England are keen to move fast to replace Brendon McCullum as Test coach, days out from giving the man behind Bazball the flick.
Koa Peat, Brayden Burries shine in NBA Summer League matchup
Former Arizona Wildcats Brayden Burries and Koa Peat faced off for the first time as competitors in the NBA Summer League on Monday night.
Peat and the Phoenix Suns held on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 95-88 in Las Vegas. Burries led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Peat was second in scoring for Phoenix with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
At the half, both players were already in double figures with Burries scoring 12 and Peat 11. Phoenix now stands at 2-1 in the summer league and Milwaukee is winless at 0-3.
In Burries’ first game he scored 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting. He followed it up with a 26-point performance in the next game on 9-of-16 shooting and went 4 of 5 from behind the arc.
Peat scored 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting with six rebounds and four assists in his first game. A 12-point performance followed in his second game.
Burries was taken No. 10 overall by the Bucks in last month’s 2026 NBA Draft, while Peat went taken 30th overall to the Suns. Before becoming pros they helped get Arizona back to the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and showed why they were selected in the first round. They were the sixth and seventh players drafted from Arizona in the Tommy Lloyd era.
This is the only scheduled matchup of former Wildcats facing off during Summer League play, though depending on final overall records there could possibly be another matchup down the road.
Two years out: Projecting the 2028 U.S. men's basketball roster for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
LAS VEGAS — No LeBron James. Stephen Curry? Probably not. What about Kevin Durant? Team USA is going to look different than it did in Paris.
Tuesday — July 14, 2028 — marks two years from the opening ceremonies officially kicking off the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. USA Basketball will enter as favorites and the five-time defending men's basketball gold medalists — but this team will look very different from the one four years ago. And it will face the stiffest competition Olympic men's basketball has ever seen.
Just as the generations are changing in the NBA, so too will it be on the USA Men's Basketball roster, with some holdovers and plenty of star power, but many new names under coach Erik Spoelstra.
To project who will be on the USA roster in two years, I spoke with a number of front office personnel, scouts, and a couple of veteran media members, compiling a list of who might be those new faces. Let's project who will be on that roster, starting with the locks to make the roster
Team USA Locks
• Anthony Edwards
• Tyrese Haliburton
• Jayson Tatum
• Cade Cunningham
• Cooper Flagg
• Bam Adebayo
None of these names should be a surprise. Edwards was an early star in Paris and averaged 12.8 points a game. Tatum and Haliburton were on that team as well, even if Hali made a joke out of how little he played.
When you ain’t do nun on the group project and still get an A pic.twitter.com/xpshYZhMyA
— Tyrese Haliburton (@Hali) August 10, 2024
When I posed a roster question to one former Team USA member, he said, "Cooper Flagg starts" before I finished the sentence. He's probably right. Cunningham also seems a lock with his size and two-way play.
Center is by far the hardest part of assembling the USA roster, in part because you have to build it out thinking about the USA's biggest threat to the gold medal: France with Victor Wembanyama in the middle. Bam Adebayo is a high-level two-way center who has proven he can handle the physicality of FIBA ball, and add in that Spoelstra is the coach, Bam is a lock.
Likely to make roster
• Chet Holmgren
• Jalen Johnson
• Evan Mobley
Johnson feels like a borderline lock as a two-way wing/forward who can help Team USA in a lot of ways. Mobley, a former Defensive Player of the Year who can face up and score, is a natural fit, and a couple of sources suggested Adebayo and Mobley might be the best starting frontcourt, although if Mobley shot better from 3 I'd be more comfortable with this. Mobley has never played for Team USA before, is he interested?
Holmgren was the most discussed player in my conversations. He is a two-way big man who averaged 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season for OKC, shot 36.2% from 3-point range, and blocked 1.9 shots a night on his way to finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. That sounds like he should be a lock for Los Angeles. But we have seen what Wemby does to Holmgren, and FIBA basketball is far more physical than the NBA, and Holmgren is going to struggle with that style of play. Multiple people suggested he might not make the final roster. I'm not sure I'm willing to go there, in part because the other options are limited, but Holmgren is far from a lock, and there are questions to answer.
