Category: Basketball

The Golden State Warriors seem to have landed a gem with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Yaxel Lendeborg has put his name among some of the greatest rookies of all-time with his first-week performance.

After an 0-3 start, the Warriors have won back-to-back games and Lendeborg has filled his role tremendously.

Yes, he's playing alongside a guy named Stephen Curry, who's been unstoppable the past two games − his 44-point night following a perfect shooting night. Still, Curry can't do it alone and with injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody, Golden State needs players to step up. Lendeborg has so far.

The 24-year-old rookie has averaged 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over his first five games.

Lendeborg is the first player since Shaquille O'Neal to average at least 20 points and nine rebounds in his first five career games.

His performances include 31 points in the Warriors' first win of the season, which came on the road against the Denver Nuggets. He added 12 rebounds and six assists. He shot 9-of-19.

He's continued to adapt to the NBA game, staying aggressive and getting easy opportunities at the free throw line. The rookie finished 12-of-13 from the charity stripe against Denver.

Lendeborg joined Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, David Robinson and O'Neal as the only players in the draft lottery era (since 1985) to put up at least 85 points and 35 rebounds in their first four career games.

He scored 87 points in his first four career games, which is second-most for a player in Warriors history behind Wilt Chamberlain. Lendeborg is ahead of Joe Fulks (78 points in 1946-47); Paul Arizin (73 points in 1950-51); Rick Barry (71 points in 1965-66); and Chris Webber (68 points in 1993-94).

Getting a triple-double is not a common thing for any NBA player, and less so for rookies. Getting one this early in the season is even rarer.

The last rookie to get a triple-double by his fifth game was Lonzo Ball, who turned the trick for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017-18.

Well, Cameron Boozer pulled it off against Portland Thursday night. The former Duke star finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists against the Trail Blazers.

It’s still early, but at this point, it’s hard to argue that Boozer isn’t the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

More importantly, the Memphis Grizzlies are now 5-0.

• Boozer records first career triple-double
• Cameron Boozer Highlights vs Portland Trail Blazers
• Kia Rookie Ladder: Cameron Boozer grabs No. 1 spot in debut Top 10 ranking
• Duke Basketball: Cameron Boozer leads way in rookie rankings
• NBA awards races have new favorites, but little separation after one week
• Cameron Boozer earns praise from former NBA DPOY as Grizzlies start 4-0
• Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies May Be Ahead of Schedule Already | The Morning Dunk

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The Atlanta Hawks were back in action on Thursday evening to face the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hawks are coming off a loss to the Miami Heat last night, where not much went right for them on either side of the ball. The one bright spot was Kingston Flemings, who had his breakout game, finishing with 23 points.

As for the Cavaliers, they’re also coming off a back-to-back, as they defeated the Washington Wizards 121-111.

The Hawks struggled against the Heat due to the likes of their frontcourt, and the Cavaliers pose similar problems with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen down low.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker got things started for the Hawks with a 3-pointer.

It was another slow offensive outing for the team in the first quarter, as they couldn’t get much to go at the rim. The 3-point numbers weren’t bad, but they didn’t take that many to make a big difference.

That led the Cavaliers to grab a double-digit lead toward the middle of the quarter, and the Hawks found themselves fighting back. Going into the second, the Hawks trailed the Cavaliers 28-16.

It was a slow start to the second for the Hawks, but the bench was able to find a little bit of a rhythm to cut down their deficit. It was Aaron Wiggins who brought the Hawks life as the quarter continued, knocking down a few 3-pointers to bring them within striking distance.

The starters fed off that energy, and they were able to get stops on defense that led to their offense. Onyeka Okongwu made a layup to tie the game at 37.

The Hawks were able to take the lead a few possessions later, and even extend it a little further. Okongwu was able to get a few 3-pointers to go in after struggling with his shot to start the season.

The Hawks led 46-44 going into halftime.

It was a strong start to the third for the Hawks, and Okongwu continued his hot shooting from the 3-point line. They were able to maintain their lead throughout the quarter, and Okongwu brought his scoring inside the paint.

