Latest news with #RookiesoftheYear
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The unique way Dylan Harper can meet high expectations with Spurs
The post The unique way Dylan Harper can meet high expectations with Spurs appeared first on ClutchPoints. As the second overall selection of the NBA Draft, Dylan Harper joins a San Antonio Spurs team that boasts the last two Rookie of the Year winners. Advertisement The pressure is on, yes, it is, but not in the way you might think. For several reasons, the odds are against Harper netting the Spurs another ROY winner. What would determine whether Harper meets high expectations is what the Silver and Black do in his first year. It'll be tough for Dylan Harper to win Rookie of the Year No NBA team has ever featured three consecutive ROY winners. Last season, the Spurs became the third team in league history to draft and keep back-to-back Rookies of the Year when Stephon Castle captured the trophy off the heels of Victor Wembanyama's historic campaign. They matched Minnesota Timberwolves rookies Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns in 2014-2015 and Buffalo Braves teammates Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio in 1972-73. A Harper Rookie of the Year win would prove unprecedented. Advertisement Regarding the ROY race, though, more important is the presence of Cooper Flagg. If Harper was the second-best prospect in this draft – and he was – then Flagg was the top prospect in the field. He's the odds-on favorite to win the award. Specifically, Flagg will be aided by the reality that he'll have a chance to put up big numbers. Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving will miss much, if not most, of next season, and Anthony Davis is injury-prone, so the former Duke Blue Devil is going to have the ball in his hands plenty. Conversely, Harper joins a team that features veteran ball-handler De'Aaron Fox, a generational superstar in Wembanyama, and the reigning Rookie of the Year in Castle. © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Dylan Harper's true measure of meeting Spurs expectations Because Harper joins two players who've made All-Star games – Wemanayama this past season, Fox in 2023 – and the most recent ROY, the Spurs fully expect to contend for a postseason spot. They were in contention last year until Wemby went out with an injury. After winning 22 games the season before, San Antonio improved by 12 wins, despite missing not only Wemabanyana since February, but Fox as well for the final month. Advertisement The Spurs spent the weeks prior to the draft somewhat engaged in talks to acquire future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant. Reports indicate the Phoenix Suns wanted either the second overall pick or Castle in a trade for KD. From the start of any negotiations, the Spurs made both off-limits. Stands to reason for Castle because of what he just did in his first taste of the NBA. That Harper was untouchable tells you what GM Brian Wright and company think of the former Rutgers Scarlett Knight. If Harper plays a big role in helping the Spurs improve by another 12 wins or so and into the playoffs, he'd put the franchise ahead of schedule. If Durant was supposed to mean 'win now,' the 19-year-old from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was supposed to represent the future. If Harper checks both boxes, he would've accomplished far more than any personal hardware. Related: Why Spurs strike NBA Draft gold again with Carter Bryant Related: Victor Wembanyama calls Dylan Harper after Spurs' No. 2 pick
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Who is Nancy Feldman? Alex Cooper accuses former soccer coach of sexual harassment
Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper has accused her soccer coach from Boston University (BU), Nancy Feldman, of sexual harassment. The accusations were made as part of the 30-year-old's new Hulu docuseries Call Her Alex, which premiered on Tuesday (June 10). Born in a suburb of Boston, Feldman is credited with building the women's soccer team at BU from the ground up during her 27 years as a coach. Her original love for sports started with baseball, but due to the absence of Title IX, she was unable to compete alongside boys of her age. 'I was sorely disappointed because I love baseball,' she said during an interview with ESPN in 2022. Her love for sports soon found an avenue in soccer at the age of 13 alongside other passions like softball, basketball, and running track. During her time pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she played forward and midfield in the soccer team and still holds the record for most goals scored in a single game, according to university records. After finishing her bachelor's in 1983, she then went on to gain a master's in exercise and sports studies from Smith College in 1988. Feldman joined BU as the head coach of the newly opened women's soccer team, which previously only had a club team. 'Feldman has coached 149 all-conference selections, 25 all-rookie honorees in addition to 11 Defenders of the Year, eight Rookies of the Year, seven Midfielders of the Year, six Offensive Players of the Year, and six Goalkeepers of the Year,' says the official BU Athletics website. She announced her retirement from the position in 2022. 'I'm walking away healthy, with family that I have put second to my soccer responsibilities. Soccer as a fan will always be part of my life. I'll always be a BU fan of the athletic program and I'm sure I'll be at games,' she said at the time in an interview with BU Today. As for her personal life, Feldman has two children with her longtime partner Emily and is also a grandmother of two. Cooper joined BU's soccer team in 2013 as a freshman and claims in her docuseries that the abuse started in her sophomore year when Feldman was 'really starting to fixate on me, way more than any other teammate of mine. And it was confusing.' 'It was all based in her wanting to know who I was dating, her making comments about my body and her always wanting to be alone with me.' Although Cooper's mother, Laurie, brought the issue to the athletic authorities at BU, the dean refused to fire Feldman and completely dismissed her claims of sexual abuse. The podcaster was allowed to keep her full sports scholarship even though she quit the team in her senior year. No official statement has been released by BU or Feldman in response to Cooper's claims.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL to honor league's best offensive lineman with Protector of the Year award
