Latest news with #KhalifBattle
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Khalif Battle has Mixed Results in NBA Summer League Start
Khalif Battle has Mixed Results in NBA Summer League Start originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle had an up-and-down performance in his debut start for the Phoenix Suns during NBA Summer League action, illustrating both promising moments and areas requiring growth as the Suns lost decisively to the Atlanta Hawks. Battle, who gained recognition at Gonzaga for his scoring ability and assertive style, finished with 7 points. Most of his scoring came from the free-throw line, where he converted 5 of 6 attempts. Despite struggling to find his shooting touch from the field, Battle showed resilience and aggression, consistently drawing contact and earning trips to the foul line. Nonetheless, his overall effectiveness was somewhat diminished by a -7 plus/minus rating, indicating the team faced challenges during his time on the court. Advertisement The Hawks took control early in the matchup, preventing the Suns from establishing any momentum. Battle's inconsistent play mirrored the team's broader issues, but the Phoenix coaching staff clearly expressed interest by allocating him extended minutes to evaluate his potential thoroughly. These increased minutes suggest the Suns see value in Battle's ongoing development and are seriously considering how he might fit within their future plans. The Summer League remains a crucial evaluation period, providing players like Battle the opportunity to impress not only their current organizations but also scouts from other NBA teams. Despite modest statistical contributions, Battle's ability to draw fouls and capitalize at the free-throw line remains noteworthy and valuable at the professional level. The Suns' decision to grant Battle a starting role underscores their intent to provide him ample opportunities during this critical assessment stage. With more games ahead in the Summer League, Battle has additional chances to cement his position with the Suns or showcase his talents to other interested NBA franchises. Although his NBA future is still uncertain, Battle's offensive aggressiveness and determination will undoubtedly keep league evaluators attentive as the Summer League continues. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Gonzaga Guard Lands with Phoenix Suns Ahead of NBA Summer League
Former Gonzaga Guard Lands with Phoenix Suns Ahead of NBA Summer League originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle has agreed to a deal to play for the Phoenix Suns, according to Jacob Myers of League Him. Advertisement Terms of the deal were not specified, although it is expected this is an invitation for Battle to join the Suns during Las Vegas Summer League starting July 10 at the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV. Battle becomes the third former Zag to sign a pro contract this offseason, joining Ryan Nembhard - who signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks - and Ben Gregg, who will play for the Boston Celtics in summer league. Nolan Hickman is the lone Zag graduate yet to sign with an NBA team post-NBA draft. Battle wrapped up his college career with one season at Gonzaga, where he started 31 out of 35 games and averaged 13.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He shot a career-best 53.3% on two pointers as well as 34.7% from three on nearly five attempts per game, and an astonishing 93.2% from the free throw line which was third best in the country. Advertisement Battle's 6'5 frame, tenacious ability to attack the rim and get to the free throw line, and excellent athleticism made him an intriguing prospect, but his advanced age and inconsistent outside shooting prevented him from being selected in the 2025 NBA draft last week. Instead he'll join a Phoenix team that is trying to find its identity after sending Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in a deal that brought back Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and a bevy of draft picks. Battle will get a chance to prove his worth during summer league, and the unstructured nature of the event should allow his hell-raising style of play to thrive. It would not be a surprise to see the New Jersey native put up big numbers for Phoenix, which could lead to the team putting him on an Exhibit 10 deal and bringing him aboard the Valley Suns in the G-League for the 2025-26 season. Related: Projecting Gonzaga's Lineup and Rotation After Adding Spanish Guard Mario Saint-Supery This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Khalif Battle Shares Strong Feelings About Decision to Transfer to Gonzaga