On the bubble
Guards:
Tyrese Maxey
Devin Booker
Jalen Brunson
Donovan Mitchell
Wings:
Jaylen Brown
Scottie Barnes
Jalen Williams
Amen Thompson
Kevin Durant
Centers:
Jalen Duren
Walker Kessler
The USA is stacked with guards and wings, and there are going to be some tough calls to make. Good players are going to stay home.
Will Durant want to play at age 39 (and will his body let him)? He has said he wants to play if he's able. If he says he wants to go, USA Basketball will not say no to the greatest international player in our men's history, a four-time gold medalist and the USA's leading scorer all-time in the Olympics.
Devin Booker will be just 31, likely wants to return and might be tough to keep off the roster as he won gold in Paris and is a trusted two-way player. Does he beat out Maxey's athleticism, shooting and defense? Bruson is just a winner and will step up in the clutch. Jaylen Brown just finished sixth in MVP voting and is an elite two-way guy, and while he had a public exchange with USA Basketball head Grant Hill after not making the Paris roster, we're going to assume they ask and he says yes this time. Both Scottie Barnes and a healthy Jalen Williams should get serious consideration as well. Amen Thompson needs to develop his shot, but as a defensive wing stopper, he would be a force.
And then there's center. Kessler — or the idealized idea of Kessler, the guy the Lakers are paying him to be — would be a great fit, especially since there is no defensive three-second rule in FIBA ball. Duren also would be a fit, although after his recent playoff performance a few executives winced at the idea of him on this big stage — he needs to prove those playoffs were a one-off.
Wild Cards
Kon Knueppel
Donovan Clingan
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Knueppel showed the potential to get into the guard mix, we just need to see another year and growth from him. Clingan is a big body who can move, he is on the fringe of the center discussion. Can anyone from this June's draft class — Dybantsa, Peterson or Boozer — be ready for the big squad in two years? (Most likely, all of them are on the USA Select Team, which scrimmages against the primary USA squad.)
Final 12 prediction
Anthony Edwards
Tyrese Haliburton
Cade Cunningham
Tyrese Maxey
Jayson Tatum
Cooper Flagg
Jaylen Brown
Jalen Johnson Jr.
Bam Adebayo
Evan Mobley
Chet Holmgren
Jalen Duren
First, if Kevin Durant wants to play and is healthy, then he is in, and someone else has to go.
There is plenty to debate about which guards and wings should make the cut, but you also almost can't go wrong. Because I think we need four bigs to deal with Wemby, I couldn't put either Scottie Barnes or Jalen Williams in the final 12. But if you put either of them on the team instead of Jaylen Brown, it's still very good (although I think Brown deserves to go). (Note: If Duren or Kessler step up enough in the next two years and the USA can go with three bigs and lose Holmgren or Mobley, then we can add Barnes or Williams.)
I'll take an improved Maxey two years from now over an older Booker or Brunson, but again, we're talking three players who would make this team better.
Then there's the center position. Ideally, we only need three for a 40-minute game, and Adebayo is a lock. But Holmgren and Mobley are not traditional bigs, and we need some size and bulk to handle Wemby and potentially others like Nikola Jokic or others. The consensus among the people I talked to was that Kessler is, in theory, the better fit, but he needs to play a couple of seasons to prove it and stay healthy. So, for now, we go with Duren, who has done it for a season. Again, as noted above, if Duren or Kessler prove up to the task, we might be able to cut one big (Holmgren or Mobley) and go with another wing or guard.
This roster would be the gold medal favorite — but this is shaping up to be the toughest road to gold the USA has ever seen.
Wagler’s Summer League performances and NBA future with Joey Linn
Illini Isaac is joined by Joey Linn, beat reporter for the LA Clippers, to discuss Keaton Wagler’s NBA Summer League performances so far and future role for the franchise.
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LeBron James reportedly has ‘all the information needed’ to make free agency decision
The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the handful of teams that are waiting for LeBron James to officially announce where he’s playing basketball next season. For the last two weeks, interested teams have been pitching James’s agent, Rich Paul, on why he should play for them. Now, it seems like that period is over.