Amid a flurry of announcements and rules decisions from the NFL owners meetings in Minneapolis comes a new award. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent announced on Wednesday that the NFL will issue the Protector of the Year award at the end of each season to honor the NFL's best offensive lineman. Advertisement Vincent credited Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl guard Dion Dawkins and retired Los Angeles Rams All-Pro tackle Andrew Whitworth for helping facilitate the award. A panel of retired offensive linemen including Whitworth will determine the winner. "I'm going to give credit to Dion Dawkins from Buffalo," Vincent said, per NFL Network. "He was truly instrumental, him and Andrew Whitworth, of just making sure that we recognize the big fellas. "LeCharles Bentley, Jason Kelce, Shaun O'Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Andrew Whitworth will be the panel. ... They've come up with a criteria on skills, metrics, impact, leadership, durability and strength of the opponent. We'll be tracking that quarterly with this group." Buffalo Bills guard Dion Dawkins, 73, was instrumental in the creation of the Protector of the Year award, according to NFL executive Troy Vincent. () (Bryan Bennett via Getty Images) Dawkins and Whitworth both praised the decision on social media, with Whitworth declaring that it "means everything to the big guys up front." "It's time the men who lead, protect, and never ask for credit are recognized as the backbone of this game!" Whitworth wrote. The award will be issued alongside other individual awards including MVP, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year and Rookies of the Year on both sides of the ball. It will be the only position-specific award handed out by the NFL for an off-ball position that doesn't garner consideration for any of the other awards.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Winners, Losers from 2024 NBA Draft Lottery: Nico Harrison and Dallas win big, the West just gets deeper
"Deserve's got nothing to do with it." Clint Eastwood's classic line from 'Unforgiven' resonates with the many hoops fans angered by what they saw as a karmically unjust 2025 NBA Draft Lottery (that's without even getting to the conspiracy theorists). It wasn't just fans, players were caught off guard as well. Dallas made arguably the worst trade in NBA history, sending out Luka Doncic for pennies on the dollar, fell into the lottery because of it, and were rewarded with the No. 1 pick. The Spurs have the last two Rookies of the Year and were handed the No. 2 pick. Philadelphia had a disaster of a season, decided to tank to try and keep their pick, and was rewarded with No. 3. Advertisement Whatever you feel about the outcomes, there are winners and losers from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Let's break it down. Winner: Nico Harrison "When we win, I believe the frustration will go away." Mavericks GM Nico Harrison uttered those words after the Doncic trade, when he was forced to meet with the media and explain the deal. Landing Cooper Flagg and plugging him into the lineup will bring wins, could bring a bright future, and that should help the mood of Mavericks fans. It felt too obvious just to say "Winner: Dallas Mavericks," although they are — Flagg provides a boost to Anthony Davis/Kyrie Irving era and a bridge to whatever is next — but in the short term Harrison is the big winner. Winner: Philadelphia 76ers As losses mounted and injuries piled up (plus throw in disappointing seasons from some players), Philadelphia pivoted their season and decided to tank and try to hold on to its first-round pick. The 76ers needed to stay in the top six to keep their pick (or the rich got richer and it went to the Thunder). Advertisement Not only did they keep it, but Philly also jumped up to the No. 3 pick, meaning they can add VJ Edgecomb or Ace Bailey to a young core of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, a bridge to the future no matter what happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George's health. Losers: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards The team that has had the worst record in the NBA for each of the last three seasons has fallen as far as it possibly could, to fifth. For the previous two seasons it was Detroit. This season, it was Utah. Washington had the second-worst NBA record, and they fell to sixth. Two teams that needed a little luck to jumpstart their rebuilds were as unlucky as they could be and now need to try and find a diamond in the rough. And be patient, which is not so easy to do. Winner: San Antonio Spurs (and their trade prospects) Two years ago, San Antonio won THE lottery and drafted Victor Wembanyama. Last season, the Spurs drafted fourth and took Stephon Castle out of UConn, who went on to win Rookie of the Year. Advertisement This year, the Spurs had a 26.2% chance of landing a top-four pick, and lottery luck smiled on them once again, landing the No. 2 pick. They also have the No. 14 pick in this draft. San Antonio could use that second pick to draft Dylan Harper, the Rutgers guard who has become a clear No. 2 on draft boards, and play him in a rotation with Castle and De'Aaron Fox. That would be a dynamic backcourt. Or, this pick could be part of a trade to bring in a win-now star and accelerate Wembanyama's timeline. If San Antonio went to Milwaukee and offered the No. 2 pick, Castle, a couple more future picks and some players to make the salaries work (Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson), that might be hard for the Bucks to pass up. There are other ways to make that trade, and other teams the Spurs want to talk to. However, this No. 2 pick gives the Spurs a major trade chip. Loser: The West (and conference balance) As if the West wasn't deep enough — five teams had 50+ wins, and in the playoffs we watched the No. 6 and 7 seeds knock off the No. 2 and 3 seeds — now Dallas brings another franchise cornerstone talent into the conference. Advertisement With Flagg, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving (once he gets healthy, a torn ACL will sideline him most, if not all of next season), and Klay Thompson, the Mavericks are positioned to make some noise in the West in the coming years, and they have a bridge to the future with Flagg. If the NBA is ever going to balance out the talent in the conferences, the East needs to win the lottery someday when there is a generational prospect on the board.