Khalif Battle Shares Strong Feelings About Decision to Transfer to Gonzaga originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle spoke to assembled media on Friday ahead of his NBA pre-draft workout with the Sacramento Kings, his sixth workout of the cycle. Advertisement Battle reported he is anticipating 12-14 more workouts as well as he tries to play his way into the second round of the NBA draft, which will take place on June 26. Battle spoke about his decision to transfer to Gonzaga for his final season of eligibility, having spent one year at Butler, three injury-riddled seasons at Temple, and one year at Arkansas before joining Mark Few's club. "My decision was strictly for this moment right here," Battle said. "I can't name an unsuccessful Zag at the next level...I think being a Zag was the best decision I ever made." Battle started 31 out of 35 games last year for the Zags, averaging 13.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He led the WCC and finished third in the country with a 93.2% free throw percentage, and his 58 made threes was second on the Zags and 11th in the conference. Advertisement Although he did not get an invite to the G-League Elite Camp or NBA draft combine, Battle did participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) alongside Nolan Hickman and was one of the daily MVP winners with a strong 23 point performance in a scrimmage. Battle's positional size, scoring instincts, and elite ability to not only get to the free throw line, but shoot over 90% while there, should get him at least a summer league invite and could land him in the G-League or on a two-way contract. But, with the amount of guards who opted to pull out of the draft to return to college - including Tahaad Pettiford, Labaron Philon, Boogie Fland, and Milos Uzan - Battle's chances of sneaking into the back end of the draft have increased as well, especially if he ends up working out for over half the teams in the NBA over the next three weeks. Related: WATCH: Steele Venters Posts Workout Video While Recovering From Season-Ending Injury This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kelvin Sampson consoling a tearful Gonzaga's Khalif Battle is the classiest
Kelvin Sampson consoling a tearful Gonzaga's Khalif Battle is the classiest March Madness is about so many things, from Cinderellas to amazing moments we'll never forget. And then there's stuff like this -- the kind of sportsmanship that keeps things classy. Gonzaga's Khalif Battle was in tears after the Bulldogs fell just short against No. 1 seed Houston in the second round on Saturday night, but Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson grabbed him in a hug and said some things as Battle cried. After the game, Sampson had nothing but lovely things to say about Battle: "Those tears at the end of the game showed me how much he cared, and how much this mattered to him." Watch:
NBC Sports
21-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Gonzaga vs. Houston Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends, and Stats for 2025 March Madness
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) meet the Houston Cougars (31-4) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Wichita, KS. Gonzaga, the No. 8 seed, trounced the No. 9 seed Georgia Bulldogs in the opening round, 89-68. Mark Few's club scored 48 points in the first half and never looked back. Khalif Battle led the Bulldogs with 24 points (4-7 from three-point range) and eight rebounds. The No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, Houston opened the NCAA Tournament with a walk in the park, a 78-40 win over SIUE. No Cougar was forced to play more than 26 minutes ensuring Houston is rested for Saturday's game. Milos Uzan played 23 minutes and scored 16 points to lead the offense. A trip to the Sweet 16 is on the line with the winner advancing to face the winner of the McNeese State vs. Purdue game. Lets dive into the matchup and offer some information and possibly a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the opening tip, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Game details & how to watch Gonzaga vs. Houston Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025 Time: 8:40PM EST Site: INTRUST Bank Arena City: Wichita, KS Network/Streaming: TNT Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest scores and player news. Check out our day-by-day NCAA Basketball Schedule Page that includes live game updates. Game odds for Gonzaga vs. Houston The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of BetMGM: Odds: Gonzaga Bulldogs (+185), Houston Cougars (-225) Spread: Cougars -5.5 Total: 139.5 points Expert picks & predictions for Gonzaga vs. Houston Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NCAA calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, injuries, and the schedule. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Saturday's Bulldogs & Cougars game: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on Houston on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play ATS on Houston -5.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 139.5. Gonzaga vs. Houston: Top betting trends and recent stats A win means a trip to a 6th straight Sweet 16 for Houston A win means a 9th straight Sweet 16 for Gonzaga Over the course of Houston's 14-game win streak, the Cougars are just 7-6-1 against the spread (17-14-1 for the season) The Game Total UNDER has cashed in Houston's last 3 games Gonzaga has won 5 in a row and covered the spread in 4 of their last 5 games If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NCAA Basketball Top Trends Tool on Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: · Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) · Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) · Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) · Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
