as they were able to fill some holes on their roster as they add two more young players who could see a large role next season. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA draft grades 2025: How all 30 teams fared with draft now complete
There's probably not a Nikola Jokic in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft. There could be. But it's unlikely. Could there be a Draymond Green (35th pick in the second round in 2012) or a Manu Ginobili (57th pick in the second round in 1999)? It's possible. But that's also difficult to know today. However, several players with first-round potential slipped into the second round and were drafted by teams hoping to find that rare gem. Some of those picks impacted some overall draft grades following the completion of this week's draft. Here are USA TODAY Sports' 2025 NBA Draft grades after both rounds: 2025 NBA draft grades Atlanta Hawks: B+ The Hawks traded for Kristaps Porzingis and then acquired Asa Newell with the No. 23 pick. They also ended up with a 2026 first-round pick that could end up being a lottery pick. Boston Celtics: B At No. 28, Boston landed Spain's Hugo Gonzalez, who is one of Europe's top prospects. But he may not be ready to contribute immediately. Brooklyn Nets: A The Nets accumulated five first-round draft picks ahead of the draft and got: BYU's Egor Demin at No. 8, France's Nolan Traore at No. 19, North Carolina's Drake Powell at No. 22, Israel's Ben Saraf at No. 26 and Michigan's Danny Wolf at No. 27. Charlotte Hornets: B+ The Hornets need shooting. They were 28th in 3-point shooting percentage, 30th in field goal percentage and 30th in effective field goal percentage. Duke's Kon Knueppel can help a massive shortcoming on Charlotte's roster. They went after offense and size in the second round with Duke's Sion James and Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner in the second round. Chicago Bulls: B France is in a nice run of producing NBA players, and Noa Essengue, the No. 12 pick, will give the Bulls another interior option. Cleveland Cavaliers: B Did not have a first-round pick; traded to Utah as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal, which has worked out for the Cavs. They signed him to a three-year, $150.3 million contract that keeps him with the Cavs through at least 2026-27. Cleveland used one of its two second-round picks on Duke's Tyrese Proctor. Dallas Mavericks: A The Mavericks needed luck to get the No. 1 pick – just a 1.8% chance to win the lottery and that's what happened, allowing them to select Cooper Flagg, who brings talent, maturity and an NBA-ready game to a team looking to compete for a title. Denver Nuggets: A Did not have a first-round pick. The Nuggets traded it to Orlando in 2021 in a deal that sent Aaron Gordon to the Nuggets. It helped Denver win a title in 2023. Detroit Pistons: Incomplete Detroit's selection was sent away as part of the 2020 trade that brought Isaiah Stewart to the Pistons. Golden State Warriors: Incomplete As part of the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State, the Warriors shipped the No. 20 selection to Miami, which became Kasparas Jakucionis. While Butler infused defense, veteran experience and more competitiveness to the Warriors, they were eventually eliminated in the second round. Golden State had two second-round picks but those picks are unlikely to impact 2025-26. Houston Rockets: A- The Rockets did not have a first-round pick ... because they traded the No. 10 pick to Phoenix for Kevin Durant, putting them in position to contend for a title after going 52-30 last season and earning the No. 2 seed in the West. Indiana Pacers: Incomplete The Pacers did not have a first-round pick, trading the No. 23 overall selection to the Pelicans, as well as the rights to guard Mojave King. In exchange, the Pacers received their own 2026 first-round selection, which they had originally shipped to Toronto in the deal that brought Pascal Siakam to Indiana. Like Golden State, Indiana had two second-round picks, but the value won't be revealed immediately. Los Angeles Clippers: B With the final pick of the first night, the Clippers bolstered their interior presence, taking forward Yanic Konan Niederhauser out of Penn State. He's still a bit raw, but he should be an excellent developmental backup to center Ivica Zubac. Niederhauser should get plenty of burn as a low block defender — he ranked 12th in the country in blocks per game (2.3) — and should be a lob threat as a finisher. Los Angeles Lakers: B The No. 22 overall selection was part of the package the Lakers sent the Pelicans in the deal that brought center Anthony Davis to Los Angeles. The Lakers moved up from No. 45 to No. 36 and drafted Arkansas' Adou Thiero, who has first-round potential. Memphis Grizzlies: B+ This was all about replacing Desmond Bane, whom Memphis just shipped to the Orlando Magic, but on a budget. Bane had been signed to a max extension in July 2023, so he was going to become pricey. Guard Cedric Coward, a late riser in the draft process, was picked at No. 11. He has ample experience and should play right away. Memphis has a pretty solid track record in recent years of drafting. His size and shooting ability should translate instantly. Miami Heat: B Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis was projected as a lottery pick in several mock drafts, and the Heat got him at No. 20. Milwaukee Bucks: A Did not have a first-round pick; the Bucks traded the pick to New Orleans in 2020, acquiring Jrue Holiday, who helped the Bucks win a title in 2021. Yes, the Bucks are trying to stay competitive with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it's hard to complain about a title. Minnesota Timberwolves: B- The issue with Rudy Gobert is that his offensive game can be inconsistent. And Minnesota's consecutive trips to the Western Conference finals proved that the Timberwolves need more scoring, particularly