Wiggins and Jalen Johnson were able to knock down 3-pointers.

Even when the Cavaliers made their run, the Hawks always had a response. To end the quarter, Flemings found Alexander-Walker on the break for a 3-pointer to give the Hawks an 89-82 lead going into the fourth.

The Hawks continued to stay afloat in the fourth, hitting timely shots and getting stops on defense. Wiggins was there when they needed him, and Johnson was also able to get some shots to go, including this dunk in transition.

The Cavaliers had one final run in them, and they made it close with less than a minute remaining. With 20.6 seconds left, the Hawks led by one point, and that’s when the free-throw game came in. Alexander-Walker was able to knock down both to give the Hawks a 3-point lead. From there, all the Hawks needed was a stop on the other end, and they got multiple stops to seal the game in the end.

Okongwu finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds, Alexander-Walker finished with 25 points, and Wiggins finished with 20 points and seven rebounds.

The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday to face the New Orleans Pelicans.

A not quite fully healthy Washington Wizards squad are hosting a surprisingly strong Charlotte Hornets as they kick off the NBA Cup Group stage play on this Halloween weekend. Here’s the preview!

Game info

Gametime: 7 p.m. ET, Friday, Oct. 30

Where: Capital One Arena, D.C.

TV: LeaguePass, Monumental

Injuries:

Wizards: Tre Johnson, Justin Champagnie, Tristan Vukcevic, Jamir Watkins

Hornets: Coby White, Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Kylan Boswell

What to look for

The Wizards have started the season with some good wins, but also a few more-or-less expected losses against the Cavaliers and Raptors. What was quite surprising is their loss to these same Hornets just a few days ago.

Can the Wizards flip the script for this game that actually means more, as it is part of the NBA Cup?

The biggest question is, of course, how will this new squad of onece All-Stars and young talent mesh. This will be a great game to gauge that.

Anthony Davis has shown some flashes of his former All-Star play. Tre Young, on the other hand, still needs more time it seems to be back in his full capacities. What still is missing is a cohesive defense though. But whatever it is right now, it’s a big improvement from last season.

Let us know in the comments your thoughts!

Here are some highlights from that recent game with the Hornets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLAQRSIIDkQ&themeRefresh=1

The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t able to extend their win streak to four games, falling short to the Atlanta Hawks 111-114.

James Harden and Donovan Mitchell were able to find their spots to score 46 points combined, but it was not enough as the Hawks kept the Cavaliers at arm’s length throughout their many comeback attempts in the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers came out efficient and were able to grab a 15-point lead in the second quarter. However, it never really felt like the Cavaliers were able to reclaim that same level of energy or shot-making once Atlanta’s shots started falling.

The Hawks outhustled the Cavaliers from the second quarter onward, including efforts from Onyeka Okongwu (27 points and 10 rebounds) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (25 points).

The Hawks, despite struggling to put the ball in the basket in the first quarter, finished shooting 44% from the field and 40% shooting from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, did not share such fortune (31% from three), it never really felt like they recaptured the groove seen early on.

The Cavaliers saw minimal shooting output from Evan Mobley, Peyton Watson, and Jaylon Tyson, who combined for a 6-for-24 effort from the field. It seemed as if the Cavaliers just ran out of gas and thought that they could simply shoot themselves out of the slump they found themselves in. Unfortunately, unlike their opponent, the Cavaliers never found that rhythm again for the rest of the contest.

Games like this happen, especially on the second end of a back-to-back. However, the Hawks were also coming off a back-to-back and were able to respond to the first punch thrown.

The Cavaliers once again have proved that an area of improvement for this team is holding onto the leads that they build, or at the least being able to react to a counterpunch from an opponent.

It hasn’t been the start to the season that the Utah Jazz were hoping for. Let that be my late submission for Understatement of the Year, as the upstart Jazz have not only lost four of their first five games (their lone victory a one-point stand against a New Orleans team that remains winless at the time I’m writing this article) but have seen three members of their starting unit go down with injury.

Most notable of all were veteran bigs Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. making early trips to the locker room during the same half of play against Memphis. The two players head coach Will Hardy described as Utah’s best will both miss time, and the reserves haven’t been able to keep their head above water in their absence.