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported during the Cavs Summer League game on Monday evening that he spoke with Paul about James’s free agent plans. Paul relayed to him that James has all the information he needs. It’ll now be up to LeBron to make the final call, saying James is now in the “deliberation phase.”
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While we know that James is getting closer to making a decision, which team he will actually sign with is anyone’s guess. Based on reports coming out of Las Vegas during Summer League, nobody definitively knows what LeBron is going to do.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints says that the “overarching consensus among rival team personnel at NBA Summer League is that James will sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.” However, Siegel also noted that the Golden State Warriors are a “stronger consideration” for James after he spent time with Draymond Green this past weekend.
Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports has backed up that the Warriors are still in the race. The consensus of those polled by Schiffer was that James would pick between either Golden State or Cleveland. “Some executives are skeptical of the growing narrative that a third Cleveland stint is a certainty,” Schiffer wrote.
We’ll see what direction James ends up taking this. He is reportedly looking for “happiness” from his next destination while also having a chance to compete for a championship. The Cavaliers should check both of those boxes quite well. Whether or not LeBron chooses a final chapter in Cleveland remains to be seen.
Stats Rundown: 3 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 96-88 Summer League win over the Grizzlies
The Summer Mavericks (1-2) got knocked around by Cam Boozer and the Summer Grizzlies (1-1) early on, but turned it around for a 96-88 win in their third NBA Summer League game on Monday at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Arena.
Morez Johnson Jr. missed the game with calf soreness and is likely done after two games, just like Cooper Flagg last year. Ryan Nembhard also missed the game against the Grizzlies with an illness.
Cam Boozer led the Grizzlies with 21 points and eight rebounds, and former Maverick Olivier-Maxence Prosper had 18 for Grizzlies in the loss. Mavericks’ rookie guard Sergio de Larrea came alive late to complete a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists for Dallas in the win.
Here are three key stats from the third of four Summer League games for the Mavs.
4: Alley-oop finishes for Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu
After Boozer bullied the Mavericks starters for six quick points, Mavericks coach Joe Boylan inserted the former Memphis Tiger Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu into the game. Akobundu-Ehiogu immediately ignited a Mavs run by filling running lanes in transition, scoring his first three buckets on the fast break in rapid succession. He also blocked a Cedric Coward driving attempt midway through the first with the game tied at 10-10.
His ability to finish on the run ignited a 20-4 run that lasted most of the rest of the frame, as Dallas finished the first up 24-19. Akobundu-Ehiogu finished the game with 16 points and four rebounds. He will likely get a lot of run in the Mavs’ final Summer League game on Thursday.
He guided home his third alley-oop finish of the first half early in the second quarter, displaying a surprising hit of athleticism to go along with his 6’10” frame. He was born in Nigeria and now plays in Spain’s La Liga for Manresa. His fourth came in the fourth quarter to extend the Dallas lead to 72-77.
5-of-5: First-half 3-point shooting for Jaden Springer and Darin Green Jr.
Darin Green Jr. connected on his first four shots of the game for the Summer Mavs, including his first three from 3-point range. His third came on a drive-and-dish find from Jaden Springer with 3:43 left in the second quarter and put the Mavericks ahead 43-31.
Springer, a Tennessee product and an unrestricted free agent after playing last season for the G-League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans, the Birmingham Squadron, hit his first two long balls in the first half as well.
Neither of these guys appears poised to crack the conversation for making the Mavericks’ roster (even on a two-way deal) any time soon, mind you.
The Mavs took a 50-46 lead into the halftime break. Green hit his first 3-ball of the second half as well, after stealing the ball from Boozer near the top of the key, then running straight for the 3-point line on a transition sprint-out. He knows what he’s there to do, and he was feeling it on Monday. His fourth of the game gave the Mavs a 58-55 advantage midway through the third.
Green led the Mavs with 18 points and five boards in the win.