when teams game plan to take Anthony Edwards out of rhythm. Joan Beringer is only 18, so he's a project and doesn't necessarily help Minnesota get over the hump in the short term. He's explosive and full of potential. Minnesota's window to win, however, is now, and plenty of plug-and-play prospects were available at 17. New Orleans Pelicans: B- In a vacuum, both Jeremiah Fears (guard, No. 7) and Derik Queen (center, No. 13) are solid players. But they're also both at positions where the Pelicans have established players, which could mean New Orleans will be looking to sell off veterans like point guard Dejounte Murray and power forward Zion Williamson. Queen's skill set — his ball handling, vision, passing and touch — should make him too valuable to sit. The same, frankly, goes for Fears. The Pelicans have very nice pieces; the fit is a little cumbersome. New York Knicks: B- Did not have a first-round pick; the Knicks have traded significant draft capital (no first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031) to build this team. Back-to-back 50-win seasons and an Eastern Conference finals appearance this season are the results so far. Oklahoma City Thunder: B Given it's the Thunder front office led by executive VP/GM Sam Presti and the track record of the Thunder acing the draft, it's a safe bet to say the Thunder found value with the No. 15 pick (Georgetown's Thomas Sorber). Orlando Magic: B At one point during the draft process, Michigan State's Jase Richardson was a projected lottery pick and the Magic got him at No. 25. In the second round, the Magic landed Noah Penda, who has first-round talent, at No. 32. Philadelphia 76ers: B The Sixers passed on Ace Bailey and took defensive-minded guard VJ Edgecombe at No. 3. He will be able to guard multiple positions. Phoenix Suns: C- There's no question: the Suns have wanted a center for a long time. They traded Jusuf Nurkić to the Hornets in the middle of the season and struggled to find a presence down low. Duke's Khaman Maluach at No. 10 — part of the trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston — is actually great value. But, minutes prior, the Suns also reportedly completed a trade to get another former Duke center, Mark Williams, from the Hornets. This reeks of a team that didn't think Maluach would be available, got impatient, and fired off a trade. Now, Phoenix has the opposite issue: it has one big too many. Portland Trail Blazers: C This was another curious first round move. Clearly, Portland loved Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center from China with fluid athleticism and superb passing ability. But the Trail Blazers now have three centers: Hansen, Robert Williams (who is entering the final year of his contract) and Donovan Clingan (last year's No. 7 overall selection). Even if Portland packages Williams in a salary-shedding move, Hansen, who turned 20 on Thursday, June 26, is only one year younger than Clingan. Despite his impressive skill set, he also might need time to assimilate from the Chinese Basketball Association. Sacramento Kings: B+ The Kings did not have a first round pick to start the night but traded into the first round, acquiring the No. 24 pick from Oklahoma City and drafting Nique Clifford from Colorado State. At No. 42, Sacramento selected Maxime Raynaud, who had emerged as a potential first-round pick late in the draft process. San Antonio Spurs: A The Spurs have the past two rookies of the year (Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle) and just picked Rutgers' Dylan Harper at No. 2 and Arizona's Carter Bryant at No. 14. The Spurs are on their way. Toronto Raptors: B The Raptors are close to making a move in the East, and Collin Murray-Boyles at No. 9 is the kind of player who fits Toronto's system. Utah Jazz: A Danny Ainge struck again. Utah got excellent value at No. 5 with Ace Bailey, an electric player who is built exactly the way teams want their wings. He has effortless athleticism and is a hyper-competitive player who should find easy buckets. And then, in a trade with the Wizards, the Jazz nabbed an experienced guard in Walter Clayton Jr., who has range and the clutch gene. Washington Wizards: B The Wizards targeted guards as part of their extensive rebuild and selected Texas' Tre Johnson sixth and acquired Illinois' Will Riley at No. 21. Washington went after more perimeter scoring in the second round, drafting Florida State's Jamir Watkins at No. 43.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Six center options Warriors should consider in NBA offseason search for size
Six center options Warriors should consider in NBA offseason search for size originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area SAN FRANCISCO – Now that summer is upon us, the smart money is betting Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy and his front-office lieutenants will cook up something to add a dash of curiosity to training camp. Consider the history. Dunleavy turned Jordan Poole into Chris Paul in the summer of 2023, and then basically flipped Klay Thompson for Buddy Hield last summer. That Dunleavy broke character at the 2025 trade deadline, making a seismic move to acquire Jimmy Butler III, raises the stakes this summer. Advertisement 'There's a lot of different ways we can go,' Dunleavy said Monday. 