To be fair, Utah’s schedule hasn’t exactly been favorable to this point in the year. They had two dates with the Grizzlies, who might be the biggest surprise of the early year, as they sit with an unblemished record of 4-0.

It doesn’t help morale that Walker Kessler, who Utah could have retained this offseason had they been willing to pay top dollar, has been excellent in Los Angeles. The Jazz were forced to dip to their fifth-string center, Tony Bradley (always good to see a familiar face), in their second loss to the Grizz.

A glimmer of hope, however, has been the outstanding play from fourth-year point guard Keyonte George. Utah’s front office raised their hands in an overwhelming vote of confidence in Key by extending his tenure for five more years and a sizable stack of cash. Their investment is already paying off early.

Taking charge and planting his rear end in the director’s chair, George shouted into the megaphone as he dropped a season-high 31 points against the NBA Finals runners-up. They leaned on him, and they leaned hard. Hard enough that Will Hardy felt inclined to give his young point guard a breather at the beginning of overtime.

Keyonte has been exceptional this year, but the team became far too reliant on his scoring ability late into the game, and the wheels fell off in the critical stretch of added time.

Perhaps rolling out Isaiah Collier over Darryn Peterson was a sound decision on paper — putting the ball in the hands of the more experienced player is logical — but the offense stalled as Collier pounded the air out of the ball, and costly turnovers saw Utah’s early three-point advantage give way to a rapid 12-0 run. It was miraculous to see what was essentially the Jazz’s second and third unit go wire-to-wire against a healthy San Antonio side, but it’s clear Utah’s sculpture has plenty more rough edges to carve away.

And they can start by taking down a frisky Portland team in the Delta Center.

The Blazers are unbeaten behind a core of players that fascinates and perplexes me. On the surface, it’s a roster that is well-balanced and carries some real firepower.

Deni Avdija was silently one of the best forwards in the NBA last season, a master of rim-pressure and free-throw trips. He’s running the show again this season, averaging a team-high in minutes, points, and steals.

But he’s not alone this year; Portland’s front office upgraded the backcourt significantly. Shifting the uneven Scoot Henderson to the second unit in favor of Damian Lillard, who’s picking up right where he left off before being traded to Milwaukee two seasons ago. Torching the net for nearly 43% from three-point land through three games, he’s averaging 21.4 points per game.

And he’s got a running mate in Ja Morant. Morant, who was dumped from the Grizzlies’ sinking ship (which is floating quite comfortably today, interestingly enough), has played very well with his new team and, shockingly, has been shooting the leather off the basketball at 44.4% from three.

Add Jrue Holiday, Donovan Clingan, and Toumani Camara to the mix, and it’s no wonder why the Blazers opened the year 3-0 — this is a frisky, dangerous team.

So how will the Jazz fare against their Northwest Division rivals in Salt Lake City? The inertia doesn’t bode well.

Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.

CHICAGO — The Knicks will start their secondary title defense like they began their primary — against LeBron and the 76ers. 

The group stage of the NBA Cup kicks off for the Knicks on Friday night in Philadelphia, a rematch of the regular-season opener from 10 days prior. 

The Knicks lost that matchup, 106-100, because Tyrese Maxey took off and LeBron finished. This time, the Knicks (2-3) are coming off consecutive victories — against the Pistons and Bulls — while Philadelphia (4-1) is still riding the pace and skill of Maxey, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week. 

“We just need to obviously not do what we did [the last time we played them],” Jalen Brunson said. 

Brunson broke out of his shooting slump in Wednesday’s victory over the Bulls, reeling off 38 points with six treys. 

The Knicks are in the toughest NBA Cup group with the Sixers, Pacers (game on Nov. 13), Cavs (Nov. 25) and Heat (Nov. 27). The winner automatically advances to the quarterfinals, along with two wild cards from the six groups. 

Last year, the Knicks won the tournament, with the semifinals and finals held in Vegas. This year, if they advance, the semis are at the home team’s arena and the final is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indiana, the historic basketball site from “Hoosiers” and home of Butler University. 