16/12: Sergio de Larrea points and assists
The Mavericks’ second first-round draft pick, Sergio de Larrea, flashed his playmaking ability all night long in his third Summer League game, then he finally found the shooting touch late. He can certainly pass the basketball. See the second embedded tweet above for his connection to Akobundu-Ehiogu on his third alley-oop finish of the first half on Monday.
De Larrea dished 12 assists against the Grizzlies on Monday and turned the ball over just three times. That’s a hell of a number, especially in light of his four turnovers (to just four assists) in Saturday’s game against the Lakers, and especially in light of how inefficient the shooters are around him in this setting.
If you’re a de Larrea truther, this was your game. He was 0-for-3 from 3-point range and just 2-for-13 for Summer League before he nailed his first of the game with 3:05 left to play. He crossed over and stepped back over Boozer on that make, which gave the Mavs an 82-77 lead late. Those are the plays we want to see to go along with his creativity in finding the open man.
He rattled in a second from the left wing with just a minute to play to make it an 87-80 and give him 12 points and 12 assists for the game.
Cavs rookie Meleek Thomas goes off for 35 points in win over Heat
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 90-73 in their first win of the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League. They were led by rookie Meleek Thomas, who was on fire from start to finish and ended the game with 35 points.
Thomas set the tone early by scoring 11 points in the first seven minutes. His on-ball shot-creation is a standout. Thomas has looked comfortable navigating the floor and dribbling into some supremely confident jumpers. This pull-up from near the logo is an example:
Thomas continued to dig deeper into his bag as the game went on. He nailed a flurry of floaters and mid-range jumpers in the second half. These shot attempts offer a valuable counter for when defenses are packing the paint.
You never want to rely entirely on the mid-range, but a skilled shooter can punish teams that make it too easy for them.
Thomas tied the franchise record for points in a summer league game and fell just seven points shy of matching the overall record of 42 points in a single game. He didn’t seem to care, however.
“Just get a win, that’s all,” said Thomas, who had 21 points at halftime. “Not really worried about the accolades, if it happens it happens, I wanna win this game.”
This has been a strong summer for Thomas. The 34th pick has shown elite scoring touch and a level of playmaking that I didn’t know he had. Of course, we take all of this with a grain of salt. But you have my permission to get carried away and start buying as much Thomas stock as you can.
Other standouts from tonight include Ernest Udeh Jr, who played his best game of the summer. Udeh was highly active, scoring 8 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and blocking 4 shots.
Jaxson Robinson and Malaki Branham also contributed double-digit scoring figures. Robinson had 13 points and 6 rebounds while Branham scored 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
The Cavs closed the door early in the fourth quarter and earned their first win of the tournament. They’ll play again on Wednesday, this time against the New Orleans Pelicans at 5:30 PM. This is their last game before the knockout round begins.
A’s Add Next Wave of Prospects in 2026 Draft
This past weekend, the Athletics added 21 players to the organization through the 20-round MLB Draft, which kicked off this week’s All-Star festivities in Philadelphia. Of the A’s 21 selections, 11 were pitchers, and all but two played college baseball.
The majority of MLB teams drafted high school players in the first few rounds and will now attempt to lure these touted prospects away from their college commitments with overslot signing bonuses. In years past, the A’s draft classes often included at least one high-risk prep selection in the first few rounds.
This year, however, the A’s largely avoided that demographic. Instead, the team invested nearly its entire signing bonus pool of $13,840,300 in a class of collegiate prospects who will likely require less time to reach the majors than their high school counterparts. That figure represents the maximum amount MLB gives teams to spend on signing bonuses for players selected in the first 10 rounds of the draft.
Day 1 Rundown
The A’s kicked their draft off by selecting Georgia Tech’s 5-foot-9 outfielder Drew Burress with the No. 8 pick. Burress, arguably the best collegiate outfielder in this draft class, used his all-around skillset to break multiple program records. He finished his collegiate career with a .357 batting average, 60 home runs and a 1.204 OPS in three seasons.
The small but stout hitter is no slouch defensively. He plays a quality center field and would be comfortable moving to an outfield corner if needed. Burress looks to be another fast mover who could find himself in the A’s outfield as the franchise begins a new chapter in Las Vegas.
