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USA Today
29-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On this day: Johnson born; Montross, Tillis drafted; Pinckney traded
On this day in Boston Celtics history, Celtics draft pick Joe Johnson was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1981. Johnson would play his collegiate basketball at the University of Arkansas, which he would lead to the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament championship in 2000. The Little Rock native would be drafted by the Celtics in the 2001 NBA Draft with the 10th overall pick of the draft and would play for Boston for 48 games of his rookie season before being traded. The small forward would be dealt with Randy Brown, Milt Palacio, and draft assets to the Phoenix Suns for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers in February 2002, then rejoin Boston for a single game in 2022. The former Razorback averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while with Boston. It is also the date of the 1994 NBA draft, held at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Celtics took one player of note, that being big man Eric Montross out of North Carolina, drafted with the ninth overall pick of the draft. Montross played two seasons with Boston, logging 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds with the franchise, before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for draft assets. The Celtics would also draft Russian big man Andrei Fetisov 36th overall, but immediately traded him and forward Ed Pinckney for wing Blue Edwards and forward Derek Strong. Strong would play one season for Boston, logging 6.3 points and 5.4 boards per game over that stretch, while Edwards appeared in just 31 games for the franchise, recording 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per contest. It is also the anniversary of the 1982 NBA draft, held at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, the Celtics again selected just one player of note, which was center Darren Tillis, taken 23rd out of Cleveland State University. Tillis would be with the team for just 15 games before being dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers for forward Scott Wedman. Tillis averaged 1.1 points per game over that short stretch. Later in the draft, the Celtics picked up Landon Turner out of Indiana. The Indianapolis native never suited up for Boston, however, as he had been paralyzed in a car accident in 1981, with the Celtics using the final pick of the 1982 draft to select him as a tribute to his impressive college career.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Evaluating Sixers draft prospects based on catch-and-shoot percentages
The lottery has granted the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft after a 24-58 season. The Sixers had a miserable season which was supposed to be a season filled with championship contention, but injuries decimated the roster and derailed any type title hopes. The Sixers then had to turn their attention to the draft. Even though it was a position nobody expected them to be in, they were still able to land one of the top picks in this draft. Philadelphia won't have a chance to select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, but there will be great options for the Sixers to choose from. Advertisement One skill that is so paramount in today's NBA is shooting. The Sixers always need the floor spaced so Joel Embiid can operate. Here is an evaluation of each option for Philadelphia based on their catch-and-shoot percentages per Synergy Sports: Tre Johnson, Texas NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: Tre Johnson #20 of the Texas Longhorns shoots the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament - First Round at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by) Johnson shot 39.7% from deep as a freshman for the Longhorns as he showed off his ability to knock down 3s at an efficient rate. Per Synergy, he shot 51-for-125 (40.8%) on catch-and-shoot 3s. On those same catch-and-shoot opportunities, he shot 32-for-77 (41.6%) when he was guarded which shows his ability to knock down looks under duress. He might not be Philadelphia's top choice with that No. 3 pick at the moment, but his shooting ability could make the Sixers change their mind. He is an electric all-around scorer and somebody who can carry an offense for stretches. Ace Bailey, Rutgers EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 29: Ace Bailey #4 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights looks on against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on January 29, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by) Bailey's game is more predicated on his length and being able to put the ball on the floor, but he shot a respectable percentage on catch-and-shoot 3s. He was 36-for-93 (38.7%) on those opportunities and he was 29-for-66 (43.9%) on those chances when he was guarded. For Bailey, it's helpful that he has shown an ability to knock down catch-and-shoot opportunities because he shot just 50-for-151 (33.1%) on shots off the dribble. Either way, his strength is being able to attack the basket and his work ethic figures he should improve as a shooter. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) has the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images Edgecombe is an athletic marvel. When he is able to get downhill, he is tough to stop and figures to be the same at the NBA level. However, if he can show off his 3-point shot, it would be a big help. He shot 45-for-124 (36.3%) on catch-and-shoot 3-point opportunities, which qualifies as good, but could be better. He did shoot 21-for-45 (46.7%) when unguarded on those attempts, which shows his potential. If the Sixers can work with him on his jumper, then he becomes an elite all-around player. He is a plus-driver and makes the right decisions when on the floor. His percentages can improve with the constant work that he has put in and shown at the combine. Kon Knueppel, Duke Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots the ball against Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) during the second half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images By far the best shooter in this draft, Knueppel shot 77-for-178 (43.3%) on catch-and-shoot 3s and was 36-for-84 (42.9%) on those attempts when guarded. If the Sixers are thinking shooting, then Knueppel has to be near the top of the list. What will hold him back in the race for the No. 3 pick is that he cannot do what guys like Edgecombe, Bailey, and Johnson can which is put the ball on the floor and attack relentlessly. He is a pure shooter, however, and he would be an excellent fit to an offense in need of floor spacing. Dylan Harper, Rutgers LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 30: Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights looks on against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half of their game during the Players Era Festival basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aggies defeated the Scarlet Knights 81-77. (Photo by) Harper will not likely be on the board at No. 3 as he, in all likelihood, is headed to the San Antonio Spurs with pick No. 2. Just for fun, let's play hypotheticals if he were to somehow be available for Philadelphia at 3. He wasn't much of a catch-and-shoot option as he took only 57 catch-and-shoot 3s. Instead, he took 96 3s off the dribble and knocked down 28 of them for a 29.2% clip. Harper is more of a guy who can put his head down and attack with aggression. The Sixers would rely on him for dribble penetration if they were to be lucky enough to land him. This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Evaluating Sixers draft prospects based on catch-and-shoot percentages
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN predicts the winner of Auburn vs Ole Miss at the SEC Tournament
ESPN predicts the winner of Auburn vs Ole Miss at the SEC Tournament Will Auburn earn its third win of the season over the Rebels on Friday? The Auburn Tigers will look to end a two-game losing streak when they play the Ole Miss Rebels on Friday. The game will start a full day of quarterfinal action in the 2025 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament. The game will be televised by ESPN with a tip-off time of noon CT. Auburn was 2-0 versus Ole Miss during the regular season. The Tigers won the first matchup on February 1st 92-82 in Oxford, Mississippi. It was a blowout for Auburn in the second meeting later in the month with a 106-76 win. According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, 82.8% believe Auburn will make it 3-0 versus Ole Miss on the season. 17.2% believe the Rebels can pull off the upset. In the first matchup, all five Auburn starters scored double figures. Johni Broome had a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. His frontcourt teammate also had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Rebels got a good performance from Sean Padulla with 29 points. Broome was the top guy for the Tigers in the 106-76 win at Neville Arena in the second matchup to close out February. Broome once again had a big game with 24 points and nine rebounds. Chad Baker-Mazara had 22 points and connected on four three-pointers. Overall, the Tigers had 11 three-pointers. Ole Miss defeated Arkansas 83-80 on Thursday to advance to the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament quarterfinals. Padulla hit a three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left in the game to break a 80-80 tie. Auburn is looking to regain the momentum from two weeks ago when they defeated Kentucky to claim the SEC Championship.
USA Today
12-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Alabama basketball ranks in SEC Tournament history among winningest programs
Where Alabama basketball ranks in SEC Tournament history among winningest programs Alabama can win its ninth SEC Tournament championship in school history this week. Only one school has more SEC Tournament championships than the Crimson Tide. The Alabama Crimson Tide are no strangers to success in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament. With a total of eight SEC Tournament championships, including two in the past four years under coach Nate Oats, the Crimson Tide trail only the vaunted Kentucky Wildcats and their 32 conference tournament championships on the all-time list. The second-closest on that list are the Tennessee Volunteers with five SEC Tournament championships, most recently in 2022. The SEC Tournament has been played every year since 1933 when Kentucky won the inaugural event. Alabama and legendary coach Hank Crisp won it a year later in 1934 by beating the Florida Gators. Alabama's most successful stretch in the SEC Tournament came in the late 1980s and early 90s under coach Wimp Sanderson. From the 1986-87 season through the 