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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors draft national championship star at No. 56
The Justinian Jessup era is official over in Golden State. The Warriors traded the rights to Jessup, their No. 51 pick from the 2020 draft, to the Memphis Grizzlies to move up from No. 59 to No. 56 and select March Madness hero Will Richard. Richard had 18 points, eight rebounds, and made four three-pointers in Florida's 65-63 win over Houston. He made a crucial steal with 26 seconds left to seal the game. Advertisement Why was Richard available with the 56th pick? It's because he's good at a lot of things but he isn't amazing at any of them. He was a 35.5 percent three-point shooter in college — pretty good! Not great. He's 6-foot-3 — a little short for a shooting guard, but with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. His shooting splits were 49/36/84, all good shooting numbers but not great. He does have a lot of potential as a defender and got 1.7 steals last season for the Gators. Richard's long arms do a lot to make up for his lack of height. He's also a solid rebounder, something that has been a hallmark for Golden State Warriors guards recently. Richard is described as a 'combo guard,' which often means a player isn't really a point guard or a shooting guard. He does play tough defense, meaning he could be the classic draft archetype of a three-and-D guy. The Warriors loves threes, after all, and are fairly fond of D as well. Richard is also very good in transition. Florida coach Todd Golden really loved Richard. 'The kid is an incredible light bulb, an incredible human being,' Golden said during the Final Four. 'We looked at his numbers at Belmont — incredibly efficient as a freshman, high-usage player, great rebounding rates, great steal rates, great block rates … We're like, 'If we can get 13 Will Richards on this roster, we're going to make the Final Four.' Advertisement The Warriors are probably looking at Richard as a two-way player, just like their other selection, Alex Toohey. But if nothing else, Richard should be a fantastic addition to the Warriors' team at Las Vegas Summer League and the Santa Cruz Warriors. He's a very fun player to watch and plays really hard. You could do worse at No. 56. More from
Associated Press
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Trail Blazers see 7-2 Chinese center Yang Hansen as a unique and versatile talent
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Yang Hansen is going to fit into American culture just fine. The Trail Blazers' 7-foot-1 Chinese center was introduced to Portland on Friday, and was asked about his interests. Turns out, he's already a gamer. 'Sometimes I sleep. All the time, sleep. I like to play PS5. And I like to eat,' Yang said, laughing. Yang was the 16th pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday. While some were surprised that he went as early as he did, the Blazers had been scouting him for two years. Yang averaged 16.6 points and 10.5 rebounds last season for the Qingdao Eagles. He has played for the team in China's top pro league for the past two seasons. 'You can just tell he's been taught the right way. So a lot of things as a coach that I have to teach with young guys, I don't have to teach this kid,' Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. 'He's been taught the right way, so I'm really excited about him, and it's going to be a lot of fun.' Portland had the 11th pick in the draft but traded the draft rights to guard Cedric Coward to the Memphis Grizzlies for Yang's draft rights, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. Blazers general manager Joe Cronin saw value in the deal and didn't want to risk dropping any lower for fear Yang would not be available. 'This is a very, very unique talent, in our opinion. He obviously has great size at 7-2, young, just turns 20 tomorrow. High, high-end skillset, his ability to pass, his basketball IQ, his functionality in the post. His ability to step out. We think he'll be a good free-throw shooter, we think he'll make perimeter jump shots as well,' Cronin said. 'Defensively, he's a really smart player that can be pretty versatile in the post with his size and IQ.' Yang, who was seated in the stands at the draft and had to make his way down to the stage when his name was called, said the comparisons he's heard to Nikola Jokic and fellow countryman Yao Ming are flattering. 'I think the Baby Joker or being compared to Yao are a big honor,' Yang said through an interpreter. 'I just try to learn from everyone, every good player, and try to improve myself every day.' ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Desmond Bane Sends Clear Message on Magic Star Paolo Banchero
Desmond Bane Sends Clear Message on Magic Star Paolo Banchero originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Orlando Magic wasted no time in improving its roster this offseason. Even before the 2025 NBA playoffs ended, the Magic traded for Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies to solve some of their concerns. One of the areas the Magic needed to address over the summer was their offensive options. Advertisement Outside of their star forwards, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic didn't have another player who could create shots. By trading for Bane, the organization solved that problem. The addition of the 6-foot-5 guard also gives them another outside shooter. During the 2024-25 season, Orlando had the worst 3-point shooting and made only 31.8% of their attempts. Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane drives to the basket as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero Thomas-Imagn Images On Thursday, Bane was invited to appear as a guest on the program, "The Zach Lowe Show." During his appearance, the newest member of the Magic spoke highly of Banchero. According to him, he believes that the former Duke star could rack up multiple All-NBA selections throughout his career. Advertisement "Obviously, Paolo is going to be a first team All-NBA type guy for probably multiple years in his career," Bane said. Last season, Banchero had another All-Star season, averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Unfortunately for the young forward, he wasn't selected for any of the All-NBA teams. The reason is that he only appeared in 46 games and didn't meet the 65-game requirement for players to qualify for NBA awards. Staying healthy is key for Banchero to be considered for the awards. He missed 34 games due to a torn oblique injury. Playing at least 65 games isn't an issue for Banchero. He won the Rookie of the Year in 2023 and played 72 games. He followed that up with an 80-game season in his sophomore year. Advertisement Bane also believes that he can fit "like a glove" with Orlando's young squad. "I think that it fits like a glove and my skill set is something that can really help take some pressure off of Franz, Paolo, Suggs, and all the guys." With another scoring option in Bane, the Magic could be an interesting team to watch for the 2025-26 season. Related: Magic President Excited for French NBA Rookie This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA Draft 2025: Memphis Grizzlies add backcourt burst with Javon Small at No. 48
The Memphis Grizzlies continued reshaping their roster. The team has selected West Virginia's Javon Small with the 48th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Small becomes the second rookie addition for Memphis this year, joining No. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 11 pick Cedric Coward. While not projected for immediate heavy minutes, Small's ability to create his own shot and contribute on both ends of the floor gives the Grizzlies another intriguing option behind Ja Morant. Javon Small joins the Memphis Grizzlies' backcourt Javon Small's journey to the NBA was anything but traditional. A four-year college player across three schools, Small took the scenic route to draft night and made sure he left a mark at every stop. Now, after a breakout senior season at West Virginia, the 6-foot-1 Indiana native is headed to Memphis to join a backcourt loaded with talent. The Memphis Grizzlies selected Small with the 48th pick in the second round. His arrival adds to a group that includes Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Anthony, all backing up franchise centerpiece Ja Morant. While his playing time may be limited early, Small's impact could grow quickly if his production translates to the next level. Small was one of the most productive guards in the NCAA during the 2024–25 season. In 32 games for the Mountaineers, he averaged 18.6 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors and an AP All-American Honorable Mention. Despite being slightly undersized (190 pounds) for an NBA combo guard, Small made up for it with elite athleticism. He boasts a vertical leap of over 40 inches and a fearlessness in key moments. Among his standout performances at West Virginia: - Scored 31 points against Gonzaga at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. - Hit the game-winning free throw to upset Kansas, delivering in crunch time against one of the top programs in college basketball. - Poured in 12 points in the final two minutes to seal a dramatic comeback victory over Iowa State. Also Read: He also shot a respectable 35.3% from beyond the arc in his senior season, showcasing a well-rounded offensive game that includes strong playmaking and the ability to hit tough shots under pressure.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Awkward moment FOX host Colin Cowherd, 61, is advertently announced as an NBA Draft pick live on ESPN
A hilarious slip of the tongue saw Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd accidentally announced as a pick during this week's NBA Draft. With the 11th pick on Wednesday night, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Cedric Coward from Washington State. But as cameras cut to the 21-year-old celebrating with his loved ones, ESPN anchor Malika Andrews announced that Portland had picked 'Colin Cowherd'. 'This is a young man with the ultimate bet-on-yourself story,' Andrews continued. Alas, Colin Cowherd is a 61-year-old sportscaster with Fox Sports who hosts 'The Herd'. He made light of ESPN's error on social media. 'Apparently, I made a hell of an impact in Portland,' Cowherd wrote. He then used AI to create a picture of him wearing a Blazers jersey. 'Nothing against Memphis but this would have been epic,' Cowherd wrote alongside the image. Welcome to the Grizzlies, Colin Cowherd! — Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 26, 2025 Coward, meanwhile, ended up with the Grizzlies after Portland agreed to send his rights to Memphis on Wednesday night. The Grizzlies received Coward in exchange for Yang Hansen (the No 16 overall pick) as well as two second-round picks (2027 and 2028) and a 2028 first-round pick. Elsewhere on Wednesday, ESPN star Scott Van Pelt bemoaned the trend of newly-selected players wearing the wrong team's hat. It's a problem that comes with teams trading their picks and prospects, and results in players getting a photo with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver while wearing the hat of a team they will not play for. It happened a few times on Wednesday night, including with 10th overall pick Khaman Maluach, who was visibly crying while wearing a Houston Rockets hat. Maluach is headed to the Phoenix Suns, after the team acquired the pick in the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade. 'I'm gonna scream about the hat situation,' Van Pelt said on ESPN's airwaves during the 'SportsCenter' broadcast that immediately followed the first round.