He could be joined by the Athletics’ second-round selection, USC left-handed pitcher Mason Edwards. Baseball America’s collegiate pitcher of the year and the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year led the NCAA with 169 strikeouts, climbing up draft boards after each dominant outing this spring. Between Edwards, Gage Jump, Jamie Arnold and Wei-En Lin, the A’s have an abundance of talented young left-handed pitching prospects, a good sign for a club that needs a talent infusion on the mound.
Edwards led a run of three straight college pitchers, although the next two bring more question marks. Right-hander Gabe Gaeckle has electric stuff but command questions. If the A’s can harness his ability, Gaeckle could pitch in the front half of the team’s rotation. If not, he may be better suited for a late-game relief role.
In the third round, the “Green and Gold” selected Jacob Dudan, whose dynamic fastball/slider combination led to a breakout as NC State’s ace before he blew out his elbow. The A’s will have to wait until Dudan returns from Tommy John surgery to get a sense of what he brings to the table.
The Athletics ended the first day of the draft by selecting UCLA infielder Roman Martin, who performed well with the Bruins, although he was overshadowed by No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky.
Day Two Names to Watch
The A’s did not draft a high school player until the 14th round, when they broke the seal, drafting right-handed pitcher Caden Sivrich out of Norwin HS (PA). Five rounds later, the team chose left-handed pitcher Jake Escalante out of Soquel HS (CA). The team will have to contend with their respective commitments to Pitt and Cal State Fullerton. If they are able to get at least one to sign, that would ensure this draft class comprises not just college players.
Speaking of college players, the following guys are sleepers to watch.
- Right-handed pitcher Nathan Aceves, the A’s 12th round draft pick, followed San Francisco Giants’ first round pick Jackson Flora in UCSB’s rotation this season. His mid-90’s fastball and plus changeup give him a good foundation to have success as a starter in the A’s farm system.
- In the seventh round, the club selected Campbell University’s David Rossow,. The CAA pitcher of the year will look to continue his success against tougher hitters in professional baseball.
- Alex Sosa, the A’s sixth round pick out of Miami (FL), gives the team another young catching prospect to develop. Sosa could be a name to watch as the team’s farm system lacks catching prospects and its starting catcher Shea Langeliers is only a couple of years away from free agency.
- Wake Forest outfielder Javar Williams and Liberty infielder Tanner Marsh are two additional athletic players the A’s nabbed in later rounds who could outplay their draft slot.
Given the team’s desire to contend and how quickly previous draft picks Jacob Wilson, Nick Kurtz and Gage Jump reached the majors, it made sense that the A’s focused primarily on college players this draft class. On the other hand, it would have been nice for them to land a highly ranked high school pitcher or position player to balance out this group.
It is too early to think ahead, but unless the Athletics can resurrect their season in the second half, the team may find itself in the draft lottery once again next year. If that is the case, they will have another opportunity to extend or break this recent streak of selecting college players in the first round.
How do you think the A’s fared during the draft? Is there a prospect who you hoped they would take, but ended up being selected by another team? Will Burress reach the majors first out of these new A’s players? If not, who will beat him and why?
1 thought after the Dallas Mavericks handle the Memphis Grizzlies, 96-88
The Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA Summer League game on Monday night, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies, 96-88. Sergio De Larrea led a very balanced effort from Dallas with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Darin Green Jr. was the Dallas high scorer with 18 points. Third overall pick Cameron Boozer ground his way to a 21-point, eight-rebound effort for Memphis in defeat.
With the Mavericks electing not to play both Ryan Nembhard and Morez Johnson Jr (illness and calf soreness, respectively), Dallas went with an all-overseas-born lineup. Memphis forced the ball to Boozer early and, with Vsevolod Ishchenko drawing that defensive assignment, it looked like it might be a rough game for Dallas. However, the Mavericks played strong team defense and pushed after missed Memphis shots to tie the game at 10 halfway through the period. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu had a surprising impact early, scoring six points via dunks as he flew toward the rim with authority. Dallas grew the lead to double digits before a flurry of Taylor Hendricks threes closed the gap. Dallas led 24-19 after one period.
