Latest news with #MostOutstandingPlayer
New York Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Three St. John's stars go pro after signing NBA contracts following draft
Access the St. John's beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Zach Braziller about the inside buzz on St. John's. TRY IT NOW St. John's best season in 25 years didn't result in a draft pick, but shortly after it was over, three of the Red Storm's former stars — Kadary Richmond, RJ Luis and Aaron Scott — agreed to pro contracts. Luis, the Big East Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Tournament, agreed to a two-way contract with the Jazz, according to a source. Richmond came to terms on a deal with the Wizards, while Scott agreed to attend summer league with the Celtics, according to sources. Deivon Smith still was waiting to decide on his next step. It was somewhat of a surprise that Luis, who was projected by some to be a mid-second-round pick, didn't get chosen in the two-day NBA Draft. 3 Kadary Richmond is going pro with the Wizards. Jason Szenes / New York Post He had a sensational junior year, averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Multiple scouts felt he would wind up with a two-way deal but told The Post there were questions about his 3-point shot and decision-making. 'It's a tough thing, but he's gotta go from a star on his team to a role player,' an NBA scout familiar with Luis said. 'Tough transition, so he's probably going to have to get some G-League reps and go from there. Be a consistent shooter.' 3 RJ Luis Jr. was the Big East Player of the Year. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post When Luis declared for the draft in March, he also entered the transfer portal. The Miami native opted to stay in the draft, although he could've really cashed in by transferring. Top transfers this spring were getting upward of, and in some cases above, $2 million. 3 Aaron Scott reacts after scoring during St. John's Big East semifinal win at Madison Square Garden JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST This past season, an NBA two-way contract paid just south of $560,000. Luis and coach Rick Pitino had agreed it was best for both sides to go their separate ways when the Johnnies' season ended with a loss to Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 'The money in the NBA is night and day compared to college. It wasn't a hard decision,' Luis, who had 18 NBA workouts, said prior to the draft. 'My goal was to do the same thing at St. John's my sophomore year, but injuries held me back. I think I had an amazing year this year. [This was] ultimately the end goal, to play in the NBA and stick there.'
Vancouver Sun
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Backup is up: Jeremiah Masoli gets start at QB for B.C. Lions vs. Winnipeg
The B.C. Lions signed veteran Jeremiah Masoli as a free agent this off-season to provide quarterback depth, and they aren't having to wait long to see about their return on investment. The Lions (1-1) announced Friday that Masoli will start at pivot on Saturday (4 p.m.) at B.C. Place against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-0) in place of the injured Nathan Rourke. Rourke was hurt in the fourth quarter of last Thursday's 34-20 loss in Winnipeg and was replaced under centre then by Masoli. Rourke was a limited participant when the Lions returned to the practice field in Surrey on Tuesday — he went through the walk-through portion where they go over step-by-step plays they're going to run in the upcoming game — but didn't take to the field with his teammates on Wednesday or Thursday. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Masoli, 36, is in his 12th season in the CFL. He had a monster campaign in 2018 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, throwing for 5,209 yards and 28 touchdown as the East Division nominee for CFL Most Outstanding Player. He has battled through injuries the past few years. He passed for 1,149 yards, with five touchdowns and seven interceptions, for the Ottawa Redblacks last season. He was 1-2 as a starter for an Ottawa team that was 9-8-1 overall. 'He has a lot of experience in this league. He communicates well with the guys,' Lions head coach Buck Pierce said. 'He knows what he likes. He understands his strengths, too. 'Each week we try to look different, and with Jeremiah in there might be a couple of new things here and there.' On Friday, the Lions were listing Rourke as a game-time decision as a third stringer behind Masoli and Chase Brice. Pierce said that Rourke would dress Saturday. Asked about whether Rourke might see action Saturday, Pierce explained, 'We're going to go ahead and move forward with Jeremiah.' B.C. had another walk-through practice on Friday. Rourke was instead running wind sprints with other injured players. Masoli is 28-31 all-time as a starter in the CFL, including 3-6 versus Winnipeg. Masoli talked Friday about how that playing time off the bench last week helps him. He was 7-of-10 for 84 yards with an interception in that fourth quarter versus the Blue Bombers. He says it gave him a chance to 'just calm down a little bit and let the game slow down.' With Rourke sidelined, it will be interesting to see if the Lions can find ways to get the running game going more. They carried it 16 times last week against Winnipeg, and six of those were from Rourke. Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden has talked about wanting to be more physical and a team capable of grinding out games along the ground late in the season. 'We've been working our tails off since we played these guys. We've had a great week of preparation and we're just excited to go show it off,' Masoli said Friday. 