Latest news with #NBA-caliber
Los Angeles Times
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Beach volleyball in the Intuit Dome? AVP players embrace their new digs
Devon Newberry is closing in on two years in the professional beach volleyball circuit. Yet for all 731 days, 'professional' has felt like an elusive label. The former UCLA standout is accustomed to hauling her equipment on the beach, tugging her bag across the uneven sand while weaving through sunbathers and surfboards. The provisional bleachers creak under sunscreen-slathered fans while music might buzz through a nearby portable speaker. There's charm in that chaos. But it's nothing like the entrance Newberry made Friday at the Intuit Dome. Above her, the sweeping halo scoreboard glowed, flashing beneath the thump of blasting pop anthems. Around her, where NBA chants once echoed, beach volleyball fans cheered. And strangest of all, tons of sand created a faux indoor shoreline. After two years chasing it, Newberry found her label. 'I walked into the Intuit Dome today and I was like, 'I feel like a professional athlete walking in,'' Newberry said. 'I haven't felt like that as a beach player. There's very rare moments when you're like, 'Wow, I am really a professional athlete.' And when I was going underground here and looking all around me, I was like, 'I really am a professional athlete.' And that's because we're playing at the Intuit Dome.' In what began as a head-scratcher for the players themselves, 300 tons of sand were poured into the Intuit Dome, turning the Clippers' arena into a pop-up beach — where the L.A. Launch kept their perfect run afloat for the start of AVP League Week 5. The Launch struck first and last — with Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon opening with a win, and Hagen Smith and Logan Weber closing it out — both pairs dismantling the San Diego Smash. Sandwiched between those victories, Palm Beach Passion's men's and women's teams both made quick work of the Miami Mayhem. The moment Newberry described — descending into an NBA-caliber arena re-imagined as a sand-strewn battleground — was the AVP's moonshot: to re-imagine the sport in lights, not solely sunlight. 'Playing in such an amazing place, brand new building, with everything going on, with the new building around here, it's really cool,' said 2016 Olympian Chaim Schalk. 'To get to play at such an iconic arena is an honor.' Beach volleyball rarely has ventured beyond its coastal roots. But at the Intuit Dome, the sport embraced a new direction. 'This shows that beach volleyball is growing and it's trying to adapt to the world we live in, finding a new way for fans to interact with the players, and new ways for the sport to be exciting,' said Chase Budinger, a former NBA player who became a beach volleyball player. 'This will get more people in the stands because it's so new and so different.' In place of sun-worshiping fans camped out on makeshift bleachers, parents lounged on cushioned seats as kids nestled beside them balancing chicken wings and pizzas on their laps. The sport welcomed a combination of newcomers hunting for Friday night entertainment and AVP devotees. 'There's so many people who love beach volleyball, and so many people who would love beach volleyball if they were just given the opportunity to go watch,' Newberry said. 'And not everybody can make it out.' Change comes with tradeoffs. With no wind, the court became something of a power chamber — the compact sand lending itself to higher and cleaner jumps, the still air enabling blistering serves and monstrous spikes that might have drifted wide on the beach. Rallies became quicker and tighter. The margin for error shrank, tightening the grip on the crowd. 'For a lot of people watching beach volleyball for the first time, it's really hard to conceptualize how wind, how deep the sand is, might affect play,' Newberry said. 'So it feels like more of an even playing field which allows everybody to watch really entertaining volleyball.' By re-imagining the boundaries of where its sport can potentially thrive, the AVP might have sketched out a novel blueprint for other sports. 'I wouldn't be surprised if other sports follow and start expanding their ideas of where they could play,' said Olympic silver medalist Brandie Wilkerson. 'I'm excited to see where this is going to go and see other sports try to catch up.'