The Mavericks blitzed the Grizzlies in the second, pushing off of misses and Memphis turnovers, leading to repeated three-point looks on the break. Dallas knocked down shot after shot and rebuilt their double-digit lead from the first period. Back-to-back threes from former Maverick Olivier Maxence-Prosper cut the lead to single digits with two minutes remaining in the half. Memphis cut the lead down to four and entered halftime down 50-46.
The Memphis rally continued to start the second, tying the game a few minutes into the third quarter. The two teams then exchanged baskets, ties, and leads. Strong shooting from Dallas helped them hold off Memphis and the Mavericks entered the fourth quarter up 68-65.
De Larrea’s flashy passing paired with Maverick shotmaking helped Dallas hold off the Grizzlies for much of the period. Memphis closed the gap to tie the game at 77 with five minutes remaining. Dallas exploded out of the next timeout, scoring seven straight, including another rim-rocking dunk from Akobundu-Ehiogu on a putback. Boozer connected on a corner three to give Memphis a chance, but a De Larrea and Darin Green Jr. hit threes in the ensuing possessions to effectively end the game. Dallas walked away with their first win in Vegas, defeating the Grizzlies, 96-88.
Sergio De Larrea, Vsevolod Ishchenko make for a fun backcourt
Some may quibble with this subheading, noting that Ishchenko is kind of omni-positional at the moment, but bear with me. These two, dribbling and initiating the Dallas offense, were a delight against a Memphis team that looked ready to be done with Summer League basketball.
De Larrea’s playmaking chops and vision are obvious. The question becomes how he deals with NBA physicality and I think that he’ll be just fine over the long haul. It helps when teammates make shots, of course, and the Mavericks fulfilled my summer league wish of putting the ball in the basket.
Ishchenko’s more of a mixed bag, but the fearlessness was on full display as he guarded Boozer and put regular pressure on the rim. He really loves a right-handed over-the-head pass when a simpler one will do, but his downhill mindset is more enjoyable than Nembhard’s mechanical implementation of the Dallas offense. He’s got to get much, much better about finishing, but getting there is hard enough, so I suspect the strength will come where he’s able to lay the ball in through contact.
We know De Larrea is on the Mavericks next season; Ishchenko is still up in the air. I suspect this might be the last time we see Sergio for a while, so I encourage people to seek out this game if they missed it.
Canadiens Young Forward Is Big Player To Watch Next Season
Last off-season, the Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux. This was one of the NHL's most intriguing trades of last summer, as it involved two first-round picks from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Bolduc had an up-and-down first season with the Canadiens, but it was still a solid year overall for the 23-year-old forward. In 78 games with the Atlantic Division club, he posted 12 goals, 18 assists, 30 points, and a career-high 170 hits. With numbers like these, the young forward provided some secondary offensive production and plenty of grit. He also had three goals and seven points in 19 playoff games for Montreal.
Yet, Bolduc did see a slight decrease in offense during his first season with the Habs. This is because he posted career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, and 36 points in 72 games with the Blues during the 2024-25 season. Due to this, it will be interesting to see if the 6-foot forward could increase his offensive production next season for the Canadiens.
With Bolduc still being in his early 20s and in the early stages of his NHL career, it is very possible that he has not hit his ceiling yet. Because of this, the possibility of him hitting at least the 20-goal and 40-point marks next season should not be ruled out. If he does, it would be big for a Canadiens club that is looking to be top contenders in 2026-27.
Game Thread: Suns and Bucks
Game 3 of the Summer League.
UConn lefty Charlie West picked in seventh round of MLB Draft by Los Angeles Dodgers
A UConn Husky heard his name called on the second day of the 2026 MLB Draft. Left-handed pitcher Charlie West was selected in the seventh round with the No. 223 overall pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The South Setauket, New York, native pitched the past three seasons in Storrs.