Despite winning the NBA Cup, Knicks owner James Dolan declined to hang the banner until they won the NBA Finals. 

Pacôme Dadiet will hit free agency in the summer because the Knicks, as expected, are declining to pick up his $5.4 million team option for next season, a source confirmed. 

Dadiet, a 2024 first-round pick, has been out of the rotation again and is worth more to the Knicks as a trade chip on an expiring deal than on the books for over $5 million next season. 

The 21-year-old Frenchman has logged one minute this season. For his career, Dadiet is averaging 1.6 points on 33 percent shooting. He’s the lone Knicks first-round pick on the roster. 

ESPN first reported that the Knicks were declining Dadiet’s option. The deadline is Saturday. 

Sixers star Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable for Friday with knee soreness. Neither Joel Embiid nor LeBron James are on the injury report. 

The Nets came up just short of beating the Celtics in Boston in their last game, but the end result is they fell to 0-4. 

For a team that’s trying to change the direction of a franchise that knows tanking all too well — and lost its first seven games a year ago — they know the results have to change. 

And they believe they’re close. 

“We haven’t won yet, so obviously we want to get the zero out of that column and get a one right there,’’ Michael Porter Jr. said after practice in Brooklyn on Thursday. “It’s important. That’s why that loss the other day hurt. We felt we were in a position to win the game, but if we play like that and can continue to improve, then we’ll get there.” 

Their next chance comes Friday at Barclays Center against the Pistons, followed by games on the road versus Indiana and the Knicks, so it won’t come easily. 

Unlike the previous two seasons, when the Nets could have benefited from losing but did not fare well in the draft lottery, this year their first-round pick goes to the Rockets as a result of the trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn. 

So the time to start winning is now. 

“We’ve just got to get that first win,’’ Day’Ron Sharpe said. “Once we get that first win, we can use it as momentum.” 

And the lack of a victory is on the players’ minds. 

They entered Thursday as the only winless team remaining in the Eastern Conference and one of just three in the league. 

“For sure,’’ Sharpe said of whether the record was something the team thought about. “You don’t want to have a zero on the board. Last year, we started 0-7 and we’re not trying to do the same thing this year.” 

To prevent another round of Groundhog Day — without the silver lining of a potentially high pick — the Nets will have to play like they did in Boston — without the late-game miscues that ended up costing them. 

“We’re almost right there,’’ coach Jordi Fernández said. “It came down to late-game execution.” 

But he added, “I think games like this in the future will lead to more wins.” 

As Porter noted, the Nets are again playing with some key new players, from veterans like Julius Randle to rookie Mikel Brown Jr. 

“It’s gonna take some time to develop some chemistry and I think from Game 1 to the last game, there’s been some growth,” Porter said. “Teams that are brand-new like this, it takes a while. We understand that and I think we’re willing to be patient with the process and continue to stack days and it’ll turn around for us.” 

Fernández agreed and doesn’t want his team to press. 

“We want to play with an edge, not anxiety,’’ Fernández said. “I just want to see continuity from what we did in the game against Boston. There’s no doubt in my mind, the first [win] is gonna come … I believe in the process. Right now, I’m not anxious about a win. I want to play consistently the right way. That [Boston] game is a clear example of who we want to be.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking for their fourth straight win as they take on the Atlanta Hawks.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Halloween weekend is often synonymous with candy, costumes, scary movies and haunted houses. Well, this year the only thing that matters is THE MARCH TO THE NBA CUP BEGINNING. That’s right, the NBA’s convoluted, definitely not confusing Cup is once again up for grabs. The group stage begins in earnest on Friday evening, with the Mavericks and Rockets kicking off West Group A competition.

Looking at the group, it’s shaping up to be the West’s group of death. Houston is maybe the best team in the league. Denver still has Jokic and Murray. Utah has a lot of talent, although some injuries have taken their toll in Salt Lake City. Dallas has gotten off to a shockingly good 3-2 start, and Phoenix still has talent, even without a real point guard. It’s a tough draw, and Dallas getting off to a 1-0 start in group play would be very helpful towards getting them through into the knockout rounds.