Miami Herald
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
NBA team signs ex-HBCU star after NBA Draft
Steve Settle III, a former standout at HBCU Howard University, has signed a deal with the Miami Heat following the 2025 NBA Draft. It's reportedly an Exhibit-10 deal. The move marks a major step forward for Settle, who began his career at one of the most prominent HBCUs in the country and now has a chance to make his mark in the NBA. Settle's journey to the NBA began at Howard, where he redshirted his first season before emerging as one of the most versatile forwards in the MEAC. Over three seasons with the Bison, he developed into a consistent two-way contributor. In 2022–23, he helped lead Howard to both the MEAC regular season and tournament titles, averaging 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. His performance in the NCAA Tournament against Kansas - where he scored 13 points - showed he could compete on the national stage. After his success at the HBCU level, Settle transferred to Temple University for his final two seasons and elevated his game. During the 2024–25 campaign, he started all 31 games for the Owls, averaging 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and shooting an impressive 41.6 percent from beyond the arc. He recorded four double-doubles and finished the season with 12 straight games of at least 11 points, capping his career with a 22-point performance in the AAC Tournament. Settle's signing with the Miami Heat is a significant moment for HBCU basketball, as it continues to produce NBA-caliber talent. His progression from an HBCU program to one of the NBA's most respected franchises demonstrates the depth of skill found across all levels of college basketball. He joins a growing list of HBCU products making their way to the professional ranks, further reinforcing the talent pipeline that HBCUs provide to the NBA. With his length, shooting ability, and defensive versatility, Settle has the tools to carve out a role in the Heat's system. As training camp approaches, he'll aim to prove that his game - sharpened at Howard and Temple - belongs at the next level. His journey is not just a personal milestone but also another step forward for HBCUs on the NBA stage. The post NBA team signs ex-HBCU star after NBA Draft appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama basketball's Mark Sears, Grant Nelson both land in final NBA mock drafts
The 2025 NBA draft is here, and former Alabama Crimson Tide players Mark Sears and Grant Nelson are two names to watch in the second round of this year's draft festivities at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Neither Sears oor Nelson are locks to be taken in the draft, which has produced some guesstimating from NBA analysts over which has the advantage over the other as potential late-round picks. Some favor the undersized Sears, Alabama's leading scorer in each of the past two seasons, while others see Nelson's 6-foot-11 frame and athleticism as factors that can make him a serviceable NBA player. One such analyst who favors Nelson over Sears is CBS Sports' Kyle Boone, who projects the North Dakota native to land with the Memphis Grizzlies late in the second round at No. 56 overall. Boone says of Nelson: "The fluid movement and sheer athleticism of Nelson is NBA-caliber, though the holes in his game as a below-average shooter are tough to totally ignore. He plays big in big games and competes hard on both ends." Bleacher Report's final 2025 NBA mock draft favors Sears, the Crimson Tide's most recognizable face on the court the past two years. B/R's mock draft has Sears going to the Los Angeles Clippers with the 51st pick. NBA analyst Jonathan Wasserman said: "Mark Sears led all players in shooting drills at the combine before combining for 31 points and 11 assists in two scrimmages. Late in the second round, teams figure to see a gamble worth taking on an undersized scoring guard with Sears' production, shotmaking and toughness." One NBA analyst who favors both Sears and Nelson is For The Win's Bryan Kalbrosky. In his updated final mock draft Wednesday, Kalbrosky kept Sears as the projected No. 45 overall pick by the Chicago Bulls, with Nelson the final player chosen at No. 59 (by the Phoenix Suns). The draft will be televised on ABC and ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. CT. ESPN final NBA draft big board rankings ESPN unveiled its final big board rankings of the top 100 draft prospects over the weekend. Here's how analyst Jonathan Givony ranks the three Alabama players who attended the NBA draft combine in Chicago. CBS Sports NBA draft big board rankings CBS Sports' full draft prospect rankings favor Nelson over Sears as the Alabama player most likely to be drafted Wednesday night. The Athletic The Athletic's Sam Vecente (subscription required) broke down the top 100 draft prospects into eight tiers. Tier 1 players are defined as "All-NBA" talent, while Tier 8 players are listed as "two-ways, stashes and exhibit 10s." An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary agreement that isn't guarantee. Sears and Nelson fall into the latter category. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