'We got in our own way a lot last week and especially in the first half. It was just some little, tiny details. For us, it's just playing clean, making sure we're on top of our details, and the rest should take care of itself.' Receiver Keon Hatcher, 30, says he remembers watching Masoli when he was starring at University of Oregon 2008-09, and talked about how he was excited to 'make some plays for him.' He, too, tagged B.C.'s issues last week as the finer points. 'It's all details. Us cleaning up our mistakes. I feel that we do that and come out focused and we'll have a pretty good night,' Hatcher said. Winnipeg is set to miss running back Brady Oliveira (shoulder), but quarterback Zach Collaros returns to the lineup after sitting out the first half of this doubleheader with a one-game suspension for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request. These are the only times that B.C. and Winnipeg meet this season. The back-to-back meetings are something that happens regularly in a nine-team league like the CFL. 'I think it's fresh in your mind. You have a familiarity with what you need to do offensively and defensively,' Pierce said of playing a team twice in a row. 'You need to focus on the details a little bit more and less about scheme.' Pierce signed on with the Lions this off-season after spending the past decade on the Blue Bombers' coaching staff, including the past four seasons as offensive coordinator. sewen@
USA Today
15-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Suns grab Florida basketball star Walter Clayton Jr. in latest CBS Sports mock draft
Suns grab Florida basketball star Walter Clayton Jr. in latest CBS Sports mock draft Former Florida basketball guard Walter Clayton Jr. is projected to be drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 29th overall pick in CBS Sports' latest NBA mock draft. Clayton is coming off one of the most decorated seasons in program history. The 6-foot-2-inch guard set a single-season school record with 713 points, captured Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors and shot 38.6% from three-point range while leading Florida to a national championship. CBS Sports' Gary Parrish praised Clayton's "unique shot-making profile," noting that the former Iona transfer averaged 22.3 points and hit 43.5 percent from beyond the arc over six NCAA Tournament games. Phoenix could view Clayton as a potential instant-offense option off the bench, thanks to his deep range and proven clutch gene. His winning polished game and winning pedigree also make him an attractive selection during the late first-round window. Here is everything Parrish said about Clayton and why he thinks the Suns will draft him in the 2025 NBA draft. What CBS Sports said about Clayton "Clayton was the star of Florida's national title run while averaging 22.3 points on 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc in those six NCAA Tournament games. There are concerns about his decision-making and approach to defense, but the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Final Four is such a skilled and unique shotmaker that he's worthy of a serious look this deep in the first round by a Phoenix franchise that probably needs to hit the reset button." CBS Sports' 2025 NBA mock draft top 10 picks Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, SF, Duke Blue Devils San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, PG, Rutgers Scarlet Knights Philadelphia 76ers: Tre Johnson, SG, Texas Longhorns Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor Bears Utah Jazz: Ace Bailey, SF, Rutgers Scarlet Knights Washington Wizards: Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma Sooners New Orleans Pelicans: Kon Knueppel, SF, Duke Blue Devils Brooklyn Nets: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke Blue Devils Toronto Raptors: Derik Queen, C, Maryland Terrapins Houston Rockets: Carter Bryant, SF, Arizona Wildcats Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Hamilton Spectator
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Calgary Stampeders hitch quarterback wagon to 'Big-play VA' Vernon Adams Jr.
CALGARY - The road back to the CFL playoffs goes through Vernon Adams Jr. in Calgary. The Stampeders acquired the quarterback from the B.C. Lions a month after their worst season in two decades concluded in 2024. Calgary finished last in the CFL with a 5-12-1 record. The Lions choosing Nathan Rourke their No. 1 pivot, and Calgary looking for an upgrade after two and a half seasons of Jake Maier brought the 32-year-old Adams to a team looking for a turnaround in 2025 after missing the post-season for the first time in 19 years. 'He's Vernon Adams, he's Big-Play VA, so he's going to bring Calgary back to where it used to be,' predicted receiver Dominique Rhymes. 'He's used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it's going happen immediately.' Adams denies B.C.'s preference for Rourke injects extra motivation into him as a Stampeder. 'No, not at all. I'm blessed, I'm grateful,' the Californian declared. 'I'm happy a team wants me and I'm here. It's the start of a new journey and it's great.' The five-foot-11, 195-pound pivot led the CFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,769) and ranked second in touchdowns (31). He was in the conversation for Most Outstanding Player in 2024 with B.C. before he was sidelined with injury in August. CFL quarterbacks often get disproportionate credit for wins and blame for losses in a team game, but there's no denying the position's importance in a three-down league. 'One twelfth, but quarterback play is vital,' said Stampeders coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, a former CFL quarterback himself. 