'We've got some free agents that are priorities. We've got to handle that. But some of that stuff may lead into trades and other things.' The smart money also says Dunleavy will go big. Big names are a longshot, but big men are now essential to compete at the upper levels of the Western Conference. And then there is the free-agent market, which Dunleavy says is the most likely route to a plug-and-play veteran in accordance with a core – Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Butler – that will average 36.3 years of age when camp opens in September. And remember, the Warriors have four first-round picks, next summer, to offer in trade. Advertisement Here are six players, four potentially available vets and two in the draft, that are worthy of Golden State's consideration: Veterans Clint Capela (free agent): At age 31, the 6-foot-10 native of Switzerland has lost some of his bounce but remains a lob threat and one of the strongest rebounders in the league. The Warriors value Kevon Looney, but Capela is appreciably more athletic. He made $20.6 million last season with the Hawks, but likely understands he'll earn less at his next stop. How much of a pay cut would he accept? Daniel Gafford (trade candidate): He's 26, a legit 6-foot-10, averaged two blocks per game over the past three seasons and is offensively efficient in the paint. As one of four big men under contract in Dallas – along with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell – there is a chance he moves. Rampant speculation has him landing with the Lakers. That would be a missed opportunity for the Warriors. Having reportedly agreed to a three-year extension worth $39 million over the weekend, he's a good value. Advertisement Brook Lopez (free agent): At 7-foot-1, 280 pounds, he is an imposing paint presence on defense and an elite stretch-5 on offense. With the Bucks losing Damian Lillard to a torn Achilles' tendon, they likely will engage in roster reshuffling. Lopez, 37, is older than Butler and Green but 17 days younger than Curry, so that is cause for a bit of caution. He made $25 million last season. Would he accept a huge cut to finish his career in his home state? Ben Simmons (free agent): He might be the league's worst finisher at the rim. Just awful. But hear me out. He's 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, still has some of his once-stunning athleticism and remains a strong, switchable defender. He entered the NBA in 2016 as a point guard but has transitioned to center, finishing last season as a backup to Ivica Zubac with the Clippers. If Simmons aches for a redemption season, he could be a good value. Others Myles Turner and Naz Reid are too costly and likely to re-sign with their current teams. Al Horford is interesting, but he loves Boston and, at age 39, probably will finish his career there. When scanning the middle tier and lower, the Warriors would be wise to remember the failed Willie Cauley-Stein experiment. In the draft Quality size is available in every draft, often in the second round, where the Warriors are holding the 41st overall pick. Consider a few big men selected in the second round and making an impact: Nikola Jokić (No. 41, 2014), Zubac (No. 32 in 2016), Isaiah Hartenstein (No. 43, 2017), Nic Claxton (No. 31, 2019) and Gafford (No. 38, 2019). Advertisement Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State): A two-year starter, first at Northern Illinois and then as a junior with the Nittany Lions, the Switzerland native is a shade under 7 feet with plus athleticism who led the Big Ten in blocks in each of the last two seasons. He's 22 and still developing, but might be able to earn minutes as a change-of-pace rim runner and rim protector. Amari Williams (Kentucky): A three-year starter – the first two at Drexel before finishing at Kentucky last season – who is not much of a shooter but brings something to both ends of the floor. At 6-foot-11, 260 pounds, he's a good athlete whose impressive feel for the game is something the Warriors value. At age 23, he doesn't project as a future All-Star, but possesses enough desirable qualities to have a solid NBA career. Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
NFL insider Jordan Schultz leaves Fox Sports in shock career move
Fox Sports have parted ways with NFL insider Jordan Schultz after only one season, it has emerged. Schultz, the son of billionaire ex-Starbucks CEO mogul Howard Schultz, has broken a host of stories over recent years including Rob Gronkowski 's retirement and new deals for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He also hosted an NFL podcast with NBA star Draymond Green but now, as revealed by the Washington Post, Schultz has left Fox Sports. 'He's no longer on our air,' a Fox spokesman told the outlet. It comes a few months after he and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport clashed inside a Starbucks at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Schultz also reportedly landed himself in hot water over the draft, when the NFL contacted Fox after the reporter revealed teams' picks before they were announced. Media partners are banned from tipping selections. Schultz later ruffled feathers inside Fox after breaking the news about a game being broadcast on the network before an agreed-upon time. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was reportedly accosted by Schultz at the 2025 NFL Combine It's claimed that the NFL insider irked fellow reporters, with one telling the Washington Post that 'Jordan is Saudi-wealth-funding the insider game. He's doing what LIV did to golf.' Schultz told the Washington Post that his Fox deal was only for a year and that he intended to leave anyway. He claims to be in negotiations with several outlets but is also pondering creating his own media organization. Back at the NFL Combine, security were called after Schultz and Rapoport had an X-rated 'verbal confrontation' in Indianapolis. Schultz claims to have been told that Rapoport had been accusing him of offering stocks in Starbucks or Uber in exchange for information. 'Total blasphemy, dumb, unfounded — and yet very damaging,' he told the Washington Post. So he confronted Rapoport and reportedly said: 'You know what you did. And I said, "This has got to stop." And I was very clear, if you have a problem with me, just talk to me.' In a statement, Rapoport told the outlet: 'I hadn't heard that Jordan was accused of offering Uber stock as an incentive for scoops until he was screaming in my face at the now-infamous Starbucks.'