17-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Report: Wisconsin in contact with five-star in-state guard, top-30 recruit
AI-assisted summary Wisconsin basketball has contacted 5-star 2027 shooting guard Dooney Johnson. Johnson, from Milwaukee, is ranked No. 27 overall in his class by 247Sports. Numerous top programs, including Kentucky, Indiana, and Gonzaga, have also contacted Johnson. Wisconsin basketball is in the mix for one of the top high school prospects in the class of 2027. According to Sam Kayser, the Badgers are part of a large group of programs that have contacted Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shooting guard Dooney Johnson. Other programs on the list are Indiana, Kentucky, Marquette, Washington, Gonzaga, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Minnesota, LSU, BYU, Cincinnati, Western Michigan, St. Louis, Southern Utah and Bradley. 247Sports lists Johnson as a five-star recruit at this stage of the 2027 cycle. He's specifically ranked as the No. 27 overall player in the class, the No. 3 shooting guard and the No. 1 player from the state of Wisconsin. The in-state Badgers and Marquette Golden Eagles are the clear top programs on his offer sheet as of June 17, though numerous blue-blood programs, including Kentucky, Indiana and Gonzaga, appear to be entering the mix. The Milwaukee Juneau High School standout also sits at No. 30 in the ESPN60. He has a real chance to surpass class of 2024 five-star recruit Kon Knueppel, who finished the cycle ranked No. 19 in the nation, as one of the state's top players in recent memory. Johnson's recruitment should be a major storyline as the 2027 cycle picks up steam. Several top-ranked in-state recruits have committed elsewhere over the last half-decade. That includes top-100 class of 2025 prospects Jamarion Batemon (Iowa State) and Xzavion Mitchell (Iowa State), Knueppel (Duke), class of 2023 standout Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State), 2022 point guard Seth Trimble (North Carolina) and 2021 point guard Tyrese Hunter (Iowa State). Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Of course, Wisconsin has experienced as much success as the listed programs over the last half-decade, except for Duke. But there remains a question of how much the program's ceiling would be elevated by landing top-tier, NBA-caliber talent. Johnson looks like the next in-state player who could make that a reality. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
BYU four-star center Xavion Staton arrives in Provo
The wait is over in Provo — and the future of BYU basketball just walked through the doors of the Marriott Center. Over the weekend, 7-foot defensive force Xavion Staton, the No. 33-ranked player in the nation according to 247Sports, officially arrived on campus. A cornerstone of Kevin Young's first full recruiting class, Staton's commitment marked a seismic shift in how BYU is perceived in the national recruiting landscape — and now, it's real. A Recruiting Victory That Redefined Expectations Advertisement Staton's arrival is the culmination of a major recruiting win for BYU. With over 30 Division I offers, including Arizona, USC, Michigan, and Kansas, Staton ultimately chose the Cougars over traditional basketball powerhouses. BYU emerged victorious in a final battle against UNLV and Michigan, a sign that Kevin Young's vision — and NBA ties — are resonating. For a program with modest recruiting history, landing a player like Staton signals a new era. Elite Size and Rare Athleticism Standing 6'11' (and listed as tall as 7'1'), Staton is the tallest player on BYU's projected 2025-26 roster. But it's not just his size that separates him. He possesses rare mobility for his frame — a vertical shot-blocker who can switch on defense, finish lobs, and run the floor like a guard. 'Staton brings the kind of athleticism to the frontcourt that BYU has rarely had in its history,' one scout noted. He has the tools to anchor the Cougars' defense from day one. Related: BYU Basketball lands top four-star transfer guard A Duo Built for the Spotlight Advertisement Staton joins his Utah Prep teammate and No. 1 overall prospect AJ Dybantsa in Provo — a pairing that fans could only dream of a year ago. The two bring NBA-caliber talent and chemistry to a program now positioned as a legitimate Final Four contender. With Dybantsa and Staton on campus, BYU basketball isn't just on the rise — it's arriving ahead of schedule. Cougar Nation: It's time to fill the stands. A new chapter has begun in Provo — and Xavion Staton just turned the page. Related: BYU Football adds speedy transfer wide receiver Related: AJ Dybantsa grabs attention as he arrives at BYU