Knowing what’s at stake, here are a few tricks or treats to know before Houston faces off against Dallas.

TRICK: The first game between these two teams

It was just last week when the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets last met. In case you selectively forgot the result of that one, Dallas found themselves down by as many as 37 points in an eventual 18-point loss. However, just because that result exists doesn’t mean the Mavericks are doomed against this Rockets squad.

Yes, the Rockets do present some unique challenges that Dallas will have to solve. The Mavericks had a challenge simply running any sort of offense against Houston in the opener, as the defensive intensity that the Rockets brought simply overwhelmed the Dallas guards. In the four games since then, Dallas has won three of four with tenth best offensive rating in the NBA. That’s not to say that all of their issues will be solved here, as Houston has a top five defense in the NBA in their four wins since the opener, but expect Dallas to be more comfortable in this one on that end.

Conversely, the Houston offense has only been held under 120 points once, a 114-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs last Friday. Dallas got absolutely shellacked in Houston during the opener, as Houston completely dominated transition play. Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense, and Dallas will need both to hang with Houston in this one.

Treat: Tournament Dusty May

When it comes to tournament play, Dusty May is the best coach in the business. In the last calendar year, Dusty May has won two basketball tournaments (2025 Players Era, 2026 NCAA Tournament). Ime Udoka hasn’t won a tournament as a head coach EVER. Only Mike Brown of the Knicks (2026 NBA Cup, 2026 NBA Finals) has a comparable resume to the incomparable Dusty May. To steal a line from the late, great Stacey King: Big time coaches win big time games!

Trick: Dealing with Amen Thompson

The Thompson twins are both unquestioned freaks, and what Amen has done to start the year should not be overlooked. At 18 points, over eight boards and nearly four assists per contest, the offensive counting stats are right near career bests. What’s scary is that the defensive impact on counting stats (one steal and just under a half block per game) are at career lows. You’ve got to assume that the counting stats will begin to increase at some point, and the Mavericks will have to be very good with the ball to ensure that Amen doesn’t wreck this contest.

Treat: The NBA Cup

It had to feel good for Adam Silver that last year’s cup featured the two teams who eventually played for the Larry O’Brien trophy in June. The regular season can be quite a grind, so even a contrived, convoluted and confusing tournament such as the Cup is a welcome change of pace. The outrageous courts, the group play, the insistence of separating every single thing by conference, it all adds to the nonsensical nature of it all. My interest in the Cup first started out as a bit, just because everyone else on the planet hated the idea. But honestly at this point, I do like the Cup, regardless of how ridiculous it is made by Adam Silver. It’s just good, clean, harmless fun.

How to watch

Tipoff is set for just after 7:00 p.m. at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. I hope to see many costumes in the arena for this Halloween special! If you’re tuning in for this one, KFAA Channel 29, Mavs TV or NBA League Pass will have you covered for the broadcast.

Anthony Edwards had successful surgery on his right knee, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced on Thursday, Oct. 29.

The arthroscopic procedure for debridement, which is to remove thickened or dead tissue, was performed on the same day by Dr. Craig Bennett at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The team said the four-time All-Star "is expected to make a full recovery."

Edwards, 25, was listed as questionable on NBA injury reports on Wednesday, Oct. 28 after becoming the second-leading scorer in the league through four games. Multiple reports said he would miss two months of action.

He is averaging 33.3 points per game as the Timberwolves went 3-1. They lost their matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, which Edwards did sit out, bringing their record to 3-2.

Only Luka Dončić on the Los Angeles Lakers is scoring more, averaging 36.0 points per game.

The Atlanta Hawks (2-3) look to snap an ugly three-game losing streak against the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-1).

Starting lineup:

G CJ McCollum

G Nickeil Alexander-Walker

F Dyson Daniels

F Jalen Johnson

C Onyeka Okongwu

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Start Time: 8:00 PM EDT

TV: Peachtree TV (WPCH), Atlanta News First (WANF)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming:Amazon Prime, NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

Forget the player participation policy, there’s an NBA Cup to respect.