'I don't need fancy plays. Make plays, sure, but do what is required to win. He's done that in his career. He is definitely a guy that is a winner and finds ways to win ball games even sometimes when he maybe he's not having his best stuff. 'I really believe halfway through the year, he was odds-on favourite to win the MOP last year and injuries kind of derailed it. Careers are weird that way. They definitely take you from one city to the other. I think he's happy to be here and we just got to provide him the support so he can be Vernon.' New Stampeder quarterbacks coach Dakota Prukop has had a close view of Adams' career since Prukop played for Montana State and Adams for Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference. Both men eventually transferred to Oregon, with Prukop a Duck a year after Adams. The two men continued to circle each other in the CFL before crossing paths at Lions training camp last year. 'Vernon's a veteran in the CFL, but this is his first year in this playbook,' Prukop said. 'His ability to pick up this playbook in the way he has and have the details in this play book has been something really impressive. That has not surprised me. I saw his professional habits when we were together in B.C. 'I don't want to say he's a gamer in the sense that he does not do well outside of a game, but he has an extra gear on game day. When you couple that with his professionalism and being a true pro, and then he has that extra gear in game day, if the pressure is on, if the score is tight, he's the guy you want in your huddle.' Since throwing his first CFL pass for the Montreal Alouettes in 2016, Adams has amassed 16,190 career passing yards with a 64-per-cent completion rate. He's thrown 86 touchdown passes, as well as 54 interceptions, while rushing for 24 touchdowns. 'My thing was I threw too many interceptions,' Adams said. 'Just want to make sure I'm protecting the ball and getting my playmakers the ball. Let them do the rest.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Calgary Stampeders hitch quarterback wagon to 'Big-play VA' Vernon Adams Jr.
CALGARY – The road back to the CFL playoffs goes through Vernon Adams Jr. in Calgary. The Stampeders acquired the quarterback from the B.C. Lions a month after their worst season in two decades concluded in 2024. Calgary finished last in the CFL with a 5-12-1 record. The Lions choosing Nathan Rourke their No. 1 pivot, and Calgary looking for an upgrade after two and a half seasons of Jake Maier brought the 32-year-old Adams to a team looking for a turnaround in 2025 after missing the post-season for the first time in 19 years. 'He's Vernon Adams, he's Big-Play VA, so he's going to bring Calgary back to where it used to be,' predicted receiver Dominique Rhymes. 'He's used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it's going happen immediately.' Adams denies B.C.'s preference for Rourke injects extra motivation into him as a Stampeder. 'No, not at all. I'm blessed, I'm grateful,' the Californian declared. 'I'm happy a team wants me and I'm here. It's the start of a new journey and it's great.' The five-foot-11, 195-pound pivot led the CFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,769) and ranked second in touchdowns (31). He was in the conversation for Most Outstanding Player in 2024 with B.C. before he was sidelined with injury in August. CFL quarterbacks often get disproportionate credit for wins and blame for losses in a team game, but there's no denying the position's importance in a three-down league. 'One twelfth, but quarterback play is vital,' said Stampeders coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, a former CFL quarterback himself. 'I don't need fancy plays. Make plays, sure, but do what is required to win. He's done that in his career. He is definitely a guy that is a winner and finds ways to win ball games even sometimes when he maybe he's not having his best stuff. 'I really believe halfway through the year, he was odds-on favourite to win the MOP last year and injuries kind of derailed it. Careers are weird that way. They definitely take you from one city to the other. I think he's happy to be here and we just got to provide him the support so he can be Vernon.' New Stampeder quarterbacks coach Dakota Prukop has had a close view of Adams' career since Prukop played for Montana State and Adams for Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference. Both men eventually transferred to Oregon, with Prukop a Duck a year after Adams. The two men continued to circle each other in the CFL before crossing paths at Lions training camp last year. 'Vernon's a veteran in the CFL, but this is his first year in this playbook,' Prukop said. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'His ability to pick up this playbook in the way he has and have the details in this play book has been something really impressive. That has not surprised me. I saw his professional habits when we were together in B.C. 'I don't want to say he's a gamer in the sense that he does not do well outside of a game, but he has an extra gear on game day. When you couple that with his professionalism and being a true pro, and then he has that extra gear in game day, if the pressure is on, if the score is tight, he's the guy you want in your huddle.' Since throwing his first CFL pass for the Montreal Alouettes in 2016, Adams has amassed 16,190 career passing yards with a 64-per-cent completion rate. He's thrown 86 touchdown passes, as well as 54 interceptions, while rushing for 24 touchdowns. 'My thing was I threw too many interceptions,' Adams said. 'Just want to make sure I'm protecting the ball and getting my playmakers the ball. Let them do the rest.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025.