NBC Sports
13-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Winners, Losers from 2025 NBA Draft Lottery: Nico Harrison and Dallas win big, the West just gets deeper
'Deserve's got nothing to do with it.' Clint Eastwood's classic line from 'Unforgiven' resonates with the many hoops fans angered by what they saw as a karmically unjust 2025 NBA Draft Lottery (that's without even getting to the conspiracy theorists). It wasn't just fans shocked by the way the ping-pong balls bounced, players were caught off guard as well. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I mean come on man 🤣🤣🤣 Dallas made arguably the worst trade in NBA history, sending out Luka Doncic for pennies on the dollar, fell into the lottery because of it, and were rewarded with the No. 1 pick. The Spurs have the last two Rookies of the Year and were handed the No. 2 pick. Philadelphia had a disaster of a season, decided to tank to try and keep their pick, and was rewarded with No. 3. Whatever you feel about the outcomes, there are winners and losers from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Let's break it down. Winner: Nico Harrison 'When we win, I believe the frustration will go away.' Mavericks GM Nico Harrison uttered those words after the Doncic trade, when he was forced to meet with the media and explain the deal. Landing Cooper Flagg and plugging him into the lineup will bring wins, could bring a bright future, and that should help the mood of Mavericks fans. The moment we won 🙌 #MFFL It felt too obvious just to say 'Winner: Dallas Mavericks,' although they are — Flagg provides a boost to Anthony Davis/Kyrie Irving era and a bridge to whatever is next — but in the short term Harrison is the big winner. Winner: Philadelphia 76ers As losses mounted and injuries piled up (plus throw in disappointing seasons from some players), Philadelphia pivoted their season and decided to tank and try to hold on to its first-round pick. The 76ers needed to stay in the top six to keep their pick (or the rich got richer and it went to the Thunder). Not only did they keep it, but Philly also jumped up to the No. 3 pick, meaning they can add VJ Edgecomb or Ace Bailey to a young core of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, a bridge to the future no matter what happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George's health. Losers: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards The team that has had the worst record in the NBA for each of the last three seasons has fallen as far as it possibly could, to fifth. For the previous two seasons it was Detroit. This season, it was Utah. Washington had the second-worst NBA record, and they fell to sixth. Two teams that needed a little luck to jumpstart their rebuilds were as unlucky as they could be and now need to try and find a diamond in the rough. And be patient, which is not so easy to do. Winner: San Antonio Spurs (and their trade prospects) Two years ago, San Antonio won THE lottery and drafted Victor Wembanyama. Last season, the Spurs drafted fourth and took Stephon Castle out of UConn, who went on to win Rookie of the Year. This year, the Spurs had a 26.2% chance of landing a top-four pick, and lottery luck smiled on them once again, landing the No. 2 pick. They also have the No. 14 pick in this draft. San Antonio could use that second pick to draft Dylan Harper, the Rutgers guard who has become a clear No. 2 on draft boards, and play him in a rotation with Castle and De'Aaron Fox. That would be a dynamic backcourt. Or, this pick could be part of a trade to bring in a win-now star and accelerate Wembanyama's timeline. If San Antonio went to Milwaukee and offered the No. 2 pick, Castle, a couple more future picks and some players to make the salaries work (Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson), that might be hard for the Bucks to pass up. There are other ways to make that trade, and other teams the Spurs want to talk to. However, this No. 2 pick gives the Spurs a major trade chip. Loser: The West (and conference balance) As if the West wasn't deep enough — five teams had 50+ wins, and in the playoffs we watched the No. 6 and 7 seeds knock off the No. 2 and 3 seeds — now Dallas brings another franchise cornerstone talent into the conference. With Flagg, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving (once he gets healthy, a torn ACL will sideline him most, if not all of next season), and Klay Thompson, the Mavericks are positioned to make some noise in the West in the coming years, and they have a bridge to the future with Flagg. If the NBA is ever going to balance out the talent in the conferences, the East needs to win the lottery someday when there is a generational prospect on the board.