West had a great spring for the Huskies, receiving All-Big East First Team honors after he led the conference in strikeouts with 111. He made 16 starts and had a 4.12 ERA in 87.1 innings, accumulating a 6-6 record on the mound. His best performance of the season came on April 12 when he struck out a career-high 14 batters against Butler.
The selection marks 21-straight MLB Drafts in which UConn has had at least one player drafted or signed by an MLB club. West is the 80th player selected under head coach Jim Penders, who has had a player drafted or signed in all but one of his 23 years leading the dugout in Storrs.
West will try and join the group of 10 other players who have made the big leagues in Penders’ tenure, most recently Kyler Fedko with the Minnesota Twins earlier this year. West is the 18th Husky to be picked in the first 10 rounds since 2009.
So far this summer, West has a 2.16 ERA in four starts for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League, striking out 26 batters in 16.2 innings entering Monday.
Former Husky pitcher Ben Casparius is currently in the Dodgers organization as well and is currently on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury.
Former Red Wings Defenseman And Michigan Native Hangs Up The Skates
Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman, a Dearborn Heights, Michigan native who played college hockey with the Western Michigan Broncos, has officially decided to hang up his skates.
Oesterle, 34, announced his retirement from the NHL after having skated in 409 career games, 97 of which were spent with the Red Wings between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
Jordan, you showed the hockey world that hard work pays off. From going undrafted as a college free agent to creating a 12 year pro hockey career, there's no doubt you left your impact on the game and serve as an inspiration to others looking to follow in your footsteps.… pic.twitter.com/4Vd4Z0ixlf
— O2K Sports Management (@o2ksports) July 13, 2026
Never drafted into the NHL, Oesterle signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2014, and would skate in 25 total games with the organization while mostly playing in the American Hockey League before joining the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017.
Eventually, the Blackhawks traded him along with the contract of former Red Wings forward Marian Hossa to the Arizona Coyotes in July 2018.
Oesterle then took the opportunity to play for his hometown team, inking a two-year, $2.7 million contract with the Red Wings in the summer of 2021. During his time with Detroit, he tallied a total of four goals with 15 assists.
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Following his time with the Red Wings, Oesterle would suit up for the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Nashville Predators.
Ultimately, he registered 23 goals and 73 assists in 409 career regular season games, while adding a goal with three assists in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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Walker Kessler ready to ‘run through a brick wall’ for Lakers
LAS VEGAS — It’s no secret how badly the Lakers wanted – and needed – Walker Kessler.
It’s reflected in not just what various Lakers have said about Kessler since acquiring him from the Jazz in a sign-and-trade.
But also their actions and what the franchise invested to bring the 7-foot-2 big man to L.A. to fill their biggest need entering the offseason.
Two of their unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), which were the last two first-rounders they had full control over to trade.
Two first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
In addition to the four-year, $130 million contract Kessler signed with the franchise that starts with a salary of $30.1 million for 2026-27, which makes him the 10th-highest paid center in the league (restricted free agent big man Jalen Duren’s 2026-27 salary from his contract will likely surpass Kessler’s).
A significant investment for a player who hasn’t made an All-Star, All-NBA or All-Defense team, and is coming off of playing five games after having left shoulder surgery in November.
Kessler is honored by the investment. And ready to prove the Lakers right.
“It definitely makes you feel a certain way when you know an organization believes in you,” Kessler said on Monday during his first media availability since joining the Lakers. “And I think what they’ve invested, they’re showing that belief in a monetary value, not just with money, but like you said, assets. And for me, I’m somebody that if I know that they have that belief in me, I’m gonna run through a brick wall for them. That’s just how I’ve been wired my whole life and it definitely makes it a lot easier to go out there and compete for a team.”
A significant advocate for Kessler in the Lakers’ pursuit of the 24-year-old center was franchise superstar guard Luka Doncic.
Doncic made it clear entering the offseason he wanted the Lakers to acquire a high-level center who fits into the archetype he usually thrives alongside: A lob-catcher, rim-runner and rim-protector.
And the Lakers got the job done by adding Kessler, whose jobs will be made easier because of Doncic.