The Sixers released their injury report for their first leg of their second back-to-back of the season, and the only starter listed on it is Jaylen Brown, who is questionable with left knee soreness. That’s an unwelcome surprise, but it at least means LeBron James and Joel Embiid will be available for their rematch against the New York Knicks.

There wasn’t any clear moment in the Sixers win against the Pacers where Brown appeared to pick up a knock, but he only played 34 minutes in the game despite already being fourth in the league in minutes this season.VJ Edgecombe, who returned from an abdominal contusion in Indiana, is also not listed.

On the James and Embiid side, This is a difference from how Philadelphia handled their first set of consecutive games this season, where Embiid played the first game and LeBron played the second. The circumstances surrounding this back-to-back changes the calculus a little bit for the Sixers because that Knicks game is on Amazon Prime.

Nationally televised games are subject to the player participation policy critiquing the availability of players who have made an All-Star game and having already offended it, the Sixers aren’t trying to pick up any more infractions there. On top of the game being on Prime, it’s also the first NBA Cup night of the season. The Sixers have yet to advance out of group play in the Cup’s first three seasons of existence.

That means it’s possible both Embiid and James miss the second game of the weekend at Charlotte against the Hornets. It makes sense to load up for the harder opponent in New York. Getting some of their front court depth back would help a lot in getting through these types of games.

Dominick Barlow remains out with spine injury, he’s about a week from his reevaluation. Jabari Walker is also out with left knee soreness, he tweaked his left knee back on Oct. 24 against the Bucks. The only update that’s come on him recently is the designation on the injury report changing from left knee soreness to left patellar tendinopathy. Tacko Fall continues to get closer according to Nick Nurse, but is still listed as out with a quad injury. Hopefully Brown is able to go so the Sixers at least get their full starting five for the defending champions.

JJ Redick foreshadowed a night like Wednesday evening.

Throughout preseason and the regular season, he stressed that every player on the Lakers’ roster would get an opportunity to play, even if they weren’t a regular part of the Day 1 rotation. 

Injuries occur. Game plans change. The unpredictability of an 82-game regular season creates opportunities that can’t always be planned.

That’s exactly what happened in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome, with Jarred Vanderbilt having an impactful season debut to help get the team back on track after Tuesday’s loss to the Trail Blazers.

“Vando’s always going to play hard,” coach JJ Redick said of the veteran forward. “He’s always going to impact the game with just his effort, and I thought he did that.”

With 2026-27 being his ninth season in the NBA, the value Vanderbilt brings is known.

Hustle. 

Versatile defense, with his 6-foot-8, 214-pound frame helping him guard most positions.

A formidable rebounder. 

All of which were on display against the Clippers.

He recorded 7 rebounds and 2 assists in 21 minutes. 

While individual plus/minus can be a misleading statistic at times, the Lakers winning Vanderbilt’s minutes by 22 points reflected his impact.

And this came after he was a DNP-CD (did not play – coach’s decision) in the first four games of the season. 

“He’s a true professional,” Grimes said. “He’s the first one in the gym, stays after to get some extra shots, gets the extra conditioning in. He’s a great player. He’s been ready, I’ve seen it. Knowing since we were kids. I knew he’d be ready for a game like this, for sure.”

With Kevon Looney’s role in the rotation already diminishing, Vanderbilt could continue to get more playing time, especially as a frontcourt partner next to Sandro Mamukelashvili, who can complement Vanderbilt with his floor-spacing. 

The Lakers know Vanderbilt will be ready if his number is called again soon.

“Vando is somebody that is always going to stay ready,” Collin Sexton said. “He was [at the practice facility Wednesday] morning when I came in. He was on the floor, full-out sweat, getting shots up, moving fast. And I felt like he’s always going to be ready for whenever his name is called, but that just shows a true professional. That just shows someone that, no matter the circumstances, they’re going to come each and every day to give what they got. 

“And you never see any bad days for Vando, he’s always going to be a leader. He’s always going to come in and be that vet and be that good person. Whether he plays no minutes or he plays 48 minutes, he’s always going to be the same person. And I feel like that’s one of the things that helps in the locker room is we’re all for the team.”