1990-91 season, the Tide won four tournament titles in five years. That includes three straight from 1989-91. All told, Alabama made seven SEC Tournament finals appearances from 1985-92, winning four and losing three. Then came a dark period for Alabama basketball in the post-Sanderson era. Until Oats' arrival in 2019 and subsequent first SEC Tournament title two years later in 2021, Alabama played in only one tournament championship game from 1992-93 through 2019-20. That came in March 2002 when Mark Gottfried's Crimson Tide made it to the conference tournament finals against a Mississippi State team led by Mario Austin. The Bulldogs pulled off a 61-58 upset at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta against an Alabama team that had risen to No. 5 in the AP poll a month earlier and were led by Erwin Dudley, Rod Grizzard and Mo Williams. Alabama wouldn't get back to the SEC Tournament finals until Oats' third season in 2021 when the Crimson Tide survived a wild final possession by the LSU Tigers for a thrilling 80-79 win over Will Wade's team at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Alabama was a No. 2 seed in that year's NCAA Tournament and advanced to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2004 before falling to the UCLA Bruins. The Tide returned as SEC Tournament and regular-season champions two years later after beating Texas A&M, 82-63, in the championship game in Nashville while en route to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Alabama was led by Brandon Miller, the No. 2 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in that year's NBA Draft, but the Crimson Tide were upset in the Sweet 16 again -- this time by a San Diego State team that went all the way to the national championship game. For all their success in the SEC Tournament through the years, Alabama'a deepest runs in the NCAA Tournament came during years in which the Crimson Tide had short stays in the conference tournament. In March 2004, Alabama was eliminated in the second round of the SEC Tournament by Billy Donovan's Florida Gators, 75-73 in overtime at the Georgia Dome. The Crimson Tide proceeded to survive a first-round upset bid by Southern Illinois at Key Arena in Seattle before pulling off a stunning 70-67 victory over No. 1 seed Stanford to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1991. Alabama took down Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orangemen 80-71 in Phoenix to make the Crimson Tide's first Elite Eight appearance in school history before falling to eventual national champion UConn. Just last season, Alabama made a one-and-done appearance in the SEC Tournament by suffering their second loss in just over a week to a red-hot Florida team, 102-88 in Nashville. Entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, the Crimson Tide then took down college basketball blue blood and No. 1 seed North Carolina in the Sweet 16 in Los Angeles behind 24 points from Grant Nelson. Alabama got past the Clemson Tigers in the Elite Eight behind 23 points from Mark Sears to reach their first Final Four in men's basketball history. Alabama is a No. 3 seed in this year's SEC Tournament and will take the court Friday night at Bridgestone Arena. Most all-time SEC Tournament championships by school 1. Kentucky -- 32 2. Alabama -- 8 3. Tennessee -- 5 4. Florida -- 4 T-5. Auburn, Mississippi State -- 3 T-7. Ole Miss, Georgia, Vanderbilt -- 2 T-10. LSU, Arkansas -- 1
USA Today
10-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Longhorns guard Tre Johnson named SEC Freshman of the Year
Longhorns guard Tre Johnson named SEC Freshman of the Year On Monday, Tre Johnson continued adding to his trophy case After a stellar season for the Texas Longhorns, Tre Johnson was rewarded for his efforts on Monday. The talented guard was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. He also earned a spot on the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team. While it has been a year full of frustration for the Longhorns, Johnson gave them a reason to celebrate. During his first season as a Longhorn, Johnson won the SEC's regular-season scoring title, averaging 20.2 points per game. He beat out notable players such as Alabama guard Mark Sears, Auburn forward Johni Broome, and Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard. While he dazzled with his scoring ability, that is not the only way Johnson made an impact. The Garland native averaged 2.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds a game. He was also a model of consistency, appearing in 29 of the Longhorns' 31 games. Whenever Johnson was on the court, he wasn't afraid of the spotlight and embraced being the focal point of the Longhorns offense. While Texas did not meet expectations this year, Johnson gave fans a reason to tune in every night. Some of his most notable performances include his career-high 39 points in the overtime loss to Arkansas on Feb. 26. He also scored 30 points in Texas' comeback win over Texas A&M on Jan. 25. With his latest achievement, Johnson has etched his name into the history books. He is the tenth player in school history to claim conference Freshman of the Year accolades. He is now in the same company as Myles Turner, Tristan Thompson, and Kevin Durant. Following a couple of days of rest, Johnson and the Longhorns will be back in action on Wednesday against Vanderbilt in Nashville. They are the 13th seed in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament.