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Kessler has averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes across 201 regular season games since the Jazz drafted him with the No. 22 pick in the 2022 draft.
“Passing the ball, he’s pretty good,” Kessler quipped. “He has such a big presence on the court, it makes every guy, all four guys around him, it just makes it a lot easier for them to do what they need to do.”
Kessler added: “I’ve never played with a point guard of that kind of size and stature to where he’s just a matchup nightmare.”
And Kessler will look to make Doncic, as well as the rest of his Lakers’ teammates, life jobs easier on the court, too.
He’s been one of the NBA’s best rim protectors since entering the league out of Auburn
“What I can do for [Doncic] is obviously play defense for him, set great screens,” Kessler said. “Get him some assists. It’s gonna be gonna be a lot of fun.”
Even on a Lakers roster that has already added eight players, Kessler still has familiar faces around him.
He was teammates with fellow Lakers acquisition Collin Sexton with the Jazz for three seasons (2022-25).
“I would say his mindset and being able to come in and give it his all each and every night,” Sexton said of why Kessler will be a good fit for the Lakers. “And he’s one of those people that’s very competitive, and I feel like the culture here is trying to bring good guys in who are ready to compete each and every night and give it their all.”
Kessler and Lakers star guard Austin Reaves were also Team USA teammates during the 2023 World Cup.
“He’s a big, goofy dude that just enjoys life and has fun,” Reaves said of Kessler. “Obviously you see what he does basketball wise and how he impacts the game. He’s good defensively, good in the pocket. Just a smart player. So I’m happy to have him on the team and get to play with him.”
Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds (4.6 offensive rebounds), 3 assists and 1.8 blocks across five games (30.8 minutes per game) during 2025-26 before suffering a season-ending torn posterior labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery.
He said his shoulder “feels better than it’s ever felt in my life” and that he’s “100% cleared” after sitting most of last season. Kessler shared that he originally suffered the injury in college but played through it before it got worse over the previous year.
“I’m just excited to play again,” Kessler said. “Sitting out a whole year definitely puts a lot of things in perspective. The heart grows fond in absence. I think falling in love with this game again and just realizing I just want to go win. I just want to play to win. And obviously still being able to do the stuff that I kind of showed in the first five games, it’s just going to be fun to play.”
Before his injury, Kessler further experimented with expanding his shooting range with a higher frequency, attempting 1.6 3-pointers per game compared to 0.3 3s per game in his first three seasons. He made 6 of those 8 attempted 3s last season after making 6 of 34 in 2024-25, 4 of 19 in 2023-24 and 1 of 3 in 2022-23.
“Coach JJ [Redick] is obviously hyper intelligent,” Kessler said. “Obviously, being a shooter himself, we’ve talked about it and he wants me to be able to do that. Because I think for a big to be able to stretch the floor like that or even have the threat of it, I think it makes other teams’ scouts really difficult. [Because] whether I can do that on the pop or catch on the pop, go second side or be able to roll. Both those things are gonna be really important.”
Rangers Re-Sign Braden Schneider To One-Year Contract Extension
The New York Rangers have agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract extension with Braden Schneider.
This comes shortly after Schneider filed for salary arbitration and had a hearing set for July 29.
Schneider is coming off a two-year, $4.4 million contract with the New York Rangers, which expired after the 2025-26 season.
The 24-year-old defenseman was the subject of trade rumors throughout the 2025-26 season and went through a prolonged restricted free agency process, but the two sides ultimately agreed to go the bridge-deal route after reportedly gauging the trade market for Schneider.
“We think Braden is a really good young talented defenseman,” Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury said. “So we drafted him, developed him, we like the skill set and what he does for us. I know he, along with me and us, are just trying to do everything we can to be better and help him be better, but he's an exciting player and a terrific all-around high character person in our organization.”
The Rangers added defensemen Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson this offseason, which will likely decrease Schneider’s role for the 2026-27 campaign.
Despite re-signing with the Rangers, Schneider is set to become a restricted free agent next summer, as Schneider’s long-term future in New York remains uncertain.